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

Chr. And did you do as you were bidden?

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 thoughts of leaving off praying?

Hope. Yes, a hundred times twice told.

Chr. And what was the reason you did not?

Hope. I believed that that was true which had been told me, to wit, that without the righteousness of this Christ, all the world could not save me; and therefore, thought I with myself, if I leave off I die, and I can but die at the throne of grace. And withal, this came into my mind, “Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”466 So I continued praying until the Father showed me His Son.467

Chr. And how was He revealed unto you?

Hope. I did not see Him with my bodily eyes, but with the eyes of my understanding;468 and thus it was: One day I was very sad, I think sadder than at any one time in my life, and this sadness was through a fresh sight of the greatness and vileness of my sins. And as I was then looking for nothing but hell, and the everlasting damnation of my soul, suddenly, as I thought, I saw the Lord Jesus look down from Heaven upon me, and saying, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”469

But I replied, Lord, I am a great, a very great sinner. And He answered, “My grace is sufficient for thee.”470 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.471 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.”472 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.”473 “He is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.”474 “He died for our sins, and rose again for our justification.”475 “He loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”476 “He is mediator betwixt God and us.”477 “He ever liveth to make intercession for us.”478 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 full of tears, and mine affections running over with love to the name, people, and ways of Jesus Christ.479

Chr. This was a revelation of Christ to your soul indeed; but tell me particularly what effect this had upon your spirit.480

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 showed 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.481

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. Aye, aye, I see him; he careth not for our company.

Hope. But I trow it would not have hurt him, had he kept pace with us hitherto.

Chr. That is true; but I warrant you he thinketh otherwise.

Hope. That I think he doth; but, however, let us tarry for him. So they did.

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.482

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 said, Come, how do you? How stands it between God and your soul now?

Ignor. I hope well; for I am always full of good motions, that come into my mind, to comfort me as I walk.483

Chr. What good