Meeting Mr. Skill

Samuel: Then said Samuel, Mother, mother, what was that which my brother did gather up and eat, so soon as we were come from the Gate that is at the head of this way? You know that there was an orchard on the left hand, on the other side of the wall, some of the trees hung over the wall, and my brother did plash and did eat.

Christiana: True my child, said Christiana, he did take thereof and did eat, naughty boy as he was. I did chide him, and yet he would eat thereof.

Skill: I knew he had eaten something that was not wholesome food, and that food, to wit, that fruit, is even the most hurtful of all. It is the fruit of Beelzebub's orchard. I do marvel that none did warn you of it; many have died thereof.

Christiana: Then Christiana began to cry, and she said, O naughty boy, and O careless mother, what shall I do for my son?

Skill: Come, do not be too much dejected; the boy may do well again, but he must purge and vomit.

Christiana: Pray Sir, try the utmost of your skill with him whatever it costs.

Skill: Nay, I hope I shall be reasonable. So he made him a purge, but it was too weak. 'Twas said it was made of the blood of a goat, the ashes of a heifer, and with some of the juice of hyssop, etc.

When Mr Skill had seen that that purge was too weak, he made him one to the purpose, 'twas made Ex Carne E Sanguine Christi. (You know physicians give strange medicines to their patients.) And it was made up into pills, with a promise or two, and a proportionate quantity of salt. Now he was to take them three at a time fasting, in half a quarter of a pint of the Tears of Repentance. When this potion was prepared and brought to the boy he was loathe to take it, tho' torn with the gripes as if he should be pulled in pieces. Come, come, said the physician, you must take it. It goes against my stomach, said the boy. I must have you take it, said his mother. I shall vomit it up again, said the boy.

Pray Sir, said Christiana to Mr Skill, how does it taste? It has no ill taste, said the Doctor, and with that she touched one of the Pills with the tip of her tongue. Oh Matthew, said she, this potion is sweeter than honey. If thou lovest thy mother, if thou lovest thy brothers, if thou lovest Mercy, if thou lovest thy life, take it. So with much ado, after a short prayer for the blessing of God upon it, he took it, and it wrought kindly with him. It caused him to purge, it caused him to sleep and rest quietly, it put him into a fine heat and breathing sweat, and did quite rid him of his gripes.

So in little time he got up and walked about with a staff, and would go from room to room, and talk with Prudence, Piety and Charity of his distemper, and how he was healed.

So when the boy was healed, Christiana asked Mr Skill, saying Sir, what will content you for your pains and care to and of my child? And he said, You must pay the master of the College of Physicians, according to rules made in that case and provided.

Christiana: But Sir, said she, what is this pill good for else?

Skill: It is a universal pill, it is good against all the diseases that Pilgrims are incident to, and when it is well prepared, it will keep good time out of mind.

Christiana: Pray Sir, make me up twelve boxes of them, for if I can get these, I will never take other physick.

Skill: These pills are good to prevent diseases, as well as to cure when one is sick. Yea, I dare say it, and stand to it, that if a man will but use this physick as he should, it will make him live for ever. But good Christiana, thou must give these pills no other way but as I have prescribed, for if you do, they will do no good.

So he gave unto Christiana physick for herself and her boys and for Mercy, and bid Matthew to take heed how he eat any more green plums, and kissed them and went his way.

It was told you before that Prudence bid the boys, that if at any time they would, they should ask her some questions that might be profitable, and she would say something to them.

Matthew: Then Matthew who had been sick, asked her, Why for the most part physick should be bitter to our palates?

Prudence: To shew how unwelcome the Word of God and the effects thereof are to a carnal heart.

Matthew: Why does physick, if it does good, purge, and cause that we vomit?

Prudence: To shew that the Word, when it works effectually, cleanseth the heart and mind. For look, what the one doth to the body the other doth to the soul.

Matthew: What should we learn by seeing the flame of our fire go upwards? and by seeing the beams and sweet influences of the sun strike downwards?

Prudence: By the going up of the fire we are taught to ascend to Heaven by fervent and hot desires; and by the sun his sending his heat beams and sweet Influences downwards, we are taught that the Saviour of the world, tho' high, reaches down with His grace and love to us below.

Matthew: Where have the clouds their water?

Prudence: Out of the sea.

Matthew: What may we learn from that?

Prudence: That Ministers should fetch their doctrine from God.

Matthew: Why do they empty themselves upon the earth?

Prudence: To shew that Ministers should give out what they know of God to the World.

Matthew: Why is the rainbow caused by the sun?

Prudence: To shew that the covenant of God's grace is confirmed to us in Christ.

Matthew: Why do the springs come from the sea to us through the earth?

Prudence: To shew that the grace of God comes to us through the Body of Christ.

Matthew: Why do some of the springs rise out of the tops of high hills?

Prudence: To shew that the Spirit of Grace shall spring up in some that are great and mighty, as well as in many that are poor and low.

Matthew: Why doth the fire fasten upon the candlewick?

Prudence: To shew that unless grace doth kindle upon the heart, there will be no true Light of Life in us.

Matthew: Why is the wick and tallow and all, spent to maintain the light of the candle?

Prudence: To shew that body and soul and all, should be at the service of, and spend themselves to maintain in good condition, that Grace of God that is in us.

Matthew: Why doth the pelican pierce her own breast with her bill?

Prudence: To nourish her young ones with her blood, and thereby to shew that Christ the blessed so loved His young, His people, as to save them from death by His Blood.

Matthew: What may one learn by hearing the cock to crow?

Prudence: Learn to remember Peter's sin, and Peter's repentance. The cock's crowing shews also that day is coming on; let then the crowing of the cock put thee in mind of that last and terrible Day of Judgment.

Now about this time their month was out, wherefore they signified to those of the house that 'twas convenient for them to up and be going. Then said Joseph to his mother, It is convenient that you forget not to send to the house of Mr Interpreter, to pray him to grant that Mr Great-heart should be sent unto us, that he may be our conductor the rest of our way. Good boy, said she, I had almost forgot. So she drew up a petition, and prayed Mr Watchful the Porter to send it by some fit man to her good friend Mr Interpreter: who when it was come, and he had seen the contents of the petition, said to the messenger, Go tell them that I will send him.

Now Matthew the eldest son of Christiana fell sick, and his sickness was sore upon him, for he was much pained in his bowels, so that he was with it at times, pulled as 'twere both ends together. There dwelt also not far from thence, one Mr Skill, an ancient and well-approved Physician. So Christiana desired it, and they sent for him, and he came. When he was entered the room, and had a little observed the boy, he concluded that he was sick of the gripes. Then he said to his mother. What diet has Matthew of late fed upon? Diet, said Christiana, nothing but that which is wholesome. The Physician answered, This boy has been tampering with something that lies in his maw undigested, and that will not away without means. And I tell you he must be purged, or else he will die.

Interpretation:

In the Porter's lodge, proper care was taken by Mr.Skill of the health of pilgrims including the young children. In this world, the food that comes to you contains all kinds of chemicals harmful to our health system. It is the fruit of Beelzebub's orchard. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10). What we eat determines the immunity system in our body. Mr. Skill prescribed some pills which were good to prevent diseases. Dietary food avoiding fat has to be consumed. Home-made food and fresh vegetables should be preferred. Many God's servants are prone to heart attacks, etc, because of their food habits. When we are attacked by diseases, we have to take care of our bodies by taking right medicines prayerfully as prescribed by physicians like Mr. Skill. Thesedays, it is very difficult to find good physicians like Mr. Skill. The local churches which are considered as the Porter's lodge should help their congregation members in getting propher medical treatment in good hospitals who follow ethics.

Whenever we become sick in our bodies, first we should have the Tears of Repentance and get reconciled with God. Then we should take proper medical treatment prayerfully. In places where we lack good medical facilities, we should not bother about it. Whatever medicines or treatment are available, we should take the same prayerfully as it is God who heals us.

As suggested by Prudence during her conversation with Christiana, our body and soul which need to be at the service of God should be maintained in good condition so that grace of God would be in us. We should not deprive our body of good rest and sleep.

As suggested by Prudence, Ministers should fetch their doctrine from God. Today, there are different doctrines in our churches which create a lot of confusion and disharmony.

About grace of God, Prudence says that unless grace does kindle upon the heart, there will be no true light of life in us. “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time (I Pet.5:5-6). Today, many of us do not have more grace because of our spiritual pride. As we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, He will exalt us in due time.

Next.......Hazardous journey