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*

He is entertained.

Inter. Then faid the Interpreter, * Come in; I will fhew thee that which will be profitable to thee. So he commanded his +Illumination. Man † to light the Candle, and bid Chri

Picture.

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ftian follow him: So he had him into a private Room, and bid his Man open a Chriftian Door; the which when he had done, ChriJees a brave ftian faw the Picture of a very grave Perfon hang up against the Wall; and this The Fashion was the Fashion of it, § It had Eyes lifted of the Picture. 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 ftood as if it pleaded with Men, and a Crown of Gold did hang over it's Head. Chr. Then faid Chriftian, what meaneth this?

Gal. 4. 19.

* The Meaning of the Picture.

Inter. The Man whofe Picture this is, is one of a Thousand; he || can beget Chil1 Cor. 4.15 dren, travel in Birth with Children, and ¶ nurse them himself when they are born. And whereas thou feeft him with his Eyes lift up to Heaven, the best of Books in his Hand, and the Law of Truth written on his Lips; it is to fhew thee, that his Work is to know and unfold dark Things to Sinners; even as alfo thou* feeft him ftand as if he pleaded with Men; and whereas thou feeft the World as caft behind him, and that a Crown hangs over his Head; that is to fhew thee, that flighting and defpifing the Things that are prefent, for the Love that he hath to his Mafter's Service, he is fure in the World that comes +Why be fhew- next, to have Glory for his Reward. Now, faid the Interpreter, I have fhewed Picture firft. thee this Picture firft, + because the Man

ed him the

whofe

whofe Picture this is, is the only Man whom the Lord of the Place whither thou art going, hath authorised to be thy Guide. in all difficult Places thou mayeft meet with in the Way: Wherefore take good heed to what I have fhewed thee, and bear well in thy Mind what thou haft feen; left in thy Journey thou meet with fome that pretend to lead thee right, but their Way goes down to Death.

Then he took him by the Hand, and led him into a very large Parlour that was full of Duft, 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 fweep, the Duft began abundantly to fly about, that Chriftian had almoft therewith been choaked. Then faid the Interpreter to a Damfel that ftood by, bring hither the Water, and fprinkle the Room; the which when she had done, it was fwept and cleansed with Pleasure.

Chr. Then faid Chriftian, What means this?

L

Inter. The Interpreter anfwered, This Parlour is the Heart of a Man that was never fanctified by the fweet Grace of the Gofpel: The Duft is his Original Sin, and Inward Corruptions that have defiled the whole Man. He that began to sweep at firft is the Law; but he that brought Water, and did fprinkle it, is the Gospel. Now whereas thou faweft that as foon as the first began to sweep, the Duft did so fly about, that the Room by him could not be cleanfed, but that thou waft almost

choaked

choaked therewith; this is to fhew thee, that the Law, instead of cleansing the Heart * Rom. 7. 6. (by its working) from Sin, * doth revive, +1 Cor. 15. put + Strength into, and increase it in 56. the Soul, even as it doth discover and forbid it, for it doth not give Power to fubdue it.

Rom. 5. 20.

Again, as thou faweft the Damfel fprinkle the Room with Water, upon which it was cleanfed with Pleasure; this is to fhew thee, that when the Gospel comes in the fweet and precious Influences thereof to the Heart, then, I fay, even as thou faweft the Damfel lay the Duft by fprinkling the Floor with Water, fo is Sin vanquished and fubdued, and the Soul made clean, through the Faith of it, and confequently $ John 15. 3. § fit for the King of Glory to inhabit. Ephef. 5. 26.

Acts 15.9. Rom. 16. 25, 26.

I faw, moreover, in my Dream, That the Interpreter took him by the Hand, and had him into a little Room, where fat John 15. 13. two little Children, each one in his Chair. He fhewed | The Name of the eldest was Paffion, and bim Paffion the Name of the other Patience. Paffion and Patience. feemed to be much difcontented, but Patience was very quiet. Then Chriftian asked, What is the Reafon of the Difcontent of Paffion? The Interpreter answered, the Governor of them would have him ftay for his beft Things, 'till the Beginning of the next Year; but he will have all now: * But Patience is willing to wait.

Paffion will have it now.

* Patience for waiting.

Paffion

bath his De

fire.

Paffion

Then I faw that one came to and brought him a Bag of Treafure, and poured it down at his Feet; the which he took up and rejoiced therein, and withal

I

laughed

laughed Patience to fcorn. But I beheld but a While, and he had * lavished all away, and had nothing left him but Rags.

* And quickly

lavishes all

away.

Chr. Then faid Chriftian to the Interpreter, Expound this Matter more fully to t The Matter

me.

expounded.

Inter. So he faid, Thefe two Lads are Figures; Paffion of the Men of this World, and Patience of the Men of that which is to come: For as here thou feeft, Paffion will have all now, this Year; that is to fay, in this World, fo are the Men of this World: They must have all their good Things now, they cannot ftay till 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 Bufb, is of more Authority with them, than are all the Di- Hand. vine Teftimonies of the Good of the World to come. But as thou faweft, that he had quickly lavished all away, and had prefently left him nothing but Rags; fo will it be with all fuch Men at the End of this World.

*

.

The WorldBird in the ly Man for a

Chr. Then faid Chriftian, Now I fee that Patience has the best Wisdom, and Patience that upon many Account. 1. Because he had the be tays for the best Things. 2. And alfo Wisdom. because he will have the Glory of his when the other has nothing but Rags.

Inter. Nay, you may add another, to-wit, the Glory of the next World will never wear out; but thefe are fuddenly gone. Therefore Paffion had not fo much Reafon to laugh at Patience, because he had his good Things firft, as Patience will have

to

Things that to laugh at Paffion, because he had his are first must best Things laft; for first muft give Place give Place, but Things to last, because left must have its Time to that are laft come; but laft gives Place to nothing; for are lafting. there is not another to fucceed: He therefore that hath his Portion first, must needs. have a Time to spend it; but he that has his Portion last, must have it laftingly: Therefore it is faid of + Dives, In thy Lifetime thou receivedft thy good Things, and likewife Lazarus evil Things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Luke 15.

Dives had his good Things

first.

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Chr. Then I perceive it is not best to covet Things that are now, but to wait for Things to come.

Inter. You fay Truth For the Things that are feen are Temporal; but the Things that are not feen, Eternal: But though this be fo, yet fince Things prefent, and our fleshly Appetite are fuch near Neighbours one to another; and again, because Things to come, and Carnal Senfe, are fuch Strangers one to another: Therefore it is, that the first of these so fuddenly fall into Amity, and that Distance is fo continually between the fecond.

Then I faw in my Dream, that the Interpreter took Chriftian by the Hand, and led him into a Place where was a Fire burning against a Wall, and one standing by it, always cafting much Water upon it, to quench it; yet did the Fire burn higher

and hotter.

Then faid Chriftian, What means this? The Interpreter answered; This Fire is the Work of Grace that is wrought in the Heart; he that cafts Water upon it, to extinguish

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