Hope.  Now do I rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  So they turned away from the man; and he, laughing at them, went his way.

{336} I saw then in my dream, that they went till they came into a certain country, whose air naturally tended to make one drowsy, if he came a stranger into it.  And here Hopeful began to be very dull and heavy of sleep; wherefore he said unto Christian, I do now begin to grow so drowsy that I can scarcely hold up mine eyes, let us lie down here and take one nap.

Chr.  By no means, said the other, lest sleeping, we never awake more.

Hope.  Why, my brother?  Sleep is sweet to the labouring man; we may be refreshed if we take a nap.

Chr.  Do you not remember that one of the Shepherds bid us beware of the Enchanted Ground?  He meant by that that we should beware of sleeping; “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober.” [1 Thess. 5:6]

{337} Hope.  I acknowledge myself in a fault, and had I been here alone I had by sleeping run the danger of death.  I see it is true that the wise man saith, Two are better than one.  Hitherto hath thy company been my mercy, and thou shalt have a good reward for thy labour. [Eccl. 9:9]

Chr.  Now then, said Christian, to prevent drowsiness in this place, let us fall into good discourse.

Hope.  With all my heart, said the other.

Chr.  Where shall we begin?

Hope.  Where God began with us.  But do you begin, if you please.

Chr.  I will sing you first this song:  —­

When saints do sleepy grow, let them come hither,
And hear how these two pilgrims talk together: 
Yea, let them learn of them, in any wise,
Thus to keep ope their drowsy slumb’ring eyes. 
Saints’ fellowship, if it be managed well,
Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell.

{338} Chr.  Then Christian began and said, I will ask you a question.  How came you to think at first of so doing as you do now?

Hope.  Do you mean, how came I at first to look after the good of my soul?

Chr.  Yes, that is my meaning.

Hope.  I continued a great while in the delight of those things which were seen and sold at our fair; things which, I believe now, would have, had I continued in them, still drowned me in perdition and destruction.

Chr.  What things are they?

Hopeful’s life before conversion

Hope.  All the treasures and riches of the world.  Also, I delighted much in rioting, revelling, drinking, swearing, lying, uncleanness, Sabbath-breaking, and what not, that tended to destroy the soul.  But I found at last, by hearing and considering of things that are divine, which indeed I heard of you, as also of beloved Faithful that was put to death for his faith and good living in Vanity Fair, that “the end of these things is death”. [Rom.6:21-23] And that for these things’ sake “cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience”. [Eph.5:6]