The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan [most popular novels .txt] 📗

Pilgrims as they went up, and followed one another in at the beautiful gate of the city.1008

As for Christian’s children, the four boys that Christiana brought with her, with their wives and children, I did not stay where I was till they were gone over. Also, since I came away, I heard one say that they were yet alive, and so would be for the increase of the church in that place where they were, for a time.1009

Shall it be my lot to go that way again, I may give those that desire it an account of what I here am silent about.1010 Meantime, I bid my reader Adieu.

Endnotes

The jail. Mr. Bunyan wrote this precious book in Bedford jail, where he was imprisoned 12 years for preaching the Gospel. His bonds were those of the Gospel; and, like Peter, he could sleep soundly in prison. Blessed be God for even the toleration and religious privileges we now enjoy in consequence of it. Our author, thus prevented from preaching, turned his thoughts to writing; and, during his confinement, composed The Pilgrim’s Progress, and many other useful works. Thus the Lord causes “the wrath of man to praise Him.” The servants of Christ, when restrained by wicked laws from publishing the word of life from the pulpit, have become more abundantly useful by their writings —⁠G. Burder ↩

Isaiah 64:6; Luke 14:33; Psalms 38:4; Habakkuk 2:2; Acts 16:31. ↩

You will observe what honour, from his Pilgrim’s first setting out, Bunyan puts upon the Word of God. He would give to no inferior instrumentality, not even to one of God’s providences, the business of awakening his Pilgrim to a sense of his danger; but he places him before us reading his book, awakened by the Word. And he makes the first efficacious motive in the mind of this Pilgrim a salutary fear of the terrors of that Word, a sense of the wrath to come, beneath the burden of sin upon his soul. —⁠Cheever, Lect. 6 The alarms of such an awakened soul are very different from the terrors of superstitious ignorance, which, arising from fright or danger, are easily quitted, with the silly mummeries of priestcraft. —⁠Andronicus ↩

Acts 2:37.

“What shall I do?” This is his first exclamation. He has not as yet advanced so far as to say, What shall I do to be saved? —⁠Cheever, Lect. 6 ↩

Sometimes I have been so loaden with my sins, that I could not tell where to rest, nor what to do; yea, at such times, I thought it would have taken away my senses. —⁠Bunyan’s Law and Grace ↩

See the picture of a true penitent; a deep sense of danger, and solemn concern for his immortal soul, and for his wife and children; clothed with rags; his face turned from his house; studying the Bible with intense interest; a great burden on his back; praying; “the remembrance of his sins is grievous, and the burden of them is intolerable.” Reader, have you felt this? —⁠Dr. Dodd ↩

Acts 16:30, 31. ↩

Reader! be persuaded to pause a moment, and ask yourself the question⁠—What is my case? Did I ever feel a deep concern about my soul? Did I ever see my danger as a sinner? Did I ever exclaim, in the agony of my spirit, “What must I do to be saved?” Be assured that real godliness begins in feeling the burden of sin. —⁠G. Border ↩

Hebrews 9:27. ↩

Job 16:21, 22. ↩

Ezekiel 22:14. ↩

Isaiah 30:33. ↩

Matthew 3:7. ↩

Matthew 7:13. ↩

Psalms 119:105; 2 Peter 1:19. ↩

The advice is to fly at once to Christ, and that he will then be told what to do. He is not told to get rid of his burden first, by reforming his life, and then to apply for further instruction to the Saviour. —⁠J. B. ↩

Luke 14:26. ↩

Genesis 19:17. ↩

When a sinner begins to fly from destruction, carnal relations will strive to prevent him; but the sinner who is in earnest for salvation will be deaf to invitations to go back. The more he is solicited by them, the faster he will fly from them. —⁠Mason ↩

Jeremiah 20:10. ↩

The names of these two neighbours are admirably characteristic, not confined to any age or place, but always accompany the young convert to godliness, as the shadow does the substance. Christian is firm, decided, bold, and sanguine. Obstinate is profane, scornful, self-sufficient, and contemns God’s Word. Pliable is yielding, and easily induced to engage in things of which he understands neither the nature nor the consequences. —⁠Thomas Scott ↩

Objection. If I would run as you would have me, then I must run from all my friends, for none of them are running that way. Answ. And if thou dost, thou wilt run into the bosom of Christ, and of God. And what harm will that do thee? Objec. But if I ran this way, I must run from all my sins. Answ. That’s true indeed; yet if thou dost not, thou wilt run into hellfire. Objec. But I shall be mocked of all my neighbours. Answ. But if thou lose the benefit of Heaven, God will mock at thy calamity. Objec. But, surely, I may begin this, time enough a year or two hence. Answ. Hast thou any lease of thy life? Did ever God tell thee thou shalt live half a year or two months longer? Art thou a wise man to