and said, This night as I was in my sleep, I dreamed, and behold the heavens grew exceeding black; also it thundered and lightened in most fearful wise, that it put me into an agony. So I looked up in my dream, and saw the clouds rack at an unusual rate; upon which I heard a great sound of a trumpet, and saw also a Man sitting upon a cloud, attended with the thousands of heaven: they were all in flaming fire; also the heavens were on a burning flame. I heard then a great voice, saying, "Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment!" and with that the rocks rent, the graves opened, and the dead that were therein came forth: some of them 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 which issued out, and came 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.9 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, as I thought, the Judge had always his eye upon me, shewing 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 have I 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 Wherefore they shew'd me were; and let me be Thankful, O good Interpreter! to thee. 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, 91 Cor. xv. 1 Thess. iv. Jude, ver. 15. John v. 28. 2 Thess. i. 8. Rev. xx. 11-14. Isa. xxvi. 21. Micah vii. 16, 17. Psal. v. 4, 5. Mal. iii. 2, 3. Dan. vii. 9, 10. Mark iii. 13. chap. xiv. 32. Mal. iv. 1. Luke iii. 17. 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. Rom. ii. 14, 15. therefore, did burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back.1 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, 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. Then was Christian glad and light WHEN GOD RE some, and said, with a merry heart, LEASES US OF OUR "He hath given me rest by his sor GUILT AND BUR- row, and life by his death." Then he THOSE THAT leap stood still a while to look and wonder; Isa. xxvi. 1. B FOR JOY. 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:" 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 they went their way. Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing, A CHRISTIAN GIVE HIM JOY Thus far did I come loaden with my sin; Must here the burden fall from off my back? Must here the strings that bound it to me crack? 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, the SIMPLE, SLOTH, third Presumption. 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 2 Zech. xii. 10. Mark ii. 5. Zech. iii. 4. Eph. i. 13. 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 become a prey to his teeth. With that they looked upon him, and began to answer him 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.3 THERE IS NO PER SUASION WILL DO, NOT THE EYES. 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 : Chr. Gentlemen, whence come you, CHRISTIAN TALKS and whither go you? WITH THEM. Form. and Hyp. We were born in the land of Vainglory, and are going for praise to Mount Zion. Gate which Know ye not Chr. Why came you not in at the standeth at the beginning of the way? that it is written, "That he that cometh not in by the door, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber?"4 3 Prov. xxiii. 34. 1 Pet. v. 8. 4 John x. 1. |