words of Mr. Despondency were, "Farewell, night; welcome, day." His daughter went through the river singing, but none could understand what she said. Then it came to pass awhile after, that there was a post in the town that inquired for Mr. Honest. So he came to his house where he was, and delivered to his hands these lines: "Thou art commanded to be ready against this day sevennight, to present thyself before thy Lord, at his Father's house." And for a token that my message is true, "All the daughters of music shall be brought low (6)." Then Mr. Honest called for his friends, and said unto them, "I die, but shall make no will." As for As for my honesty it shall go with me; let him that comes after be told of this. When the day that he was to be gone was come, he addressed himself to go over the river. Now the river at that time overflowed the banks in some places; but Mr.. Honest, in his life-time, had spoken to one Good-conscience to meet him there; the which he also did, and lent him his hand, and so helped him over. The last words of Mr. Honest were, "Grace reigns:" So he left the world. After this, it was noised abroad, that Mr. Valiantfor-truth was taken with a summons by the same post as the other; and had this for a token, that the summons was true, "That his pitcher was broken at the fountain (c)." When he understood it, he called for his friends, and told them of it. Then, said he, I am going to my Father's; and though with great difficulty I have got hither, yet now I do not repent me of all the trouble I have been at to arrive where I am. My sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, and my courage and skill to him that can get it. My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness (b) Eccl. xii, 4, (c) Eccl. xii. 6. for me that I have fought his battles, who now will be my rewarder. When the day that he must go hence was come, many accompanied him to the river side, into which as he went, he said, " Death, where is thy sting?" and as he went down deeper, he said, "Grave, where is thy victory?" So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side. ' Then there came forth a summons for Mr. Standfast. This Mr. Standfast was he that the pilgrims T found upon his knees in the Enchanted Ground. And the post brought it him open in his hands. The contents whereof were, "That he must prepare for a change of life, for his Master was not willing that he should be so far from him any longer. "At this Mr. Standfast was put into a muse. Nay, said the messenger, you need not doubt of the truth of my message, for here is a token of the truth thereof: Thy wheel is broken at the cistern (dj." Then he called to him Mr. Great-heart, who was their guide, and said unto him; Sir, although it was not my hap to be much in your good company in the days of my pilgrimage, yet, since the time I knew you, you have been profitable to me. When I came from home, I left behind me a wife, and five small children; let me intreat you, at your return, (for I know that you go and return to your Master's house, in hopes that you may be a coňductor to more of his holy pilgrims) that you send to iny family, and let them be acquainted with all that hath and shall happen unto me. Tell them, moreover, of my happy arrival at this place, and of the present and late blessed condition that I am in. Tell them also of Christian and Christiana his wife, and how she and her children came after her busband. Tell them also of what an happy end she made, and whither she is gone. I bave little or (d) Eccl. xii. 6. S nothing to send to my family, except it be my prayers and tears for them; of which it will suffice if you acquaint them, if peradventure they may prevail. When Mr. Standfast had thus set things in order, and the time being come for him to haste him away, he also went down to the river. Now there was a great calm at that time in the river; wherefore Mr. Standfast, when he was about half way in stood awhile, and talked to his companions that had waited upon him thither: and he said, This river has been a terror to many; yea, the thoughts of it also have often frighted me; now methinks I stand easy, my foot is fixed upon that on which the feet of the priest that bare the ark of the covenant stood, while Israel went over this Jordan. The waters indeed are to the palate bitter, and to the stomach cold; yet the thoughts of what I am going to, and of the conduct that waits for me on the other side, doth lie as a glowing coal at my heart. I see myself now at the end of my journey: my toilsome days are ended. I am going to see that head that was crowned with thorns, and that face that was spit upon for me. I have formerly lived by hear-say and faith; but now I go where I shall live by sight, and shall be with him in whose company I delight myself. I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of; and wherever I have seen the print of his shoe in the earth, there I have coveted to set my foot too. His name has been to me as a civet-box; yea, sweeter than all perfumes. His voice to me has been most sweet; and his countenance I have more desired than they that have most desired the light of the sun. His words I did use to gather for my food, and for antidotes against my faintings. He has held me, and hath kept me from mine iniquities; yea, my steps have been strengthened in his way. Now while he was thus in discourse, his countenance changed, his strong man bowed under him: and after he had said, "Take me, for I come unto thee," he ceased to be seen of them. But glorious it was to see, how the open region was filled with horses and chariots, with trumpeters and pipers, with singers, and players on stringed instruments, to welcome the Pilgrims as they went up, and followed one another in at the beautiful gate of the city. As for Christiana's children, the four boys that Christiana brought, with their wives and children, I did not stay where I was till they were gone over. Also since I came away, I heard one say they were yet alive, and so would be, for the increase of the Church in that place where they were for a time. Shall it be my lot to go that way again, I may give those that desire it an account of what I here am silent about; mean time, I bid my reader FAREWELL. EXPLANATORY NOTES. WHO can read this chapter without exclaiming, in words once received from heaven, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labours?" In the important article of death, the privileges of believers appear distinguishing indeed. To human nature, unassisted by grace, Death, the awful punishment of sin, is "The King of Terrors." Bitter indeed, and insupportably painful, are the thoughts of death, to men who have “their portion in this life," and who are at ease in their possessions. How horrible, to be torn away from all they love, and plunged at once into the unutterable miseries of the damned! How enviable, even to such, is the calm and serene frame of a dying saint! Here the monster seems to have lost his sting, having left it in the bleeding body of Jesus. Death hath changed his nature and its name. Call it no more Death; it is the sweet sleep of the body, deposited in its earthly bed, under the eye of the Redeemer, till the morning of the resurrection. Our author here represents the pilgrims as waiting for the message of the King, to pass through the river to the heavenly city. This is the proper disposition of real christians; this world is not their rest; their home is beyond the grave; and in the prospect of this, they live, and walk, and wait as pilgrims, til: the welcome messenger of their Lord, require their appearance in his blissful presence. Dear reader, be persuaded to sit down and converse with your own heart. Ask yourself this important question: How am I likely to die? Am I living in sinful pleasures ;-pursuing the world as the one thing needful? Am I careless about my soul, and its eternal concerns? Do I neglect prayer, reading the word, hearing the gospel? In short, Do neglect the great salvation of Jesus Christ? How then can I escape? What can the end of these things be? Will such a life close well? Surely it cannot, it will not, Would you not wish to die like these pilgrims? O then pray for a pil grim's heart. You must begin as they did, if you would finish like them Remember, they all forsook the worldthe city of Destruction. They all came in at the Wicketgate-they all believed in Christ. Fly, then, from the wrath to come. Apply to Jesus, the sinner's friend, the sinner's saviour; he will not cast you out: try him, and you shall find, that he is able and willing to save, even you, to the uttermost. A closing word to the believer. Are you filled with gloomy apprehensions, as to the closing scene of life, like poor Mr. Despondency and others? Be of good courage. Consider what God has wrought for such. Trust the, Redeemer for dying grace, and be assured, that he, who keeps the keys of death, and the unseen world, will not suffer even death itself to separate you from his love. THE END. From the Office of |