Pilgrim’s Progress 4

Having finished Book One or The First Part of Pilgrim’s Progress, we now begin what is called Christiania’s Journey or The Second Part. The author introduces the section with a poem within which he describes the veracity of Christiana’s calling. Should anyone doubt that she had been sent on pilgrimage by the same author who had effectually called Christian, she need only call on the author to defend her. The author interacts with an aged wise man called Sagacity and discovers a bit about the nature of Christiana’s calling, which included guilt and remorse over her past sins, especially those she committed against her husband, and an inner movement of her conscience toward the things of the Lord. Such begins what she will now understand to be the spiritual battle.

This Christiana (for that was her name from the day that she, with her children, betook themselves to a pilgrim's life), after her husband was gone over the river, and she could hear of him no more, her thoughts began to work in her mind: first, for that she had lost her husband, and for that the loving bond of that relation was utterly broken betwixt them; “For you know," said he to me, "Nature can do no less but entertain the living with many a heavy cogitation in the remembrance of the loss of loving relations. This, therefore, of her husband did cost her many a tear. But this was not all; for Christiana did also begin to consider with herself, whether her unbecoming behavior towards her husband was not one cause that she saw him no more, and that in such sort he was taken away from her. And upon this came into her mind by swarms all her unkind, unnatural, and ungodly carriages to her dear friend, which also clogged her conscience, and did load her with guilt. She was, moreover, much broken with calling to remembrance the restless groans, brinish tears, and self-bemoanings of her husband; and how she did harden her heart against all his entreaties and loving persuasions (of her and her sons) to go with him; yea, there was not anything that Christian either said to her, or did before her, all the while that his burden did hang on his back, but it returned upon her like a flash of lightning, and rent the caul of her heart in two. Specially, that bitter outcry of his, 'What must I do to be saved?' did ring in her ears most dolefully.

Then said she to her children, 'Sons, we are all undone. I have sinned away your father, and he is gone; he would have had us with him, but I would not go myself; I also have hindered you of life.' With that the boys fell all into tears, and cried out to go after their father. 'Oh,' said Christiana, 'that it had been but our lot to go with him; then had it fared well with us beyond what 'tis like to do now! For though I formerly foolishly imagined concerning the troubles of your father, that they proceeded of a foolish fancy that he had, or for that he was overrun with melancholy humors; yet now 't will not out of my mind, but that they sprang from another cause, to wit, for that the light of light was given him; by the help of which, as I perceive, he has escaped the snares of death'.

Then they all wept again; and cried out, 'Oh, woe worth the day!'

"The next night CHRISTIANA had a dream; and behold, she saw as if a broad parchment was opened before her, in which were recorded the sum of her ways; and the times, as she thought, looked very black upon her. Then she cried out aloud in her sleep, 'Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner!’; and the little children heard her.

"After this she thought she saw two very ill favored ones standing by her bedside, and saying, 'What shall we do with this woman; for she cries out for mercy waking and sleeping? If she be suffered to go on as she begins, we shall lose her as we have lost her husband. Wherefore we must, by one way or other, seek to take her off from the thoughts of what shall be hereafter; else all the world cannot help it but she will become a pilgrim.'

The next morning, Christiana is visited by a man who comes in the name of the Lord. The man is called Secret. He informs her that the King has invited her to eat at His table, to forgive her of the sins she committed against her husband and her children by keeping them from the truth of the Gospel, and to inform her that her true lineage is descended from Jacob. The depth of Gospel content here teaches the reader that while the individual may believe only some reconciliation is necessary, namely between the sinner and the one having been sinned against, God’s perspective is that ultimate reconciliation is between the sinner and God Himself, against Whom we’ve sinned and against Him alone. But, in addition, the forgiven sinner then has their true identity revealed as being a child of Abraham . . . making the adoption of the sinner into the family of God something akin to coming home to your long lost family more than being put into a forever home that is alien to you.

She is informed that in order to get to the dining room table of the King, she will have to go through various troubles. It is a necessary component. Through much tribulation you must enter the kingdom of God. Believers are following in the cruciform pattern set before us . . . for the joy set before us we endure the crosses as well, not that we are dying for our sins, but to them.

Christiana’s neighbors come to visit and she is chided, except for the fact that Mercy’s heart is warmed when she hears the good news of the King’s promises. Like the thief on the cross, she simply asks if she can join Christiana in the journey to where she is going. Christiana’s language is that she will “hire” Mercy for the journey and upon reaching the wicket gate will ask Mercy to consider whether or not the journey is worth pursuing as her own. As they leave, Mercy begins to lament over the damnable condition of her relatives who reject the Gospel and is encouraged to remember the promise of the Lord that a broken and contrite heart He will not despise.

Mercy: 'Alas!' said she, 'who can but lament that shall but rightly consider what a state and condition my poor relations are in that yet remain in our sinful town? And that which makes my grief the more heavy is, because they have no instructor, nor any to tell them what is to come.'

Christiana: ‘Bowels becomes pilgrims. And thou dost for thy friends as my good Christian did for me when he left me; he mourned for that I would not heed nor regard him; but his Lord and ours did gather up his tears, and put them into his bottle; and now both I, and thou, and these my sweet babes, are reaping the fruit and benefit of them. I hope, Mercy, these tears of thine will not be lost: for the truth hath said, that 'they that sow in tears shall reap in joy, in singing. And he that goes forth and weeps, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him'.

Then said Mercy

'Let the Most Blessed be my guide,
If it be his blessed will,
Unto his gate, into his fold,
Up to his holy hill.

And let him never suffer me
To swerve or turn aside
From his free grace and holy ways,
Whate'er shall me betide.

And let him gather them of mine
That I have left behind.
Lord, make them pray they may be Thine,
With all their heart and mind.'

Upon reaching The Slough of Despond they are able to notice that condition of the Slough is in such a perpetual state of disrepair because many who are false pilgrims present themselves as great caretakers of the way of pilgrims and, due to their own arrogance and blindness, they attempt to repair the pathway for pilgrims, but instead of using stones they use mud and dung. At this point one’s attention is drawn to those who claim to be coming to the defense of God with such dung as open theism, universalism, the prosperity gospel, process theology, and higher criticism. 

When finally they reach the Wicket Gate, Christiana and her boys are welcomed in but the door is shut before Mercy can enter. She is filled with even greater fear than she normally has and begins to think of herself as rejected. The wicked prince’s dog is barking on the other side of the fence and she thinks Christiana and the boys have forgotten her. All at once, literally, at the same time, Christiana begins to intercede for her of the gatekeeper and the determination of Mercy to inquire of the Lord for herself swells until she begins pounding on the door with such vigor that Christiana is frightened by the violence of this oft-times timid little wanderer taking the kingdom by force.

Once on the other side of the gate and embarked upon their journey, the boys begin eating fruit that is not theirs and for which they did not ask. Their mother chides them but they continue to eat even then. As with all sin, what they think to be insignificant and negligible ends up being much more serious than they could have known. After an encounter with sexual aggressors which ends up being a close call, the small band of pilgrims learns a lesson about prayer from The Reliever who had come to their aid.

Reliever: It is not always necessary to grant things not asked for, lest by so doing, they become of little esteem; but when the want of a thing is felt, it then comes under, in the eyes of him that feels it, that estimate that properly is its due, and so consequently will be thereafter used. Had my Lord granted you a conductor, you would not neither so have bewailed that oversight of yours in not asking for one as now you have occasion to do. So all things work for good, and tend to make you more wary.

Once at the House of the Interpreter, they see a man whose head is down as he rakes muck. Above him is a man calling out to him to take the jeweled crown from his hands, but because his gaze is constantly earthward, the words are empty and make no sense. What golden crown? And so he will not take the crown because his gaze sees only the muck. The words remain meaningless, as Scripture promises, because they are spiritually discerned. 

Mercy continues to be plagued by doubts at times and the Interpreter preaches to her the story of Ruth. Christiana is a kind of Naomi and we learn from the lesson that a person who truly has character that is shaped by the God of Israel will be appealing to those who are being called. They will be willing to follow you, even before they see the fact that you yourself are a follower. 

As the entourage leaves the House of the Interpreter, they use the art of song as a way to remember all the spiritual truths they learned thus far. Singing embeds messages into our long-term memory. That is why Christians are commanded to employ it for the edification of believers and why we would do well to be careful with it.

Great-heart: With all my heart; but first I must premise that he of whom we are now about to speak is one that has not his fellow. He has two natures in one person--plain to be distinguished, impossible to be divided. Unto each of these natures a righteousness belongs; and each righteousness is essential to that nature. So that one may as easily cause the nature to be extinct, as to separate its justice or righteousness from it. Of these righteousnesses, therefore, we are not made partakers so as that they, or any of them, should be put upon us that we might be made just, and live thereby. Besides these, there is a righteousness which this Person has, as these two natures are joined in one. And this is not the righteousness of the Godhead as distinguished from the Manhood, nor the righteousness of the Manhood as distinguished from the Godhead; but a righteousness which stands in the union of both natures, and may properly be called the righteousness that is essential to his being prepared of God to the capacity of the mediatory office which he was to be entrusted with. If he parts with his first righteousness, he parts with his Godhead; if he parts with his second righteousness, he parts with the purity of his Manhood; if he parts with this third, he parts with that perfection that capacitates him to the office of mediation. He has, therefore, another righteousness which stands in performance, or obedience to a revealed will: and that is it that he puts upon sinners, and that by which their sins are covered. Wherefore he saith, "As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous".

Christiana: But are the other righteousnesses of no use to us?

Great-heart. Yes; for though they are essential to his natures and office, and so cannot be communicated unto another, yet it is by virtue of them that the righteousness that justifies is, for that purpose, efficacious. The righteousness of his Godhead gives virtue to his obedience; the righteousness of his Manhood gives capability to his obedience to justify; and the righteousness that stands in the union of these two natures to his office, gives authority to that righteousness to do the work of which it is ordained.

So then, here is a righteousness that Christ, as God, had no need of, for he is God without it; here is a righteousness that Christ, as man, has no need of to make him so, for he is perfect man without it; again, here is a righteousness that Christ, as God-man, has no need of, for he is perfectly so without it. Here, then, is a righteousness that Christ, as God, as man, as God-man, has no need of with reference to himself; and therefore he can spare it,--a justifying righteousness, that he, for himself, wants not, and therefore he gives it away. Hence 'tis called "The gift of righteousness".

This righteousness, since Christ Jesus the Lord was made himself under the law, must be given away; for the law doth not only bind him that is under it to do justly, but to use charity: wherefore he must--he ought by the law--if he hath two coats, to give one to him that hath none. Now our Lord indeed hath two coats, one for himself and one to spare; wherefore he freely bestows one upon those that have none. And thus, Christiana, and Mercy, and the rest of you that are here, doth your pardon come by deed, or by the work of another man. Your Lord Christ is he that has worked, and has given away what he wrought for to the next poor beggar he meets.

But again, in order to pardon by deed, there must something be paid to God as a price, as well as something prepared to cover us withal. Sin has delivered us up to the just curse of a righteous law. Now from this curse we must be justified by way of redemption, a price being paid for the harms we have done; and this is by the blood of your Lord, who came and stood in your place and stead, and died your death for your transgressions.

Thus has he ransomed you from your transgressions by blood, and covered your polluted and deformed souls with righteousness. For the sake of which God passes by you, and will not hurt you, when he comes to judge the world.

When the troop passes by the place where the three chained sluggards refused to be awoken by Christian, they now see the bodies of these fools not sleeping but hung by nooses from the tree. When timid Mercy asks if anyone had ever actually been successfully lured off of the path by these three ne’er-do-wells, she is told that they most assuredly had indeed lured pilgrims from the path. At this point, Mercy erupts into an imprecatory Psalm of sorts and rejoices over the fact that those who might have caused her to deviate from the way of the Lord had been removed and even stopped with a death sentence. She sings: 

Now then you three hang there, and be a sign to all that shall against the truth combine, and let him that comes after, fear this end, if unto pilgrims he is not a friend. And thou my soul, of all such men beware, that unto holiness opposers are.

Finally, after a very long portion of the journey, the negative effects of having eaten the wicked prince’s fruit begin to compound in young Matthew. 

Then said Samuel, "Mother, mother, what was that which my brother did gather up and eat so soon as we were come from the gate that is at the head of this way? You know that there was an orchard on the left hand, on the other side of the wall, and some of the trees hung over the wall, and my brother did pluck and did eat."

"True, my child," said Christiana, "He did take thereof and did eat, naughty boy, as he was; I did chide him, and yet he would eat thereof."

Mr. Skill said, “I knew he had eaten something that was not wholesome food. And that food, to wit, that fruit, is even the most hurtful of all. It is the fruit of Beelzebub's orchard. I do marvel that none did warn you of it; many have died thereof.”

Then Christiana began to cry, and she said, "Oh, naughty boy; and oh, careless mother: what shall I do for my son?"

“Come,” said Mr. Skill, “Do not be too much dejected; the boy may do well again; but he must purge and vomit.”

“Pray, sir, try the utmost of your skill with him, whatever it costs,” said Christiana.

"Nay, I hope I shall be reasonable." So he made him a purge, but it was too weak. 'Twas said it was made of the blood of a goat, the ashes of an heifer, and with some of the juice of hyssop, etc. When Mr. Skill had seen that that purge was too weak, he made him one to the purpose. 'Twas made ex Carne et Sanguine Christi (you know physicians give strange medicines to their patients); and it was made up into pills with a promise or two, and a proportionable quantity of salt. Now he was to take them three at a time, fasting, in half a quarter of a pint of the tears of repentance.

When this potion was prepared and brought to the boy, he was loath to take it, though torn with the gripes as if he should be pulled in pieces. "Come, come," said the physician, "you must take it." "It goes against my stomach," said the boy. "I must have you take it," said his mother. "I shall vomit it up again," said the boy, "Pray, sir," said Christiana to Mr. Skill, "How does it taste?" 

"It has no ill taste," said the doctor; and with that she touched one of the pills with the tip of her tongue. 

"Oh, Matthew!" said she, "This potion is sweeter than honey. If thou lovest thy mother, if thou lovest thy brothers, if thou lovest Mercy, if thou lovest thy life--take it." So with much ado, after a short prayer for the blessing of God upon it, he took it; and it wrought kindly with him. It caused him to purge; it caused him to sleep, and rest quietly; it put him into a fine heat and breathing sweat; and did quite rid him of his gripes.

So in a little time he got up and walked about with a staff; and would go from room to room, and talk with Prudence, Piety, and Charity, of his distemper and how he was healed.

The doctor goes on to describe the nature of inward purging and the necessary components which will be effectual and that will not be. A final catechesis is administered to the boy before they dare issue him a clean bill of health. Can he see the natural world through the lens of divinity better now? Matthew, himself, is asking the questions.

Matthew: Where have the clouds their water?

Prudence: Out of the sea.

Matthew: What may we learn from that?

Prudence: That ministers should fetch their doctrine from God.

Matthew: Why do they empty themselves upon the earth?

Prudence: To show that ministers should give out what they know of God to the world.

Matthew: Why is the rainbow caused by the sun?

Prudence. To show that the covenant of God's grace is confirmed to us in Christ.

Matthew: Why do the springs come from the sea to us through the earth?

Prudence: To show that the grace of God comes to us through the body of Christ.

Matthew: Why do some of the springs rise out of the tops of high hills?

Prudence: To show that the spirit of grace shall spring up in some that are great and mighty, as well as in many that are poor and low.

Matthew: Why doth the fire fasten upon the candlewick?

Prudence: To show that unless grace doth kindle upon the heart, there will be no true light of life in us.

Matthew: Why is the wick and tallow, and all, spent to maintain the light of the candle?

Prudence: To show that body, and soul, and all, should be at the service of, and spend themselves to maintain in good condition, that grace of God that is in us.

Matthew: Why doth the pelican pierce her own breast with her bill?

Prudence: To nourish her young ones with her blood; and thereby to show that Christ the blessed so loves his young, his people, as to save them from death by his blood.

Matthew: What may one learn by hearing the cock crow?

Prudence: Learn to remember Peter's sin and Peter's repentance. The cock's crowing shows also that day is coming on; let, then, the crowing of the cock put thee in mind of that last and terrible day of Judgment.

Greatheart returns to the Palace Beautiful in time to accompany them on the last leg of their journey, which is where we will pick up next time. Finish the remainder of the book for the last installment of these articles. In the Penguin Classics edition, it will be from page 238 to the end.