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

world, which lieth in wickedness, is deceived by a lie, and is under the delusion of the father of lies. In opposition to this, all believers in Christ are said to be of the truth (1 John 3:19). They know and believe that capital truth with which God spake from Heaven, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). This truth⁠—that Jesus is the Son of God, and our only Saviour⁠—lies at the foundation of all their hope; and to get more and more acquainted with Him, is the grand object of their pursuits. For this the world hates them; and Satan, who is an enemy to this truth, stirs up the world against them. “For,” says our Lord, “they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). —⁠Mason ↩

Hebrews 9:13⁠–⁠16. ↩

In 1670, the town porters of Bedford being commanded to assist in a brutal attack upon the Nonconformists, ran away, saying, “They would be hanged, drawn, and quartered, before they would assist in that work;” for which cause the justices committed two of them (which they could take) to the jail. The shops were shut up, so that it seemed like a place visited with the pest, where usually is written upon the door, “Lord, have mercy upon us!” —⁠Narrative of Proceedings Against Nonconformists, p. 5. 4to, 1670 ↩

This is a true representation of what took place in England in Bunyan’s time. It was a disgrace to our nation, that Englishmen, urged on by a fanatic church, treated two young and interesting women with a barbarity that would make savages (so called) blush. It was at Carlisle that two female pilgrims, Dorothy Waugh and Ann Robinson, were dragged through the streets, with each an iron instrument of torture, called a bridle, upon their heads; and were treated with gross indecency. —⁠Editor ↩

The great object of the Gospel is to fit man for his active duties in this world, and prepare him for heavenly enjoyments in the world to come. Not like those lazy creeping things that shut themselves up in nunneries or monasteries to avoid the temptations and troubles, the resistance or hearing of which glorifies God. Christians are to be as lights⁠—not hid under a bushel but seen of all men. The prayer of their Lord was and is, not that they should be taken out of the world, but kept from its evil contaminations. —⁠Editor ↩

In Bunyan’s account of his imprisonment, he closes it with these words⁠—“Thus have I, in short, declared the manner and occasion of my being in prison; where I lie waiting the good will of God to do with me as He pleaseth; knowing that not one hair of my head can fall to the ground without the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Let the rage and malice of men be ever so great, they can do no more, nor go any further, than God permits them. When they have done their worst, ‘we know that all things work together for good to them that love God’ ” (Romans 8:28). ↩

The description of the process against the pilgrims, is framed in such a manner as emphatically to expose the secret reasons which influence men thus to persecute their innocent neighbours. The very names employed declare the several corrupt principles of the heart from whence this atrocious conduct results. —⁠Scott ↩

This is one of Satan’s lies, much used by his emissaries, to the present day. A Christian fears God, and honours the king; he renders unto civil government that which belongs to civil and temporal things, but he dares not render unto Caesar the things that belong to God; and for thus righteously doing he is called disloyal. —⁠Editor ↩

Superstition, or false devotion, is a most bitter enemy to Christ’s truth and his followers. This fellow’s evidence is very true; for as the lawyer said of Christ’s doctrine, “Master, thus saying, thou reproachest us also” (Luke 11:45). So false worshippers, who rest in forms, and rites, and shadows, are stung to the quick at those who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh; such a conduct pours the utmost contempt upon all the will-worship, and doctrines, and superstition of carnal men. —⁠Mason With such, traditions, human inventions, forms, and externals, appear venerable and sacred; and they are mistaken with pertinaceous ignorance for the substance of religion. What is pompous and burdensome appears to such men meritorious; and the excitement of mere natural passions, as at a tragedy, is falsely deemed a needful help to true devotion. Their zeal hardens their hearts, and causes bitter rage, enmity, and calumny, against the pious Christians. —⁠Scott ↩

As soon as the poor sinner says, “O Lord our God, other lords beside Thee have had dominion over us: but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name” (Isaiah 26:13), your officious Pickthanks are always ready to bear testimony against him; and a blessed testimony this is; it is well worth living to gain, and dying in the cause of. If we are real disciples of Christ, we shall, as He did, testify of the world that the works thereof are evil, and the world will hate us for His sake (John 7:7). —⁠Mason Pickthank has no real principle, but puts on zeal for any party that will promote his interests; he inwardly despises both the superstitious and the spiritual worshipper. —⁠Scott ↩

This is the Christian’s plea and glory. While he knows “the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel” (Proverbs 12:10), yet he also knows that the “merciful kindness of the Lord is great, and the truth of the Lord endureth