Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk1.djvu/31

Rh #His turning thee out of the way.
 * 1) His labouring to render the cross odious to thee.
 * 2) And his setting thy feet in that Way that leadeth unto the administration of death.

First. Thou must abhor his turning thee out of the way; yea, and thine own consenting thereto; because this is to reject the counsel of God for the sake of the counsel of a Worldly Wiseman. The Lord says, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate," the gate to which I send thee; "for strait is the gate that leadeth unto life, and few there be that "find it." (Luke xiii. 24. Matt. vii. 13, 14.) From this little Wicket-gate, and from the way thereto, hath this Wicked man turned thee, to the bringing of thee almost to destruction: hate, therefore, his turning thee out of the way, and abhor thyself for hearkening to him.

Secondly. Thou must abhor his labouring to render the cross odious unto thee; for thou art to "prefer it before the treasures of Egypt." (Heb. xi. 25, 26.) Besides, the King of glory hath told thee, "that he that'will save his life shall lose it." And, "He that cometh after me, and hateth not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he Cannot be my disciple." (Matt. X. 37–39. Mark viii. 34, 35. Luke xiv. 26, 27. John xii. 25.) I say, therefore, for man to labour to persuade thee that that shall be thy death, Without which, the Truth hath: said, thou canst not have eternal life—this doctrine thou must abhor.

Thirdly. Thou must hate his setting of thy feet in the way that leadeth to the ministration of death. And for this thou must consider to Whom he sent thee, and also how unable that person was to deliver thee from thy burden.

He to whom thou wast sent for ease, being by name Legality, is the son of that bond-Woman which now is, and is in bondage with her children (Gal. iv. 21–27); and is, in a mystery, this Mount Sinai, which thou hast feared will