Without the Spirit man is so infirm that he cannot, with all other means whatsoever, be enabled to think one right saving thought of God, of Christ, or of his blessed things.
John BunyanRead
He that comes to Christ cannot, it is true, always get on as fast as he would. Poor coming soul, thou art like the man that would ride full gallop whose horse will hardly trot. Now the desire of his mind is not to be judged of by the slow pace of the dull jade he rides on, but by the hitching and kicking and spurring as he sits on his back. Thy flesh is like this dull jade, it will not gallop after Christ, it will be backward though thy soul and heaven lie at stake.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote illustrates the struggle of the soul's journey toward spiritual growth amidst the limitations of the physical self.
John Bunyan uses the metaphor of a rider and a slow horse to express the tension between the soul's desire for rapid spiritual advancement and the sluggishness of the flesh, which often hinders this progress. He emphasizes that while one's spirit may yearn for closeness to Christ and a swift journey toward salvation, the body often remains a barrier, reacting slowly and unenthusiastically. Thus, one's true desire and spiritual progress should not be measured solely by outward performance, but by the inner struggles and earnest efforts made in pursuit of faith.
Themes
SpiritualityStruggleFaithGrowthBodySoul
In practice
Example use cases
In a church sermon discussing perseverance in faith.
More from John Bunyan
All quotes →I saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor my bad frame that made my righteousness worse; for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, the same yesterday and today and forever.
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For to speak the truth, there are but few that care thus to spend their time, but choose rather to be speaking of things to no profit.
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I saw a man clothed with rags . . . a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back.
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Look how fears have presented themselves, so have supports and encouragements; yea, when I have started, even as it were at nothing else but my shadow, yet God, as being very tender of me, hath suffered me to be molested, but would with one Scripture or another, strengthen me against all; insomuch that I have often said, Were it awful, I could pray for greater trouble, for the greater comfort's sake.
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There can be but one will the master in our salvation, but that shall never be the will of man, but of God; therefore man must be saved by grace.
John BunyanRead
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