Chapter 9

Christian and Hopeful avoid falling asleep on the Enchanted Ground, heeding the shepherd's warning. To keep awake, they begin to discuss Hopeful's conversion. Hopeful used to be a sinful man, destroying his soul. He realized that his sins would incite the wrath of God, but tried to shut out the truth, as he did not want to give up his ways. However, his sins kept weighing on his conscience and he finally decided to mend his life. He could not forget his past, even though he was now on a righteous path. It was Faithful who told Hopeful that if he could be justified by a man who had never sinned, like Jesus Christ, he could truly be saved. Hopeful's conversion occurred at the depth of his despair, when he had a vision of Christ. He told Christ he was a very sinful man, and Christ answered him, "My grace is sufficient for thee" (160). Christian asks about the state of Hopeful's spirit, and Hopeful says that now, he would spill a thousand gallons of blood for Jesus Christ.