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    The Pilgrim's Progress
    The Pilgrim's Progress
    The Pilgrim's Progress
    Ebook189 pages6 hours

    The Pilgrim's Progress

    By John Bunyan

    3.5/5

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    A masterpiece of the English Puritan tradition, The Pilgrim's Progress is renowned for the simple beauty of its language, the abundance of its biblical references, and its vivid characterisations. The story is an allegory of the Christian life recounted as a dream, in which the protagonist Christian sets out from the City of Destruction on an arduous journey to the Celestial City. On the way, Christian encounters like-minded pilgrims such as Faithful and Hopeful, as well as various tempters, false friends, and monstrous adversaries. The most dreadful of all - the Giant Despair and the River of Death itself - stand between Christian and his ultimate destination. Translated into more than one hundred languages, The Pilgrim's Progress continues to captivate readers worldwide, even after three centuries!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAuthentic Media
    Release dateJan 1, 2012
    ISBN9781780789514
    Author

    John Bunyan

    John Bunyan (1628–1688) was a Reformed Baptist preacher in the Church of England. He is most famous for his celebrated Pilgrim's Progress, which he penned in prison. Bunyan was author of nearly sixty other books and tracts, including The Holy War and Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. 

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    Reviews for The Pilgrim's Progress

    3.5/5

    33 ratings57 reviews

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    • 3/5
      A lucid story that weaves and flows its way through inception to conclusion.Recommended for everyone
    • 5/5
      By reputation John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress is one of the classics of English literature, being in print continuously since 1678 and being translated into over 200 languages. In its essence it is the story of Christian faith, following a person of faith as he journeys through life until he arrives at his heavenly home. It is told from the vantage point of a dream and makes excellent use of the method of allegory. Bunyan wrote this masterpiece in two parts, the first being the story of the journey of a pilgrim, Christian, from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. The second part is the story of his wife, Christiana, and their four children taking the same journey several years later. Christiana had mocked her husband when he left and she delights in learning the details of his travel as she finds herself being led along the same road. I found Christiana's travels more compelling, perhaps due to the way in which vibrant faith was also expressed in the children.While Bunyan used allegory to tell this story everything about it comes across as something he knows first-hand, either from his own personal experience as a Christian who was jailed for his faith, or that he learned while serving as a pastor. The struggles that Christian and Christiana go through, although written over 300 years ago, are the struggles of Christians today. And so are the joys and delights that are found in the Christian life. I received this book three years ago as a gift from someone who said he read from it often. And now, having read it myself, I am beginning to understand why, and I anticipate I will follow his habit.
    • 2/5
      Honestly, I love Christian Allegory, but I felt this was a diluted rip off of the Everyman moral play. I was looking forward to a provocative tale but this came up short with blatant imagery pulled together with the smallest bit of finesse. Sorry to be so scathing Mr. Bunyan. I get that it was to be accessible to the common man, but this is more a pamphlet than a serious piece of literature.The only reason I think I'll keep reading it is so that I know the references and allusions people take from it. It's an easy enough read.
    • 4/5
      I started it once and put it down. Too boring. I picked it up a few years later and found it interesting - the tedious journey no longer seemed so. A puritanical pursuit of the good.
    • 3/5
      Bunyan begins his allegory with an interesting argument that fiction can be used to strengthen Christian faith. By giving examples from the Bible he demonstrates a need to silence critics of fiction who apparently would limit spiritual training to reading the Bible. He also inoculates the reader by stating that the book was written primarily for the author's own spiritual development.Beginning the story in the wilderness brings Dante to mind at the start of the allegory. Christian seems to learn various things in the course of his pilgrimage, but throughout it he hardly appears to change at all. This was just one aspect that disappointed me. I did not find the book as impressive an argument for spiritual growth as other more personal memoirs from writers like Augustine or Thomas Merton. Perhaps this classic may be best appreciated by those who are true believers rather than those who are truly seeking wisdom.
    • 5/5
      Classic allegory about the Christian journey thorugh life. Belongs in every Christian library.
    • 3/5
      The classic 17th century Christian allegory.I thought this was worth reading for its literary significance and classic status. I'm glad that I read it, but I'm not sure I'll read it again.A couple of things I didn't like were:1. Christian seems to have no great connection with his family, friends or companions. He seems too quick to abandon people, and this made it difficult for me to connect with the character.2. The allegory is too direct. Yes, we all know it's an allegorical work, but it just seems too specific and everything has a one-to-one relationship with Christian theology.
    • 5/5
      This is an amazingly helpful book for Christians. It's a reminder that we are on a constant journey which only began at the wicket gate and continues until our death. I'll be reading this again and again!
    • 3/5
      The first was a whole heap of fun, but the second was a little tedious. I'm sure it's a perfectly good book if you are a puritan Christian, but as I am neither of the two, I found it quite mediocre.
    • 3/5
      This book is ancient! As an allegory of the Christian life, it still makes (almost?) perfect sense today. The second part with Christian's wife and children was kind of boring, probably because it's the retelling of the same story.
    • 2/5
      I didn't really get on with this book, for three main reasons:1) An allegory for edification written in 16-mumble is not going to be a page turning plot or character driven romp. It was quite heavy going in places, and the number of times Christian spent much of the chapter telling someone what happened to him last chapter left me going 'I know! I just read that!'2) I didn't really agree with the theology that it was proposing. I spent a lot of the book wanting to clobber the author with 'there's a wideness in God's mercy'. There is one gate, and you must come in through that gate, even at the gates of heaven if you've Done It Wrong you'll be cast into Hell, and there are very precise things that make Good Christians and Fake Christians (the sections with Ignorance and Talkative make me twitch, lots). Most of these things involve constantly feeling utterly sinful and definitely having a Revelation TM. Still, 16 century protestants, it's hardly a surprise (and the fault may be with me and not the author...)3) Some of the time I was just plain confused - what are the wicker gate and scroll analogies for? [I have done some googling and looked at the Spark notes and am still confused]. The wicker gate is the Only Way to Heaven TM, and you Must have your Scroll or you won't get in (and you can drop it on the way)... for a book that is so painfully a direct analogy then I really feel I ought to know what these things are an analogy _of_!That aside, there are some lovely bits to it. The Pilgrims are not supermen - they are flawed and human, and mess up, and get back to things again, and the passage when they are trapped by Giant Despair really touched me. And it gets plus points for being the source of vast amounts of Stuff though, including 'Vanity Fair', the Slough of Despond, and even the holy text from Bujold's Borders of Infinity (It quite surprised me when I stumbled across the latter!)
    • 5/5
      love every minute. Names are so poignant!
    • 1/5
      This has to be one of the most tedious books ever written. The imagery used such as the Slough of Despondency is great but that's about it. It's the second time I've read it and don't think I'll manage a third.
    • 5/5
      I throughly enjoyed this book. There are so many references to this work throughout modern and classic literature that it was interesting to finally hear the original work. Furthermore, I highly recommend listening to the public domain audio recording of this book found at librivox.com. Although these audio files are not professionally done, the English woman who reads this work for Librivox has a wonderful voice that really compliments the work and brings the book to life.
    • 5/5
      I know exactly how Christian feels. His non-conformity has estranged him not only from the world, but from his wife and children, who laugh at him and his philosophy with the others. Why would Christian choose this lonely path? It is because he has had revelation of the future, which brings realization of the present and past. He simply does not find his lifestyle appealing anymore. It was not a fondness of isolation that brought Christian to his pilgrimage, it was Divine Providence--the Revealer. He did not ignore it and go back to his life of illusion. He asked "What shall I do?", and he was given answer. As we come to learn, setting forth on the pilgrimage is only a first step. Bunyan was not only allegory, Bunyan was life, truth, experience. Spending much of his time in prison, Bunyan related to us why his choices were right. He brought to Christianity something no one had. He brought simple truth, logical reasoning, a map to a map. As our protangonist, Christian, comes to his last step, the world and his family take note of his accomplishments. They become open to the Holy Spirit's whispers. They follow, as Christian showed them how, as Christian learned from Christ. They go from this world, to that which is to come. All Faiths will enjoy this read, as all Faiths have. The book's age is a testament to the wisdoms within. You will recognize all of the characters here--their names reveal them.
    • 3/5
      Summary: In this allegorical novel, a pilgrim named Christian travels a journey in which he loses the heavy weight of his sins, is tempted to sin again, and eventually reaches paradise.My thoughts: I’m not sure why this is the most printed book in English, other than the Bible. I love allegory generally, but this allegory beat you over the head with obviousness. Everyone and everything was given a name (like Christian) that said explicitly what the character or impediment represented. The story itself was interesting enough, I suppose, as a concept, I just wish it were more subtle. This is also not a book for non-Christians, unless they are reading for the sake of learning about classic literature.
    • 4/5
      Good and very readable allegory.
    • 5/5
      There is a reason why this is the most widely published Christian book outside of the Bible. Bunyan, with seriousness and at times with humor, dissects the human condition. I recommend this both to Christians and non-Christians, as it reveals the subtle deceit of many paradigms that we encounter in our lifetime.
    • 2/5
      John Bunyan writes, Pilgrim’s Progress; his allegory, his dream; depicting a spiritual journey leading to everlasting freedom while he himself was in prison. Dreams were given great significance in the ancient world. Pilgrim’s Progress is a dream, with characters and events symbolizing knowledge, and lessons learned throughout the story, which is quite an adventure. An adventure, that would appeal to both adult and child.
    • 4/5
      Pilgrim's Progress is one of the most influential Christian allegories. Long before Narnia, Bunyan put pen to parchment to record his dream while being held in prison. The end result was Pilgrim's Progress.PP takes us on a journey through the life of a Christian, that is, the allegorical life of a Christian. The trials faced by a Christian are all anthropomorphisms here. The main character must navigate away from the City of Destruction, and eventually arrive at his final destination, The Celestial City.Definitely an enjoyable read for those who appreciate renowned and well-written religious allegories.
    • 1/5
      Early chrisitan brain washing and gobbledy-gook.
    • 2/5
      I'll be brutally honest. I didn't understand this book at all. It seems to be the symbolic journey of a Christian, who meets various challenges and emotions in human form. A lot of people loved it, I didn't get it. The language put me off - it's written in a sort of King James English, which I didn't have the energy to follow.
    • 3/5
      When I was in my early high school, I read Little Pilgrim's Progress and thought it was a quite a fun story with swords and battles and adventures. Reading the 'adult' version of the book has brought back memories as I try and align the two.
      This version was still quite readable and the first part of the book followed Christian as he journeyed to the wicket gate to start walking on the narrow path. He struggled with or fought of or was almost misled by various characters and trials. Each of the people was given a name that reflected their character, such as Faithful, Hopeful, Ignorance, Evangelist and Pliable.
      However, after passing through Vanity Fair and the Celestial Mountains, the story started to slow down with several lengthy theological explanations as they walked along. The end of the journey appeared suddenly and the characters walked a pretty easy path near the end, with not many challenges.
      And of course, in the end, they successfully reach heaven and are allowed to enter in.
      One thing that concerned me as I read was that the book was running out of pages to cover his wife's story. From what I recall, Little Pilgrim's Progress covers both Christian and Christiana's stories. According to Wikipedia, there is a second book that covers her story, although it is possible the edition I read was slightly abridged and did not include it.
    • 1/5
      The book is composed of two stories. The story of the pilgrimage of Christian is followed by a story of his wife Christiana's pilgrimage with her children. The story has similarities to that of paradise lost. Bunyan's story is tedious and boring. I cannot recommend the book to anyone but the fanatic.
    • 1/5
      This book wasn't bad or awful, per se, it was simply painfully dull and boring with absolutely no vested interest in what occurs with the characters. Which brings us to the characters! Look, I get that this is a biblically-woven highly religious allegory of personal salvation, that much is clear, but does the reader have to be blunted over the head with it? The lead player is named Christian? Really? Couldn't call him Bob? And his wife is Christina? You're joking, right? Pamela would've been better. The biggest surprise - and there are none - is that his children aren't named Christine, Christopher, and Jiminy Christmas. Also, did Bunyan HAVE to name everyone else exactly what they are in metaphor? I found that aggravating, and the slog-through was mighty difficult, and the sudden bursts of rhyme were ridiculous and often non-rhyming, but I'm all the richer for having read it, right? Wrong. Guess I'm going to hell.
    • 2/5
      869 The Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan (read 28 Sep 1966) Every literate person has to read this book so I did. I kind of looked on it as a duty, and when I was finished I felt "now, I've read it."
    • 1/5
      I can appreciate why John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress," an allegory of the Christian faith, was beloved by Puritans. For me, it was incredibly tedious and a 1,001 book just to try and get through.I failed in that... after it became clear the second half was going to be pretty much a retelling of the first half, I finally gave up.
    • 5/5
      If there is any one theological fiction that Christians should read today, this book would be it! Classic, powerful, imaginative, and provocative. Well worth reading, and not full of theological blunders like books that currently line many peoples shelves.
    • 4/5
      The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan was written in 1678 and can be counted among the most significant works of English literature. It is an allegory, presented as a narration of a dream, and it is divided into two parts. The first part follows protagonist Christian from the City of Destruction, i.e. this world, to the Celestial City, i.e. heaven. Christian sets out on this journey, leaving behind his wife, his children and his home, because he is weighed down by a burden. On his way, he goes through several stages and meets various persons, some of whom accompany him on his journey and some of whom try to convince him of leaving the path he is on. The characters he encounters have, as he himself, very straightforward names that show their main character trait. They can be regarded as flat characters whose name already gives away what their character is like and what their role in the story will be. Examples of such names are Legality, Goodwill, Faithful, Ignorance, Giant Despair, and Mistrust, to name but a few. The same thing can be said for the stages Christian passes through. There is the Valley of the Shadow of Death, Vanity Fair, the Hill of Difficulty, or the Delectable Mountains. The second part of The Pilgrim's Progress relates the story of Christiana, Christian's wife, who sets out with her children and Mercy, another woman from the City of Destruction, to follow her husband's path to Mount Zion and the Celestial City.Although the book was written in 1678, the text is very easy to follow as the language is quite simple with no complex sentence structures. Bunyan's writing style is very direct, which is probably due to the fact that the book was intended for a popular and not for a higher-educated academic readership. Being a Christian allegory it was aimed at a broad audience depicting Christian life as the only true way of life. The names of characters and places ensure that there is no trouble in deciphering the allegoric meaning of the novel. Yet, I have read that Bunyan, who is said to have traveled from Bedford to London, was influenced by his personal surroundings in the description of the places in the story. Generally, the book can be approached without much background knowledge, but you probably might get more out of it with a religious background.On the whole, 3.5 stars as the second part was somewhat repetitive after having read the first one. Plus, I felt I was getting a moralizing lecture.
    • 4/5
      A true classic for both the Christian and the non-Christian world. Excellent example of allegory.

    Book preview

    The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan

    ‘Parts.’

    Part One

    Delivered Under the Similitude of a Dream by John Bunyan

    The Author’s Apology for his Book

    {1} 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 yourselves, 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 my own self to gratify.

    {2} Neither did I but vacant seasons spend

    In this my scribble; nor did I intend

    But to divert myself 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 pulled, it came; and so I penned

    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 shewed them others, that I might see whether

    They would condemn them, or them justify:

    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 strait, and did 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.

    {3} For, thought I, some, I see, would have it done,

    Though others in that 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 gratify.

    I did not know but hinder them I might

    Of that which would to them be great delight.

    For those which 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:—

    {4} May I not write in such a style as this?

    In such a method, too, and yet not miss

    My 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 spews out both, and makes their blessings null.

    You see the ways the fisherman doth take

    To catch the fish; what engines doth he make?

    Behold how he engageth 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 engine can make thine:

    They must be groped for, and be tickled too,

    Or they will not be catch’d, whate’er you do.

    How does the fowler seek to catch his game

    By divers means! all which one cannot name:

    His guns, his nets, his lime-twigs, light, and bell:

    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 toad’s head dwell,

    And may be found too in an oyster-shell;

    If things that promise nothing do contain

    What better is than gold; who will disdain,

    That have an inkling of it, there to look,

    That they may find it? Now, my little book,

    (Though void of all these 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.

    {5} ‘Well, yet I am not fully satisfied,

    That this your book will stand, when soundly tried.’

    Why, what’s the matter? ‘It is dark.’ What though?

    ‘But it is feigned.’ What of that? I trow?

    Some men, by feigned words, as dark as mine,

    Make truth to spangle and its rays to shine.

    ‘But they want solidness.’ Speak, man, thy mind.

    ‘They drown 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? Were not God’s laws,

    His gospel laws, in olden times held forth

    By types, shadows, and metaphors? Yet loth

    Will any sober man be to 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 rams,

    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.

    {6} Be not too forward, therefore, to conclude

    That I want solidness—that I am rude;

    All things solid in show 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 enclose 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 style and phrase puts down all wit,

    Is everywhere so full of all these things—

    Dark figures, allegories? Yet there springs

    From that same book that lustre, and those rays

    Of light, that turn our darkest nights to days.

    {7} Come, let my carper to his life now look,

    And find there darker lines than in my book

    He findeth any; yea, and let him know,

    That in his best things there are worse lines too.

    May we but stand before impartial men,

    To his poor one I dare adventure ten,

    That they will take my meaning in these lines

    Far better than his lies in silver shrines.

    Come, truth, although in swaddling 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 imaginations 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 nowhere did forbid

    The use of parables; in which lay hid

    That gold, those pearls, and precious stones that were

    Worth digging for, and that with greatest care.

    Let me add one word more. O man of God,

    Art thou offended? Dost thou wish I had

    Put forth my matter in another dress?

    Or, that I had in things been more express?

    Three things let me propound; then I submit

    To those that are my betters, as is fit.

    {8} 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 handling figure or similitude,

    In application; but, all that I may,

    Seek the advance of truth this or that way

    Denied, did I say? Nay, I have leave

    (Example too, and that from them that have

    God better pleased, by their words or ways,

    Than 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 (as high as trees) will write

    Dialogue-wise; yet no man doth them slight

    For writing so: indeed, if they abuse

    Truth, cursed be they, and the craft they use

    To that intent; but yet let truth be free

    To make her sallies upon thee and me,

    Which way it pleases God; for who knows how,

    Better than he that taught us first to plough,

    To guide our mind and pens for his design?

    And he makes base things usher in divine.

    3. I find that holy writ in many places

    Hath semblance with this method, where the cases

    Do call for one thing, to set forth another;

    Use it I may, then, and yet nothing smother

    Truth’s golden beams: nay, by this method may

    Make it cast forth its rays as light as day.

    And now before I do put up my pen,

    I’ll 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 chalketh out before thine eyes

    The man that seeks the everlasting prize;

    It shews you whence he comes, whither he goes;

    What he leaves undone, also what he does;

    It also shows you how he runs and runs,

    Till he unto the gate of glory comes.

    {9} It shows, too, who set out for life amain,

    As if the lasting crown they would obtain;

    Here also you may see the reason why

    They lose their labour, and like fools do die.

    This book will make a traveller 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 slothful 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-Year’s 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.

    Wouldst thou divert thyself from melancholy?

    Wouldst thou be pleasant, yet be far from folly?

    Wouldst thou read riddles, and their explanation?

    Or else be drowned in thy contemplation?

    Dost thou love picking meat? Or wouldst thou see

    A man in the clouds, and hear him speak to thee?

    Wouldst thou be in a dream, and yet not sleep?

    Or wouldst thou in a moment laugh and weep?

    Wouldest thou lose thyself and catch no harm,

    And find thyself again without a charm?

    Wouldst read thyself, and read thou knowest not what,

    And yet know whether thou art blest or not,

    By reading the same lines? Oh, then come hither,

    And lay my book, thy head, and heart together.

    John Bunyan.

    The Pilgrim’s Progress

    In the Similitude of a Dream

    {10} As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a Den, 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 clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back. [Isa. 64:6; Luke 14:33; Ps. 38:4; Hab. 2:2; Acts 16:30,31] 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, saying, What shall I do? [Acts 2:37]

    {11} In this plight, therefore, he went home and refrained himself as long as he could, that his wife and children should not perceive his distress; but he could not be silent long, because that his trouble increased. Wherefore at length he brake his mind to his wife and children; and thus he began to talk to them: O my dear wife, said he, and you the children of my bowels, I, your dear friend, am in myself undone by reason of a burden that lieth hard upon me; moreover, I am for certain informed that this our city will be burned with fire from heaven; in which fearful overthrow, both myself, with thee my wife, and you my sweet babes, shall miserably come to ruin, except (the which yet I see not) some way of escape can be found, whereby we may be delivered. At this his relations were sore amazed; not for that they believed that what he had said to them was true, but because they thought that some frenzy distemper had got into his head; therefore, it drawing towards night, and they hoping that sleep might settle his brains, with all haste they got him to bed. But the night was as troublesome to him as the day; wherefore, instead of sleeping, he spent it in sighs and tears. So, when the morning was come, they would know how he did. He told them, Worse and worse: he also set to talking to them again; but they began to be hardened. They also thought to drive away his distemper by harsh and surly carriages to him; sometimes they would deride, sometimes they would chide, and sometimes they would quite neglect him. Wherefore he began to retire himself to his chamber, to pray for and pity them, and also to condole his own misery; he would also walk solitarily in the fields, sometimes reading, and sometimes praying: and thus for some days he spent his time.

    {12} Now, I saw, upon a time, when he was walking in the fields, that he was, as he was wont, reading in his book, and greatly distressed in his mind; and, as he read, he burst out, as he had done before, crying, What shall I do to be saved?

    {13} I saw also that 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, Wherefore dost thou cry? [Job 33:23]

    {14} He answered, Sir, I perceive by the book in my hand, that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to judgement [Heb. 9:27]; and I find that I am not willing to do the first [Job 16:21], nor able to do the second. [Ezek. 22:14]

    CHRISTIAN no sooner leaves the World but meets EVANGELIST, who lovingly him greets With tidings of another: and doth show Him how to mount to that from this below.

    {15} 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 is upon my back will sink me lower than the grave, and I shall fall into Tophet. [Isa. 30:33] And, Sir, if I be not fit 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.

    {16} Then said Evangelist, If this be thy condition, why standest thou still? He answered, Because I know not whither to go. Then he gave him a parchment roll, and there was written within, Flee from the wrath to come. [Matt. 3.7]

    {17} 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? [Matt. 7:13,14] The man said, No. Then said the other, Do you see yonder shining light? [Ps. 119:105; 2 Pet. 1:19] 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.

    {18} 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,

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