The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
that you, sir, would tell me what I must do.
GOOD. An open door is set before thee, and no man can shut it.
CHRIS. Now I begin to reap the benefit of the trouble which I have
taken.
GOOD. But how is it that you came alone?
CHRIS. Because none of my neighbors saw their danger, as I saw mine.
GOOD. Did any of them know you were coming?
CHRIS. Yes, my wife and children saw me at the first, and called after
me to turn again; also some of my neighbors stood crying and calling
after me to return; but I put my fingers in my ears, and so came on my
way.
GOOD. But did none of them follow you, to persuade you to go back?
CHRIS. Yes, both Obstinate and Pliable: but, when they saw that they
could not prevail, Obstinate went railing back, but Pliable came with me
a little way.
GOOD. But why did he not come through?
CHRIS. We indeed came both together until we came to the Slough of
Despond, into the which we also suddenly fell. And then was my neighbor
Pliable discouraged, and would not venture farther. Wherefore, getting
out again on the side next his own house, he told me I should win the
brave country alone for him: so he went his way, and I came mine; he
after Obstinate, and I to this gate.
GOOD. Then said Goodwill, "Alas, poor man! is the heavenly glory of so
little worth with him, that he counteth it not worth running the risk of
a few difficulties to obtain it?"
CHRIS. "Truly," said Christian, "I have said the truth of Pliable; and
if I should also say the truth of myself, it will appear there is not
betterment betwixt him and myself. 'Tis true, he went on back to his own
house; but I also turned aside to go into the way of death, being
persuaded thereto by the words of one Mr. Worldly Wiseman."
GOOD. Oh! did he light upon you? What! he would have had you seek for
ease at the hands of Mr. Legality! They are both of them a very cheat.
But did you take his counsel?
CHRIS. Yes, as far as I durst. I went to find out Mr. Legality, until I
thought that the mountain that stands by his house would have fallen
upon my head: wherefore there I was forced to stop.
GOOD. That mountain has been the death of many, and will be the death of
many more; it is well you escaped being by it dashed in pieces.
CHRIS. Why, truly, I do not know what had become of me there, had not
Evangelist happily met me again as I was musing in the midst of my
dumps; but it was God's mercy that he came to me again, for else I had
never come hither. But now I am come, such a one as I am, more fit
indeed for death by that mountain, than thus to stand talking with my
Lord. But, oh! what a favor this is to me, that yet I am to enter here!
GOOD. We make no objections against any, notwithstanding all that they
have done before they come hither; they in no wise are cast out. And
therefore, good Christian, come a little with me, and I will teach thee
about the way thou must go. Look before thee: dost thou see this narrow
way? That is the way thou must go. It was cast up by the men of old,
prophets, Christ and His apostles, and it is as straight as a rule can
make it: this is the way thou must go.
CHRIS. "But," said Christian, "are there no turnings nor windings by
which a stranger may lose his way?"
GOOD. "Yes, there are many ways butt down upon this, and they are
crooked and wide; but thus thou mayest distinguish the right from the
wrong, the right only being straight and narrow."
Then I saw in my dream, that Christian asked him further if he could not
help him off with his burden that was upon his back. For as yet he had
not got rid thereof, nor could he by any means get it off without help.
He told him, "As to thy burden, be content to bear it until thou comest
to the place of deliverance; for there it will fall from thy back of
itself."
Then Christian began to gird up his loins, and to turn again to his
journey.
So the other told him that as soon as he was gone some distance from the
gate, he would come at the house of the Interpreter, at whose door he
should knock, and he would show him excellent things. Then Christian
took his leave of his friend, and he again bid him God speed.
[Sidenote: House of the Interpreter]
Then he went on till he came to the house of the Interpreter, where he
knocked over and over. At last one came to the door, and asked who was
there.
CHRIS. Sir, here is a traveler who was bid by a friend of the good man
of this house to call here for his benefit; I would therefore speak with
the master of the house.
So he called for the master of the house, who, after a little time, came
to Christian, and asked him what he would have.
CHRIS. "Sir," said Christian, "I am a man that am come from the City of
Destruction, and am going to Mount Zion; and I was told by the man that
stands at the gate at the head of this way, that, if I called here, you
would show me excellent things, such as would be helpful to me on my
journey."
INTER. Then said the Interpreter, "Come in; I will show thee that which
will be profitable to thee." So he commanded his man to light the
candle, and bid Christian follow him; so he led him into a private room,
and bid his man open a door; the which when he had done, Christian saw
the picture of a very grave person hung up against the wall; and this
was the fashion of it: it had eyes lifted up to heaven, the best of
books in its hand, the law of truth was written upon its lips, the world
was behind its back; it stood as if it pleaded with men, and a crown of
gold did hang over its head.
CHRIS. Then said Christian, "What meaneth this?"
INTER. The man whose picture this is, is one of a thousand. He can say,
in the words of the apostle Paul, "Though ye have ten thousand teachers
in Christ, yet have you not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have
been your father through the Gospel." And whereas thou seest him with
his eyes lifted up to heaven, the best of books in his hand, and the law
of truth writ on his lips, it is to show thee that his work is to know
and unfold dark things to sinners; even as also thou seest him stand as
if he pleaded with men. And whereas thou seest the world is cast behind
him, and that a crown hangs over his head; that is to show thee that,
slighting and despising the things that are in the world, for the love
that he hath to his Master's service, he is sure in the world that comes
next to have glory for his reward. Now, said the Interpreter, I have
showed thee this picture first, because the man whose picture this is,
is the only man whom the Lord of the place whither thou art going hath
chosen to be thy guide, in all difficult places thou mayest meet with in
thy way; wherefore take good heed to what I have showed thee, and bear
well in thy mind what thou hast seen, lest in thy journey thou meet with
some that pretend to lead thee right, but their way goes down to death.
Then he took him by the hand, and led him into a very large parlor, that
was full of dust, because never swept; the which after he had looked at
it 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 girl that stood by, "Bring hither water, and sprinkle the room;" the
which when she had done, it was swept and cleansed with ease.
CHRIS. Then said Christian, "What means this?"
INTER. The Interpreter answered, "This parlor is the heart of a man
that was never made pure by the sweet grace of the Gospel. The dust is
his sin, and inward evils 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, as soon as
the first began to sweep, the dust did fly so about that the room could
not by him 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 overcome. Again, as thou sawest the girl sprinkle the room with
water, upon which it was cleansed with ease; this is to show thee, that
when the Gospel comes, in the sweet and gracious power thereof, to the
heart, then, I say, even as thou sawest the maiden 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 dwell in."
I saw moreover in my dream, that the Interpreter took him by the hand,
and led him into a little room where sat two little children, each one
in his own 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. The 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 next year;
but he will have all now. 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 wasted all away, and had nothing left him but rags.
CHRIS. Then said Christian to the Interpreter, "Explain this matter more
fully to me."
INTER. So he said, "These two lads are pictures: 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 the 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 weight with them than all the words
in the Bible of the good of the world to come. But, as thou sawest that
he had quickly wasted all away, and had presently left him nothing but
rags, so will it be with all such men at the end of this world."
CHRIS. 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 has nothing but rags."
INTER. Nay, you may add another; this, 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 at
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
needs have a time to spend it; but he that hath his portion last, must
have it lastingly.
CHRIS. Then I see it is not best to covet things that are now, but to
wait for things to come.
INTER. You say truth; "for the things that are seen soon pass away, but
the things that are not seen endure forever."
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.
CHRIS. Then said Christian, "What means this?"
INTER. The Interpreter answered, "This fire is the work of God 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