THE

PILGRIM'S PROGRESS

FROM THIS WORLD

ΤΟ

THAT WHICH IS TO COME;

Delivered under

The Similitude of a Dream:

WHEREIN IS DISCOVERED

THE MANNER OF HIS SETTING OUT, HIS DANGEROUS JOURNEY, AND SAFE

ARRIVAL AT THE DESIRED COUNTRY:

BY

JOHN BUNYAN,

LATE MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT BEDFORD,

IN THREE PARTS.

WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES BY W. MASON, Esq. AND OTHERS.

"And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The Way of
Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those : the wayfaring
men, though fools, shall not err therein.
ISAIAH XXXV. 8,

OXFORD:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. AND T. BARTLETT.

BODLEIAN

14-12-1912

THE AUTHOR'S APOLOGY

FOR HIS

BOOK.

WHEN at the first I took my pen in hand,
Thus for to write', I did not understand
That I at all should make a little book
In such a mode: nay, I had undertook
To make another; which, when almost done,
Before I was aware, I thus begun.

And thus it was: I, writing of the way And race of saints in this our gospel-day, Fell suddenly into an allegory,

About their journey and the way to glory,

In more than twenty things which I set down:
This done, I twenty more had in my crown;
And they again began to multiply,

Like sparks that from the coals of fire do fly.
Nay, then thought I, if that you breed so fast,
I'll put you by yourselves, lest you at last
Should prove ad infinitum, and eat out
The book that I already am about.
Well, so I did: but yet I did not think
To show to all the world my pen and ink
In such a mode; I only thought to make
I know not what: nor did I undertake

Thereby to please my neighbour; no, not I;
I did it mine own self to gratify.

Neither did I but vacant seasons spend
In this my scribble; nor did I intend
But to divert myself in doing this,

From worser thoughts which make me do amiss.
Thus I set pen to paper with delight,

And quickly had my thoughts in black and white.
For having now my method by the end,

Still as I pull'd, it came; and so I penn'd
It down; until at last it came to be,

For length and breadth, the bigness which you see.

Well, when I had thus put my ends together, I shew'd them others, that I might see whether They would condemn them, or them justify : And some said, Let them live; some, Let them die? Some said, John, print it; others said, Not so: Some said, It might do good; others said, No.

Now I was in a strait, and did not see
Which was the best thing to be done by me
At last I thought, since ye are thus divided,
Iprint it will; and so the case decided.

For, thought I, some I see would have it done,
Though others in that channel do not run :
To prove then who advised for the best,
Thus I thought fit to put it to the test.

I farther thought, if now I did deny
Those that would have it, thus to gratify,
I did not know, but hinder them I might
Of that which would to them be great delight:
For those which were not for its coming forth,
I said to them, Offend you I am loath;
Yet since your brethren pleased with it be,
Forbear to judge, till you do farther see.