CHAPTER 5
WEEK 2 – SUNDAY
Read and pray: “Blessed is the man who continually fears; but he who hardens his heart will fall into evil.” (Proverbs 28:14)
Christian at the Interpreter’s house
Christian set out on the way with great courage, and soon arrived at the house of the Interpreter. He knocked repeatedly at the door until someone asked who he was.
Christian – I am a traveler sent by an acquaintance of the owner of this house, in order to learn profitable things. Therefore, I wished to speak with the owner of the house.
He appeared immediately and, addressing the traveler, asked:
Interpreter – What do you desire?
Christian – Sir, I come from the city of Destruction and I am going to Mount Zion. The man who stands at the gate of this road told me I should pass by this house, and that you would show me many excellent and profitable things for my journey.
Interpreter – You may enter. Your desires will be fulfilled.
Then he ordered one of his servants to light a lamp and, taking the traveler by the hand, led him into a room.
He then opened a door, and Christian saw, nailed to the wall, the portrait of a serious and majestic figure, with eyes lifted toward heaven, the best of books in hand, and the law of truth written on his lips; he had his back turned to the world and was in the posture of urging men; a crown of gold hung over his head. Speaking to Christian, who did not understand the meaning of that picture, he said:
Interpreter – This is one in a thousand. He can take for himself those words of the Apostle: “For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (1 Corinthians 4:15; Galatians 4:19).
And the fact that he appears with eyes lifted to heaven, the best of books in hand, and the law of truth on his lips, is to show you that he is occupied with knowing and explaining obscure things to sinners; therefore he stands in the posture of one who strives to convince them. He has the world behind his back, and a crown of gold hanging over his head, to signify that, despising and scorning the things of this world because of the service of his Lord, he will receive as a reward, in the coming age, a crown of glory.
I began by showing you this picture, because the person represented here is the only one authorized by the Lord of the place you are going to, to guide you in all the difficult steps you will encounter on your way. Do not forget what I have taught you or what you have seen, because perhaps you will meet someone on your journey who, pretending to be a guide, wants to lead you to death.
Then he took him by the hand and led him to a dusty room, because it had never been swept, and having ordered one of the servants to sweep it, such a cloud of dust rose that Christian almost suffocated. Then the Interpreter told a young woman who was with them to sprinkle the house with water, and so the house could be swept without difficulty.
Christian – What does this mean?
Interpreter – The room represents a heart that has never been sanctified by the sweet grace of the Gospel; the dust is original sin and inward corruption, which contaminates all men; the one who began to sweep is the law, and the young woman who brought the water and sprinkled the room is the Gospel.
You certainly noticed that when the first began to sweep, so much dust arose that it was absolutely impossible to continue, and you were almost suffocated: this means that the law, instead of cleansing hearts from sin, causes it to live again more and more (Romans 7:9), gives it strength (1 Corinthians 15:56), and makes it grow in the soul (Romans 5:20), while at the same time it denounces and prescribes, without giving the necessary strength to overcome it.
The fact that it was possible to sweep and clean after the young woman watered it means that when the Gospel enters the heart, it conquers and subdues sin with its sweet and precious influence. It cleanses the soul that believes in it and makes it worthy to be inhabited by the King of glory (John 15:3; Romans 3:25-26; Ephesians 5:26; Acts 15:29; John 15:13).
I saw further in my dream that the Interpreter then took the Pilgrim’s hand and led him to a small room where two boys were sitting; the older was called Passion and the younger Patience; the first was very restless, and the second very calm. The first, said the Interpreter, does not resign himself to wait until the beginning of the next year for the possession of the things he values most, as his tutor advises; he wants to possess them now, and since he cannot, he is restless. Patience, however, resigns himself and waits.
At that moment I saw a man enter with a bag of money, which he placed at Passion’s feet. He received it with great interest and joy, giving Patience a scornful smile, but his joy was short-lived, because the money was quickly spent; nothing remained to Passion but miserable rags.
Interpreter – Passion is the image of men of this world, and Patience of men of the coming age. Passion wants to possess and enjoy everything now, this very year, that is, in this world, like men who want to enjoy here everything they consider best, and desire nothing for the future world, or for the other life. The well-known proverb – a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – means much more to them than all divine testimonies about future happiness. And what happens to them? Just as Passion was left with only rags after spending the money, so it will be with them.
Christian – I perfectly understand that Patience is much wiser:
-
because he aspires to the more excellent things, and
-
because he will enjoy them and have his glory in them, when to others only rags remain.
Interpreter – And to what you said, you must add that the glory of the coming age will be eternal, while the goods of this age vanish like smoke. The one who has incontestable right to laugh at Passion is Patience; because he will finally have his happiness, whereas Passion has it now.
The first must necessarily give way to the last, while the latter will have to yield to no one, because no one follows him. He who receives his portion in the present spends it in time, until nothing remains, and he who receives it at the end will keep it forever, because there will be no more time to spend it.
As it was said to the rich fool: “Son, remember that you received your good things in your lifetime, and Lazarus likewise bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are tormented” (Luke 16:25).
Christian – Seeing this, I perceive that it is better not to covet present things, and to hope for those to come.
Interpreter – So it is. “The things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). It happens, however, that, since there is great affinity between present things and our carnal appetites, they quickly become friends; which does not happen with future things, which are so far from the sense of the flesh (Romans 7:15-25).
Then I saw in my dream that the Interpreter led Christian to a place where they saw fire next to a wall, and a man continuously pouring water on it to extinguish it; the fire, however, grew more intense and burned more strongly. Surprised at what he saw, Christian asked what that emblem meant.
Interpreter answered him: That fire represents the work of grace in the human heart, and the one who wants to extinguish it is Satan, but his attempt is in vain [useless]. Follow me and you will know why that fire burns stronger and stronger, instead of going out. Do you see now that other figure who is always secretly pouring oil on the fire, thus increasing its combustion? That figure is Christ, who with the oil of his grace maintains the work begun in the heart, despite the efforts of the devil (2 Corinthians 12:9). And the fact that he is behind the wall teaches you that it is difficult for the tempted to perceive how this work of grace is maintained in the soul.
Enjoy more:
Hymn 112
“Praise to the Lord – Satisfaction in Him”
No comments:
Post a Comment