The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan [most popular novels .txt] 📗

flesh; yet that also shall be so far from being to my detriment, that it is at present a proof of my love to my Master and you, and shall be a means, by grace, to increase my reward at last.815

Christ. But were you not afraid, good Sir, when you saw him come out with his club?816

Great-heart. It is my duty, said he, to distrust my own ability, that I may have reliance on Him that is stronger than all.

Christ. But what did you think when he fetched you down to the ground at the first blow?

Great-heart. Why, I thought, quoth he, that so my Master Himself was served, and yet He it was that conquered at the last.

Matt. When you all have thought what you please, I think God has been wonderful good unto us, both in bringing us out of this Valley, and in delivering us out of the hand of this enemy; for my part, I see no reason, why we should distrust our God any more, since He has now, and in such a place as this, given us such testimony of His love as this.

Then they got up and went forward. Now a little before them stood an oak; and under it, when they came to it, they found an old pilgrim fast asleep; they knew that he was a pilgrim by his clothes, and his staff, and his girdle.

So the guide, Mr. Great-heart, awaked him, and the old gentleman, as he lift up his eyes, cried out, What’s the matter? Who are you? and what is your business here?817

Great-heart. Come, man, be not so hot, here is none but friends; yet the old man gets up, and stands upon his guard, and will know of them what they were. Then said the guide, My name is Great-heart; I am the guide of these Pilgrims, which are going to the Celestial Country.

Honest. Then said Mr. Honest, I cry you mercy; I feared that you had been of the company of those that sometime ago did rob Little-faith of his money; but now I look better about me, I perceive you are honester people.

Great-heart. Why, what would, or could you have done, to have helped yourself, if we indeed had been of that company.

Hon. Done! why I would have fought as long as breath had been in me; and had I so done, I am sure you could never have given me the worst on it; for a Christian can never be overcome, unless he should yield of himself.818

Great-heart. Well said, father Honest, quoth the guide; for by this I know thou art a cock of the right kind, for thou hast said the truth.

Hon. And by this, also, I know that thou knowest what true pilgrimage is; for all others do think that we are the soonest overcome of any.

Great-heart. Well, now we are so happily met, pray let me crave your name, and the name of the place you came from.

Hon. My name I cannot; but I came from the town of Stupidity; it lieth about four degrees beyond the City of Destruction.

Great-heart. Oh! are you that countryman, then? I deem I have half a guess of you; your name is Old Honesty, is it not? So the old gentleman blushed, and said, Not Honesty, in the abstract,819 but Honest is my name; and I wish that my nature shall agree to what I am called.

Hon. But, Sir, said the old gentleman, how could you guess that I am such a man, since I came from such a place?

Great-heart. I had heard of you before, by my Master; for He knows all things that are done on the earth; but I have often wondered that any should come from your place, for your town is worse than is the City of Destruction itself.

Hon. Yes, we lie more off from the sun, and so are more cold and senseless; but was a man in a mountain of ice, yet if the Sun of Righteousness will arise upon him, his frozen heart shall feel a thaw; and thus it hath been with me.820

Great-heart. I believe it, father Honest, I believe it; for I know the thing is true.

Then the old gentleman saluted all the Pilgrims with a holy kiss of charity; and asked them of their names, and how they had fared since they set out on their pilgrimage.821

Christ. Then said Christiana, My name, I suppose you have heard of; good Christian was my husband, and these four were his children. But can you think how the old gentleman was taken, when she told him who she was! He skipped, he smiled, and blessed them with a thousand good wishes, saying:

Hon. I have heard much of your husband, and of his travels and wars, which he underwent in his days. Be it spoken to your comfort, the name of your husband rings over all these parts of the world: his faith, his courage, his enduring, and his sincerity under all, has made his name famous. Then he turned him to the boys, and asked them of their names, which they told him. And then said he unto them: Matthew, be thou like Matthew the publican, not in vice, but in virtue.822 Samuel, said he, be thou like Samuel the Prophet, a man of faith and prayer.823 Joseph, said he, be thou like Joseph in Potiphar’s house, chaste, and one that flees from temptation.824 And James, be thou like James the Just, and like James the brother of our Lord.825 Then they told him of Mercy, and how she had left her town and her kindred to come along with Christiana and with her sons. At that the old honest man said, Mercy is thy name;