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Then he took him by the hand, and led him into a very large parlour, that was full of dust, because never swept; the which, after he had reviewed it a little while, the Interpreter called for a man to sweep. Now, when he began to sweep, the dust began so abundantly to fly about, that Christian had almost therewith been choked. Then said the Interpreter to a damsel that stood by, Bring hither water, and sprinkle the room; the which when she had done, it was swept and cleansed with pleasure.

CHR. Then said Christian, What means this?

INTER. The Interpreter answered, This parlour is the heart of a man that was never sanctified by the sweet grace of the gospel: the dust is his original sin, and inward corruptions that have defiled the whole man. He that began to sweep at first is the law; but she that brought water, and did sprinkle it, is the gospel. Now, whereas thou sawest that so soon as the first, began to sweep, the dust did so fly about, that the room by him could not be cleansed, but that thou wast almost choked therewith; this is to show thee, that the law, instead of cleansing the heart (by its working) from sin, doth revive, put strength into, and increase it in the soul, even as it doth discover and forbid it; for it doth not give power to subdue."

u Rom. v. 20. vii. 7-11. 1 Cor. xv. 56.

is to bring sinners to Christ, to point him out as the one way to them, and to edify and build up saints in him. But there are many who profess to do this, but turn poor sinners out of the way, and point them to a righteousness of their own for justification in whole or in part. Of these the Spirit teaches us to beware: the former, he leads and directs souls to love and esteem highly for their labours and faith in the Lord, and zeal for his honour and glory, and for the salvation of souls. Take heed what you hear, Mark iv. 24.

Again, as thou sawest the damsel sprinkle the room with water, upon which it was cleansed with pleasure; this is to show thee, that when the gospel comes in the sweet and precious influences thereof to the heart, then, I say, even as thou sawest the damsel lay the dust by sprinkling the floor with water, so is sin vanquished and subdued, and the soul made clean, through the faith of it, and consequently fit for the King of glory to inhabit.*

HE SHOWED HIM PASSION AND PATIENCE.

I saw moreover in my dream, that the Interpreter took him by the hand, and had him into a little room, where sat two little children, each one in his chair. The name of the eldest was Passion, and the name of the other Patience. Passion seemed to be much discontented, but Patience was very quiet. Then Christian asked, What is the reason of the discontent of Passion? The Interpreter answered, The governor of them would have him stay for his best things till the beginning of the next year; but he will have all But Patience is willing to wait.

now.

PASSION WILL HAVE IT NOW.

PATIENCE IS FOR WAITING.

v John xiv. 21-23. xv. 3. Acts xv. 9. Rom. xvi. 25, 26. Eph. v. 26.

Now judge by this, whether you are under the law, or the Gospel. Have you ever found in yourself what is here described ? I. Of the law, have you ever felt your lusts and corruptions irritated, and sin made to abound in you, as to your perception and feeling, by the commandment working in you all manner of concupiscence? for without the law, sin was dead, Rom. vii. 8. Has the application of the law to your conscience made sin to revive in you, so as that you died to all your former hopes of being justified by your obedience to the law? If not, you are yet dead in sin, and cleave to legal hopes and vain confidences. But if through the law you are become dead to the law, has the Gospel come to you with its reviving, comforting, sanctifying influence? Has it made Christ's blood and righteousness precious to your soul, and given you the victory of faith over the law, sin, and death. If so, go on your way rejoicing.

Then I saw that one came to Passion, and brought

PASSION НАТН

HATH him a bag of treasure, and poured it down at his feet the which he took up, and

HIS DESIRE, AND
QUICKLY LAVISHES
ALL AWAY.

:

rejoiced therein, and withal laughed Patience to scorn. But I beheld but a while, and he had lavished all away, and had nothing left him but rags.

CHR. Then said Christian to the Interpreter, Expound this matter more fully to me.

INTER. So he said, These two lads are figures, Passion of the men of this world, and Patience of the men of that which is to come: for, as here thou seest, Passion will have all now, this year, that is to say, in this world; so are the men of this world: they must have all their good things now; they cannot stay till the next year, that is, until the next world, for their portion of good. That proverb, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," is of more authority with them, than are all the divine testimonies of the good of the world to come. But as thou sawest that he had quickly lavished all away, and had presently left him nothing but rags; so will it be with all such men at the end of this world.*

THE WORLDLY MAN FOR A BIRD IN THE HAND.

PATIENCE HAD THE BEST WISDOM.

CHR. Then said Christian, Now I see that Patience has the best wisdom, and that upon many accounts. 1. Because be stays for the best things. 2. And also because he will have the glory of his, when the other has nothing but rags.

INTER. Nay, you may add another, to wit, the glory

* Carnal men seek nothing more than the gratification of their senses their end will be the loss of all things, and the destruction of their souls. But the just live by faith on Jesus, and in hope of joys to come their end will be glorious; for they shall receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls, and the everlasting enjoyment of Christ in glory.

of the next world will never wear out; but these are suddenly gone. Therefore Passion had not so much reason to laugh at Patience, because he

had his good things first, as Patience will have to laugh at Passion, because he had

THINGS THAT ARE FIRST MUST GIVE

PLACE; BUT THINGS

THAT ARE LAST ARE

LASTING.

his best things last; for first must give place to last, because last must have his time to come: but last gives place to nothing, for there is not another to succeed. He, therefore, that hath his portion first, must needs have a time to spend it; but he that hath his portion last, must have it lastingly therefore it is said of Dives, In thy life-time thou receivedst thy good

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things, and likewise Lazarus evil things;

DIVES HAD HIS GOOD THINGS FIRST.

but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented."" CHR. Then I perceive it is not best to covet things that are now, but to wait for things to come.

THE FIRST THINGS ARE BUT TEMPORAL.

INTER. You say truth, for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal. But though this be so, yet since things present and our fleshly appetite are such near neighbours one to another; and again, because things to come and carnal sense are such strangers one to another; therefore it is, that the first of these so suddenly fall into amity, and that distance is so continued between the second.*

Then I saw in my dream, that the Interpreter took Christian by the hand, and led him into a place where

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Here see the preciousness and glory of faith: it causeth the soul to make a proper estimate, and set a due value on things: it pierceth through the objects of time and sense, and fixes upon glory and eternity. This is the proper character of every heaven-born soul; the just shall live by faith, Heb. ii. 4. This is a life of heaven upon earth.

G

was a fire burning against a wall, and one standing by it, always casting much water upon it to quench it: yet did the fire burn higher and hotter.

Then said Christian, What means this?

The Interpreter answered, This fire is the work of grace that is wrought in the heart; he that casts water upon it, to extinguish and put it out, is the devil: but in that thou seest the fire, notwithstanding, burn higher and hotter, thou shalt also see the reason of that. So he had him about to the back side of the wall, where he saw a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, of the which he did also continually cast (but secretly) into the fire.*

Then said Christian, What means this?

The Interpreter answered, This is Christ, who continually, with the oil of his grace, maintains the work already begun in the heart; by the means of which, notwithstanding what the devil can do, the souls of his people prove gracious still. And in that thou sawest, that the man stood behind the wall to maintain the fire; this is to teach thee, that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is maintained in the soul.†

Some, having never been at the back side of the wall, to see how the work of grace is kept up in the soul by Christ, ascribe it to other causes, as man's faithfulness, &c. which their pride and folly devise. Hence they ignorantly assert, that a work of grace may come to nothing, and the subjects of Christ's grace may perish. But they do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of Christ's love and grace to sinners.

+ What, then, has the sinner, who is the subject of grace, no hand in keeping up the work of grace in his heart? No. It is plain Mr. Bunyan was no Arminian; he did not ascribe any of that glory to the work and power of the creature, which is due solely to the Lord, who is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last; the beginner, carrier on, and finisher of his work in sinners' hearts; and never can nis work be extinguished there, till Satan's water is more powerful to

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