{89} So he took Christian by the hand again, and led him into
a chamber, where there was one rising out of bed; and as he put
on his raiment, he shook and trembled. Then said Christian, Why
doth this man thus tremble? The Interpreter then bid him tell to
Christian the reason of his so doing. So he began and said, This
night, as I was in my sleep, I dreamed, and behold the heavens grew
exceeding black; also it thundered and lightened in most fearful
wise, that it put me into an agony; so I looked up in my dream, and
saw the clouds rack at an unusual rate, upon which I heard a great
sound of a trumpet, and saw also a man sit upon a cloud, attended
with the thousands of heaven; they were all in flaming fire: also
the heavens were in a burning flame. I heard then a voice saying,
“Arise, ye dead, and come to judgement”; and with that the rocks
rent, the graves opened, and the dead that were therein came forth.
Some of them were exceeding glad, and looked upward; and some
sought to hide themselves under the mountains. [1 Cor. 15:52; 1
Thes. 4:16; Jude 14; John 5:28,29; 2 Thes. 1:7,8; Rev. 20:11-14;
Isa. 26:21; Micah 7:16,17; Ps. 95:1-3; Dan. 7:10] Then I saw the
man that sat upon the cloud open the book, and bid the world draw
near. Yet there was, by reason of a fierce flame which issued out
and came from before him, a convenient distance betwixt him and
them, as betwixt the judge and the prisoners at the bar. [Mal.
3:2,3; Dan. 7:9,10] I heard it also proclaimed to them that attended
on the man that sat on the cloud, Gather together the tares, the
chaff, and stubble, and cast them into the burning lake. [Matt.
3:12; 13:30; Mal. 4:1] And with that, the bottomless pit opened,
just whereabout I stood; out of the mouth of which there came, in
an abundant manner, smoke and coals of fire, with hideous noises.
It was also said to the same persons, “Gather my wheat into
the garner.” [Luke 3:17] And with that I saw many catched up and
carried away into the clouds, but I was left behind. [1 Thes.
4:16,17] I also sought to hide myself, but I could not, for the man
that sat upon the cloud still kept his eye upon me; my sins also
came into my mind; and my conscience did accuse me on every side.
[Rom. 3:14,15] Upon this I awaked from my sleep.
{90} CHR. But what is it that made you so afraid of this sight?
MAN. Why, I thought that the day of judgement was come, and that I
was not ready for it: but this frighted me most, that the angels
gathered up several, and left me behind; also the pit of hell opened
her mouth just where I stood. My conscience, too, afflicted me;
and, as I thought, the Judge had always his eye upon me, shewing
indignation in his countenance.
{91} Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Hast thou considered
all these things?
CHR. Yes, and they put me in hope and fear.
INTER. Well, keep all things so in thy mind that they may be as a
goad in thy sides, to prick thee forward in the way thou must go.
Then Christian began to gird up his loins, and to address himself
to his journey. Then said the Interpreter, The Comforter be always
with thee, good Christian, to guide thee in the way that leads to
the City. So Christian went on his way, saying –
“Here I have seen things rare and profitable; Things pleasant,
dreadful, things to make me stable In what I have begun to take
in hand; Then let me think on them, and understand Wherefore they
showed me were, and let me be Thankful, O good Interpreter, to
thee.”
{92} Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which Christian
was to go, was fenced on either side with a wall, and that wall
was called Salvation. [Isa. 26:1] Up this way, therefore, did
burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because
of the load on his back.
{93} He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending, and
upon that place stood a cross, and a little below, in the bottom,
a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up
with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell
from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do,
till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and
I saw it no more.
{94} Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said, with a
merry heart, “He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his
death.” Then he stood still awhile to look and wonder; for it was
very surprising to him, that the sight of the cross should thus
ease him of his burden. He looked therefore, and looked again,
even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down
his cheeks. [Zech. 12:10] Now, as he stood looking and weeping,
behold three Shining Ones came to him and saluted him with “Peace
be unto thee”. So the first said to him, “Thy sins be forgiven
thee” [Mark 2:5]; the second stripped him of his rags, and clothed
him with change of raiment [Zech. 3:4]; the third also set a mark
on his forehead, and gave him a roll with a seal upon it, which he
bade him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the
Celestial Gate. [Eph. 1:13] So they went their way.
“Who’s this? the Pilgrim. How! ’tis very true, Old things are
past away, all’s become new. Strange! he’s another man, upon my
word, They be fine feathers that make a fine bird.
Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing –
“Thus far I did come laden with my sin;
Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in
Till I came hither: What a place is this!
Must here be the beginning of my bliss?
Must here the burden fall from off my back?
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?
Blest cross! blest sepulchre! blest rather be
The Man that there was put to shame for me!”
