rting a little before.

{260} So they came up to each other, and after a short salutation,
Mr. Hold-the-world propounded the question to Christian and his
fellow, and bid them to answer it if they could.

CHR. Then said Christian, Even a babe in religion may answer ten
thousand such questions. For if it be unlawful to follow Christ for
loaves, (as it is in the sixth of John), how much more abominable
is it to make of him and religion a stalking-horse to get and enjoy
the world! Nor do we find any other than heathens, hypocrites,
devils, and witches, that are of this opinion.

{261} 1. Heathens; for when Hamor and Shechem had a mind to the
daughter and cattle of Jacob, and saw that there was no way for them
to come at them, but by becoming circumcised, they say to their
companions, If every male of us be circumcised, as they are circumcised,
shall not their cattle, and their substance, and every beast of
theirs, be ours? Their daughter and their cattle were that which
they sought to obtain, and their religion the stalking-horse they
made use of to come at them. Read the whole story. [Gen. 34:20-23]

{262} 2. The hypocritical Pharisees were also of this religion;
long prayers were their pretence, but to get widows' houses was
their intent; and greater damnation was from God their judgment.
[Luke 20:46-47]

{263} 3. Judas the devil was also of this religion; he was religious
for the bag, that he might be possessed of what was therein; but
he was lost, cast away, and the very son of perdition.

{264} 4. Simon the witch was of this religion too; for he would
have had the Holy Ghost, that he might have got money therewith;
and his sentence from Peter's mouth was according. [Acts 8:19-22]

{265} 5. Neither will it out of my mind, but that that man that
takes up religion for the world, will throw away religion for
the world; for so surely as Judas resigned the world in becoming
religious, so surely did he also sell religion and his Master for
the same. To answer the question, therefore, affirmatively, as I
perceive you have done, and to accept of, as authentic, such answer,
is both heathenish, hypocritical, and devilish; and your reward
will be according to your works. Then they stood staring one upon
another, but had not wherewith to answer Christian. Hopeful also
approved of the soundness of Christian's answer; so there was a great
silence among them. Mr. By-ends and his company also staggered
and kept