Doubting Castle and the Key Called Promise

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2 CORINTHIANS 1:20

Some of Bunyan’s best-loved scenes are his darkest. After the pleasant river with its fruit trees and meadows, the way grows rough, and the pilgrims’ feet are sore. On the left of the road is a meadow, and a stile over into it, and a path running along beside the way, soft and easy. It is called By-path Meadow. Christian thinks it runs alongside the way and persuades Hopeful to cross with him. It is the beginning of the worst captivity in the book.

Out of the way through a stile

The mistake is small, and it is Christian’s. He is the older pilgrim, and Hopeful follows him, though with a gentle caution. They meet a man called Vain-Confidence going the same way, who assures them it leads to the Celestial Gate. Then night falls; Vain-Confidence, walking ahead in the dark, falls into a deep pit and is dashed to pieces; the rain comes down, the waters rise, and the two pilgrims, trying to get back, are nearly drowned nine or ten times. At last they shelter and fall asleep — in the grounds of Doubting Castle, whose owner is Giant Despair.

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. PROVERBS 16:25

Bunyan is precise about how despair comes. It does not usually come from great crimes. It comes from a small turning aside to an easier path, a little self-confidence, a night in the wrong place. And there is a moment of real tenderness in the dark: Christian, ashamed, asks Hopeful to forgive him for leading him out of the way, and Hopeful does, and adds that he believes this shall be for their good. Even in the worst hours, the pilgrims do not turn on each other.

The giant and his wife

In the morning Giant Despair finds them asleep in his grounds and drives them into a very dark, nasty and stinking dungeon, where they lie from Wednesday morning till Saturday night without bread, drink or light. His wife, whose name is Diffidence, counsels him to beat them without mercy, and he does, with a grievous crab-tree cudgel. The next night she advises him to urge them to make away with themselves.

This is the most painful part of the whole book, and it must be read with care. Giant Despair tells the prisoners that since they are never likely to come out, their only way is to make an end of themselves, with knife, halter or poison. And Christian, the hero of the story, the man who fought Apollyon, begins to agree. My soul chooseth strangling rather than life, he says, quoting Job; the grave is easier than this dungeon.

So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. JOB 7:15

Hopeful’s counsel

It is Hopeful — the younger, weaker pilgrim — who holds on. He reminds Christian that the Lord of the country they are going to has said, Thou shalt do no murder, and that this forbids a man to kill himself as much as another. He reminds him that others have escaped from his hands, and that God who made the world may yet cause the giant to die or forget to lock the door. Let us be patient, he says, and endure a while; the time may come when we are given a happy release.

The next night, when Christian again wavers, Hopeful reminds him how valiant he has been before: Apollyon could not crush him, nor the terrors of the Valley of the Shadow. He, Hopeful, is a far weaker man by nature, and yet is in the dungeon with him. Remember how you played the man at Vanity Fair, he says, and were neither afraid of the chain, nor cage, nor bloody death; let us at least avoid the shame that becomes not a Christian to be found in.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. PSALM 42:11

If you are in that dungeon now, and the thought of ending your life has come to you, please do what Christian did: tell someone who is with you. Speak to a friend, a pastor, a doctor, or a crisis helpline today. The giant is lying to you. There is a way out.

The key in his bosom

On Saturday about midnight the pilgrims begin to pray, and continue in prayer till almost break of day. And a little before dawn Christian breaks out, as one half amazed: “What a fool, quoth he, am I, thus to lie in a stinking dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom, called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle.”

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature. 2 PETER 1:4

Hopeful says, good news, brother; pluck it out and try. The key turns the lock of the dungeon door, and the door flies open with ease. It opens the door into the castle yard. It opens the iron gate — though that lock goes desperately hard. The gate creaks, the giant wakes to pursue them, but his fits take him and his limbs fail, and the pilgrims run back to the King’s highway.

There are three things to notice. First, Christian had the key all along. It was in his bosom the whole time he lay in the dungeon. The promises of God do not go away when we despair; we simply forget we have them. Second, the key was found after a night of prayer. Third, the last lock was the hardest. Deliverance from despair is not always easy, even with the promise in hand. But the key did open it.

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 1 JOHN 2:25

A pillar for those who come after

Back over the stile, the pilgrims set up a pillar with a warning engraved on it: that over this stile is the way to Doubting Castle, kept by Giant Despair. Many who came after read it and escaped. The first thing Christian and Hopeful do with their freedom is to protect others. Those who have been in the dungeon are the best people to warn the rest — and, in the Second Part, Great-heart and his company come back this way and pull Doubting Castle down.

FOR REFLECTION AND ACTION

1. What is your By-path Meadow — the small easier path that runs alongside the way and leads off it?

2. Write down three promises of God and keep them in your bosom — in your pocket, phone or memory — for the day you need a key.

3. If you are in a dungeon of despair, tell one person this week. If you have had any thought of ending your life, speak to someone today.

4. Is there a Christian near you in Doubting Castle? Be their Hopeful: remind them of God’s command, His power and His past faithfulness, and stay with them.

5. If God has brought you out, set up a pillar: warn someone else of the stile that led you in.

A PRAYER

Lord, I have stepped over the stile into easier paths, and found myself in the dungeon of despair. Forgive me, and do not leave me there.

When the giant tells me there is no way out, give me a friend like Hopeful, and make me a friend like him to others.

Remind me of the key in my bosom. Let Your promises open every lock, even the one that goes desperately hard.

Bring me back to the King’s highway, and let me warn those who come after me. Amen.