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Bunyan has put in the margin, A man may have company when he sets out for heaven, and yet go thither alone; but Christian also added, with sweet ingenuousness, that he was quite as bad as Pliable, for that he also had turned aside to go in the way of death, being persuaded thereto by the carnal arguments of one Mr. Worldly Wiseman. The Man at the gate comforted and encouraged him, and pointed out the strait and narrow way before him, so that he could not miss it; and now Christian was about to gird up his loins, and address himself to his journey, but oh that heavy burden! Christian could not go without asking to be rid of his burden; so kind and skilful a man, (thought he,) may surely take it off, and I am sore weary with it. But the answer he received was memorable. As to thy burden, be content to bear it, until thou comest to the place of deliverance; for there it will fall from thy - back of itself. Bunyan has here put in the margin, There is no deliverance from the guilt and burden of sin, but by the death and blood of Christ.

Now there is a vast deal of instruction and comfort in this last incident. Young Christians are very apt to expect entire relief from all their burdens, and a complete deliverance from sin, the moment they are got within the Wicket Gate, the moment they have come to Christ. But But very often this expectation is not realized, and then they faint and become disheartened, or filled with gloomy doubts on this account. Now this experience of Christian having to bear his burden so long, and yet going on so patiently with it, for you will observe, he asked nobody after this to take off his

The

burden, is very instructive and encouraging. truth is, we are all more apt to be seeking for comfort, than for Christ; whereas Christ should be our first object, and comfort will come of itself; Christ first, and all things else shall be added.

By the experience of Christian and Pliable in their commencement of this pilgrimage we are taught some salutary lessons, as first, the importance of a deep and thorough conviction of sin at first setting out; second, the importance of a resolute purpose in seeking salvation, so as not to be turned back; and third, the importance of a hearty reception and thorough knowledge of God's word. The difficulties that Christian meets and overcomes in the beginning, do, instead of discouraging him, prepare him for constancy and conquest even to the end. It is no superficial Christian that Bunyan is describing, but a man of God, thoroughly furnished unto all good works; a soldier clad in armor of proof, the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. He needed, as we shall see, a deep and thorough discipline from the beginning, in order to prepare him for the fiery ordeal through which he was to pass.

It is always thus that God deals with his people; the discipline of the Christian race and conflict is such, in its very nature, as best to prepare them for usefulness here, and for their place in glory hereafter. If there is to be endurance to the end, there must be thoroughness at the beginning; if victory at the end, a fight at the beginning; if rest at the end, a burden at the beginning. There must be fires to consume the dross here, if there is

to be endless brightness and purity hereafter; self denial and suffering in this world must prepare the way to glorify God and enjoy him forever. There was a great connection between Christian's burden at first, and his delight in God afterwards; so there was between all the toils of his pilgrimage, and his panting desires after God; for certainly, if this pilgrimage were all the way a way of ease, then we should not much desire to hasten on in it, or to come to the end of it, or to see God in heaven; too much satisfied with the sweetness of the streams, we should stay away from the fountain. We having here no continuing city, seek one to come, that city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

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

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

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

Lord, in my forehead plant thy name,

And take me hence away,

That I may dwell with thee in bliss,

And sing thy praise for aye.

O mother dear, Jerusalem!
When shall I come to thee?

When shall my sorrows have an end?

Thy joys when shall I see?

CHRISTIAN

IN THE

HOUSE OF THE INTERPRETER.

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

IT would be difficult to find twelve consecutive pages in the English language, that contain such volumes of meaning, in such beautiful and instructive lessons, with such heavenly imagery, in so pure and sweet a style, and with so thrilling an appeal to the best affections of the heart, as these pages descriptive of Christian's sojourning in the House of the Interpreter. This good man of the House, the Interpreter, we are, without doubt, to take as the representative of the Holy Spirit, with his enlightening and sanctifying influences on the heart. He is our Comforter, Guardian and Guide through all our pilgrimage; our Instructor to take of the things which are Christ's, and to show them to our souls; our Sanctifier, to lead us into all truth, and to make it the nourishing food of our souls, and with it and in it bringing Christ before us continually, to fasten our affections upon him,

and make him, of God, unto us, our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. From the first moment of a Christian's setting out on his pilgrimage, this heavenly Comforter takes him under his peculiar guidance; so soon as he enters the Strait Gate, and puts himself under the care of the Great Shepherd, then the Spirit of God begins the work of discipline, instruction, refinement and sanctification with him as a child of God. So you will observe that the very first thing which the Interpreter said to Christian was, Come in, and I will show thee that which will be profitable unto thee. And then he bid his man light the candle, and brought Christian into a private room, where he showed him the first of the beautiful and instructive visions that were to pass before him. Bunyan has put in the margin the word Illumination, and he might have added the text, Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Or he might have referred us to the blessed walk of the two disciples with Christ in the way to Emmaus, when he opened their understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures; for such a work does the Spirit of God commence with us, when he lights the candle of the Lord within our hearts.

But we are to observe that Christian did not get into the house of the Interpreter, nor obtain his precious guidance, without knocking, yea, and that earnestly. This is to signify that after Christ has let us in, as we hope, at the Wicket Gate, our great and immediate work must be to seek with most humble diligence and earnestness the gracious illu

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