by

Lawrence Bilkes

The Heavenly Footman by John Bunyan is a provocative, evangelistic, literary work calling people not be slothful in spiritual matters, but to be active by running in the way of Christ on the cross. Bunyan is discerning in this work rather than presuming that every professor of the Christian faith is running. Using the biblical model of running the race, which includes removing all that hinders the Christians in their spiritual advancement, he provides directions to run, motives to run, and usages to run. Many images from The Pilgrim’s Progress, Grace Abounding and Holy War come to the reader, showing the deceiver, the Saviour, and the end of the faithful and faithless.

This work, which was likely one of Bunyan’s last literary ones, provides a great deal of insight into Bunyan as a Christian soldier and a spiritual pastor. Whatever it costs, he tells his reader not to stop, not to be distracted, not to slow down, and not to be discouraged, but to go on. He encourages the reader, when weary, to find rest in the bosom of Christ, and he will carry the footman. The gravity of hell and of the devil, but more so the love and the open arms of Christ, ought to motivate the weary soul to continue. Bunyan was a tireless man who was a footman himself, and why should the reader not take this intimate call seriously?

Bunyan provides his reader with a picture of a runner, which he calls a ‘footman.’ Offor describes this ‘footman’ as one who is "traveling on foot to a distant country, engaged on a pilgrimage from earth to heaven." This is the same imagery Bunyan used of Christian in The Pilgrim’s Progress. The Heavenly Footman could be read as a response to the inquiring statement of Christian: "Sir, I perceive by the Book in my hand, that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to Judgement, and I find that I am not willing to do the first, nor able to do the second." If possible, Bunyan would press into each reader and hearer the living faith experience that is necessary for the pilgrim to live eternally and to hide behind the judgment in Jesus Christ. In The Heavenly Footman, Bunyan puts forth all means of exhortation, rousing, and prodding to cause people to run in and on the way that leads to life everlasting; this involves earnest and sober preaching.

This paper briefly reviews The Heavenly Footman, by John Bunyan. In this short paper, I plan to explore the context of Bunyan’s life in which this work was produced. Then I will proceed to consider several important themes within this miscellaneous work. Finally, I will conclude by considering some stylistic and comparative considerations.

The Heavenly Footman was one of Bunyan’s last works. In the final year of his life, 1688, Bunyan worked diligently, publishing six discourses, and arranging fourteen or fifteen other treatises for the printing press. The Heavenly Footman was among one of these fourteen or fifteen left for the publishers. In 1698, ten years after his death, this work was finally unveiled and published. Bunyan had been out of prison for about sixteen years, and he seems to reflect on his life, seeing his own tracks and a safe haven closing in. Recognizing that death was approaching, he summarizes a great deal of his own life and literary works in this discourse. One can see several main works, such as The Pilgrim’s Progress, Holy War and Grace Abounding, sharing themes with this work. Common to all the above books is the element of struggle of which he informs his reader. Using his life as a model, he focuses his readers on the difficulty of the course, as well as the crown to be received at the end. Bunyan knows from his own life the hindrances and the need to strip himself of the weight that could hold him back.

There are three basic themes that occur in this work. The first is of woe to the slothful, which he also first broaches in a precursory, separate epistle. The second is the spurring on and coaching of those running by giving them focus, encouragement, and instruction that will enable all who will to run in a biblical way. The third is Bunyan’s referral to Christ as the centrality of his gospel message.

Interestingly, Bunyan appeals to the slothful and careless people as "friends." Likewise, he closes this segment with the words: "I wish our souls may meet with comfort at the journey’s end." He is trying to show in this short epistle the importance of self-examination on the part of the reader, to know whether he/she is among the slothful or careless. He imagines an objection from a slothful one: "but if I run this way then I must run from all my sins." To this Bunyan replies, "That is true indeed; yet if thou dost not, thou wilt run into hell-fire." It is clear that he does not want to mislead anyone in thinking they were on their way into heaven when in actuality they are not. But, he also hopes that awakening his readers to this will spur them to action, especially the action prescribed within the main text.

The main text of The Heavenly Footman is truly evangelistic in nature. One can imagine Bunyan preaching in the Bedford church to his many hearers. The seriousness of the gospel is established, together with the call to a responsible life that is in line with God’s holy demands. He sets forth his text as 1 Cor. 9:24: "So run, that ye may obtain." This text provides the theme for his exposition: "They that will have heaven must run for it." To run includes "fleeing" for one’s life, "pressing" for heaven, and "continuing," since only those who continue receive eternal life. Bunyan’s motivation for expounding such a text is his recognition of the earnestness of eternity.

Following this foundation, Bunyan proceeds to offer nine directions, motivations and uses. Involved in these instructions are dangers against which he warns the reader. Therefore, he exhorts the runner to strip of all that hinders, to be aware of side-tracks off the way, which he calls "by-paths," and not to allow oneself to be hindered by others. If someone seeks to interrupt or hinder, Bunyan advises the following response: "Alas! I cannot stay, I am in haste, pray talk not to me now; neither can I stay for you, I am running for a wager; if I win I am made, if I lose I am undone, and therefore hinder me not."

The Christian must consider that the devil follows unmercifully after each one; and knowing that the devil has been previously successful in his/her life (e.g. in the garden of Eden), he/she should run. The desire of the devil and of other wicked ones in order to destroy also ought to spur him/her on away from them onto the path of life. The seriousness of this calling is also shown by the fact that if one is seized or stopped in the journey, it may well be the end of his/her pilgrimage.

Bunyan asks the reader to discern in his/her life whether he/she is in the way and undone of the world. "Never talk of going to heaven if thou art not." Heaven is not for those who almost made it, or for those who began, but only for those that finish. The sober thought continues when one considers those who have sprinted, but have not arrived, and those who sit still who are just as if they ran in the wrong direction. He warns against those who have begun well, but have recently begun to slow down. He exhorts those who are older in their Christian profession to stay ahead of those who are younger in profession; those who are younger, he exhorts to outrun the ones who are in front. He reminds his reader not to keep company with the rear guard who are "lazy, slothful, cold, half-hearted, profane." Those who are lazy professors are able to destroy others in this race, therefore he tells his reader not to run so lazily as to hinder self or others, and not to follow the example of the loiterers on the way to heaven.

A third theme that Bunyan must and does expose to the reader is the centrality of Christ. One must run by being in the way (Jesus) which leads to heaven, "studying and musing on the way" who Christ is, what he has done, and why he did what he did. He asserts that one can run only through the cross, which justifies, mortifies sin, and enables perseverance, self-denial, patience, and communion with poor saints. Therefore, the least that a person can do, according to Bunyan, is to come as a beggar to God, pleading that he would enlighten the understanding and influence the will. Jesus stands with his heart and arms open ready to receive; therefore, the reader needs to remember the prize, which is a crown. One must also continue running even if much discouragement is present. He reminds the believer, when weary, that Jesus will carry, or that the Lord will strengthen.

Bunyan concludes by provoking the reader to consider yet one more serious consideration: the consideration of Lot’s wife. He says that it is not possible to blame anyone else for one’s own destruction. He closes with this expostulation: "Well, then, sinner, what sayest thou? Where is thy heart? Will thou run? Art thou resolved to strip? or art thou not? Think quickly man; it is no dollying in this matter."

One is able to see the main message very clearly with an analysis of Bunyan’s most recurring word, "run," which Midgley classifies as an "urgent chorus." The word "run" occurs approximately 120 times, not counting the participial use of the verb or other synonymous terms. Specifically, it is the imperative use of the verb, which occurs 40 times, that brings out the action-motif. This type of exhortation, Midgley suggests, "has this man-to-man intimacy." Bunyan says that it is not enough to ponder running, or even to ponder heaven; this verb calls for action whether in fleeing to Christ, fighting against the evil one, or searching the word.

Since we have already noticed this work as being one of his last writings, it cannot be overlooked that in his attempt to persuade people of the seriousness of running that he draws upon resounding themes within his major works. This can only be done briefly, but permit me to provide a taste of these themes as found in Grace Abounding, The Pilgrim’s Progress and Holy War. One sees Bunyan’s own practice of self-examination in his demand whether Christ is the reader’s righteousness. "And for the Lord’s sake take heed, and do not deceive thyself, and think thou art in the way upon too slight grounds." Further exclamations come when he quotes the text from 1 Timothy 1:15: "that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," of which Bunyan, along with Paul, claims to be chief. Bunyan’s main theme in The Pilgrim’s Progress, is closely connected to The Heavenly Footman, because of the centrality of the cross. Furthermore, Bunyan is well aware of the continual dangers of the devil and his wicked forces. As Offor suggests,

Is there a Slough of Despond to be passed, and a hill Difficulty to be overcome? Here the footman is reminded of many a dirty step, many a high hill, a long and tedious journey through a vast howling wilderness; but he is encouraged, the land of promise is at the end of the way.

The similarities between The Heavenly Footman and Holy War are visible in the battle between Diabolus and Immanuel over Mansoul. This battle is well described by Bunyan, when he writes: "God, he is for making of his a willing people to serve him; and the devil, he doth what he can to possess the will and affection of those that are his with love to sin."

In summary, the reader upon considering The Heavenly Footman feels the gravity of this race that Bunyan exhorts his readers to. The reader senses it with Bunyan’s discriminatory, and evangelistic method, asking the reader to be honest with him/herself to as it were a list of questions: whether the reader is running; whether he/she is running in the right way; whether he/she is enduring; whether he/she is slowing down; or whether he/she is being distracted. His desire is the conversion of sinners, and the running of pilgrims in the strength of the crucified Christ. Therefore, in short analysis, this appears to be Bunyan’s most mature work, synthesizing themes from earlier works and giving them a final tour-de-force.

Baxter, Richard. The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, abridged and edited by William Younge, London: England: The Religious Tract Society, 1907.

Bunyan, John, "The Heavenly Footman" in The Entire Works of John Bunyan, Henry Stebbing (Ed.). Vol. IV, 177-194, Toronto: Virtue & Yorston, (N.D).

. The Miscellaneous Works of John Bunyan: The Barren Figtree, The Strait Gate, The Heavenly Footman. Graham Midgley (Ed.). Claredon Press: Oxford, 1986.

. The Pilgrim’s Progress. George Latham (Ed.). Scott, Foresman and Company: New York, 1907.

Offor, George (Ed.), "Advertisement by the Editor to The Heavenly Footman," in The Heavenly Footman, from Bunyan’s Works, 1861 <http://www.acacia.pair.com/Acacia.John Bunyan/>.

Packer, J. I. A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1990.

Wallace, Dewey D., "John Bunyan: Tercentenary Publications and a Critical Edition of this Miscellaneous Writings" Religious Studies Review 19 (1993): 19-24.