The Pilgrim's Progress from this world to that which is to come
the gate, and men standing by to receive us: but Christian would
answer, It is you, it is you they wait for; you have been Hopeful
ever since I knew you. And so have you, said he to Christian.
Ah! brother! said he, surely if I was right he would now arise
to help me; but for my sins he hath brought me into the snare, and
hath left me. Then said Hopeful, My brother, you have quite forgot
the text, where it is said of the wicked, "There are no bands in
their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble
as other men, neither are they plagued like other men. [Ps. 73:4,5]
These troubles and distresses that you go through in these waters
are no sign that God hath forsaken you; but are sent to try you,
whether you will call to mind that which heretofore you have received
of his goodness, and live upon him in your distresses.
{393} Then I saw in my dream, that Christian was as in a muse
a while. To whom also Hopeful added this word, Be of good cheer,
Jesus Christ maketh thee whole; and with that Christian brake out
with a loud voice, Oh, I see him again! and he tells me, "When
thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through
the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." [Isa. 43:2] 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. 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 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.
{394} Now you must note that the city stood upon a mighty hill,
but the Pilgrims went up that 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 regions 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.
Now, now, look how the holy pilgrims ride, Clouds are their
chariots, angels are their guide: Who would not here for him all
hazards run, That thus provides for his when this world's done?
{395} The talk 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 the Mount Zion, the heavenly
Jerusalem, the innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of
just men made perfect. [Heb. 12:22-24] You 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. 2:7, 3:4, 21:4,5] 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. You are now going to Abraham, to Isaac, and Jacob,
and to the prophets--men that God hath taken away from the evil
to come, and that are now resting upon their beds, each one walking
in his righteousness. [Isa. 57:1,2, 65:17] 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 by the
way. [Gal. 6:7] 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 3:2] 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 shall you 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 upon the
wings of the wind, you shall come with him; 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. [1 Thes. 4:13-16, Jude
1:14, Dan. 7:9,10, 1 Cor. 6:2,3] Also, when he shall again return
to the city, you shall go too, with sound of trumpet, and be ever
with him.
{396} 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; and 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 which are called
unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." [Rev. 19:9] There came out
also at this time to meet them, several of the King's trumpeters,
clothed in white and shining raiment, who, 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.
{397} 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 regions), 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 mixing their music with looks and
gestures, still signify to Christian and his brother, how welcome
they were into their company, and with what gladness they came to
meet them; and now were these two men, as it were, in heaven, before
they came at it, being swallowed up with the sight of angels, and
with hearing of their melodious notes. Here also they had the city
itself in view, and they thought they heard all the bells therein
to ring, to welcome them thereto. But above all, the warm and
joyful thoughts that they had about their own dwelling there, with
such company, and that for ever and ever. Oh, by what tongue or
pen can their glorious joy be expressed! And thus they came up to
the gate.
{398} Now, when they were come up to the gate, there was written over
it in letters of gold, "Blessed are they that do his commandments,
that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in
through the gates into the city." [Rev. 22:14]
{399} Then I saw in my dream that the Shining Men bid them call
at the gate; the which, when they did, some looked from above over
the gate, to wit, Enoch, Moses, and Elijah, &c., to whom it was
said, These pilgrims are come from the City of Destruction, for
the love that they bear to the King of this place; and then the
Pilgrims gave in unto them each man his certificate, which they
had received in the beginning; those, therefore, were carried in
to the King, who, when he had read them, said, Where are the men?
To whom it was answered, They are standing without the gate. The
King then commanded to open the gate, "That the righteous nation,"
said he, "which keepeth the truth, may enter in." [Isa. 26:2]
{400} Now I saw in my dream that these two men went in at the
gate: and lo, as they entered, they were transfigured, and they
had raiment put on that shone like gold. There was also that met
them with harps and crowns, and gave them to them--the harps to
praise withal, and the crowns in token of honour. Then I heard
in my dream that all the bells in the city rang again for joy, and
that it was said unto them, "ENTER YE INTO THE JOY OF YOUR LORD."
I also heard the men themselves, that they sang with a loud voice,
saying, "BLESSING AND HONOUR, AND GLORY, AND POWER, BE UNTO HIM
THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE, AND UNTO THE LAMB, FOR EVER AND EVER."
[Rev. 5:13]
{401} Now, just as the gates were opened to let in the men,
I looked in after them, and, behold, the City shone like the sun;
the streets also were paved with gold, and in them walked many
men, with crowns on their heads, palms in their hands, and golden
harps to sing praises withal.
{402} There were also of them that had wings, and they answered
one another without intermission, saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the
Lord." [Rev. 4:8] And after that they shut up the gates; which,
when I had seen, I wished myself among them.
{403} Now while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my
head to look back, and saw Ignorance come up to the river side;
but he soon got over, and that without half that difficulty which
the other two men met with. For it happened that there was then
in that place, one Vain-hope, a ferryman, that with his boat helped
him over; so he, as the other I saw, did ascend the hill, to come
up to the gate, only he came alone; neither did any man meet him
with the least encouragement. When he was come up to the gate, he
looked up to the writing that was above, and then began to knock,
supposing that entrance should have been quickly administered to
him; but he was asked by the men that looked over the top of the
gate, Whence came you, and what would you have? He answered, I
have eat and drank in the presence of the King, and he has taught
in our streets. Then they asked him for his certificate, that they
might go in and show it to the King; so he fumbled in his bosom
for one, and found none. Then said they, Have you none? But the
man answered never a word. So they told the King, but he would
not come down to see him, but commanded the two Shining Ones that
conducted Christian and Hopeful to the City, to go out and take
Ignorance, and bind him hand and foot, and have him away. Then
they took him up, and carried him through the air to the door that
I saw in the side of the hill, and put him in there. Then I saw
that there was a way to hell, even from the gates of heaven, as
well as from the City of Destruction. So I awoke, and behold it
was a dream.
{404} The Conclusion.
Now, Reader, I have told my dream to thee;
See if thou canst interpret it to me,
Or to thyself, or neighbour; but take heed
Of misinterpreting; for that, instead
Of doing good, will but thyself abuse:
By misinterpreting, evil ensues.
Take heed, also, that thou be not extreme,
In playing with the outside of my dream:
Nor let my figure or similitude
Put thee into a laughter or a feud.
Leave this for boys and fools; but as for thee,
Do thou the substance of my matter see.
Put by the curtains, look within my veil,
Turn up my metaphors, and do not fail,
There, if thou seekest them, such things to find,
As will be helpful to an honest mind.