"gate (h)." The gate to which I sent thee: "for "strait is the gate that leadeth unto life, and few "there he that find it (i)." From this little Wicketgate, and from the way thereto, hath this wicked man turned thee, to the bringing of thee almost to destruction; hate therefore his turning thee out of the way, and abhor thyself for hearkening to him. Secondly. Thou must abhor his labouring to render the cross odious to thee; for thou art to prefer it before "the treasures of Egypt (k).", Besides the King of Glory hath told thee, "that he that will 66 save his life shall lose it ().” And, he that 66 comes after him, and hates not his father and "mother, and wife and children, and brethren and "sisters; yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple (n)." I say, therefore, for a man to labour to persuade thee that that shall be thy death, without which, the Truth hath said, thou canst not have eternal life; this doctrine thou must abbor. 66 Thirdly, Thou must hate his setting of thy feet in the way that leadeth to the ministration of death. And for this thou must consider to whom he sent thee, and also how unable that person was to deliver thee from thy burden. He to whom thou was sent for ease, being by name Legality (7), is the son of the bond-woman which now is, and is in bondage with her children, and is in a mystery this Moun Sinai, which thou hast feared will fall on thy head. Now if she with her children are in bondage, how canst thou expect by them to be made free! This Legality therefore is not able to set thee free from thy burden. No man was as yet ever rd of his burden by him; no, nor ever is like to be. Ye cannot be justified by the () Luke xiii. 24 (i) Matt. vii. 13. 14. 25, 26 (7) Mark viii, 35. John xii. 25. Luke xiv. 26. (n) Gal. iv 21-27. (k) Heb. xi. Mat. x. 39. works of the law; for by the deeds of the law no man living can be rid of his burden. Therefore Mr. Worldly Wiseman is a liar, and Mr Legality is a cheat; as for his son Civility, notwithstanding his simpering looks, he is but a hypocrite, and cannot help thee. Believe me, there is no hing in all this noise, that thou hast heard of these sottish men, but a design to beguile thee of thy salvation, by turning thee from the way in which I had set thee. After this Evangelist called aloud to the heavens for confirmation of what he had said; and with that there came words and fire out of the mountain under which poor Christian stood, that made the hair of his flesh stand up. The words were thus pronounced: As many as are of the works of the law "are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth rot in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them (0).” Now Christian looked for nothing but death, and began to cry out lamentaby; even cursing the time in which he met with Mr. Worldly Wiseman; still called himself a thousand fools for hearkening to his counsel: he also was greatly ashamed to think that this gentleman's arguments, flowing only from the flesh, should have the prevalency with him, to cause him to forsake the right way. This done, he applied himself again to Evangelist, in words and sense as follows: 66 66 66 Chr. 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? Evan. Then said Evangelist to him, Thy sin is very great, for by it thou hast commited two evils: thou hast forsken the way that is good, to tread in forsidden paths; yet wil the man at the ga.e receive thee, for he has good-will for men; only, said (0) Gal. iii. 10. he, take heed that thou turn not aside again, lest thou perish from the way, "when his wrath is "kindled but a little (p)." Then did Christian address himself to go back; and Evangelist, after he had kissed him, gave him one smile, and bid him Godspeed so he went on with haste, neither spake he to any man by the way; nor if any asked him, would he vouchsafe them an answer. He went like one that was all the while treading on forbidden ground, and could by no means think himself safe, till again he was got into the way which he left to follow Mr. Worldly Wiseman's counsel. EXPLANATORY NOTES. IN this chapter, Christian meets with a fresh difficulty. He is accosted by a person rightly called Mr. Worldly Wiseman; for his advice savours not of heavenly wisdom, but of carnal policy. Having surmounted the difficulty of forsaking the world, and having struggled through the slough of desponding fears, he is exposed to a greater snare, by "going about "to establish his own righteousness; not submitting to the righteousness of God," Rom. x. 3. Mr Worldly Wiseman condemns the counsel of Evangelist, or the directions of the gospel, to fly to Christ ;-represents the ways of God as full of misery ;—“ does not like that men "should be serious in reading the Bible," and warmly recommends morality in preference to Christ. In short, he wishes him neither to be over-much wicked, nor over-much righteous approves of his reformation, but scorns experimental religion. Reader, behold in Mr. Worldly Wiseman, the very picture of many self-righteous teachers of this day. What is constantly heard from their pulpits? Morality, morality, morality! and no hing more. Man's utter ruin by sin-his recovery by Christ alone the new-birth-and the work of the Holy Spirit, are never insisted upon. While all heart-religion is (p) Psal. ii. 12. discarded as irrational, methodistical and enthusiastic, it is astonishing, that the Pilgrim's Progress should be generally admired, when these despised truths of God are so warmly maintained throughout it! Poor Christian, deluded by this specious advice, is permitted to turn out of the right way for a time. But what did he get by it? Tremendous horrors soon possessed his mind. The burning mountain seemed falling upon his head. The author alludes to the giving the law at Mount Sinai, which was attended with such awful circumstances, that Moses himself said, "I exceedingly fear and quake," Heb. xii. 21. The meaning is, that if an awakened soul looks for peace of conscience from his own imperfect righteousness, and not from the perfect righteousness of Christ, his guilt and fear, instead of being removed, will most certainly increase. Many young christians, like our pilgrim, are, through ignorance and temptation, led to "seek righteousness as it were by the works of the law," but they cannot find it, Rom. ix. 30, &c. Happy for them, if God cast their lot under the clear preaching of the Gospel.--Evangelist meets with Christian again, chides and chastises him for his folly, and directs his feet into the way of peace. Thus the apostle Paul dealt with the Galatians; "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey THE TRUTH!"-What was that truth which they had departed from, by the persuasion of false teachers! It was the great gospel doctrine of justification alone by Jesus Christ, through faith in him. From this if the professor depart, he is in the utmost danger; for thus the whole gospel is subverted, as the scripture says; "if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain," Gal. iii. 1. and ii. 21. Christian, convinced of his error, and comforted with the hopes of the gospel, “addressed himself to go back ;" and with caution, taught by painful experience, pursues the way to the gate. Thus the sincere believer will profit by his mistakes, and never rest till he obtain forgiveness of sin, through the blood of Christ. Beware, reader, of that worldly wisdom which places all religion in a moral conduct, and so tries to shun the cross. A man may live morally in the world, and be commended by his neighbours; but depend upon it, that he who will live godly IN CHRIST JESUS, shall suffer persecution. 4 CHAP. IV. Christian arrives at the Wicket-gate, where he knocks, and is kindly received. IN process of time, Christian got up to the gate. Now over the gate there was written, " Knock, and "it shall be opened unto you (a)." He knocked therefore more than once or twice, saying. May I now enter here? Will he within Not fail to sing his lasting praise on high. At last there came a grave person to the gate, named Goodwill, who asked, Who was there? and whence he came, and what he would have? Chr. Here is a poor, burdened Sinner. I come from the city of Destruction, but am going to Mount Zion, that I may be delivered from the wrath to come. I would therefore, Sir, since I am informed that by this gate is the way thither, know if you are willing to let me in. Good. I am willing with all my heart, said he; and with that he opened the gate. So when Christian was stepping in, the other gave him a pull: then said Christian, What means that? The other, told him, A little distance from this gate, there is erected a strong castle, of which Bee zebub is the cap ain; from thence both he, and them that are with him, shopt arrows at those that come up to the gate, if haply they may die before they can enter in. Then said Christian, I rejoice and tremble. So when he was got n, the man of the gate asked him, who directed him thither ? (a) Matt, vii. 8. |