I heard a Voice, faying, Arife ye Dead, and Ifa. xxvi, come to Judgment; and with that the Rocks 21. rent, the Graves opened, and the Dead that Mich. vii. were therein came forth. Some of them 16, 17. were exceeding glad, and looked upward, Pfal. i. z, and fome fought to hide therafelves under 3. the Mountains: Then I faw the Man that fat upon the Cloud open the Book, and bid the World draw near. Yet there was by Mal. iii. reafon of a fierce Flame which iffued and 2, 3. came before him, a convenient Distance be. Dan. vij. twixt him and them, and betwixt the Judge 9, 10. and the Prifoners at the Bar. I heard it also proclaimed to them that attended on the Man that fat upon the Cloud, * Gather together the Tares, the Chaff and Stubble, and caftiii. 13. them into the burning Lake: And with that xiv. 30. the bottomless Pit opened, juft whereabouts Mal, iv. 1. I ftood: Out of the Mouth of which there came in abundant manner, Smoak and Coals of Fire, with hideous Noifes. It was also faid to the fame Perfons, † Gather my Wheat + Luke into the Garner. And with that I faw many iii. 17. catch'd up and carried away into the Clouds, Thef, vii. but I was left behind. I also fought to hide 16, 17. myfelf, but I could no, for the Man that fat upon * Mark the Cloud ftill kept his Eye upon me My Sins alfo came into my Mind; Rom. ii, and my Confcience did accufe me on every 14, 15. Side Upon this I awaked from my Sleep. Chr. But what was it that made you afraid of this Sight? Man. Why, I thought thar the Day of Judgment' was come, and that i was not ready for it: But what affrighted me molt was, that the Angels gathered up feveral, and left me behind; behind; also the Pit of Hell opened her Mouth juft where I ftood: My Confcience too afflicted me ; and as I thought the Judge had always his Eye upon me, fhewing Indignation in his Countenance. Then faid the Interpreter to Chriftian, Hast thou confidered all thefe Things ? Ch. Yes, and they put me in Hope and Fear. Int. Well, keep all Things fo in thy Mind, that they may be as a Goad in thy Sides, to prick thee forward in the Way thou must go, Then Chriftian began to gird up his Loins, and addrefs himself to his Journey. Then faid the Interpreter, The Comforter be always with thee, good Chriftian, to guide thee in the Way that leads to the City. So Chriftian went on his Way, faying: Here have I feen Things rare and profitable, Now I faw in my Dream, that the Highway, up which Chriftian was to go, was fenced on either Side with a Wall, and that * Ifaiah Wall was called * Salvation. Up this Way therefore did burthened Chriftian run, but not without great Difficulty, becaufe of the Load on his Back. xxvi, 1. He run thus till he came at a Place fome what ascending, and upon that Place ftocd a Cross, and a little below in the Bottom, a Sepulchre. So I faw in my Dream, That just as Chriftian came up with the Crofs, his Burthen Burthen loofed from off his Shoulders, and fell from off his Back, and began to tumble, and fo continued to do, till it came to the Mouth of the Sepulchre, where it fell in, and I faw it no more. Then was Chriftian glad and lightfome, Where God and faid with a merry Heart, He hath given releafes us me Reft by his Sorrow, and Life by his Death. of ourGuilt * Then he stood a-while to look and won- and Bur. der; for it was very furprizing to him, then, we that the Sight of the Cross fhould thus eaf are as those him of his Burthen. He looked therefore, that leap and looked again, even till the Springs that for Joy were in his Head jent the * Water down Zech. his Cheeks. Now, as he food looking and xii. 10. weeping, behold Three Shining Ones came to him, and faluted him, with Peace be to thee; fo the Firft faid to him, † Thy Sins be †Mat.xxii. forgiven thee; the Second Stript him of his Rags, and cloathed him with Change of Zech. iv. Raiment; the Third alfo || fet a Mark in his Eph. Forehead, and gave him a Roll, with a Seal xviii. 13. upon it, which he bid him look on as he ran, and that he fhould give it in at the Cœ. leftial Gate; fo they went their Way. Then Christian gave three Leaps for Joy, and went on finging: Thus far did I come laden with my Sin, A Chriftt an can fing doth give Joy of his Who' this! The Pilgrim, How! 'Tis very true, Old Things are paft away; All's become New. Suangelie's another Man, upon my Word bebe ne Fathers that make a fine Bird. * other Simple, Sloth, and I faw then in my Dream that he went on thus, even till he came at the Bottom, where he faw a little out of the Way, three Men fast afleep, with Fetters upon their Heels, the Name of the one was Simple, the Sloth, and the third Presumption. Chriftian then feeing them lie in this Cafe, Prefumpwent unto them, if peradventure he might tion. awake them, and cried, You are like them that fleep on the Top of a + Maft, for the Prov. dead Sea is under you, a Gulph that hath no xxiii, 24. Bottom: Awake, therefore, and come away; be willing alfo, and I will help you off with your Irons. He alfo told them, If he that goeth about like a roaring Lion, comes by, Pet. v. you will certainly become a Prey to his Teeth 8. With that they looked upon him, and began to reply in this Sort: Simple faid, I fee no || There is Danger: Sloth faid, Yet a little more Sleep: no Perfua. And Prefumption faid, Every Tub must fand fion will upon his own Bottom. And fo they lay down do, if God to fleep again, and Chriftian went on his openeth not Way. the Eyes. Yet he was troubled to think, that Men, in that Danger, fhould fo little efteem the Kindness of him that fo freely offered to help them, both by the awakening of them, counfelling of them, and proffering to help them off with their Irons. And as he was troubled thereabout, he efpied two Men come tumbling over the Wall, on the Lefthand of the narrow Way; and they made up apace to him. The Name of the one was Formality, and the Name of the other Hypocrify So, as I faid, they drew up unto him, who thus entered with them into Discourse. |