catalogue of evils, and he thought to frighten Christian with them; but he could not understand the glory, and he had not calculated the power of genuine conviction of sin, to make a man despise death itself for the sake of deliverance from it. See now, says Bunyan in the margin, the frame of the heart of a young Christian. Why, sir, said Christian, this burden upon my back is more terrible to me than are all those things which you have mentioned; nay, methinks I care not what I meet with in the way, if so be I can also meet with deliverance from my burden.

How camest thou by thy burden at first?

By reading this book in my hand, said Christian.

And now, Mr. Worldly Wiseman goes further, and shows, as Bunyan says in the margin, that he does not like that men should be serious in reading the Bible. I thought so, said he, and it is happened unto thee as to other weak men, who, meddling with things too high for them, do suddenly fall into thy distractions; which distractions do not only unman men, as thine I perceive have done thee, but they run them upon desperate ventures, to obtain they know not what.

This conversation of Mr. Worldly Wiseman is almost the exact counterpart of the dealings of those teachers who deny the Divinity and Atonement of Christ, and the truth of everlasting punishment. One of the most celebrated of those teachers in his day had been himself in early life under deep conviction of sin, had set out from the City of Destruction, but had turned into the town of Morality, and established himself as a preacher there. He used to say to those whom he ever saw in distress on account of Christian's burden, or Evangelist's counsel, I have been that way myself, and know all about it; I have passed through all that experience, and know that it is all nonsense. These distresses on account of sin are pure fanaticism, they are unmanly superstitions, which pleasant company, exercise, and recreation will drive away.

Why wilt thou seek for ease this way of the Cross, said Mr. Worldly Wiseman, seeing so many dangers attend it, especially since, hadst thou but patience to hear me, I could direct thee to the obtaining of what thou desirest, without the dangers that thou in this way wilt run thyself into; yea, and the remedy is at hand; beside, I will add that instead of these dangers thou shalt meet with much safety, friendship, and content.

Now was Christian snared by these counsels, and taking Mr. Worldly Wiseman's direction to Mr. Legality's house, past Mount Sinai, for by that way he must go, he set out. But behold, when he was now got hard by the hill, it seemed so high and also that side of it that was next the wayside did hang so much over, that Christian was afraid to venture further, lest the hill should fall on his head; wherefore, then he stood still, and wotted not what to do. Also, his burden now seemed heavier to him than while he was in his way. There came also flashes of fire out of the hill that made Christian afraid that he should be burnt; here therefore he did sweat and quake for fear. Poor Christian! he could not get past Mount Sinai! Nay, happy Christian! in that the terrors of the law got such hold upon him, that they would not let him pass; for if he had gone by, he too, like many thousand others, would have gone to the town of Morality, and got comfortably settled in perdition. He would have become a member of Mr. Legality's parish, if he could have got past this mountain. But here Evangelist found him, half dead with shame, confusion, and terror. And here, with the most ingenuous simplicity and contrition, Christian made confession of his guilt. Yes, dear sir, I am the man! And now the reproofs and instructions of Evangelist are incomparably beautiful, and Christian, bemoaning his folly and sin in listening to the wicked counsels of the Deceiver, applied himself again to Evangelist in words and sense as follows:

:

Sir, what think you? Is there any hope? May I now go back, and go up to the Wicket Gate? Shall I not be abandoned for this, and sent back from thence ashamed? I am sorry I have hearkened to this man's counsel; but may my sin be forgiven?

The mingling of reproof and encouragement with which Evangelist comforted the penitent, is exquisitely wise and beautiful. A rare pastor Bunyan found in holy Mr. Gifford, to be able to draw so sweet and grave a character from real life. Evangelist kissed him, gave him one smile, and bid him God speed. And now you may be sure there was no more turning of Christian out of the way, no more inclination after Sinai, or Mr. Legality, or the town of Morality, not though a hundred worldly wisemen had beset him. As an arrow to its mark, he went straight with haste, neither spake he to any man by the way; nor if any asked him would he vouchsafe them an answer. This experience of Sinai was enough for him, nor could he think himself safe, till in process

of time he got up to the gate. There he knocked with trembling earnestness, for over the gate was written, KNOCK, AND IT SHALL BE OPENED UNTO YOU. May I now enter here? said Christian,

May I now enter here? Will he within
Open to sorry me, though I have been
An undeserving rebel? Then shall I
Not fail to sing his lasting praise on high.

Bunyan has put in the margin, The gate will be open to broken-hearted sinners; and so it was, and Christian went in. But as he was stepping in, the kind Master gave him a sudden pull, at which Christian wondered; but he was told that at a little distance from the gate there was a frowning castle, under command of Beelzebub, from whence they shot arrows at those that were entering the gate, or had come up to it, if haply they might die before they could enter. So Christian entered with joy and trembling.

This undoubtedly is an incident drawn from Bunyan's own experience; for often when he himself was standing at mercy's gate, and knocking as for his life for entrance, he had been assaulted by these fiends; when he was praying, then especially would there sometimes come a fiery storm of the darts of the Wicked One, so that often he thought he should have died indeed beneath them. Doubtless something like this is the experience of all who come up to this gate; for sometimes the point of greatest difficulty and danger is just that point where the soul is summoning all its forces to come to Christ, or where it is just about sweetly to cast itself upon his mercy; or where there is a great decisive struggle at the Wicket Gate, between good and evil in the soul, and where the perishing sinner is just able to say, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. All moments of decision are moments of danger, and when Satan, from his battlement, sees the soul. knocking at the gate, then he says within himself, It is my last hope; my archers must destroy him now or never. And so sometimes just the point of mercy is the point of greatest strife and danger.

A characteristic instructive conversation ensued between Christian and the Man at the Gate, in the course of which, Christian, being questioned, told the man about his adventures in the Slough of Despond, and how Pliable had left him: and here Bunyan has put in the margin, A man may have company when he sets out for heaven, and yet go thither alone; but Christian also added, with sweet ingenuousness, that he was quite as bad as Pliable, for that he also turned aside to go in the way of death, being persuaded thereto by the carnal arguments of one Mr. Worldly Wiseman. The Man at the gate comforted and encouraged him, and pointed out the strait and narrow way before him, so that he could not miss it; and now Christian was about to gird up his loins, and address himself to his journey, but oh that heavy burden! Christian could not go without asking to be rid of his burden; so kind and skilful a man, (thought he,) may surely take it off, and I am sore weary with it. But the answer he received was memorable.

As to thy burden, be content to bear it, until thou comest to the place of deliverance; for there it will fall from thy back of itself. Bunyan has here put in the margin, There is no deliverance from the guilt and burden of sin, but by the death and blood of Christ. Now there is a vast deal of instruction and comfort in this last incident. Young Christians are very apt to expect entire relief from all their burdens, and a complete deliverance from sin, the moment they are got within the Wicket Gate, the moment they have come to Christ. But very often this expectation is not realized, and then they faint and become disheartened, or filled with gloomy doubts on this account. Now this experience of Christian having to bear his burden so long, and yet going on so patiently with it, for you will observe, he asked nobody after this to take off his burden, is very instructive and encouraging. The truth is, we are all more apt to be seeking for comfort than for Christ; whereas Christ should be our first object, and comfort will come of itself; Christ first, and all things else shall be added.

By the experience of Christian and Pliable in their commencement of this pilgrimage we are taught some salutary lessons, as first, the importance of a deep and thorough conviction of sin at first setting out; second, the importance of a resolute purpose in seeking salvation so as not to be turned back; and, third, the importance of a hearty reception and thorough knowledge of God's word. The difficulties that Christian meets and overcomes in the beginning, do, instead of discouraging him, prepare him for constancy and conquest even to the end. It is no superficial Christian that Bunyan is describing, but a man of God, thoroughly furnished unto all good works; a soldier clad in armour

of proof, the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. He needed, as we shall see, a deep and thorough discipline from the beginning, in order to prepare him for the fiery ordeal through which he was to pass.

It is always thus that God deals with his people; the discipline of the Christian race and conflict is such, in its very nature, as best to prepare them for usefulness here, and for their place in glory hereafter. If there is to be endurance to the end, there must be thoroughness at the beginning; if victory at the end, a fight at the beginning; if rest at the end, a burden at the beginning. There must be fires to consume the dross here, if there is to be endless brightness and purity hereafter; self-denial and suffering in this world must prepare the way to glorify God and enjoy him for ever. There was a great connection between Christian's burden at first, and his delight in God afterwards; so there was between all the toils of his pilgrimage, and his panting desires after God; for certainly, if this pilgrimage were all the way a way of ease, then we should not much, desire to hasten on in it, or to come to the end of it, or to see God in heaven; too much satisfied with the sweetness of the streams, we should stay away from the fountain. We having here no continuing city, seek one to come, that city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

Would God I were with thee!
Oh that my sorrows had an end,
Thy joys that I might see!

Thy walls are made of precious stone,
Thy bulwarks diamonds square;
Thy gates are made of orient pearl;
Ŏ God, if I were there!

O happy harbour of God's saints!
O sweet and pleasant soil!
In thee no sorrows can be found,
No grief, no care, no toil.
No dimly cloud o'ershadows thee,
No gloom nor darksome night,
But every soul shines as the sun,
For God himself gives light.

Lord, in my forehead plant thy name,
And take me hence away,

That I may dwell with thee in bliss,
And sing thy praise for aye.

O mother dear, Jerusalem!

When shall I come to thee?

When shall my sorrows have an end?
Thy joys when shall I see?

LECTURE VII.

CHRISTIAN IN THE

HOUSE OF THE INTERPRETER.

Meaning of the Interpreter, what great personage he stands for.-Richness and beauty of his instructions. —The Law and the Gospel as sweepers of the soul.—Passion and Patience, Sense and Faith.-How grace is sustained in the soul.-How the victory is gained by the Man in armour.-Misery of the soul in Despair. Dream of the Judgment.-Power of Conscience.-Beauty of the Pilgrim's Progress as a book for Childhood.-Christian's deliverance from his burden.

Ir would be difficult to find twelve consecutive pages in the English language, that contain such volumes of meaning, in such beautiful and instructive lessons, with such heavenly imagery, in so pure and sweet a style, and with so thrilling an appeal to the best affections of the heart, as these pages descriptive of Christian's sojourning in the House of the Interpreter. This good man of the House, the Interpreter, we are, without doubt, to take as the representative of the Holy Spirit, with his enlightening and sanctifying influences on the heart. He is our Comforter, Guardian, and Guide through all our pilgrimage; our Instructor to take of the things which are Christ's, and to show them to our souls; our Sanctifier, to lead us into all truth, and to make it the nourishing food of our souls, and with it and in it bringing Christ before us continually, to fasten our affections upon him, and make him, of God, unto us, our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. From the first moment of a Christian's setting out on his pilgrimage, this heavenly Comforter takes him under his peculiar guidance; so soon as he enters the Strait Gate, and puts himself under the care of the Great Shepherd, then the Spirit of God begins the work of discipline, instruction, refinement, and sanctification with him as a child of God. So you will observe that the very first thing which the Interpreter said to Christian was, Come in, and I will show thee that which will be profitable unto thee. And then he bid his man light the candle, and brought Christian into a private room, where he showed him the first of the beautiful and instructive visions that were to pass before him. Bunyan has put in the margin the word Illumination, and he might have added the text, Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Or he might have referred us to the blessed walk of the two disciples with Christ in the way to Emmaus, when he opened their understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures; for such a work does the Spirit of God commence with us, when he lights the candle of the Lord within our hearts.

But we are to observe that Christian did not get into the House of the Interpreter, nor obtain his precious guidance, without knocking, yea, and that earnestly. This is to signify that after Christ has let us in, as we hope, at the Wicket Gate, our great and immediate work must be to seek with most humble diligence and earnestness the gracious illuminating and sanctifying influences of his Spirit. In our first ignorance and darkness how greatly they are needed no language can tell. The young convert will make but a poor soldier of Jesus Christ, but a weak and lagging pilgrim, if he does not go directly to the House of the Interpreter. Ah, what earnest prayer is needed, that the soul, having come to Christ, may be filled with the Spirit, be rooted and grounded in love, and built up in him and prepared to show forth his praises! Be assured that the immediate time which passes after a soul's conversion is of indescribable importance for all after life. If it be passed in the House of the Interpreter, and under his divine instruc

M

tion, if the soul is much in prayer for divine grace and illumination, then will there be a rich and precious preparation for a joyful and triumphant pilgrimage, in which the path of the soul shall be as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. But if joy comes first, without the instruction and discipline of the Interpreter, then will there be trouble afterwards, a great many falls by the way, a great many Hill Difficulties, and perhaps a great many weeks instead of days passed in the Castle of Giant Despair. When a soul first comes to Christ, then for many days it ought to abide with the Holy Spirit: and when this is done, who shall say how many sights of glory may be seen, how many rich and refining experiences be enjoyed; how rapidly the soul may grow, and be transfigured, as it were, with the influences of divine truth, while thus it is alone with God; how it may be knit and strengthened for all future toils and combats, and prepare to go through the world almost as a seraph of light, prepared at any rate, like Paul, so to run not as uncertainly, so to fight not as one that beateth the air.

The first sight which Christian saw was a "brave picture," an exquisite portrait of a grave and saintly man, who had his eyes lifted up to Heaven, the best of books in his hand, the Law of Truth was written upon his lips, the world was behind his back; it stood as if it pleaded with men, and a crown of gold did hang over its head. And whose portrait is Bunyan describing here? Again, we think he had only Mr. Gifford in his eye as a faithful minister of Christ; but Bunyan too had been the pleader with men, and over his own head the crown of gold was shining, and while he wrote these words you may be sure that his spirit thrilled within him as he said, And I too am a minister of Jesus Christ! This picture was shown by the Interpreter to Christian, in order that he might know the true from the false guide in the way to the City of Immanuel.

The next scene, which the Interpreter showed Christian, went, you may be sure, to his heart; for it displayed the inward corruptions of the soul, and the different effects, first of the Law and afterwards of the Gospel upon them; and Christian, it must be remembered, had not yet got rid of his burden of sin, and had in his mind in great freshness the terrors of Sinai in the way to Mr. Legality's house, and his distressing experience in the Slough of Despond, besides his deep convictions of sin and wrath in the City of Destruction. He had known most thoroughly what the Law could do with a burdened conscience; he had but begun to know what grace could do to ease it. The Interpreter carried him into a larger parlour whereof the floor was thick with dust, because it had never been swept. So the moment a man began to sweep it, the dust flew about in such clouds that Christian was well nigh stifled; but so soon as a damsel was called to sprinkle the room with water, then it was swept and cleansed easily.

The sweeper was the Law, stirring up the corruptions in the parlour of the heart; trying to sweep them, but only stirring them up, and raising a suffocating cloud in the atmosphere. This is the work of the Law in the conscience, to reveal sin, to make the sinner sensible of it; and this is all that the Law can do; it can only convince and condemn, for we have broken every one of its precepts, and the more its light shines in upon the soul, the more manifest our iniquities become. If we strive to keep it and so to gain peace, we may keep it in some points outwardly, but inwardly we break it; we are defiled in every part, and our very morality condemns us, as not springing from the love of God. The voice of the Law is, The soul that sinneth it shall die, and he that offendeth in one point is guilty of all; and what a broom this is to introduce into the heart to sweep it of its sins, you may well judge; every movement of it is as the besom of destruction; it is indeed condemnation and death perpetually. The Law is holy, and just, and good; but its very holiness and goodness, laid alongside with our depravity, make the revelation within us appear like the uncovering of hell; it fills us with anguish and terror in the sight of what we are, and what we deserve.

Christian well knew this in his own deep experience; for the burden of sin was on him still, and sorely did he feel it while the Interpreter was making this explanation ; and had it not been for his remembrance of the warning of the Man at the Gate, he would certainly have besought the Interpreter to take off his burden. The Law could not take it off; he had tried that; and grace had not yet removed it, so he was forced to be quiet and to wait patiently. But when the Damsel came and sprinkled the floor and laid the dust, and then the parlour was swept so easily, there were the sweet influences of the Gospel imaged, there was divine grace distilling as the dew, there was the gentle voice of Christ hushing the storm; there were the corruptions of the heart, which the