Apart from the Bible, Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan is the only book which I have read several times and planning to read at least once in every year to come. Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers had read it a hundred times. It has been one of the best and most-read and purchased Christian literature along with the Bible over the centuries. I love Pilgrim’s Progress for at least three reasons: 1. Because of the clarity of scriptural doctrines, especially the justification, sanctification, perseverance, and eternal life. 2. Because the characters therein are easily recognized, relatable, and remembered. 3. Because its message is true for all sorts of people because all the conversations can be traced back to the pages of the Bible.
I understand some people were critical of Bunyan’s style of writing, and
there may be more now, but I am satisfied with Bunyan’s 236 rhyming lines reply
to those critics, especially this section:
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.
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.
John Bunyan was not a well-educated man from Oxford or Cambridge, but he
was a genius. His Pilgrim’s Progress is a masterpiece. It is simple enough for
a child to comprehend and also profound enough for adults to ponder upon. Some
literary critics may have their opinions on Bunyan style of fiction novel, but I
agree with H.R. Williamson’s assessment, “whether this quality in Bunyan will
appeal generally to an age which applauds purposeless and patternless
psychological meanderings as masterpieces of fiction, I do not know. I
can only admit that I found it exhilarating” (emphasis added). Why should
you read Pilgrim’s Progress? Read what John Bunyan has to say:
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.
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.
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.
Why should you re-read Pilgrim’s Progress again
and again? Well, because each
time you read you will find yourself journeying in one of those places where
Christian and Christina had encountered a major incident, and it will encourage
you to have a faithful pilgrim life on earth. Remember, we all are pilgrims
longing and journeying towards that celestial city (cf. Hebrews 11:16;
Philippians 3:20; 1Peter 2:11).
In the next post, I'm going to review one particular edition of
Pilgrim's Progress and propose some useful study questions. Remembers,
Pilgrim’s Progress has been published by different publishers in the last 400
years, we need to own and read that suits us, nah?