1 know that you go and return to your Master's house in hopes that you may be a conductor to more of the holy pilgrims), that you send to my family, and let them be acquainted with all that hath, and shall happen unto me: tell them, moreover, of my happy arrival to this place, and of the present and late blessed condition I am in: tell them also, of Chris. tian and Christiana his wife, and how she and her children came after her husband: tell them also, of what a happy end she made, and whither she is gone: I have little or nothing to send to my family, except it be my prayers and tears for them; of which, if you acquaint them, it will suffice, 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 a while, and talked to his companions who had waited upon him thither : and said, This river has been a terror to many; yea, the thoughts of it have often frighted me; now methinks I stand easy, my foot is fixed upon that on which the feet of the priests who 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 thought 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 Ff3 end of my journey; my toilsome days are ended. I am going to see that head which was crowned with thorns, and that face which was spit upon for me, I have formerly lived by hearsay 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 have I 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 who have most desired the light of the sun. His words I did use to gather for my food, and for an antidote against my faintings. He has held me, and hath kept me from mine iniquities; yea, my steps have been strengthened in his way. 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. Glorious it was to fee, how the open region was filled with horses and chariots, with trumpeters and pipers, with fingers 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 * As these are for ever entered into the joy of their Lord, I have now only one question to ask thee, reader. What is thy hope? As for Christiana's children, the four boys whom Christiana brought, with their wives and children, I did not stay to see them go over. Yea, since I came away, I have heard one say that they were yet alive, and so would be for the increase of the church in that place where they were, for a time. Should it be my lot to go that way again, I may give those who desire it, an account of what I am now silent about: mean time I bid my reader FAREWELL. hope ? There is a hope that maketh not ashamed, but that aris. eth from the love of God, shed abroad in the heart by the power of the Holy Ghost. The hope of the hypocrite shall perilh: this is that vain, delusive hope which ariseth from some supposed power or goodness in ourselves. That hope which is as an anchor of the soul, sure and stedfait, enters into that which is within the vail : that vail means the flesh, or human nature, of the Lord Jesus Christ, in which dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; so that true hope arises from faith in Christ, who is able to save to the uttermost all them that come unto God by him: and whosoever cometh unto him, he will in no wise cast out, but will receive him graciously, love him freely, reward him eternally with the unclouded vision and uninterrupted enjoyment of himself in glory. This is the recompense of the servants of the Lord, and this shall be their portion for ever. Ι Ν D Ε Χ. The author describes a man whom he saw in his dream 1 describes the man's distress--and the treat- ment he received from his wife and family The man is directed by Evangelist to a wicket-gate is pursued by Obstinate and Pliable Obstinate returns without the man (whose name is Chris- Pliable consents to go with Christian-their converfation Christian and Pliable fall into the Slough of Despond Pliable gets out of the Slough, and returns home Christian is drawn out by Mr. Help--who gives a descrip- tion of the Slough Pliable's behaviour on his return Chriftian is prevailed on to go out of his way by Mr. The reproof and advice given to Christian by Evangelift 19 'The wicket gate, where Christian is admitted— Conver- Christian received at the Interpreter's house is shewn the picture of a grave man two children, Passion and Patience a fire burning against a wall, which can- a stately palace, into which a man, fights 39 a man frightened with a dream 41 Christian Christian leaves the Interpreter's house at the cross-his burden falls off-he is there Christian in vain tries to awaken Simple, Sloth, and Pre- Formalift and Hypocrisy tumble over the wall-Chrif- tian's conversation with them, and departure from The hill Difficulty-which Christian climbs, after having drunk of the spring at the bottom The two ways, Danger and Destruction, at the bottom of the hill, which Formalist and Hypocrisy take The arbour in the middle of the hill, where Christian Timorous and Miftruft-their account of the lions Chriftian goes back in search of his roll, which he finds The palace called Beautiful—into which Christian is re- ceived, having passed by the lions Christian's entertainment—and conversation with Watch. ful the porter, and with Discretion, Prudence, Piety, A view of the Delectable Mountains 72 of Faithful being gone before-pursues his journey 73 74 80 81 Conversation about Pliable 89 Faithful's 56 71 87 |
