Pilgrim's Progress §79: INTER.
Source: John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress (1678) (§79) · external_aligned
INTER. Nay, you may add another, to wit, the glory of the next world will never wear out; but these are suddenly gone. Therefore Passion had not so much reason to laugh at Patience, because he had his good things first, as Patience will have to laugh at Passion, because he had his best things last; for first must give place to last, because last must have his time to come; but last gives place to nothing; for there is not another to succeed. He, therefore, that hath his portion first, must needs have a time to spend it; but he that hath his portion last, must have it lastingly; therefore it is said of Dives, "Thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." CHR. Then I perceive it is not best to covet things that are now, but to wait for things to come. INTER. You say the truth: "For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." But though this be so, yet since things present and our fleshly appetite are such near neighbours one to another; and again, because things to come, and carnal sense, are such strangers one to another; therefore it is, that the first of these so suddenly fall into amity, and that distance is so continued between the second.
Witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15)
- manuscript_tradition: First edition Nathaniel Ponder, London 1678 — original imprint
- critical_edition: Oxford World's Classics — Roger Sharrock, 1960/1984
- republication: Project Gutenberg — Pilgrim's Progress
- republication: Internet Archive — multiple editions
- non_government_archive: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
- citation_tradition: Cited extensively by Spurgeon, Edwards, modern Reformed writers