Pilgrim's Progress. Today we look at the entrance of Christian and faithful into the town of Vanity Fair. Then I saw in my dream that when they were gone out of the wilderness they presently saw a town before them and the name of that town is Vanity. And at that town there is a fair kept called Vanity Fair. It is kept all the year long. It bears the name of Vanity Fair because a town where it is kept is lighter than Vanity. And also, because all that is there sold, or that comes there, is vanity. This is the saying of the wise, all that comes is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1, verses 2, 11, and 17. Disfare is no new erected business. but a thing of ancient standing. I'll show you the original of it. Almost five thousand years ago, there were pilgrims walking to the Celestial City, as these two honest persons are. In Beelzebub, Apollyon and Legion, with their companions perceiving by the path that the pilgrims made, did their way to the city lay through this town of vanity. They contrive here to set up a fair, a fair in which should be sold all sorts of vanity, and that it should last all the year long. Therefore at this fair are all such merchandise as sold, as houses, lands, trades, places, honors, performance, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts, his whores, bods, wives, husband, children, masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not. And moreover, It is fair there is at all times to be seen, Joggling, cheats, games, plays, fools, apes, knaves, and rogues, And that of every kind. Fair to be seen, too, and that for nothing, Thefts, murders, adulteries, false swears, And that of a blood-red color, And as in other fairs of less moment. Jarred are several rows and streets under their proper names, where such and such wares are vended. So here likewise you have the proper places, rows, streets, namely countries and kingdoms, where the wares of this fair are soonest to be found. Here's the Briton row, the French row, the Italian row, the Spanish row, the German row, where several sorts of entities are to be sold, but as in other fairs, some one commodity is as the chief of all the fair, so that where Rome and her merchandise is greatly promoted in this fair. Only our English nation, with some others, have taken a dislike of it. Now, as I said, the way to the Celestial City lies just through this town, where the Celestia Fair is kept. And he that will go to the city, and yet not go through this town, must needs go out of the world. The Prince of Princes himself in here went through this town to his own country, and had upon a fair day, too. Yea, and as I think it was Beelzebub, the chief lord of this fair, that invited him to buy of its vanities, yea, would have made him lord of the fair. Would he but have done him reverence as he went to the town, yea, because he was such a person of honor. Beelzebub had him from street to street, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a little time, that he might have possible Allured the blessed one to cheapen and buy some of his vanities, but he had no mind to the merchandise, and therefore left to town without laying so much as one farthing upon these vanities. This fare, therefore, is an ancient thing. of long-standing, and a very great fair. Now these pilgrims, as I said, must needs go through this fair." Well, so they did. But behold, even as they entered into the fair, all the people in the fair were moved, and the town itself, as it were, in a hubbub about them. and that for several reasons. For first, the pilgrims were clothed with such kind of raiment as was diverse from the raiment of any that traded in that fair. To people, therefore, the fair made a great gaze in upon them. Some said they were fools, some said they were bedlams, and some they were outlandish men. Secondly, And as they wondered at their apparel, so they did likewise at their speech, for few could understand what they said. They naturally spoke the language of Canaan, but they that kept the fair were the men of this world. So that from one end of the fair to the other, they seemed barbarians, each to the other. Thirdly, but that which did not a little amuse the merchandisers was, to tease pilgrims set very light by all their wares. They did not care much to look upon them, and if they called on them to buy, they would put their fingers in their ears and cry, turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and look upwards, signifying that their trade in traffic was in heaven. One chance, mockingly, beholding the courage of the men, to say to them, What will you buy? But they, looking gravely on him, answered, We buy the truth. Had that there was an occasion taken to despise the men no more, Some mocking, some taunting, some speaking reproachfully, and some calling upon others to smite them. At last things came to a hubbub and a great stirring affair, insomuch that all order was confounded. Noah's word presently brought to the great one of the fair, who quickly came down and deputed some of these most trusty friends to take the men into examination, about whom the fair was almost overturned. So the men were brought to examination. And they that sat upon them asked him whence they came, where they went, and what they did there, such an unusual garb. The men told him that they were pilgrims and strangers in the world, and that they were going to their own country, which was the heavenly Jerusalem, and that they had given no occasion to the men of the town, nor yet to the merchandisers, thus to abuse them. and to let them in their journey, except it was for that when one asked them what they would buy, they said they would buy the truth. But they that were appointed to examine him did not believe them, to be any other than bedlams and mad. For else such as came to put all things into a confusion in a fair, therefore they took them, and beat them, and besmeared them with dirt, and then put them into the cage, that they might be made a spectacle to all men of the fair. Behold! Vanity Fair! The pilgrims there! are chained and stand beside. Even so, was our Lord past here, and on Mount Calvary died. There, therefore, they lay for some time, and were made the objects of any man's sport, or malice, or revenge. To greet one of the fair laughing still at all that befell them, but to men be impatient, and not rendering relling for relling, but contrary wise blessing, and good words for bad, and kindness for injuries done. Some in an affair that were more observing and less prejudiced than the rest began to check and blame the baser sort of their continual abuses done by them to the men. They therefore in angry manner let fly at them again, counting them as bad as a man in a cage and telling them that they seemed confederate and should be made partakers of their misfortunes. The other replied that, for aught that they could see, the men were quiet and sober and intended nobody any harm, and that there were many that traded in their fare that were more worthy to be put into the cage. Yea, and the pillory too, then were the men they had abused. Thus, after a number of words had passed on both sides, The men behaving themselves all the while very wisely and soberly before them, they fell to some blows among themselves, and did harm one to another. Then were these two poor men brought before their examiners again, and their charge is being guilty of the late hubbub that had been an affair. So they beat them pitifully, and hanged irons upon them, and led them in chains up and down the fair, for an example and a terror to others, lest any should speak in their behalf or join themselves to them. But Christian and faithful behaved themselves yet more wisely, and received the ignominy and shame that was cast upon them with so much meekness and patience, that it won to their side, though but few in comparison of the rest, several of them in an affair. This put the other party yet into greater rage. in so much as they concluded the death of these two men. Therefore they threatened that the cage, nor iron should serve their turn, but that they should die for the abuse that they had done, and for deluding the men of the fair. Then when they remanded to the cage again until further order should be taken with them, so they put them in. and made their feet fast in the stocks. Here, therefore, they called again to mind what they had heard from their faithful friend Evangelist. It were the more confirmed in their way and sufferings, but what he told them would happen to them, also now comforted each other. That whose lot it was to suffer, even he should have the best of it. Therefore, each man secretly wished that he might have that preferment, but committing themselves to the all-wise disposal of him that rules all things. With much content, they abode in the condition in which they were, until they should be otherwise disposed of. Then a convenient time being appointed, they brought them forth to their trial, in order to their condemnation. When the time was come, they were brought before their enemies. and arraigned. The judge's name was Lord Heatgood. Their indictment was one and the same in substance, though somewhat varying in form, the contents of it were this, that they were enemies too and disturbers of their trade, that they had made commotions and divisions in the town, and had won a party to their own most dangerous opinions, in contempt of the law of their prince. Now, faithful, play the man, speak for your God. Fear not the wicked's malice, nor their rod. Speak boldly, man, the truth is on your side. Die for it, and to life, and triumph thrive. And, faithful, begin to answer that he had only set himself against that which has set itself against him that is higher than the highest. And he said, as for disturbance, I make none, being myself a man of peace. The parties that were won to us were won by beholding our truth and innocence, and are only turned from the worst to the better. And as to the king you talked of, since he is Beelzebub, the enemy of our lord, I defy him and all of his angels. Then proclamation was made that they had ought to say for their lord and king against the prisoner at the bar, should forthwith appear and give in their evidences. So there came in three witnesses to wit. Envy, superstition, and pithank. They were then asked if they knew the prisoner at the bar, and what they had to say for their lord a king against him. Then stood forth Envy and said to Dissefect, My lord, I've known this man a long time, and will attest upon my oath, before this honorable bench, that he is—' The judge interrupted. Hold, give him his oath. So they swear him. And then he said, Envy, my lordest man, I withstand in his plausible name. As one of the vilest men in our country, he neither regards prince nor people, law nor custom, but does all that he can to possess all men with certain of his disloyal notions, which he in the general calls principles of faith and holiness, and in particular I heard him once myself affirm that Christianity and the customs of our town of Vanity were diametrically opposite. and could not be reconciled, but which, saying, My Lord, he does at once not only condemn all our laudable doings, but us in the doing of them. Then the judge said to him, Have ye any more to say? And he replied, My Lord, I can say much more, only I wish not to be tedious to the court. Yet, if need be, when the other gentlemen have given in their evidence, Rather than anything shall be lacking that will dispatch him, I will enlarge my testimony against him." So he was bid to stand by. Then they called superstition, and bid him look upon the prisoner. They also asked what he could say for their lord, a king against him. Then they swear him, and so he began. My lord, I have no great acquaintance with this man. nor do I desire to have further knowledge of him. However, this I know, that he is a very pestilent fellow, from some discourse that the other day I had with him in his town. For then, talking with him, I heard him say that our religion was nothing, and such by which a man could by no means please God, which sayings of his, my lord, your lordship, very well knows. what necessarily thence will follow. To wit, we do still worship in vain, and are yet in our sins. Finally shall be damned, and this is that which I have to say. Then was picked, thanked, sworn, and bid say what he knew in behalf of their lord the king against the prisoner at the bar. My lord, and you gentlemen all, said, Think, this fellow I have known of a long time, And have heard him speak things that ought not to be spoke, For he has riled on our noble prince Beelzebub, And has spoken contemptibly of his honourable friends, Whose names are the Lord Old Man, the Lord Carnal Delight, the Lord Luxurious, the Lord Desire of Vainglory, And my old lord, lechery, sir, having greedy, with all the rest of our nobility, and he has said, moreover, that if all men were of his mind, if possible, there is not one of these noblemen should have any longer of being in this town. Besides, he has not been afraid to rel on you, my lord. who are now appointed to be his judge, calling you an ungodly villain, with many other such-like vilifying terms with which he has bespattered most of the gentry of our town. When his pickthank had told his tale, the judge directed his speech to the prisoner at the bar, saying, Thou renegade heretic and traitor, Have you heard what these honest gentlemen have witnessed against you?" Faithful replied. May I speak a few words in my own defense? Surah! Surah! You deserve to live no longer, but to be slain immediately upon the place, yet that all men may see your gentleness towards you. Let us hear what you, you vile renegade, have to say." Faithful replied, I say then in answer to what Mr. Envy has spoken. I never said, odd but this, that what rule or laws or customs or people were flat against the word of God, or diametrically opposite to Christianity, if I have said amiss and it has convinced me of my error. and I'm ready here before you to make my recantation. As to the second charge, to witness her superstition in this charge against me, I said only this, that in the worship of God there is required a divine faith. But there can be no divine faith without a divine revelation of the will of God. Therefore, whatever is thrust into the worship of God, It is not agreeable to divine revelation, cannot be done but by human faith, which faith will not be profitable to eternal life. As to what Mr. Pickthank has said, I say avoiding terms, is that I am said to rel and the like, that the prince of this town with all the rabble meant his attendance. But this gentleman named are more fit for being in hell than in this town and country, and so the Lord have mercy upon me. Then the judge called to the jury, who was all this while standing by, to hear and observe. Gentlemen of the jury, you see this man about whom so great an uproar has been made in this town. You have also heard what this worthy gentleman of witness against him Also, you have heard his replying confession. It lies now in your breasts, to hang him or save his life. But yet I thank meet to instruct you into our law. There was an act made in the days of Pharaoh the Great, servant to our prince, that lest those of a contrary religion should multiply and grow too strong for him, their mental should be thrown into the river. There was also an act made in the days of Nebuchadnezzar the Great, Another of his servants, that whosoever would not fall down and worship his golden image should be thrown into a fiery furnace. There was also an act made in the days of Darius, that whoso for some time called upon any god, but him, should be cast into the lion's den. Now the substance of these laws is rubble is broken. not only in thought, which is not to be born, but also in word and deed, which must therefore needs be intolerable. For that of Pharaoh, his law was made upon a supposition to prevent mischief, no crime being yet apparent, but here's a crime apparent. For the second and third, you see, disputes against our religion, and for the treason he has confessed, he deserves to die the death. then went the jury out, whose names were Mr. Blind Man, Mr. No-Good, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love-Lust, Mr. Live-Loose, Mr. Heady, Mr. High-Mind, Mr. Enmity, Mr. Liar, Mr. Cruelty, Mr. Hate-Light, and Mr. Implacable. who everyone gave in his private verdict against him among themselves, and afterwards unanimously concluded to bring him in guilty before the judge. And first among themselves, Mr. Blindman, the foreman, said, I see clearly that this man is a heretic. Then said Mr. No-Good, away with such a fellow from the earth. He said, Mr. Malice, for I hate the very looks of him. Then said Mr. Love-Lust, I could never endure him. Nor could I, said Mr. Live-Lose, for he would always be condemning my way. Hang him! Hang him! said Mr. Hetty. A sorry scrub, said Mr. High-Mind. My heart rises against him, said Mr. Enmity. He is a rogue, said Mr. Liar. Hanging is too good for him, said Mr. Cruelty. "'Let us dispatch him out of the way,' said Mr. Hate-Light, and said Mr. Implacable, "'Might I have all the world given me? Could not be reconciled to him. Therefore let us forthwith bring him in guilty of death.'" And so they did. Therefore he was presently condemned to be had from the place where he was, to the place from whence he came, and there to be put to the most cruel death that could be invented. They therefore brought him out to do with him according to their law. And first they scourged him, then they buffeted him, then they lashed his flesh with knives. After that they stoned him with stones, then pricked him with their swords, and last of all they burned him to ashes at the stake. Thus came Faithful to his end. Now I saw that there stood behind the multitude a chariot, and a couple of horses waiting for Faithful, who so soon as his adversaries had dispatched him, was taken up into it, and straightway was carried up through the clouds, with the sound of a trumpet, dinner's way to the celestial gate. Pray faithful. Bravely done in word and deed, judge, witnesses, and jury have instead of overcoming you. But shall ne'er rage when they are dead. You shall live from age to age. But as for Christian, he had some respite and was remanded back to prison, so he there remained for a space. But he that overrules all things, having the power of their rage in his own hand, Sarat had abound, the Christian from that time escaped him and went his way. And as he went he sang, saying, Well, faithful, so faithfully professed, Unto your Lord, with whom you shall be blessed, when faithless ones, with all their vain delights, Are crying out under their hellish plights, Sing, faithful, sing, and let your name survive. For though they killed you, you were yet alive. Now I saw in my dream that Christian went not forth alone. For there was one whose name was Hopeful, being made so by the beholden of Christian and faithful in their words and behavior, in their sufferings at the fair, who joined himself to him, and entering into a brotherly covenant, told him that he would be his companion. Thus, one died to bear testimony to the truth. and another rises out of his ashes to be a companion with Christian in his pilgrimage. Dishopeful also told Christian that there were many more of the men in the fair that would take their time and follow after.