up here with much agility and fpeed, though the foundation upon which the city was framed, was higher than the clouds; they therefore went up through the region of the air, fweetly talking as they went, being comforted, because they fafely got over the river, and had fuch glorious companions to at tend them.

The talk that they had with the fhining ones, was about the glory of the place, who told them, that the beauty and glory of it was inexpreffible. There, faid they, is Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerufalem, the innumerable company of angels, and the fpirits of just men made perfect. Heb. xii. 22, 23, 24. Rev. ii. 7. and iii. 4. You are going now, faid they, to the paradife of God, wherein you fhall fee 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. Rev. xxii. 5. There you fhall not fee again fuch things as you saw when you were in the lower region upon the earth, to wit, forrow, sickness, affliction, and death, for the former things are paffed away, If. xxxiii. 24. Rev. passed xxi. 4. You are now going to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and to the prophets, men that God hath taken away from the evil to come, and that are now refting upon their beds, each one walking in his righteoufnefs. The men then asked, What must we do in the holy place? To whom it was answered, You must there receive the comforts of all your toil, and have joy for all your forrow; you muft reap what you have fown, even the fruit of all your prayers and

tears,

The believer, delivered from the fears of death, trufts in the almighty arm of Jefus, to preferve him to his kingdom and glory. He beholds fin vanquished, and death a conquered fee. The gate of heaven is opened, and the purchase of the

Re

tears, and fufferings for the King by the way. In that place you must wear crowns of gold, and enjoy the perpetual fight and vision of the Holy ONE, for there you fall fee Him as He is, 1 John iii. 2. There alfo you fhall ferve Him continually with praise, with fhouting, 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 feeing, and your ears with hearing the pleasant voice of the Mighty ONE. There you fhall enjoy your friends again, that are gone thither before you; and there you fhall with joy receive even every one that follows into the Holy Places after you. There also you shall be cloathed with glory and majefty, and put into an equipage fit to ride out with the King of Glory. When he shall come with found of trumpet in the clouds, as upon the wings of the wind, you shall come with him; and when he fhall fit upon the throne of judgment, you shall fit by him; yea, and when he shall pass sentence upon all the workers of iniquity, let them be angels or men; you also shall have a voice in that judgment, because they were his and your enemies. Also when he shall again return to the city, you fhall go too with found of trumpet, and be ever with him. 1 Thef. iv. 13, 14, 16, 17. Jude 14. Dan. vii. 9, 10. 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3.

Now while they were thus drawing towards the gate, behold a company of the heavenly hofts came out to meet them; to whom it was faid by the other two fhining ones, Thefe are the men that have loved D d

our

Redeemer's blood is ushered into the cœleftial manfions, with loud acclamations of bursting joy, whilft the cherubic and feraphic hoft, welcome the newly arrived gueft, as a trophy of divine victory, and an heir of everlafting glory. Then fhall be fulfilled, in the fullest and fublimeft fenfe, that pleasingly

auguit

our Lord, when they were in the world, and that have forfaken all for his holy name, and he hath sent us to fetch them, and we have brought them thus far on their defired journey, that they may go in and look their Redeemer in the face with joy. Then the heavenly hofts gave a great fhout, faying, Blessed are they that are called to the marriage fupper of the Lamb. There came out alfo at this time to meet them, several of the King's trumpeters, cloathed in white and fhining raiment, who with melodious noises, and loud, made even the Heavens to echo with their found. Thefe trumpeters faluted Chriftian and his fellow, with ten thousand welcomes from the world; and this they did with fhouting, and found of trumpet. Rev. xix. 9.

This done, they compaffed them round about on every fide; fome went before, fome behind, and fome on the right hand, fome on the left, (as it were to guard them through the upper regions) continually founding as they went with melodious noife, in notes on high; fo that the very fight was, to them that could behold it, as if Heaven itfelf was come down to meet them. Thus therefore they walked on together; and as they walked, ever and anon these trumpeters, even with joyful found, would, by mixing their mufic with looks and geftures, ftill fignify to Chriftian and his brother how welcome they were in 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 fwallowed up with the fight of Angels, and

with

auguft and grand paffage, Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new ferufalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Then

Here alfo

with hearing their melodious notes. they had the city itfelf in view, and thought they heard all the bells therein to ring, to welcome them thereto; but above all, the warm and joyful thoughts that they had about their own dwelling there with fuch company, and that for ever and ever. Oh! by what tongue or pen can their glorious joy be expreffed! thus they came up to the gate.

Now, when they were come up to the gate there was written over it in letters of gold, Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Rev. xxii. 14.

Then I faw in my dream, that the shining men bid them call at the gate; the which when they did, fome from above looked over the gate, to wit, Enoch, Mofes and Elijah, &c. to whom it was faid, thefe pilgrims are come from the city of Destruction, for the love that they bear to the King of this place; and then the pilgrims gave in unto them each man. his certificate, which they had received in the beginning; those therefore were carried in to the King, who, when he had read them, faid, Where are the men? To whom it was answered, They are ftanding without the gate. The King then commanded to open the gate, That the righteous nation, faid he, that keepeth truth may enter in. Ifa. xxvi. 2.

Now I faw in my dream, that these two men went in at the gate; and lo, as they entered, they were transfigured; and they had raiment put on that fhone like gold. There was alfo that met them,.

Dd 2

Then shall every tear be wiped away, and the open vifion of everlasting day be discovered without a dimming vail between. The believer fhall then be no more toffed with tempefts of distress, or wearied with the billows of affliction, but fin and forrow shall flee away, to appear no more for ever. The e

verlasting

them, with harps and crowns, and gave them to them, the harps to praise withal, and the crowns in token of honour. Then I heard in my dream, That all the bells in the city rang again for joy; and that it was faid unto them, Enter ye into the joy of our Lord. I also heard the men themselves, that they fang with a loud voice, saying, Blessing, bonour, glory, and power, be to him that fitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever, Rev. v. 13, 14.

Now, juft as the gates were opened to let in the men, I looked in after them, and behold the city fhone like the fun; the streets also were paved with gold, and in them walked many men with crowns. on their heads, palms in their hands, and golden harps to fing praises withal.

There were also of them that had wings; and they answered one another without intermiffion, faying, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord. And after that, they shut up the gates; which when I had feen, I wifhed myself among them.

Now while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my head to look back, and faw Ignorance coming up to the river fide: but he foon got over, and that without half the difficulty which the other two men met with. For it happened that there was

then

verlasting Jefus will be the fun and the shield of his people; and as the majeftic Lamb, bid them welcome to the glories of his kingdom. He fhall fit as the King of heaven, and the King of faints; whilft all who have come through great tribulations, and washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, fhall fit and reign as kings and priests with God and the Lamb for ever. Hail, thrice happy and glorious morn! A morn more bright than ten thousand funs! A morn that will be beheld with ravished joy, by every redeemed foul. But whilst the righteous enter into reft, where will the ungodly and the finner appear?-Ignorant of themselves; ignoPant of God, of falvation, and the way of peace: puffed up with vain hope of life and falvation, upon the footing of their

Own