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The Enterpreter's House.

Interpreter, at whose door he should knock, and he should show him excellent things. Then Christian took his leave of his friend, and he again bid him God speed.

Then he went on till he came at the house of the Interpreter, where he knocked over and over; at last one came to the door, and asked, Who was there?1

Chr. Sir, here is a traveller, who was bid by an acquaintance of the good Man of this House, to call here for my profit; I would therefore speak with the Master of the house. So he called for the Master of the house, who, after a little time, came to Christian, and asked him, What he would have?

Sir, said Christian, I am a man that am come from the city of Destruction, and am going to Mount Zion; and I was told by the Man that stands at the Gate, at the head of this way, that if I called here, you would show me excellent things, such as would be helpful to me on my journey.

Then said the Interpreter, Come in; I will show thee that which will be profitable to thee. So he commanded his Man to light the Candle, and bid Christian follow him; so he had him into a private room, and bid his Man open 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.

Then said Christian, What meaneth this?

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. (1 Cor. iv. 15. Gal. iv. 19.) 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 show thee, that his work is to know and unfold dark things to sinners; even as

1 We constantly meet with fresh proofs of our author's exact acquaintance with the Scripture, his sound judgment, deep experience, and extensive observation. With great propriety he places the house of the Interpreter beyond the Strait Gate: for the knowledge of divine things, which precedes conversion to God by faith in Christ, is very scanty, compared with the diligent Christian's subsequent attainments.

The sprinkling of water.

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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 show 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 showed thee this picture first, because the Man whose picture this is, is the only man whom the Lord of the place, whither thou art going, hath authorized to be thy guide in all difficult places thou mayest meet with in the way: wherefore, take good heed to what I have showed 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.1

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?

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 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 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

for no

1 The first lesson here inculcated relates to the character of the true minister; thing can be more important to every one who inquires the way to heaven, than the capacity of distinguishing faithful pastors from hirelings and false teachers, who are Satan's principal agents in deceiving mankind, and in preventing the stability, consistency, and fruitfulness of believers. This portrait and its key need no explanation: and all who sustain, or mean to assume, the sacred office, should seriously examine it, clause by clause, with the Scriptures from which it is deduced.

forbid it; for it doth not give power to subdue. (Rom. vii. 6. 1 Cor. xv. 56. Rom. v. 20.)

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. (John xv. 3. Eph. v. 26. Acts xv. 9. Rom. xvi. 25, 26.)

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 next year, but he will have all now; but Patience is willing to wait.

Then I saw that one came to Passion, and brought him a bag of treasure, and 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.

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 fire burning against a wall.

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Then said Christian, Now I see that Patience has 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 to laugh at Passion, because he had 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 things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." (Luke xvi. 19-31.)

Chr. Then I perceive 'tis not best to covet things that are now, but to wait for things to come.

Int. You say truth: "For the things that are seen are temporal; but the things that are not seen are eternal." (2 Cor. iv. 18.) 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. (Rom. vii. 18.)

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 Christain, 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.

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The stately and beautiful Palace.

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.1 (2 Cor. xii. 9.)

I saw also that the Interpreter took him again by the hand, and led him into a pleasant place, where was built a stately palace, beautiful to behold; at the sight of which Christian was greatly delighted; he saw also, upon the top thereof, certain persons walking, who were clothed all in gold.

Then said Christian, May we go in thither?

Then the Interpreter took him, and led him up toward the door of the palace; and behold, at the door, stood a great company of men, as desirous to go in, but durst not. There also sat a man at a little distance from the door, at a table-side, with a book and his ink-horn before him, to take the names of them that should enter therein: he saw also, that in the door-way stood many men in armour to keep it, being resolved to do to the men that would enter what hurt and mischief they could. Now was Christian somewhat in amaze: at last, when every man started back for fear of the armed men, Christian saw a man of a very stout countenance come up to the man that sat there to write, saying, Set down my name, Sir; the which when he had done, he saw the man draw his sword, and put a helmet upon his head, and rush toward the door upon the armed men, who laid upon him with deadly force; but the man, not at all discouraged, fell to cutting and hacking most fiercely. So, after he had received, and given many wounds to those that attempted to keep him out, he cut his way through them all, and pressed forward into the palace; at which there was a pleasant voice heard from those that were within, even of those that walked upon the top of the palace, saying,

Come in, come in:

Eternal glory thou shalt win. (Acts xiv. 22.)

The doctrine of the true believer's final perseverance is here stated in so guarded a manner, as to preclude every abuse of it.