Pilgrim's Progress

"Good Man Little-Faith"

 BY JOHN BUNYAN

 
  Christian
telleth his
Companion
a story of Little-Faith.
Then said Christian
to his Fellow, Now I call to remembrance that which was told me of a thing that happened to a good man hereabout. The name of the man was Little-Faith, but a good man, and he dwelt in the Town of Sincere. The thing was this; at the entering in at this passage, there comes down from Broad-way-gate a Lane called Dead-mans lane;
Broadway
gate.
Deadmans
Lane.
so called because of the Murders that are commonly done there. And this Little-Faith going on Pilgrimage, as we do now, chanced to sit down there and slept. Now there happened, at that time, to come down the Lane from Broad-way-gate, three Sturdy Rogues, and their names were Faint-Heart, Mistrust, and Guilt, (three brothers) and they, espying Little-faith where he was came galloping up with speed: Now the good man was just awaked from his sleep, and was getting up to go on his Journey.
       Little-
faith rob-
bed by
Faint-
heart, Mis-
trust and
Guilt.
So they came up all to him, and with threatening language bid him stand. At this, Littlefaith lookt as white as a Clout, and had neither power to fight nor flie. Then said Faint-heart, Deliver thy Purse; but he making no haste to do it, (for he was loth to lose his Money,) Mistrust ran up to him, and thrusting his hand into his Pocket, pull'd out thence a bag of Silver.
    They got
away his
Silver, and
knockt
him down.

Then he cried out, Thieves, thieves! With that, Guilt, with a great Club that was in his hand, strook Little-Faith on the head, and with that blow fell'd him flat to the ground, where he lay bleeding as one that would bleed to death. All this while the Thieves stood by: But at last, they hearing that some were upon the Road, and fearing lest it should be one Great-grace, that dwells in the City of Good-confidence, they betook themselves to their heels, and left this good man to shift for himself. Now, after a while, Little-Faith came to himself, and getting up, made shift to scramble on his way. This was the story.

     Hopeful: But did they take from him all that ever he had?

       Little-
faith lost
not his best
things.
  1 Pet. 4:18.
        Little-
faith forced
to beg
his Jour-
neys end.
     Christian: No; The place where his Jewels were they never ransack't; so those he kept still; but as, I was told, the good man was much afflicted for his loss; for the Thieves got most of his spending Money. That which they got not (as I said) were Jewels; also, he had a little odd money left, but scarce enough to bring him to his Journeys end; nay, (if I was not mis-informed,) he was forced to beg as he went, to keep himself alive, (for his Jewels he might not sell.) But beg, and do what he could, he went (as we say) with many a hungry belly, the most part of the rest of the way.

Hopeful: But is it not a wonder they got not from him his Certificate, by which he was to receive his admittance at the Cælestial Gate?

   He kept
not his best
things by
his own
cunning.
2 Tim. 1:12-14;
Christian: No, they got not that: though they mist it not through any good cunning of his, for he, being dismayed by their coming upon him, had neither power nor skill to hide any thing; so 'twas more by good Providence than by his Indeavor that they mist of that good thing.

Hopeful: But it must needs be a comfort to him, that they got not this Jewel from him.

2 Pet. 2:9.

Christian. It might have been great comfort to him, had he used it as he should; but they that told me the story, said, That he made but little use of it all the rest of the way; and that because of the dismay that he had in their taking away his Money: indeed, he forgot it a great part of the rest of his Journey; and besides, when at any time it came into his mind, and he began to be comforted therewith, then would fresh thoughts of his loss come again upon him, and these thoughts would swallow up all.

Hopeful: Alas, poor Man! this could not but be a great grief to him.

He is pit-
tied by
both.
Christian: Grief? Ay, a grief indeed! would it not have been so to any of us, had we been used as he, to be Robbed and wounded too, and that in a strange place, as he was? 'Tis a wonder he did not die with grief, poor heart! I was told that he scattered almost all the rest of the way with nothing but doleful and bitter complaints.  Telling, also, to all that over-took him, or that he overtook in the way as he went, where he was Robbed, and how; who they were that did it, and what he had lost; how he was wounded, and that he hardly escaped with life.

Hopeful: But 'tis a wonder that his necessity did not put him upon selling or pawning some of his Jewels, that he might have wherewith to relieve himself in his Journey.
Christian
snibbeth
his fellow
for unadvi
sed speak-
ing
Christian: Thou talkest like one upon whose head is the Shell to this very day: For what should he pawn them? or to whom should he sell them? In all that Countrey where he was Robbed, his Jewels were not accounted of; nor did he want that relief which could from thence be administered to him. Besides, had his Jewels been missing at the Gate of the Cœlestial City, he had (and that he knew well enough) been excluded from an Inheritance there; and that would have been worse to him than the appearance and villany of ten thousand thieves.

  Heb. 12:
16;
Hopeful: Why art thou so tart, my brother? Esau sold his Birth-right, and that for a mess of Pottage; and that birthright was his greatest Jewel: and if he, why might not Little-Faith do so too?
A discourse
about Esau
and Little-
Faith.
     Christian: Esau did sell his Birth-right indeed, and so do many besides; and by so doing, exclude themselves from the chief blessing, as also that Caytiff did. But you must put a difference betwixt Esau and Little-Faith, and also betwixt their Estates. Esau’s Birth-right was Typical, but Little-Faith’s Jewels were not so. Esau’s belly was his God; but Little-Faith’s belly was not so. Esau’s want lay in his fleshy appetite; Little-Faith’s did not so.
Esau was
ruled by
his lusts.
   Gen. 25: 32.
Besides, Esau could see no further than to the fulfilling of his Lusts: For I am at the point to dye, said he: and what good will this birthright do me?  But Little-faith, though it was his lot to have but a littlefaith, was by his little faith kept from such extravagances; and made to see and prize his Jewels more than to sell them, as Esau did his Birth-right. You read not any where that Esau had faith, no not so much as a little: Therefore no marvel, if where the flesh only bears sway (as it will in that man where no faith is to resist) if he sells his Birth-right,and his Soul and all, and that to the Devil of Hell; for it is with such, as it is with the Ass,
Jer. 2:24:
 Little-
faith could
not live
upon Esaus
Pottage.
Who in her occasion cannot be turned away. When their minds are set upon their Lusts, they will have them, whatever they cost. But Little-faith was of another temper; his mind was on things Divine; his livelihood was upon things that were Spiritual, and from above; Therefore to what end should he that is of such a temper sell his Jewels (had there been any that would have bought them) to fill his mind with empty things? Will a man give a penny to fill his belly with Hay?
  A compa-
rison be-
tween the
Turtle-
dove and
the Crow.
or can you persuade the Turtle-dove to live upon Carrion, like the Crow? Though faithless ones can, for carnal Lusts, pawn, or mortgage, or sell what they have, and themselves outright to boot; yet they that have faith, saving faith, though but a little of it, cannot do so. Here, therefore, my Brother, is thy mistake.

Hopeful: I acknowledge it; but yet your severe reflection had almost made me angry

Christian. Why, I did but compare thee to some of the Birds that are of the brisker sort, who will run to and fro in trodden paths with the shell upon their heads: but pass by that, and consider the matter under debate, and all shall be well betwixt thee and me.

Hopeful: But Christian, These three fellows, I am persuaded in my heart, are but a company of Cowards: would they have run else, think you, as they did, at the noise of one that was coming on the road?

Hopeful
swaggers.
Why did not Little-Faith pluck up a greater heart? He might, methinks, have stood one brush with them, and have yielded when there had been no remedy.

Christian: That they are Cowards, many have said, but few have found it so in the time of Trial.

No great
heart for
God where
there is but
little faith
As for a great heart, Little-faith had none; and I perceive by thee, my Brother, hadst thou been the Man concerned, thou art but for a brush, and then to yield.
We have
more cou-
rage when
out, then
when we
are in.
And verily, since this is the height of thy Stomach now they are at a distance from us, should they appear to thee as they did to him, they might put thee to second thoughts.

But consider again, that they are but Journey-men Thieves, they serve under the King of the Bottomless pit, who, if need be, will come to their aid himself, and his voice is

1 Pet. 5. 8.
Christian
tells his
own expe-
rience in
this cafe.
as the roaring of a Lion. I my self have been Ingaged as this Little-faith was, and I found it a terrible thing. These three Villains set upon me, and I beginning like a Christian to resist, they gave but a call, and in came their Master: I would, as the saying is, have given my life for a penny, but that, as God would have it, I was clothed with Armor of proof. Ay, and yet, though I was so harnessed, I found it hard work to quit myself like a man: no man can tell what in that Combat attends us, but he that hath been in the Battle himself.

Hopeful: Well, but they ran, you see, when they did but suppose that one Great-Grace was in the way.

Christian: True, they have often fled, both they and their master, when Great-

The Kings
Champion.
grace hath but appeared; and no marvel, for he is the King’s Champion: But I tro, you will put some difference between Little-faith and the King’s Champion; All the Kings Subjects are not his Champions: nor can they, when tried, do such feats of War as he. Is it meet to think that a little child should handle Goliath as David did? or that there should be the strength of an Ox in a Wren? Some are strong, some are weak; some have great faith, some have little: this man was one of the weak, and therefore he went to the walls

Hopeful: I would it had been Great-Grace, for their sakes.

Christian: If it had been he, he might have had his hands full: for I must tell you, That though Great-grace is excellent good at his Weapons, and has and can, so long as he keeps them at Swords point, do well enough with them; yet if they get within him, even Faint-heart, Mistrust, or the other, it shall go hard but they will throw up his heels. And when a man is down, you know, what can he do?

Whoso looks well upon Great-Graces face, will see those Scars and Cuts there that shall easily give demonstration of what I say. Yea, once I heard that he should say, (and that when he was in the Combat,) We despaired even of life: How did these sturdy Rogues and their Fellows make David groan, mourn, and roar? Yea, Heman, and Hezekiah too, though Champions in their day, were forced to bestir them when by these assaulted; and yet, notwithstanding, they had their Coats soundly brushed by them. Peter upon a time, would go try what he could do; but, though some do say of him that he is the Prince of the Apostles, they handled him so, that they made him at last afraid of a sorry Girle.

Besides, their King is at their Whistle; he is never out of hearing; and if at any time they be put to the worst, he, if possible, comes in to help them; and of him it is said,

Job 41:26-29.
Levia-
thans stur-
diness.

The Sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold the Spear, the Dart, nor the Habergeon; he esteemeth Iron as Straw, and Brass as rotten Wood. The arrow cannot make him flie, Slingstones are turned with him into stubble, Darts are counted as stubble; he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. What can a man do in this case? It is true, if a man could at every turn have Jobs Jorse, and had skill and courage to ride him, he might do notable things.
The excel-
lent mettle
that is in
Jobs
Horse
For his neck is clothed with Thunder. He will not be afraid as a Grasshopper: the glory of his Nostrils is terrible. He paweth in the Valley, and rejoyceth in his strength; he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the Sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering Spear and the shield. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; neither believeth he that it is the sound of the Trumpet. He saith among the Trumpets,
Job 39:19-25
Ha, ha! and he smelleth the Battel afar off, the thunder of the Captains, and the shoutings.

But for such footmen as thee and I are, let us never desire to meet with an enemy, nor vaunt as if we could do better, when we hear of others that have been foiled, nor be tickled at the thoughts of our own manhood; for such commonly come by the worst when tried. Witness Peter, of whom I made mention before: he would swagger, Ay he would: He would, as his vain mind prompted him to say, do better and stand more for his Master, than all men: but who so foiled, and run down by those Villains, as he?

When, therefore, we hear that such Robberies are done on the King’s High-way, two things become us to do; first to go out Harnessed, and be sure to take a Shield with us: For it was for want of that, that he who laid so lustily at Leviathan could not make him yield. For indeed, if that be wanting, he fears us not at all. Therefore, he that had skill hath said,

Eph. 6:16. Above all, take the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
'Tis good to
have a
Convoy.

Exod. 33:15.

'Tis good, also, that we desire of the King a Convoy, yea, that he will go with us himself. This made David rejoice when in the Valley of the shadow of death; and Moses was rather for dying where he stood, than to go one step without his God.


Psal, 3:5-8;
Psal,27:1-3.
Isa. 10:4.
O, my Brother, if he will but go along with us, what need we be afraid of ten thousands that shall set themselves against us? But without him, the proud helpers fall under the slain.

I for my part have been in the fray before now; and though (through the goodness of Him that is best) I am as you see alive: yet I cannot boast of any manhood. Glad shall I be if I meet with no more such brunts; though I fear we are not got beyond all danger. However, since the Lion and the Bear have not as yet devoured me, I hope God will also deliver us from the next uncircumcised Philistine.

Poor Little-Faith! Hast been among the Thieves!
Wast robb’d! Remember this, whoso believes
And get more faith, shall then a Victor be
Over ten thousand, else scarce over three.