The Pilgrim's Progress, week 7, Sunday, chapter 20

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

FROM THIS WORLD,
TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME

CHAPTER 20

WEEK 7 - SUNDAY

Read and pray: "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and power forever and ever!" (Rev 5:13)

The pilgrims enter the glorious city of God

These words made Christian very thoughtful, so Hopeful added: Trust, brother, Jesus Christ will heal you. Upon hearing this, Christian cried out loudly: Yes, I see Him, and I hear Him say: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you" (Isaiah 43:2).

Thus they encouraged one another, and the enemy could do nothing against them, so that he left them, as if he were chained, until they crossed the river. The depth of the waters kept decreasing, and soon they found ground where they could set their feet firmly.

What great consolation they experienced when they once again saw, on the opposite shore, the two Shining Ones who, greeting them, said: We are ministering spirits, sent forth to serve those who are to inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14). And they were drawing nearer and nearer to the gate.

It should be noted that the city is built on a great mountain, but the pilgrims climbed it with ease, for they were supported by the arm of the Shining Ones; besides, they had left behind, in the river, their mortal garments. Thus they ascended with the greatest agility, even though the foundations upon which the city rests were higher than the clouds. With what pleasure they passed through the various regions of the atmosphere, speaking sweetly with one another, and filled with consolation for having crossed the river safely and for having such glorious companions at their service!

How pleasant were the conversations they had with the Shining Ones! There, they said, is a glory and beauty beyond words; there is Mount Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem, the company of many thousands of angels and the spirits of the righteous made perfect (Hebrews 12:22-24).

You are now near the Paradise of God, where you will see the tree of life and eat of its inaccessible fruit. You will receive, upon entering, white garments, and your fellowship and conversation with the King will last for all the days of eternity (Revelation 2:7; 4:5; 22:5). You will no longer see there what you saw and felt in the lower region of the Earth, that is, pain, sickness, affliction, and death, for all of that is now past (Isaiah 65:16-17). You will join Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets, whom God delivered from future evil, and who now rest in their beds for having walked in righteousness. You will receive comfort for all your labors and joy for all your sorrows; you will reap what you have sown, that is, the fruit of all your prayers, tears, and sufferings that you endured for the King along the way of your pilgrimage (Galatians 6:7-8).

You will wear crowns of gold and enjoy the perpetual sight and presence of the HOLY ONE, for there you will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).

You will serve continually with praises, with voices of joy, and with thanksgiving. Him whom you desired to serve in the world with much difficulty because of the weakness of your flesh. Your eyes will rejoice at the sight, and you yourselves at the sweet voice of the Most High; you will regain the company of friends who preceded you, and will joyfully receive all those who followed you into the holy place.

You will be given garments of glory and majesty, and when the King of glory comes in the clouds, at the sound of the trumpet, as on the wings of the wind, you will come with Him; when He sits on the throne of judgment, you will sit by His side; when He pronounces the sentence against those who have worked iniquity, whether angels or men, you will also have a voice in that judgment; and when He returns to the city, you will return with Him at the sound of the trumpet and will be with Him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; Jude 14-15; Daniel 7:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3).

As they were approaching the gate, behold, a multitude of the heavenly hosts came out to meet them, asking: Who are these, and where did they come from? The Shining Ones answered: These are men who loved our Lord when they were in the world and left everything for His holy name; He sent us to bring them here, and we have accompanied them on their long-desired journey so that they may enter and behold their Redeemer face to face, with great joy. And the heavenly hosts raised voices of rejoicing and exclaimed: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:9).

Upon hearing these words, the King’s musicians played soft melodies on their instruments, which resounded in the heavens, and with voices and gestures of joy, singing and making their instruments sound, they saluted a thousand times those who came from the world. Some positioned themselves on the right, some on the left, some in front, others behind, as if to accompany them and support them in the higher regions, filling the spaces with melodious sounds, so that it seemed as if heaven itself had come to receive them; it was the most beautiful triumphal procession ever seen.

Everything indicated to the two pilgrims how welcome they were in the city and with how much joy they were received. They already saw it from afar, they already heard the joyful ringing of all the bells that greeted their arrival. Oh! What joyful and rapturous thoughts came to them as they saw the city’s rejoicing, the company they were about to enjoy, and forever! What tongue or pen could express them?

Behold, they arrived at the gate of the city, upon which they saw engraved, in letters of gold, the following words: "Blessed are those who wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14).

They knocked forcefully, and immediately the faces of those who lived there appeared above the gate… Enoch, Moses, Elijah… who, asking who was knocking, received this answer: These are two pilgrims who came from the City of Destruction, for the love they bear to the King of this place.

Then each of the pilgrims handed over the scroll he had received at the beginning, and these documents, having been taken to the King and read by Him, He commanded that the gates be opened for the pilgrims, so that the righteous people, keepers of the truth, may enter. (Isaiah 26:2).

I then saw them enter, and after having passed through the gate, they were transfigured and received garments that shone like gold, and harps and crowns were given to them, so that with the former they might sing praises, and with the latter they might bear a sign of honor.

I heard again the ringing of the city’s bells, as a sign of rejoicing, while the King’s ministers said to the pilgrims: "Enter into the joy of your Lord!" (Matthew 25:23). And they replied with joy and outpouring: "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and power forever and ever!" (Revelation 5:13).

I took advantage of the moment when the gates were opened for them to pass through, and I looked inside; behold, I saw the city shining like the sun; the streets were paved with gold, and a multitude of men walked on them, with crowns on their heads, palms and golden harps in their hands, singing praises.

I also saw that some had wings, and that they sang without ceasing: "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord." And the gates were closed again, and I remained outside, full of sorrow, for I longed to enter and enjoy the things I had seen.

It was a pity that my dream did not end with such sweet impressions. After the gates were closed, I looked back and saw Ignorance, who was arriving at the riverbank; he crossed quickly and with not half the difficulties the pilgrims had faced. And it happened so because there was a little boat called Vain-Hope, which helped him cross.

Ignorance also climbed the mountain toward the gate, but no one came to meet him to help him or to speak a word of encouragement or consolation. Arriving at the gate, he looked at the inscription above it. He began to knock, assuming that they would open the entrance for him, but those who appeared above the gate asked him where he came from and what he wanted.

Ignorance replied: I ate and drank in the presence of the King, and He taught in our streets. Give me then the certificate to show the King. Ignorance searched in his bosom, but found nothing. He had no certificate at all. They said to him: You have no certificate? Ignorance said nothing.

When the King was informed of what was happening, He ordered the Shining Ones to bind Ignorance hand and foot and cast him out; and I saw that they carried him through the air to the gate I had seen at the foot of the mountain, and from there they cast him down¹.

I was astonished; but this served me as an important lesson, for I learned that from the gate of heaven there is a way to hell¹, just as there is one from the City of Destruction.

And with that… I awoke, and saw that it had all been a dream.

______________________

¹ Hell: throughout the book we see a strong concept of Arminianism, a theological current first articulated by Jacobus Arminius at the beginning of the 17th century in the Netherlands, thus prior to John Bunyan, the author of this book. Arminius, although he initially studied with Theodore Beza (successor of John Calvin), developed his own ideas, especially concerning human free will and universal atonement.

For Arminians, a believer can fall away from the faith to the point of losing his salvation, something the Bible does not teach. The greatest fault among believers who support this idea of Arminius is their failure to understand the teaching of the kingdom of heaven. For them, the millennial kingdom and the New Jerusalem are confused.

Enjoy more:

Hymn - Worship to the Father - "His Righteousness"

https://hinario.org/detail.php?id=32

The Pilgrim's Progress, week 6, Saturday, chapter 20

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

FROM THIS WORLD,

TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME

CHAPTER 20

WEEK 6 - SATURDAY

Read and pray: "You shall no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall your land any more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called Hephzibah¹, and your land Beulah²; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married." (Is 62:4)

Christian and Hopeful pass through the
inhabited land and cross the river of Death

After the pleasant practices I have just mentioned, I saw in my dream that the pilgrims had already passed the enchanted land and had reached the entrance of the country of Beulah (Isaiah 62:4-12; Song of Songs 2:10-12).

Very sweet and pleasant was the air of that country they were passing through, where they rejoiced for some time. They delighted in hearing the birds singing and the voice of the turtledoves, and in seeing the flowers that covered the meadows. In that country the day is permanent, the sun shines in all its splendor, so that it is entirely out of the limits of the Valley of the Shadow of Death and the domain of the giant Despair; nor can any part of Doubting Castle be seen from there.

The pilgrims were very close to the City they were going to, and more than once they met its inhabitants, for the Shining Ones often walked in those places, which were, so to speak, within the borders of heaven.

It was in that country that the covenant between the Bridegroom and the Bride was renewed, and just as they rejoice in one another, so their God delights in them. Neither wheat nor wine was lacking there, for there was an abundance of everything they had sought throughout their pilgrimage.

Great voices were heard coming from the city, crying: "Say to the daughter of Zion: Behold, your Savior comes; behold, His reward is with Him" (Is 62:11).

Finally, the inhabitants of the country were called a holy people, redeemed of the Lord, etc. Happy are they! The further they went into that country, the greater was their joy; and the closer they approached the city, the more perfect and magnificent was the view that opened before their eyes.

The city was built of pearls and precious stones, the streets paved with gold, so that the natural brightness and the reflection of the sun's rays caused Christian to fall sick with longing. Hopeful also felt afflicted by this sickness, so they stopped for a while to rest, exclaiming in the midst of their anxiety: If you find my beloved, tell him that I am sick with love (Song of Songs 5:8). Soon they were strengthened and, finding themselves more willing to endure the sickness, they continued on their way, drawing ever nearer to the city.

By the roadside were excellent vineyards and delightful gardens. They met the gardener and asked him to whom such beautiful vineyards and gardens belonged. He told them that they were the property of the King, and that they had been planted for His delight and for the comfort of the pilgrims. He invited them to enter the vineyards and offered them the choicest clusters; he showed them the walks where the King delighted; and ended by inviting them to sleep there.

And I saw that while they slept, they spoke more than during all their journey; and noticing this, the gardener said to me: You need not be surprised. It is the nature of the fruit of these vineyards to go in smoothly and speak to the lips of those who sleep (Song of Songs 7:9).

When they awoke, they prepared to enter the city, but, as I said before, since it was of pure gold (Revelation 21:18), such was the reflection of the sun and so highly glorious, that they could not gaze upon it with an unveiled face (II Corinthians 3:18).

And I saw that two men with garments shining like gold, whose faces were bright as the light, came to meet them and asked them where they came from, where they had stayed, what difficulties and dangers, what consolations and pleasures they had encountered on the way. After these questions were answered, they said: You only have two difficulties left to overcome: then you will enter the city.

Christian and his companion immediately asked them to accompany them. The men replied that they were most willing, but warned them that they would have to overcome by their own faith, and so they walked together until they saw the gate.

When they arrived there, I saw that between them and the gate there was a river; but there was no bridge by which they could cross, and the river was very deep. When they saw it, the pilgrims were greatly frightened, but the men who accompanied them said: Either you cross it or you will not reach the gate.

Is there no other way? asked the pilgrims.

There is, replied the men, but only for two, who are Enoch and Elijah³, to whom it was permitted to pass over the river since the foundation of the world, which has been permitted to no one else until now.

Then the pilgrims, especially Christian, began to be greatly disheartened, looking from one side to the other; but they could find no way to avoid the river. They asked the two companions if the water was equally deep throughout the river. They answered that it was not, but that this should not matter to them, because whether they found it more or less deep depended on the faith they had in the King of the country.

They resolved, therefore, to enter the water; but as soon as they did, Christian began to sink and cried out to Hopeful: I am sinking in these waters, all the waves go over me.

Hopeful replied: Take courage, brother! I have reached the bottom, and I find it safe.

Ah! My friend, cried Christian, the sorrows of death have compassed me, and I shall not see the land flowing with milk and honey. Then a great horror and darkness fell upon Christian, so that he could see nothing. He lost part of his senses, so that he could neither remember nor speak rightly of any of the sweet comforts he had met with along the way.

All the words he uttered suggested that he was horrified and terrified of dying in that river and not entering through the gate of the city. Those around also observed that he had painful thoughts of the sins he had committed, both before and after becoming a pilgrim. It was also noted that he was afflicted by apparitions, phantoms, and evil spirits, as could be gathered from his words.

Very great was Hopeful's effort to keep his brother’s head above water. Sometimes he sank completely, which left him almost half dead. He tried to comfort him by speaking to him of the gate and of those who were waiting there, but Christian replied: It is you, it is you they are waiting for; you have always been Hopeful since I have known you; ah! Surely if I were accepted by Him, He would rise to help me, but for my sins, He has brought me into the snare and left me in it.

Never, replied Hopeful: surely you have forgotten the text that says of the wicked: They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men (Psalms 73:4-5). These afflictions and troubles you are going through in this river are no sign that God has abandoned you; they only serve to test you, to see if you remember what you have received of His goodness, and if you live upon Him in your afflictions.

___________________

¹ Hephzibah: "My delight"

² Beulah: "Married"

³ Enoch (Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:10-11) were taken up alive and did not pass through physical death.

Enjoy more:

Hymn - Worship to the Father - "His Grace in Sonship"

Instrumental:
https://hinario.org/detail.php?tab=1&mainins=admin/Uploaded-mp3-Files/0047.1.piano.mp3&id=59

With voice in Portuguese:

https://hinario.org/detail.php?tab=1&mainmp3=admin/Uploaded-mp3-Files/0047.1.voz_piano.mp3&id=59

The Pilgrim's Progress, week 6, Friday, chapter 19

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

FROM THIS WORLD,
TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME

CHAPTER 19

WEEK 6 - FRIDAY

Read and pray: "When you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears will hear a word behind you, saying: This is the way, walk in it." (Is 30:21)

The pilgrims talk about Temporary

Hopeful - I agree. I believe you have spoken the truth. But tell me: haven’t we yet left the enchanted ground?

Christian - Are you bored with our conversation?

Hopeful - No, but I wished to know where we are.

Christian - We still have nearly a league to go before leaving this ground. But, returning to the subject: the ignorant do not realize that such convictions, which terrify them, are for their good, and therefore they seek to drown them.

Hopeful - And how do they try to do it?

Christian:

1º) They believe that these fears are the work of the devil (when in reality they are from God), and so they resist them with what tends directly to their ruin.

2º) They also think that such fears tend to harm their faith, when (wretched as they are!) they have none, and so they harden their hearts against them.

3º) They suppose that they should not fear, and therefore, despite their fears, they become vainly confident \[Jer 17:5].

4º) They think that these fears tend to degrade their own holiness, old and miserable, and so they resist them with all their strength.

Hopeful - I myself experienced some of these things, for before I was convinced I went through what you have just said.

Christian - Well. Let us now leave our neighbor Ignorance for the moment, and move on to something useful.

Hopeful - Most willingly. You propose this new subject.

Christian - Did you know in your land, it will be \[it was] ten years ago, a certain Temporary, who was at that time a rather zealous man in religion?

Hopeful - Perfectly. I have not yet forgotten: he lived in No-Grace, a village about half a league from Honesty, in a house next to that of a certain Backsliding.

Christian - That’s right. He lived with him under the same roof. Well, that Temporary was once very well inclined. I believe that at that time he had some conviction of his sins and of the stipend \[punishment] that is due to them.

Hopeful - I remember that perfectly. His house was no more than a league from mine, and many times he came to me bathed in tears. It saddened me, and I had not wholly lost the hopes I placed in him. But it is clear that not all who cry "Lord!" are Christians.

Christian - Temporary told me once that he was resolved to become a pilgrim, as we are now, but he made the acquaintance of a certain Self-Salvation and broke off my friendship from then on.

Hopeful - Since we are speaking of him, let us investigate the reason for his sudden apostasy, and that of others like him.

Christian - That investigation may be very useful. But now, it is your turn to begin.

Hopeful - In my opinion the reasons are four:

1ª) Although the consciences of these men are awakened¹, their hearts are no different. Thus, when the power of sin² ends, so does the reason that led them to become religious, and they naturally return to their old habits, just as we see the dog return to its vomit, and the washed sow wallow in the mire (2 Peter 2:22).

They eagerly seek heaven, only because they understand and fear the torments of hell: but as soon as this apprehension and fear cool and weaken, so do the desires they had for heaven and salvation, and thus, once the offense and fear are gone, those desires end, and they return to their old habits.

2ª) Another reason is that these fears are not from God, but from other men, and the fear of man is a snare. So that, appearing eager for heaven while the flames of hell roar around them, as soon as that terror passes, other thoughts come to them, such as that it is good to be cautious and that it is not very wise to put oneself into unnecessary afflictions, thus returning to make peace with the world.

3ª) It also happens that the misunderstood shame that often accompanies religion serves them as a stumbling block: they are proud and haughty, and religion is vile and despicable in their eyes: and therefore, once they lose the sense of misfortune and of the wrath to come, they return to their old way of living.

4ª) The idea of sin afflicts them greatly, and they think of it with terror: they do not like to contemplate their miseries, for although the first consideration led them to take refuge where the righteous take refuge, and where they would be safe, as they attribute these thoughts to sin and terror, once they become insensitive to their convictions and to the fear of the wrath of God, they willingly harden their hearts and choose precisely the paths that most contribute to this hardening.

Christian - I believe you speak quite accurately, for the main cause is the lack of a change in their heart and will, which makes them like the accused who, when in the presence of the judge, trembles and seems to repent from the depths of his heart, when the only cause that moves him is the fear of the gallows and not the horror of the crime committed. Grant freedom to this criminal, and you will see him continue to kill and steal as before: but if his heart had changed, his conduct would also have changed.

Hopeful - Since I have explained to you the reasons for these men’s return to the old ways, explain to me now how this failure takes place.

Christian - I will tell you:

1º) They divert their thoughts, when possible, from the meditation and remembrance of God, of death, and of future judgment.

2º) They gradually and little by little abandon their private duties³, such as: prayer, restraining lusts, self-watchfulness, sorrow for sins, etc.

3º) They grow cold in fulfilling public duties³, such as: reading and preaching the word, fellowship with other Christians, etc.

4º) They begin to censure godly people, and in a hellish manner, in order to have a seeming excuse to cast off religion, under the pretext of some weaknesses they have discovered in those who profess it.

5º) They begin to cling to and associate with carnal, lustful \[sensual, carnal] and frivolous men.

6º) Then they secretly give themselves to carnal and frivolous conversations, esteeming it good to see others who are considered honorable do the same, to justify their conduct and continue more boldly.

7º) Finally, they begin to openly mock certain sins, saying they are of little importance, and:

8º) By hardening themselves in this way, they manifest themselves as they really are. And so, cast into the abyss of misery, unless a miracle of grace prevents it, they perish forever in their own delusions.

________________________

¹ For God, the conscience of an unbeliever is dead, for it does not allow him to know his sinful condition. If someone who has not believed in the Lord is sensitive, he will seek to help people and not do wrong things according to his natural concept, but his conscience is incapable of leading him to repentance.

² Christ destroyed the power of sin on the cross, but that is an objective fact; it does not mean that after believing in the Lord we are free from sin. In our human experience, whenever our consecration ceases, the power of sin is present. It will remain so until the Lord’s return (Rom 6:12-14).

³ Only a sense of fulfilling duty is not able to keep us on the Way. As the hymn below says, we need to be attracted by the beauty and worth of the Lord:

"Why did I leave in the world
My idols, without pain?
It was not by duty – I had
The vision of His worth."

Enjoy more:

Hymn - Consecration - "Drawn by the Beauty of the Lord"

https://hinario.org/detail.php?id=512

The Pilgrim's Progress, week 6, Thursday, chapter 19

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

FROM THIS WORLD,
TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME

CHAPTER 19

WEEK 6 - THURSDAY

Read and pray: "Such love has no fear, because perfect love drives out all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." (1 Jn 4:18)

The pilgrims speak again with Ignorance (2)

Ignorance - Do you think I am so foolish as to suppose that God only sees what I see, or that I would dare to appear in His presence with my best works?

Christian - Well, if you don’t think that, then what do you think?

Ignorance - In a few words I will say it: I believe it is necessary to have faith in Christ to be justified.

Christian - How? Do you think you can have faith in Christ without seeing your need for Him, nor knowing your original and current weaknesses, while holding, about yourself and your deeds, such an opinion that clearly proves you have never recognized the need for Christ’s personal righteousness to justify you before God? How can you say, "I believe in Christ"?

Ignorance - I believe, and quite enough, despite all that.

Christian - And how do you believe?

Ignorance - I believe that Christ died for sinners, and that I will be justified before God and freed from the curse if He accepts my obedience to His law. In other words: Christ makes my religious duties acceptable to the Father, by virtue of His merits, and thus I am justified.

Christian - Allow me to oppose your profession of faith.

1st) You have an imaginary faith, because such a faith I find nowhere described in the Word of God.

2nd) You have a false faith, because you set aside justification by the personal righteousness of Christ and apply your own righteousness.

3rd) That faith makes Christ the one who justifies not your person but your actions, which is false.

4th) Finally, your faith is deceptive, leaving you under the wrath of the Most High God, because true faith, which justifies, makes the soul, convicted of its state of perdition by the law, seek refuge in the righteousness of Christ. This righteousness does not consist of a single act of grace, where your obedience is accepted by God for justification, but in Christ’s personal obedience to the law, in suffering for us what is required of us. This is the righteousness that true faith accepts, and that covers our soul under its mantle, so that it may appear spotless before God, being accepted and absolved from condemnation.

Ignorance - Do you then want us simply to trust in what Christ did, without adding the contribution of our own persons? Such a notion would give free rein to our lusts and allow us to live however we pleased: for what would our manner of life matter if we could be fully justified by Christ’s personal righteousness simply by having faith in it?

Christian - Ignorance is your name, and well you prove it by this answer. You are ignorant of what justifying righteousness is, and you are also ignorant of how you are to deliver your soul, by this faith, from the dreadful wrath of God. You are ignorant of the true effects of this saving faith in Christ’s righteousness, which are: to bend and win the heart to God in Christ, loving His name, His Word, His ways, and His people, and not as you, in your ignorance, imagine them.

Hopeful - Ask him if Christ has ever been revealed to him.

Ignorance - What? Are you one of those who believe in revelations? Well! It seems to me that what you say on that point is nothing more than the fruit of a disordered brain.

Hopeful - Man! Christ is in God in such an incomprehensible way to all flesh that no one can know Him in a saving way unless God the Father reveals Him.

Ignorance - That may be your belief, but not mine, since I do not doubt that mine is as good as yours, although my head is in better shape than yours.

Christian - Allow me to join the conversation. One must not speak so lightly on this subject, for I resolutely and categorically affirm that no one can know Jesus Christ except by the revelation of the Father. Furthermore: for faith to be right, it must be wrought by the surpassing greatness of His power (Matthew 11:27; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Ephesians 1:17-20).

I see, poor Ignorance, that you know nothing of this working of faith. Awake then, recognize your own misery, and turn to the Lord Jesus, and by His righteousness, which is the righteousness of God (for He Himself is God), you will be free from condemnation.

Ignorance - You go too fast! I cannot follow you at that pace. Go on ahead, I am in no hurry.

And he took leave of them.

Then Christian said to his companion: We are doing well, Hopeful. It is clear that we must go on again alone.

They quickened their pace, while Ignorance followed limping, and overheard them say:

Christian - I pity that poor lad!

Hopeful - Sadly, there are many in our city in the same condition, whole families, entire streets: and if there are so many in our city, where all are pilgrims, what must it be like in the land where Ignorance was born?

Christian - How true is the word: He has closed their eyes so that they cannot see...

Now, however, that we are alone again, tell me: What do you think of these men? Do you believe they ever had conviction of sin, and therefore fear the state of danger they are in?

Hopeful - To that question, none can answer better than you, for you are more competent than I.

Christian - I am of the opinion that it is possible they may feel it once or twice, but, as they are ignorant by nature, they do not understand that this conviction is profitable to them, and they seek to drown it in every way, continuing to flatter themselves in the way of their own hearts.

Hopeful - Indeed, I also believe, as you do, that fear serves greatly for the good of men and makes them go straight to the beginning of their pilgrimage.

Christian - We cannot doubt that it is good, for so says the Word: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Job 28:28; Psalms 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10).

Hopeful - How can one recognize the fear that is good¹?

Christian - Good fear is recognized by three things:

1st) By its origin: it is caused by saving convictions of sin;

2nd) It drives the soul to draw near to Christ for salvation;

3rd) It generates and maintains in the soul a great reverence for God, for His Word and His ways, keeping it steady and tender, and making it fear to turn aside from them to any other way, or to do anything that might dishonor God, disturb its peace, grieve the Holy Spirit, or give the enemy an advantage.

__________________

¹ In this context the word "fear" should be understood as a feeling of reverence, awe, and respect. In the Bible, fear does not come from God and is presented as a sign of spiritual immaturity (1 John 4:18).

Enjoy more:

Hymn - Encouragement - "To Rest in the Lord"

https://hinario.org/detail.php?id=728

The Pilgrim's Progress, week 6, Wednesday, chapter 19

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

FROM THIS WORLD,

TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME

CHAPTER 19

WEEK 6 - WEDNESDAY

Read and pray: "A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment." (Prov. 18:1)

The pilgrims speak again with Ignorance and perceive in his words the language of a Christian in name only.

When Hopeful finished the reasoning we have just mentioned, he looked back and, seeing Ignorance following them, said to Christian:

Hopeful – That young man doesn’t seem too eager to catch up with us.

Christian – I see that. He clearly doesn’t enjoy our company.

Hopeful – I think the same. Still, let’s wait for him.

And so they did. As soon as the young man came near, Christian asked him why he was walking so slowly.

Ignorance – I enjoy walking alone, especially when I don’t like the company.

Christian – (Whispering to Hopeful): Didn’t I tell you he didn’t enjoy our company?

(Aloud, to Ignorance): Come now, walk with us and let’s use our time in a profitable conversation. Tell me how you are and how things stand between God and your soul.

Ignorance – I suppose as good as they can be. I’m always filled with good thoughts, which come to my mind and comfort me along my pilgrimage.

Christian – And what kind of thoughts are these?

Ignorance – I think about God and heaven.

Christian – So do demons and the damned souls!

Ignorance – But I meditate on these thoughts and have the desire to live them out.

Christian – Many do the same and yet have no real hope of reaching God or heaven. The soul of the sluggard desires and has nothing (Prov. 13:4).

Ignorance – But I think on these things and give up everything for them.

Christian – I very much doubt that, for giving up everything is far more difficult than many think. But tell me: what is your basis for thinking you have given up everything for God and heaven?

Ignorance – My heart assures me of it.

Christian – The wise man says that he who trusts in his own heart is a fool (Proverbs 28:26).

Ignorance – That’s when the heart is evil; mine, however, is good.

Christian – And how can you prove it?

Ignorance – I find comfort in the hope of heaven.

Christian – That too may be deceptive. The heart can comfort us with the hope of something it has no real basis to hope for.

Ignorance – But my heart and my life are in perfect harmony, and so I believe my hope is well grounded.

Christian – Who told you your heart and your life are in harmony?

Ignorance – My heart.

Christian – Your heart! If the Word of God does not bear witness to that, any other witness is worthless.

Ignorance – Isn’t a heart that has good feelings a good heart? Isn’t a life that agrees with God’s commandments a good life?

Christian – It’s true: a heart with good thoughts is good, and a life in harmony with God’s commandments is good. But you must note that having them is one thing, and thinking you have them is another.

Ignorance – Then tell me: what do you understand by good thoughts and a life in conformity with God’s commandments?

Christian – There are different kinds of good thoughts: some about ourselves, some about God, and some about other things.

Ignorance – What are the good thoughts about ourselves?

Christian – Those that agree with the Word of God.

Ignorance – When do our thoughts about ourselves agree with God’s Word?

Christian – When we judge ourselves the way that Word judges us. Let me explain. The Word of God says of those in their natural state that there is none righteous, not even one; no one who does good. It also says that every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart is only evil continually (Genesis 8:21).

So, when we think that way about ourselves and truly feel it, our thoughts are good because they agree with the Word of God.

Ignorance – I will never believe that my heart is that bad.

Christian – And that’s why you’ve never had a single good thought in your life. Just as God’s Word judges our ways, when the thoughts of our hearts and our ways agree with that judgment, both are good because they align with it.

Ignorance – Explain what that means.

Christian – The Word of God says that man’s ways are crooked, that they are not good but evil. It says men by nature have turned aside and have not known the way (Psalms 125:5; Proverbs 2:15; Romans 3:12–17). Now, when a man thinks that way about his own ways, with a humbled heart, then he has good thoughts about his ways.

Ignorance – And what are good thoughts about God?

Christian – Likewise, they are thoughts that agree with what the Word of God tells us about Him—about His being, His attributes—as the Word teaches. But I cannot go into all that now. Speaking only of God in His relation to us, our thoughts are right and good when we think that He knows us better than we know ourselves; that He can see sin in us even when we cannot see it at all; that He knows our most secret thoughts and that what is most hidden in our hearts is always visible to His eyes; that all our righteousness is abominable in His sight, and therefore He cannot allow us to stand before Him trusting in our works, even the best ones.

Enjoy more:

Hymn – Longings – “For Light”

https://hinario.org/detail.php?id=501

The Pilgrim's Progress, week 6, Tuesday, chapter 18

    THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

FROM THIS WORLD,
TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME

CHAPTER 18

WEEK 6 – TUESDAY

Read and pray: “Then Jesus declared to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” (John 6:35)

Christian – Have you ever felt relief from the burden of your sins when those thoughts came to you?

Hope – On the contrary, it only made my conscience firmer, and just thinking that I would return to sin (even though my heart was inclined toward it) was a double torment for me.

Christian – And what did you do then?

Hope – I thought I had to make efforts to amend my life, because otherwise my condemnation was inevitable.

Christian – Didn’t you make those efforts?

Hope – Yes, and I fled not only from my sins but also from my companions in sin; I busied myself with religious practices such as praying, reading, weeping over my sins, speaking the truth to my neighbors, etc. I did this and many other things that would be tedious and difficult to list.

Christian – Did you consider yourself good for acting that way?

Hope – Yes, but only for a short time; very soon my affliction overcame me again despite all my reform.

Christian – But how, if you were already reformed?

Hope – For several reasons. I remembered words like these: “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6); “No one will be justified by the works of the law” (Galatians 2:16); “When you have done all that is commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants’” (Luke 17:10); and others of the same kind. Then I reasoned this way.

If all my righteous works are filthy rags, if no one can be justified by works of the law, and after doing all that is commanded we are unworthy servants, it is madness to want to reach heaven by the law. And I kept thinking: if a man contracts a debt with a merchant, even if he pays immediately for everything he buys afterward, his old debt remains in the ledger, and sooner or later the merchant may come to demand it and have him imprisoned until it is paid.

Christian – And how did you apply this reasoning to yourself?

Hope – I thought this way: because of my sins, I contracted a great debt to God, and my current reform cannot settle that account; so, despite all my amendments, I must constantly think of the reform by which I will be delivered from the condemnation incurred by my past transgressions.

Christian – That reasoning was true. Continue.

Hope – Another thing that afflicts me most since my recent reform is the idea that if I carefully examine my actions, even the most commendable, I always discover new sin, sin wrapped up with all that I can do better, so I am forced to suppose that, despite the false ideas I once had about myself and my duties, I commit enough sins every day to be condemned to hell, even if my previous life was spotless. And what did I do? I didn’t know what to do until I opened my heart to Faithful, whom I knew well, and he told me that only by the righteousness of a man who had never sinned could I be saved; neither my righteousness nor that of the whole world was sufficient.

Christian – And did you find true what Faithful told you?

Hope – If they had told me when I was content and satisfied with my reforms, I would have called them foolish; but now that I recognize my weakness and see sin mixed with my best actions, I am forced to agree with him.

Christian – But when he first made you aware of that opinion, did you think it possible that there was a man of whom it could be said he never sinned?

Hope – I must confess that at first his words seemed very strange to me; but after further conversation and closer fellowship with him, I was fully convinced of what he said.

Christian – And did you ask him who that man was and how you could be justified by him?

Hope – Surely, and he answered me: It is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of the Most High (Hebrews 10:12 and 21). And he added: “You will be justified by Him, trusting in what He did in the days of His flesh, and in what He suffered when He was nailed to the tree” (Romans 4:5; Colossians 1:14; 1 Peter 1:19). I asked him more about how the righteousness of that man could have the power to justify another before God, and he told me that the man he spoke of was the Almighty God, and that all He did and the death He suffered were not for Himself, but for me, to whom His works and all His worth would be credited if I believed in Him.

Christian – And what did you do then?

Hope – I objected to those doctrines, because it seemed to me that the Lord was unwilling to save me.

Christian – And what did Faithful say to you?

Hope – He told me to go to Him, and He would convince me otherwise. I objected that it would be presumption on my part, but Faithful removed the objection, reminding me what Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” And he gave me a book to encourage me to come with more freedom, adding that every jot and tittle was firmer in that book than heaven and earth (Matthew 24:35).

I then asked what I should do to approach Him, and he taught me that I should invoke Him on my knees (Daniel 6:10), that I should pray to the Father with all my heart and soul (Jeremiah 29:12-13), that He would reveal His Son to me. I asked again how I should make my prayers, and he said: “Look, and you will see Him sitting on a mercy seat, where He remains all year to forgive and redeem those who come near” (Exodus 25:22; Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 7:8-9; Hebrews 4:16).

I told him I did not know what to say when I presented myself before Him, and Faithful recommended I speak to Him something like this: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Make me know Jesus Christ, and believe in Him, because I recognize that without His righteousness, or without trusting in it, I would be hopelessly lost. Lord, I have heard that You are a merciful God, and that You gave Jesus Christ, Your Son, as Savior to the world, and that You are willing to give Him to a poor sinner like me, who indeed is a sinner. Lord, seize this occasion and show Your grace in saving my soul through Jesus Christ, Your Son. Amen.”

Christian – And did you do so?

Hope – Once and many times.

Christian – And did the Father reveal His Son to you?

Hope – No, not the first, nor the second, nor the third, nor the fourth, nor the fifth, nor the sixth time.

Christian – And how did you act seeing this?

Hope – I did not know what decision to make.

Christian – Did you not try to give up prayer?

Hope – I did two hundred times.

Christian – And why did you do that?

Hope – Because I believed what Faithful had told me was true, that without the righteousness of this Christ, not even the whole world would have power to save me. So I reasoned with myself: If I leave Him, I die, and then I prefer to die at the foot of the throne of grace. Besides, these words came to mind: “If he delays, wait for him; for he will surely come and will not delay” (Hebrews 2:3). Then I continued praying until the Father revealed His Son to me.

Christian – And how was He revealed to you?

Hope – I did not see Him with the eyes of my body, but with those of understanding (Ephesians 1:18-19). It was like this: One day I was very sad, sadder, it seems to me, than I had ever been before, this sadness caused by a new revelation of the magnitude and vileness of my sins, and when I expected only hell and eternal condemnation of my soul, it seemed to me suddenly to see the Lord Jesus, looking at me from heaven, and saying: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

But Lord, I replied, I am a great sinner, very great; and He answered me: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). I asked Him: What is faith? And I recognized from those words, “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35), that believing and going were the same thing, and that he who goes, that is, who runs in his heart and affections for the salvation of Christ, is the one who truly believes in Christ.

My eyes moistened with tears, and I kept asking: But Lord, can a sinner as great as I really be accepted and saved by You? And He answered: “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37). And I said: But Lord, what idea should I have of You when I come to You, so that my faith may be perfect? And He told me: “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). From this I concluded that I must find righteousness in His person, and the payment for my sins in His blood; that what He did, obeying the law of His Father and submitting to the penalty of that law, He did only for those who accept His salvation and thank Him. Then my heart was filled with joy, my eyes with tears, and my affections expanded in love for the name, the people, and the ways of Jesus Christ.

Christian – That was indeed a revelation of Christ to your soul. Tell me now what effects it produced in your spirit.

Hope – It made me see that everyone, despite all their own righteousness, exists in a state of condemnation; that God the Father, although Just, can justify with justice the sinner who comes to Him; it made me ashamed of my former life, and humbled me by making me know and feel my own ignorance, because until then no single thought had come to my heart that revealed the beauty of Jesus Christ in such a way; it made me desire a holy life, and long to do something more for the honor and glory of the Lord’s name; it even seemed to me that if I had a thousand lives, I would gladly lose them for the love of Jesus!

Enjoy more:

Hymn – “Christ loved me, what a good Savior!”

https://hinario.org/detail.php?id=406

The Pilgrim's Progress, week 6, Monday, chapter 18

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

FROM THIS WORLD,
TO THAT WHICH IS TO COMECHAPTER 18

WEEK 6 – MONDAY

Read and pray: "I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth." (1 John 2:21)

The pilgrims meet Atheist, whom they resist with the doctrines of the Bible. They pass through the Enchanted Land, an image of the corruption of this world in times of peace and prosperity. Means by which they escaped it: Watchfulness, Meditation, and Prayer.

They had walked only a few steps when they saw a man approaching them. Christian, upon seeing him, said to Hopeful:

Christian – I see a man coming toward us with his back turned to the city of Zion.

Hopeful – I see him clearly; let us be on guard, lest he be another flatterer.

When he reached them, Atheist (that was his name) asked them where they were going.

Christian – To Mount Zion. (Atheist burst into loud laughter.)

Christian – Why do you laugh?

Atheist – I laugh because of how ignorant you are, undertaking such a troublesome journey, when the only reward you can expect is the toil and hardship of the way.

Christian – So you think we will not be received there?

Atheist – There? Is there even such a place as the one you dream of in this world?

Christian – Not in this world, but in the one to come.

Atheist – When I was at home, in my country, I heard about this place you speak of, and I set out in search of it. I’ve been looking for such places for twenty years and have never found them (Ecclesiastes 10:13–15).

Christian – But we have heard and believed that these places do exist, and that we will find them.

Atheist – If I had not believed at one time, I wouldn’t have gone so far in search of it. But since I have not found it (and surely, if such a place existed, I would have found it, for I have searched more than you), I am now going back home to see if I can comfort myself with the things I once laid aside in hope of what I now believe does not exist.

Christian – (to Hopeful): Could what this man says be true?

Hopeful – What nonsense! This is just another Flatterer. Remember what it already cost us once to listen to such people. Is there not a Mount Zion? Didn’t we see the gate of the city from the Delectable Mountains? And besides all that, shouldn’t we walk by faith? (2 Cor. 5:7). Come on, lest the scourge come upon us again. Let us not forget that important lesson you should remember: Cease, my son, to hear instruction that leads you away from the words of knowledge (Prov. 19:27).

Christian – Dear brother, I did not ask the question because I doubted the truth of our belief, but to test you and to see the sincerity of your heart. As for this man, I know well that he is blinded by the god of this world; let us continue on our way, assured that we hold the faith of the truth, from which no lie can come (1 John 2:21).

Hopeful – Now I rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

And they moved away from that man, who, laughing at them, continued on his way.

Then I saw in my dream that they kept walking until they came to a certain country where the air makes all strangers sleepy.

Hopeful began to feel the effects of the new air he was breathing, and feeling very heavy and drowsy, he said to Christian:

Hopeful – I’m so sleepy I can barely keep my eyes open. Let us lie down and sleep for a while.

Christian – Don’t even talk about that. We might fall asleep and never wake up again.

Hopeful – But why? Brother, sleep is sweet to the laborer! If we sleep a little, we’ll rise refreshed.

Christian – Don’t you remember that one of the shepherds warned us about the Enchanted Ground? In that counsel, he meant that we should avoid sleeping. Let us not sleep, but let us watch and be sober (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

Hopeful – I acknowledge my error and see that, if I had been alone, I might have perished. The Wise Man was right in saying: “Two are better than one” (Ecclesiastes 4:9).

Your company has been a blessing to me, and that is already a good reward for my effort.

Christian – Then, to keep ourselves awake, let’s start a good conversation.

Hopeful – Most gladly.

Christian – Where shall we begin?

Hopeful – Where God began with us. Please, you start.

Christian – Then let me ask you a question: How did you come to think of doing what you’re doing now?

Hopeful – You mean, how did I come to think of the welfare of my soul?

Christian – Yes, that’s what I meant.

Hopeful – For a long time I delighted in the pleasures of what could be seen and bought in our fair—things that, I now believe, would have buried me in ruin and destruction had I continued in them.

Christian – And what sort of things were they?

Hopeful – The treasures and riches of this world. I also greatly enjoyed noise, drunkenness, gossip, lust, breaking the Lord’s Day, and many other things, all of which led to the ruin of my soul. But at last, hearing and reflecting on divine things, which you spoke to me about, and about our good and dear Faithful, who died for his faith and godly life at Vanity Fair, I came to realize that the end of all these things is death (Romans 6:21–23) and that by them comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience (Ephesians 5:6).

Christian – And did you immediately become convinced of this?

Hopeful – No, I didn’t want to acknowledge the evil of sin or the judgment that follows. Instead, when my spirit began to be stirred by the word, I tried to shut my eyes to the light.

Christian – But why did you resist the first stirrings of God’s Spirit?

Hopeful – For these reasons: 1) I didn’t know that it was God working in me. I never thought that God began a sinner’s conversion by convicting him of sin; 2) Sin was still very pleasant to my flesh, and I was unwilling to part with it; 3) I couldn’t part with my companions and friends, whose presence and actions delighted me; 4) The hours when I suffered under conviction were so painful and full of terror that my heart couldn’t bear even the memory of them.

Christian – Do you mean you were sometimes able to free yourself from this discomfort?

Hopeful – Yes, but never completely; so I ended up as bad or worse than before.

Christian – And what brought your sins back to your mind again?

Hopeful – Various things. For example: just meeting a good man in the street; hearing a reading from the Bible; a simple headache; hearing that a neighbor was ill; hearing funeral bells; thinking about death; hearing of a sudden death or witnessing one; but especially thinking about my own condition, knowing I would soon have to appear in judgment.

Enjoy more:

Hymn – Assurance and Joy of Salvation – “Redeemed by the Blood”

https://hinario.org/detail.php?id=372

The Pilgrim's Progress, week 6, Sunday, chapter 17

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

FROM THIS WORLD,
TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME

CHAPTER 17

WEEK 6 – SUNDAY

Read and pray: “Then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants and of Your people Israel, when You teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.” (2 Chronicles 6:27)

Christian and Hopeful fall
into the power of the Flatterer

Hopeful – I wish Great-Grace had appeared for our benefit.

Christian – But notice that even Great-Grace would have had quite a task with them; for although he handles his weapons well and keeps them at bay [brief pause], when they attack from a distance, if they get close – that is, if Distrust, Cowardice, and the other manage to seize him – it doesn’t take much strength to bring him down. And when a man is down, you know he is of little use.

The scars and wounds that furrow the face of Great-Grace are clear witnesses of what I say. I even heard that in a certain battle, he despaired of life. How many groans, how many laments, those three villains drew from David (Psalm 88)!

Heman and Hezekiah, though champions, also had to struggle greatly when assaulted by them, and they suffered much. Peter, whom some call the prince of the apostles, wanted to prove how strong he was, but they subdued him so thoroughly that even a poor servant girl made him tremble (Luke 22:55-57).

Besides, their king is always nearby, where he can hear them, and if any danger threatens, he instantly comes to their aid. Of that king it is said: “Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail, nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin. He regards iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee; slingstones become like stubble for him. Clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rattling of the javelin.” (Job 41:26–29)

What then can man do in such circumstances? Truly, if a man could always ride a horse like Job’s, and had the courage and skill to handle it, he would do amazing things, for “the snorting of his nostrils is terrifying. He paws the ground fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray. He laughs at fear, and is not dismayed; he does not turn back from the sword. The quiver rattles at his side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet. As soon as he hears the trumpet, he says, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.” (Job 39:20–25)

But footmen like you and me should never wish to meet such an enemy, nor boast over others’ defeats, nor trust in our own strength, for those who do so are often the ones who fail the worst. Peter, whom I just mentioned, wanted to boast – he even said, following what his heart whispered to him, that he would do more for his Master and defend Him better than all the others. And who was more humbled and brought down by those three villains than he? So when we know that such things happen on the King’s Highway, we should do the following:

Let us go out armed, not forgetting the shield, for it was the lack of this that caused Leviathan to be defeated by his attacker. When the monster sees us without a shield, he has no fear of us. The ultimate Danger said: “Above all, take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16)

It is also good to ask the King for a guard. Even better is to ask Him to come with us Himself. Because of His presence, David rejoiced even in the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Moses preferred to die rather than take one more step without his God (Exodus 33:16). Ah! My brother! If He is with us, what shall we fear from ten thousand who rise against us? (Psalm 3:5–8). But without Him, the proud will fall among the dead (Isaiah 10:4).

As for me, I’ve been in battle, and if I’m still alive, it is by the kindness of the One who is Supreme Good. I have nothing to boast about in terms of courage, and I’d be glad never to see such encounters again – though I fear we may not yet be entirely out of danger. And since neither lion nor bear has devoured me so far, I hope in God that He will also deliver us from any uncircumcised Philistine who comes our way.

Engaged in this conversation, they continued their journey, going ahead of Ignorance, until they came to a place where the path split, which especially confused them, for both roads before them appeared equally straight. They stopped for a moment to reflect on what they should do, and just then, a man approached. His skin was very black, but he was clothed in a very bright robe. He asked them why they were standing still.

– We are heading to the Celestial City, but we do not know which of these two roads to take.

– Come with me, for I too am going to that city.

So the pilgrims followed the stranger along the path he chose. But as they went forward, they noticed that the road was curving and heading in the opposite direction from the city they desired to reach. Though they observed this, they kept walking.

Soon after, without realizing it, they found themselves trapped in a net, unable to get free, just as the white robe fell from the shoulders of the black-skinned man. Then they understood where they were, and wept for some time, realizing they could not escape.

Christian – Now I see that we have made a mistake. Didn’t the shepherds warn us to beware of the Flatterer? Today we experience, just as the Wise Man says, that “a man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.” (Proverbs 29:5)

Hopeful – The shepherds also gave us a note with directions for the way, to ensure we could avoid the snare of the destroyer. David acted more wisely than we did, for he said: “By the words of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.” (Psalm 17:4)

While they were still trapped in the net, they saw one of the Shining Ones approaching with a small whip in his hand. When he reached them, he asked where they had come from and what they were doing there. They answered that they were poor pilgrims on their way to Zion, but that a black man dressed in white had led them astray, saying, “Follow me, for I too am going to that city.”

Then the one with the whip said: – That was the Flatterer, a false apostle, transformed into an angel of light. (Daniel 11:32; 2 Corinthians 11:13–14). Then he tore the net, released them, and said: – Follow me, and I will set you back on the right path. And so he led them again to the road they had left in order to follow the Flatterer.

They then told the Shining One that the night before, they had been on the Delectable Mountains, that the shepherds had given them a guide for the road, but that they had forgotten to read it, and that although they had been warned about the Flatterer, they did not think he was the one they had met (Romans 16:17–18).

I then saw in my dream that the Shining One ordered them to lie down, and he punished them severely, to teach them the good path they should never have left (Deuteronomy 25:2; 2 Chronicles 6:27). And while he punished them, he said: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” (Revelation 3:19)

After that, he told them to continue on their way, earnestly reminding them to obey the other instructions of the shepherds – which the two pilgrims greatly appreciated. And so they continued on the right path, striving not to forget the stern lesson they had just received and giving thanks to the Lord, who had shown them such great mercy.

Enjoy more:

Hymn – Experience of Christ – “As the One Who is Subjective”

https://hinario.org/detail.php?id=613

The Pilgrim's Progress, week 5, Saturday, chapter 17

THE PILGRIM

THE CHRISTIAN’S JOURNEY

TO THE CELESTIAL CITY

CHAPTER 17

WEEK 5 – SATURDAY

Read and pray: “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no root of bitterness grows up to cause trouble and by it many become defiled— see to it that no one is sexually immoral or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights.” (Hebrews 12:15‑16)

The Theft of Little-Faith

Hope – Little-Faith must have felt great consolation in seeing that this precious possession had not been taken from him.

Christian – It could indeed have been a great consolation for him if he had made proper use of it. But, as I was told, he made very little use of it under the various circumstances he encountered, because of the great fright he suffered when his money was stolen.

He forgot the precious parchment for most of his journey, and if he ever remembered it and that memory began to console him, immediately the thought of the loss he had suffered would rush back into his mind, darkening his soul and robbing him of all peace.

Hope – Poor fellow, he must have suffered much.

Christian – He certainly did! And wouldn’t any of us have suffered if we had been treated as he was—robbed and wounded in a desolate place? What amazes me is that he survived such suffering. I was told that throughout his journey, he kept voicing bitter and painful complaints, telling everyone he met where and how he had been stripped, how he had been wounded, and how he had escaped alive from such great trials.

Hope – I’m surprised he didn’t think to pawn some of his jewels to sustain himself on the journey.

Christian – You are extremely naive! To whom would he have pawned or sold them? In the land where he was robbed, jewels had no value, and even then he would have found no relief there. Besides, if he were without his jewels when he reached the gates of the Celestial City, he would be excluded (as he well knew) from the inheritance found there—a loss far more painful to him than the attack and mistreatment by thousands of thieves.

Hope – I beg you not to answer my questions so harshly. Do not be harsh with me, and listen. Esau sold his birthright for a single meal (Hebrews 12:16), and this birthright was his precious jewel. Now, if he did that, why shouldn’t Little-Faith have done the same?

Christian – Esau indeed sold his birthright, and many others, following his example, lost the greater blessing as that poor man did. But there is a difference between Esau and Little-Faith, as well as between their circumstances.

Esau’s birthright was a type—something not comparable to Little-Faith’s jewels. Esau had no god but his own belly, unlike Little-Faith: Esau’s need was merely to satisfy his carnal appetite, whereas Little-Faith’s need was of another kind. Moreover, Esau only remembered satisfying his appetite, and so he exclaimed: “I am about to die; to what good is the birthright to me?” (Gen. 25:32).

But Little-Faith, though possessing little faith, did have some, and it was this that prevented him from making the extravagant decision to part with his jewels as Esau did, and that caused him to rather cherish and value them. Nowhere will you read that Esau had any faith, even a little, and therefore it is not surprising that one in whom only the flesh rules (which always happens with a man who has no faith to resist) will sell his birthright, his soul, and all he is and has, to the devil himself—for such men are like a wild donkey’s colt that no one can tame (Jeremiah 2:24).

When their hearts are bound up in their own concupiscences, they must satisfy them, whatever the cost; but Little-Faith was of a very different temperament; his heart inclined to divine things, and his nourishment was heavenly and spiritual.

Why, then, would he sell his jewels, even if someone would buy them, to fill his heart with vain things? Would anyone give money to fill his belly with straw? Could one persuade the dove to feed on rotting flesh like the raven?

Even though unbelievers, to serve their carnal desires, may mortgage or sell all that they are and possess, those who have faith—the faith that saves—even if little, can never imitate them. There you have it explained, dear brother, the misunderstanding in which you were.

Hope – I now acknowledge it, but I confess that your severe reflection almost offended me.

Christian – Why? I did no more than compare your naivety to that of a chick freshly hatched, running across known and unknown paths while still clinging to its shell. But let that go, and let us deal with the matter we are discussing.

Hope – I am convinced in my heart that those three wicked ones were very cowardly to flee when they heard the steps of the one approaching. Why did Little-Faith not arm himself with greater courage? It seems to me he should have risked fighting them, and should have only yielded when no other remedy remained.

Christian – Yes, many called him a coward, yet few there are who in the hour of trial have the courage to stand firm. Little-Faith had no great bravery, and from what you say, I see that you, in his place, would risk only a small fight, yielding soon thereafter. Truly, if now, while we are far from the three wicked ones, you display such courage, I fear your thoughts would have been very different had those men attacked you as they attacked Little-Faith.

And you must consider that they were merely minor thieves, servants of the king of the bottomless pit—who, if necessary, would come to their aid—and whose voice is like the roar of a lion (1 Peter 5:8). I myself was assaulted like Little-Faith, and I know from personal experience how harsh those attacks are.

The three wicked ones attacked me, and when I began to resist them as a good Christian, they let out a small cry, to which their master came immediately. My life hung by a thread if the armor, all-proof, which I was wearing by the will of God had not protected me; and yet, I barely managed to come out victorious from the fight. Only those who have seen such severe trials can rightly evaluate them.

Hope – That is true. But as soon as they assumed Great-Grace was approaching, they fled.

Christian – Both they and their master have fled many times at the mere presence of Great-Grace, which is no surprise, for he is the royal champion; and I believe you must admit some difference between Little-Faith and the king’s champion—not all the king’s subjects are his champions; therefore, not all can perform feats of valor in the hour of trial.

Can one imagine any ordinary child defeating Goliath as David did, or a little bird having the strength of a bull? Some are strong, others weak; some have great faith, others little. Little-Faith was among the weak, and so he yielded.

Enjoy more:

Hymn – Comfort in Trials – “By the Lord’s Care”

https://hinario.org/detail.php?id=775

1

Pilgrim on the way,
And weary from the strain—
He hears such gentle whispers:
“Cast your burdens on the Lord!”

Cast your burdens on the Lord!
Cast your burdens on the Lord!
He will strengthen you
And comfort you anew—
Cast your burdens on the Lord!

2

Are your feet worn out with travel?
Is your lamp without its flame?
Is your cross becoming heavy?
“Cast your burdens on His name!”
Cast your burdens on the Lord!

 Cast your burdens on the Lord!
He will strengthen you
And comfort you anew—
Cast your burdens on the Lord!

3

Have your friends all gone and left you?
Do they love you now no more?
Are you filled with grief and sorrow?
“Cast your burdens on the Lord!”

Cast your burdens on the Lord!
Cast your burdens on the Lord!

He will strengthen you
And comfort you anew—
Cast your burdens on the Lord!

4

Is your heart now weak and trembling?
Is your mind without its fire?
Is your strength so low and failing?
“Cast your burdens on the Lord!”

Cast your burdens on the Lord!
Cast your burdens on the Lord!
He will strengthen you
And comfort you anew—
Cast your burdens on the Lord!

5

He will surely bear and guide you,
Shining forth His radiant light;
He will keep you by His power,
Fill your weakness with His might.

Cast your burdens on the Lord!
Cast your burdens on the Lord!
He will strengthen you
And comfort you anew—
Cast your burdens on the Lord!