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06 - The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan · Wisdom of the Ages Library

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Part two, the third stage. The interpreter then called for a man servant
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of his one great Heart, and bid him take a sword and helmet and
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shield, and take these my daughters. Said. He conduct them to the
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house called Beautiful, at which place they will rest next. So he took
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his weapons and went before them, and the interpreter said, God speed.
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Those also that belonged to the family sent them away with many a good wish.
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So they went on their way and sang, this place hath been our
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second stage. Here we have heard and seen those good things that from age
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to age to others. He'd have been the dunghill, raker spider. Hen
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the chicken too, to me have taught a lesson. Let me then conformed
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to it be the butcher garden and the field, the robin and his bate.
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Also the rotten tree doth yield me argument of weight to move me for
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to watch and pray, to strive, to be sincere, to take my
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cross up day by day and serve the Lord with fear. Now I saw
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in my dream that they went on, and great Heart before them. So
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they went and came to the place where Christian's burden fell off his back,
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and tumbled into a sepulcher. Here then they made a pause, and here
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also they blessed God. Now said Christiana, it comes to my mind what
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was said to us at the gate, to wit that we should have pardon
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by word and deed by word, that is, by the promise by deed,
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to wit in the way it was obtained. What the promise is of
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that? I know something? But what is it to have pardoned by deed
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or in the way that it was obtained? Mister great But I suppose you
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know? Wherefore, if you please let us hear your discourse thereof mister Greatheart,
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pardon by the deed done is pardon obtained by someone for another that hath
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need thereof, not by the person pardoned, but in the way saith another
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in which I have obtained it. So then, to speak to the question
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more at large, the pardon that you and Mercy and these boys have attained
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was obtained by another, to wit, by him that let you in at
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the gate, And he hath obtained it in this double way. He hath
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performed righteousness to cover you, and spilt his blood to wash you in.
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Christiana. But if he parts with his righteousness to us, what will he
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have for himself, mister Greatheart, he has more righteousness than you have need
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of, or than he need needeth himself. Christiana, pray make that appear,
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mister great Heart, with all my heart. But first I must premise
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that he of whom we are now about to speak, is one that has
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not his fellow. He has two natures in one person, plain to be
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distinguished, impossible to be divided. Unto each of these natures, a righteousness
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belongeth, and each righteousness is essential to that nature, so that one may
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as easily cause that nature to be extinct as to separate its justice or righteousness
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from it. Of these righteousness, as therefore we are not made partakers,
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so as that they, or any of them, should be put upon us,
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that we might be made just and live thereby. Besides these there is
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a righteousness which this person has, as these two natures are joined in one.
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And this is not the righteousness of the Godhead as distinguished from the manhood,
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nor the righteousness of the manhood as distinguished from the god Head, but
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a righteousness which standeth in the union of both natures, and may properly be
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called the righteousness that is essential to his being prepared of God to the capacity
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of the mediatory office which he was to be entrusted with. If he parts
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with his first righteousness, he parts with his Godhead. If he parts with
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his second righteousness, he parts with the purity of his manhood. If he
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parts with his third, he parts with that perfection that capacitates him to the
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office of mediation. He has therefore another righteousness, which standeth in performance or
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obedience to a revealed will. And that is what he puts upon sinners,
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and that by which their sins are covered. Wherefore he saith, as by
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one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall
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many be made righteous Romans five, nineteen Christiana. But are the other righteousnesses
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of no use to us, mister Greatheart, Yes, For though they are
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essential to his natures and office, and cannot be communicated unto another. Yet
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it is by virtue of them that the righteousness that justifies is for that purpose
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efficacious. The righteousness of his Godhead gives virtue to his obedience. The righteousness
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of his manhood giveth capability to his obedience to justify. And the righteousness that
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standeth in the union of these two natures to his office, giveth authority to
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that righteousness to do the work for which it was ordained. So then here
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is a righteousness that Cries as God has no need of, for he is
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God. Without it. Here is a righteousness that Christ as man has no
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need of, to make him so, for he is perfect man without it.
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Again, here is a righteousness that Christ, as god man has no
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need of, for he is perfectly so without it. Here then is a
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righteousness that Christ, as God and as god Man, has no need of
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with reference to himself, and therefore he can spare it, a justifying righteousness
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that he for himself wanteth not, and therefore giveth it away. Hence it
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is called the gift of righteousness. This righteousness, since Christ Jesus the Lord,
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has made himself under the law, must be given away. For the
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Law doth not only bide him that is under it to do justly, but
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to use charity Romans five seventeen. Wherefore he must or ought by the law.
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If he hath two coats, give one to him that hath none.
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Now, our Lord indeed hath two coats, one for himself and one to
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spare. Wherefore he freely bestows one upon those that have none. And thus,
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Christiana, and Mercy and the rest of you that are here, doth
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your pardon come by deed or by the work of another man? Your Lord
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christ is he that worked and hath given away what he wrought for to the
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next poor beggar he meets. But again, in order to pardon by deed,
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there must be something be paid to God as a price, as well
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as something prepared to cover us withal Sin has delivered us up to the just
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curse of a righteous law. Now from this curse we must be justified by
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way of redemption, a price being paid for the harms we have done.
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And this is by the blood of your Lord, who came and stood in
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your place instead, and died your death for your transgressions. Thus has He
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ransomed you from your transgressions by blood and covered your polluted and deformed souls with
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righteousness Romans eight thirty four, for the sake of which God passeth by you
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and will not hurt you when he comes to judge the world Galatians three thirteen.
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Christiana, this is brave. Now I see that there was something to
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be learned by our being pardoned by word and deed, good mercy, let
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us labor to keep this in mind. And my children, do you remember
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it also? But sir, was not this it that made my good Christian's
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burden fall from off his shoulder, and that made him give three leaps for
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joy, mister Greatheart. Yes, it was the belief of this that cut
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those strings that could not be cut by other means. And it was to
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give him a proof of the virtue of this that he was suffered to carry
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his burden to the cross. Christiana, I thought so, For though my
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heart was lightsome and joyous before, yet it is ten times more lightsome and
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joyous now. And I am persuaded by what I have felt, though I
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have felt but little as yet, that if the most burdened man in the
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world was here and did see and believe as I now do, it would
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make his heart the more merry and blithe. Mister Greatheart. There is not
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only comfort and the ease of a burden brought to us by the sight and
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consideration of these, but an endeared affection begotten us by For who can if
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he doth but once think that pardon comes not only by promise, but thus
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but be affected with the way and means of his redemption, and so with
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the man that hath wrought it for him. Christiana, true methinks it makes
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my heart bleed to think that he should bleed for me, O, thy
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loving one, O, thou blessed one, thou deservest to have me,
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Thou hast brought me, Thou deservest to have me all thou hast paid for
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me ten thousand times more than I am worth. No marvel that this made
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the tears stand in my husband's eyes, and that it made him trudge so
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nimbly on I am persuaded. He wished me with him, But thou wretch
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that I was, I let him come all alone, O mercy, that
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thy father and mother were here, yea, and missus Timoreus also, Nay,
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I wished now with all my heart that here was Madame Wanton too.
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Surely surely their hearts would be affected, Nor could the fear of the one
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nor the powerful lusts of the other prevail with them to go home again and
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to refuse to become good pilgrims. Mister greatheart, you speak now in the
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warmth of your affections, Will it think you be always thus with you Besides,
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this is not communicated to every one, nor to every one that did
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see your Jesus bleed. There were that stood by, and that saw the
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blood run from the heart to the ground, And yet were so far off
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this that instead of lamenting, they laughed at him, and instead of becoming
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his disciples, did harden their hearts against him. So that all you have,
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my daughters, you have by peculiar impression made by divine contemplating upon what
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I have spoken to you. Remember that twas told you that the hen,
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by her common call, gives no meat to her chickens. This you have,
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therefore by a special grace. Now I saw in my dream that they
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went on until they were come to the place that simple and sloth and presumption
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lay and slept in. When Christian went by on pilgrimage, and behold they
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were hanged up in irons, a little way off on the other side.
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Mercy then said, Mercy to him that was their guide and conductor. What
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are these three men? And for what are they hanged there? Mister greatheart,
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These three men were men of very bad qualities. They had no mind
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to be pilgrims themselves, and whomsoever they could they hindered, They were sloth
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and folly themselves. And whom service they could persuade, they made so too,
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and withal taught them to presume that they should do well. At last
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they were asleep when Christian went by, and now you go by. They
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are hanged mercy. But could they persuade any to be of their opinion,
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mister Greatheart, Yes, they turned several out of the way. There was
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slow pace that they persuaded to do as they. They also prevailed with one
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short wind, with one no heart, with one linger after lust, and
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with one sleepy head, and with a young woman her name was Dull,
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to turn out of the way and become as they. Besides, they brought
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up an ill report of your Lord, persuading others that he was a hard
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taskmaster. They also brought up an evil report of the good land, saying
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it was not half so good as some pretended was. They also began to
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vilify his servants and to count the best of their meddlesome, troublesome, busy
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bodies. Further, they would call the bread of God husks, the comforts
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of his children, fancies, the travel and labor of pilgrims, things to
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no purpose, Christiana. Nay, said Christiana, if they were such,
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they shall never be bewailed by me. They have but what they deserve.
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And I think it is well that they stand so near the highway that others
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may see and take warning. But had it not been well if their crimes
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had been engraven in some plate of iron or brass, and left here where
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they did their mischiefs, for a caution to other bad men, Mister greatheart,
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So it is as you may well perceive, if you will go a
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little to the wall mercy. No, no, let them hang, and
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their names rot, and their crimes live forever against them. I think it
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a high favor that they were hanged before we came hither. Who knows else
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what they might have done to such poor women as we are. Then she
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turned it into a song, saying, now, then, ye three,
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hang there, and be a sign to all that shall against the truth.
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Combine, and let him that comes after fear this end. If unto pilgrims,
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he is not a friend. And thou, my soul, of all
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such men, beware that unto holiness opposes are. Thus they went on till
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they came to the foot of the hill, difficulty, where again the good
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mister Greatheart took an occasion to tell them what happened there when Christian himself went
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by. So he had them first to the spring lo saith he this is
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the spring that Christian drank of before he went up this hill, and then
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it was clear and good. But now it is dirty with the feet of
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some that are not desirous that pilgrims here should quench their thirst Ezekiel thirty four
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eighteen and nineteen. There at Mercy said, and why so envious Troe,
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but said their guide. It will do if taken up and put into a
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vessel that is sweet and good, for then the dirt will sink to the
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bottom, and the water come out by itself more clear. Thus therefore Christiana
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and her companions were compelled to do. They took it up and put it
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into an earthen pot, and so let it stand till the dirt was gone
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to the bottom, and then they drank thereof. Next, he showed them
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the two by ways that were at the foot of the hill, where formality
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and hypocrisy lost themselves, and said he these are dangerous paths. Two were
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here cast away when Christian came by, and although as you see, these
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ways are since stopped up with chains, purses, and a ditch, yet
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there are those that will choose to adventure here, rather than take the pains
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to go up this hill. Christiana, the way of transgressors is hard Proverbs
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thirteen fifteen. It is a wonder that they can get into these ways without
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danger of breaking their necks, Mister Greatheart, they will venture, yea if
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at any time any of the King's servants do happen to see them, and
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do call upon them and tell them that they are in the wrong way,
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and do bid them beware of the danger, then they railingly return them answer
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and say, as for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the
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name of the King, we will not hearken unto thee, but we will
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certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouths Jeremiah forty four, sixteen
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and seventeen. Nay, if you look a little further, you shall see
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that these ways are made cautionary enough, not only by these posts and ditch
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and chain, but also by being hedged up. Yet they will choose to
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go there, Christiana. They are idle. They love not to take pains
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up hill. Way is unpleasant to them, so it is fulfilled unto them.
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As it is written, the way of the slothful man is full of
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thorns Proverbs fifteenth, nineteen. YEA, they will rather choose to walk upon
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a snare than to go up this hill and the rest of this way to
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the city. Then they set forward and began to go up the hill.
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And up the hill they went. But before they got to the top,
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Christiana began to pant, and said, I dare say this is a breathing
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hill, no marvel of they that loved their ease more than their souls choose
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to themselves a smoother way. Then said Mercy, I must sit down.
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Also, the least of the children began to cry, Come, Come,
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said Greatheart, sit not down here, for a little above is the prince's
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arbor. Then he took the little boy by the hand and led him up
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there too. When they were come to the arbor, they were very willing
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to sit down, for they were all in a pelting heat. Then said
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Mercy, how sweet is rest to them that labor Matthew eleven twenty eight.
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And how good is the prince of pilgrims to provide such resting places for them.
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Of this arbor I have heard much, but I never saw it before.
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But here let us beware of sleeping, for as I have heard it
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cost poor Christian. Dear, then said miss the great Heart to the little
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ones. Come, my pretty boys, how do you do? What think
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you now of going on pilgrimage? Sir said the least. I was almost
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beat out of heart, But I thank you for lending me a hand at
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my need. And I remember now what my mother hath told me, namely
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that the way to heaven is as a ladder, and the way to hell
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is as down a hill. But I had rather go up the ladder to
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life than down the hill to death. Then said Mercy. But the proverb
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is to go down the hill is easy, But James said, for that
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was his name the day's coming, when, in my opinion, when going
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down the hill will be the hardest of all. Tis a good boy,
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said his master, thou hast given her a right answer. Then Mercy smiled,
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but the little boy did blush. Christiana, Come, said Christiana,
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Will you eat a bit to sweeten your mouths while you sit here to rest
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your legs? For I have here a piece of pomegranate, which mister Interpreter
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put into my hand. Just when I came out of his door. He
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gave me also a piece of an honeycomb, and a little bottle of spirits.
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I thought he gave you something, said Mercy, because he called you
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aside. Yes, so he did, said the other. But said Christiana,
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it shall be still as I said it should when at first we came
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from home. Thou shalt be a sharer in all the good that I have,
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because thou so willingly didst become my companion. Then she gave to them,
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and they did eat, both Mercy and the boys. And said Christiana
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to mister Greatheart, sir, will you do as we But he answered,
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you are going on pilgrimage, and presently I shall return much good. May
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what you have do you at home? I eat the same every day.
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And Part two the third stage