Pilgrim's Progress for Everyone

John Bunyan (1628-1688)

A condensation using Bunyan’s original words

Christian’s Pilgrimage

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. I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and as he read, he wept and trembled; (Psa 38:4; Isa 64:6; Luk 14:33; Heb 2:2-3) and, not being able longer to contain, he broke out with a lamentable cry, saying, “What shall I do?” (Act 2:37).

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 broke his mind to his wife and children; and thus began to talk.

“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 lies hard upon me. Moreover, I am for certain informed, that this our city will be burned with fire from heaven. We shall all come to ruin; unless (which yet I see not) some way of escape can be found, whereby we may be delivered.”

His family was amazed; they thought some frenzy had seized him. 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 conduct 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 console his own misery. He would also walk solitarily in the fields, sometimes reading and sometimes praying; and thus for some days so.

Evangelist Provides Direction

Now I saw, upon a time when he was walking in the fields, that he was (as he often did) reading in his book, and greatly distressed in his mind; and, as he read, he burst out, as he had done before, crying, “What must I do to be saved?” (Act 16:30-31).

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, “Why do you cry?”

He answered, “Sir, I am not fit to go to judgment! I perceive by the book in my hand that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to Judgment (Heb 9:27); and I find that I am not willing to do the first (Job 14:21-22), nor able to do the second (Eze 22:14).”

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 will sink me lower than the grave.”

“If this be thy condition, why stand thou still?” He answered, “Because I know not where to go.”

Then said EVANGELIST, pointing with his finger over a very wide field, “Do you see yonder wicket gate?” (Mat 7:14).

The man said, “No.” Then said the other, “Do you see yonder shining light?” (Psa 119:105; 2Pe 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 knock, it shall be told thee what thou shall do.”

So I saw in my dream that the man began to run. Now he had not run far from his own door, when his wife and children cried after him to return (Luk 14:26); but he put his fingers in his ears, and ran on, crying, “Life! Life! Eternal life!” So he looked not behind him, but fled toward the middle of the plain (Gen 19:17).

An Unfriendly Neighbor (Obstinate and Pliable)

The neighbors also came out to see him run; and, as he ran, some mocked (Jer 20:10), others threatened, and some cried to him to return. Two resolved to fetch him back by forcethe name of the one was OBSTINATE, and the name of the other PLIABLE. Now by this time the man was a good distance from them; but, however, they were resolved to pursue him; which they did, and in a little time they overtook him. Then said the man, “Neighbors, wherefore are ye come?” They said, “To persuade you to go back with us.” But he said, “That can by no means be. You dwell in the city of Destruction, the place also where I was born. I see it to be so; and dying there, sooner or later, you will sink lower than the grave into a place that burns with fire and brimstone: be content, good neighbors, and go along with me.”

“What!” said OBSTINATE, “and leave our friends and our comforts behind!” (Mat 19:22). “Yes,” said CHRISTIAN, for that was his name; “because that all which you shall forsake is not worthy to be compared with a little of that which I am seeking to enjoy (2Co 4:18). And if you will go along with me, and hold it, you shall fare as I myself; for there where I go is enough and to spare (Luk 15:17). Come away, and prove my words.”

“What are the things you seek, since you leave all the world to find them?” (Luk 14:33). “I seek an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fades not away (1Pe 1:4). It is laid up in heaven, and safe there, to be bestowed, at the time appointed, on them that diligently seek it (Heb 11:16). Read it so, if you will, in my book.”

“Tush,” said OBSTINATE, “away with your book; will you go back with us or not?” “No, not I,” said CHRISTIAN, “because I have laid my hand to the plow” (Luk 9:62). Then said PLIABLE, “If what the good CHRISTIAN says is true, the things he looks after are better than ours: my heart inclines to go with my neighbor.”

“What! more fools still?” said OBSTINATE. “Well, neighbor OBSTINATE,” said PLIABLE, “I begin to come to a point. I intend to go along with this good man, and to cast in my lot with him: but, my good companion, do you know the way to this desired place?”

“I am directed by a man whose name is EVANGELIST,” said CHRISTIAN, “to speed me to a little gate that is before us, where we shall receive instructions about the way.” “Come then, good neighbor, let us be going.” Then they went both together.

“I will go back to my own place,” said OBSTINATE; “I will be no companion of such a misled, fantastic fellow.”

Now when OBSTINATE was gone back, CHRISTIAN and PLIABLE went talking over the plain: and thus they began their discourse. “Come, neighbor CHRISTIAN, since there is none but us two here, tell me now further what the things are, and how to be enjoyed, whither we are going.” CHRISTIAN said, “There is an everlasting kingdom, and an everlasting life to be given us, that we may inhabit that kingdom for ever” (Isa 65:17; Joh 10:27-29).

“Well said. And what else?” “There are crowns of glory to be given us; and garments that will make us shine like the sun in the firmament of heaven” (Mat 13:43; 2Ti 4:8; Rev 3:4).

“That is very pleasant. And what else?” “There shall be no more crying nor sorrow; for he that is owner of the place will wipe all tears from our eyes” (Isa 25:8; Rev 7:16-17; 21:4).

“Well, my good companion, glad am I to hear of these things: come on, let us speed our pace.” Said CHRISTIAN, “I cannot go so fast as I would, by reason of this burden that is on my back.”

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