Season 5 Podcast 109 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 32 Chapter 6 D, “Faithful Becomes a Martyr.”

Season 5 Podcast 109 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 32 Chapter 6 D, “Faithful Becomes a Martyr.” 

In last week’s episode, Christian and Faithful were persecuted by the citizens of Vanity Fair because they purchased truth rather than the vain things of Vanity Fair. They were considered mad and were beaten and put in a cage. Christian and Faithful, however, did not return railing for railing but took it patiently. Finally, they were put on trial and judged by Lord Hate-Good. Three witnesses witnessed against them: Envy, Superstition, and Pickthank. Last week we heard the evidence of Envy against Faithful, who is the first to be put on trial. This week we shall hear the evidence of Superstition and Pickthank.

“Then they called Superstition, and bade him look upon the prisoner. They also asked what he could say for their lord the king against him. Then they sware him: so he began:

SUPER. My lord, I have no great acquaintance with this man, nor do I desire to have further knowledge of him. However, this I know, that he is a very pestilent fellow, from some discourse the other day that I had with him in this town; for then, talking with him, I heard him say that our religion was naught, and such by which a man could by no means please God. Which saying of his, my lord, your lordship very well knows what necessarily thence will follow; to wit, that we still do worship in vain, are yet in our sins, and finally shall be destroyed: and this is that which I have to say."

Some synonyms for superstition are self-deceit, credulous, gullible, bigoted, biased, prejudiced, and ungrounded. Hardly a basis for a fair trial. The Ten Commandments, which James calls “The Law of Liberty, is the foundation of any democracy. “Thou shalt not bear false witness” is a necessary law for any court system. When it is flagrantly violated, justice cannot prevail. Christian and Faithful are subjected to a mock trial where truth is irrelevant.  Superstition condemns Faithful without even knowing him. Superstition admits that “I have no great acquaintance with this man.” He further admits that he has no “desire to have further knowledge of him (speaking specifically of Faithful, who is the first on trial). When false witnesses are tolerated, then justice is dead, the trial becomes a mockery, and freedom becomes the first casualty. Superstition calls Faithful a “Pestilent fellow,” which suggests that he is an infectious disease that must be eradicated.  In other words, Faithful is destructive to their way of life. 

Superstition then perverts or twists the language of Faithful, accusing him of a crime he did not commit. 

Following Superstition Faithful is not even permitted to defend himself before they call the third false witness, Mr. Pickthank. 

“Then was Pickthank sworn, and bid say what he knew, in behalf of their lord the king, against the prisoner at the bar.

PICK. My lord, and you gentlemen all, this fellow I have known a long time, and have heard him speak things that ought not to be spoken, for he hath railed on our noble prince Beelzebub, and hath spoken contemptuously of his honorable friends, whose names are, the Lord Old-man, the Lord Carnal-Delight, the Lord Luxurious, the Lord Desire-of-Vain-Glory, my old Lord Lust, Sir Having Greedy, with all the rest of our nobility and he hath said, moreover, that, if all men were of his mind, if possible there is not one of these noblemen should have any longer a being in this town. Besides, he has not been afraid to rail on you, my lord, who are now appointed to be his judge, calling you an ungodly villain, with many other such-like abusive terms, with which he hath bespattered most of the gentry of our town."

Notice that Pickthank like his two predecessors, Envy and Superstition, is sworn in to tell the truth, though the oath means nothing to the court since the evidence is just hearsay.