Pilgrim’s Progress 5
One of the themes that is most consistently employed in this second book of Pilgrim’s Progress is that of the Lord not despising the weakness of the human condition. We’ve already seen how important this was to Bunyan in his own life, in his recognition of God as being patient and gentle with his children who were in desperate need of The Great Physician. The Scriptures teach us that God is not Darwin’s monster, eager to devour as fuel anyone slow enough to lag behind. Far from it, this ragtag bunch shows us a roving band of women and children, invalids and weaklings who successfully move from the lowest possible position to the height of glory by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. David’s Psalmic refrain is true: those who trust in the Lord are not put to shame.
As they make their way into the Valley of Humiliation, they are faced with the reality that the descent into the valley is much harder than the climb out of it. One of the things that makes one’s stay in this valley so difficult is one’s initial perspective of humility. If one fears the event of being humbled, the battle is far greater for him.
In this valley our Lord formerly had his country-house: he loved much to be here. He love also to walk these meadows, for he found the air was pleasant. Besides, here a man shall be free from the noise, and from the hurryings of this life: all states are full of noise and confusion; only the Valley of Humiliation is that empty and solitary place. Here a man shall not be so let and hindered in his contemplation as in other places he is apt to be. This is a valley that nobody walks in but those that love a pilgrim’s life. And though Christian had the hard hap to meet here with Apollyon, and to enter with him in a brisk encounter, yet I must tell you, that in former times men have met with angels here, have found pearls here, and have in this place found the words of life (240-241).
The band is told that Christian’s battle with Apollyon was most fierce in a narrow pass, where it was easy for him to forget two things: the wondrous grace of God given him thus far and how unworthy he truly was of that grace.
In their discourse, Mercy points out that humility is helped by environment and some environments are more suited for humility. In this she makes an argument for the supremacy of rural churches.
Then said Mercy, I think I am as well in this valley as I have been anywhere else in all our journey: the place, methinks, suits with my spirit. I love to be in such places, where there is no rattling with coaches, nor rumbling with wheels. Methinks, here one may, without much molestation, be thinking what he is, whence he came, what he has done, and to what the King has called him. Here one may think, and break at heart, and melt in one’s spirit, until one’s eyes become as the fish-pools in Heshbon. They that go rightly through this valley of Baca, make it a well; the rain that God sends down from heaven upon them that are here, also filleth the pools. This valley is that from whence also the King will give to his their vineyards; and they that go through it shall sing, as Christian did, for all he met with Apollyon.
‘Tis true,’ said their guide; ‘I have gone through this valley many a time,
and never was better than when here. I have also been a conduct to several pilgrims, and they have confessed the same. “To this man will I look,” saith the King, “even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word (241).”
More battles are fought. More temptations are explained and avoided. We are shown that the enemy places snares in the places he knows the pilgrim will be faced with the most exhaustion.
When Great-heart slays the giant, Maul, he explains that part of his prowess had been in the fact that, as a warrior, he knows he has to mistrust his own ability in order that all of his faith might be in the trustworthiness of the Lord. He goes on to explain that, because of the all-sufficient work of Christ, a Christian can only be overcome when he/she begins to yield of his/her own volition.
MR. GREAT-HEART: Well, now we are so happily met, pray let me crave your name, and the name of the place you came from.
MR. HONEST: My name I cannot tell you, but I came from the town of Stupidity: it lieth about four degrees beyond the city of Destruction.
MR. GREAT-HEART: Oh, Are you that countryman? Then I deem I have half a guess of you: your name is Old Honesty, is it not?
MR. HONEST: So the old gentleman blushed, and said, Not honesty in the abstract, but Honest is my name; and I wish that my nature may agree to what I am called. But, sir, said the old gentleman, how could you guess that I am such a man, since I came from such a place?
MR. GREAT-HEART: I had heard of you before, by my Master; for he knows all things that are done on the earth. But I have often wondered that any should come from your place; for your town is worse than is the city of Destruction itself.
MR. HONEST: Yes, we lie more off from the sun, and so are more cold and senseless. But were a man in a mountain of ice, yet if the Sun of righteousness will arise upon him, his frozen heart shall feel a thaw; and thus it has been with me (249).
When Great-heart discusses the pilgrim named Mr. Fearing with Mr. Honest, we see the constantly abiding theme of assurance come up yet again. It is explained that a lack of assurance is the sole culprit for why Mr. Fearing’s entire journey was so exhausting and plagued with anxiety and worry. This is precious to Bunyan who through much tribulation found the assurance of the Lord to be so dearly prized. He explains a bit.
MR. GREAT-HEART: Yes, yes, I never had doubt about him. He was a man of a choice spirit, only he was always kept very low, and that made his life so burdensome to himself, and so troublesome to others. He was, above many, tender of sin: he was so afraid of doing injuries to others, that he often would deny himself of that which was lawful, because he would not offend.
MR. HONEST: But what should be the reason that such a good man should be all his days so much in the dark?
MR. GREAT-HEART: There are two sorts of reasons for it. One is, the wise God will have it so: some must pipe, and some must weep. Now Mr. Fearing was one that played upon
the bass. He and his fellows sound the sackbut, whose notes are more doleful than the notes of other music are: though indeed, some say, the bass is the ground of music. And for my part, I care not at all for that profession which begins not in heaviness of mind. The first string that the musician usually touches is the bass, when he intends to put all in tune. God also plays upon this string first, when he sets the soul in tune for himself. Only there was the imperfection of Mr. Fearing; he could play upon no other music but this till towards his latter end (255).
Upon hearing this teaching on the lack of assurance, Bunyan has all the other travelers’ pipe up that, if they would be honest, they have known this lack of assurance all too well.
There is then the story of the man named Mr. Self-will. He argues from Scripture that, because Godly men have, in the past, given in to vice and not been disowned or destroyed for it, Godly men may give in to vice, if and only if they are men as Godly as the Biblical examples.
Eventually, they find rest at the home of a man named Gaius who provides an enormous feast. From wine to shelled nuts, the food is explained in great detail as to how the believer is fed and nourished on the things of the Lord, especially by the hands of the Lord’s people. This is also a recurring theme, as the presence of Great-heart shows. So much victory exists in this story because the travelers rely upon help from the Lord to be given to them through the vehicle of the Lord’s people. It is here that Matthew, Christiana’s son, is wedded to Mercy.
Honest goes on to teach that age does not necessarily equate with maturity, as youth does not necessarily equate with advantage.
MR. HONEST: The young man’s, doubtless. For that which makes head against the greatest opposition, gives best demonstration that it is strongest; especially when it also holdeth pace with that which meets not with half so much, as to be sure old age does not. Besides, I have observed that old men have blessed themselves with this mistake; namely, taking the decays of nature for a gracious conquest over corruptions, and so have been apt to beguile themselves. Indeed, old men that are gracious are best able to give advice to them that are young, because they have seen most of the emptiness of things: but yet, for an old and a young man to set out both together, the young one has the advantage of the fairest discovery of a work of grace within him, though the old man’s corruptions are naturally the weakest. Thus they sat talking till break of day (267).
A man named Feeble-minded joins the entourage and he teaches the other pilgrims that he was cared for specifically because of his weak condition. We can expect God to not be forgetful of our frame, that we are but dust. Some are weaker framed than others. The Scriptures require that Christians not abuse weaker members, but rather honor them with special garments. This is good for believers to do because it comes out of the very perspective that God is likewise concerned for our weakness. Feeble-minded admits he knew that, no matter what, he must not yield and surrender to the enemy; thus, a weak and feeble man was able to stave off the enemy for quite some time.
We then see the loving provision of God to send a companion for Mr. Feeble-minded in the form of Mr. Ready-to-halt. God is governing the world with loving care, but the governance of His children is most precious.
As they near the end, the pilgrims are required to entrust their children to the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
By this river-side, in the meadows, there were cotes and folds for sheep, a house built for the nourishing and bringing up of those lambs, the babes of those women that go on pilgrimage. Also there was here one that was entrusted with them, who could have compassion; and that could gather these lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that were with young.
Now, to the care of this man Christiana admonished her four daughters to commit their little ones, that by these waters they might be housed, harbored, succored, and
nourished, and that none of them might be lacking in time to come. This man, if any of them go astray, or be lost, will bring them again; he will also bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen them that are sick. Here they will never want meat, drink, and clothing; here they will be kept from thieves and robbers; for this man will die before one of those committed to his trust shall be lost. Besides, here they shall be sure to have good nurture and admonition, and shall be taught to walk in right paths, and that you know is a favor of no small account. Also here, as you see, are delicate waters, pleasant meadows, dainty flowers, variety of trees, and such as bear wholesome fruit: fruit, not like that which Matthew ate of, that fell over the wall out of Beelzebub’s garden; but fruit that procureth health where there is none, and that continueth and increaseth it where it is. So they were content to commit their little ones to him; and that which was also an encouragement to them so to do, was, for that all this was to be at the charge of the King, and so was as an hospital to young children and orphans (281).
There is more giant slaying, specifically because they have guidance and leadership in the person of Great-heart and they are not forging their own course. Valiant is introduced and we see in him a man who is willing to resist the urge to abandon of the path, even to the point of blood, as Christ Himself did in the Garden. All the victories in the story, we are shown, are won by faith in the person and work of Jesus. Faith, as Scripture says, is the victory that overcomes the world.
Christiana is brought to the river and crosses. Her last words are, “I come Lord, to be with Thee and bless Thee.” One by one, others are beckoned.
When days had many of them passed away, Mr. Despondency was sent for; for a post was come, and brought this message to him: Trembling man! these are to summon thee to be ready with the King by the next Lord’s day, to shout for joy for thy deliverance from all thy doubtings. And, said the messenger, that my message is true, take this for a proof: so he gave him a grasshopper to be a burden unto him.
Now Mr. Despondency’s daughter, whose name was Much-afraid, said, when she heard what was done, that she would go with her father. Then Mr. Despondency said to his friends, myself and my daughter, you know what we have been, and how troublesomely we have behaved ourselves in every company. My will and my daughter’s is, that our desponds and slavish fears be by no man ever received, from the day of our departure, forever; for I know that after my death they will offer themselves to others. For, to be plain with you, they are ghosts which we entertained when we first began to be pilgrims, and could never shake them off after; and they will walk about, and seek entertainment of the pilgrims: but for our sakes, shut the doors upon them. When the time was come for them to depart, they went up to the brink of the river. The last words of Mr. Despondency were, Farewell, night; welcome, day! His daughter went through the river singing, but none could
understand what she said (310).
Mr. Stand-fast is the last to cross.
Mr. Stand-fast: This river has been a terror to many; yea, the thoughts of it also have often frightened me; but now methinks I stand easy; my foot is fixed upon that on which the feet of the priests that bare the ark of the covenant stood while Israel went over Jordan. The waters indeed are to the palate bitter, and to the stomach cold; yet the thoughts of what I am going to, and of the convoy that waits for me on the other side, do lie as a glowing coal at my heart. I see myself now at the end of my journey; my toilsome days are ended. I am going to see that head which was crowned with thorns, and that face which was spit upon for me. I have formerly lived by hearsay and faith; but now I go where I shall live by sight, and shall be with him in whose company I delight myself. I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of; and wherever I have seen the print of his shoe in the earth, there I have coveted to set my foot too. His name has been to me as a civet-box; yea, sweeter than all perfumes. His voice to me has been most sweet, and his countenance I have more desired than they that have most desired the light of the sun. His words I did use to gather for my food, and for antidotes against my faintings. He hath held me, and hath kept me from mine iniquities; yea, my steps hath he strengthened in his way.
Now, while he was thus in discourse, his countenance changed; his strong man bowed under him: and after he had said, Take me, for I come unto thee, he ceased to be seen of them. But glorious it was to see how the open region was filled with horses and chariots, with trumpeters and pipers, with singers and players upon stringed instruments, to welcome the pilgrims as they went up, and followed one another in at the beautiful gate of the city. As for Christiana’s children, the four boys that Christiana brought, with their wives and children, I did not stay where I was till they were gone over. Also, since I came away, I heard one say that they were yet alive, and so would be for the increase of the church, in that place where they were, for a time. Should it be my lot to go that way again, I may give those that desire it an account of what I here am silent about: meantime I bid my reader farewell. The end (312).
