One section of Pilgrim’s Progress that nearly everyone skips is Bunyan’s “Apology” that begins the book. Bunyan begins his work with this apology for a variety of reasons. First of all, imaginative literature was not well thought of in Bunyan’s day. This was especially true of the dissenters who encouraged writers and preachers to “speak thy mind.” In other words, they feared any use of allegory that might lead readers away from the “solidness” of plain truth.
John Bunyan changed all that with his Pilgrim’s Progress. But his attempt was not without apology to his readers who might be tempted to avoid any allegorical writing. Just to be sure, Bunyan allowed others to read his work before letting it be published. Their opinions were divided, so he decided to let the work speak for itself.
Well, when I had thus put mine 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; others said, Not so.
Some said, John, print it; others said, Not so.
Some said, It might do good, others said, No.
Now was I in a straight, and did not see
Which was the best thing to be done by me:
At last I thought, Since ye are thus divided,
I print it will; and so the case decided.
Throughout his apology, Bunyan makes various appeals to common sense, analogy and the Scriptures to support his use of allegory to put forth Scriptural truth. He points to the great variety of methods used by the fisherman and the hunter (the fowler) to catch their prey. He argues that we ought to use all methods at our disposal to present the gospel to men. Listen to his example of the fisherman:
You see the ways the Fisher-man doth take
To catch the Fish; what engines doth he make?
Behold how he engageth all his wits;
Also his Snares, Lines, Angles, Hooks, and Nets:
Yet Fish there be, that neither Hook, nor Line,
Nor Snare, nor Net, nor Engine can make thine;
They must be grop’t for, and be tickled too,
Or they will not be catch’t, what e’re you do.
Such is Bunyan’s appeal: that the message of the Scriptures must go out and that we, as wise fishers of men, ought to employ a variety of methods in our fishing.
However, lest Bunyan be thought to be suggesting any method man might imagine, he also carefully demonstrates that a variety of methods are employed in the Scriptures themselves:
The Prophets used much by Metaphors
To set forth Truth; Yea, whoso considers
Christ, his Apostles too, shall plainly see,
That Truths to this day in such Mantles be.
Am I afraid to say that holy Writ
Which for its Style and Phrase puts down all Wit,
Is every where so full of all these things,
(Dark Figures, Allegories) yet there springs
From that same Book, that lustre, and those rays
Of light, that turn our darkest nights to days.
Thus, convinced that his approach would be both Biblical and effective at reaching the hearts of men, Bunyan proceeded to publish his Pilgrim’s Progress. But what makes Bunyan’s work so enduring is not simply his use of allegory. What makes it lasting are two things: (1) his ability to keep clear the connection between his allegory and the truth of Scripture and (2) his ability to paint such vivid pictures that the characters and their actions are forever impressed upon the minds of his readers. Indeed, that was Bunyan’s intention. At the end of his apology, he speaks of this desire to leave such impressions on the minds of his readers:
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.
Whether you or are a believer or a seeker, I highly commend Pilgrim’s Progress to you. If you are not a Christian, Bunyan has written this book with you in mind:
This Book it chalketh out before thine eyes
The man that seeks the everlasting Prize;
It shows you whence he comes, whither he goes,
What he leaves undone; also what he does:
Till he unto the Gate of Glory comes.
If you are a Christian, this book has much to teach you about the Christian life. It is full of practical admonitions and doctrinal truth. To you, Bunyan promises:
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.
Pilgrim’s Progress has much to offer to every reader. Its characters will encourage and admonish you. In the concluding words of his apology, Bunyan encourages those desiring to learn and grow to: “come hither, And lay my Book, thy Head, and Heart together.”
Copyright Jim Ehrhard, 1999. You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author; (2) any modifications are clearly marked; (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction; and (4) you do not make more than 100 copies without permission. If you would like to post this material to your web site or make any use other than as defined above, please contact Teaching Resources International
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