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• pilgrim
Trials arise along the path, embodied by people such as Obstinate, Beelzebub, Mr By-Ends, Ignorance, Mr Fearing and Mr Despondency, and places such as Hill Difficulty, Valley of Humiliation and Doubting Castle. As Honest said about the human expedition, ‘It happens to us as it happens to all travelling people: sometimes our way is clean, sometimes dirty; sometimes uphill, sometimes downhill; we don’t often have any certainty. The wind’s not always at our backs, nor is everyone we meet on the way a friend… Mostly, we find it true that, “A good man must suffer trouble.”’ In the midst of these challenges, God offers the pilgrims helpers, messengers of the Holy Spirit. They meet Goodwill, the Shining Ones, The Interpreter (Holy Spirit), Prudence, Piety, Faithful, Hopeful, Mr Sagacity, Mr GreatHeart, Old Honest, Mr Valiant-for-Truth and Mr Standfast, who show them the way to the Celestial City through the way of the wicket-gate. The wicket-gate inevitably leads them to the Cross and tomb where their burdens are lifted off their backs. Even in the metaphorical coming to Christ on earth, they still have more road to travel before reaching the Celestial City. Coming to the Cross and tomb (a metaphor for Jesus’ death at Calvary) begins their sanctification process on earth. The expedition culminates for all of the pilgrims in a final struggle in the River of Death and then arrival at the Celestial City. The Pilgrim’s Progress vividly depicts