Who is Ill-pause?

Who is “Ill-Pause”?

The name of Ill Pause

Ill Pause is a mere Mr and not a Lord, so Ill Pause does not survive the conversion process. (see p 107). He makes a “low congee” (or bow) to Diabolus so must be of much inferior rank to Diabolus, and is a chattel or slave.

The word “pause” means a hesitation or break in the flow of speech. Ill-Pause is the personal demon who makes a soul hesitate to come to Christ for salvation. We could call Ill-Pause “Mr Procrastination”, or “Mr Put-It-Off”. He says to every Christian enquirer “Wait until you are old before you become a Christian. Enjoy your young life, make money and become a success, THEN when you are old and about to die repent of your sin and ask for forgiveness and salvation. This reminds us of the man who told the Lord Jesus that he would follow Him after his father had died. Christ replies in Matthew 8 v 22 follow me and let the dead bury their dead”. Putting it in the positive style, “behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6 v2). How do you know that you will outlive your parents? If you wait until they are dead before you follow Christ, you may never be saved. When the Lord Jesus reasons with a soul, He demands that we dispose of this procrastinating and delaying tactic. If you hear the Shepherd’s voice calling you today, then follow Him straight away. “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me” ( John 10 v 27). Following the shepherd gives safety from predators such as wolves (Satan) and human adversaries. Christ’s sheep shall never perish (John 10 v 28).

He is referred to as “Old Ill-pause” on p 95. This is a term of familiarity. We all know Ill-pause from way back. He has been keeping us from becoming a Christian for years!


The nature of Ill-Pause.

Ill-pause is old.
The name Ill-Pause does not describe all the character of the demon as described by Bunyan. Ill-pause is an old man (see p 107). He has been around since the days of Adam and Eve (p 14), as it was Ill-Pause who reasoned with them and invited them to eat the forbidden fruit. “and first they did as Ill-Pause had taught them, and; they looked, they considered, they were taken with the forbidden fruit; they took thereof, and did eat; and having eaten, they became immediately drunken therewith”. He is also old in the sense that he represents the “Old man” or pre-conversion personality. Eph 4 v 22 urges us to “put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts”.

Ill-pause is Satan’s orator.

The first reference to Ill-pause is on p 10. “Nor took he (Diabolus) any with him, but one Ill-pause, who was his orator in all difficult matters”. This is re-affirmed on p 12 with “Then stood forth that he, Mr. Ill-pause that Diabolus brought with him, who was his orator”. Ill-pause has “stinking breath” which causes the death of Lord Innocency (p 13). The words of Ill-pause are poison, and the fall results from his words as seen in the previous quote from p 14. The fall resulted in sin and guilt entering the world. It can be taken as read that Ill-pause is a liar.


Emmanuel challenges Ill-pause.

In the narrative Emmanuel sends his four captains; Captain Boanerges, Captain Conviction, Captain Judgement, and Captain Execution to challenge Mansoul. Mansoul refuses to hear, but asks for more time to consider Emmanuel’s demands to surrender the City to Himself. The captain of Salvation replies by asking Mansoul to dispose of Ill-pause. He will give Mansoul more time to consider if they will dispose of the delaying mentality. It seems like a contradiction in terms, but Christ is re-affirming the urgency of the need to repent. On p 95 Ill-pause gives his reply. He challenges Emmanuel to take Mansoul by force. “I have in commandment from my high lord (Diabolus) to bid you to tell it to your Prince Emmanuel, that Mansoul and their king are resolved to stand and fall together; and that it is in vain for your prince to think of ever having Mansoul in his hand, unless he can take it by force”. Emanuel accepts the challenge and resolves to take Mansoul by force. “I must try the power of my sword, for I will not raise my siege and depart, but will assuredly take my Mansoul, and deliver it from the hand of her enemy”. The taking by force is consistent with the powerful verse in John 6 v 37 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out”.

Ill-pause is wounded.

Emmanuel has uttered strong words and has resolved to take Mansoul by force. This can only be achieved by the death of the old man Mr Ill-pause. On p 98 Ill-pause is wounded. He “received a grievous wound in the head; some say that his brain-pan was cracked. This I have taken notice of, that he was never after this able to do that mischief to Mansoul as he had done in times past”. Although not an outright death, this is the beginning of the end of Ill-pause. His skull was fractured resulting in changes in the way that Mansoul thought. Ill-pause is no longer able to send poisoned, lying words of rebellion about Emmanuel into the heart of Mansoul. The soul has started to seek the Lord for Salvation.

Death of Ill-pause.

On p 107 we read in rather low key language that Ill-pause fell by the hand of Captain Good-hope. The hope of heaven has made the un-believer hurry to Christ for salvation. He or she no longer wishes to delay and put off repentance. This is the most joyous sentence in the whole of the Holy War! We are reminded of 2 Cor 5 v 17 “ therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”. Old Ill-pause is dead, time for the new man to appear. We are urged in
Heb 4 v 22 “that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”. Now that Ill-pause is dead the new birth can proceed.