ment; therefore be not afraid of that which can not be avoided..

Tender-confcience.] I am not fo much afraid of Death, as of what will come after; I fear I fhall never fee the City of God, the Heavenly Jerufalem, whole glittering Walls and Turrets ravifhed my Eyes, when we paffed through the Land of Beulah. I fear I am going down into a Land of Darkness, where my Feet will fum ble on the Dark Mountains; a Land without Light or Order, where there dwells nothing but fempiternal Horror and Confufion. This is that which makes my

and my Knees to fmite one against another. Oh, that fome one would hide me till the Fury of his Anger be over-paffed! O that he would protect me in the Secret of his Tabernacle! And fhelter me under the Shadow of his Wings! For yet a little while, and the Eye that feeth me fhail fee me no more. And with that Word he center'd the River, and finding the Waters fhallow at first, he was comforted; but as he waded along, they rose up even to his Mouth and Noftrils, fo that he could hardly fetch his Breath. Then he cried aloud, faying, Save me, God, for the Waters are come into my Soul I fink in deep Mire, where there is no ftanding; I am come into the deep Waters, where the Floods verflow me, Make Hafte to deliver me, O God, make Hafte to help me. O Lord, my O Lord, my Flesh and my Heart: faileth, but God is the Strength of my Heart, and my Portion for ever. Thus cried he, and ftill waded on,, till he came to the Middle of

Kneesings ready to break,

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the

the River, where they could find no Bottom, fo that his Head was covered with Water; and he had funk away, had not the fhining One, that invited him, came flying to his Affiftance, and, catching him by the Hair of the Head, held his Head above Water till he came over toward the oppofite Bank; where it grew fhallower, and he began to walk with Eafe, till he got fafe out of the River, and when he ftood on the Bank on the other Side, he leaped for Joy, finding himself fo marvellous light and active, that he thought he could fly for the Garments which he wore all the Way were very heavy, and they fell off from him in the River, fo that now he was as light as a Bird.

New I faw in my Dream, that the fhining One had no fooner fet him on the fhallow Side of the River, but he went to the other Side, and bid Spiritual-man, Zealous-mind, Seektruth, and Convert, follow him into the River; which they all did, whilft the fhining One flow over their Heads to the other Side, where Tender-cofeicence ftood encompaffed by five or fix Men in bright Cloathing: So the four Men wade through the River with different Circumftances, for Spiritual-man having been in deep Waters before, though not altogether fo deep as thefe, had got fome Skill in Swimming, and keeping his Head above Water; but poor Convert and Seek-truth were at a great Lo's, when they came toward the Middle of the River, where the Waters were at the deepeff, fo that they cried out for Help unto hum

that

,“

that is able to fave, and their Prayers were heard, and a Hand was reached forth, which bore them up till they came to the fhallow Ground. So they walked through the reft of the River with Eafe, and came to their Brethren on the other Side; but as for Zealous-mind, he thought to get over fafer than any of them, and therefore privately he had gather'd a Bundle of Reeds, which grew by the River-fide, and he refted himfelf on them, but when he came to the Middle of the River, the Vilence of the Current carried away his Reeds, and he funk to the Bottom, and never was feen more. So in my Dream, I asked one that food by me, What was the Reason that he who had appeared fo forward all along in his Journey, fhould now fink at laft? And he anfwered me, It is not enough to be zealous and forward, but to be humble and charitable alfo is requifite. This Man was of a fiery Temper, and had a Zeal indeed, but it was a diforderly Zeal, not tempered with Charity and Prudence. Likewife he trufted in his own Strength, as you faw by his leaning on the Bundle of Reeds. Now this was his Pride; for had he called on God for Help, peradventure he might have been, faved.

So I faw in my Dream, that the four Men, even Tender-confcience, Spiritual-man, Seek-truth, and Convert, welcomed each other to that Side of the River, and the fhining Ones welcomed them likewife; and there came a bright Cloud and covered them all, and they were carried up in the Cloud, through untracked Paths of Air

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Air; and as they went up, the Men in bright Cloathing told them, that they had watched over them all the Way of their Pilgrimage, and had obferved all their Actions, which were written down in a Book; and that they had faved them from many Dangers, though unfeen by them. Thus the Cloud was carried up through the Boundless Orbs above, and as they went through the Skies, they faw the glorious Stars thining like Suns in the Firmament. At length, when they came near to the Heaven of Heavens, a Troop of Holy Ones came out of the City to meet them. Now the Foundations of the City were laid on the Top of the Eternal Hills; and all around about it were Fields of endlefs Light, wherein the Saints and Angels walk: Then they came to the Place where the Ancient of Days was fitting, whofe Garment was as White as Snow, and the Hair of his Head like pure Wool; his Throne was like fiery Flame, and his Wheels as burning Fire. A fiery Stream iffued and came out from before him. Thoufand Thoufands miniftred unto him, and Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand ftood before him. Then they came up to the Gate of the City, and the Pilgrims were bid to call there; which they did accordingly, and one looked over the Gate, to whom the Men in bright Cloathing faid, Thefe Men are come from the Valley of Deftruction, thefe have gone through great Tribulation for the Love they bear to their King; and they fpoke to the Pilgrims to give in their Certificates, which they did, and the Certificates were prefented to the King, who

"

gave

gave Orders that the Sate hould be opened unto the Pilgrims. So they entered in, and juft at the Entrance, One met them, and faid unto them, Come in, ye beffed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World; enter into the Joy of our Lord. Then a Multitude of the Heavenly Hoft, with Harps in their Hands,. met them, and fung a Song which no Man understood, nor could fing but themfelves, and fuch as are thought worthy to be ad So I awoke, and

mitted into that bleffed Place thy t

behold it was a DREAM..