Now I faw in my dream, that the highway, up which Chriftian was to go, was fenced on either fide with a wall, and that wall was called Salvation. Up this way therefore did burdened Chriftian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back.

He ran thus till he came to a place fomewhat afcending, and upon that place ftood a crofs; and a little below, in the bottom, a fepulchre. I faw in my dream, that, juft as Chriftian came up with the cross, his burden loosed 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 fepulchre, where it fell in, and I faw it no more.

a

Then was Chriftian glad and lightfome, and faid, with a merry heart, "He hath given me reft by his forrow, and life by his death." Then he stood still while to look and wonder; for it was very furprifing to him, that the fight of the crofs fhould thus eafe him of his burden. He looked therefore, and looked again, even till the fprings that were in his head fent the waters down his cheeks. Now, as he ftood looking and weeping, behold three fhining

i The cross is the only place where a foul fpiritually convinced of fin can lofe his burden: there is no true peace but from the vifion of faith, whereby we are enabled to difcern the Lord's body, as bearing our fins, and by the offering of himself, once offered for ever, perfecting them that are fanctified; feeing that both he who fanctifieth and they who are fanctified are both of one.

ones

Chriftian

Gets rid of his Burden.

pa

:

k

ones came to him, and faluted him with "Peace be to thee." The first said to him, " Thy fins be forgiven thee:" The second stript him of his rags, and clothed him with change of raiment: The third fet a mark on his forehead, and gave him a roll with a feal upon it, which he bid him look on as he ran, and to give it in at the celeftial gate: fo they went their way.

Then Chriftian gave three leaps for joy, and went on finging:

Thus far did I come laden with my fin;

Nor could aught eafe the grief that I was in,
Till I came hither: What a place is this!
Muft here be the beginning of my blifs?

Muft here the burden fall from off my back?
Muft here the strings, that bind it to me, crack?
Bleft cross! bleft fepulchre! bleft rather be

The man who here was put to death for me!

I faw then, in my dream, that he went on thus, even until he came to the bottom, where he faw, a little out of the way, three men faft afleep, with fetters upon their heels. The name of one was Simple, of another, Sloth, and of the third, Prefumption'. Chriftian, feeing them lie in this case,

went

These three fhining ones are intended to reprefent the threefold bleffing which the foul enjoys when juftified by faith. The first is a fenfe of pardon by the blood of Chrift; the fe. cond is a sense of our acceptance by his righteoufnefs; and the third is the teftimony of adoption by his fpirit.

1 Simple reprefents the blindnefs and ignorance of the carnal mind, as it refpects the knowledge of all divine truths.

Sloth

went to them, if peradventure he might awake them; and cried, You are like them that fleep on the top of a maft; for the dead fea is under you, a gulph which hath no bottom: awake, therefore, and come away; be willing alfo, and I will help you off with your irons. He alfo faid to them, If he, who goeth about like a roaring lion, comes by, you will certainly become a prey to his teeth. With that they looked upon him, and began to reply in this fort: Simple faid, "I fee no danger;" Sloth faid, "Yet a little more fleep:" and Prefumption faid,

Every tub must stand upon its own bottom." So they lay down to fleep again, and Christian went on his way. Yet was he troubled to think, that men, in that danger, fhould fo little esteem the kindness of him who so freely offered to help them, by the awakening of them; by counselling of them; and proffering to help them off with their irons.

As he was troubled at this, he efpied two men who came tumbling over the wall, on the left hand of the narrow way; and they made up apace to him. The name of the one was Formalift, and the name of the other Hypocrifym. As I faid, they drew up unto him, and he thus entered into difcourfe with them.

Sloth fhews its careleffness and indifference about the most important concerns. Prefumption reprefents man's felf-confidence and felf-fufficiency.

m Formalift and Hypocrify, who tumbled over the wall, profefs to be going to Mount Zion as well as Christian. The object of their purfuit was praise; the object of Christian's pursuit was falvation, to the praise and glory of God.

Chr.