That in his best things there are worse lines too May we but stand before impartial men To his poor One I durst adventure Ten That they will take my meaning in these lines Far better then his Lies in Silver Shrines Come Truth although in Swadling-clouts I find Informs the Judgement rectifies the Mind Pleases the Understanding makes the Will Submit the Memory too it doth fill With what doth our Imagination please Likewise it tends our troubles to appease Sound words I know Timothy is to use And old Wives Fables he is to refuse But yet grave Paul him no where doth forbid Tâ—…e use of Parables in which lay hid That Gold tâ—…ose Pearls and precious stones tâ—…at were Worth 〈◊〉 for and tâ—…at with greâ—…est care Let me add one word more O maâ—… of God! Art thou offended dost thou wish I had Put forth my matter in an oâ—…er dress Or that I had in things been more express Three things let me propound then I submit To those tâ—…at are my betters as is fiâ—… 1. I find not that I am denied the use Of this my method so I no abuse Put on the Words Things Readers or be rude In handâ—…ing Figure or Similitude In application but all that I may Seek the advance of Truth this or that way Denyed did I say Nay I â—…ave leave Example too and that from them that have God better pleased by their words or ways Then any man that breatheth now a days Thus to express my mind thus to declare Things unto thee that excellentest are 2. I find that men aâ—… high as Trâ—… will write Dialogue wise yet 〈◊〉 man doth them slight For writing so Indeed if they 〈◊〉 Truth cursed be they and the craft they use To that intent But yet let Truth be free To make her Salleys upon Thee and Me Which way it pleases God For who knows how Better then he that taught us first to Plow To guide our Mind and Pens for his Design And he makes base things â—…sher in Divine 3. I find that holy Writ in many places Hath semblance with this method where the cases Doth call for one thing to set forth another Use it I may then and yet nothing smother Truths golden Beams Nay by this method may Make it cast forth its rayes as light as day And now before I do put up my Pâ—…n I 'le shew the profit of my Book and then Commit both thee and it unto that hand That pulls the strong down and makes weak ones stand This Book it chaulketh out before thine eyes The man that seeks the everlasting Prize It shews you whence he comes whither â—…e goes What he leaves undone also what he does It also shews you how he runs and 〈◊〉 Tâ—…ll he unto the Gate of Glory comes It shews too who sets out for life amain As if the lasting Crown they would attain Here also you may see the reason why They loose their labour and like Fools do die This Book will make a Travailer of thee If by its Counsel thou wilt ruled be It will direct thee to the Holy Land If thou wilt its Directions understand Yea it will make the sloathful active be The Blind also delightful things to see Art thou for something rare and profitable Wouldest thou see a Truth within a Fable Art thou forgetful wouldest thou remember From New-years-day to the last of December Then read my fancies they will stick like Burs And may be to the Helpless Comforters This Book is writ in such a Dialect As may the minds of listless men affect It seems a Novelty and yet contains Nothing but sound and honest Gospel-strains Would'st thou divert thy self from Melancholly Would'st thou be pleasant yet be far from folly Would'st thou read Riddles their Explanation Or else be drownded in thy Contemplation Dost thou love picking meat or would'st thou sâ—…e A man i' th Clouds and hear him speak to thee Would'st thou be in a Dream and yet not sleep Or would'st thou in a moment laugh and weep Wouldest thou loose thy self and catch no harm And find thy felf aâ—…ain without a charm Would'st read thy self and read thou know'st not what And yet know whether thou art blest or not By reading the same lines O then come hither And lay my Book thy Head and Heart together JOHN BUNYAN THE Pilgrims Progress In the similitude of a DREAM AS I walk'd through the wilderness of this world I lighted on a certain place where was a Denn And I laid me down in that place to sleep And as I slept I dreamed a Dream I dreamed and behold I saw a Man cloathed with Raggs standing in a certain place with his face from his own House a Book in his hand and a great burden upon his back I looked and saw him open the Book and Read therein and as he Read he wept and trembled and not being able longer to contain he brake out with a lamentable cry saâ—…ing what shall I do I saw also â—…hat he looked this way and that way as if he would run yet he stood still because as I perceived he could not tell which way to go I looked then and saw a Man named Evangelist coming to him and asked Wâ—…erefore dost tâ—…ou cry He answered Sâ—…r I perceive by the Book in my hand that I am Condemned to die and after that to come to Judgement and I find that I am not willing to do the first nor able to do the second Then said Evangelist Why not willing to die since this life is attended with so many evils The Man answered Because I fear that this burden that is upon my back wild sinck me lower then the Grave and I shall sall into Tophet And Sir if I be not sit to go to Prison I am not fit I am sure to go to Judgement and from thence to Execution And the thoughts of these things make me cry Then said Eâ—…list If this be thy condition why standest thou stiâ—… He answered Because I know not whither to go Then he gave him a Paâ—…chment-Roll and there was written within Fly from the wrath to come The Man therefore Read it and looking upon Evangelist very carefully said Whither must I fly Then said Evangelist pointing with his finger over a very wide Field Do you see yonder Wicket-gate The Man said No. Then said the other Do you see yonder shining light He said I think I do Then said Evangelist Keep that light in your eye and go up directly thereto so shalt thou see the Gate at which when thou knockest it shall be told thee what thou shalt do So I saw in my Dream that the Man began to run Now he had not run far from his own door but his Wife and Children perceiving it began to cry after him to return but the Man put his fingers in his Ears and ran on crying Life Life Eternal Life so he looked not behind him
THE Pilgrims Progress FROM THIS WORLD TO That which is to come Delivered under the Similitude of a DREAM Wherein is Discovered The manner of his setting out His Dangerous Journey And safe Arrival at the Desired Countrey I have used Similitudes Hos. 12 10. By John Bunyan â—â—censed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultrey near Cornhil 1678. THE AUTHOR'S Apology For his BOOK WHen at the first I took my Pen in hand Thus for to write I did not understand That I at all should make a little Book In such a mode Nay I had undertook To make another which when almost done Before I was aware I this begun And thus it was I writing of the Way And Race of Saints in this our Gospel-Day Fell suddenly into an Allegory About their Journey and the way to Glory In more than twenty things which I set down This done I twenty more had in my Crown And they again began to multiply Like sparks that from the coals of fire do fly Nay then thought I if that you breed so fast I 'll put you by your selves lest you at last Should prove ad infinitum and eat out The Book that I already am about Well so I did but yet I did not think To shew to all the World my Pen and Ink In such a mode I only thought to make I knew not what nor did I undertake Thereby to please my Neighbour no not I I did it mine own self to gratifie Neither did I but vacant seasons spend In this my Scribble nor did I intend But to divert my self in doing this From worser thoughts which make me do amiss Thus I set Pen to Paper with delight And quickly had my thoughts in black and white For having now my Method by the end Still as I pull d it came and so I penn'd It down until it came at last to be For length and breadth the bigness which you see Well when I had thus put mine ends together I shew'd them others that I might see whether They would condemn them or them justifie And some said let them live some let them die Some said John print it others said Not so Some said It might do good others said No. Now was I in a straight and d d not see Which was the best thing to be done by me At last I thought Since you are thus divided I print it will and so the case decided For thought I Some I see would have it done Though others in 〈◊〉 Channel do not run To prove then who advised for the best Thus I thought fit to put it to the test I further thought If now I did deny Those that would have it thus to gratifie I did not know but hinder them I might Of that which would to them be great delight For those that were not for its coming forth I said to them Offend you I am loth Yet since your Brethren pleased with it be Forbear to judge till you do further see If that thou wilt not read let it alone Some love the meat some love to pick the bone Yea that I might them better palliate I did too with them thus Expostulate May I not write in such a stile as this In such a method too and yet not miss Mine end thy good why may it not be done Dark Clouds bring Waters when the bright bring none Yea dark or bright if they their Silver drops Cause to descend the Earth by yielding Crops Gives praise to both and carpeth not at either But treasures up the Fruit they yield together Yea so commixes both that in her Fruit None can distinguish this from that they suit Her well when hungry but if she be full She spues out both and makes their blessings null You see the ways the Fisher-man doth take To catch the Fish what Engins doth he make Behold how he ingageth all his Wits Also his Snares Lines Angles Hooks and Nets Yet Fish there be that neither Hook nor Line Nor Snare nor Net nor Engin can make thine They must be grop't for and be tickled too Or they will not be catcht what e're you do How doth the Fowler seek to catch his Game By divers means all which one cannot name His Gun his Nets his Lime-twiâ—…s light and belle He creeps he goes he stands yea who can tell Of all his postures Yet there 's none of these Will make him master of what Fowls he please Yea he must Pipe and Whistle to catch this Yet if he does so that Bird he will miss If that a Pearl may in a Toads-head dwell And may be found too in an Oister-shell If things that promise nothing do contain What better is then Gold who will disdain That have an inkling of it there to look That they may find it Now my little Book Tho void of all those paintings that may make It with this or the other Man to take Is not without those things that do excel What do in brave but empty notions dwell Well yet I am not fully satisfied That this your Book will stand when soundly try'd Why what 's the matter it is dark what tho But it is feigned What of that I tro Some men by feigning words as dark as mine Make truth to spangle and its rayes to shine But they want solidness Speak man thy mind They drown'd the weak Metaphors make us blind Solidity indeed becomes the Pen Of him that writeth things Divine to men But must I needs want solidness because By Metaphors I speak Was not Gods Laws His Gospel-Laws in oldertime held forth By Types Shaddows and Metaphors Yet loth Will any sober man below find fault With them lest he be found for to assault The highest Wisdom No he rather stoops And seeks to find out what by pins and loops By Calves and Sheep by Heifers and by Râ—…ms By Birds and Herbs and by the blood of Lambs God speaketh to him And happy is he That finds the light and grace that in them be Be not too forward therefore to conclude That I want solidness that I am rude All things solid in shew not solid be All things in parables despise not we Lest things most hurtful lightly we receive And things that good are of our souls bereave My dark and cloudy words they do but hold The Truth as Cabinets inclose the Gold The Prophets used much by Metaphors To set forth Truth Yea who so considers Christ his Apostles too shall plainly see That Truths to this day in such Mantles be Am I afraid to say that holy Writ Which for its Stile and Phrase puts down all Wit Is every where so full of all these things Dark Figures Allegories yet there springs From that same Book that lustre and those rayes Of light that turns our darkest nights to days Come let my Carper to his Life now look And find There darker lines then in my Book He findeth any Yea and let him know
That is the way thou must go It was cast up by the Patriarchs Prophets Christ his Apostles and it is as straight as a Rule can make it This is the way thou must go Ch. But said Christian Is there no turnings nor windings by which a Stranger may loose the way Good Will Yes there are many ways Butt down upon this and they are Crooked and Wide But thus thou may'st distinguish the right from the wrong That 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 the burden be content to bear it untill thou comest to the place of Deliverance for there it will fall from thy back it self Then Christian began to gird up his loins and to address himself to Journey So the other told him that by that 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 shew him excellent things Then Christian took his leave of his Friend and he again bid him God speed Then he went on till he came at the House of the Interpreter where he knocked over and over at last one came to the Door and asked Who was there Ch. Sir here is a Travailer who was bid by an acquaintance of the Good-man of this House to call here for my profit 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 Ch. Sir said Christian I am a Man that am come from the City of Destruction and am going to the 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 shew me excellent things such as would be an help to me in my Journey Inter. Then said the Interpreter Come in I will shew thee that which will be profitable to thee So he commanded his Man to light the Candle and bid Christian follow him so he had him into a private Room and bid his Man open à Door the which when he had done Christian saw a Picture of a very grave Person hang up against the Wall and this was the fashion of it It had eyes lift up to Heaven the best of Books in its hand the Law of Truth was written upon its lips the World was behind his back it stood as if it Pleaded with Men and a Crown of Gold did hang over its head Ch. Then said Christian What means this Inter. The Man whose Picture this is is one of a thousand he can beget Children Travel in birth with Children and Nurse them himself when they are born And whereas thou seest him with eyes lift up to Heaven the best of Books in his hand and the Law of Truth writ on his lips it is to shew 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 as cast behind him and that a Crown hangs over his head that is to shew thee that slighting and despising the things that are present for the love that he hath to his Masters service he is sure in the World that comes next to have Glory for his Reward Now said the Interpreter I have shewed 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 Authorized to be thy Guide in all difficult places thou mayest meet with in the way wherefore take good heed to what I have shewed 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 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 there with been 〈◊〉 Then said the Interpreter to 〈◊〉 that stood by Bring hither Water and sprinkle the Room which when she had done was swept and cleansed with pleasure Ch. Then said Christian What means this In. The Interpreter answered This Parlor 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 choaked therewith This is to shew 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 as it doth discover and sorbid it but doth not give power to subdue Again as thou sawest the Damsel sprinkle the Room with Water upon which it was cleansed with pleasuâ—… This is to shew 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 I saw morâ—…over 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 of the other Patience Passion seemed to be much discontent but Patience was very quiet Then Christian asked What is the reason of the discontent of Passion The Interpreter answered The Governour of them would have him stay for his best things till the beginning of the next year but he will have all now Buâ—… 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 rejoyced therein and withall laughed Patience to scorn But I beheld but a while and he had lavished all away and had nothing left him but Rags Ch. Then said Christian to the Interpreter Expound this matter more fully to me In. So he said These two Lads are Figures Passion of the