Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Fifth Lesson - Understanding Pilgrim's Progress

FIFTH LESSON

Doubting Castle and the Giant Despair, The Key To Escape the Castle

Christian and Hopeful entered By-Path Meadow and figured that would be good for heading the right way. Hopeful had doubts, but Vain Confidence went ahead, assuring them that it was a good way to go. They lost track of him, ahead, and stopped to sleep in the meadow, which included the grounds of Doubting Castle.

Now there was, not far from the place where they lay, a castle called Doubting Castle, the owner whereof was Giant Despair; and it was in his grounds they now were sleeping: wherefore he, getting up in the morning early, and walking up and down in his fields, caught Christian and Hopeful asleep in his grounds. Then, with a grim and surly voice, he bid them awake; and asked them whence they were, and what they did in his grounds. They told him they were pilgrims, and that they had lost their way. Then said the Giant, You have this night trespassed on me, by trampling in and lying on my grounds, and therefore you must go along with me. So they were forced to go, because he was stronger than they. They also had but little to say, for they knew themselves in a fault. The Giant, therefore, drove them before him, and put them into his castle, into a very dark dungeon, nasty and stinking to the spirits of these two men. [Ps. 88:18] Here, then, they lay from Wednesday morning till Saturday night…

Now in this place Christian had double sorrow, because it was through his unadvised counsel that they were brought into this distress. P 128

The Giant’s wife, Diffidence, declared he should beat them next, so he did that with crab tree branches, having long thorns. Diffidence suggested the next day that Giant Despair urge them to end their lives.

But they desired him to let them go. With that he looked ugly upon them, and, rushing to them, had doubtless made an end of them himself, but that he fell into one of his fits, (for he sometimes, in sunshiny weather, fell into fits), and lost for a time the use of his hand; wherefore he withdrew, and left them as before, to consider what to do. Then did the prisoners consult between themselves whether it was best to take his counsel or no; and thus they began to discourse:—P. 130.

The lovely Diffidence suggested next that the pilgrims be shown the bones of those who died at Doubting Castle.

So when the morning was come, the Giant goes to them again, and takes them into the castle-yard, and shows them, as his wife had bidden him. These, said he, were pilgrims as you are, once, and they trespassed in my grounds, as you have done; and when I thought fit, I tore them in pieces, and so, within ten days, I will do you. Go, get you down to your den again; and with that he beat them all the way thither. They lay, therefore, all day on Saturday in a lamentable case, as before.

Diffidence worried about the strength of the locks, so Giant Despair made plans to check them in the morning.

Well, on Saturday, about midnight, they began to pray, and continued in prayer till almost break of day. Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half amazed, brake out in passionate speech: What a fool, quoth he, am I, thus to lie in a stinking Dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty. I have a Key in my bosom called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any Lock in Doubting Castle. Then said Hopeful, That’s good news; good Brother pluck it out of thy bosom and try. Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom, and began to try at the Dungeon door, whose bolt (as he turned the Key) gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came out. Then he went to the outward door that leads into the Castle-yard, and with his Key opened that door also. After he went to the iron Gate, for that must be opened too, but that Lock went damnable hard, yet the Key did open it. Then they thrust open the Gate to make their escape with speed; but that Gate as it opened made such a creaking, that it waked Giant Despair, who hastily rising to pursue his Prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his Fits took him again, so that he could by no means go after them. Then they went on, and came to the King’s High-way again, and so were safe, because they were out of his jurisdiction. P 133

Delectable Mountains

After escaping, the pilgrims walked on until they came to the Delectable Mountains.

They went then till they came to the Delectable Mountains, which mountains belong to the Lord of that hill of which we have spoken before; so they went up to the mountains, to behold the gardens and orchards, the vineyards and fountains of water; where also they drank and washed themselves, and did freely eat of the vineyards. Now there were on the tops of these mountains Shepherds feeding their flocks, and they stood by the highway side. The Pilgrims therefore went to them, and leaning upon their staves, (as is common with weary pilgrims when they stand to talk with any by the way), they asked, Whose Delectable Mountains are these? And whose be the sheep that feed upon them?

"Mountains delectable they now ascend,

Where Shepherds be, which to them do commend

Alluring things, and things that cautious are,

Pilgrims are steady kept by faith and fear.”

SHEPHERD. These mountains are Immanuel’s Land, and they are within sight of his city; and the sheep also are his, and he laid down his life for them. [John 10:11]

The Lord placed this mountains to give rest and encouragement to the pilgrims, and few made it this far. The Shepherds were to show hospitality to strangers, Hebrews 13. The Shepherds took them to the hill called Error the next day, where they saw two bodies at the foot…

Have you not heard of them that were made to err by hearkening to Hymeneus and Philetus as concerning the faith of the resurrection of the body? [2 Tim. 2:17,18] They answered, Yes. Then said the Shepherds, Those that you see lie dashed in pieces at the bottom of this mountain are they; and they have continued to this day unburied….

Bunyan did not fall for the “once saved, always saved” emphasis, often heard today. The book never stops warning against the danger of false doctrine, just the opposite of those who warn laity and clergy not to stir up trouble by pointing out error. One error leads to the next, unless exorcised, especially among the clergy and professors. One pastor said the Ten Commandments were obsolete (Antinomian position). He also rejected the Creation. Soon he was an atheist who mocked his family going to church, since he left Christianity and pastoral work altogether.

The pilgrims often ask, “What means this?” after seeing a new, mysterious example before their eyes. This reflects Luther’s language in the Small Catechism and highlights the lesson. On the hill Caution they find blind people wandering about among tombs. They took a short-cut and were captured by Giant Despair, tortured and blinded.

“He that wandereth out of the way of understanding, shall remain in the congregation of the dead.” [Pro. 21:16] Then Christian and Hopeful looked upon one another, with tears gushing out, but yet said nothing to the Shepherds.

Another warning is offered Christian and Hopeful –

Then I saw in my dream, that the Shepherds had them to another place, in a bottom, where was a door in the side of a hill, and they opened the door, and bid them look in. They looked in, therefore, and saw that within it was very dark and smoky; they also thought that they heard there a rumbling noise as of fire, and a cry of some tormented, and that they smelt the scent of brimstone. Then said Christian, What means this? The Shepherds told them, This is a by-way to hell, a way that hypocrites go in at; namely, such as sell their birthright, with Esau; such as sell their master, with Judas; such as blaspheme the gospel, with Alexander; and that lie and dissemble, with Ananias and Sapphira his wife. P. 136

They found Ignorance not really knowing where he was going, except he commended himself for being so good.

The man who had seven devils driven from him was re-possessed and dragged away to that door leading to Hell.

Christian began to tremble, and so did Hopeful his companion; yet as the devils led away the man, Christian looked to see if he knew him; and he thought it might be one Turn-away, that dwelt in the town of Apostasy. But he did not perfectly see his face, for he did hang his head like a thief that is found. But being once past, Hopeful looked after him, and espied on his back a paper with this inscription, “Wanton professor and damnable apostate”. P 140

After they had discussions with Little-Faith, they came upon Atheist.

ATHEIST. When I was at home in mine own country, I heard as you now affirm, and from that hearing went out to see, and have been seeking this city this twenty years; but find no more of it than I did the first day I set out. [Jer. 22:12, Eccl. 10:15] p. 150.

They became sleepy, a theme often found in the Bible –

And here Hopeful began to be very dull and heavy of sleep; wherefore he said unto Christian, I do now begin to grow so drowsy that I can scarcely hold up mine eyes, let us lie down here and take one nap.

CHRISTIAN. By no means, said the other, lest sleeping, we never awake more.

HOPEFUL. Why, my brother? Sleep is sweet to the laboring man; we may be refreshed if we take a nap.

CHRISTIAN. Do you not remember that one of the Shepherds bid us beware of the Enchanted Ground? He meant by that that we should beware of sleeping; “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober.” [1 Thess. 5:6]

HOPEFUL. I acknowledge myself in a fault, and had I been here alone I had by sleeping run the danger of death. I see it is true that the wise man saith, Two are better than one. Hitherto hath thy company been my mercy, and thou shalt have a good reward for thy labor. [Eccl. 9:9]

CHRISTIAN. Now then, said Christian, to prevent drowsiness in this place, let us fall into good discourse.

HOPEFUL. With all my heart, said the other.

CHRISTIAN. Where shall we begin? HOPEFUL. Where God began with us. But do you begin, if you please. CHRISTIAN. I will sing you first this song:—

"When saints do sleepy grow, let them come hither,

And hear how these two pilgrims talk together:

Yea, let them learn of them, in any wise,

Thus to keep ope their drowsy slumb’ring eyes.

Saints’ fellowship, if it be managed well,

Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell.”

Nothing is quite so apparent as the current sleepiness of the Lutherans. Nothing rouses them from their slumbers. Bad translations? No. Deleting verses from the Bible? No. Denying Justification by Faith by mocking faith while providing a substitute? No. One pastor said, “I did not realize Justification by Faith was such an important issue.