Moreover, I saw in my dream, that as they went on, Faithful, as he chanced to
look on one side, saw a man whose name was Talkative, walking at a distance
beside them; for in this place there was room enough for them all to walk. He
was a tall man, and something more comely at a distance than at hand. To this
man Faithful addressed himself in this manner.
Faithful: Friend,
whither away? Are you going to the heavenly country?
Talkative: I am
going to the same place.
Faithful: That is
well; then I hope we shall have your good company?
Talkative: With a
very good will, will I be your companion.
Faithful: Come
on, then, and let us go together, and let us spend our time in discoursing of
things that are profitable.
Talkative: To
talk of things that are good, to me is very acceptable, with you or with any
other; and I am glad that I have met with those that incline to so good a work;
for, to speak the truth, there are but few who care thus to spend their time as
they are in their travels, but choose much rather to be speaking of things to no
profit; and this hath been a trouble to me.
Faithful: That
is, indeed, a thing to be lamented; for what thing so worthy of the use of the
tongue and mouth of men on earth, as are the things of the God of heaven?
Talkative: I like
you wonderful well, for your saying is full of conviction; and I will add, What
thing is so pleasant, and what so profitable, as to talk of the things of God?
What things so pleasant? that is, if a man hath any delight in things that are
wonderful. For instance, if a man doth delight to talk of the history, or the
mystery of things; or if a man doth love to talk of miracles, wonders, or
signs, where shall he find things recorded so delightful, and so sweetly
penned, as in the holy Scripture?
Faithful: That is
true; but to be profited by such things in our talk, should be our chief
design.
Talkative: That’s
it that I said; for to talk of such things is most profitable; for by so doing
a man may get knowledge of many things; as of the vanity of earthly things, and
the benefit of things above. Thus in general; but more particularly, by this a
man may learn the necessity of the new birth, the insufficiency of our works,
the need of Christ’s righteousness, etc. Besides, by this a man may learn what
it is to repent, to believe, to pray, to suffer, or the like: by this, also, a
man may learn what are the great promises and consolations of the Gospel, to
his own comfort. Farther, by this a man may learn to refute false opinions, to
vindicate the truth, and also to instruct the ignorant.
Faithful: All
this is true; and glad am I to hear these things from you.
Talkative: Alas!
the want of this is the cause that so few understand the need of faith, and the
necessity of a work of grace in their soul, in order to eternal life; but
ignorantly live in the works of the law, by which a man can by no means obtain
the kingdom of heaven.
Faithful: But, by
your leave, heavenly knowledge of these is the gift of God; no man attaineth to
them by human industry, or only by the talk of them.
Talkative: All
this I know very well; for a man can receive nothing, except it be given him
from heaven: all is of grace, not of works. I could give you a hundred
scriptures for the confirmation of this.
Faithful: Well,
then, said Faithful, what is that one thing that we shall at this time found
our discourse upon?
Talkative: What
you will. I will talk of things heavenly, or things earthly; things moral, or
things evangelical; things sacred, or things profane; things past, or things to
come; things foreign, or things at home; things more essential, or things
circumstantial: provided that all be done to our profit.
Faithful: Now did
Faithful begin to wonder; and stepping to Christian, (for he walked all this
while by himself,) he said to him, but softly, What a brave companion have we
got! Surely, this man will make a very excellent pilgrim.
Christian: At
this Christian modestly smiled, and said, This man, with whom you are so taken,
will beguile with this tongue of his, twenty of them that know him not.
Faithful: Do you
know him, then?
Christian: Know
him? Yes, better than he knows himself.
Faithful: Pray
what is he?
Christian: His
name is Talkative: he dwelleth in our town. I wonder that you should be a
stranger to him, only I consider that our town is large.
Faithful: Whose
son is he? And whereabout doth he dwell?
Christian: He is
the son of one Say-well. He dwelt in Prating-Row; and he is known to all that
are acquainted with him by the name of Talkative of Prating-Row; and,
notwithstanding his fine tongue, he is but a sorry fellow.
Faithful: Well,
he seems to be a very pretty man.
Christian: That
is, to them that have not a thorough acquaintance with him, for he is best
abroad; near home he is ugly enough. Your saying that he is a pretty man,
brings to my mind what I have observed in the work of a painter, whose pictures
show best at a distance; but very near, more unpleasing.
Faithful: But I
am ready to think you do but jest, because you smiled.
Christian: God
forbid that I should jest (though I smiled) in this matter, or that I should
accuse any falsely. I will give you a further discovery of him. This man is for
any company, and for any talk; as he talketh now with you, so will he talk when
he is on the ale-bench; and the more drink he hath in his crown, the more of
these things he hath in his mouth. Religion hath no place in his heart, or
house, or conversation; all he hath lieth in his tongue, and his religion is to
make a noise therewith.
Faithful: Say you
so? Then am I in this man greatly deceived.
Christian:
Deceived! you may be sure of it. Remember the proverb, “They say, and do not;”
but the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. He talketh of prayer, of repentance,
of faith, and of the new birth; but he knows but only to talk of them. I have
been in his family, and have observed him both at home and abroad; and I know
what I say of him is the truth. His house is as empty of religion as the white
of an egg is of savor. There is there neither prayer, nor sign of repentance
for sin; yea, the brute, in his kind, serves God far better than he. He is the
very stain, reproach, and shame of religion to all that know him,
it can hardly have a good word in all that end of the town where he dwells,
through him. Thus say the common people that know him, “A saint abroad, and a
devil at home.” His poor family finds it so; he is such a churl, such a railer
at, and so unreasonable with his servants, that they neither know how to do for
or speak to him. Men that have any dealings with him say, It is better to deal
with a Turk than with him, for fairer dealings they shall have at their hands.
This Talkative (if it be possible) will go beyond them, defraud, beguile, and
overreach them. Besides, he brings up his sons to follow his steps; and if he
finds in any of them a foolish timorousness, (for so he calls the first
appearance of a tender conscience,) he calls them fools and blockheads, and by
no means will employ them in much, or speak to their commendation before
others. For my part, I am of opinion that he has, by his wicked life, caused
many to stumble and fall; and will be, if God prevents not, the ruin of many
more.
Faithful: Well,
my brother, I am bound to believe you, not only because you say you know him,
but also because, like a Christian, you make your reports of men. For I cannot
think that you speak these things of ill-will, but because it is even so as you
say.
Christian: Had I
known him no more than you, I might, perhaps, have thought of him as at the
first you did; yea, had I received this report at their hands only that are
enemies to religion, I should have thought it had been a slander-a lot that
often falls from bad men’s mouths upon good men’s names and professions. But
all these things, yea, and a great many more as bad, of my own knowledge, I can
prove him guilty of. Besides, good men are ashamed of him; they can neither
call him brother nor friend; the very naming of him among them makes them
blush, if they know him.
