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John Bunyan

28 quotes

“See that your cause be good, else Christ will not undertake it.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When a man's cause is good, it will sufficiently plead for itself, yea, and for its master too.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Now, therefore, they began to praise, to commend and to speak well of me, both to my face, and behind my back. Now, I was, as they said, become godly; now I was become a right honest man. But, oh! when I understood that these were their words and opinions of me, it pleased me mighty well. For though, as yet, I was nothing but a poor painted Hypocrite, yet I loved to be talked of as one that was truly godly. I was proud of my Godliness, and, indeed, I did all I did, ether to be seen of, or to be well spoken of, by Man.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“By these things my Mind was now so turned that it lay like a Horse-leech at the Vein, still crying out, Give give, yea, it was so fixed on Eternity, and on the things about the Kingdom of Heaven (that is, so far as I knew, though as yet... I knew but little); that neither Pleasures, nor Profits, nor Persuasions, nor Threats, could loosen it, or make it let go his Hold. ...it is in very deed a certain Truth, it would then have been as difficult for me to have taken my mind from Heaven to Earth, as I have found it often since to get it again from Earth to Heaven.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“And so I penned It down, until at last it came to be, For length and breadth, the bigness which you see.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Some said, "John, print it;" others said, "Not so." Some said, "It might do good;" others said, "No.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The name of the slough was Despond.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Then it came burning hot into my mind, whatever he said, and however he flattered, when he got me home to his House, he would sell me for a slave. So I bid him forbear to talk, for I would not come near the door of his House. Then he reviled me, and told me that he would send such a one after me, that should make my way bitter to my Soul.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Every fat must stand upon its own bottom.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The palace Beautiful.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Dark as pitch.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It beareth the name of Vanity Fair, because the town where 't is kept is lighter than vanity.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“They came to the Delectable Mountains.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Some things are of that nature as to make One's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Now as they were going along and talking, they espied a Boy feeding his Father’s Sheep. The Boy was in very mean Cloaths, but of a very fresh and well-favoured Countenance, and as he sate by himself he sung. Hark, said Mr Greatheart, to what the Shepherd’s boy saith. So they hearkened, and he said—”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There stood a man with his sword drawn, and his face all over with blood. Then said Mr. Great-Heart, Who art thou? The man made answer, saying, I am one whose name is Valiant-for-truth. I am a pilgrim, and am going to the Celestial City.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I fought till my sword did cleave to my hand; and then they were joined together as if a sword grew out of my arm; and when the blood ran through my fingers, then I fought with most courage.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He who would valiant be, Let him come hither; One here will constant be, Come wind, come weather There’s no discouragement Shall make him once relent His first avow’d intent To be a pilgrim.Whoso beset him round With dismal stories, Do but themselves confound; His strength the more is. No lion can him fright, He’ll with a giant fight, But he will have a right To be a pilgrim.Hobgoblin nor foul fiend Can daunt his spirit; He knows he at the end Shall life inherit. Then, fancies, fly away, He’ll not fear what men say; He’ll labour night and day To be a pilgrim.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[I]n one of the streets of [Bedford], I came where there were three or four poor Women sitting at a door in the Sun, and talking about the things of God; and being now willing to hear them discourse I drew near... for I was now a brisk Talker also myself in the matters of Religion. But... I heard, but I understood not; for they were far above, out of my reach. Their talk was about a new Birth, the work of God on their hearts... They talked how God had visited their souls with his love in the Lord Jesus, and with what words and promises they had been refreshed, comforted, and supported against the temptations... And methought they spake as if Joy did make them speak, they spake with such pleasantness of Scripture Language, and with such appearance of grace in all they said, that they were to me as if they had found a new World...”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[T]he Tempter came in with his delusion, That there was no way for me to know I had faith, but by trying to work some Miracle; urging those Scriptures that seem to look that way, for the enforcing and strengthening his Temptation. Nay, one day as I was betwixt Elstow and Bedford, the temptation was hot upon me, to try if I had Faith, by doing of some Miracle: which Miracle at that time was this, I must say to the Puddles that were in the horse-pads, Be dry; and to the dry places, Be you the Puddles. ...but just as I was about to speak, this thought came into my mind, But go under yonder Hedge and pray first, that God would make you able. But when I had concluded to pray, this came hot upon me, That if I prayed, and came again and tried to do it, and yet did nothing notwithstanding, then be sure I had no Faith, but was a Cast-away and lost. Nay, thought I, if it be so, I will never try... Thus I was tossed betwixt the Devil and my own Ignorance, and so perplexed... that I could not tell what to do.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“About this time... in a Dream or Vision, presented to me. I saw, as if they were set on The Sunny side of some high Mountain, there refreshing themselves with the pleasant beams of the Sun, while I was shivering and shrinking in the Cold, afflicted with Frost, Snow, and dark Clouds. Methought, also, betwixt me and them, I saw a wall that did compass about this mountain; now, through this wall my soul did greatly desire to pass; concluding, that if I could, I would go even into the very midst of them, and there also comfort myself with the heat of their Sun. ...At the last, I saw... a narrow gap, like a little doorway in the Wall, through which I attempted to pass. Now the passage being very strait and narrow... I was well nigh quite beat out, by striving to get in ...Then was I exceeding glad, and went and sat down in the midst of them, and so was comforted with the light and heat of their Sun.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Now, this... Mountain signified the Church of the living God; the Sun that shone thereon, the comfortable shining of his merciful Face on them that were therein; the Wall, I thought, was the Word, that did make separation between the Christians and the World; and the Gap which was in this Wall, I thought was Jesus Christ, who is the way to God the Father. But forasmuch as the Passage was wonderful narrow... it showed me that none could enter into Life, but those that were in downright earnest, and unless also they left this wicked World behind them; for here was only room for Body and Soul, but not for Body and Soul, and Sin.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Now I saw in my dream, that the highway, up which Christian was to go, was fenced on either side with a wall, and that wall was called salvation. Up this way, therefore, did burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back. He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“But now in this Valley of Humiliation poor Christian was hard put to it, for he had gone but a little way before he espied a foul Fiend coming over the field to meet him; his name is Apollyon. Then did Christian begin to be afraid, and to cast in his mind whether to go back, or to stand his ground. But he considered again, that he had no Armor for his back, and therefore thought that to turn the back to him might give him greater advantage with ease to pierce him with his Darts; therefore he resolved to venture, and stand his ground. For thought he, had I no more in mine eye than the saving of my life, 'twould be the best way to stand. So he went on, and Apollyon met him. Now the Monster was hideous to behold, he was cloathed with scales like a Fish (and they are his pride) he had Wings like a Dragon, feet like a Bear, and out of his belly came Fire and Smoke, and his mouth was as the mouth of a Lion. When he was come up to Christian, he beheld him with a disdainful countenance, and thus began to question with him.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Gaius also proceeded, and said, I will now speak on the behalf of women, to take away their reproach. For as death and the curse came into the world by a woman, Gen. 3, so also did life and health: God sent forth his Son, made of a woman. Gal. 4:4. Yea, to show how much they that came after did abhor the act of the mother, this sex in the Old Testament coveted children, if happily this or that woman might be the mother of the Saviour of the world. I will say again, that when the Saviour was come, women rejoiced in him, before either man or angel. Luke 1:42-46. I read not that ever any man did give unto Christ so much as one groat; but the women followed him, and ministered to him of their substance. Luke 8:2,3. ‘Twas a woman that washed his feet with tears, Luke 7:37-50, and a woman that anointed his body at the burial. John 11:2; 12:3. They were women who wept when he was going to the cross, Luke 23:27, and women that followed him from the cross, Matt. 27:55,56; Luke 23:55, and sat over against his sepulchre when he was buried. Matt. 27:61. They were women that were first with him at his resurrection-morn, Luke 24:1, and women that brought tidings first to his disciples that he was risen from the dead. Luke 24:22,23. Women therefore are highly favored, and show by these things that they are sharers with us in the grace of life.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Then Mr. Honest called for his friends, and said unto them, I die, but shall make no will. As for my honesty, it shall go with me; let him that comes after be told of this. When the day that he was to be gone was come, he addressed himself to go over the river. Now the river at that time over-flowed its banks in some places; but Mr. Honest, in his lifetime, had spoken to one Good-conscience to meet him there, the which he also did, and lent him his hand, and so helped him over. The last words of Mr. Honest were, Grace reigns! So he left the world.After this it was noised abroad that Mr. Valiant-for-truth was taken with a summons by the same post as the other, and had this for a token that the summons was true, "That his pitcher was broken at the fountain." When he understood it, he called for his friends, and told them of it. Then said he, I am going to my Father’s; and though with great difficulty I have got hither, yet now I do not repent me of all the trouble I have been at to arrive where I am. My sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, and my courage and skill to him that can get it. My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought His battles who will now be my rewarder. When the day that he must go hence was come, many accompanied him to the river-side, into which as he went, he said, "Death, where is thy sting?" And as he went down deeper, he said, "Grave, where is thy victory?" So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Every fat must stand upon his bottom.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“He that is down needs fear no fall.”
John Bunyan (1628–1688) said by 1688 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source