PLIABLE Consents to go with him

go

turn again, and home without him: there is a company of these craz'd-headed coxcombs, that when they take a fancy by the end are wiser, in their own eyes, than seven men that can render a reason.

Then said PLIABLE, Don't revile; if what the good CHRISTIAN says is true, the things he looks after are better than ours; my heart inclines to go with my neighbour.

OBST. What! more fools still! be ruled by me and go back; who knows whither such a brain-sick fellow will lead you? Go back, go back, and be

wise.

CHR. Come with me neighbour PLIABLE; there are such things to be had which I spoke of, and many more glories besides : if you believe not me, read here in this book; and for the truth of what is expressed therein, behold all is confirmed by the blood of him that made it.*

Well, neighbour OBSTINATE, saith PLIABLE, I begin to come to a point: I intend to go along with this good man, and to cast in my lot with him.

But,

* A testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the testator liveth. Whereunto neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves, and of goats, with water and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto "ou. Moreover he sprinkled likewise with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Heb. ix. 17, 22.

CHRISTIAN discourses with PLIABLE.

my good companion, do you know the way to this desired place?

CHR. I am directed by a man whose name is EVANGELIST, to speed me to a little Gate that is before us, where we shall receive instructions about the way.

PLI. Come then, good neighbour, let us be going. Then they both went together.

And I will go back to my place, said OBSTINATE: I will be no companion of such misled fantastical fellows.

Now I saw in my dream that when OBSTINATE was gone back, CHRISTIAN and PLIABLE went talking over the plain and thus they began their discourse :

CHR. Come, neighbour PLIABLE, how do you do? I am glad you are persuaded to go along with me; had even OBSTINATE himself but felt what I have felt of the powers and terrors of what is yet unseen, he would not thus lightly have given us the back,

PLI Come, neighbour CHRISTIAN, since there are none but us two here, tell me now further, what the things are, and how to be enjoyed, whither we are going.

CHR. I can better conceive of them with my mind than speak of them with my tongue: but yet since you are desirous to know, I will read of them in my book.

PLI. And do you think that the words of your book are certainly true?

The glories of Heaven.

CHR. Yes verily, for it was made by him that cannot lie.*

PLI. Well said; what things are they?

CHR. There is an endless kingdom to be inhabited, and everlasting life to be given us, that we may inhabit that kingdom for ever.†

PIL. Well said; and what else?

CHR. There are crowns of glory to be given us, and garments that will make us shine like the sun in the firmament of heaven.

PLI. This is excellent; and what else?

CHR. There shall be no more crying nor sorrow; for he that is owner of the place will wipe all tears from our eyes.¶

* In hope of an eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. Titus i. 2.

+ Behold, I create new heavens, and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. Isa. xlv. 17. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish; neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. John x. 27. 29.

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Tim. iv. 8. And there shall be no more night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever. Rev. xxii. 5. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matt. xiii. 43.

¶ He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. Isa. xxv. 8. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any

B

The society of Heaven,

PLI. And what company shall we have there? CHR. There shall we be with Seraphims and Cherubims, creatures that will dazzle your eyes to look on them. There also you shall meet with thousands and ten thousands that have gone before us to that place; none of them are hurtful, but loving and holy every one walking in the sight of God, and standing in his presence with his acceptance for ever. In a word, there we shall see the elders with their golden crowns; there we shall see holy virgins with their golden harps ;¶ there we shall see men that by more ; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.-For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. vii. 16, 17.-And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away. xxi. 4.

* Above it stood the Seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. Isa. vi. 2.-For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17.

↑ And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. Rev. v. 11.

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. Rev. iv. 4. ¶ And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood in the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven

Invitation to it.

the world were cut in pieces, burnt in flames, eaten of beasts, drowned in the seas, for the love that they bear to the LORD of the place, all well, and clothed with immortality as with a garment.*

PLI. The hearing of this is enough to ravish one's heart; but are these things to be enjoyed? how shall we get to be sharers hereof?

CHR. The LORD, the Governor of the country, hath recorded that in this book; the substance of which is, if we be truly willing to have it he will bestow it upon us freely.†

as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts and the elders and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the throne of God Rev. xiv. 1—5.

* He that loveth his life shall lose it: and he that hateth his life shall keep it unto eternal life. John xii. 25. For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven if so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do dened not for that we would be unclothed, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 2 Cor. v. 2-5.

groan, being burbut clothed upon, Now he that has

+ Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is no bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which