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PICTURESFROMPILGRIM’S PROGRESS
A C
OMMENTARY ON
P
ORTIONS OF
J
OHN
B
UNYAN
’
S
I
MMORTAL
A
LLEGORY
BY CHARLES H. SPURGEON
P
REFACE BY
T
HOMAS
S
PURGEON
 
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EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION.
W
HEN
it was first reported to me that a series of addresses on “ThePilgrim’s Progress” had been discovered, I rejoiced as one that findethgreat spoil, for I hoped that after enriching the pages of “The Sword andthe Trowel” these fragrant flowers might be gathered together into adelightful nosegay. In the mercy of God, my hopes have been fulfilled.Month by month, the “Pictures” have appeared, for nearly a year and ahalf, in the Magazine, and abundant testimony is to hand that they haveproved welcome to its readers. And now the full time has come for theissue of the book, and here it is — a sparkling circlet now that the gems arestrung together.Three additional “Pictures” will be found herein, to-wit: “Christian at theCross,” “Christian and Apollyon,” and “Vanity Fair.” It is not a littlesurprising that no trace could be found of any reference in the course of lectures to these outstanding features of the story. It does not follow,however, that the great preacher passed them by. Possibly they were notreported, or the MSS. may have gone astray. A little search in C. H.Spurgeon’s Sermons and other works secured sufficient, and, I venture tothink, appropriate material for the missing sketches. So in love with JohnBunyan, and so akin to him in faith and thought and language was thePastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, that I am persuaded anothervolume could be compiled comprising “Pictures” of other striking scenesand characters in the glorious allegory. Who can doubt that abundantmaterial could be found in “The Spurgeon Library” for “Pictures” of “Christian under Mount Sinai,” “Hill Difficulty,” “Doubting Castle,” “LittleFaith,” “Beulah Land,” and “Valiant for Truth,” for instance?There is internal evidence that these addresses were delivered at Monday-evening prayer-meetings with the special purpose of edifying such as had just begun to go on pilgrimage. “You young converts,” said the preacheragain and again, in his personal and incisive style. Nevertheless, the moreadvanced in his congregation, I am certain, were eager and delightedlisteners, too. So will it be with this book. Here is milk for babes and meatfor men. Moreover, the meat is such that the “babes” will enjoy a taste of it, and the “men” will be all the better for a sip or two of the milk.
 
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C. H. Spurgeon was a past master in the art of commenting. Who that everheard him did not rejoice as much in his exposition of the Scriptures as inhis prayers and sermons? He has commented in print on the Psalms (TheTreasury of David), and on Matthew (The Gospel of the Kingdom), and onManton (Illustrations and Mediations, or Flowers from a Puritan’sGarden); and here we have his Commentary on The Pilgrim’s Progress,“that sweetest of all prose poems” as he himself describes it.It is easy to see that the Commentator is in sympathy with his Author, andthat he loves his task. If Mr. Spurgeon were ever prevailed upon to fill up apage of the once-popular Confession Album, I am pretty sure that hisanswer to the query, “Who is your favorite author?” was, “John Bunyan.”He has spoken of him over and over again as “my great favorite,” and hasleft it on record that he had read The Pilgrim’s Progress at least onehundred times. The reason for his liking is not far to seek. They both loved“The Book of Books.” Urging the earnest study of the Scriptures, C. H.Spurgeon once said: “Oh, that you and I might get into the very heart of the Word of God, and get that Word into ourselves! As I have seen thesilkworm eat into the leaf, and consume it, so ought we to do with theWord of the Lord — not crawl over its surface, but eat right into it till wehave taken it into our inmost parts. It is idle merely to let the eye glanceover the words, or to recollect the poetical expressions, or the historicfacts; but it is blessed to eat into the very soul of the Bible until, at last, youcome to talk in Scriptural language, and your very style is fashioned uponScripture models, and, what is better still, your spirit is flavored with thewords of the Lord. I would quote John Bunyan as an instance of what Imean. Read anything of his, and you will see that it is almost like readingthe Bible itself. He had read it till his very soul was saturated withScripture; and, though his writings are charmingly full of poetry, yet hecannot give us his Pilgrim’s Progress — that sweetest of all prose poems— without continually making us feel and say, ‘Why, this man is a livingBible!’ Prick him anywhere; his blood is Bibline, the very essence of theBible flows from him. He cannot speak without quoting a text, for his verysoul is full of the Word of God. I commend his example to you, beloved.”Moreover, the language of The Illustrious Dreamer was to the mind of theTabernacle Pastor. They spake the same tongue. In an address delivered in1862 on the occasion of the restoration of Bunyan’s tomb, Mr. Spurgeonassured his hearers that Bunyan’s works would not try their constitutionsas might those of Gill and Owen. “They are pleasant reading,” said he, “for
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