The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

HOPEFUL: "No, truly — I would only like to know where we are."
CHRISTIAN: "We have less than two miles further to go. So let us return
to our discussion. Now the ignorant do not understand that such
convictions which tend to put them in fear, are for their good — and
therefore they seek to stifle them."
HOPEFUL: "How do they seek to stifle them?"
So Christian explained, “First, they think that those fears are wrought
by the devil (though they are actually wrought by God); and, thinking so
they resist them as things which directly tend to their overthrow.
"Secondly, they also think that these fears tend to the destruction of
their faith — when, alas for them, poor men that they are — they have
no faith at all! So therefore they harden their hearts against them.
"Thirdly, they presume that they ought not to fear. Therefore, despite
their fears — they increasingly become more presumptuous and selfconfident.
"Finally, they see that those fears tend to take away their pathetic
former self-righteousness, and therefore they resist them with all their
might."
HOPEFUL: "I know something of this myself — for, before I truly knew
myself, it was the same with me."
CHRISTIAN: "Well, let us now leave our neighbor Ignorance to himself,
and talk about another profitable question."
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