Bible Stories and Religious ClassicsWells, Philip P. (Philip Patterson)
Religion
Bible Stories and Religious Classics
Wells, Philip P. (Philip Patterson)
Bible stories, English -- Juvenile literature; Christian literature for children
Now, I beheld in my dream that they talked more in their sleep at this
time than ever they did in all their journey, and being in a muse
thereabout, the gardener said even to me, Wherefore musest thou at the
matter: it is the nature of the fruit of the grapes of these vineyards
"to go down so sweetly as to cause the lips of them that are asleep to
speak."
So I saw that when they awoke they addressed themselves to go up to the
city. But, as I said, the reflection of the sun upon the city--for the
city was pure gold--was so extremely glorious that they could not as yet
with open face behold it, but through an instrument made for that
purpose. So I saw, that as they went on, there met them two men in
raiment that shone like gold, also their faces shone as the light.
These men asked the pilgrims whence they came; and they told them. They
also asked them where they had lodged, what difficulties and dangers,
what comforts and pleasures, they had met in the way; and they told
them. Then said the men that met them, You have but two difficulties
more to meet with, and then you are in the city.
Christian then and his companion asked the men to go along with them: so
they told them that they would: But, said they, you must obtain it by
your own faith. So I saw in my dream that they went on together till
they came in sight of the gate.
Now I further saw, that between them and the gate was a river: but there
was no bridge to go over; and the river was very deep. At the sight
therefore of this river the pilgrims were much stunned; but the men that
went with them said, You must go through or you cannot come at the
gate.
The pilgrims then began to inquire if there was no other way to the
gate. To which they answered, Yes; but there hath not any, save two, to
wit, Enoch and Elijah, been permitted to tread that path since the
foundation of the world, nor shall until the last trumpet shall sound.
The pilgrims then, especially Christian, began to despond in their
minds, and looked this way and that, but no way could be found by them
by which they might escape the river. Then they asked the men if the
waters were all of a depth. They said, No; yet they could not help them
in that case; for, said they, you shall find it deeper or shallower as
you believe in the King of the place.
They then addressed themselves to the water, and entering, Christian
began to sink, and crying out to his good friend Hopeful, he said, I
sink in deep waters; the billows go over my head, all his waves go over
me.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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