The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can ReadBunyan, John
Religion
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
Bunyan, John
Christian life -- Juvenile literature; Christian pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Juvenile literature
Now, I saw in my dream that they went on, and Great-heart before them.
So they went, and came to the place where Christian's burden fell off
his back and tumbled into a sepulchre. Here, then, they made a pause,
and here also they blessed God. "Now," said Christiana, "comes to my
mind what was said to us at the gate, to wit, that we should have pardon
by word and deed: by word, that is, by the promise; by deed, that is, in
the way it was obtained. What the promise is, of that I know something;
but what it is to have pardon by deed, or in the way that it was
obtained, Mr. Great-heart, I suppose you know; wherefore, if you please,
let us hear you speak thereof."
[Sidenote: GREAT-HEART DISCOURSES]
GREAT. Pardon by the deed done, is pardon obtained by some one for
another that hath need thereof; not by the person pardoned, but in the
way, saith another, in which I have obtained it. So then, to speak to
the question at large, the pardon that you, and Mercy, and these boys
have obtained, was obtained by another; to wit, by Him that let you in
at the gate. And He hath obtained it in this double way: He has shown
righteousness to cover you, and spilt His blood to wash you in.
CHR. This is brave! Now I see that there was something to be learnt by
our being pardoned by word and deed. Good Mercy, let us labor to keep
this in mind; and, my children, do you remember it also. But, sir, was
not this it that made my good Christian's burden fall from off his
shoulders, and that made him give three leaps for joy?
GREAT. Yes, it was the belief of this that cut off those strings that
could not be cut by other means; and it was to give him proof of the
virtue of this that he was suffered to carry his burden to the Cross.
CHR. I thought so; for though my heart was lightsome and joyous before,
yet it is ten times more lightsome and joyous now. And I am persuaded by
what I have felt, though I have felt but little as yet, that, if the
most burdened man in the World was here, and did see and believe as I
now do, it would make his heart merry and blithe.
GREAT. There is not only comfort and the ease of a burden brought to us
by the sight and consideration of these, but an endeared love born in us
by it; for who can, if he doth but once think that pardon comes, not
only by promise, but thus, but be affected with the way and means of his
redemption, and so love the Man that hath wrought it for him?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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