THE
PILGRIM'S PROGRESS
JOHN
BUNYAN
Section
2
The
Gate - conversation with Good-Will - the
Interpreter's House - Christian entertained - the sights there shown him
CHRISTIAN
ENTERTAINED - THE SIGHTS THERE SHOWN HIM
Then
he took him by the hand, and led him into a very large parlour that was full
of dust, because never swept; the which, after he had reviewed a little
while, the INTERPRETER called for a man to sweep. Now, when he began to
sweep, the dust began so abundantly to fly about, that CHRISTIAN had almost
therewith been choked. Then said the INTERPRETER to a damsel that stood by,
"Bring hither the water, and sprinkle the room;" the which, when
she had done, it was swept and cleansed with pleasure.
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 show 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.
"Moreover
the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound:" Romans
5:20
"For
I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin
revived, and I died." Romans 7:9
"The
sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the
law." 1 Corinthians 15:56
"Again,
as thou sawest the damsel sprinkle the room with water, upon which it was
cleansed with pleasure (ease)--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.
"Now
ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." John 15:3
"And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by
faith." Acts 15:9
"Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel,
and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made
manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the
commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the
obedience of faith:" Romans 16:25, 26
"That
he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word"
Ephesians
5:26
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 awhile, and he had lavished all
away, and had nothing left him but rags.
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: 1. because he stays for the best things; 2. and
also because he will have the glory of his, when the other hath nothing but
rags."
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 have a time to spend it: but he
that has his portion last must have it lastingly. Therefore it is said of
Dives, "In thy lifetime thou received thy good things, and likewise
Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented".
"But
Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime 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 'tis not best to covet things that are now, but wait for
things to come.
Inter. You say truth: "For the things that are seen are
temporal; but the things that are not seen are eternal".
"While
we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things
which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 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
continually between the second.
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.
Chr.
Then said CHRISTIAN, "What means this?"
Inter.
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 shall 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.
Chr. Then said CHRISTIAN, "What means this?"
Inter.
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.
"And
he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made
perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians
12:9
And
in that thou sawest that the man stood behind the wall to maintain the fire;
this 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.
Chr.
Then said CHRISTIAN, "May we go in thither?"
Then
the INTERPRETER took him and led him up toward 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 ink horn 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 to the men that would enter what
hurt and mischief they could.
Now was CHRISTIAN somewhat amazed: 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, and pressed forward into the palace;
"Confirming
the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the
faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the
kingdom
of
God
." Acts
14:22
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."
"Now,"
said CHRISTIAN, "let me go hence."
"Nay,
stay," said the INTERPRETER, "till I have showed thee a little
more; and after that thou shall 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.
Chr. Then said CHRISTIAN to the man, "What art thou?"
Backslider.
The man answered, "I am what I was not once."
Chr.
What wast thou once?
Back.
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."
"They
on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with
joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of
temptation fall away." Luke 8:13
Chr.
Well, but what art thou now?
Back.
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?
Back.
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 World, 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.
Then
said CHRISTIAN to the INTERPRETER, "But is there no hope for such a man
as this?" "Ask him," said the INTERPRETER.
Chr.
Then said CHRISTIAN, "Is there no hope, but you must be kept in the
iron cage of despair?"
Back. No, none at all!
Chr.
Why? The Son of the Blessed is very pitiful.
Back.
I have crucified him to myself afresh;
"If
they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they
crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open
shame." Hebrews 6:6
I
have despised his person;
"But
his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not
have this man to reign over us." 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:
"For
if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking
for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who
hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the
covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done
despite unto the Spirit of grace?" Hebrews 10:26-29
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 judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour me as an
adversary.
Chr.
For what did you bring yourself into this condition?
Back.
For the lusts, pleasures, and profits of this world; in the enjoyment of
which I did then promise myself much delight; but now everyone of those
things also bite me and gnaw me like a burning worm.
Chr.
But canst thou not now repent and turn?
Back.
God hath denied me repentance. His Word gives me no encouragement to
believe: yea, he himself hath shut me up in this iron cage; nor can all the
men in the world let me out. Oh, 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.
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 bade 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 on
a burning flame. I heard then a voice, saying, 'Arise, ye dead, and come to
Judgment!' and with that the rocks rent, the graves opened, and the dead
that were therein came forth:
"Marvel
not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves
shall hear his voice" John
5:28
"Now
if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you
that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection
of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is
our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are
found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he
raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not
raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also
which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have
hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." 1 Corinthians
15:12-19
"For
from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in
Macedonia
and Achaia, but
also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need
not to speak any thing." 1 Thessalonians 1:8
"To
execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them
of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all
their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against
him." Jude 15
"And
I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I
saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened:
and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead
were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according
to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and
hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every
man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of
fire. This is the second death." Revelation 20:11-14
some
of them were exceeding glad, and looked upward; and some sought to hide
themselves under the mountains: then I saw the Man that sat upon the cloud
open the book and bid the world draw near.
"The
mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the
rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of
Zion
, the perfection of
beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a
fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about
him." Psalm 50:1-3
"For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the
inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose
her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." Isaiah 26:21
"The
nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their
hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. They shall lick the
dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the
earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of
thee." Micah 7:16, 17
Yet
there was by reason of a fierce flame that issued out and came before him, a
convenient distance betwixt him and them, as betwixt the judge and the
prisoners at the bar.
"I
beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit,
whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the
pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels
as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before
him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were
opened." Daniel 7:9, 10
"But
who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?
for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: And he shall
sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons
of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the
LORD an offering in righteousness." Malachi 3:2, 3
I
heard it also proclaimed to them that attended the Man that sat on the
cloud, 'Gather together the tares, the chaff and stubble, and cast them into
the burning lake:
"Whose
fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather
his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable
fire." Matthew 3:12
"Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I
will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them
in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." Matthew
13:30
"For,
behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea,
and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall
burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root
nor branch." Malachi 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'.
"Whose
fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will
gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire
unquenchable." Luke 3:17
And
with that I saw many caught up and carried away into the clouds;
"For
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of
the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever
be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
but
I was left behind. 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.
"For
when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained
in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew
the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing
witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing
one another" Romans 2:14-15
Upon
this I waked from my sleep."
Chr.
But what was it that made you so afraid of this sight?
Unready.
Why, I thought that the Day of Judgment was come, and that I was not ready
for it: but this frightened 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, showing indignation in his countenance.
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."
The
Pilgrim's Progress - Section 3 - Loses his burden at the cross
The
Pilgrim's Progress - Contents
