The Pilgrims get safely over the River. overflow thee." (Isa. xliii. 2.)-Then they both took courage, and the enemy was after that as still as a stone, until they were gone over. Christian therefore presently found ground to stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of the river was but shallow; but thus they got over'. This is a dying scene. We learn from it, that there is a great difference in the feelings of Christians at that solemn season; for though all die equally safe, all are not equally happy. Some believers, like Hopeful, pass through the river of death as it were dryshod; while others, like Christian, find it as the swellings of Jordan. We learn also, that the righteous have hope in their death; and that it is this which prevents them from being overwhelmed with despondency and despair. To experience "great darkness and horror," and to be afraid of not entering the kingdom of God when flesh and heart faint, must be most distressing; especially if guilt be upon the conscience. Doubtless, the accuser of the brethren is very busy at such a season, tormenting and distracting the mind of the Christian with fear that he shall "never obtain entrance in at the gate." It is well to remind believers in such circumstances of the divine faithfulness; and to tell them, that "the troubles and distresses which they go through in these waters are no sign that God hath forsaken them, but are sent to try them." Nothing, however, will keep the head above water, much less fill the heart with joy and rapture, but the grace and mercy exhibited to sinners through Jesus Christ. Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, will support and relieve the mind, even in the agonies of death, and produce everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. It was to Christ that dying Stephen sai, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. O death, said the apostle, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law: but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. xv. 55, 56. Faith in the compassion and ability of Christ, the merciful and faithful High Priest, will still the eneiny, and make dying believers more than conquerors over death through him that loved them, Rom. viii. 37, 38. It is not improbable that Mr. Bunyan designed, by the death of Christian, to represent what he expected his fears and feelings would be at the time of his own decease. His fears of death were of the most tormenting kind, as we have seen at two former periods; and it should seem that when he wrote this allegory, after all his experience of the divine care, he was not wholly free from distressing anticipations, but even then was subject to bondage through fear of death. When however he was brought to the period of a 10 ? H The Pilgrims are met by Angels, Now upon the bank of the river, on the other side, they saw the two shining 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 for those that shall be heirs of salvation." Thus they went along towards the gate. Now you must note, that the City stood upon a mighty hill; but the pilgrims went up the hill with ease, because they had these two men to lead them up by the arms: also they had left their mortal garments behind 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 the 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 Sion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the innumerable company of angels, and the spirits dissolution, he found that strength was given him equal to his day. The following is the account of Mr. Bunyan's death." He fell sick of a violent fever, which he bore with much constancy and patience, and expressed himself as if he wished nothing more than to depart and to be with Christ, considering it as gain, and life only as a tedious delay of expected felicity. Finding his strength decay, he settled his worldly affairs as well as the shortness of the time and the violence of the disorder would permit, and, after an illness of ten days, with unshaken confidence resigned his soul, on the 31s* of August, 1688, being sixty years of age, into the hands of his most merciful Redeemer, following his Pilgrim from the City of Destruction to the New Jerusalem, his better part having been all along there in holy contemplations, pantings, and breathings after the water of life.' who conduct them towards the Gate of the City. You of just men made perfect." (Heb. xii. 22—24.) 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. (Rev. ii. 7; iii. 4, 5; xxii. 5.) 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." (Isa. lxv. 16, 17.) You are going now to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and to the prophets, men that God hath taken away from the evil to come, and that are now "rest ing 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 of the way. (Gal. vi. 7, 8.) 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." (1 John iii. 2.) 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, and 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 into an equipage fit to ride out with the King of Glory. When he shall come with sound of trumpet in the clouds, as upen the wings of the wind, you shall come with him; The Pilgrims welcomed to the Gate of the City. and when he shall sit upon the throne of judgment, you shall sit by him; yea, 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 tog with sound of trumpet, and be ever with him. (1 Thess. iv. 13-17. Jude 14, 15. Dan. vii. 9, 10. 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3.) 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 left all for his holy name; aud 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." (Rev. xix. 9.) There came out also at this time to meet them several of the King's trumpeters, clothed in white and shining raiment, wao with melodious noises and loud, 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 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 region,) 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 |