The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
burn higher and hotter, thou shalt also see the reason of that." So
then he led him about to the other side 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.
CHRIS. Then said Christian, "What means this?"
INTER. The Interpreter answered, "This is Christ, who continually, with
the oil of His grace, helps 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 in that thou sawest that the man stood
behind the wall to keep up the fire; this is to teach thee, that it is
hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is kept alive in the
soul."
I saw also that the Interpreter took him again by the hand, and led him
into a pleasant place, where was built 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.
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 armor to keep it, being
resolved to do to the men that would enter what hurt and mischief they
could. Now was Christian somewhat in amaze. 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 that,
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; 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 in 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, "until I have showed thee a little more; and after that
thou shalt 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.
Then said Christian to the man, "What art thou?" The man answered, "I am
what I was not once."
CHRIS. What wast thou once?
MAN. The man said, "I was once a fair and flourishing Christian, both in
mine own eyes, and also in the eyes of others; I was once, as I thought,
fair for the Celestial City, and had even joy at the thoughts that I
should get thither."
CHRIS. Well, but what art thou now?
MAN. 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!
CHRIS. But how camest thou in this condition?
MAN. I left off to watch and be sober. I gave free reins to sin; I
sinned against the light of the Word and the goodness of God; I have
grieved the Spirit, and He is gone; I tempted the devil, and he has come
to me; I have provoked God to anger, and He has left me; I have so
hardened my heart that I _cannot_ turn.
Then said Christian to the Interpreter, "But are there no hopes for such
a man as this?" "Ask him," said the Interpreter.
CHRIS. Then said Christian, "Is there no hope, but you must be kept in
the iron cage of despair?"
MAN. No, none at all.
CHRIS. Why? the Son of the Blessed is very pitiful.
MAN. I have crucified Him to myself afresh. I have despised His person.
I have despised His holiness; I have counted His blood an unholy thing;
I have shown contempt to the Spirit of mercy. Therefore I have shut
myself out of all the promises of God, and there now remains to me
nothing but threatenings, dreadful threatenings, fearful threatenings of
certain judgment and fiery anger, which shall devour me as an enemy.
CHRIS. For what did you bring yourself into this condition?
MAN. For the desires, pleasures, and gains of this world; in the
enjoyment of which I did then promise myself much delight; but now every
one of those things also bite me, and gnaw me, like a burning worm.
CHRIS. But canst thou not now turn again to God?
MAN. God no longer invites me to come to Him. His Word gives me no
encouragement to believe; yea, Himself hath shut me up in this iron
cage; nor can all the men in the world let me out. O 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."
[Sidenote: THE DREAM OF THE JUDGMENT]
CHRIS. "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 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 clothing,
he shook and trembled. Then said Christian, "Why doth this man thus
tremble?" The Interpreter then bid 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 manner, 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
sitting upon a cloud, attended with the thousands of heaven; they were
all in flaming fire; also the heavens were in a burning flame. I heard
then a great 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: some of them were exceeding glad, and looked upward;
and some thought 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.
Yet there was, by reason of a fierce flame that issued out and came
before Him, a certain distance betwixt Him and them, as betwixt the
judge and the prisoners at the bar. I heard it also called out to them
that stood around on the Man that sat on the cloud, 'Gather together the
tares, the chaff, and stubble, and cast them into the burning lake. 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.' And, with that, I saw many catched up and
carried away into the clouds; 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. Upon this I awakened from my sleep."
CHRIS. But what was it that made you so afraid of this sight?
MAN. Why I thought that the day of judgment was come, and that I was not
ready for it. But this affrighted 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, troubled me; and, as I thought, the
judge had always His eye upon me, showing anger in His countenance.
INTER. Then said the Interpreter to Christian, "Hast thou considered
these things?"
CHRIS. 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 into the way that leads to the city."
So Christian went on his way, saying:
"Here have I 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 where; and let me be
Thankful, O good Interpreter, to thee."
CHAPTER III.
Now, I saw in my dream that the highway up which Christian was to go was
fenced on either side with a wall that was called Salvation. Up this
way, therefore, did burdened Christian run, but not without great
difficulty, because of the load on his back.
He ran thus till he came to a place somewhat ascending; and upon that
place stood a Cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a tomb. So I saw
in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden
loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to
tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the tomb,
where it fell in, and I saw it no more.
Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, "He
hath given me rest by His sorrow, and life by His death." Then he stood
still awhile to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to him that
the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked,
therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head
sent the water down his cheeks. Now, as he stood looking and weeping,
behold, three Shining Ones came to him, and saluted him with "Peace be
to thee." So the first said to him, "Thy sins be forgiven thee;" the
second stripped him of his rags, and clothed him with a change of
garments; the third also set a mark on his forehead, and gave him a roll
with a seal upon it, which he bade him look on as he ran, and that he
should give it in at the heavenly gate; so they went their way. Then
Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on, singing:
"Thus far did I come laden with my sin;
Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in,
Till I came hither; what a place is this!
Must here be the beginning of my bliss?
Must here the burden fall from off my back?
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?
Blest cross! blest sepulchre! blest rather be
The Man that was there put to shame for me!"
[Sidenote: SIMPLE, SLOTH, PRESUMPTION]
I saw then in my dream that he went on thus, even until he came to the
bottom, where he saw, a little out of the way, three men fast asleep,
with fetters upon their heels. The name of one was Simple, of another
Sloth, and of the third Presumption.
Christian, then, seeing them lie in this case, went to them, if perhaps
he might awake them, and cried, "You are like them that sleep on the top
of a mast; for the deep sea is under you, a gulf that hath no bottom:
awake, therefore, and come away; be willing, also, and I will help you
off with your irons." He also told them, "If he that goeth about like a
roaring lion comes by, you will certainly become a prey to his teeth."