SEVENTH LESSON
Great-Heart
After many lessons at
the Interpreter’s House, and being washed (baptism), Great-Heart went with
them, as protection. P. 233
GREAT-HEART.
With all my heart; but first I must premise, that He of whom we are now about
to speak is one that has not His fellow. He has two natures in one Person,
plain to be distinguished, impossible to be divided. Unto each of these natures
a righteousness belongeth, and each righteousness is essential to that nature;
so that one may as easily cause the nature to be extinct, as to separate its
justice or righteousness from it. P. 234
Later, at Beautiful Palace,
Great-Heart went back to the Interpreter’s House. Prudence asked the sons of
Christiana basic catechism questions – James, Samuel, and Matthew.
The Two Valleys
They left to enter the
Valley of Humiliation and the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
GREAT-HEART.
It is true, said their guide, I have gone through this Valley many a time, and
never was better than when here. I have also been a conductor to several
pilgrims, and they have confessed the same. ‘To this man will I look (saith the
King), even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My
Word’ (Isa. 66:2). P. 269
In the second valley,
they were pursued by a lion –
The
lion also came on apace, and Mr. Great-heart addressed himself to give him
battle. But when he saw that it was determined that resistance should be made,
he also drew back, and came no further (1 Peter 5:8, 9). P. 271
Honest Blessed the Four
Sons and Mercy
HONEST.
I have heard much of your husband, and of his travels and wars, which he
underwent in his days. Be it spoken to your comfort, the name of your husband
rings over all these parts of the world: his faith, his courage, his enduring,
and his sincerity under all, has made his name famous. Then he turned him to
the boys, and asked them of their names, which they told him. And then said he
unto them: Matthew, be thou like Matthew the publican, not in vice, but in
virtue (Matt. 10:3). Samuel, said he, be thou like Samuel the Prophet, a man of
faith and prayer (Psa. 99:6). Joseph, said he, be thou like Joseph in Potiphar’s
house, chaste, and one that flees from temptation (Gen. 39). And James, be
thou like James the Just, and like James the brother of our Lord (Acts 1:13,
14). Then they told him of Mercy, and how she had left her town and her kindred
to come along with Christiana and with her sons. At that the old honest man
said, Mercy is thy name; by Mercy shalt thou be sustained, and carried through
all those difficulties that shall assault thee in thy way, till thou shalt come
thither, where thou shalt look the Fountain of Mercy in the face with comfort.
P. 279
Later, Mercy Married Matthew, Phoebe Married James
Then
Samuel whispered to Christiana, his mother, and said, Mother, this is a very
good man’s house, let us stay here a good while, and let my brother Matthew be
married here to Mercy, before we go any further. The which Gaius the host
overhearing, said, With a very good will, my child. So they staid there more
than a month, and Mercy was given to Matthew to wife. P. 297
Now,
about this time, Matthew and Mercy were married. Also Gaius gave his daughter
Phoebe to James, Matthew’s brother, to wife; after which time they yet staid
above ten days at Gaius’ house, spending their time, and the seasons, like as
pilgrims used to do. P. 303
Two More Marriages, Mnason
Thus
they sat talking and spending the time, until supper was set upon the table;
unto which they went and refreshed their weary bodies; so they went to rest.
Now they stayed in this fair a great while, at the house of this
Mr. Mnason, who, in process of time, gave his daughter Grace unto Samuel,
Christiana’s son, to wife, and his daughter Martha to Joseph. P. 310
Christiana Crossed the Dark River
Now
the day drew on, that Christiana must be gone. So the road was full of people
to see her take her journey. But, behold, all the banks beyond the river were
full of horses and chariots, which were come down from above to accompany her
to the city gate. So she came forth, and entered the river, with a beckon of
farewell to those that followed her to the river side. The last words that she
was heard to say here, were, I come, Lord, to be with Thee, and bless Thee. P.
342
So
her children and friends returned to their place, for that those that waited
for Christiana had carried her out of their sight. So she went and called, and
entered in at the gate with all the ceremonies of joy that her husband
Christian had done before her. At her departure her children wept. But
Mr. Great-heart and Mr. Valiant played upon the well-tuned cymbal and
harp for joy. So all departed to their respective places. P. 342
The Four Sons and Their Wives
As
for Christian’s children, the four boys that Christiana brought with her, with
their wives and children, I did not stay where I was till they were gone over.
Also, since I came away, I heard one say that they were yet alive, and so would
be for the increase of the CHURCH in that place where they were, for a time.
Shall it be my lot to go that way again, I may give those that desire it an
account of what I here am silent about. Meantime, I bid my reader Adieu.
Concluding Thoughts about The Pilgrim’s Progress
History has already
decided that this book has had enormous impact on Western culture, with 2000+
editions, movies, cartoons, free Kindles, children’s editions, modern language
editions, and translation. The used book market shows that other works are
considered far more valuable, when issued by the same press in the same number –
Limited Editions Book Club copies of The Pilgrim’s Progress are priced from
$30 to $100. Copies of Moby Dick from the same source are $5,000 on eBay.
Both titles were limited to 1500 numbered copies. Muck-raker would buy Moby
Dick as an investment, sure to grow in value.
This book is
entertaining, with a lot of wry comments about human failings, but also
edifying, with its unusual concentration of Biblical material expressed
visually with descriptive names of people and short stories about their
challenges and losses. I know from German-speaking boys that dramatic stories
and transparent names are easy to remember and repeat – Struwwelpeter is
an example. Caspar-Suppe would not eat his soup, so he shriveled up. They laughed
at the extreme stories. So The Pilgrim’s Progress has lions, giants, swords,
and beheadings.
The Pilgrim’s Progress
should be read a little at a time, because the lessons are not at the end but
on every page. Bunyan’s favoring Luther’s Galatians over any other book
except the Bible is clearly evidenced among those who love both works, but not
by those who have read neither one.
The Pilgrim’s Progress Map
Pages from the Lutheran Library Print Edition
City of Destruction – Christian
leaves; Christiana and their children
follow in Part 2
Slough of Despond - Pliable, Obstinate,
Worldly Wiseman, Evangelist
Wicket Gate – Good Will
Interpreter’s House - Interpreter (Holy
Spirit)
The Cross – Three Shining Ones
Difficulty Hill – Formalist, Hypocrisy
Palace Beautiful - Discretion,
Prudence, Piety, and Charity
Valley of Humiliation - Apollyon
Vanity Fair – Talkative, Lord
Hate-Good, Hopeful, By-Ends, Witnesses: Envy, Superstition, and Pickthank;
Demas, Lot’s Wife
Doubting Castle - Giant Despair, his
lovely wife Diffidence
