The Pilgrim’s Progress - John Bunyan (top 10 most read books in the world txt) 📗

steps, maintained her journey with holy zeal, and thus finished her course with joy. —⁠Ivimey ↩

O how blessed is the death of the righteous, who die in the Lord! Even a wicked Balaam could wish for this. But it will be granted to none but those who have lived in the Lord; whose souls have been quickened by His Spirit to come unto Jesus, believe in Him, and glory of Him as their righteousness and salvation. —⁠Mason ↩

Evident decays of natural powers as effectually convince the observing person, as if a messenger had been sent to inform him. But men in general cling to life, willfully overlook such tokens, and try to keep up to the last the vain hope of recovering; those around them, by a cruel compassion, soothe them in the delusion; so that numbers die of chronic diseases as suddenly as if they had been shot through the heart. Perhaps the author had some reference to those inexplicable presages of death which some persons evidently experience. —⁠Scott ↩

Ecclesiastes 12:6. ↩

See the joyful end of one ready to halt at every step. Take courage hence, ye lame, halting pilgrims. —⁠Mason ↩

Ecclesiastes 12:3.

The tokens are taken from that well-known portion of Scripture, Ecclesiastes 12:1⁠–⁠7; in which the dealings of the Lord are represented as uniformly gentle to the feeble, trembling, humble believer; and the circumstances of their deaths comparatively encouraging and easy. —⁠Scott ↩

Ecclesiastes 12:5. ↩

In the Holy War, the doubters having been dispersed, three or four thrust themselves into Mansoul. Now, to whose house should these Diabolic doubters go, but to that of Old Evil-questioning. So he made them welcome. Well, said he, be of what shire you will, you have the very length of my foot, are one with my heart. So they thanked him. I, said one, am an election-doubter; I, said another, am a vocation-doubter; then said the third, I am a salvation-doubter; and the fourth said, I am a grace-doubter. I am persuaded you are down boys, and are one with my heart, said the old gentleman. —⁠Editor ↩

Pilgrims, mind this. It is as much your duty to strive, in the strength of the Lord, against unreasonable doubts and slavish fears, as against sin; nay, are they not, in their own nature, the worst of sins, as they spring from infidelity, and dishonour God’s precious truth, glorious grace, and everlasting salvation? Never, never, then, cherish or give way to them, but resist, and shut the door of your hearts against them. —⁠Mason ↩

How various is the experience of Christians in the hour of death. Christian and Hopeful inquired “if the waters were all of a depth.” The answer was, “You shall find it deeper or shallower, as you believe in the King of the place.” “What ailed thee, O Jordan, that thou wast driven back?” The answer is, “At the presence of the Lord: at the presence of the God of Jacob.” In proportion as a Christian can say, “for me to live is Christ,” in that proportion may he hope to find the water shallow, and feel support to his feet in the trying passage. —⁠Editor ↩

Ecclesiastes 12:4. ↩

Ecclesiastes 12:6. ↩

In the truth of Jesus is victory. He who is valiant for it shall share most of its comforts in life, and in death. O Lord, increase our faith in the never-failing Word of truth and grace, for Thy glory and our soul’s triumph! —⁠Mason ↩

Ecclesiastes 12:6. ↩

Joshua 3:17. ↩

Such is the joy and blessedness of faith! How does it bring near and realize the sight of Christ in glory! Do we indeed see Christ by the eye of faith? Is He the one, the chief object of our soul? Verily, then we shall count our days on earth toilsome ones, and long for the full fruition of Him in glory. O it will be our great glory to see that dear Man, whose blessed head was crowned with thorns, and whose lovely face was spit upon, for us. O that we may be living every day upon Him and to Him, till we see Him as He is! —⁠Mason ↩

This speech has been justly admired as one of the most striking passages in the whole work; but it is so plain that it only requires an attentive reader. It may, however, be worthy of our observation, that, in all the instances before us, the pilgrims are represented as resting their only dependence, at the closing scene, on the mercy of God, through the righteousness and atonement of His Son; and yet recollecting their conscious integrity, boldness in professing and contending for the truth, love to the cause, example, and words of Christ, obedience to His precepts, delight in His ways, preservation from their own iniquities, and consistent behaviour, as evidences that their faith was living, and their hope warranted; and in this way the retrospect conduced to their encouragement. Moreover, they all concur in declaring that, while they left their infirmities behind them, they should take their graces along with them, and that their works would follow them.’ —⁠Scott ↩

O who is able to conceive the inexpressible, inconceivable joys of Heaven! How will the heavens echo with joy, when the bride, the Lamb’s wife, shall come to dwell with her husband forever! Christ, the desire of nations, the joy of angels, the delight of the Father; what solace then must the soul be filled with, that hath the possession of Him to all eternity! O what acclamations of joy will there be, when all the children of God shall meet together, without fear of