John Bunyan - John Bunyan - The Pilgrim's Progress (English Edition)

That gold, those pearls, and precious stones that were

Worth digging for, and that with greatest care.

Let me add one word more. O man of God,

Art thou offended? Dost thou wish I had

Put forth my matter in another dress?

Or, that I had in things been more express?

Three things let me propound; then I submit

To those that are my betters, as is fit.

{8} 1. I find not that I am denied the use

Of this my method, so I no abuse

Put on the words, things, readers; or be rude

In handling figure or similitude,

In application; but, all that I may,

Seek the advance of truth this or that way

Denied, did I say? Nay, I have leave

(Example too, and that from them that have

God better pleased, by their words or ways,

Than any man that breatheth now-a-days)

Thus to express my mind, thus to declare

Things unto thee that excellentest are.

2. I find that men (as high as trees) will write

Dialogue-wise; yet no man doth them slight

For writing so: indeed, if they abuse

Truth, cursed be they, and the craft they use

To that intent; but yet let truth be free

To make her sallies upon thee and me,

Which way it pleases God; for who knows how,

Better than he that taught us first to plough,

To guide our mind and pens for his design?

And he makes base things usher in divine.

3. I find that holy writ in many places

Hath semblance with this method, where the cases

Do call for one thing, to set forth another;

Use it I may, then, and yet nothing smother

Truth's golden beams: nay, by this method may

Make it cast forth its rays as light as day.

And now before I do put up my pen,

I'll shew the profit of my book, and then

Commit both thee and it unto that Hand

That pulls the strong down, and makes weak ones stand.

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.

{9} 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.

Art thou for something rare and profitable?

Wouldest thou see a truth within a fable?

Art thou forgetful? Wouldest thou remember

From New-Year's day to the last of December?

Then read my fancies; they will stick like burs,

And may be, to the helpless, comforters.

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.

Wouldst thou divert thyself from melancholy?

Wouldst thou be pleasant, yet be far from folly?

Wouldst thou read riddles, and their explanation?

Or else be drowned in thy contemplation?

Dost thou love picking meat? Or wouldst thou see

A man in the clouds, and hear him speak to thee?

Wouldst thou be in a dream, and yet not sleep?

Or wouldst thou in a moment laugh and weep?

Wouldest thou lose thyself and catch no harm,

And find thyself again without a charm?

Wouldst read thyself, and read thou knowest not what,

And yet know whether thou art blest or not,

By reading the same lines? Oh, then come hither,

And lay my book, thy head, and heart together.

JOHN BUNYAN.

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