FORM. and HYP. They told him, That custom, it being of so long a
standing as above a thousand years, would, doubtless, now be admitted
as a thing legal by any impartial judge; and beside, said they,
if we get into the way, what's matter which way we get in? if we
are in, we are in; thou art but in the way, who, as we perceive,
came in at the gate; and we, are also in the way, that came tumbling
over the wall; wherein, now, is thy condition better than ours?

CHR. I walk by the rule of my Master; you walk by the rude working
of your fancies. You are counted thieves already, by the Lord of
the way; therefore, I doubt you will not be found true men at the
end of the way. You come in by yourselves, without His direction;
and shall go out by yourselves, without His mercy.[55]

To this they made him but little answer; only they bid him look
to himself. Then I saw that they went on every man in his way,
without much conference one with another; save that these two men
told Christian, that as to laws and ordinances, they doubted not
but they should as conscientiously do them as he; therefore, said
they, we see not wherein thou differest from us, but by the coat
that is on thy back, which was, as we trow[56] given thee by some
of thy neighbours, to hide the shame of thy nakedness.

CHR. By laws and ordinances you will not be saved, since you came
not in by the door (Gal. 1:16). And as for this coat that is on
my back, it was given me by the Lord of the place whither I go;
and that, as you say, to cover my nakedness with. And I take it as
a token of His kindness to me; for I had nothing but rags before.
And, besides, thus I comfort myself as I go: Surely, think I, when