Hill Difficulty

Thus they went on, till they came at the foot of the Hill Difficulty, where again their good friend Mr Great-heart, took an occasion to tell them of what happened there when Christian himself went by. So he had them first to the Spring. Lo, saith he, this is the Spring that Christian drank of before he went up this Hill, and then 'twas clear and good, but now 'tis dirty with the feet of some that are not desirous that Pilgrims here should quench their thirst. Thereat Mercy said, And why so envious, tro? But said the Guide, It will do, if taken up, and put into a vessel that is sweet and good; for then the dirt will sink to the bottom, and the water will come out by itself more clear. Thus therefore Christiana and her companions were compelled to do. They took it up, and put it into an earthen pot, and so let it stand till the dirt was gone to the bottom, and then they drank thereof.

Next he shewed them the two by-ways that were at the foot of the Hill, where Formality and Hypocrisy lost themselves. And said he, these are dangerous paths. Two were here cast away when Christian came by; and although, as you see, these ways are since stopped up with chains, posts and a ditch, yet there are that will chuse to adventure here, rather than take the pains to go up this Hill.

Christiana: The way of transgressors is hard. 'Tis a wonder that they can get into those ways without danger of breaking their necks.

Great-heart: They will venture; yea, if at any time any of the King's servants doth happen to see them, and doth call unto them, and tell them that they are in the wrong ways, and do bid them to beware the danger, then they will railingly return them answer and say, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the King, we will not hearken unto thee; but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouths, etc. Nay if you look a little farther, you shall see that these ways are made cautionary enough, not only by these posts and ditch and chain, but also by being hedged up; yet they will choose to go there.

Christiana: They are idle, they love not to take pains, uphill way is unpleasant to them. So it is fulfilled unto them as it is written, The way of the slothful man is a hedge of thorns. Yea, they will rather choose to walk upon a snare, than to go up this Hill, and the rest of this way to the City.

Then they set forward, and began to go up the Hill, and up the Hill they went; but before they got to the top, Christiana began to pant, and said, I dare say this is a breathing Hill. No marvel if they that love their ease more than their souls, choose to themselves a smoother way. Then said Mercy, I must sit down; also the least of the children began to cry. Come, come, said Great-heart, sit not down here, for a little above is the Prince's Arbor. Then took he the little boy by the hand, and led him up thereto.

Interpretation:

There is a spiritual spring for pilgrims to quench their spiritual thirst by abiding in Christ Jesus but the false teachers make the water dirty with their feet so that they cannot not drink the spiritual water in a pure manner. But Great-heart asks them to use a vessel that is sweet and good and to drink the fresh water after the mud settles down. When the Word of God is adulterated by false teachers, it creates fear in your heart and makes you look for some mediator to speak to God on your behalf.

You need to discern the spirit of those who put you into some bondage and to reject such messages of these false teachers who teach you some moral code add the same to the Law of Moses.

Pilgrims need to sit calmly at the feet of Jesus to read what His word says. If rightly understood, the Word of God quenches their spiritual thirst. Waters proceed from the Holy Spirit to quench their spiritual thirst. They need patience and long-suffering to wait for the dirt to settle down in the vessel. In the midst of confusion, they have to be patient as to listen to the voice of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The true King's servants would guide them by the right way.

They have to avoid the two by-ways that were at the foot of the hill, where Formality and Hypocrisy lost themselves. Formality represents those preachers who believe in age-old traditions. Hypocrisy represents those preachers who preach what they do not practise. Pilgrims need to go up the Hill Difficulty. Without tribulation, they cannot enter the Kingdom of God. "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).

Next.....Arbor