And with that _Christian_ broke out with a loud voice, “I see him, 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_. Then he presently found ground to stand on, and the rest of the water was but shallow, till they came to land. Upon the bank they saw the two shining men again, who there waited for them; and as soon as they were come out of the water, they saluted them saying, _We are ministring spirits, sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation_. Thus they went along towards the gate. Now the city stood on a mighty hill, but the pilgrims went up the hill with ease, having left their mortal garments behind them in the river. Though therefore the foundation on which the city was built, was higher than the clouds, they mounted up with speed, through the regions of the air, flying as upon the wings of the wind. The talk they had mean while with the shining ones was concerning the glory of the place. There, said they, with the innumerable company of angels, are the spirits of just men made perfect. There is the paradise of God, wherein you will see the _tree of life_, and eat of the fruits thereof. You shall be cloathed with light and immortality as with a garment. All tears will be wiped from your eyes, and you will know no more pain, or sorrow, or death; for the former things are past away. You are now going to _Abraham_, _Isaac_, and _Jacob_, to the patriarchs and prophets, to the righteous men of all ages, whom God in their generations _took away from the evil to come; and that are now resting upon their beds, each one walking in his righteousness_. They asked, and what are we to do when we are there? It was answered, “You are there to receive the comforts of all your toils that are past, and to have joy for all your sorrow. You are to reap what you have sown, even the fruit of all your prayers and tears, and works, and sufferings. And there you will enjoy the perpetual sight of the Holy One; yea, you shall _see him as he is_: and shall love, and praise, and serve him, and magnify his name all the days of eternity.” “And when the Son of Man shall come in his glory, you shall come with him in the clouds of heaven; you shall sit with him in the seat of judgment, when he passeth sentence on all the workers of iniquity. Also, when he shall return to the throne of his Majesty on high, you shall go up too, with the sound of the trump, and drink of those rivers of pleasure, which flow at his right-hand for evermore.”