[33] With gnat propriety Bunyan places the house of the Interpreter beyond the strait gate; for the knowledge of Divine things, that precedes conversion to G.o.d by faith in Christ, is very scanty, compared with the diligent Christian"s subsequent attainments-(Scott).
[34] It would be difficult to find 12 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-(Cheever). The order in which these heavenly lessons are taught, is worthy of our admiration-(ED).
[35] As in creation, so in conversion, G.o.d"s command is, "Let there be light"; it comes by the Word; no Bible, no light. G.o.d divided the light from the darkness; a blessed mystery to prove the Christian indeed-light in his mind at variance with his native darkness-(Bunyan, on Genesis).
[36] The FIRST object presented by the Holy Spirit to the mind of a young believer, is the choice of his minister; not to be submissive to human orders, but to choose for himself. The leading features are, that he be grave, devotional, a lover of his Bible, one who rejects error and preaches the truth; uninfluenced by paltry pelf or worldly honours; pleading patiently to win souls; seeking only his Master"s approbation; souls, and not money, for his hire; an immortal crown for his reward. With the laws of men and friendship to mislead us, how essential is the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this important choice!-(ED). And whose portrait is Bunyan describing here? 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-(Cheever).
[37]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 law had but roused into action, yielding under the power of Christ; and there was the soul made clean, and fit for the King of glory to inhabit. Indeed, this was a most instructive emblem.
O that my heart might be thus cleansed, thought Christian, and then I verily believe I could bear my burden with great ease to the end of my pilgrimage; but I have had enough of that fierce sweeper, the Law. The Lord deliver me from his besom!-(Cheever).
[38] This was a vivid and striking emblem, and one which, in its general meaning, a child could understand. Pa.s.sion stands for the men of this world, Patience of that which is to come; Pa.s.sion for those who will have all their good things now, Patience for those who are willing, with self-denial, to wait for something better; Pa.s.sion for those who are absorbed in temporal trifles, Patience for those whose hearts are fixed upon eternal realities; Pa.s.sion the things which are seen, and the impatient eagerness with which they are followed, Patience the things which are unseen, and the faith, humility, and deadness to the world exercised in order to enjoy them. It is a good commentary upon Psalm 73-(Cheever).
[39] This instructive vision springs from the author"s painful, but blessed experience. The flame of love in a Christian"s heart is like the fire of despair in Satan"s spirit-unquenchable. Before Bunyan had been behind the wall, the tempter suggested to him-"You are very hot for mercy, but I will cool you, though I be seven years in chilling your heart, I can do it at last; I will have you cold before long"-(Grace Abounding, No. 110). He is the father of lies. Thus he said to Christian in the fight, "Here will I spill thy soul"; instead of which, Apollyon was put to flight. We cannot fail with such a prop, That bears the earth"s huge pillars up.
Satan"s water can never be so powerful to quench, as Christ"s oil and grace are to keep the fire burning. Sinner, believe this, and love, praise, and rejoice in thy Lord. He loves with an everlasting love; He saves with an everlasting salvation; without His perpetual aid, we should perish; Christ is the Alpha and Omega of our safety; but how mysterious is the Saint"s perseverance until we have seen the secret supply!-(ED).
[40] For a man to fight his way through infernal enemies, is in every age a fearful battle; but in addition to this, to enter his name as a nonconformist in Bunyan"s time, demanded intrepidity of no ordinary degree; their enemies were the throne, the laws, and the bishops, armed with malignity against these followers of Jesus Christ. But there were n.o.ble spirits, "of very stout countenance," that by the sword of the Spirit cut their way through all opposition.
Bunyan was one of these worthies-(Ivimey). [41] Verily thou didst, n.o.ble Christian! And who is there that does not know the meaning of it, and what heart so cold as not to be ravished by it! Yea, we should think that this pa.s.sage alone might set any man out on this pilgrimage, might bring many a careless traveler up to the gate of this glorious palace to say, Set down my name, Sir! How full of instruction is this pa.s.sage! It set Christian"s own heart on fire to run forward on his journey, although the battle was before him-(Cheever).
[42] All these deeply interesting pictures are intended for every age and every clime. This iron cage of despair has ever shut up its victims. Many have supposed that it had a special reference to one John Child, who, under the fear of persecution, abandoned his profession, and, in frightful desperation, miserably perished by his own hand. See Introduction, page 73; see also the sickness and death of Mr. Badman"s brother-(ED).
[43] Bunyan intended not to represent this man as actually beyond the reach of mercy, but to show the dreadful consequences of departing from G.o.d, and of being abandoned of Him to the misery of unbelief and despair-(Cheever).
[44] "An everlasting caution"-"G.o.d help me to watch." The battle with Apollyon, the dread valley, the trying scene at Vanity Fair, the exhilarating victory over By-ends and Demas, dissipated the painful scene of the iron cage; and want of prayerful caution led Christian into the dominion of Despair, and he became for a season the victim shut up in this frightful cage. Reader, may we be ever found "looking unto Jesus," then shall we be kept from Doubting Castle and the iron cage-(ED).
[45] "In the midst of these heavenly instructions, why in such haste to go?" Alas! the burden of sin upon his back pressed him on to seek deliverance-(ED).
[46] "Rack." Driven violently by the wind-(ED).
[47] We go about the world in the day time, and are absorbed in earthly schemes; the world is as bright as a rainbow, and it bears for us no marks or predictions of the judgment, or of our sins; and conscience is retired, as it were, within a far inner circle of the soul. But when it comes night, and the pall of sleep is drawn over the senses, then conscience comes out solemnly, and walks about in the silent chambers of the soul, and makes her survey and her comments, and sometimes sits down and sternly reads the record of a life that the waking man would never look into, and the catalogue of crimes that are gathering for the judgment.
Imagination walks tremblingly behind her, and they pa.s.s through the open gate of the Scriptures into the eternal world-for thither all things in man"s being naturally and irresistibly tend-and there, imagination draws the judgment, the soul is presented at the bar of G.o.d, and the eye of the Judge is on it, and a hand of fire writes, "Thou art weighed in the balances, and found wanting!"
Our dreams sometimes reveal our character, our sins, our destinies, more clearly than our waking thoughts; for by day the energies of our being are turned into artificial channels, by night our thoughts follow the bent that is most natural to them; and as man is both an immortal and a sinful being, the consequences both of his immortality and his sinfulness will sometimes be made to stand out in overpowering light, when the busy pursuits of day are not able to turn the soul from wandering towards eternity-(Cheever).
Bunyan profited much by dreams and visions. "Even in my childhood the Lord did scare and affright me with fearful dreams, and did terrify me with dreadful visions." That is a striking vision of church fellowship in the Grace Abounding, (Nos. 53-56); and an awful dream is narrated in the Greatness of the Soul-"Once I dreamed that I saw two persons, whom I knew, in h.e.l.l; and methought I saw a continual dropping from Heaven, as of great drops of fire lighting upon them, to their sore distress" (vol. 1, p. 148)-(ED).
[48] Our safety consists in a due proportion of hope and fear.
When devoid of hope, we resemble a ship without an anchor; when unrestrained by fear, we are like the same vessel under full sail without ballast. True comfort is the effect of watchfulness, diligence, and circ.u.mspection. What lessons could possibly have been selected of greater importance or more suited to establish the new convert, than these are which our author has most ingeniously and agreeably inculcated, under the emblem of the Interpreter"s curiosities?-(Scott).
[49] This is an important lesson, that a person may be in Christ and yet have a deep sense of the burden of sin upon the soul-(Cheever).
So also Bunyan-"Every height is a difficulty to him that is loaden; with a burden, how shall we attain the Heaven of heavens?"-(Knowledge of Christ"s Love).
[50] This efficacious sight of the cross is thus narrated in Grace Abounding, (No. 115)-"Traveling in the country, and musing on the wickedness and blasphemy of my heart, that scripture came in my mind-"Having made peace through the blood of His cross" (Col.
1:20). I saw that day again and again, that G.o.d and my soul were friends by His blood; yea, that the justice of G.o.d and my soul could embrace and kiss each other. This was a good day to me; I hope I shall not forget it." He was glad and lightsome, and had a merry heart; he was before inspired with hope, but now he is a happy believer-(ED).
[51] None but those who have felt such bliss, can imagine the joy with which this heavenly visitation fills the soul. The Father receives the poor penitent with, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." The Son clothes him with a spotless righteousness. "The prodigal when he returned to his father was clothed with rags; but the best robe is brought out, also the gold ring and the shoes; yea, they are put upon him to his rejoicing" (Come and Welcome, vol. 1, p.
265). The Holy Spirit gives him a certificate; thus described by Bunyan in the House of G.o.d--"But bring with thee a certificate, To show thou seest thyself most desolate; Writ by the Master, with repentance seal"d; To show also, that here thou would"st be healed By those fair leaves of that most blessed tree By which alone poor sinners healed be: And that thou dost abhor thee for thy ways, And would"st in holiness spend all thy days; And here be entertained; or thou wilt find To entertain thee here are none inclined!"
(Vol. 2, p. 680). Such a certificate, written upon the heart by the Holy Spirit, may be lost for a season, as in the arbour on the hill, but cannot be stolen even by Faith-heart, Mistrust, and Guilt. For the mark in his forehead, see 2 Corinthians 3:2, 3; "not with ink, but with the spirit of the living G.o.d, known and read of all men"-(ED).
[52] He that has come to Christ, has cast his burden upon Him.
By faith he hath seen himself released thereof; but he that is but coming, hath it yet, as to sense and feeling, upon his own shoulders-(Come and Welcome, vol. 1, p. 264).
[53] "Fat"; a vessel in which things are put to be soaked, or to ferment; a vat-(ED).
[54] No sooner has Christian "received Christ" than he at once preaches to the sleeping sinners the great salvation. He stays not for human calls or ordination, but attempts to awaken them to a sense of their danger, and presently exhorts with authority the formalist and hypocrite. So it was in the personal experience of Bunyan; after which, when his brethren discovered his talent, they invited him to preach openly and constantly. Dare anyone find fault with that conduct, which proved so extensively useful?-(ED).
[55] The formalist has only the sh.e.l.l of religion; he is hot for forms because it is all that he has to contend for. The hypocrite is for G.o.d and Baal too; he can throw stones with both hands. He carries fire in one hand, and water in the other-(Strait Gate, vol. 1, p. 389). These men range from sect to sect, like wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. They are barren trees; and the axe, whetted by sin and the law, will make deep gashes. Death sends Guilt, his first-born, to bring them to the King of terrors-(Barren Fig-tree).
[56] "We trow"; we believe or imagine: from the Saxon. See Imperial Dictionary-(ED).
[57] These men occupied the seat of the scorner; they had always been well dressed. His coat might do for such a ragam.u.f.fin as he had been, but they needed no garment but their own righteousness-the forms of their church. The mark, or certificate of the new birth, was an object of scorn to them. Probably they pitied him as a harmless mystic, weak in mind and illiterate. Alas! how soon was their laughter turned into mourning. Fear and calamity overwhelmed them. They trusted in themselves, and there was none to deliver-(ED).
[58] The Christian can hold no communion with a mere formal professor. The Christian loves to be speaking of the Lord"s grace and goodness, of his conflicts and consolations, of the Lord"s dealings with his soul, and of the blessed confidence which he is enabled to place in Him-(J. B.).
[59] Such is the fate of those who keep their sins with their profession, and will not encounter difficulty in cutting them off.
"Not all their pretences of seeking after and praying to G.o.d will keep them from falling and splitting themselves in sunder"-(A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity). There are heights that build themselves up in us, and exalt themselves to keep the knowledge of G.o.d from our hearts. They oppose and contradict our spiritual understanding of G.o.d and His Christ. These are the dark mountains at which we should certainly stumble and fall, but for one who can leap and skip over them to our aid-(Saints" Knowledge of Christ"s Love, vol. 2, p. 8).
[60] Pleased with the gifts of grace, rather than with the gracious giver, pride secretly creeps in; and we fall first into a sinful self-complacence, and then into indolence and security. This is intended by his falling fast asleep-(Dr. Dodd).
[61] Sinful sloth deprives the Christian of his comforts. What he intended only for a moment"s nap, like a man asleep during sermon-time in church, became a deep sleep, and his roll fell out of his hand; and yet he ran well while there was nothing special to alarm him. Religious privileges should refresh and not puff up-(Cheever).
[62] But why go back again? That is the next way to h.e.l.l. Never go over hedge and ditch to h.e.l.l. They that miss life perish, because they will not let go their sins, or have no saving faith-(Bunyan"s Strait Gate, vol. 1, p. 388).
[63] To go forward is attended with the fear of death, but eternal life is beyond. I must venture. My hill was further: so I slung away, Yet heard a cry Just as I went, "None goes that way And lives." If that be all, said I, After so foul a journey, death is fair And but a chair.--(G. Herbert"s Temple-The Pilgrimage)
[64] He is perplexed for his roll; this is right. If we suffer spiritual loss, and are easy and unconcerned about it, it is a sad sign that we indulge carnal security and vain confidences-(Mason).
[65] The backslider is attended with fears and doubts such a he felt not before, built on the vileness of his backsliding; more dreadful scriptures look him in the face, with their dreadful physiognomy. His new sins all turn talking devils, threatening devils, roaring devils, within him. Besides, he doubts the truth of his first conversion, and thus adds lead to his heels in returning to G.o.d by Christ. He can tell strange stories, and yet such as are very true. No man can tell what is to be seen and felt in the whale"s belly but Jonah-(Bunyan"s Christ a Complete Saviour, vol. 1, p. 224).
[66] "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion; G.o.d is known in her palaces for a refuge." Those who enter must joyfully submit to the laws and ordinances of this house-(Andronicus).
[67] The two lions, civil despotism and ecclesiastical tyranny, terrified many young converts, when desirous of joining a Christian church, here represented by the Beautiful Palace. In the reign of the Tudors they committed sad havoc. In Bunyan"s time, they were chained, so that few suffered martyrdom, although many were ruined, imprisoned, and perished in dungeons. When Faithful pa.s.sed they were asleep. It was a short cessation from persecution. In the Second Part, Great-heart slew Giant b.l.o.o.d.y-man, who backed the lions; probably referring to the wretched death of that monster, Judge Jefferies. And in the experience of Mr. Fearing, it is clear that the Hill Difficulty and the lions were intended to represent temporal and bodily troubles, and not spiritual difficulties-"When we came at the Hill Difficulty, he made no stick at that, nor did he much fear the lions; for you must know that his trouble was not about such things as these; his fear was about his acceptance at last"-(ED).
[68] Christian, after feeling the burden of sin, entering by Christ the gate, taught by the Holy Spirit lessons of high concern in the Bible or House of the Interpreter; after losing his burden by faith in his crucified Saviour, his sins pardoned, clothed with his Lord"s righteousness, marked by a G.o.dly profession, he becomes fit for church-fellowship; is invited by Bishop Gifford, the porter; and, with the consent of the inmates, he enters the house called Beautiful. Mark, reader, not as essential to salvation; it is by the side of the road, not across it; all that was essential had taken place before. Faithful did not enter. Here is no compulsion either to enter or pay: that would have converted it into the house of arrogance or persecution. It is upon the Hill Difficulty, requiring personal, willing efforts to scramble up; and holy zeal and courage to bear the taunts of the world and the growling frowns of the lions. Here he has new lessons to learn of Discretion, Piety, Prudence, and Charity, to bear with his fellow-members, and they with him; and here he is armed for his journey. Many are the blessed enjoyments of church-fellowship. "Esther was had to the house of the women to be purified, and so came to the king. G.o.d also hath appointed that those who come into His royal presence should first go to the house of the women, the church." (See Bunyan"s Greatness of the Soul, vol. 1, p. 145). Every soul must be fitted for the royal presence, usually in church fellowship: but these lovely maidens sometimes wait on and instruct those who never enter the house Beautiful; who belong to the church universal, but not to any local body of Christians. John directs his Revelations to the seven churches in Asia; Paul, his epistles to the churches in Galatia, or to the church at Corinth-all distinct bodies of Christians; James to the 12 tribes; and Peter to the strangers, and "to them that have obtained like precious faith,"
of all churches-(ED).
[69] The true Christian"s inmost feelings will best explain these answers, which no exposition can elucidate to those who are unacquainted with the conflict to which they refer, the golden hours, fleeting and precious, are earnests of the everlasting holy felicity of Heaven-(Scott). [70] The only true mode of vanquishing carnal thoughts is looking at Christ crucified, or dwelling upon His dying love, the robe of righteousness which clothes his naked soul, his roll or evidence of his interest, and the glory and happiness of Heaven! Happy souls who THUS oppose their corruptions!-(Dr.
Dodd).
[71]This was the fact as it regards Bunyan when he was writing the "Pilgrim." He had a wife, two sons, and two daughters. This conversation was first published in the second edition, 1678; and if he referred to his own family, it was to his second wife, a most worthy and heroic woman; but she and some of his children were fellow-pilgrims with him. His eldest son was a preacher 11 years before the Second Part of the "Pilgrim" was published-(ED).
[72] O soul! consider this deeply. It is the life of a Christian that carries more conviction and persuasion than his words-(Mason).
[73] Those that religiously name the name of Christ, and do not depart from iniquity, cause the perishing of many. A professor that hath not forsaken his iniquity is like one that comes out of a pest-house to his home, with all his plague-sores running. He hath the breath of a dragon, and poisons the air round about him.
This is the man that slays his children, his kinsmen, his friends, and himself. O! the millstone that G.o.d will shortly hang about your necks, when you must be drowned in the sea and deluge of G.o.d"s wrath-(Bunyan"s Holy Life, vol. 2, p. 530).
[74] How beautiful must that church be where Watchful is the porter; where Discretion admits the members; where Prudence takes the oversight; where Piety conducts the worship; and where Charity endears the members one to another! They partake of the Lord"s Supper, a feast of fat things, with wine well refined-(J.B.).
[75] Ah! theirs was converse such as it behooves Man to maintain, and such as G.o.d approves--Christ and His character their only scope, Their subject, and their object, and their hope. O days of Heaven, and nights of equal praise! Serene and peaceful as those heavenly days When souls drawn upwards in communion sweet, Enjoy the stillness of some close retreat, Discourse, as if releas"d and safe at home, Of dangers past, and wonders yet to come-(Cowper).
[76] When Christiana and her party arrived at this house Beautiful, she requested that they might repose in the same chamber, called Peace, which was granted. The author, in his marginal note, explains the nature of this resting-place by the words, "Christ"s bosom is for all pilgrims"-(ED).