Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk1.djvu/112

108 as they are circumcised, shall not their cattle, and their substance, and every beast of theirs, he ours?" Their daughters and their cattle were that which they sought to obtain, and their religion the stalking-horse they made use of to come at them. Read the whole story. (Gen. xxxiv. 20–24.)

2. The hypocritical Pharisees were also of this religion: long prayers were their pretence; but to get widows houses was their intent, and greater damnation was from God their judgment. (Luke xx. 46, 47.)

3. Judas, the devil, was also of this religion: he was religious for the bag, that he might he possessed of what was put therein; but he was lost, cast away, and the very son of perdition.

4. Simon the wizard was of this religion too: for he would have had the Holy Ghost, that he might have got money therewith; and his sentence from Peter's mouth was according. (Acts viii. 18–23.)

5. Neither will it go out of my mind but that that man who takes up religion for the world, will throw away religion for the world; for so surely as Judas designed the world in becoming religious, so surely did he also sell religion and his Master for the same. To answer the question, therefore, affirmatively, as I perceive you have done, and to accept of, as authentic, such answer, is heathenish, hypocritical, and devilish; and your reward will be according to your works.

Then they stood staring one upon another, but had not wherewith to answer Christian. Hopeful also approved of the soundness of Christian's answer; so, there was a great silence among them, Mr. By-ends and his company also staggered and kept behind, that Christian and Hopeful might outgo them. Then said Christian to his fellow, If these men cannot stand before the sentence of men, what will they do with the sentence of God? And if they are route, when dealt with by vessels of clay, what will they