Then he took him by the hand, and led him into a very large
parlor that was full of dust, because never swept; the which after he had
reviewed it a little while, the Interpreter called for a man to sweep. Now,
when he began to sweep, the dust began so abundantly to fly about, that
Christian had almost therewith been choked. Then said the Interpreter to a
damsel that stood by, “Bring hither water, and sprinkle the room;” the which
when she had done, it was swept and cleansed with pleasure.
Christian: Then said Christian, What means this?
Interpreter: The Interpreter answered, This parlor is the
heart of a man that was never sanctified by the sweet grace of the Gospel. The
dust is his original sin, and inward corruptions, that have defiled the whole
man. He that began to sweep at first, is the law; but she that brought water,
and did sprinkle it, is the Gospel. Now whereas thou sawest, that so soon as
the first began to sweep, the dust did so fly about that the room by him could
not be cleansed, but that thou wast almost choked therewith; this is to show
thee, that the law, instead of cleansing the heart (by its working) from sin,
doth revive, put strength into, and increase it in the soul, even as it doth discover and forbid it; for it doth not give power to subdue.
Again, as thou sawest the damsel sprinkle the room with water, upon which it
was cleansed with pleasure, this is to show thee, that when the Gospel comes in
the sweet and precious influences thereof to the heart, then, I say, even as
thou sawest the damsel lay the dust by sprinkling the floor with water, so is
sin vanquished and subdued, and the soul made clean, through the faith of it,
and consequently fit for the King of glory to inhabit.
