Required reading
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (available from Amazon or free on the internet,
here for example)
- Read to the end of 'The First Part'.
My notes and thoughts
Today we finish watching the pilgrims' journey. They make their way out of the enchanted land, into Beulah land, through the river and into the heavenly city.
A good portion of today is a discussion between Christian and Hopeful about the experience of people like Ignorance. Such people do feel guilt for their sin but they do not wish to truly repent of it. Christian explains: '...they are like the felon that standeth before the judge; he quakes and trembles, and seems to repent most heartily; but the bottom of all is the fear of the halter, not of any detestation of the offence, as is evident, because, let but this man have his liberty, and he will be a thief, and so a rogue still, whereas, if his mind was changed, he would be otherwise.'
Interestingly, the book finishes with what happens to Ignorance, rather than concluding with Christian and Hopeful's acceptance to heaven. I think Bunyan wanted to make a final appeal to those readers who may have sympathised with Ignorance and still been reading. Very sobering final words: 'Then they took him [Ignorance] up, and carried him through the air to the door that I saw in the side of the hill, and put him in there. Then I saw that there was a away to Hell, even from the Gates of Heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction.'
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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