Christian in the Deep Waters.

sight therefore of this river, the pilgrims were much stunned; but the men that went with them, said, You must go through, or you cannot come at the gate.

The pilgrims then began to inquire if there was no other way to the gate. To which they answered, Yes; but there hath not any, save two-to wit, Enoch and Elijah - to wit, Enoch and Elijah - been permitted to tread that path since the foundation of the world; nor shall until the last trumpet shall sound. The pilgrims then (especially Christian) began to despond, and looked this way and that, but could find no way by which they might escape the river. Then they asked the men if the waters were all of the same depth? They said no; yet they could not help them in that case: for, said they, you shall find it deeper or shallower, as you believe in the King of the place.

They then addressed themselves to the water, and, entering, Christian began to sink, and crying out to his good friend Hopeful, he said, "I sink in deep waters; the billows go over my head, all the waves go over me. Selah."

Then said the other, Be of good cheer, my brother; I feel the bottom, and it is good. Then said Christian, Ah! my friend, "the sorrows of death have compassed me about;" I shall not see the land that flows with milk and honey. And with that a great darkness and horror fell upon Christian, so that he could not see before him. Also here he in a great measure lost his senses, so that he could neither remember nor orderly talk of any of those sweet refreshments that he had met with in the way of his pilgrimage. But all the words that he spoke still tended to discover 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

The Pilgrims would avoid the crossing of this river, if they could. It is a cold flood; a stormy sea; at best it is a bitter pang, the residue of the curse of sin. Even STANDFAST, a brave and good comrade of the Second Pilgrimage, did with a shudder say, as he adventured himself into the flood, "The waters, indeed, are to the palate bitter, and to the stomach cold."

In these fords of the river are described two Christian death-beds: the one filled with fears and terrors, his faith feeble and faint, and therefore the waters in proportion deep; the

other, ever hopeful and still rejoicing, upholds his more feeble brother, and is himself upheld; his faith is firm, and therefore his footing is sure-" Be of good cheer, my brother; I feel the bottom, and it is good!" How long shall CHRISTIAN be thus pursued by the great enemy of souls? Would Satan have him even yet, and in death destroy him who in life had proved so faithful? Yea, even in the fords of the river Satan standeth at his right hand; as Bunyan elsewhere says "I find he is much for assaulting the soul when it begins to approach towards the grave."

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 also would endeavour to comfort him, saying, Brother, I see the gate, and men standing by to receive us but Christian would answer, 'Tis you, 'tis 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 were right, He would now rise to help me; but for my sins He hath brought me into 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 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 awhile. 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 Christian therefore presently found ground to stand upon, and

Isa. 43. 2.

over.

CHRISTIAN seems to have failed to gain the foot-hold of the promises in these deep waters. HOPEFUL feels that goodly ground-work, and would share this platform of his faith and confidence with his comrade, if he could. This hopeful companion suggests the promises of God, beckons his partner on in hope, points to the shining ones that wait to receive them on the further shore; but CHRISTIAN, by reason of his doubts and fears, cannot realise so bright a prospect of the coming end. And yet it is one of the precious promises that at last sustains him-"When thou passest through

the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee;" and boldly resting himself on the strength of this plighted word of his God and Father, the scales of darkness fall from his eyes, his feet are grounded on a sure place; and, ere long, both CHRISTIAN and HOPEFUL have gained the Eternal shore.

"The world recedes, it disappears;

Heaven opens on mine eyes; my ears
With sounds seraphic ring.
Lend, lend your wings, I mount, I fly;
O grave, where is thy victory?

O death, where is thy sting?"

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 regions 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.

Heb. 12. 22-24.

Rev. 2. 7; 3. 4, 5; 22. 5.

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 regions upon the earth, to wit, sorrow, sickness, and Isa. 65. 16. death; for the former things are passed away. You are going now to Abraham, to 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 men then asked, What must we do in the holy place? To whom it was answered, You must there receive. the comfort 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;

Gal. 6. 7, 8.

1 John 3. 2. 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

prospect of the things that yet shall be, and and, amid praises, and hallelujahs, and glad the part the redeemed shall yet bear in the anthems of the skies, "an entrance is micoming kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. nistered unto them abundantly into the everMeanwhile the retinue enlarges, and swells lasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus into a glorious train of triumph and rejoicing; | Christ," 2 Peter i. 11.

The Pilgrims are Welcomed to Heaven.

even every one that follows into the holy place 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 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 shall also have a voice in that judgment, because they are his and your enemies. Also, when he shall again return to the shall go too, with sound of trumpet, and be ever

city, you with him.

1 Thess. 4 13-17. Jude 14, 15. Dan.

7. 9, 10. I Cor. 6. 2, 3.

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 which are called unto 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 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.

Rev. 19. 9.

This done, they compassed them round on every side; some went before, some behind, and some on the right hand, some on the left (as it were to guard them through the upper regions), 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 were 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