ties ;* ne also showed them there the King's walks and the arbours, where he delighted to be; and here they tarried and slept. Now I beheld in my dream that they talked more in their sleep at this time, than ever they did in all their journey; and being in a muse thereabout, the Gardener said even to me, Wherefore musest thou at the matter? It is the nature of the fruit of the grapes of these vineyards "to go down so sweetly, as to cause the lips of them that are asleep to speak.† So I saw that, when they awoke, they addressed themselves to go up to the City. But, as I said, the reflection of the sun upon the City, (for the City was pure gold,‡) was so extremely glorious, that they could not, as yet, with open face, behold it, but through an instrument made for that purpose.§ So I saw that, as they went on, there met them two Men in raiment that shone like gold, also their faces shone as the light. These Men asked the Pilgrims whence they came? and they told them. They also asked them, where they had lodged, what difficulties and dangers, what comforts and pleasures, they had met with in the way? and they told them. Then said the Men that met them, You have but two difficulties more to meet with, and then you are in the City. Christian then, and his companion, asked the Men to go along with them: so they told them that they would: But, said they, you must obtain it by your own faith. So I saw in my dream that they went on together, till they came in sight of the Gate. Death. Now, I further saw, that between them and the Gate was a River, but there was no bridge to go over, and the River was very deep. At the 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. Death not welcome to nature, though 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, been permitted to tread that path, since the foundation of the world, nor shall until the last trumpet shall sound. The Pilby it we pass out grims then, especially Christian, began to despond, of this world into and looked this way and that, but could find no glory. way by which to escape the River. Then they asked the Men, if the waters were all the same depth? They said, No; yet they could not help them in that Angels help us not comfortably thro' case: For, said they, you shall find it deeper or shallower, as you believe in the King of the place. death. Deut. xxiii. 24. † Cant. vii. 9. Rev xxi. 18. $2 Cor. iii. 18. [Christian and Hopeful passing through the River.] Then they 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. at the hour of death. 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 sorrow of death hath compassed me about:" I shall not see the Land that floweth with milk and honey! and with Christian's conflict 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 these 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 who stood by perceived, he was much in the troublesome thoughts of the sins he had committed, both since and before he began to be a Pilgrim. 'Twas 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 did also endeavour to comfort him, saying, Brother, I see the Gate, and Men standing by to receive us: But Christian would answer, '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 arise to help me; but, for my sins, He hath brought me into the snare, and hath left 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 him in your distresses. me. upon Christian delivered death. Then I saw in my dream that Christian was in a muse a while; 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 from his fears in 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 over. Christian therefore, presently found ground to stand upon; and so it followed that the rest of the ground was but shallow; thus they got over. Now, upon the bank of the River, on the other side, they saw the two Shining Men again, who there waited for them: wherefore, being come out of the River, they saluted them, saying, "We are Ministering Spirits, sent forth to minister to those that shall be heirs of salvation." Thus they went along toward the Gate. Now you must note, that the City stood upon a mighty hill; but the Pilgrims went up that hill with ease, because they They have put off had these two Men to lead them up by the arms: they had likewise left their mortal garments behind The angels do wait for them, so soon as they are passed out of this world. mortality. them in the River; for, though they went in with them, they 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 region of air, sweetly talking as they went, being comforted, because they safely got over the River, and had such glorious companions to attend them, 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 region upon the earth, to wit: sorrow, sickness, affliction and death: "for the former things are passed away." You are now going 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 righteousness. 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 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; "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, 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 even every one that follows into the Holy Place after you. There also you shall be clothed with glory and majesty, and put in 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. *Heb. xii. 22-24. Rev. ii. 7.-iii. 4. † Rev. xxii. 5. I 1 Thess. iv. 16. Jude 14. 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 shall go too, with sound of trumpet, and be ever with him. † 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 forsaken 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 that are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb." There came out also to meet them several of the King's trumpeters, clothed in white and Shining raiment, who, with melodious voices, made even the heavens to 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. This done, they compassed them round about 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 was 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 of 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 about their own dwelling there with such company, and that for ever and ever:-Oh! by what tongue or pen can their glorious joy be expressed! 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:— |