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cover that he had horror of mind, and heart-fears that he should die in that river, and never obtain entrance in at the gate. Here also (as they that stood by perceived) he was much in the troublesome thoughts of the. sins that he had committed, both since and before he began to be a pilgrim. It was also observed, that he was troubled with apparitions of hobgoblins and evil spirits: for, ever and anon, he would intimate so much by words. Hopeful, therefore, here had much ado to keep his brother's head above water; yea, sometimes he would be quite gone down; and then, ere a while, he would rise up again half dead. Hopeful did also endeavor 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) surely if I was right, He would now rise to help me; but for my sins He hath brought me into the snare and 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

* i. e. they die without the fear of future misery: or, to enlarge a little, in the words of a pious commentator on the Holy Scriptures, "their end seems to be peace; this was ever thought to be the peculiar privilege of the godly; [Psalm xxxvii. 37.] and yet, to outward appearance, it is oftentimes the lot of the ungodly;-they have no bands in their death;' they are not taken off by a violent death: they are foolish; and yet die not as fools die; for, their hands are not bound, nor their feet put into fetters.' (2 Sam. iii. 34.) They are not taken off by an untimely death, like the fruit forced from the trees before it be ripe; but are left to hang on, till, through old age, they gently drop off themselves. They do not die of sore and painful diseases; there are no pangs, no agonies in their death, but their strength is firm to the last, so that they scarcely feel themselves die. They are of those who die in their full strength, being wholly at ease, and quiet:' not of those that 'die in the bitterness of their souls, and never eat with pleasure.' (Job xxii. 23. 25.) Nay, they are not bound by the terrors of conscience in their dying moments; they are not frightened either with remembrance of their sins, or the prospect of their misery; but die securely -as they have lived, blinded by the god of this world; so in this delusion they die. We cannot judge of men's state on the other side death, either by the manner of their death or the frame of their spirits in dying. Men may die like lambs, and yet have their place with the goats."

Psalm lxxviii. 4, 5.

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 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 to those that shall be heirs of salvation." Thus they went along toward the gate.

Now you must note, that the city stood upon a mighty hill; but the Pilgrims went up that hill with ease, because they had these two men to lead them up by the arms: they had likewise 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 Jerusalem, 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 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 now going to Abraham, Isaac, and 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 uprightness.'++ The

* Isaiah xliii. 2.
Rev. ii. 7.
** Isaiah Ivii. 1.

Rev. iii. 4.

† Heb. i. 2.

Heb. xii. 22, 23.

¶ Rev. xxi. 4.-Isaiah xxxv. 10.-xxv. 8. tt Isaiah lvii. 2.

men 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 is. 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 sounding trumpet in the clouds, as upon the wings of the wind, you shall come with Him; and when He shall sit upon the throne of judgment, 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 judgment, 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 the 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 about on every side; some went before, some behind, and some on the

* 1 John iii. 2.

+ 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3.

† 1 Thes. iv. 12 to 17.-Jude xiv.-Dan. vii. 9, 10. Ø Rev. xix. 9.

Here

right hand, some on the left, (as it were to guard them through the upper regions;) continually sounding as they went with melodious noises, 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. also they had the City itself in view, and 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 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 two shining men bade them call at the gate; the which when they did, some from above looked over the gate, to wit, Enoch, Moses, and Elijah, &c.; to whom it was said; These Pilgrims are come from the city of Destruction, for the love that they bear to the KING of this place:" and then the Pilgrims gave in unto them each man his certificate, which they had received in the beginning; those therefore were carried in to the King; who, when he had read them, said, "Where are the men?" To whom it was answered, "They are standing without the gate.” The King then commanded to open the gate, "That the righteous nation, (said he,) that keepeth truth, may enter in.'t

Now I saw in my dream, that these two men went in at the gate; and lo! as they entered, they were transfigured; and they had raiment put on, that shone like gold. There were also that met them with harps and crowns, and gave them to them; the harps to praise withal, and the crowns in token of honor. Then I heard in my dream, that all the bells in the city rang again for joy; and that it was said unto them, "Enter ye into the joy of your Lord." I also heard the men themselves, that they sang with a loud voice,

*Rev. xxii. 14.

† Isaiah xxvi. 2.

Matt. xxv. 21. 23.

saying; "Blessing, honor, and glory and power, be to HIM that sitteth upon the throne, and to the LAMB, for ever and

ever!"*

Now, just as the gates were opened to let in the men, 1 looked in after them; and behold, the city shone like the sun; the streets also were paved with gold, and in them walked many men with crowns on their heads, palms in their hands, and golden harps to sing praises withal.

There were also of them that had wings; and they answered one another without intermission, saying, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD." And after that, they shut up the gates; which when I had seen, I wished myself among them.

Now, while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my head to look back, and saw Ignorance coming up to the river-side: but he soon got over, and that without half the difficulty which the other two men met with: for, it happened that there was then at that place one Vain-hope, a ferryman, that with his boat helped him over. So he, as the others, I saw, did ascend the hill, to come up to the gate; only he came alone; neither did any man meet him with the least encouragement. When he was come up to the gate, he looked up to the writing that was above; and then began to knock, supposing that entrance should have been quickly administered to him: but he was asked by the men that looked over the top of the gate, "Whence come you? And what would you have?" He answered, “I have eaten and drunk in the presence of the King: and he has taught in our streets." Then they asked him for his certificate, that they might go in and show it to the King. So he fumbled in his bosom for one; and found none. Then they said, "Have you none?" But the man answered never a word. So they told the King; but he would not come down to see him; but commanded the two shining ones that conducted Christian and Hopeful to the city, to go out and take Ignorance, and bind him hand and foot, and have him away.' Then they took him up, and carried him through the air to the door that I saw on the side of the hill; and put him in there. Then I saw, that there was a way to hell, even from the gates of heaven, as well as from the city of Destruction. So I awoke; and behold, it was a dream.

* Rev. v. 13.

† Read our Lord's declaration to this effect, in the Gospel by St. Luke, chap. xiii. ver. 25. 28.

END OF THE FIRST PART.

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