as I perceived, he could not tell which
way to go. I looked then, and saw a man named Evangelist coming to him,
and he asked, "Wherefore dost thou cry?"

He answered, "Sir, I perceive, by the book in my hand, that I am
condemned to die, and after that to come to judgment; and I find that I
am not willing to do the first, nor able to do the second."

Then said Evangelist, "Why not willing to die, since this life is
attended with so many evils?" The man answered, "Because I fear that
this burden that is upon my back will sink me lower than the grave and I
shall fall into Tophet. And, sir, if I be not fit to go to prison, I am
not fit to go to judgment, and from thence to execution; and the
thoughts of these things make me cry."

Then said Evangelist, "If this be thy condition, why standest thou
still?" He answered, "Because I know not whither to go." Then he gave
him a parchment roll, and there was written within, "Flee from the wrath
to come."

The man therefore read it and looking upon Evangelist very carefully,
said, "Whither must I fly?" Then said Evangelist, pointing with his
finger over a very wide field, "Do you see yonder wicket-gate?" The man
said, "No." Then said the other, "Do you see yonder shining light?" He
said, "I think I do." Then said Evangelist, "Keep that light in your
eye, and go up directly thereto, so shalt thou see the gate; at which,
when thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do." So I saw
in my dream that the man began to run. Now he had not run far from his
own door when his wife and children, perceiving it, began to cry after
him to return; but the man put his fingers in his ears, and ran on,
crying, "Life! life! eternal life!" So he looked not behind him; but
fled toward the middle of the plain.

The neighbors also came out to see him run; and as he ran some mocked,
others threatened, and some cried after him to return; and among those
that did so, there were two that resolved to fetch him back by force.
The name of the one was Obstinate, and the name of the other Pliable.
Now by this time the man was got a good distance from them; but however
they were resolved to pursue him, which they did, and in a little time
they overtook him. Then said the man, "Neighbors, wherefore are ye
come?" They said, "To persuade you to go back with us." But he said,
"That can by no means be; you dwell," said he, "in the City of
Destruction, the place also where I was born: I see it to be so; a