The Pilgrims Progess | Page 7

Christ and the wise men of old, and it is as straight as a rule can make
it.
Christian.--But is there no turn or bend by which one who knows not
the road might lose his way?
Good-will.--My friend, there are not a few that lead down to it, and
these paths are wide: yet by this you may judge the right from the
wrong--the right are straight and are by no means wide.
Then I saw in my dream that Christian said: Could you not help me off
with this load on my back?--for as yet he had not got rid of it. He was
told: As to your load, you must bear it till you come to the place of
Deliverance, for there it will fall from your back.
Then Christian would have set off on the road; but Good-will said: Stop
a while and let me tell you that when you have gone through the gate
you will see the house of Mr. Interpreter, at whose door you must
knock, and he will show you good things. Then Christian took leave of

his friend, who bade him God speed.
He now went on till he came to the house at the door of which he was
to knock; this he did two or three times. At last one came to the door
and said: Who is there?
Christian.--I have come to see the good man of the house.
So in a short time Mr. Interpreter came to him and said: What would
you have?
Christian.--Sir, I am come from The City of Destruction, and am on my
way to Mount Zion. I was told by the man that stands at the gate, that if
I came here you would show me good things that would help me.
Then Interpreter took Christian to a room, and bade his man bring a
light, and there he saw on the wall the print of one who had a grave
face, whose eyes were cast up to the sky, and the best of books was in
His hand, the law of truth was on His lips, and the world was at His
back. He stood as if He would plead for men, and a crown of gold hung
near his head.
Christian.--What does this mean?
Interpreter.--I have shown you this print first, for this is He who is to be
your sole guide when you can not find your way to the land to which
you go; so take good heed to what I have shown you, lest you meet
with some who would feign to lead you right; but their way goes down
to death.
Then he took him to a large room that was full of dust, for it had not
been swept; and Interpreter told his man to sweep it. Now when he did
so, such clouds of dust flew up, that it made Christian choke.
Then said Interpreter to a maid that stood by; Make the floor moist that
the dust may not rise; and when she had done this, it was swept with
ease.
Christian.--What means this?
Interpreter.--This room is the heart of that man who knows not the
grace of God. The dust is his first sin and the vice that is in him. He
that swept first is the Law, but she who made the floor moist is The
Book which tells Good News to Man. Now as soon as you saw the first
of these sweep, the dust did so fly that the room could not be made
clean by him; this is to show you that the law as it works does not
cleanse the heart from sin, but gives strength to sin, so as to rouse it up
in the soul.

Then you next saw the maid come in to lay the dust; so is sin made
clean and laid low by faith in The Book.
Now, said Christian, let me go hence.
Well, said Interpreter, keep all things so in thy mind that they may be a
goad in thy sides; and may faith guide thee!
Then I saw in my dream that the high way which Christian was to tread,
had a wall on each side, and the name of that wall was Salvation. Up
this high way did Christian run, but with great toil for the load on his
back. He ran thus till he drew near to a place on which stood a cross,
and at the foot of it a tomb. Just as Christian came up to the cross, his
load slid from his back, close to the mouth of the tomb, where it fell in,
and I saw it no more.
Then was Christian glad, and said with a gay heart: He gives me rest by
his