John Bunyan (1628–1688). The Pilgrim’s Progress.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
The Pilgrims Progress, in the Similitude of a Dream; The First Part
Chr.What is the meaning of your Laughter?
Atheist.I laugh to see what ignorant persons you are, to take upon you so tedious a Journey, and you are like to have nothing but your travel for your pains.
Atheist.Received! There is no such place as you dream of in all this World.
Chr.But there is in the World to come.
Atheist.When I was at home in mine own Country, I heard as you now affirm, and from that hearing went out to see, and have been seeking this City this twenty
Chr.We have both heard and believe that there is such a place to be found.
Hope.Now do I rejoice in hope of the glory of God. So they turned away from the man; and he laughing at them went his way.
Hope.Why my Brother? Sleep is sweet to the labouring man; we may be refreshed if we take a nap.
Chr.Do you not remember that one of the Shepherds bid us beware of the Inchanted Ground? He meant by that, that we should beware of sleeping; wherefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober.
Hope.With all my heart, said the other.
Chr.Where shall we begin?
Hope.Do you mean, how came I at first to look after the good of my soul?
Chr.Yes, that is my meaning.
Hope.I continued a great while in the delight of those things which were seen and sold at our Fair; things
Chr.What things were they?
Chr.And did you presently fall under the power this conviction?
Chr.But what was the cause of your carrying of it thus to the first workings of God’s blessed Spirit upon you?
Chr.Then as it seems, sometimes you got rid of your trouble.
Hope.Yes verily, but it would come into my mind
Chr.And could you at any time with ease get off the guilt of sin, when by any of these ways it came upon you?
Hope.No, not latterly, for then they got faster hold of my conscience; and then, if I did hut think of going back to sin, (though my mind was turned against it) it would be double torment to me.
Chr.And how did you do then?
Chr.And did you endeavour to mend?
Hope.Yes, and fled from not only my sins, but sinful Company too; and betook me to religious duties, as Prayer, Reading, Weeping for Sin, speaking Truth to my Neighbors, &c. These things did I, with many others, too much here to relate.
Chr.And did you think yourself well then?
Chr.Well, and how did you apply this to yourself?
Hope.Why, I thought thus with myself: I have by my sins run a great way into God’s Book, and that my now reforming will not pay off that score; therefore I should think still under all my present amendments, But how shall I be freed from that damnation that I have brought myself in danger of by my former transgressions?
Chr.A very good application: but pray go on.
Chr.And what did you do then?
Chr.And did you think he spake true?
Hope.Had he told me so when I was pleased and satisfied with mine own amendments, I had called him Fool for his pains: but now, since I see mine own infirmity, and the sin that cleaves to my best performance, I have been forced to be of his opinion.
Chr.But did you think, when at first he suggested it to you, that there was such a man to be found, of whom it might justly be said, That he never committed sin?
Chr.And did you ask him what man this was, and how you must be justified by him?
Chr.And what did you do then?
Chr.And what said Faithful to you then?
Hope.Yes, over and over and over.
Chr.And did the Father reveal his Son to you?
Hope.Not at the first, nor second, nor third, nor fourth, nor fifth, no nor at the sixth time neither.
Chr.What did you do then?
Hope.What! why I could not tell what to do.
Chr.Had you not thought of leaving off praying?
Chr.And what was the reason you did not?
But I replied, Lord, I am a great, a very great sinner. And he answered My grace is sufficient for thee. Then I said, But Lord, what is believing? And then I saw from that saying, He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst, that believing and coming was all one; and that he that came, that, is, ran out in his heart and affections after salvation by Christ, he indeed believed in Christ. Then the water stood in mine eyes, and I asked further, But Lord, may such a great sinner as I am be indeed accepted of thee, and be saved by thee? And I heard him say, And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Then I said, But how, Lord, must I consider of thee in my coming to thee, that my faith may be placed aright upon thee? Then he said, Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners. He is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believes. He died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. He loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. He is Mediator between God and us. He ever liveth to make intercession for us. From all which I gathered, that I must look for Righteousness in his Person, and for Satisfaction for my Sins by his Blood; that what he did in obedience to his Father’s Law, and in submitting to the penalty thereof, was not for himself, but for him that will accept it for his Salvation, and be thankful. And now was my heart full of joy, mine eyes
Chr.This was a revelation of Christ to your soul indeed; but tell me particularly what effect this had upon your spirit.
Hope.It made me see that all the World, notwithstanding all the righteousness thereof, is in a state of condemnation. It made me see that God the Father, though he be just, can justly justify the coming sinner. It made me greatly ashamed of the vileness of my former life, and confounded me with the sense of mine own ignorance; for there never came thought into my heart before now, that shewed me so the beauty of Jesus Christ. It made me love a holy life, and long to do something for the Honour and Glory of the Name of the Lord Jesus; yea, I thought that had I now a thousand gallons of blood in my body, I could spill it all for the sake of the Lord Jesus.
I saw then in my Dream that Hopeful looked back and saw Ignorance, whom they had left behind, coming after. Look, said he to Christian, how far yonder youngster loitereth behind.
Chr.Ay, ay, I see him; he careth not for our company.
Hope.But I tro it would not have hurt him, had he kept pace with us hitherto.
Chr.That’s true, but I warrant you be thinketh otherwise.
Then Christian said to him, Come away man, why do you stay so behind?
Ignor.I take my pleasure in walking alone, even more a great deal than in Company, unless I like it the better.
Then said Christian to Hopeful (but softly) Did I not tell you he cared not for our company? But however, said he, come up, and let us talk away the time in this solitary place. Then directing his speech to Ignorance, he
Chr.What good motions? pray tell us.
Ignor.Why, I think of God and Heaven.
Chr.So do the Devils and damned Souls.
Ignor.But I think of them and desire them.
Chr.So do many that are never like to come there. The Soul of the Sluggard desires, and hath nothing.
Ignor.But I think of them and leave all for them.
Chr.That I doubt, for leaving all is an hard matter, years a harder matter than many are aware of. But why, or by what, art thou persuaded that thou hast left all for God and Heaven?
Ignor.My heart tells me so.
Chr.The wise man says, He that trusts his own heart is a fool.
Ignor.this is spoken of an evil heart, but mine is a good one.
Chr.But how dost thou prove that?
Ignor.It comforts me in hopes of Heaven.
Chr.That may be through its deceitfulness, for a man’s heart may minister comfort to him in the hopes of that thing for which ye has no ground to hope.
Ignor.But my heart and life agree together, and therefore my hope is well grounded.