11/11/09
Patrick Fisher
The Interpreter’s House Speech
Introduction
What a marvelous mystery is the Grace of the Gospel of Christ! One of the best descriptions, of grace accepted and grace rejected, can be found in the classic Christian allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. Listen to the Interpreter, as the pilgrim “Christian” struggles to understand the meaning of grace at the Interpreter’s House. See how grace is different from the law, and how it cleanses the dusty room that is the human heart. Learn of the fiery work of grace in the heart, and how the devil tries to quench the flames while Christ feeds the fire with oil. Finally, see the tragedy of a man separated from grace by his own sins and trapped in a cage of despair. Enter, Christian and the Interpreter….
1. Dusty Room
Narrator: …he took him by the hand, and led him into a very large parlour that was full of dust because never swept; the which after he had reviewed a little while, the Interpreter called for a man to sweep. Now, when he began to sweep, the dust began so abundantly to fly about that Christian had almost therewith been choked. Then said the Interpreter to a damsel that stood by,
Int.: “Bring hither the water, and sprinkle the room.”
Nar.: the which when she had done, it was swept and cleansed with pleasure.
Christian: “What means this?”
Interpreter: This parlour is the heart of a man that was never sanctified by the sweet grace of the gospel. The dust is his original sin, and inward corruptions, that have defiled the whole man. He that began to sweep at first, is the Law; but she that brought water, and did sprinkle it, is the Gospel. Now whereas thou sawest, that so soon as the first began to sweep, the dust did so fly about, that the room by him could not be cleansed, but that thou wast almost choked therewith; this is to show thee, that the law, instead of cleansing the heart (by its working) from sin, doth revive, put strength into, and increase it in the soul, even as it doth discover and forbid it, for it doth not give power to subdue.”
“Again, as thou sawest the damsel sprinkle the room with water, upon which it was cleansed with pleasure; this is to show thee, that when the gospel comes in the sweet and precious influences thereof to the heart, then, I say, even as thou sawest the damsel lay the dust by sprinkling the floor with water, so is sin vanquished and subdued, and the soul made clean, through the faith of it, and consequently fit for the King of glory to inhabit.”
2. Water and Oil
Narr.: …the Interpreter took Christian by the hand, and led him into a place where was a fire burning against a wall, and one standing by it, always casting much water upon it, to quench it; yet did the fire burn higher and hotter.
Chr.: “What means this?”
Inter.: “This fire is the work of grace that is wrought in the heart; he that casts water upon it to extinguish it and put it out, is the devil: but in that thou seest the fire notwithstanding burn higher and hotter, thou shalt also see the reason of that.”
Nar.: So he had him about to the back side of the wall, where he saw a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, of the which he did also continually cast (but secretly) into the fire.
Chr.: “What means this?”
Inter.: “This is Christ, who continually, with the oil of His grace, maintains the work already begun in the heart; by the means of which, notwithstanding what the devil can do, the souls of His people prove gracious still. And in that thou sawest, that the man stood behind the wall to maintain the fire; this is to teach thee, that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is maintained in the soul.”
3. Man in the Iron Cage
Nar.: He took him by the hand again, and led him into a very dark room, where there sat a man in an iron cage.
[The man looks very sad, hands folded together, sighed as if he would break his heart.]
Chr.: “What means this?” “What art thou?”
Man: “I am what I was not once.”
Chr.: “What wast thou once?”
Man: “I was once a fair and flourishing professor, both in mine own eyes, and also in the eyes of others: I once was, as I thought, fair for the Celestial City, and had then even joy at the thoughts that I should get thither.”
Chr.: “Well, but what art thou now?”
Man: “I am now a man of despair, and am shut up in it, as in this iron cage. I cannot get out. Oh now I cannot!”
Chr.: “But how camest thou into this condition?”
Man: “I left off to watch and be sober; I laid the reins upon the neck of mu lusts; I sinned against the light of the word, and the goodness of God; I have grieved the Spirit and He is gone; I tempted the devil, and he is come to me; I have provoked God to anger, and He has left me; I have so hardened my heart, that I cannot repent.”
Chr. to Int.: “But is there no hope for such a man as this?”
Inter.: “ Ask him.”
Chr. to Man: “ Is there no hope, but you must be kept in the iron cage of despair?”
Man: “No, none at all.
Chr.: “Why? The Son of the Blessed is very pitiful.”
Man: “I have crucified Him to myself afresh. I have despised His person. I have despised His righteousness; I have counted His blood an unholy thing; I have done despite to the Spirit of grace; therefore I have shut myself out of all the promises, and there now remains to me nothing but threatenings, dreadful threatenings, fearful threatenings of certain judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour me as an adversary.”
Chr.: “ For what did you bring yourself into this condition?”
Man: “For the lusts, pleasures, and profits of this world; in the enjoyments of which I did then promise myself much delight: but now every one of those things also bite me, and gnaw me, like a burning worm.
Chr.: “But canst thou not now repent and turn?”
Man: “God hath denied me repentence. His word gives me no encouragement to believe; yea, Himself hath shut me up in this iron cage: nor can all the men in the world let me out. Oh, eternity! Eternity! How shall I grabble with the misery that I must meet with in eternity!”
Inter.: “Let this man’s misery be remembered by thee, and be an everlasting caution to thee.”
