Pilgrim's Progress

Christian's Burden Falls From His Shoulders

As I walked through the wilderness of this world I came to place where was a Den, and I laid down to sleep. As I slept I dreamed a dream.

Dreamed a dream

I dreamed and saw a man clothed with rags, a book in his hand, and a great burden on his back. I looked, and saw him open the book and read; and as he read he wept and trembled, and finally cried out, saying: " What shall I do ?"

In this state of mind, he went home and told his wife that he was informed that their city would be burnt with fire from heaven, in which he, his wife, and his sweet children would be miserably destroyed, unless they found a way of escape.

His relatives tried, without luck, to dispel his fears.
Now, I saw when Christian — for this was the man's name — was walking in the fields that he was reading in his book; and as he read he burst out as before, crying : " What shall I do to be saved? "
I looked then and saw a man named Evangelist coming to him, who asked: " Why did you cry out? "
When he had answered, Evangelist said: "If this is your condition, why do you stand still ? "
" Because I don't know where to go," he answered.
Then Evangelist gave a scroll, upon which was written :

" Run from the wrath to come."

The man read it, and, looking upon Evangelist intently, said: Where must I run ? "
Then said Evangelist, pointing with his finger over a very wide field: " Do you see, in the distance, the small gate? " The man said : " No."

Then said the other : "Do you see, way over there, a shining light?" He said : " I think I do."
Then said Evangelist: " Keep that light in your eye and go up there directly. Then you'll see the gate, and when you knock, you will be told what to do."

So I saw in my dream that the man began to run.
Now, he had not run far from his own front door, when his wife, children and neighbours, seeing it, cried out to him to return.
But the man ran towards the middle of the plain.
Two of his neighbours, Obstinate and Pliable, decided to bring him back by force.

Obstinate

When they came up with him, he told them that if they died in the City of Destruction, where he and they were born, they would sink lower than the grave.
As they talked together, Christian asked them to read in his book.
Obstinate cried : " Away with your book! Will you return with us or not ? "