The Pilgrim's Progress

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CHRISTIAN. Well, come, my good Hopeful, I perceive that thou and I must walk by ourselves again.So I saw in my dream that they went on apace before, and Ignorance he came bobbling after. Then said Christian to his companion, It pities me much for this poor man, it will certainly go ill with him at last.

HOPEFUL. Alas! there are abundance in our town in his condition, whole families, yea, whole streets, and that of pilgrims too; and if there be so many in our parts, how many, think you, must there be in the place where he was born?

CHRISTIAN. Indeed the Word saith, “He hath blinded their eyes, lest they should see,” etc. But now we are by our-selves, what do you think of such men? Have they at no time, think you, convictions of sin, and so consequently fears that their state is dangerous?

HOPEFUL. Nay, do you answer that question yourself, for you are the elder man.

CHRISTIAN. Then I say, sometimes (as I think) they may; but they being naturally ignorant, understand not that such convictions tend to their good; and therefore they do desperately seek to stifle them, and presumptuously continue to flatter themselves in the way of their own hearts.

HOPEFUL. I do believe, as you say, that fear tends much to men’s good, and to make them right, at their beginning to go on pilgrimage.

CHRISTIAN. Without all doubt it doth, if it be right; for so says the Word, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”.225

HOPEFUL. How will you describe right fear?

CHRISTIAN. True or right fear is discovered by three things—
1. By its rise; it is caused by saving convictions for sin.

225 Prov. 1:7; 9:10; Psa. 111:10; Job. 28:28  

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2. It driveth the soul to lay fast hold of Christ for salvation.
3. It begetteth and continueth in the soul a great reverence of God, his Word, and ways, keeping it tender, and making it afraid to turn from them, to the right hand or to the left, to anything, that may dishonour God, break its peace, grieve the Spirit, or cause the enemy to speak reproachfully.

HOPEFUL. Well said; I believe you have said the truth. Are we now almost got past the Enchanted Ground?

CHRISTIAN. Why, art thou weary of this discourse?

HOPEFUL. No, verily, but that I would know where we are.

CHRISTIAN. We have not now above two miles further to go thereon. But let us return to our matter. Now the ignorant know not that such convictions as tend to put them in fear are for their good, and therefore they seek to stifle them.

HOPEFUL. How do they seek to stifle them?

CHRISTIAN. 1.They think that those fears are wrought by the devil (though indeed they are wrought of God); and, thinking so, they resist them as things that directly tend to their overthrow. 2.They also think that these fears tend to the spoiling of their faith, when, alas for them, poor men that they are, they have none at all! and therefore they hard-en their hearts against them. 3.They presume they ought not to fear; and therefore, in despite of them, wax presump-uously confident. 4.They see that those fears tend to take away from them their pitiful old self-holiness, and therefore they resist them with all their might.

HOPEFUL. I know something of this myself; for, before I knew myself, it was so with me.

CHRISTIAN. Well, we will leave, at this time, our neighbour Ignorance by himself, and fall upon another profitable question.  

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HOPEFUL. With all my heart, but you shall still begin.

CHRISTIAN. Well then, did you not know, about 10 years ago, one Temporary in your parts, who was a forward man in religion then?

HOPEFUL. Know him! yes, he dwelt in Graceless, a town about two miles off of Honesty, and he dwelt next door to one Turnback.

CHRISTIAN. Right, he dwelt under the same roof with him. Well, that man was much awakened once; I believe that then he had some sight of his sins, and of the wages that were due thereto.

HOPEFUL. I am of your mind, for, my house not being above three miles from him, he would ofttimes come to me, and that with many tears. Truly I pitied the man, and was not altogether without hope of him; but one may see, it is not every one that cries, Lord, Lord.

CHRISTIAN. He told me once that he was resolved to go on pilgrimage, as we do now; but all of a sudden he grew acquainted with one Save-self, and then he became a stranger to me.

HOPEFUL. Now, since we are talking about him, let us a little inquire into the reason of the sudden backsliding of him and such others.

CHRISTIAN. It may be very profitable, but do you begin.

HOPEFUL. Well then, there are in my judgment four reasons for it—
1.Though the consciences of such men are awakened, yet their minds are not changed; therefore, when the power of guilt weareth away, that which provoked them to be religious ceaseth, wherefore they naturally turn to their own course again, even as we see the dog that is sick of what he has eaten, so long as his sickness prevails, he vomits and casts up all; not that he doth this of a free mind (if we may say a dog has a mind), but because it troubleth his stomach; but  

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now, when his sickness is over, and so his stomach eased, his desire being not at all alienate from his vomit, he turns him about and licks up all, and so it is true which is written, “The dog is turned to his own vomit again”.226Thus I say, being hot for Heaven, by virtue only of the sense and fear of the torments of hell, as their sense of hell, and the fears of damnation, chills and cools, so their desires for Heaven and salvation cool also. So then it comes to pass, that when their guilt and fear is gone, their desires for Heaven and happiness die, and they return to their course again.

2. Another reason is, they have slavish fears that do over-master them; I speak now of the fears that they have of men, for “the fear of man bringeth a snare”.227 So then, though they seem to be hot for Heaven, so long as the flames of hell are about their ears, yet, when that terror is a little over, they betake themselves to second thoughts; namely, that it is good to be wise, and not to run (for they know not what) the hazard of losing all, or, at least, of bringing themselves into unavoidable and unnecessary troubles, and so they fall in with the world again.

3.The shame that attends religion lies also as a block in their way; they are proud and haughty, and religion in their eye is low and contemptible; therefore, when they have lost their sense of hell and wrath to come, they return again to their former course.

4. Guilt, and to meditate terror, are grievous to them. They like not to see their misery before they come into it; though perhaps the sight of it first, if they loved that sight, might make them fly whither the righteous fly and are safe. But because they do, as I hinted before, even shun the thoughts of guilt and terror, therefore, when once they are

226 2 Peter 2:22

227 Prov. 29:25  

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rid of their awakenings about the terrors and wrath of God,
they harden their hearts gladly, and choose such ways as will
harden them more and more.

CHRISTIAN. You are pretty near the business, for the bottom of all is, for want of a change in their mind and will.
And therefore they are but like the felon that standeth before the judge, he quakes and trembles, and seems to repent
most heartily, but the bottom of all is the fear of the halter;
not that he hath any detestation of the ofence, as is evident,
because, let but this man have his liberty, and he will be a
thief, and so a rogue still, whereas, if his mind were changed,
he would be otherwise.

HOPEFUL. Now, I have showed you the reasons of their
going back, do you show me the manner thereof.

CHRISTIAN. So I will, willingly.

1. Tey draw of their thoughts, all that they may, from
the remembrance of God, death, and judgment to come.

2. Ten they cast of by degrees private duties, as closet
prayer, curbing their lusts, watching, sorrow for sin, and the
like.

3. Ten they shun the company of lively and warm
Christians.

4. After that, they grow cold to public duty, as hearing,
reading, godly conference, and the like.

5. Ten they begin to pick holes, as we say, in the coats
of some of the godly; and that devilishly, that they may have
a seeming colour to throw religion (for the sake of some infrmity they have espied in them) behind their backs.

6. Ten they begin to adhere to, and associate themselves with, carnal, loose, and wanton men.

7. Ten they give way to carnal and wanton discourses
in secret; and glad are they if they can see such things in any
that are counted honest, that they may the more boldly do
it through their example.  

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8. After this, they begin to play with little sins openly.

9. And then, being hardened, they show themselves as
they are. Tus, being launched again into the gulf of misery,
unless a miracle of grace prevent it, they everlastingly perish
in their own deceivings.

Now I saw in my dream, that by this time the Pilgrims
were got over the Enchanted Ground, and entering into the
country of Beulah, whose air was very sweet and pleasant,
the way lying directly through it, they solaced themselves
there for a season.228 Yea, here they heard continually the
singing of birds, and saw every day the fowers appear in
the earth, and heard the voice of the turtle in the land.229 In
this country the sun shineth night and day; wherefore this
was beyond the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and also out
of the reach of Giant Despair, neither could they from this
place so much as see Doubting Castle. Here they were within sight of the city they were going to, also here met them
some of the inhabitants thereof; for in this land the Shining
Ones commonly walked, because it was upon the borders
of Heaven. In this land also the contract between the bride
and the bridegroom was renewed; yea, here, “As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so did their God rejoice over
them”.230 Here they had no want of corn and wine; for in
this place they met with abundance of what they had sought
for in all their pilgrimage.231 Here they heard voices from out
of the city, loud voices, saying, “Say ye to the daughter of
Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh! Behold, His reward is
with Him!”.232 Here all the inhabitants of the country called

228 Isa. 62:4

229 Song. 2:10–12

230 Isa. 62:5

231 Isa. 62:8

232 Isa. 62:11  

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them, “Te holy people, Te redeemed of the Lord, Sought
out,” etc.233

Now, as they walked in this land, they had more rejoicing than in parts more remote from the kingdom to which
they were bound; and drawing near to the city, they had yet
a more perfect view thereof. It was builded of pearls and
precious stones, also the street thereof was paved with gold;
so that by reason of the natural glory of the city, and the
refection of the sunbeams upon it, Christian with desire
fell sick. Hopeful also had a ft or two of the same disease.
Wherefore, here they lay by it a while, crying out, because
of their pangs, “If ye fnd my Beloved, tell Him that I am
sick of love.234

But being a little strengthened, and better able to bear
their sickness, they walked on their way, and came yet nearer and nearer, where were orchards, vineyards, and gardens,
and their gates opened into the highway. Now, as they came
up to these places, behold, the gardener stood in the way, to
whom the Pilgrims said, Whose goodly vineyards and gardens are these? He answered, Tey are the King’s, and are
planted here for His own delight, and also for the solace
of pilgrims. So the gardener had them into the vineyards,
and bid them refresh themselves with the dainties.235 He also
showed them there the King’s walks, and the arbours, where
He delighted to be; and here they tarried and slept.

Now I beheld in my dream, that they talked more in
their sleep at this time than ever they did in all their journey;
and being in a muse thereabout, the gardener said even to
me, Wherefore musest thou at the matter? It is the nature

233 Isa. 62:12
234 Song. 5:8
235 Deut. 23:24  

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of the fruit of the grapes of these vineyards to go down so
sweetly, as to cause the lips of them that are asleep to speak.

So I saw that when they awoke, they addressed themselves to go up to the city. But, as I said, the refection of
the sun upon the city (for “the city was pure gold”),236 was
so extremely glorious, that they could not, as yet, with open
face behold it, but through an instrument made for that
purpose (2 Cor. v). So I saw, that as they went on, there met
them two men, in raiment that shone like gold; also their
faces shone as the light.

Tese men asked the Pilgrims whence they came; and
they told them. Tey also asked them where they had lodged,
what difculties and dangers, what comforts and pleasures
they had met in the way; and they told them. Ten said the
men that met them, You have but two difculties more to
meet with, and then you are in the city.

Christian then, and his companion, asked the men to
go along with them; so they told them they would. But, said
they, you must obtain it by your own faith. So I saw in my
dream that they went on together, until they came in sight
of the gate.

Now, I further saw, that betwixt them and the gate was
a river, but there was no bridge to go over; the river was very
deep. At the sight, therefore, of this river, the Pilgrims were
much stunned: but the men that went with them said, You
must go through, or you cannot come at the gate.

Te Pilgrims then began to inquire if there was no other
way to the gate; to which they answered, Yes; but there hath
not any, save two, to wit, Enoch and Elijah, been permitted to tread that path, since the foundation of the world,
nor shall, until the last trumpet shall sound).237 Te Pilgrims

236 Rev. 21:18
237 1 Cor. 15:51, 52  

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then, especially Christian, began to despond in their minds, and looked this way and that, but no way could be found by them, by which they might escape the river. Then they asked the men if the waters were all of a depth. They said, No; yet they could not help them in that case; for, said they, you shall find it deeper or shallower, as you believe in the King of the place.

They then addressed themselves to the water; and entering, Christian began to sink, and crying out to his good friend Hopeful, he said, I sink in deep waters; the billows go over my head, all his waves go over me! Selah.

Then said the other, Be of good cheer, my brother, I feel the bottom, and it is good. Then, said Christian, Ah! my friend, “the sorrows of death have compassed me about”; I shall not see the land that flows with milk and honey; and with that a great darkness and horror fell upon Christian, so that he could not see before him. Also here he in great measure lost his senses, so that he could neither remember, nor orderly talk of any of those sweet refreshments that he had met with in the way of his pilgrimage. But all the words that he spake still tended to discover that he had horror of mind, and heart fears that he should die in that river, and never obtain entrance in at the gate. Here also, as they that stood by perceived, he was much in the troublesome thoughts of the sins that he had committed, both since and before he began to be a pilgrim. It was also observed that he was troubled with apparitions of hobgoblins and evil spirits; for ever and anon he would intimate so much by words. Hopeful, there-fore, here had much ado to keep his brother’s head above water; yea, sometimes he would be quite gone down, and then, ere awhile, he would rise up again half dead. Hopeful also would endeavour to comfort him, saying, Brother, I see the gate, and men standing by to receive us; but Christian would answer, It is you, it is you they wait for; you  

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have been Hopeful ever since I knew you. And so have you, said he to Christian. Ah, brother! said he, surely if I were right He would now arise to help me; but for my sins He hath brought me into the snare, and hath left me. Then said Hopeful, My brother, you have quite forgot the text, where it is said of the wicked, “There are no bands in their death; but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men.238These troubles and distresses that you go through in these waters are no sign that God hath forsaken you; but are sent to try you, whether you will call to mind that which heretofore you have received of His goodness, and live upon Him in your distresses. Then I saw in my dream, that Christian was as in a muse a while. To whom also Hopeful added this word, Be of good cheer, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole; and with that Christian brake out with a loud voice, O! I see Him again, and He tells me, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee”.239Then they both took courage, and the enemy was after that as still as a stone, until they were gone over. Christian therefore presently found ground to stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of the river was but shallow. Thus they got over. Now, upon the bank of the river, on the other side, they saw the two shining men again, who there waited for them; wherefore, being come out of the river, they saluted them, saying, We are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those that shall be heirs of salvation. Thus they went along towards the gate. Now you must note that the city stood upon a mighty hill, but the Pilgrims went up that hill with ease, because they had these two men to lead them up by the arms; also, they had left their mortal

238 Psa. 73:4, 5
239 Isa. 43:2  

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garments behind them in the river, for though they went in with them, they came out without them. They, therefore, went up here with much agility and speed, though the foundation upon which the city was framed was higher than the clouds. They, therefore, went up through the regions of the air, sweetly talking as they went, being comforted, because they safely got over the river, and had such glorious companions to attend them.

The talk they had with the Shining Ones was about the glory of the place; who told them that the beauty and glory of it was inexpressible. There, said they, is the “Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect”.240 You are going now, said they, to the paradise of God, wherein you shall see the tree of life, and eat of the never-fading fruits thereof; and when you come there, you shall have white robes given you, and your walk and talk shall be every day with the King, even all the days of eternity.241There you shall not see again such things as you saw when you were in the lower region upon the earth, to wit, sorrow, sickness, afflic-tion, and death, “for the former things are passed away.” You are now going to Abraham, to Isaac, and Jacob, and to the prophets—men that God hath taken away from the evil to come, and that are now resting upon their beds, each one walking in his righteousness.242The men then asked, what must we do in the holy place? To whom it was answered, You must there receive the comforts of all your toil, and have joy for all your sorrow; you must reap what you have sown, even the fruit of all your prayers, and tears, and suffer-

240 Heb. 12:22–24
241 Rev. 2:7; 3:4; 22:5
242 Isa. 57:1, 2; 65:17  

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ings for the King by the way.243 In that place you must wear crowns of gold, and enjoy the perpetual sight and vision of the Holy One, for “there you shall see Him as He is”.244There also you shall serve Him continually with praise, with shouting and thanksgiving, whom you desired to serve in the world, though with much difficulty, because of the infirmity of your flesh. There your eyes shall be delighted with seeing, and your ears with hearing the pleasant voice of the Mighty One. There you shall enjoy your friends again, that are gone thither before you; and there you shall with joy receive, even every one that follows into the holy place after you. There also shall you be clothed with glory and majesty, and put into an equipage fit to ride out with the King of glory. When He shall come with sound of trumpet in the clouds, as upon the wings of the wind, you shall come with Him; and when He shall sit upon the throne of judgment, you shall sit by Him; yea, and when He shall pass sentence upon all the workers of iniquity, let them be angels or men, you also shall have a voice in that judgment, because they were His and your enemies.245 Also when He shall again return to the city, you shall go too, with sound of trumpet, and be ever with Him.

243 Gal. 6:7
244 1 John 3:2
245 1Thess. 4:13–17; Jude 14; Dan. 7:9, 10; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3  

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MINISTERING SPIRITS
MEET CHRISTIAN AND HOPEFUL

Now, while they were thus drawing towards the gate, behold a company of the heavenly host came out to meet them; to whom it was said, by the other two Shining Ones, These are the men that have loved our Lord when they were in the world, and that have left all for His holy name; and He hath sent us to fetch them, and we have brought them thus far on their desired journey, that they may go in and look their Redeemer in the face with joy. Then the heavenly host gave a great shout, saying, “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb”.246There came out also at this time to meet them, several of the King’s trumpeters, clothed in white and shining raiment, who, with melodious noises, and loud, made even the heavens to echo with their sound. These trumpeters saluted Christian and his fellow with 10,000 welcomes from the world; and this they did with shouting, and sound of trumpet.This done, they compassed them round on every side; some went before, some behind, and some on the right hand, some on the left (as it were to guard them through the upper regions), continually sounding as they went, with

246 Rev. 19:9  

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melodious noise, in notes on high; so that the very sight was to them that could behold it, as if Heaven itself was come down to meet them. Thus, therefore, they walked on together; and as they walked, ever and anon these trumpeters, even with joyful sound, would, by mixing their music with looks and gestures, still signify to Christian and his brother, how welcome they were into their company, and with what gladness they came to meet them; and now were these two men, as it were, in Heaven, before they came at it, being swallowed up with the sight of angels, and with hearing of their melodious notes. Here also they had the city itself in view, and they thought they heard all the bells therein to ring, to welcome them thereto. But above all, the warm and joyful thoughts that they had about their own dwelling there, with such company, and that forever and ever. O by what tongue or pen can their glorious joy be expressed! And thus they came up to the gate.

Now, when they were come up to the gate, there was written over it in letters of gold, “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city”.247

Then I saw in my dream, that the Shining Men bid them call at the gate; the which, when they did, some looked from above over the gate, to wit, Enoch, Moses, and Elijah, etc., to whom it was said, These pilgrims are come from the City of Destruction, for the love that they bear to the King of this place; and then the pilgrims gave in unto them each man his certificate, which they had received in the beginning; those, therefore, were carried into the King, who, when He had read them, said, Where are the men? To whom it was answered, They are standing without the gate. The King then

247 Rev. 22:14  

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commanded to open the gate, “That the righteous nation,” said He, “which keepeth the truth, may enter in”.248Now I saw in my dream that these two men went in at the gate; and lo, as they entered, they were transfigured, and they had raiment put on that shone like gold. There were also that met them with harps and crowns, and gave them to them—the harps to praise withal, and the crowns in token of honour. Then I heard in my dream that all the bells in the city rang again for joy, and that it was said unto them, “ENTER YE INTO THE JOY OF YOUR LORD.” I also heard the men themselves, that they sang with a loud voice, saying, “BLESS-ING, AND HONOUR, AND GLORY, AND POWER, BE UNTO HIM THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE, AND UNTO THE LAMB, FOREVER AND EVER”.249

Now just as the gates were opened to let in the men, I looked in after them, and, behold, the City shone like the sun; the streets also were paved with gold, and in them walked many men, with crowns on their heads, palms in their hands, and golden harps to sing praises withal. There were also of them that had wings, and they answered one another without intermission, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord”.250 And after that, they shut up the gates; which, when I had seen, I wished myself among them.

Now while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my head to look back, and saw Ignorance come up to the river side; but he soon got over, and that without half that difficulty which the other two men met with. For it happened that there was then in that place, one Vain-hope, a ferryman, that with his boat helped him over; so he, as the other I saw, did ascend the hill, to come up to the gate,

248 Isa. 26:2
249 Rev. 5:13
250 Rev. 4:8