Then the Shepherds conducted them into their Pavilions, and fet before them fuch Dainties as they had not met with before in all their Journey. So they eat and drank chearfully, and were mightily refreshed, and afterwards the Shepherds invited them to walk out and take the Air of the Mountain, which they did, and found it the wholefomeft, pureft, and pleafanteft Air in the World: For it was perfumed with the Olour of Oranges and Lemons, Pomegranates and Citrons, and all manner of Spice-Trees, which grew upon the Mountain in Abundance; fo that what with the admirable Diet, and what with the delicious Air of this Place, their Strength was renewed like Eagles, for they refted there with the Shepherds two or three Days, who fhewed them great Hofpitality; for they had all Things common among themfelves, and therefore the Pilgrims went freely up and down from one Tent to another, and were kindly received every where; for this is Emanuel's Land, the holy Mountain of the Kingdom of Peace, where their Spears were turned into Pruning-hooks, and their Swords into Plough-fhares, every one fitting peaceably under his own Vine, and under his own Fig-Tree, and no Man did Harm to another, but all lived. together in Unity, Love, and Peace. The Shepherds alfo fhewed them many wonderful Things of the Mountain, as the Hill of Error, and the Hill of Caution; and when the Time came that the Pilgrims were defirous to purfue their Journey, the Shepherds had them to their Overfeer, whom the King had fet over them, even one of their Brethren, and a Shepherd: To this Mari

they

they brought the Pilgrims, who when they came before him, bleffed them, faying, Peace be unto you: And when the Shepherds had told him who they were, and how far they had travelled, and whither they were going, he anointed them with a certain rich and fovereign Ointment, which would exceedingly ftrengthen them in the reft of their Journey. Then the Pilgrims bowing their Heads down to the Ground, took their Leave of the venerable old Man, giving him Thanks for the Kindness he had fhewed them..

Then the Shepherds went along with them, and fhewed them the Door in the Side of the Hill, which is a By-way to Hell; and lent them their Profpective-Glafs to take a Profpect of the Coeleftial City thro' it. Which when the Pilgrims had a Glimpfe of, they were ravished with the Sight of fuch glorious Things, and longed to be there; wherefore they defired the Shepherds to give them Leave to depart, which was granted them, only the Shepherds firft gave them Direc tions concerning the Way, bidding them to have an efpecial Care left they flept upon the Enchanted Ground, which they muft needs pafs thro' before they could arrive at the Heavenly City, and it lies juft on this Side the Region called Beulah.

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Moreover, I faw in my Dream, that the Pilgrims having bid Adieu to the Shepherds, went down from the Mountain into the Plain, having a large Valley before them, which was called the Valley of Vain Opinions: Now as, they were going through this Valley, they law a Company of Men before them, and as they drew E 3

nearer,

one to no when they came up t

nearer, hey could hear them tak very eagerly one to another, as tho' it were about fome weighty Master. So them, they ived that the Men were talking about the King of the o which made them difpute very paffiontely, and with a great deal of Heat: One afferting That the King, was of his Opinion, another, That he only had the right Understanding of the Royal Mind, Will and Pleafure; and each Man quoted fonie Article or Sentence of the King's Statute-book, in Confirmation of what he h faid: So that there was a great Noife and Hurly-burly among them, infomuch that they were ready to go together by the Ears, while every one thought himfelf in the right, and all the reft in the wrong: Thus, contended they till Spiritual man fpoke to them, and fald, Good People, What is all this Clamour for? Then they all ceafed their loud Talk'ng, and gave Attention to what he would fay, who thus proceeded

Spiritual man. I hear you very vehement and earneft in Controverly about the King's Pleafure, one faying, he knows beft, and another, that he is beft acquainted with it. This puts me in Mind of the Words of Chrift, where he fays, If any Man fhall fay unMat. xxiv.23, to you, Lo, here is Christ, or he 24, 25, 26, 27. is there, believe it not: For there hall arife falfe Ch; ifts, and false Prophets, and hall fhew great Signs and Wonders, infomuch that (if it were poffible) they fall deceive the very Elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore, if they fhall fay unto you, Behold he is in the Defart, go not forth; behold, he is in the fe

cret

tret Chambers, believe it not. For as the Lightning cometh out of the Eaft, and fhineth even unto the Weft, fo alfo fhall the Coming of the Son of Man be. Therefore I have Reafon to judge of you all as Deceivers and falfe Prophets, fince you fo exactly make good the Character which our Lord has given them. For whereas one boafteth that he knows the King's Mind; another that he is the beft Interpreter of his Will; ye are all out of the Way of Truth; the King's Mind is with none of you, Chrift is not among you: 'Tis the Shep herds who are his Privy-counfellors, who know the Secrets of the Kingdom; go ye therefore and feed with the Flocks, and frequent the Places where they lie down at Noon, fo fhall ye learn Knowledge, and preferve your Feet from frums bling into Error. And having fpoken thefe Words, he turned from them with all his Company, and they kept on their Way over the Plain. Now they had not gone far, before a Man bolted out upon them from a little Cave,

A

on the Side of the Highway, which was called the Cave of Natural-Speculation, and the Name of the Man was Human-reafon So he asked: them, Whence they came, and whither they were going? To whom Spiritual man made Anfwer, We came from the Valley of Destruction,. and we are going towards the Heavenly Jerufaem, and we fhall be glad of thy Company, if thou wilt go along with us.

Human-reafon. I am defigning for the fante Place myfelf, and would gladly accept of any good Company; but I fuppofe you intend to go the fame Way as yonder Shepherds fhewed

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you,

you, who know no more of it than the Man in the Mocn, but only 'tis your Livelihood to tell a Parcel of ftrange Stories to Strangers and Travellers, making them believe, that they are Servants to the King, and that it is their Office to entertain Pilgrims, and give them Directions for the Way. They pretended alfo to give them a Profpect of the Heavenly Jerufalem, through a Prof &tive-Glafs, and to fhew them one of the Mouths of Hell; whereas they are a Pack of meer Jugglers and religious Cheats, amusing the credulous and unwary Travellers with Fictions and romantick Stories of Heaven and Hell, and ufing Enchantments to delude them in their Way thither, cafting a Mift before their Eyes, when they pretend to give them a Glimpse of the Glories of that Place. For that is a deceitful Glafs thro' which you looked, and prefents you not with the true Appearance of Things; as I can prove at large, if you would be pleased to hear me out. Nay, I can demonftrate before your Eyes, without the Help of any Glafs, the Situation and Beauty of the Coelial City, and shew you the neareft Road thither, and as plain, as that two and three make five.dis

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Spiritual-man. Thou art as blind as a Beetle. thyfelf, and wilt thou pretend to direct us in the Way to a Place which thou never faweft, nor knoweft? Go, get thee into thy Den again, and go not about to feduce poor harmlels Pilgrims; for we will not hearken to thy infinuating Di courfe, but keep on our Way, as the Shepherds directed us.

Tender