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 the heirs of salvation. Thus they went along towards the gate.
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: they
had likewise 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 region 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.
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 inexpressible. There, said they, is “Mount
Sion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the innumerable company of angels, and the
spirits of just men made perfect.” 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. There you shall not see again such
things as you saw when you were in the lower region upon earth; to wit, sorrow,
sickness, affliction, and death; “For the former things are passed away.” You
are going now 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.” The men then asked, What must we
do in the holy place? To whom it was answered, You must there receive the
comfort 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. 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.” 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
you shall 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. Also, when he shall again return to the city, you shall 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 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 that are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb.” 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.
This done, they
compassed them round on every side; some went before, some behind, and some on
the right hand, and 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 to 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! Thus they came up to
the gate.
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.”
Then I saw in my
dream, that the shining men bid them call at the gate: the which when they did,
some from above looked over the gate, to wit, Enoch, Moses, and Elijah, etc.,
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 unto 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) that keepeth the truth may enter in.”
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 were
also that met them with harps and crowns, and gave them to them; the harps to
praise withal, and the crowns in token of honor. 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
honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto
the lamb, for ever and ever.”
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.
There were also
of them that had wings, and they answered one another without intermission,
saying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord. And after that they shut up the gates;
which, when I had seen, I wished myself among them.
