The Pilgrim's Progress (Part I)

Section 3 - Hill Difficulty

THE HILL DIFFICULTY

I beheld, then, that they all went on till they came to the foot of the hill "Difficulty," at the bottom of which was a spring. There were also in the same place two other ways besides that which came straight from the gate; one turned to the left hand, and the other to the right, at the bottom of the hill: but the narrow way lay right up the hill (and the name of the going up the side of the hill is called Difficulty). CHRISTIAN now went to the spring, and drank thereof to refresh himself;

"They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them." Isaiah 49:10

and then began to go up the hill, saying:

"This hill, though high, I covet to ascend;
The difficulty will not me offend,
For I perceive the way to life lies here:
Come, pluck up, heart, let's neither faint nor fear!
Better, though difficult, the right way to go,
Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe."

The other two also came to the foot of the hill. But when they saw that the hill was steep and high, and that there were two other ways to go; and supposing also that these two ways might meet again with that up which CHRISTIAN went, on the other side of the hill, therefore they were resolved to go in those ways (now the name of one of those ways was "Danger," and the name of the other "Destruction"). So the one took the way which is called Danger, which led him into a great wood; and the other took directly up the way to Destruction, which led him into a wide field full of dark mountains, where he stumbled and fell, and rose no more.

TIMOROUS AND MISTRUST

I looked then after CHRISTIAN, to see him go up the hill, when I perceived he fell from running to going, and from going to clambering upon his hands and his knees, because of the steepness of the place. Now about the midway to the top of the hill was a pleasant arbour, made by the Lord of the hill, for the refreshment of weary travellers. Thither, therefore, CHRISTIAN got, where also he sat down to rest. Then he pulled his roll out of his bosom, and read therein to his comfort; he also now began afresh to take a review of the coat or garment that was given him as he stood by the cross. Thus pleasing himself awhile, he at last fell into a slumber, and thence into a fast sleep which detained him in that place until it was almost night, and in his sleep his roll fell out of his hand. Now as he was sleeping, there came one to him, and awaked him, saying, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard: consider her ways, and be wise".

"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:" Proverbs 6:6

And with that, CHRISTIAN suddenly started up, and sped him on his way, and went apace till he came to the top of the hill.

Now when he was got up to the top of the hill, there came two men running against him furiously.

The name of the one was TIMOROUS, and the name of the other MISTRUST; to whom CHRISTIAN said, "Sirs, what's the matter? You run the wrong way!"

Timorous answered that they were going to the City of Zion , and had got up that difficult place; "but," said he, "the farther we go, the more danger we meet with: wherefore we turned, and are going back again."

Mistrust. "Yes," said MISTRUST; "for just before us lie a couple of lions in the way – whether sleeping or waking we know not,--and we could not think, if we came within reach, but they would presently pull us in pieces."

Chr. Then said CHRISTIAN, "You make me afraid; but whither shall I fly to be safe? If I go back to mine own country, that is prepared for fire and brimstone – and I shall certainly perish there! If I can get to the celestial city, I am sure to be in safety there. I must venture: to go back is nothing but death; to go forward is fear of death, and life everlasting beyond it! I will yet go forward!

SLEEP IN THE DAYTIME

So MISTRUST and TIMOROUS ran down the hill; and CHRISTIAN went on his way. But thinking again of what he heard from the men, he felt in his bosom for his roll, that he might read therein, and be comforted; but he felt, and found it not. Then was CHRISTIAN in great distress, and knew not what to do; for he wanted that which used to relieve him, and that which should have been his pass into the Celestial City . Here, therefore, he began to be much perplexed, and knew not what to do; at last he bethought himself that he had slept in the arbour that is on the side of the hill: and falling down upon his knees, he asked God forgiveness for that his foolish act, and then went back to look for his roll. But all the way he went back, who can sufficiently set forth the sorrow of CHRISTIAN'S heart? sometimes he sighed; sometimes he wept; and often times he chided himself for being so foolish as to fall asleep in that place, which was erected only for a little refreshment from his weariness.

Thus therefore, he went back; carefully looking on this side and on that, all the way as he went, if happily he might find his roll, that had been his comfort so many times in his journey. He went thus till he came again within sight of the arbour where he sat and slept; but that sight renewed his sorrow the more, by bringing again even afresh his evil of sleeping into his mind. Thus therefore, he now went on bewailing his sinful sleep, saying, "Oh, wretched man that I am, that I should sleep in the daytime! that I should sleep in the midst of difficulty!;

"For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." 1 Thessalonians 5:7, 8

"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." Revelation 2:4, 5

that I should so indulge the flesh, as to use that rest for ease to my flesh, which the Lord of the hill hath erected only for the relief of the spirits of pilgrims! How many steps have I taken in vain! (thus it happened to Israel; for their sin they were sent back again by the way of the Red Sea); and I am made to tread those steps with sorrow, which I might have trod with delight, had it not been for this sinful sleep. How far might I have been on my way by this time! I am made to tread those steps thrice over which I needed not to have trod but once: yea, now also I am like to be benighted, for the day is almost spent. Oh that I had not slept!"

Now by this time he was come to the arbour again, where for a while he sat down and wept; but at last (as CHRISTIAN would have it) looking sorrowfully down under the settle, there he espied his roll, the which he with trembling and haste caught up, and put into his bosom; but who can tell how joyful this man was when he had gotten his roll again! For this roll was the assurance of his life and acceptance at the desired haven. Therefore he laid it up in his bosom; gave thanks to God for directing his eye to the place where it lay; and with joy and tears betook himself again to his journey. But oh, how nimbly now did he go up the rest of the hill! Yet before he got up, the sun went down upon CHRISTIAN; and this made him again recall the vanity of his sleeping, and thus he again began to condole with himself: "Oh, thou sinful sleep! how for thy sake am I like to be benighted in my journey! I must walk without the sun; darkness must cover the path of my feet; and I must hear the noise of the doleful creatures-- because of my sinful sleep!" Now also he remembered the story that MISTRUST and TIMOROUS told him of--how they were frightened with the sight of the lions. Then said CHRISTIAN to himself again, "These beasts range in the night for their prey; and if they should meet with me in the dark, how should I shift them? how should I escape being by them torn in pieces?" Thus he went on his way; but while he was thus bewailing his unhappy miscarriage, he lift up his eyes, and behold, there was a very stately palace before him, the name of which was "Beautiful," and it stood just by the highway side.