divines and noblest poets, Archbishop Leighton and John Bunyan. But there is something besides its genius which recommends the religion of the Pilgrim's Progress to all men's minds. It never represents the truth in the abstract, but always in the concrete; never theologically and theoretically, as it is discussed in the schools, but always on its human side, as it is felt by good men and in cottages. And whatever we might think of John Bunyan's system, still all that his pilgrims experience and go through we are sure is true; for it comes from John Bunyan's heart; and it finds an echo in our heart before it ever enters into the court of the understanding to be discussed. Take, for instance, the exquisite account of Christian's deliverance from his burden :— "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. Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, 'He hath given me rest by his sorrows, and life by his death.' Then he stood still awhile to look and wonder, for it was very surprising to him that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked, therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks. Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing." Now I ask who, for a moment, doubts the deep spiritual truth of these beautiful words? The very tears which come into our eyes as we read them testify to their truthfulness. And so it is throughout the whole almost of the Pilgrim's Progress; our heart goes along with it, and adds its testimony to every page. The truth is, whatever a man's system may be, however he might state his conception of the truth in words, still every good and earnest-minded man has felt that there is a Slough of Despond to be crossed, and a hill Difficulty to be climbed, and an Apollyon to be fought, and a Vanity Fair to be passed through, and a wearisome burden to be borne, which only loosens and begins to fall at the sight of the Cross, and of Him that hung upon it. This he knows, not because it is in any book, but because he feels it himself, and has the witness of it within him, in his own heart. And therefore the Pilgrim's Progress has its roots deep in the soul of mankind, and will keep its hold while the world lasts; its hold of all, be they young or old, rich or poor, with whom life, and life's work, and life's end, and the God of their life, are not names, but realities. The Reformation. A LECTURE BY THE REV. A. P. STANLEY, M. A., CANON OF CANTERBURY, AUTHOR OF DR. ARNOLD'S LIFE, HISTORICAL MEMORIALS OF CANTERBURY, &C. |