up again half dead. HOPEFUL did also endeavour to comfort him, saying, Brother, I see the gate, * and men standing by to receive us;" but CHRISTIAN would answer, It is you, it is you they wait for; you have been HOPEFUL ever since I knew you.' And so have you,' said he to CHRISTIAN. Ah, 'brother,' said he,

6

now rise to help

brought me into

surely if I was right, he would me; but for

me; but for my sins he hath the snare, and hath left me.'

Then said HOPEFUL, My brother, you have quite

forgot the text, where it is said of the wicked, "There are no bands in their death, but their strength "is firm; they are not troubled as other men, neither

are they plagued like other men." These troubles and distresses that you go through in these waters, are no sign that God hath forsaken you; but are sent to try you, whether you will call to mind that ⚫ which heretofore you have received of his goodness, • and live upon him in your distresses.'

Then I saw in my dream that CHRISTIAN was in a muse a while. To whom also HOPEFUL added these words," Be of good cheer, JESUS CHRIST "maketh thee whole." And with that CHRISTIAN brake out with a loud voice, Oh, I see him again! ⚫ and he tells me, "When thou passest through the "waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, "they shall not overflow thee'."-Then they both took courage, and the enemy was after that as still as a stone, until they were gone over. CHRISTIAN therefore presently found ground to stand upon, and so it

■ Isa. xliii. 2.

196 THEY LEAVE THEIR MORTAL GARMENTS IN THE RIVER.

followed that the rest of the river was but shallow; but thus they got over:-Now upon the bank of the river, on the other side, they saw the two shining men again, who there waited for them. Wherefore being come out of the river, they saluted them, saying, "We are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister "for those that shall be heirs of salvation." Thus they went along towards the gate.-Now you must note that the city stood upon a mighty hill: but the pilgrims went up the hill with ease, because they had these two men to lead them up by the arms: also they had left their mortal garments behind them in the river; for though they went in with them, they came out without them. They therefore went up here with much agility and speed, though the foundation upon which the city was framed was higher than the clouds: they therefore went up through the region of the air, sweetly talking as they went, being comforted, because they safely got over the river, and had such glorious companions to attend them,

The talk that they had with the shining ones was about the glory of the place; who told them, that the beauty and glory of it was inexpressible. There, said they, is "Mount ZioN, the heavenly JERUSA"LEM, the innumerable company of angels, and the "spirits of just men made perfect'." You are going now, said they, to the Paradise of God, wherein you shall see the Tree of life, and eat of the never-fading fruits thereof: and when you come there you shall have white robes given you, and your walk and talk

Heb. xii. 22—24.

66

shall be every day with the King, even all the days of eternity'. There you shall not see again such things as you saw when you were in the lower region. upon the earth, to wit, sorrow, sickness, affliction, and death," for the former things are passed away'.' You are going now to ABRAHAM, to ISAAC, and to JACOB, and to the prophets, men that God hath taken away from the evil to come, and that are now "resting upon their beds, each one walking in his " righteousness." The men then asked, What must we do in the holy place? To whom it was answered, You must there receive the comforts of all your toil, and have joy for all your sorrow; you must reap what you have sown, even the fruit of all your prayers, and tears, and sufferings for the King by the way. In that place you must wear crowns of gold, and enjoy the perpetual sight and vision of the HOLY ONE, for "there you shall see him as he ist." There also you shall serve him continually with praise, with shouting, and thanksgiving, whom you desired to serve in the world, though with much difficulty, because of the infirmity of your flesh. There your eyes shall be delighted with seeing, and your ears with hearing, the pleasant voice of the MIGHTY ONE. There you shall enjoy your friends again, that are gone thither before you; and there you shall with joy receive even every one that follows into the holy places after you. There also you shall be clothed with glory and majesty, and put into an equipage fit to ride out with the King of Glory. When he shall come with sound of trumpet

Rev. ii. 7. iii. 4. xxii, 5. 2 Isa. lxv. 16. 3 Gal, vi. 7, 8. 4 1 John, iii. 2..

198 MET AND WELCOMED BY THE HEAVENLY HOST.

in the clouds, as upon the wings of the wind, you shall come with him; and, when he shall sit upon the throne of judgement, you shall sit by him: yea, and when he shall pass sentence upon all the workers of iniquity, let them be angels or men, you also shall have a voice in that judgement, because they were his and your enemies. Also when he shall again return to the city, you shall go too with sound of trumpet, and be ever with him'.

Now, while they were thus drawing towards the gate, behold a company of the heavenly host came out to meet them; to whom it was said by the other two shining ones, These are the men that have loved our 'Lord, when they were in the world, and that have left all for his holy name, and he hath sent us to fetch them, and we have brought them thus far on their desired journey, that they may go in and look their • Redeemer in the face with joy.' Then the heavenly host gave a great shout, saying, "Blessed are they "that are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb"." There came out also at this time to meet them several of the King's trumpeters, clothed in white and shining raiment, who with melodious noises and loud made even the heavens to echo with their sound. These trumpeters saluted CHRISTIAN and his fellow with ten thousand welcomes from the world; and this they did with shouting and sound of trumpet.

This done, they compassed them round on every

side; some went before, some behind, and some on

1 Thess. iv. 13-17. Jude, 14, 15. Dan. vii. 9, 10. I Cor. vi. 2, 3. 2 Rev. xix. 9.

the right-hand, some on the left, (as it were to guard them through the upper region) continually sounding as they went, with melodious noise, in notes on high; so that the very sight was to them that could behold it, as if heaven itself was come down to meet them. Thus therefore they walked on together; and, as they walked, ever and anon these trumpeters, even with joyful sound, would, by mixing their music with looks and gestures, still signify to CHRISTIAN and his brother how welcome they were into their company, and with what gladness they came to meet them. And now were these two men, as it were, in heaven, before they came at it, being swallowed up with the sight of angels, and with hearing their melodious notes. Here also they had the city itself in view; and they thought they heard all the bells therein to ring, to welcome them thereto. But, above all, the warm and joyful thoughts that they had about their own dwelling there with such company, and that for ever and ever, oh! by what tongue or pen can their glorious joy be expressed!--Thus they came up to the gate.

Now, when they were come up to the gate, there was written over it, in letters of gold, "Blessed are they "that do his commandments, that they may have

right to the tree of life, and may enter in through "the gates into the city'."

Then I saw in my dream that the shining men bid them call at the gate: the which when they did, some from above looked over the gate, to wit, ENOCH, MOSES, and ELIAS, &c, to whom it was said, These

Rev. xxii. 14.