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, just as Chriftian came up with the cross, his burden loofed from off his fhoulders, 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.

Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said, with a merry heart, "He hath given me rest by his forrow, and life by his death." Then he ftood still a while to look and wonder; for it was very furprifing to him, that the fight of the crofs fhould thus ease 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 stood looking and weeping, behold three shining

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 himfelf, 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 fecond 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 seal 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 Christian 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 bliss?
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 firft is a fenfe of pardon by the blood of Chrift; the fe. cond is a fenfe 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

46

THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS.

went to them, if peradventure he might awake
them; and cried, You are like them that fleep on
the top of a mast; 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 also 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 see 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 efteem the kindness
of him who fo freely offered to help them, by the
awakening of them; by counfelling 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 discourse with them.

Sloth fhews its careleffness and indifference about the most im-
portant concerns. Prefumption reprefents man's felf-confi-
dence and felf-fufficiency.

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

Chr.