The way pointed to but not taken

In the last edition we left the burdened Pilgrim heading straight for the Wicket Gate to which Evangelist had pointed him. In this edition John Bunyan will teach us from his great book that many a one can be faithfully pointed in the way of salvation, and yet never enter into a conversion experience. This is on account of influence that can be brought to bear on the seeking soul and which can way-lay him in his quest for salvation. Bunyan sets out some of these influences which lurk, sometimes partly hidden, between the Evangelist's pointing finger and "Yonder Wicket Gate". Here are some of the names that Bunyan brings to our notice.

There were Obstinate and Pliable; two characters from the City of Destruction, Bunyan tells us, "who resolved to fetch Pilgrim back by force". There was one Mr Worldly Wiseman and his friend, Legality, who lived in the Village of Morality. There was the Slough of Despond and Mount Sinai. All these things lay between Pilgrim and the Wicket Gate and would have kept him back from reaching the Cross of Christ, the place where his burden would be taken from his back.,

Now, what does it all mean? Look at Obstinate, first of all, and listen to these words from Alexander Whyte writing in his Bunyan Characters. "Little Obstinate was born and brought up in the City of Destruction", he reminds us; "his father was old Mr Spare-the-Rod, and his mother's name was Spoil-the-Child. Obstinate was like a mule, and when Pilgrim tried to reason with him from the Word of God that he held so tightly on to, Obstinate had but one word for him. "Tush", he said, "away with your book; will you go back with us or no?"

Pliable is a different kettle of fish entirely. "Don't revile", he tells Obstinate, as he jumps to Pilgrim's defence; "if what good Christian says is true, the things that he looks after are better than ours; my heart inclines to go with my neighbour"; and off he sets at Pilgrim's side. Of course, he soon turns back! The Slough of Despond is in the way, and once he has struggled out of its mud and mire, as we'll see in a moment, he steals off home never to go on pilgrimage again.

But, here is the cardinal doctrine of this part of the Pilgrim's Progress. BEWARE of Obstinate and Pliable, it says. And Obstinate and Pliable, of course, have their abodes right within our own hearts, for they are part and parcel of our old nature and two of the most darling off-springs of the sons of Adam's race. Obstinate will always rebel against the Word of God – "Away with your book", he'll say; and Pliable is the weaker young brother who will always refuse "the cost of discipleship" and whine us homeward when the road is treacherous. It was at the Slough of Despond that Pilgrim and Pliable parted company. As long as there was plenty of talk about "an endless kingdom … and crowns of gold … and everlasting life … and garments that will shine like the sun", Pliable was quite happy, but the Slough of Despond was something that he had failed to reckon with.

Now, what is this Slough that seeking souls can fall into and which can make the Pliables turn back to the City of Destruction?

Let us go no further than Bunyan's own explanation. Pilgrim is soon assisted out of the Slough by a man called Help, and Pilgrim, a little upset about the whole business, wants to know why such a patch of ground should exist between the City of Destruction and the Wicket Gate. "This miry slough", Help tells our friend, "is such a place as cannot be mended; it is the descent whither the scum and filth that attend conviction for sin do continually run, and, therefore, it is called the Slough of despond; for still, as the sinner is awakened by his lost condition, there arise in his soul many fears and doubts, and discouraging apprehensions, which all of them set together, and settle in this place; and this is the reason of the badness of this ground". When a man, or woman, or a young person is being convicted of their sins, these very sins seem to form themselves into a great quagmire that bellows out to us that we can never be forgiven. Our sins appear "exceedingly sinful", and we can come to the point where forgiveness seems almost impossible. This is our Slough of Despond.

Oh, "it is not the pleasure of the King", Help informs Pilgrim, "that this place should remain so bad. His labours also have, by the direction of His Majesty's surveyors, been for above these sixteen hundred years (Bunyan's own time from the death of Christ), employed about this patch of ground, if perhaps it might have been mended; yea, and to my knowledge," he said, "here have been swallowed up at least twenty-thousand cartloads, yea, millions of wholesome promises …". In spite of all God's promises of forgiveness to the seeking souls, still withal, many fall into the Slough of Despond, like Pliable, and give up their quest.

Let me ask now, "Are there any Pliables reading these lines?" Listen to John Bunyan's vivid description of the end of this man, and this is the end of all Pliables in this life, they never are at rest in their souls. His friends have only scorn for him and what he has done in turning back and leaving Pilgrim to travel alone; "so Pliable, " Bunyan tells us, "sat sneaking among them". Up on your feet, Pliable! Play the man! Your peace of mind and your salvation lie before you. There are "steps" through the Slough of Despond; find them and you too, go to the Wicket Gate and to the Cross of Christ.

Just one word, then, to close, on Mr Worldly Wiseman. Our Obstainacy and Pliability will hinder us on our Christian search. But here is a very real enemy in every age; he is called Mr Worldly Wiseman. He "dwelt in the town of Carnal Policy" our author tells us, i.e. he was one of those citizens who could only look at things in so far as they affected his natural life. Spiritual things have no place in his philosophy, and when he meets the burdened Pilgrim he proceeds along entirely worldly lines of thought and advice. "Who bid thee go this way to be rid of thy burden?" he asks Pilgrim. "Evangelist", Pilgrim tells him. "I beshrew (condemn) him for his counsel", he tells our friend. "How camest thou by thy burden at first?" he asks again; "By reading this book in my hand," Pilgrim confesses, pointing to the precious Word of God. "I thought so", smirks Worldly Wise. And will you just notice how Bunyan will remind us again and again how so much revolves around that "Book" that Pilgrim has in his hands? After having demoralised the burdened Pilgrim, the Worldly Wiseman next brings forth his own brand of salvation.

Worldly Wiseman points Pilgrim to a village called Morality, to "a gentleman whose name is Legality". In other words, away from the Wicket Gate, away from the narrow way that leadeth unto life, away from the Cross of Christ. Look to your works, and to your own efforts to observe the legal things of religion, and act as moral as you can, and God will have to save you for your goodness. This is the redemption of the Worldly Wise, but it is not God's redemption, and soon poor, burdened Pilgrim was going to find that out.

One thing Worldly Wise had not told him was that between him and the Village of Morality there lay a mountain called Sinai – i.e. The Law of God – the Ten Commandments. And soon this mountain began to erupt like a volcano and pour out God's condemnation against Pilgrim's sin, for Pilgrim knew he could never keep the whole law of God.

How thankful he is when Evangelist appears on the scent again with the same old message of salvation only through Christ alone, and he is pointed afresh to the cross.

This Page Title – Pictrues from Pilgrim's Progress — the way pointed to but not taken The Wicket Gate Magazine "A Continuing Witness". Internet Edition number 52 – placed on line January 2005 Magazine web address – www.wicketgate.co.uk