were exceeding glad, and looked upward; and some sought to hide themselves under the mountains: then I saw the man that sat upon the cloud open the book, and bid the world draw near. Yet there was, by reason of a fierce flame that issued out and came from before him, a convenient distance betwixt him and them, as betwixt the judge and the prisoners at the bar. I heard it also proclaimed to them that attended on the man that sat on the cloud, "Gather together the tares, the chaff, and stubble, and cast them into the burning lake;" and with that the bottomless pit opened, just whereabout I stood, out of the mouth of which there came, in an abundant manner, smoke and coals of fire, with hideous noises. It was also said to the same persons, " Gather my wheat into the garner." And with that I saw many catched up and carried away into the clouds,' but I was left behind. I also sought to hide myself, but I could not, for the Man that sat upon the cloud still kept his eye upon me: my sins also came into my mind, and my conscience did accuse me on every side. Upon this I awakened from my sleep. CHR. But what was it that made you so afraid of this sight? MAN. Why, I thought that the day of judgment was come, and that I was not ready for it: but this frighted me most, that the angels gathered up several, and left me behind; also the pit of hell opened her mouth just where I stood: my conscience too afflicted me ;* and, c Psalm 1. 1-3, 22. Isa. xxvi. 20,21. Mic. vii. 16, 17. e Mal. iv. 2. Matt. iii. 12. xviii. 30. Luke iii. 17. d Dan. vii. 9, 10. Mal. iii. 2, 3. f 1 Thess. iv. 13-18. g Rom. ii. 14, 15. * Natural men's consciences are often alarmed and terrified, when there are no spiritual convictions; but such fears and terrors soon wear away, and do not issue in real conversion. as I thought, the Judge had always his eye upon me, showing indignation in his countenance. Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Hast thou considered all these things? CHR. Yes, and they put me in hope and fear.* INTER. Well, keep all things so in thy mind, that they may be as a goad in thy sides, to prick thee forward in the way thou must go. Then Christian began to gird up his loins, and to address himself to his journey. Then said the Interpreter, The Comforter be always with thee, good Christian, to guide thee in the way that leads to the city. So Christian went on his way, saying, "Here I have seen things rare and profitable, Things pleasant, dreadful, things to make me stable In what I have begun to take in hand; Then let me think on them, and understand Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which Christian was to go, was fenced on either side with a wall, and that wall was called Salvation." Up this way, therefore, did burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back.† He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a Cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the Cross, h Isaiah xxvi. 1. * Where there is a Gospel hope, there will be a godly fear; both are necessary; both are the graces of the Holy Spirit. Fear makes us cautious: hope animates us. + Our up-hill difficulties are the way to the greatest comforts. Burdens are most felt when comforts are near at hand. his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do, till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.* WHEN GOD RE LEASES US OF OUR with a merry heart, He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his death. Then he stood still a while, to look and * Christian had faith; he believed that there was redemption in the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sins, before he came up to the cross; but now he finds and feels the comfort of it. He has now the joy of faith; the guilt of his sins is taken off his conscience, and he is filled with all joy and peace in believing. You who believe Christ to be the only Saviour, go on believing, till you experience the comfort of knowing that he is your Saviour, and feel pardon in his blood; for, when God releases us of our guilt and burden, we are as those that leap for joy but you cannot have this till the hour fixed-when you come to the cross, and rest all your hopes upon it. wonder, for it was very surprising to him that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked, therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks.' Now as he stood looking and weeping, behold, three shining ones came to him, and saluted him with, "Peace be to thee :" so the first said to him, "Thy sins be forgiven thee ;k the second stripped him of his rags, and clothed him with change of raiment ;* the third also set 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 that he should give it in at the celestial gate: so A CHRISTIAN CAN SING, LONE, WHEN GOD they went their way. Then Christian gave LONE, "Thus far did I come loaden with my sin, The Man that there was put to shame for me!" I saw then in my dream, that he went on thus, even until he came at a bottom, where he saw, a little out of the way, three men fast asleep, with fetters upon their heels. The name of the one was Simple, another Sloth, and the third Presumption.† SIMPLE, SLOTH, AND PRESUMPTION. i Zech. xii. 10. k Mark ii, 5. 1 Zech. iii. 4. Eph. i. 13. * Here is the love and grace of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Pray mind; when God pardons the sinner, through the blood of Christ, he also clothes him with the righteousness of Christ. Those who deny the imputation of Christ's righteousness, never saw the purity of the law, their own nakedness, nor abhorred the filthy rags of their own righteousness. + The Lord shows us the misery and danger of other professors, to give us warning by the way, and to stir us up to watchfulness. H Christian then seeing them lie in this case, went to them, if peradventure he might awake them, and cried, You are like them that sleep on the top of a mast," for the Dead Sea is under you, a gulf that hath no bottom : awake, therefore, and come away; be willing also, and I will help you off with your irons. He also told them, If he that goeth about like a roaring lion comes by, you will certainly ecome a prey to his teeth." With that they looked upon him, and began to reply in this sort :* Simple said, I see no danger. Sloth said, Yet a little more sleep. And Presumption said, Every fat must stand upon its own bottom. And so they laid down to sleep again, and Christian went on his way. THERE IS NO PER- NOT Yet he was troubled to think, that men in that danger should so little esteem the kindness of him that so freely offered to help them, both by awakening of them, counselling of them, and proffering to help them off with their irons. And as he was troubled thereabout, he espied two men come 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 Formalist, and the name of the other Hypocrisy. So, as I said, they drew up unto him, who thus entered with them into discourse. CHRISTIAN TALKS WITH THEM. CHR. Gentlemen, whence came you, and whither do you go? * There is no persuasion will do, if God openeth not the eyes. Remember, all is of grace. It is God's grace that quickens, enlightens, converts, justifies, preserves, sanctifies, and glorifies. Well may pilgrims sing every step, O to grace what mighty debtors, Daily, hourly, Lord, are we! + A christian spirit feels for others' dangers, and aims and strives to be profitable to them. |