{ The Country of Beulah }

Now I saw in my dream, that by this time the Pilgrims were
got over the Enchanted Ground, and entering into the
country of Beulah, whose air was very sweet and pleasant, the
way lying directly through it, they solaced themselves there for
a season. Yea, here they heard continually the singing of birds,
and saw every day the flowers appear on the earth, and heard the
voice of the turtle in the land. In this country the sun shineth
night and day. wherefore this was beyond the Valley of the
Shadow of Death, and also out of the reach of Giant Despair,
neither could they from this place so much as see Doubting
Castle. Here they were within sight of the city they were going
to, also here met them some of the inhabitants thereof; for in
this land the Shining Ones commonly walked, because it was upon
the borders of heaven. In this land also, the contract between
the bride and the bridegroom was renewed; yea, here, As the
bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so did their God rejoice
over them. Here they had no want of corn and wine; for in this
place they met with abundance of what they had sought for in all
their pilgrimage. Here they heard voices from out of the city,
loud voices, saying, "Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold,
thy salvation cometh! Behold, his reward is with him!" Here all
the inhabitants of the country called them, 'The holy people,'
'The redeemed of the Lord,' 'Sought out,' &c.

Now as they walked in this land, they had more rejoicing than in
parts more remote from the kingdom to which they were bound; and
drawing near to the city, they had yet a more perfect view
thereof. It was builded of pearls and precious stones, also the
street thereof was paved with gold; so that by reason of the
natural glory of the city, and the reflection of the sunbeams
upon it, Christian with desire fell sick; Hopeful also had a fit
or two of the same disease. Wherefore, here they lay by it a
while, crying out, because of their pangs, "If ye find my
beloved, tell him that I am sick of love."

But, being a little strengthened, and better able to bear their
sickness, they walked on their way, and came yet nearer and
nearer, where were orchards, vineyards, and gardens, and their
gates opened into the highway. Now, as they came up to these
places, behold the gardener stood in the way, to whom the
Pilgrims said, "Whose goodly vineyards and gardens are these?"
He answered, "They are the King's, and are planted here for his
own delight, and also for the solace of pilgrims." So the
gardener had them into the vineyards, and bid them refresh
themselves with the dainties. He also shewed them there the
King's walks, and the arbours where he delighted to be; and here
they tarried and slept.

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
I 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 they would. "But," said they, "you
must obtain it by your own faith." So I saw in my dream that
they went on together, until they came in sight of the gate.

---

{ The River of Death }

Now, I further saw, that betwixt them and the gate was a river,
but there was no bridge to go over: the river was very deep. At
the sight, therefore, of this river, the Pilgrims were much
stunned; but the men that went in 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! Selah."

Then said the other, "Be of good cheer, my brother, I feel the
bottom, and it is good." Then said Christian, "Ah! my friend,
the sorrows of death hath compassed me about; I shall not see
the land that flows with milk and honey"; and with that a great
darkness and horror fell upon Christian, so that he could not
see before him. Also here he in great measure lost his senses,
so that he could neither remember nor orderly talk of any of
those sweet refreshments that he had met with in the way of his
pilgrimage. But all the words that he spake still tended to
discover that he had horror of mind, and heart fears that he
should die in that river, and never obtain entrance in at the
gate. Here also, as they that stood by perceived, he was much in
the troublesome thoughts of the sins that he had committed, both
since and before he began to be a pilgrim. It was also observed
that he was troubled with apparitions of hobgoblins and evil
spirits, for ever and anon he would intimate so much by words.
Hopeful, therefore, here had much ado to keep his brother's head
above water; yea, sometimes he would be quite gone down, and
then, ere a while, he would rise up again half dead. Hopeful
also would endeavour to comfort him, saying, "Brother, I see the
gate, and men standing by to receive us": but Christian would
answer, "It is you, it is you they wait for; you have been
Hopeful ever since I knew you." "And so have you," said he to
Christian. "Ah! brother!" said he, surely if I was right He
would now arise to help me; but for my sins He hath brought me
into the snare, and hath left me." Then said Hopeful, "My
brother, you have quite forgot the text, where it is said of the
wicked, 'There are no bands in their death, but their strength
is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they
plagued like other men.' These troubles and distresses that you
go through in these waters are no sign that God hath forsaken
you; but are sent to try you, whether you will call to mind that
which heretofore you have received of his goodness, and live
upon him in your distresses."

Then I saw in my dream, that Christian was as in a muse a while.
To whom also Hopeful added this word, "Be of good cheer, Jesus
Christ maketh thee whole"; and with that Christian brake out
with a loud voice, "Oh, 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 they
both took courage, and the enemy was after that as still as a
stone, until they were gone over. Christian therefore presently
found ground to stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of
the river was but shallow. Thus they got over. 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 heirs
of salvation." Thus they went along towards the gate.



      Now, now look how the holy pilgrims ride,
      Clouds are their chariots, angels are their guide:
      Who would not here for him all hazards run,
      That thus provides for his when this world's done.



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; also, they had 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 regions 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 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 the Mount Zion, 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 the earth, to wit,
sorrow, sickness, affliction, and death, for the former things
are passed away. You are now going 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 comforts 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 shall you 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 which are called unto 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, 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 at 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! And thus they came up to
the gate.

---

{ The Gate to the Celestial City }

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 looked from above over the
gate, to wit, Enoch, Moses, and Elijah, &c., 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
to 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, "which 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 transfigured¹, and they had
raiment put on that shone like gold. There was also that met
them with harps and crowns, and gave them to them —— the harps
to praise withal, and the crowns in token of honour. 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 honour, 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.



Now while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my head
to look back, and saw Ignorance come up to the river side; but
he soon got over, and that without half that difficulty which
the other two men met with. For it happened that there was then
in that place, one Vain-hope, a ferryman, that with his boat
helped him over; so he, as the other I saw, did ascend the hill, 
to come up to the gate, only he came alone; neither did any man
meet him with the least encouragement. When he was come up to
the gate, he looked up to the writing that was above, and then
began to knock, supposing that entrance should have been quickly
administered to him; but he was asked by the men that looked
over the top of the gate, "Whence came you, and what would you
have?" He answered, "I have eat and drank in the presence of the
King, and he has taught in our streets." Then they asked him for
his certificate, that they might go in and shew it to the King;
so he fumbled in his bosom for one, and found none. Then said
they, "Have you none?" But the man answered never a word. So
they told the King, but he would not come down to see him, but
commanded the two Shining Ones that conducted Christian and
Hopeful to the City, to go out and take Ignorance, and bind him
hand and foot, and have him away. Then they took him up, and
carried him through the air to the door that I saw in the side
of the hill, and put him in there. Then I saw that there was a
way to hell, even from the gates of heaven, as well as from the
City of Destruction.

So I awoke, and behold it was a dream.

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