After some further conversation Goodwill told Christian that since the Lord Jesus had Himself said, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)), none who come to the gate are turned away, even though before coming they may have done many wrong and even wicked things, for they are invited to listen to such words of grace as, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isa. 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)).
Christian then asked which way he should go, and he was pointed to a straight and narrow path, which he was told he must follow. "But," he said, "are there no turnings or windings in the path by which I, who am a stranger, may miss my way?" He was told that there were many, but they were all wide and crooked, the right way only being narrow.
Now Christian was still bearing the burden of his sins, a burden from which he longed to be free, but from which he could not free himself.
His friend then told him that he must be content to bear his burden until he came to the place of deliverance, when it would fall off of itself.
As I turn the pages of the copy of The Pilgrim's Progress that lies before me as I write, I cannot help feeling that Christian was sent a long and weary way round before being told of a finished work, of a risen, living Savior, for though, as we have seen, its author, John Bunyan, loved the Lord and suffered for His sake, it is possible that at the time when the first part of his really wonderful book was written he did not see quite clearly that all the burdened sinner is required to do is to take salvation as the free gift of God. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14-1514And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:14‑15)).
Perhaps some dear boy or girl who will read what I am writing may be saying, "I think I am just a little like Christian; I have heard the gospel preached a great number of times. I read my Bible, and I have a real desire to be saved, but I cannot, I dare not, say that my sins are forgiven."
It may be that you are trying to make yourself pleasing to God by efforts of your own. Give up trying and put trusting in its place.
But we must return to Christian. We left him about to set out once more upon his journey; his next place of call was to be at the house of the Interpreter, who would, he was assured, show him wonderful things.
After walking some distance he came to the house that had been so clearly described to him that he could make no mistake, and he knocked. When the door was opened, he asked leave to speak with the master of the house, who did not keep him waiting long. The Interpreter kindly but gravely asked where he came from and what he was in search of. Christian again told his story, how he had left the City of Destruction, and how he had been told by the man at the gate that in the house of the Interpreter many things which so far he had failed to understand would be explained to him.
He was then led into several rooms, in each of which were pictures that, when explained, helped to make some Bible truth plain and fix it upon his memory. But as the contents of one room will have a special interest for my young readers, I will not attempt to describe the others.
In this room were two little boys, each sitting in a chair. The name of one was Passion, and the name of the other was Patience. Passion looked restless and discontented, but Patience was quiet and looked cheerful and contented. So Christian asked the Interpreter why Passion seemed so unhappy? The Interpreter answered, "The Governor of these boys wished them to wait for their best things till the beginning of next year. Passion got very angry and said he would have them at once, but Patience was willing to wait."
Then one came to Passion with a bag of gold, which he poured out at his feet, so Passion forgot his discontent and seemed greatly pleased, but he spoke in a very unkind manner to Patience. It was not long, however, before he began to spend his gold in a reckless and foolish way, and he soon had nothing left.
Then said Christian, "I should like to understand this more fully. Will you kindly explain it to me?" The Interpreter told him that Passion was a picture of the men of the world, who wanted to have all their good things in this life, but Patience, having learned something of the value of unseen and eternal things, was content to wait for them. "For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Cor. 4:1818While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)).
"I see clearly," said Christian, "that Patience has the true wisdom."