Burthen loofed from off his Shoulders, and fell from off his Back, and began to tumble, and fo continued to do, till it came to the Mouth of the Sepulchre, where it fell in, and I faw it no more. Then was Chriftian glad and lightfome, When God and fid with a merry Heart, He ha h given releases us me reft by his Sarrow, and Life by his Death, of our Guilt Then he flood a while to look and won- and Bur. der; for it was very furprizing to him, den, we are that the Sight of the Cross should thus eafe as thofe him of his Bu then. He looked therefore, that leap and locked again, even till the Springs that for Joy. we e in his Head fent the † Water down † Zech. his Cheeks. Now as he ftood looking and 12. 10. weeping, behold thee Shining O es came to him and faluted him, with Peace be to * thee; fo the first faid to him, Toy Sins be *Mat.2. 2. forgiven thee; the fecond fript him of his Rags, and cloathed him with change of † Ze 4. Thus far did I come laden with my Sin, Wo's this? The Pilgrim. How! 'Tis very true, Old Things are peft away; ali's become new. Stange! he's another Man, upon my Word; They be fine Feathers, that make a fi›e Bird I fav I faw then in my Dream that he went on thus,even until he came at the bottom, where he faw a little out of the Way, three Men faft afleep, with Ferters upon their Heels. the Name of the one was Simple, another * Simple, Sloth, and the Third Prefumption. Sloth, and Chriftian then feeing them lie in this prefumpCafe, went to them, if paradventure he tion. might awake them. And cried, You are +Prov.23. like them that fleep on the top of a † Mast for the dead Sea is under you, a Gulph that hath no Bottom: Awake therefore, and come away, be willing alfo, and I will help you off with your Irons He also told them, If he that goeth about like a roaring Lion,*:Pet. 5. comes by you will certainly become a Prey 8. to his Teeth. With that they look'd upon 24. him, and began to reply in this fort: † Sim- † There is ple faid, I fee no Danger: Sloth faid, Tet a no Perfwan. little more Sleep And Presumption said, Eve- fion will ry Tub must fand upon its own Bottom. And do, if God fo they lay down to fleep again, and Chri- openeth not fian went on his Way. Yet he was troubled to think, that Men in that Danger should fo little efteem, the Kindness of him that fo freely offered to help them, both by the awakening of them, Cou felling of them, and proffering to help them off with their Irons. And as he was troubled thereabout, he efpied 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 Formalift, and the Name of the other Hypocrifie So, as I faid, they drew up unto him, who thus entred with them into Difcourfe. the Eyes. Chiti Chr. Gentlemen, whence come you, and an talked whither go you? withthem. 1. Joh. 10 Form. and Hyp. We were born in the Land of Vain Glory, and are going for Praise to Mount Sion. Chr. Why came you not in at the Gate which ftandeth at, the Beginning of the Way? Know ye not that it is written, * That he that come h not in by the Door, but climbeth up fome other way the fame is a Thief and a Robber? Form. and Hyp. They said, that to go to the Gate of Entrance, was by all their Country Men counted too far about; and therefore their ufual Way was to make a fhort Cut of it, and to climb over the Wall, as they had done. Chr. But will it not be counted a Trefpafs against the Lord of the City, whither we are bound, thus to violate his revealed Will. "They that Form, and Hip. They told him, . That as come into for that he needed not trouble his Head the Way, thereabout; for what they did they had but not by Cuftom for, and could produce, if need were the Door, Teftimony that would witnefs it, for more think that then a Thoufard Years. Chr. But faid Chriftian, will it standa they can Say fome- Tryal at Law? thing in Form, and Hyp. They to'd him. That Custom vindicaton it being of fo long ftanding as above a thou of their fand Years, would doubtlefs now be admit wn Pra- ted as a Thing legal by an impartial Judge: fice. And befides, fay they, if we get into the way, what matter which way we get in? If we are in, we are in: Thou art but in the way, who, as we perceive, c me in at the Gate; and we are also in the Way, that came tumb ling ling over the Wall; wherein now is thy Condition better than ours? Ch. I walk by the Rule of my Mafter, you walk by the rude working of your Fancies. You are counted Thieves al eady by the Lord of the Way, therefore I doubt you will not be found true Men at the End of the Way. You come in by your felves thout h's Direction; and fhall go out by your felve, w.thout his Mercy. To this they made him but little Anfwer; only they bid him look to himself. Then I few that they went on every Man in his way, without much Conference one with another fave that these two Men told Chriftian, That as to Laws and Ordinances, they doubted not but they thou d as confcientiously do them as he. Therefore, faid they, we fee not wherein thou differeft from us, but by thy Crat that is now on thy Back, which was, as we trow, given thee by fome of thy Neighbours to hide the Shame of thy Nakedness. Chr. By Laws and Ordinances you tGal.1.16 will not be faved, fince you came not in by the Door. And as for this Coat that is on my Back, it was given me by the Lord of it has the Place whither I go; and that, as yout Chrifti. fay to cover my Nakednefs with. And as Iake an as a Token of Kindness to me; for I had bis Lord's nothing but Rags to e; and befides, tcoat on his thus 1 comfort my felf as I go I Surely, Back, and thi k I, when I come to the Gate of the is comfortCity, the Lord thereof will know me for ed theregood, fince I have his Coat on my Back with. Coat that he gave me f ee y in the Day that He is com. he fript me of my Rags. I have moreover forted. a. M. |