How we cite our quotes: Paragraph (P#) or Line (Line #)
Quote #7
Indeed our present condition is dreadful, and death would be far more welcome to me than thus for ever to abide; but yet, let us consider, the Lord of the country to which we are going hath said, "Thou shalt do no murder," no, not to another man's person; much more, then, are we forbidden to take his counsel to kill ourselves. Besides, he that kills another, can but commit murder upon his body; but for one to kill himself, is to kill body and soul at once. And moreover, my brother, thou talkest of ease in the grave; but hast thou forgotten the hell whither for certain the murderers go? for "no murderer hath eternal life," &c. (P605)
Hopeful's response to Christian's desire for suicide is really, really smart. This is no simple "Buck up! You're great!" pep-talk. Nope. Hopeful's argument for life is based on the laws that both he and Christian live by. Since murder is forbidden by God's law, killing oneself means a sort of double-death: not only do you lose your life, you lose your soul. Savvy. Seriously, though, a passage like this really represents how powerful the laws of Divine Justice are for Bunyan. Just the thought of them is enough to reclaim a person from suicide. Puritan hotline?
Quote #8
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore and repent." (P680)
The entrance of the Shining One is one of the rare instances in The Pilgrim's Progress where Christian and his friend receive deliberate punishment for their error. They were warned not to speak to Flatterer, but just couldn't resist stopping to chat. And so they are punished with a whipping. Here, though, the Shining One makes it clear that this punishment is a part of his love for the pilgrims. This enforcement of justice is educational, a taste of what it's like to be heedless in more serious ways. In this way, the whipping is an invitation to repentance, rather than hard and fast condemnation.
Quote #9
Ignorance: When do our thoughts of ourselves agree with the Word of God?
Christian: When we pass the same Judgment upon ourselves which the Word passes. (P809-810)
This exchange occurs between Christian and Ignorance. While Ignorance is arguing that his own opinions and judgments of himself (and of everything else) are sufficient and trustworthy on their own, Christian is explaining that judgments are only just when they're in line with scripture. This really lays down the Bible as a constant and indisputable source of judgment of human beings. We can either align our judgments with it or be led astray into thinking our own personal thoughts are law. Not a lot of grey area.