the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.” I say, my brother, cease to hear him, and let us “believe to the saving of the soul.”
Chr. My brother, I did not put the question to thee, for that I doubted of the truth of our belief myself, but to prove thee, and to fetch from thee a fruit of the honesty of thy heart. As for this man, I know that he is blinded by the god of this world. Let us both go on; knowing that we have belief of the truth; and “no lie is of the truth.”
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.
I then saw in my dream, that they went on until 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 to sleep; wherefore he said unto Christian, I do now begin to grow so drowsy that I can scarcely hold open 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 laboring 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.”
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 labor.
