Faithful's Death: A Pilgrim's Progress And Ultimate Sacrifice

In John Bunyan's 1678 Christian allegory, 'The Pilgrim's Progress', Faithful is a fellow pilgrim and former neighbour of the protagonist, Christian. Faithful joins Christian on his journey to the Celestial City, after escaping the Slough of Despond, which Christian had previously floundered in. On his way to the Wicket Gate, Faithful is tempted by a wanton woman and an old man, Adam the First, who promises him one of his three lusty daughters if he strays from his path. After resisting their temptations, Faithful is beaten by Moses as punishment for his momentary weakness. Later, Faithful meets Shame, who tries to deter him from his holy path by arguing that religion is an unmanly pursuit.

Faithful and Christian are eventually captured and imprisoned in the town of Vanity, where they are mocked and smeared with dirt for their refusal to worship Beelzebub. Despite being given a chance to repent, they remain true to their faith and are sentenced to death for disrespecting the local religion. Faithful is burned at the stake and carried off to heaven in a celestial chariot, while Christian escapes.

Faithful is burned at the stake

Faithful and Christian are arrested and detained because of their disdain for the wares and business of the fair. Faithful is permitted to defend himself at trial, but he is cruelly executed thereafter. His faith and bravery encourage Hopeful and others to become pilgrims.

Before his death, Faithful is scourged, buffeted, lanced with knives, stoned, and pricked with swords. After his death, he is taken up to the Celestial City in a chariot.

Faithful's death is described in a manner familiar to Bunyan's readers. It is reminiscent of Foxe's Book of Martyrs, first published in 1563, which Bunyan had a copy of in his prison cell. Bunyan also alludes to Jesus' death. Jesus was scourged before he was delivered to be crucified.

He is then carried off to heaven

Faithful's death is described as cruel and agonising. He is first scourged, then buffeted, then lanced with knives, stoned, and pricked with swords. Finally, he is burned to ashes at the stake.

However, Bunyan does not end the story there. He takes the reader beyond the physical description of Faithful's death to show the spiritual reality behind it. Behind the crowd that had gathered to watch Faithful's demise, a chariot and horses were waiting to take Faithful straight to the Celestial City. Faithful is carried up through the clouds with the sound of a trumpet, in a manner that resembles Elijah's departure from Elisha in the Old Testament.

This account of Faithful's death offers three important lessons:

• God regards the death of His saints as precious. Even if death comes in a way that seems sudden, unexpected, painful, or cruel, God will enfold His saints in His love and safely bring them home.
• For the saints of God, death is gain. To die is to be with Christ, which is far better than to live.
• God is sovereign over life and death. He has determined the number of our days, as well as the occasion and circumstances of our death.

Thus, Faithful is lovingly ushered to the very gates of the Celestial City, while Christian remains behind to eventually press on in the Way.

He is accused of disrespecting the local Satan-worshipping religion

Faithful, a fellow pilgrim from Christian's hometown, accompanies Christian on his journey to the Celestial City. Faithful is later executed in the town of Vanity for the crime of disrespecting the local Satan-worshipping religion.

Faithful is first introduced in the narrative when he meets Christian, the protagonist of John Bunyan's allegory, 'The Pilgrim's Progress'. Faithful is a former resident of the City of Destruction, just like Christian, and joins him on his journey to the Celestial City. Faithful shares the gossip from their hometown, reporting that the townspeople discussed their impending doom but few took it seriously enough to leave.

Faithful's journey to the Celestial City is filled with temptations and trials. He manages to avoid the Slough of Despond, which had previously trapped Christian, but he faces other challenges. He encounters a wanton woman, who tries to seduce him with promises of carnal pleasures. He also meets Adam the First, who offers him a life of luxury and the chance to marry one of his three lusty daughters: Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes, and Pride of Life. Faithful resists these temptations and continues on his path.

However, his journey is not without consequences. Moses, representing the harsh Mosaic Code, punishes Faithful for his momentary attraction to Wanton and his inclination towards Adam the First. Faithful is beaten mercilessly and is only spared from death when the Lord intervenes. Faithful also encounters Discontent and Shame, who try to dissuade him from his religious path by arguing that religion is unmanly and a hindrance to worldly success. Despite these challenges, Faithful remains steadfast in his faith.

Faithful and Christian's journey together allows them to discuss the contrast between the miseries of their current world and the eternal bliss they hope to find in the Celestial City. Their conversations provide an opportunity for Bunyan to explore the mysteries of faith through extended dialogue.

As Faithful and Christian continue their journey, they are warned by their friend Evangelist that danger lies ahead. They will soon reach a town where they will be attacked by enemies, and one of them might be killed. Despite the warning, Faithful remains resolute in his faith.

Upon reaching the town of Vanity, Faithful and Christian are mocked, smeared with dirt, and thrown into a cage. They are given a chance to repent but stay true to their beliefs, condemning the false religion of the town. As a result, Faithful is sentenced to death and burned at the stake. However, his faith carries him to heaven, where he is carried in a celestial chariot.

The death of Faithful serves as a powerful testament to his unwavering faith. His martyrdom becomes a symbol of the ultimate sacrifice in the name of religious conviction, and he is rewarded with eternal life in heaven.

He is a former resident of the City of Destruction

Faithful is a former resident of the City of Destruction, just like Christian. Faithful fled the City of Destruction shortly after Christian left, causing quite a stir in the city. Most people denounced him as a fool, and Faithful wishes Christian had informed him of his intention to leave, as he would have joined him from the start.

Faithful's journey was different from Christian's. He managed to get around the Slough of Despond, where Christian had floundered, but on the path to the Wicket Gate, he was accosted by a wanton woman, who tried to seduce him with promises of "all carnal and fleshly content". He also met an old man named Adam the First, who lived in the town of Deceit. Adam invited Faithful to come and live with him, saying that he had three beautiful daughters: Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes, and Pride of Life. Faithful was tempted, but ultimately continued on his way.

Ascending Difficulty Hill, Faithful was attacked by Moses, who punished him for having looked at the wanton woman and for his secret inclinations towards Adam the First. He was beaten so badly that he was sure he would have been killed if someone had not intervened.

Faithful did not stop at the Palace Beautiful, which is why he was ahead of Christian on the Holy Way. He did not encounter Apollyon in the Valley of Humiliation, but he did meet Discontent and Shame, who tried to convince him that religion was "a pitiful low sneaking business". Shame argued that it was unmanly to be religious and that the mighty, rich, and wise did not concern themselves with such things. Faithful was somewhat taken aback by this, but he reminded himself that what God says is best, even if all men are against it.

When Faithful and Christian met up, they were overjoyed to have found a good companion at last. They walked and talked, exchanging news of their journeys. They were soon joined by Talkative, who Christian knew to be a poor Christian, despite his fine tongue. Christian and Faithful quarrelled with Talkative about whether salvation is won by Grace or Works, and Talkative left in a huff.

Evangelist appeared to warn Faithful and Christian that there would be tribulations ahead and that one of them might be killed. Sure enough, when they reached the town of Vanity, they were attacked and put on trial for belittling the local religion. Faithful was burned at the stake and carried off to heaven, while Christian was remanded to prison, though he later escaped.

He is a friend of Christian

Faithful is a friend of Christian's from the City of Destruction. They meet when Christian is leaving the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Faithful is a loyal companion to Christian and accompanies him to Vanity Fair, a place built by Beelzebub where everything to a human's taste, delight, and lust is sold daily.

Faithful and Christian are both targeted, abused, and humiliated for their refusal to purchase the wares on sale at the fair. Faithful is permitted to defend himself at trial, but he is cruelly executed thereafter. His faith and bravery encourage Hopeful and others to become pilgrims.

Christian is distraught at the loss of his friend but is comforted by the fact that Faithful has been taken straight to the Celestial City. He sings:

> Well, Faithful, you have faithfully professed,

> Unto thy Lord; with whom you shall be blest,

> When faithless ones, with all their vain delights,

> Are crying out under their hellish plights:

> Sing, Faithful, sing, and let your name survive;

> For though they kill'd you, you are yet alive!

Christian and Faithful are very similar, both spiritually and in their personalities. They see eye to eye on all important matters, and their companionship is a great comfort to them both.

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