know that you go and return to your Master's house in hopes that you may be a conductor to more of the holy pilgrims), that you send to my family, and let them be acquainted with all that hath, and fhall happen unto me: tell them, moreover, of my happy arrival to this place, and of the present and late bleffed condition I am in: tell them alfo, of Chrif tian and Chriftiana his wife, and how fhe and her children came after her husband: tell them also, of what a happy end fhe made, and whither fhe is gone: I have little or nothing to fend to my family, except it be my prayers and tears for them; of which, if you acquaint them, it will fuffice, if peradventure they may prevail. When Mr. Standfaft had thus fet things in order, and the time being come for him to haste him away, he also went down to the river. Now there was a great calm at that time in the river; wherefore Mr. Standfast, when he was about half way in, stood a while, and talked to his companions who had waited upon him thither and faid, This river has been a terror to many; yea, the thoughts of it have often frighted me; now methinks I stand eafy, my foot is fixed upon that on which the feet of the priests who bare the ark of the covenant ftood, while Ifrael went over this Jordan. The waters indeed are to the palate bitter, and to the ftomach cold; yet the thought of what I am going to, and of the conduct that waits for me on the other fide, doth lie as a I fee myself now at the Ff3 glowing coal at my heart. end end of my journey; my toilfome days are ended. I am going to fee that head which was crowned with thorns, and that face which was spit upon for me. I have formerly lived by hearsay and faith; but now I go where I fhall live by fight, and fhall be with him in whofe company I delight myself. I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of; and wherever I have seen the print of his fhoe in the earth, there have I coveted to fet my foot too. His name has been to me as a civet-box; yea, fweeter than all perfumes. His voice to me has been moft fweet; and his countenance I have more defired than they who have most defired the light of the fun. His words I did ufe to gather for my food, and for an antidote against my faintings. He has held me, and hath kept me from mine iniquities; yea, my steps have been strengthened in his way. While he was thus in difcourfe, his countenance changed, his strong man bowed under him; and after he had faid, Take me, for I come unto thee, he ceafed to be feen of them. Glorious it was to fee, how the open region was filled with horfes and chariots, with trumpeters and pipers, with fingers and players on ftringed inftruments, to welcome the pilgrims as they went up, and followed one another in at the beautiful gate of the city *. As * As these are for ever entered into the joy of their Lord, I have now only one question to ask thee, reader. What is thy hope? As for Chriftiana's children, the four boys whom Chriftiana brought, with their wives and children, I did not stay to fee them go over. Yea, fince I came away, I have heard one say that they were yet alive, and fo would be for the increase of the church in that place where they were, for a time. Should it be my lot to go that way again, I may give thofe who defire it, an account of what I am now filent about: mean time I bid my reader FAREWEL L. hope? There is a hope that maketh not ashamed, but that arif, eth from the love of God, fhed abroad in the heart by the power of the Holy Ghoft. The hope of the hypocrite shall perish this is that vain, delufive hope which arifeth from fome fuppofed power or goodness in ourselves. That hope which is as an anchor of the foul, sure and stedfast, enters into that which is within the vail: that vail means the flesh, or human nature, of the Lord Jesus Christ, in which dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; fo that true hope arifes from faith in Christ, who is able to fave to the uttermoft all them that come unto God by him: and whofoever cometh unto him, he will in no wise cast out, but will receive him graciously, love him freely, reward him eternally with the unclouded vifion and uninterrupted enjoyment of himself in glory. This is the recompenfe of the fervants of the Lord, and this shall be their tion for ever. por |