Pilgrim's Progress §99: FORM.
Source: John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress (1678) (§99) · external_aligned
FORM. and HYP. They told him, that, as for that, he needed not to trouble his head thereabout; for what they did they had custom for; and could produce, if need were, testimony that would witness it for more than a thousand years. CHR. But, said Christian, will your practice stand a trial at law? FORM. and HYP. They told him, That custom, it being of so long a standing as above a thousand years, would, doubtless, now be admitted as a thing legal by any impartial judge; and besides, said they, if we get into the way, what's matter which way we get in? if we are in, we are in; thou art but in the way, who, as we perceive, came in at the gate; and we are also in the way, that came tumbling over the wall; wherein, now, is thy condition better than ours? CHR. I walk by the rule of my Master; you walk by the rude working of your fancies. You are counted thieves already, by the Lord of the way; therefore, I doubt you will not be found true men at the end of the way. You come in by yourselves, without his direction; and shall go out by yourselves, without his mercy.
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