Continuing on his journey, Christian comes to a wall that the narrator identifies as Salvation. Passing by the wall, Christian feels his burden spontaneously drop to the ground. Proceeding onward along the “strait and narrow” path of the wall of Salvation, Christian notices three figures Simple, Sloth, and Presumption asleep and bound with iron chains. Christian ascends a hill called Difficulty. Christian is unsure what to do. When Christian reaches for his certificate, he finds it missing. After retracing his steps, Christian finds his certificate and vows always to remain watchful. Arriving late at the pilgrims’ hotel, Christian has lost much time sleeping. After Christian identifies himself, Discretion allows him inside. The three other daughters, Piety, Prudence, and Charity, ask about Christian’s journey.
Faith is given a deeper meaning when Christian’s burden spontaneously falls from the sight of the cross in the Third Stage. This removal of the burden marks a new perspective on his progress. Clearly faith depends on striving. Christian has undertaken many risks already to get where he is, and his way is far from easy. Yet faith also involves changes that require no effort at all, like the miraculous relief from the burden. Christian does not even have to remove the burden, since it removes itself. In Christian doctrine, these two parts of the pilgrim’s experience are known as will and grace. Will is the exertion required to find faith and master oneself. Grace is what comes without trying to get it, a pure gift from heaven. Christian experiences both will and grace when passing the cross, and he is rewarded for his strong individual faith when the burden falls.
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