And now Mr. Sagacity left me to dream out my dream by myself. Wherefore I thought I saw Christiana, and Mercy, and the boys, go all of them up to the gate. To which when they were come, they betook themselves to a short debate about how they must manage their calling at the gate, and what should be said to him that did open to them. So it was concluded, since Christiana was the eldest, that she should knock for entrance; and that she should speak to him that did open for the rest. So Christiana began to knock; and as her poor husband did, she knocked and knocked again. But instead of any that answered, they all thought that they heard as if a dog came barking upon them. A dog, and a great one too; and this made the women and children afraid. Nor durst they for awhile to knock any more, for fear the mastiff should fly upon them. Now, therefore, they were greatly tumbled up and down in their minds, and knew not what to do. Knock they durst not, for fear of the dog; go back they durst not, for fear that the keeper of that gate should espy them as they so went, and should be offended with them. At last they thought of knocking again, and knocked more vehemently than they did at the first. Then said the keeper of the gate, “Who is there?” So the dog left off to bark, and he opened unto them.
Then Christiana made low obeisance, and said, “Let not our Lord be offended with his handmaidens, for that we have knocked at his princely gate.”
Then said the keeper, “From whence do you come, and what is that you would have?”
Christiana answered, “We are come from whence Christian did come, and upon the same errand as he; to wit, to be, if it shall please you, graciously admitted by this gate into the way that leads to the Celestial City. And I answer my Lord in the next place, that I am Christiana, once the wife of Christian that now is gotten above.”
With that the keeper of the gate did marvel saying, “What, is she become now a pilgrim, that but awhile ago abhorred that life?” Then she bowed her head, and said, “Yes; and so are these my sweet babes also.”
Then he took her by the hand, and let her in and said also, “Suffer the little children to come unto Me.” And with that he shut up the gate. This done, he called to a trumpeter that was above over the gate, to entertain Christiana with shouting and sound of trumpet for joy.
So he obeyed and sounded, and filled the air with his melodious notes.
Notes and Commentary
Soon after crossing the Slough of Despond, the pilgrims arrive at the Wicket Gate. Evangelist first told Christian to seek the Gate in Part 1 of The Pilgrim’s Progress. Earlier in Part 2 Christiana received the same instructions. Secret told her: “Go to the wicket gate yonder, over the plain, for that stands in the head of the way up which you must go.” But unlike Christian, who was beguiled and led astray for a time by Worldly Wiseman, Christiana goes directly to the Gate.
Continue Reading Notes and Commentary
The text for The Pilgrim’s Progress and images used are public domain.
Notes and Commentary for Part II ©2014, 2022 Ken Puls
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from
the New King James Version (NKJV) ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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