BRAVE PICTURE. had him into a private room, and bid his Man open CHRISTIAN SEES A a door; the which when he had done, Christian saw the picture of a very grave Person hang up against the wall; and this was the fashion of it; it had eyes lifted up to Heaven, the best of Books in his hand, the Law of Truth was written upon his lips, the World was behind his back; it stood as if it pleaded with Men, and a Crown of gold did hang over its head. THE FASHION OF Then said Christian, What meaneth this? THE MEANING OF Int. The Man whose picture this is, is one of a thousand he can beget children, travail in birth with children, and nurse them himself when they are born.8 And whereas thou seest him with his eyes lift up to Heaven, the best of Books in his hand, and the Law of Truth writ on his lips, it is to shew thee, that his work is to know and unfold dark things to sinners; even as also thou seest him stand as if he pleaded with men. And whereas thou seest the World as cast behind him, and that a Crown hangs over his head, that is to shew thee, that, slighting and despising the things that are present, for the love that he hath to his Master's service, he is sure, in the world that comes next, to have glory for his reward. Now, said the Interpreter, I have shewed thee this picture first, because the Man whose picture this is, is the only Man HIM THIS PICTURE whom the Lord of the place, whither thou art going, hath authorized to be thy guide in all difficult places thou mayst meet with WHY HE SHEWED FIRST. 8 1 Cor. iv. 5. Gal. iv. 19. in the way: wherefore, take good heed to what I have shewed thee, and bear well in thy mind what thou hast seen, lest, in thy journey, thou meet with some that pretend to lead thee right; but their way goes down to Death. 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 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. Then said Christian, What means this? He 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. 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 as soon as the first began to sweep, the dust did so fly about, that the room could not by him be cleansed, but that thou wast almost choked therewith; this is to shew 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.9 Again, as thou sawest the damsel sprinkle the room 9 Rom. vii. 6. 1 Cor. xv. 56. Rom. v. 20. with water, upon which it was cleansed with pleasure, this is to shew 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 SHEWED HIM 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? PASSION WILL The Interpreter answered, The governor HAVE IT NOW. of them would have him stay for his best things till the beginning of next year but he will have all now; but Patience is willing to wait. PATIENCE IS FOR WAITING. PASSION HATH AWAY. Then I saw that one came to Passion, and brought him a bag of treasure, and LAVISHES ALL Poured it down at his feet; the which he took up, and rejoiced therein, and withal laughed Patience to scorn; but I beheld but awhile, and he had lavished all away, and had nothing left him but rags. Then said Christian to the Interpreter, Expound this matter more fully to me. 1 John, xv. 3. Eph. v. 26. Acts, xv. 9. Rom. xvi. 25, 26. John, xv. 13. 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 Then said Christian, Now I see that Patience has the best wisdom, THE BEST WISDOM. and that upon many accounts. 1. Because he stays for the best things. 2. And also because he will have the glory of his, when the other has nothing but rags. Int. Nay, you may add another, to wit, The 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 THINGS THAT ARE to laugh at Passion, because he had FIRST MUST GIVE his best things last; for first must give place to last, because last must have his time to come; but last gives PLACE, BUT THINGS LASTING. 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 lifetime thou receivedst thy good things, DIVES HAD HIS GOOD THINGS FIRST. mented."2 and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tor Chr. Then I perceive 'tis not best to covet things that are now, but to wait for things to come. THE FIRST THINGS Int. You say truth: "For the ARE BUT TEMPORAL. things that are seen are temporal; but the things that are not seen are eternal."3 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.4 Then I saw in my dream, that the Interpreter took Christian by the hand, and led him into a place where 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 backside 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. 2 Luke, xvi. 32 Cor. iv. 18. 4 Rom. vii. 18. |