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[Christian and Hopeful passing through the River.]

Then they addressed themselves to the water, and, entering, Christian began to sink; and crying out to his good friend Hopeful, he said, "I sink in deep waters; the billows go over my head; all the waves go over me." Selah.

Christian's conflict at the hour of death.

Then said the other, Be of good cheer, my brother, I feel the bottom, and it is good. Then said Christian, Ah! my friend, "the sorrow of death hath compassed me about:" I shall not see the Land that floweth with milk and honey! and with that a great darkness and horror fell upon Christian, so that he could not see before him. Also here he, in a great measure, lost his senses, so that he could neither remember nor orderly talk of any of these sweet refreshments that he had met with in the way of his pilgrimage. But all the words that he spoke still tended to discover that he had horror of mind, and heart-fears, that he should die in that River, and never obtain

entrance in at the Gate. Here, also, as they who stood by perceived, he was much in the troublesome thoughts of the sins he had committed, both since and before he began to be a Pilgrim. 'Twas also observed, that he was troubled with apparitions of hobgoblins and evil spirits; for ever and anon he would intimate so much by words. Hopeful, therefore, here had much ado to keep his brother's head above water, yea, sometimes he would be quite gone down, and then, ere a while, he would rise up again half dead. Hopeful did also endeavour to comfort him, saying, Brother, I see the Gate, and Men standing by to receive us : But Christian would answer, 'Tis you they wait for: you have been hopeful ever since I knew you: and so have you, said he to Christian. Ah! brother, said he, surely if I were right, He would now arise to help me; but, for my sins, He hath brought me into the snare, and hath left Then said Hopeful, My brother, you have quite forgot the text, where it is said of the wicked, "There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm; they are not troubled as other men, neither are they plagued like other men."* These troubles and distresses that you go through are no sign that God hath forsaken you, but are sent to try you, whether you will call to mind that which heretofore you have received of his goodness, and live upon him in your distresses.

me.

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Then I saw in my dream that Christian was in a muse a while; to whom also Hopeful added these words:-"Be of good cheer, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole :" and, with that, Christian brake Christian delivered out with a loud voice, Oh! I see Him again! and he from his fears in tells me, When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." Then they both took courage, and the enemy was, after that, as still as a stone, until they were gone Christian therefore, presently found ground to stand upon; and so it followed that the rest of the ground was but shallow; thus they got over. Now, upon the bank of the The angels do wait for them, so soon River, on the other side, they saw the two Shining as they are passed Men again, who there waited for them: wherefore, being come out of the River, they saluted them, saying, "We are Ministering Spirits, sent forth to minister to those that shall be heirs of salvation." Thus they went along toward the Gate. Now you must note, that the City stood upon a mighty hill; but the Pilgrims went up that hill with ease, because they They have put off had these two Men to lead them up by the arms: they had likewise left their mortal garments behind

out of this world.

mortality.

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them in the River; for, though they went in with them, they came out without them. They therefore went up here with much agility and speed, though the foundation upon which the City was framed was higher than the clouds. They therefore went up through the region of air, sweetly talking as they went, being comforted, because they safely got over the River, and had such glorious companions to attend them.

The talk that they had with the Shining Ones was about the glory of the place, who told them that the beauty and glory of it was inexpressible. There, said they, is mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the innumerable company of Angels, and the Spirits of just men made perfect." * You are going now, said they, to the Paradise of God, wherein you shall see the Tree of Life, and eat of the never-fading fruits thereof; and, when you come there you shall have white robes given you, and your walk and talk shall be every day with the King, even all the Days of Eternity. There you shall not see again such things as you saw when you were in the lower region upon the earth, to wit: sorrow, sickness, affliction and death: "for the former things are passed away." You are now going to Abraham, to Isaac, and Jacob, and to the Prophets; men that God hath taken away from the evil to come, and that are now resting upon their beds, each one walking in his righteousness. The men then asked, What must we do in the Holy Place? To whom it was answered, You must there receive the comforts of all your toil, and have joy for all your sorrow; you must reap what you have sown, even the fruit of all your prayers and tears, and sufferings for the King by the way. In that place you must wear crowns of gold, and enjoy the perpetual sight and vision of the Holy One; "for there you shall see him as he is." § There also you shall serve him continually with praise, with shouting, and thanksgiving, whom you desired to serve in the world, though with much difficulty, because of the infirmity of your flesh. There your eyes shall be delighted with seeing, your ears with hearing the pleasant voice of the Mighty One. There you shall enjoy your friends again that are gone thither before you; and there you shall with joy receive even every one that follows into the Holy Place after you. There also you shall be clothed with glory and majesty, and put in an equipage fit to ride out with the King of Glory. When He shall come with sound of trumpet in the clouds, as upon the wings of the wind, you shall come with Him; || and when He shall sit upon the Throne of Judgment, you shall sit by Him; yea,

*Heb. xii. 22-24.
+Ibid. xxi. 2.

Rev. ii. 7.-iii. 4.
§ 1 John iii. 4.

† Rev. xxii. 5.
1 Thess. iv. 16. Jude 14.

and when He shall pass sentence upon all the workers of iniquity, let them be angels or men, you also shall have a voice in that judgment, because they were His and your enemies.* Also, when He shall again return to the City, you shall go too, with sound of trumpet, and be ever with him. †

Now, while they were thus drawing towards the Gate, behold! a company of the Heavenly Host came out to meet them: to whom it was said, by the other two Shining Ones, These are the men that have loved our Lord, when they were in the world, and that have forsaken all for his holy name; and He hath sent us to fetch them, and we have brought them thus far on their desired journey, that they may go in and look their Redeemer in the face with joy. Then the Heavenly Host gave a great shout, saying, “Blessed are they that are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb." There came out also to meet them several of the King's trumpeters, clothed in white and Shining raiment, who, with melodious voices, made even the heavens to echo with their sound. These trumpeters saluted Christian and his fellow with ten thousand welcomes from the world; and this they did with shouting and sound of trumpet.

This done, they compassed them round about on every side: some went before, some behind, and some on the right hand, some on the left, (as it were to guard them through the upper regions,) continually sounding as they went, with melodious noise in notes on high; so that the very sight was, to them that could behold it, as if Heaven itself was come down to meet them. Thus, therefore, they walked on together; and, as they walked, ever and anon these trumpeters, even with joyful sound, would, by mixing their music with looks and gestures, still signify to Christian and his brother how welcome they were into their company, and with what gladness they came to meet them. And now were these two Men as it were in heaven, before they came at it; being swallowed up with the sight of Angels, and with hearing of their melodious notes. Here also they had the City itself in view, and they thought they heard all the bells therein to ring, to welcome them thereto; but, above all, the warm and joyful thoughts that they had about their own dwelling there with such company, and that for ever and ever:-Oh! by what tongue or pen can their glorious joy be expressed! Thus they came up to the Gate.

Now, when they were come up to the Gate, there was written over it, in letters of gold:

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"BLESSED ARE THEY THAT DO HIS COMMANDMENTS,
THAT THEY MAY HAVE RIGHT TO THE TREE OF

LIFE, AND MAY ENTER IN THROUGH THE GATES
INTO THE CITY."*

Then I saw in my dream that the Shining Men bid them call at the Gate; the which when they did, some from above looked over the Gate, to wit: Enoch, Moses, and Elijah, &c.; to whom it was said, These Pilgrims are come from the city of Destruction, for the love that they bear to the King of this place: and then the Pilgrims gave in unto them each man his certificate, which they had received in the beginning. Those, therefore, were carried in to the King, who, when he had read them, said, Where are the Men ? To whom it was answered, They are standing without the Gate. The King then commanded to open the Gate, "that the righteous nation (said he) that keepeth truth may enter in."†

Now I saw in my dream that these two Men went in at the Gate; and lo! as they entered, they were transfigured, and they had raiment put on that shone like gold. There were also that met them with harps and crowns, and gave them to them; the harps to praise withal, and the crowns in token of honour. Then I heard in my dream that all the bells in the City rang again for joy; and that it was said unto them:

"ENTER YE INTO THE JOY OF OUR LORD."↓

I also heard the Men themselves sing with a loud voice, saying:

"BLESSING, AND HONOUR, AND GLORY, AND POWER

BE UNTO HIM THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE,
AND UNTO THE LAMB, FOR EVER AND EVER." §

Now, just as the Gates were opened to let in the Men, I looked in after them, and behold the City shone like the sun; the streets also were paved with gold, and in them walked many men with crowns upon their heads, palms in their hands, and golden harps to sing praises withal.

There were also of them that had wings; and they answered one another without intermission, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord." And after that they shut up the Gates; which, when I had seen, I wished myself among them.

Now, while I was gazing upon all these things, Ignorance comes I turned my head to look back, and saw Ignorance up to the River, come up to the river-side: but he soon got over, and half the difficulty which the other two men met with.

* Rev. xxii. 14.

† Isaiah xxvi. 2.

Matth. xxv. 23.

that without

For it hapRev. v. 13, 14.

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