1. Christian Flees the City of Destruction

The text is from John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. Numbers in parentheses are notes added to the text for clarification.

“As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I came upon a certain place where there was a den; (1) and I lay down in that place to sleep; and as I slept, I dreamed a dream. I dreamed, and behold I saw a man clothed in rags (2) standing in a certain place, with his face [turned away] from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden on his back. I looked and saw him open the book, and read therein; and as he read, he wept and trembled; and not being able to contain himself any longer, he broke out with a lamentable cry, saying, “What shall I do?” (3)

• (1) Bedford jail.
• (2) Isa. 64:6; Ps. 38:4; Hab. 2:2; Luke 14:33.
• (3) Acts 16:30-31.

Q. What is the significance of “Clothed in rags,” is it physical or spiritual?

Q. What do you determine is the book in Christian’s Hand? Why is that important?

Q. What is the great burden that Christian is carrying on his back?

Read Acts 16:25-34. Can you see the spiritual state that Christian is in and determine what the spiritual need is?

“Since all people have sinned in Adam and have come under the sentence of the curse and eternal death, God would have done no one an injustice if it had been His will to leave the entire human race in sin and under the curse, and to condemn them on account of their sin.”

The Canons of Dort