_Christian._ One that appeared to me, a great and honourable person. His name I think, is _Evangelist_.
_World._ Beshrew him for his counsel. There is not a more dangerous or troublesome way in the world than this. Hear me; I am older than thou. Thou art like to meet in the way thou now goest, weariness, painfulness, nakedness, hunger, peril, sword; death itself, and what not?
_Christian._ Sir, this burden is worse than all these. I care not what I meet with, so I get rid of this.
_World._ How camest thou by it at first?
_Christian._ By reading this book.
_World._ I thought so. So it has fared with other weak men; who, meddling with things too high for them, suddenly fall into distraction, and run desperate ventures to obtain they know not what.
_Christian._ I know what I would obtain. It is ease from my burthen.
_World._ Hadst thou but patience to hear, I could direct thee to obtain that, without running into any of these dangers.
_Christian._ Pray, Sir, open this secret to me.
_World._ Why, in yonder village there lives a gentleman, whose name is _Legality_, a very judicious man, and of good credit and fashion: he has helped abundance of men off with such burthens as thine are.
_Christian._ Sir, which is my way to his house?
_World._ You must go by yonder high hill, and the first house you come at is his.
So _Christian_ turned out of his way. But when he was got hard by the hill, it hung so much over the way, that he was afraid to venture on, lest it should fall upon his head. Wherefore he stood still, and knew not what to do. Likewise his burthen seemed heavier than before. There came also flashes of fire out of the hill, that made him afraid he should be burnt: insomuch that he now quaked for fear, and was sorry he came out of his way. And with that he saw _Evangelist_ coming to meet him, at the sight of whom he blushed for shame: so he came up to him, and with a severe countenance said.
_Evangelist._ What dost thou here? To which he knew not what to answer, but stood speechless before him.
_Evangelist._ Art thou not the man whom I found crying without the walls of the city of _Destruction_?
_Christian._ Yes, Sir, I am.
_Evangelist._ Did I not direct thee to the little gate? How is it that thou art so quickly turned aside?
_Christian._ I met a gentleman who told me, I might find one in yonder village that could take off my burthen.
Then said _Evangelist_, stand still a little that I may tell thee the words of the Lord. So he stood trembling. Then _Evangelist_ said, _See that ye refuse not him that speaketh: for if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: for the just shall live by faith; but if he draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him_.
Then _Christian_ fell down at his feet as dead. But _Evangelist_ caught him by the right-hand, and said, _All manner of sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven unto men: be not faithless but believing_. At this his spirit a little revived, and he stood up trembling before _Evangelist_.
Then _Evangelist_ said, _Give more earnest heed unto the things_ that I shall tell thee of. There are three things in the counsel of the man that met thee, which thou must utterly abhor.
1. His turning thee out of the way.
2. His labouring to make the cross odious to thee.
3. His setting thy feet in the way that leadeth to death.
_First_, Thou must abhor his turning thee out of the way; for this is to reject the counsel of God, seeing the Lord saith, _Strive to enter in at the strait gate_, the gate to which I sent thee.
_Secondly_, Abhor his labouring to make the cross odious to thee; for thou art to prefer it before _the treasures of Egypt_. Besides the Lord hath said, _If any man come after me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple_. The doctrine therefore which teacheth to hate or shun the cross, thou must utterly abhor.
Thou must, _lastly_, abhor his setting thy feet in the way that leadeth to death. For he to whom thou wast sent, _legality_ by name, is _the son of the bondwoman_: and this is mount _Sinai_, _which gendereth unto bondage_, and unto death eternal. He cannot free any man of his burthen: nor is it possible he should; for _by the works of the law shall no flesh living be justified_.
After this _Evangelist_ called aloud to the heavens for the confirmation of what he had said. And there came words and fire out of the mountain. The words were these, _As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them_.