Pilgrim's Progress, continued

Lesson 4

After Pilgrim had been pulled out of the Slough of Despond by Mr. Help, he continued on this way alone for, as you remember, Mr. Pliable had returned to the City of Destruction.  Pilgrim still carried his heavy burden.

If only I could get rid of this terrible burden, he thought, I could easily go on my way to the Celestial City! 

So he traveled wearily on his way until, glancing up, he saw a man coming toward him.  The man was dressed in rich and gaudy clothes and looked very satisfied with himself, and quite at ease.  His name was Mr. Worldly Wiseman, and Pilgrim should have avoided him.  Pilgrim, however, did not know this, and when he called out a friendly greeting and when Mr. Worldly Wiseman asked him where he was going with his burden, he was quite ready to tell him his troubles.

"It is a great burden, indeed," answered Pilgrim.  "I do not think any man has had a greater one.  But I am on my way to the wicket gate and the shining light.  There, I have been told, I will be instructed how I can get rid  of it." 

Then Mr. Worldly Wiseman inquired about Pilgrim's family and his affairs, and completely won his confidence.  Pilgrim told him of the journey he was taking because of his meeting with Evangelist.

Mr. Worldly Wiseman criticized Evangelist terribly for the instruction he had given Pilgrim.

"That is a very troublesome way," he said.  "There are many dangers ahead for you.  Why, there are lions, and dragons and weariness and hunger and darkness and even death.  You cannot imagine all the dreadful things you will meet.  If you want some really good advice I will give it to you."

"I certainly need advice," answered Pilgrim, "but most of all I need to get rid of this great burden of sins.  If only I could get ride of that I would not mind all the dangers of the way."

"But why go such a hard way," asked Mr. Worldly Wiseman, "when there is a much easier way?  I can tell you a way where you will meet only safety, friendship and contentment."

"Oh, do tell me this way," begged Pilgrim.  "I shall surely take it at once."

"See that hill?" asked Mr. Worldly Wiseman.

Pilgrim could not fail to see the hill, for it was very high.

"Just beyond that hill, in the very first house, lives a man by the name of Mr. Legality.  He does a good business of loosing such loads as yours.  He is a good man.  You could not do better than to go to him for help.  More than that, he lives in a pleasant town.  The name of it is Morality.  There are empty houses in Morality and you could bring your charming family and settle down in comfort."

Pilgrim believed everything Mr. Worldly Wiseman told him, and forgetting Evangelist's good advice, he started for the hill beyond which lived Mr. Legality.

Poor Pilgrim!  He did not know that that "there is a way which seems right to a man, but the end are the ways of death."  He thought it wise to take the easier way that Mr. Worldly Wiseman had pointed out to him rather than to travel the longer, harder way which Evangelist had recommended.  But God says in His Word that any other way than His way of salvation ends in death.

The word "legality" refers to keeping the law; so what Mr. Worldly Wiseman really told Pilgrim was that he could lose his burden of sin by keeping the law.  There are many Worldly Wisemen today--many who tell us that good people, or those who keep God's law, are the only ones who will go to Heaven.  They are only Worldly Wisemen!  If we listen to them, we will be turned from the true way which is through the Lord Jesus Christ, who said:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life;
no man comes to the Father,
but by me" (John 14:6).

So we know that Mr. Legality could never do for Pilgrim what Mr. Worldly Wiseman said he could do.  But Pilgrim did not know that, so he traveled on his way toward Mr. Legality's house.