Christian's Discourse with Prudence

I am working my way through John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress again.  If you haven't read this allegory, you should remedy that.  Today, I came upon Christian's discourse with Prudence.

PRUDENCE: Do you not think sometimes of the country from whence you came?

CHRISTIAN: Yes, but with much shame and detestation. Truly, if I had been mindful of that country from whence I came out, I might have had opportunity to have returned, but now I desire a better country, that is a heavenly one.

PRUDENCE: Do you not yet bear away with you some of the things that then you were conversant withal? 

CHRISTIAN: Yes, but greatly against my will; especially my inward and carnal cogitations, with which all my countrymen as well as myself were delighted. But, now, all those things are my grief, and might I but choose mine own things, I would choose never to think of those things more; but when I would be doing that which is best, that which is worst is with me. 

PRUDENCE: Do you not find sometimes as if those things were vanquished, which at other times are your perplexity?

CHRISTIAN: Yes, but that is seldom; but they are to me golden hours in which such things happen to me. 

PRUDENCE: Can you remember by what means you find your annoyances at times as if they were vanquished? 

CHRISTIAN: Yes; when I think what I saw at the cross, that will do it; and when I look upon my broidered coat, that will do it; also when I look at the roll that I carry in my bosom, that will do it; and when my thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will do it.

PRUDENCE: And what is it that makes you so desirous to go to Mount Zion?

CHRISTIAN: Why, there I hope to see Him alive that did hang dead on the cross. There I hope to be rid of all those things that to this day are in me an annoyance to me. There they say there is no death. There I shall dwell with such company as I like best. For, to tell you the truth, I love Him because I was by Him eased of my burden; and I am weary of my inward sickness. I would fain be where I shall die no more, and with the company that shall continually cry, Holy, holy, holy. 

We are, each of us believers, though cleansed still reminded on a daily basis of sinfulness, ever with the draw to it. I echo the words of Christian who longs to be eternally freed from those daily annoyances.