The phase of spiritual experience indicated here is simply this. The Pilgrim has been convinced of his sin, and the consequent peril of his state. Under this conviction he thankfully seeks the Wicket-gate, and, having found it, knocks thereat. The gate is opened to him with the hearty welcome of GOODWILL, and he is admitted. Now, observe, CHRISTIAN has been convinced of sin; he abhors sin, and loves it not; he earnestly desires to be rid of it. Accordingly, the love of sin is left behind; and what remains is the weight, or consciousness of sin. With repentance for the past, and with faith in Christ and his promises for the future, he enters the Narrow-way. Having entered through Christ, "the Door," he commences the Christian life by faith in Christ as the way of salvation, and is at once admitted to the privileges of the way, the first of all being the teaching of the Holy Ghost, as in the scenes of the INTERPRETER'S House. There receiving instruction for the onward path, he, by-and-by, comes by the way of the Cross to "the place of deliverance." There the burden of sin upon his conscience is removed by the assurance of pardon and of justifying grace. Thus all difficulty is removed. Sin-in the love of it-cannot enter through the Wicketgate. Sin, entertained, indulged, and unrepented of, excludes from the entering in of this door. Thus sinners, in their sin, enter not. But sinners, under sin, that is, under the consciousness of guilt, are welcomed there; as GOOD-WILL says, "We make no objections against any, notwithstanding all they have done before they come hither."

This is the "good news" of the Gospel. It is the "weary and heavy-laden " that are bid to come under the weight and consciousness of sin; and these entering in by Jesus Christ, "the Door," and being instructed by the Spirit's teaching, are, some sooner, some later, conducted to the assurance of pardon and the fulness of forgiving love.

Christian went on with haste, neither spake he to any man by the way; nor if any man asked him, would he vouchsafe him an answer. He went like one that was all the while treading on forbidden ground, and could by no means think himself safe, till again he was got into the way which he left to follow Mr. Worldly-wiseman's counsel: so in process of time Christian got up to the Now over the gate there was written, "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." He knocked, therefore, more than once or twice, saying,

gate.

"May I now enter here? will he within
Open to sorry me, though I have been

An undeserving rebel? then shall I

Not fail to sing his lasting praise on high."

At last there came a grave person to the gate, named Goodwill, who asked, who was there? and whence he came? and what he would have? CHR. Here is a poor burdened sinner; I come from the City of Destruction, but am going to Mount Zion, that I may be delivered

"Knock, and it shall be opened."-At the | the porter of the gate-for to such Wicket-gate the penitent Pilgrim knocks, and porter openeth" (John x. 3). in faith knocks again, and still continues to knock, until it is opened to him by GOODWILL,

"the

Goodwill. Most suitable name for the porter of the Wicket-gate. "Goodwill toward

Christian arrives at the Wicket-gate.

from the wrath to come. I would, therefore, Sir, since I am informed that by this gate is the way thither, know if you are willing to let me in. I am willing with all my heart, said he; and with that he opened the gate.

the other gave him a pull. The other told him, A little

So when Christian was stepping in, Then said Christian, What means that? distance from this gate there is erected a strong castle, of which Beelzebub is the captain; from thence both he and they that are with him shoot arrows at them that come up to this gate, if haply they may die before they enter in. Then said Christian, I rejoice and tremble. So when he was got in, the man of the gate asked him, who directed him. thither?

CHR. Evangelist bid me come hither and knock, as I did; and he said that you, Sir, would tell me what I must do.

GOOD. "An open door is set before thee, and no man can shut it.” CHR. Now I begin to reap the benefit of my hazards.

GOOD. But how is it that you came alone?

CHR. Because none of my neighbours saw their danger as I saw mine. GOOD. Did any of them know of your coming?

CHR. Yes; my wife and children saw me at the first, and called after me to turn again. Also some of my neighbours stood crying and calling after me to return; but I put my fingers in my ears, and so came on my way

GOOD. But did none of them follow you to persuade you to go back? CHR. Yes, both Obstinate and Pliable; but when they saw that they could not prevail, Obstinate went railing back; but Pliable came with me a little way.

GOOD. But why did he not come through?

CHR. We indeed came both together until we came to the Slough of Despond, into the which he also suddenly fell and then was my neighbour Pliable discouraged, and would not adventure further. Wherefore, getting out again on that side next to his own house, he

men" is part of the definition of the Gospel. | critical point of the pilgrimage. A burdened All are invited, and all who accept the invitation are welcome.

Gave him a pull.—CHRISTIAN has escaped the dangers of Destruction, Despond, and Sinai. Yet there is danger still-yea, even to the very threshold of the gate. The whole range of its vicinity is liable to assault from Beelzebub, whose fiery darts fly thick and fast at this

sinner, seeking the Saviour, is the very mark that Satan hastes to assail. Hence the kind intervention of GOODWILL. The penitent sinner is "as a brand plucked from the burning."

Young pilgrims of Sion, be comforted! How oft have you felt the flying arrows of the Wicked One, just as you were about to commit

told me, I should possess the brave country alone for him. So he went his way, and I came mine; he after Obstinate, and I to this gate.

Then said Goodwill, Alas! poor man! is the celestial glory of so small esteem with him, that he counteth it not worth running the hazard of a few difficulties to obtain it?

Truly, said Christian, I have said the truth of Pliable; and, if I should also say the truth of myself, it will appear there is no betterment betwixt him and myself. It is true he went back to his house, but I also turned aside to go in the way of death, being persuaded thereto by the carnal arguments of one Mr. Worldly-wiseman.

GOOD. Oh, did he light upon you? What, he would have had you have sought for ease at the hands of Mr. Legality: they are both of them a very cheat. But did you take his counsel ?

CHR. Yes, as far as I durst. I went to find out Mr. Legality, until I thought that the mountain that stands by his house would have fallen upon my head: wherefore there I was forced to stop.

GOOD. That mountain has been the death of many, and will be the death of many more: it is well you escaped being dashed in pieces by it. CHR. Why, truly I do not know what had become of me there, had not Evangelist happily met me again as I was musing in the midst of my dumps but it was God's mercy that he came to me again, for else I had never come hither. But now I am come, such a one as I am, more fit indeed for death by that mountain, than thus to stand talking with my Lord. But, oh! what a favour is this to me, that yet I am

admitted entrance here!

GOOD. We make no objections against any, notwithstanding all they John 6. 37. have done before they come hither: "they in no wise are cast out" and therefore, good Christian, come a little way with me, and I will teach thee about the way thou must go. Look before thee; dost thou see this narrow way? That is the way thou must go. It was cast up by the patriarchs, prophets, Christ, and his apostles, and it is as straight as a rule can make it. This is the way thou must go.

you the shield of faith to quench these darts, so, now that you are defenceless, GOODWILL plucks you from the danger, and pulls you in.

yourselves to the way of righteousness. When | One. But as there will by-and-by be given you stood, and argued, and reasoned, and sought to make up your mind to cast in your lot with those who are journeying Sionward, how Satan has withstood you, resisted you, assailed you! He has whispered doubts about yourself as to your fitness to come at all; doubts about God-as to his willingness to These are the fiery darts of the Wicked

save.

This is the way.-Once within the gate, and willing to proceed, the Pilgrim is directed as to the way, and the nature of the road. It is the King's highway, that has been made by God in Christ, before the foundation of the

5

Then Christian began to gird up his loins, and to address himself to his journey. So the other told him, that by that he was gone some distance from the gate he would come at the house of the Interpreter, at whose door he should knock; and he would show him excellent things. Then Christian took his leave of his friend, and he again bid him God speed.

CHAPTER V.

THE INTERPRETER'S HOUSE.

A BRILLIANT Scene here opens before us: the "Glorious Dreamer" passes in review through chambers of imagery, and in the rapt vision of his soul he sees the innermost experiences of most men, and forms those marvellous conceptions of the spiritual life, which border so nearly on the Unseen. Peculiar revelations are here vouchsafed to the man of God; and in the Interpreter's House are contained some of the boldest displays of his lofty genius, and some of the brightest imaginings of his spiritually-instructed mind.

Let us walk with CHRISTIAN and the good INTERPRETER through this gallery of illustrations, and see the great visions of the Dreamer. There is an order and arrangement here which well illustrate the PILGRIM'S PROGRESS, as a manual of Christian experience, and a guide to spiritual advancement. The burdened Pilgrim has been admitted (as we have seen in the preceding chapter) within the Wicket-gate; with faith in Christ as the only way of salvation, and yet with conscience of sin still clinging to his soul. He has now to use his opportunities, so as to be rid of his burden, and to proceed upon his way; and, as an earnest and diligent seeker after truth, the first great privilege granted to him is the privilege of instruction, admonition, and encouragement. The Pilgrim of Zion, at the outset of his journey, is ignorant and unknowing of the ways of godliness; he has enlisted in a responsible service, and must be fitted for it; he will have to do battle against enemies that shall arise to meet him in his pilgrimage, and he must therefore be disciplined for the warfare; from within and from without he will experience doubts and dangers, fightings and fears; and except a special strength be given him, he never can be a match for the antagonisms of such a journey. Accordingly, the first stage after his admission to the highway is one of instruction at the hand of the INTERPRETER, under which name the person of the Holy Spirit is designed, in His office as Teacher. And as this scene worthily occupies the foreground of the pilgrimage, so there is also a significant progression of Divine teaching and instruction in the demonstrative lessons conveyed to the mind of the Pilgrim. For example, there is first the presence of light, by the lighting of the candle. Then direction is given as to the qualifications or marks by which the true minister of the Gospel is to be distinguished from unsound teachers. This being provided, the inward work proceeds-the subduing of indwelling sin, through the power of the Divine Word, applied to the heart by the Holy Spirit, all which is shadowed forth by the imagery of the "Dusty Parlour." There is then taught the need of Patience, which calmly abideth the issue; and the spiritual improvidence of mere Passion, which exhausts itself now, and leaves nothing for the time to come. Next is the conflict between Divine grace and the temptations of Satan, in the suggestive scene of "the Fire burning against the wall." And after these stages of experience have been thus illustrated— after the casting out of sin, and the lesson of patience in running the race, and the waging of the conflict of the inner man, the INTERPRETER discloses in a brief scene the great fight of faith in the assault of the Palace gates, and the triumphant entrance of the good soldier of Jesus Christ, after the battle of the warrior has been fought and won. Thus in one gallery of illustration the INTERPRETER presents the conflict of the true Christian from first to last,