Chriftian's the Billows go over my Head, all the Then faid the other, Be of good Cheer, my Brother, I feel the Bottom, and it is Conflict at the good. Then faid Chriftian, Ah! my Friend, Hour of Death the Sorrow of Death hath compaffed me about, I fhall not fee the Land that flows with Milk and Honey. And with that a great Darknefs and Horror fell upon Chriftian, fo that, he could not fee before him. Allo here in a great Measure loft his Senfes, fo that he could neither remember nor orderly talk of any of thofe fweet Refreshments that he had met with in the Way of his Pilgrimage. But all the Words that he fpake ftill tended to dif cover that he had Horror of Mind, and Heart-Fears that he fhould die in that River, and never obtain Entrance in at the Gate. Here alfo, as they that tood by perceived, he was much in the trou blefome Thoughts of the Sins that he had committed, both fince and before he began to be a Pilgrim. It was alfo obferved, That he was troubled with Apparitions of Hobgoblins and evil Spirits; for ever and anon he would intimate fo much by Words. Hopeful therefore here had much ado to keep his Brother's Head above Water, yea, fometimes he would be quite gone down, and then e'er a While he would rife up again half dead. Hopeful did allo endeavour to comfort him, faying, Brother, I fee the Gate, and Men ftanding by to receive us; but Chriftian would anfwer, It is you, it is you they wait for; you have been Hopeful ever fince I knew you. And ( And fo have you, faid he to Chriftian. Ah, Brother! faid he, furely if I was right, he would now rife to help me, but for my Sins he hath brought me into the Snare and left me. Then faid Hopeful, My Brother, you have quite forgot the Text, where it is faid of the Wicked, There is no Bands in their Death, but Pfal. 33.495+ their Strength is firm, they are not troubled as other Men, neither are they plagued like other Men. Thefe Troubles and Diftreffes that you go through in these Waters, are no Sign that God hath forfaken you, but are fent to try you, whether you will call to Mind that which heretofore you have received of his Good. nefs, and live upon him in your Diftreffes. 1 Death. Ifa. 40. 2. Then I faw in my Dream, That Chri- Chriftian deftian was in a Mufe a while. To whom livered from alfo Hopeful added thefe Words. Be of his Fears in good Cheer, Jefus Chrift maketh thee whole And with that Chriftian brake out, with a loud Voice, Oh, I fee him again! and he tells me, When thou paffeft through the Waters, I will be with thee; and through the Rivers, they fhall not overflow thee. Then they both took Courage, and the Enemy was after that as ftill as a Stone, until they were gone over. ftian therefore prefently found Ground to ftand upon, and fo it followed, that' the rest of the River was but fhallow; but thus they got over. 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 Chri out out of the River, they faluted them, fayThe Angels do ing, We are Miniftring Spirits fent forth to wait for them Jo Joon as they minifter to those that shall be Heirs of Salare paffed out vation. vation. Thus they went along toward, of this World. the Gate. Now you must note, that the City ftood upon a mighty Hill, but the Pilgrims went up that Hill with Eafe, be cause they had these two Men to lead them They have put up by the Arms; they had likewise left eff Mortality. 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, fweetly talking as they went, being comforted, becaufe they fafely got over the River, and had fuch glorious Companions to attend them. 23, 24. Rev. 2.7. & 3, 4. 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 inexpreffible. There, faid they, is Mount Zion, the Heavenly JeHeb. 12. 22, rufalem, the innumerable Company of Angels, and the Spirits of just Men made perfect. You are going now, faid they, to the Paradife of GoD, wherein you fhall fee the Tree of Life, and eat of the never-fading Fruits thereof; and when you come there you fhall have white Robes given you, and your Walk and Talk fhall be every Day with the KING, even all the Days of Eternity. There you shall not Rev. 22.7 fee again fuch Things as you faw when you you were in the lower Region upon the Earth, to wit, Sorrow, Sickness, Affliction, and Death, for the former Things are passed a- Ifa. 57.12, 82 way. You are now going to Abraham, Ifaac, 6, 14. and Jacob, and to the Prophets, Men that GOD hath taken away from the Evil to come, and that are now refting upon their Beds, each one walking in his Righteousness. The Men then asked, What muft 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 fown, even the Fruit of all your Prayers and Tears, and Sufferings for the King by the Way. In that Place you must wear Crowns of Gold, and enjoy the perpetual Sight and Vifion of the Holy ONE, for there you shall fee Him 1 John 3. 2 as He is. There also you fhall ferve him continually with Praife, with Shouting, and Thanksgiving, whom you defire to ferve in the World, though with much Difficulty because of the Infirmity of your Flesh. There your Eyes fhall be delighted with Seeing, and your Ears with Hearing the pleafant Voice of the Mighty ONE. There you fhall enjoy your Friends again, that are gone thither before you; and there you shall with Joy recieve even every one that follows into the Holy Places after you. There alfo you shall be cloathed with Glory and Majefty, 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 upon the Wings of the Wind, you Dan. 7.9, 10. you fhall come with him; and when he Thef. 4.13, fhall fit upon the Throne of Judgment, 14, 16, 17. you fhall fit by him; yea, and when he Jade 14. fhall pafs Sentence upon all the Workers iCor. 6. 2, 3. of Iniquity, let them be Angels or Men; you alfo fhall have a Voice in that Judgment, because they were his and your Enemies. Alfo when he fhall again return to the City, you fhall go too with Sound of Trumpet, and be ever with him, Now while they were thus drawing towards the Gate, behold a Company of the Heavenly Hoft came out to meet them; to whom it was faid by the other two Shining Ones, Thefe are the Men that have loved our Lord, when they were in the World, and that have left all for his Holy Name, and he hath fent us to fetch them, and we have brought them thus far on their defired Journey, that they may go in and, look their Redeemer in the Face with Joy. Then the Heavenly Holt gave a great Shout, faying, Bleed Rev. 19. 9. are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. There came out alfo at this Time to meet them, feveral of the King's Trumpeters, cloathed in white and fhining Raiment, who with melodious Noifes, and loud, made even the Heavens to echo with their Sound. Thefe Trumpeters faluted Chriftian and his Fellow with Ten Thoufand Welcomes from the World; and this they did with Shouting and Sound of Trumpet. I This |