Books: The Pilgrim\'s Progress

B >> Bunyan >> The Pilgrim\'s Progress

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

{75} CHR. Then said Christian, What means this?

INTER. The Interpreter answered, This parlour is the heart of
a man that was never sanctified by the sweet grace of the gospel;
the dust is his original sin and inward corruptions, that have defiled
the whole man. He that began to sweep at first, is the Law; but
she that brought water, and did sprinkle it, is the Gospel. Now,
whereas thou sawest, that so soon as the first began to sweep, the
dust did so fly about that the room by him could not be cleansed,
but that thou wast almost choked therewith; this is to shew thee,
that the law, instead of cleansing the heart (by its working) from
sin, doth revive, put strength into, and increase it in the soul,
even as it doth discover and forbid it, for it doth not give power
to subdue. [Rom. 7:6; 1 Cor. 15:56; Rom. 5:20]

{76} Again, as thou sawest the damsel sprinkle the room with water,
upon which it was cleansed with pleasure; this is to show thee,
that when the gospel comes in the sweet and precious influences
thereof to the heart, then, I say, even as thou sawest the damsel
lay the dust by sprinkling the floor with water, so is sin vanquished
and subdued, and the soul made clean through the faith of it, and
consequently fit for the King of glory to inhabit. [John 15:3;
Eph. 5:26; Acts 15:9; Rom. 16:25,26; John 15:13]

{77} I saw, moreover, in my dream, that the Interpreter took him
by the hand, and had him into a little room, where sat two little
children, each one in his chair. The name of the eldest was
Passion, and the name of the other Patience. Passion seemed to
be much discontented; but Patience was very quiet. Then Christian
asked, What is the reason of the discontent of Passion? The
Interpreter answered, The Governor of them would have him stay for
his best things till the beginning of the next year; but he will
have all now: but Patience is willing to wait.

Then I saw that one came to Passion, and brought him a bag of treasure,
and poured it down at his feet, the which he took up and rejoiced
therein, and withal laughed Patience to scorn. But I beheld but a
while, and he had lavished all away, and had nothing left him but
rags.

{78} CHR. Then said Christian to the Interpreter, Expound this
matter more fully to me.

INTER. So he said, These two lads are figures: Passion, of the men
of this world; and Patience, of the men of that which is to come;
for as here thou seest, Passion will have all now this year, that
is to say, in this world; so are the men of this world, they must
have all their good things now, they cannot stay till next year,
that is until the next world, for their portion of good. That
proverb, `A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush', is of more
authority with them than are all the Divine testimonies of the
good of the world to come. But as thou sawest that he had quickly
lavished all away, and had presently left him nothing but rags; so
will it be with all such men at the end of this world.

CHR. Then said Christian, Now I see that Patience has the best
wisdom, and that upon many accounts. First, because he stays for
the best things. Second, and also because he will have the glory
of his, when the other has nothing but rags.

{79} INTER. Nay, you may add another, to wit, the glory of the next
world will never wear out; but these are suddenly gone. Therefore
Passion had not so much reason to laugh at Patience, because he had
his good things first, as Patience will have to laugh at Passion,
because he had his best things last; for first must give place to
last, because last must have his time to come; but last gives place
to nothing; for there is not another to succeed. He, therefore,
that hath his portion first, must needs have a time to spend it;
but he that hath his portion last, must have it lastingly; therefore
it is said of Dives, "Thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good
things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted,
and thou art tormented." [Luke 16:25]

CHR. Then I perceive it is not best to covet things that are now,
but to wait for things to come.

INTER. You say the truth: "For the things which are seen are
temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." [2 Cor.
4:18] But though this be so, yet since things present and our
fleshly appetite are such near neighbours one to another; and again,
because things to come, and carnal sense, are such strangers one
to another; therefore it is, that the first of these so suddenly
fall into amity, and that distance is so continued between the
second.

{80} Then I saw in my dream that the Interpreter took Christian by
the hand, and led him into a place where was a fire burning against
a wall, and one standing by it, always casting much water upon it,
to quench it; yet did the fire burn higher and hotter.

Then said Christian, What means this?

{81} The Interpreter answered, This fire is the work of grace that
is wrought in the heart; he that casts water upon it, to extinguish
and put it out, is the Devil; but in that thou seest the fire
notwithstanding burn higher and hotter, thou shalt also see the
reason of that. So he had him about to the backside of the wall,
where he saw a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, of the which
he did also continually cast, but secretly, into the fire.

Then said Christian, What means this?

{82} The Interpreter answered, This is Christ, who continually,
with the oil of his grace, maintains the work already begun in the
heart: by the means of which, notwithstanding what the devil can
do, the souls of his people prove gracious still. [2 Cor. 12:9]
And in that thou sawest that the man stood behind the wall to
maintain the fire, that is to teach thee that it is hard for the
tempted to see how this work of grace is maintained in the soul.

I saw also, that the Interpreter took him again by the hand, and
led him into a pleasant place, where was builded a stately palace,
beautiful to behold; at the sight of which Christian was greatly
delighted. He saw also, upon the top thereof, certain persons
walking, who were clothed all in gold.

Then said Christian, May we go in thither?

{83} Then the Interpreter took him, and led him up towards the
door of the palace; and behold, at the door stood a great company
of men, as desirous to go in; but durst not. There also sat a man
at a little distance from the door, at a table-side, with a book
and his inkhorn before him, to take the name of him that should
enter therein; he saw also, that in the doorway stood many men in
armour to keep it, being resolved to do the men that would enter
what hurt and mischief they could. Now was Christian somewhat in
amaze. At last, when every man started back for fear of the armed
men, Christian saw a man of a very stout countenance come up to the
man that sat there to write, saying, Set down my name, Sir: the
which when he had done, he saw the man draw his sword, and put
a helmet upon his head, and rush toward the door upon the armed
men, who laid upon him with deadly force; but the man, not at all
discouraged, fell to cutting and hacking most fiercely. So after
he had received and given many wounds to those that attempted to
keep him out, he cut his way through them all [Acts 14:.22], and
pressed forward into the palace, at which there was a pleasant voice
heard from those that were within, even of those that walked upon
the top of the palace, saying --

"Come in, come in; Eternal glory thou shalt win."

So he went in, and was clothed with such garments as they. Then
Christian smiled and said; I think verily I know the meaning of
this.

{84} Now, said Christian, let me go hence. Nay, stay, said the
Interpreter, till I have shewed thee a little more, and after that
thou shalt go on thy way. So he took him by the hand again, and
led him into a very dark room, where there sat a man in an iron
cage.

Now the man, to look on, seemed very sad; he sat with his eyes looking
down to the ground, his hands folded together, and he sighed as if
he would break his heart. Then said Christian, What means this?
At which the Interpreter bid him talk with the man.

Then said Christian to the man, What art thou? The man answered,
I am what I was not once.

{85} CHR. What wast thou once?

MAN. The man said, I was once a fair and flourishing professor,
both in mine own eyes, and also in the eyes of others; I once was,
as I thought, fair for the Celestial City, and had then even joy
at the thoughts that I should get thither. [Luke 8:13]

CHR. Well, but what art thou now?

MAN. I am now a man of despair, and am shut up in it, as in this
iron cage. I cannot get out. Oh, now I cannot!

CHR. But how camest thou in this condition?

MAN. I left off to watch and be sober. I laid the reins, upon the
neck of my lusts; I sinned against the light of the Word and the
goodness of God; I have grieved the Spirit, and he is gone; I tempted
the devil, and he is come to me; I have provoked God to anger, and
he has left me: I have so hardened my heart, that I cannot repent.

{86} Then said Christian to the Interpreter, But is there no hope
for such a man as this? Ask him, said the Interpreter. Nay, said
Christian, pray, Sir, do you.

INTER. Then said the Interpreter, Is there no hope, but you must
be kept in the iron cage of despair?

MAN. No, none at all.

INTER. Why, the Son of the Blessed is very pitiful.

MAN. I have crucified him to myself afresh [Heb. 6:6]; I have
despised his person [Luke 19:14]; I have despised his righteousness;
I have "counted his blood an unholy thing"; I have "done despite
to the Spirit of grace". [Heb. 10:28-29] Therefore I have shut
myself out of all the promises, and there now remains to me nothing
but threatenings, dreadful threatenings, fearful threatenings, of
certain judgement and fiery indignation, which shall devour me as
an adversary.

{87} INTER. For what did you bring yourself into this condition?

MAN. For the lusts, pleasures, and profits of this world; in the
enjoyment of which I did then promise myself much delight; but now
every one of those things also bite me, and gnaw me like a burning
worm.

INTER. But canst thou not now repent and turn?

{88} MAN. God hath denied me repentance. His Word gives me no
encouragement to believe; yea, himself hath shut me up in this iron
cage; nor can all the men in the world let me out. O eternity,
eternity! how shall I grapple with the misery that I must meet
with in eternity!

INTER. Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Let this man's misery
be remembered by thee, and be an everlasting caution to thee.

CHR. Well, said Christian, this is fearful! God help me to watch
and be sober, and to pray that I may shun the cause of this man's
misery! Sir, is it not time for me to go on my way now?

INTER. Tarry till I shall show thee one thing more, and then thou
shalt go on thy way.

{89} So he took Christian by the hand again, and led him into
a chamber, where there was one rising out of bed; and as he put
on his raiment, he shook and trembled. Then said Christian, Why
doth this man thus tremble? The Interpreter then bid him tell to
Christian the reason of his so doing. So he began and said, This
night, as I was in my sleep, I dreamed, and behold the heavens grew
exceeding black; also it thundered and lightened in most fearful
wise, that it put me into an agony; so I looked up in my dream, and
saw the clouds rack at an unusual rate, upon which I heard a great
sound of a trumpet, and saw also a man sit upon a cloud, attended
with the thousands of heaven; they were all in flaming fire: also
the heavens were in a burning flame. I heard then a voice saying,
"Arise, ye dead, and come to judgement"; and with that the rocks
rent, the graves opened, and the dead that were therein came forth.
Some of them were exceeding glad, and looked upward; and some
sought to hide themselves under the mountains. [1 Cor. 15:52; 1
Thes. 4:16; Jude 14; John 5:28,29; 2 Thes. 1:7,8; Rev. 20:11-14;
Isa. 26:21; Micah 7:16,17; Ps. 95:1-3; Dan. 7:10] Then I saw the
man that sat upon the cloud open the book, and bid the world draw
near. Yet there was, by reason of a fierce flame which issued out
and came from before him, a convenient distance betwixt him and
them, as betwixt the judge and the prisoners at the bar. [Mal.
3:2,3; Dan. 7:9,10] I heard it also proclaimed to them that attended
on the man that sat on the cloud, Gather together the tares, the
chaff, and stubble, and cast them into the burning lake. [Matt.
3:12; 13:30; Mal. 4:1] And with that, the bottomless pit opened,
just whereabout I stood; out of the mouth of which there came, in
an abundant manner, smoke and coals of fire, with hideous noises.
It was also said to the same persons, "Gather my wheat into
the garner." [Luke 3:17] And with that I saw many catched up and
carried away into the clouds, but I was left behind. [1 Thes.
4:16,17] I also sought to hide myself, but I could not, for the man
that sat upon the cloud still kept his eye upon me; my sins also
came into my mind; and my conscience did accuse me on every side.
[Rom. 3:14,15] Upon this I awaked from my sleep.

{90} CHR. But what is it that made you so afraid of this sight?

MAN. Why, I thought that the day of judgement was come, and that I
was not ready for it: but this frighted me most, that the angels
gathered up several, and left me behind; also the pit of hell opened
her mouth just where I stood. My conscience, too, afflicted me;
and, as I thought, the Judge had always his eye upon me, shewing
indignation in his countenance.

{91} Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Hast thou considered
all these things?

CHR. Yes, and they put me in hope and fear.

INTER. Well, keep all things so in thy mind that they may be as a
goad in thy sides, to prick thee forward in the way thou must go.
Then Christian began to gird up his loins, and to address himself
to his journey. Then said the Interpreter, The Comforter be always
with thee, good Christian, to guide thee in the way that leads to
the City. So Christian went on his way, saying --

"Here I have seen things rare and profitable; Things pleasant,
dreadful, things to make me stable In what I have begun to take
in hand; Then let me think on them, and understand Wherefore they
showed me were, and let me be Thankful, O good Interpreter, to
thee."

{92} Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which Christian
was to go, was fenced on either side with a wall, and that wall
was called Salvation. [Isa. 26:1] Up this way, therefore, did
burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because
of the load on his back.

{93} He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending, and
upon that place stood a cross, and a little below, in the bottom,
a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up
with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell
from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do,
till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and
I saw it no more.

{94} Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said, with a
merry heart, "He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his
death." Then he stood still awhile to look and wonder; for it was
very surprising to him, that the sight of the cross should thus
ease him of his burden. He looked therefore, and looked again,
even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down
his cheeks. [Zech. 12:10] Now, as he stood looking and weeping,
behold three Shining Ones came to him and saluted him with "Peace
be unto thee". So the first said to him, "Thy sins be forgiven
thee" [Mark 2:5]; the second stripped him of his rags, and clothed
him with change of raiment [Zech. 3:4]; the third also set a mark
on his forehead, and gave him a roll with a seal upon it, which he
bade him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the
Celestial Gate. [Eph. 1:13] So they went their way.

"Who's this? the Pilgrim. How! 'tis very true, Old things are
past away, all's become new. Strange! he's another man, upon my
word, They be fine feathers that make a fine bird.

Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing --

"Thus far I did come laden with my sin;
Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in
Till I came hither: What a place is this!
Must here be the beginning of my bliss?
Must here the burden fall from off my back?
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?
Blest cross! blest sepulchre! blest rather be
The Man that there was put to shame for me!"

{95} I saw then in my dream, that he went on thus, even until he
came at a bottom, where he saw, a little out of the way, three men
fast asleep, with fetters upon their heels. The name of the one
was Simple, another Sloth, and the third Presumption.

{96} Christian then seeing them lie in this case went to them, if
peradventure he might awake them, and cried, You are like them that
sleep on the top of a mast, for the Dead Sea is under you -- a gulf
that hath no bottom. [Prov. 23:34] Awake, therefore, and come
away; be willing also, and I will help you off with your irons. He
also told them, If he that "goeth about like a roaring lion" comes
by, you will certainly become a prey to his teeth. [1 Pet. 5:8]
With that they looked upon him, and began to reply in this sort:
Simple said, "I see no danger"; Sloth said, "Yet a little more
sleep"; and Presumption said, "Every fat must stand upon its own
bottom; what is the answer else that I should give thee?" And so
they lay down to sleep again, and Christian went on his way.

{97} Yet was he troubled to think that men in that danger should
so little esteem the kindness of him that so freely offered to help
them, both by awakening of them, counselling of them, and proffering
to help them off with their irons. And as he was troubled thereabout,
he espied two men come tumbling over the wall on the left hand of
the narrow way; and they made up apace to him. The name of the one
was Formalist, and the name of the other Hypocrisy. So, as I said,
they drew up unto him, who thus entered with them into discourse.

{98} CHR. Gentlemen, whence came you, and whither go you?

FORM. and HYP. We were born in the land of Vain-glory, and are
going for praise to Mount Zion.

CHR. Why came you not in at the gate which standeth at the beginning
of the way? Know you not that it is written, that he that cometh
not in by the door, "but climbeth up some other way, the same is
a thief and a robber?" [John 10:1]

FORM. and HYP. They said, That to go to the gate for entrance was,
by all their countrymen, counted too far about; and that, therefore,
their usual way was to make a short cut of it, and to climb over
the wall, as they had done.

CHR. But will it not be counted a trespass against the Lord of the
city whither we are bound, thus to violate his revealed will?

{99} FORM. and HYP. They told him, that, as for that, he needed not
to trouble his head thereabout; for what they did they had custom
for; and could produce, if need were, testimony that would witness
it for more than a thousand years.

CHR. But, said Christian, will your practice stand a trial at law?

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 besides, 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.

{100} 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, given thee by some of
thy neighbours, to hide the shame of thy nakedness.

{101} CHR. By laws and ordinances you will not be saved, since you
came not in by the door. [Gal. 2:16] 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 I come to the gate of the city, the Lord thereof will know
me for good since I have this coat on my back -- a coat that he
gave me freely in the day that he stripped me of my rags. I have,
moreover, a mark in my forehead, of which, perhaps, you have taken
no notice, which one of my Lord's most intimate associates fixed
there in the day that my burden fell off my shoulders. I will tell
you, moreover, that I had then given me a roll, sealed, to comfort
me by reading as I go on the way; I was also bid to give it in at
the Celestial Gate, in token of my certain going in after it; all
which things, I doubt, you want, and want them because you came
not in at the gate.

{102} To these things they gave him no answer; only they looked
upon each other, and laughed. Then, I saw that they went on all,
save that Christian kept before, who had no more talk but with
himself, and that sometimes sighingly, and sometimes comfortably;
also he would be often reading in the roll that one of the Shining
Ones gave him, by which he was refreshed.

{103} I beheld, then, that they all went on till they came to the
foot of the Hill Difficulty; at the bottom of which was a spring.
There were also in the same place two other ways besides that which
came straight from the gate; one turned to the left hand, and the
other to the right, at the bottom of the hill; but the narrow way
lay right up the hill, and the name of the going up the side of
the hill is called Difficulty. Christian now went to the spring,
and drank thereof, to refresh himself [Isa. 49:10], and then began
to go up the hill, saying --

"The hill, though high, I covet to ascend,
The difficulty will not me offend;
For I perceive the way to life lies here.
Come, pluck up heart, let's neither faint nor fear;
Better, though difficult, the right way to go,
Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe."

{104} The other two also came to the foot of the hill; but when
they saw that the hill was steep and high, and that there were two
other ways to go, and supposing also that these two ways might meet
again, with that up which Christian went, on the other side of the
hill, therefore they were resolved to go in those ways. Now the
name of one of these ways was Danger, and the name of the other
Destruction. So the one took the way which is called Danger,
which led him into a great wood, and the other took directly up the
way to Destruction, which led him into a wide field, full of dark
mountains, where he stumbled and fell, and rose no more.

"Shall they who wrong begin yet rightly end? Shall they at all
have safety for their friend? No, no; in headstrong manner they
set out, And headlong will they fall at last no doubt."

{105} I looked, then, after Christian, to see him go up the hill,
where I perceived he fell from running to going, and from going to
clambering upon his hands and his knees, because of the steepness
of the place. Now, about the midway to the top of the hill was a
pleasant arbour, made by the Lord of the hill for the refreshing
of weary travellers; thither, therefore, Christian got, where also
he sat down to rest him. Then he pulled his roll out of his bosom,
and read therein to his comfort; he also now began afresh to take
a review of the coat or garment that was given him as he stood by
the cross. Thus pleasing himself awhile, he at last fell into a
slumber, and thence into a fast sleep, which detained him in that
place until it was almost night; and in his sleep, his roll fell
out of his hand. Now, as he was sleeping, there came one to him,
and awaked him, saying, Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her
ways and be wise. [Prov. 6:6] And with that Christian started
up, and sped him on his way, and went apace, till he came to the
top of the hill.

{106} Now, when he was got up to the top of the hill, there came
two men running to meet him amain; the name of the one was Timorous,
and of the other, Mistrust; to whom Christian said, Sirs, what's
the matter? You run the wrong way. Timorous answered, that they
were going to the City of Zion, and had got up that difficult
place; but, said he, the further we go, the more danger we meet
with; wherefore we turned, and are going back again.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13