gracious. He discovers a godly jealousy of himself; and having missed his way before, desires particular directions about the road. The answer given him was important indeed! "Thus thou mayest distinguish the right way from "the wrong, the right only being straight and narrow." Reader, remember this distinction as long as you live!

Christian had not yet lost his burden, but he expresses his desire of deliverance. He is directed to wait, till he should come to the place of deliverance. Thus many a believer finds remaining guilt and fear for a season; and while he desires relief from it, he should exercise patience, till the Lord's time arrives, when the heavy load shall drop "of itself." When further enlightened by the Holy Spirit, as represented in the next chapter, Christian obtains the much wished-for blessing, and rejoices in Christ, with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.

CHAP. V.

Christian delightfully entertained at the Interpreter's House.

THEN Christian went on till he came to the house of the Interpreter, where he knocked over and over; at last one came to the door, and asked, Who was there?

Chr. Sir, here is a traveller, who was bid, by an acquaintance of the good man of this house, to call here for my profit; I would therefore speak with the master of the house: so he called for the master of the house; who, after a little time, came to Christian, and asked him, What he would have? Sir, said Christian, I am a man that am come from the city of Destruction, and am going to the Mount Zion; and I was told by the man that stands at the gate, at the head of this way, that if I called here, you would. show me excellent things, such as would be an help to nie in my journey.

Interpreter. Then said the Interpreter, Come in: I will show thee that which will be profitable to thee.

So he commanded his man to light the candle, and bid Christian follow him: so he had him into a private room, and bid his man open a door; the which when he had done, Christian saw the picture of a very grave person hung up against the wall: and this was the fashion of it: It had eyes lifted up to heaven, the best of books in its hand, the law of truth was written on its lips; the world was behind its back; it stood as if it pleaded with men, and a crown of glory did hang over its head.

Chr. Then said Christian, What meaneth this?

Int. The man, whose picture this is, is one of a thousand; he can beget children, travail in birth with children, and nurse them hunself when they are born (a). And whereas thou seest him with his eyes lifted up to heaven, and the best of books in his hand, and the law of truth written on his lips; it is to show thee, that his work is to know, and unfold dark things to sinners; even as also thou seest him stand as if he pleaded with men: and whereas thou seest the world as cast behind him, and that a crown hangs over his head; that is to show thee, that slighting and despising the things that are present, for the love that he hath to his Master's service, he is sure in the world that comes next, to have glory for his reward. Now, said the Interpreter,. I have showed thee this picture first, because the man whose picture this is, is the only man whom the Lord of the place, whither thou art going, hath authorized to be thy guide in all difficult places thou mayst meet with in the way: wherefore, take good heed to what I have showed thee, and bear well in thy mind what thou hast seen: lest in thy journey thou meet with some that pretend to lead thee right, but their ways go down to death.

Then he took him by the hand, and led him into a very large parlour, that was full of dust, because never swept; the which after he had reviewed a

(a) 1 Cor. iv, 15. Gal. i. 19

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 the water, and sprinkle the room : the which when she had done, it was swept and cleansed with plea

sure.

Chr. Then said Christian, What means this?

Int. The Interpreter answered, This parlour 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 as 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 was 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 it (6).

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 (c).

I saw moreover in my dream, that the Interpreter took him by the hand, and had him into a little room, where sat two little children, each one in his

(b) Rom. vii. 6.

(c) John xv. 3.

1 Cor. xv. 56. Rom. v. 20. Eph. v. 26. Acts xv. 9. Rom. xvi. 25, 26, Jolin xv. 13.

chair. The name of the eldest was Passion, and the name of the other Patience. Passion seemed to be much discontented, but Patience was very quiet.Then Christian asked, What is the reason of the discontent of Passion? The Interpreter answered, The governor of them would have him stay for his best things till the beginning of the next year, but he will have all now; but Patience is willing to wait.

Then I saw that one came to Passion, and brought him a bag of treasure, and poured it down at his feet, the which he took up and rejoiced therein, and withal laughed Patience to scorn. But I bebeld but a while, and he had lavished all away, and had nothing left but rags.

Chr. Then said Christian to the Interpreter, expound this matter more fully to me.

Int. So he said, these two lads are figures: Passion, of the men of this world; and Patience, of the men of that which is to come: for as here thou sees!, Passion will have all now, this year; that is to say, in this world; so are the men of this world: they must have all their good things now, they cannot stay till next year; that is, until the next world, for their portion of good. That proverb, " A bird "in the band is worth two in the bush," is of more authority with them, than are all the divine testimonies of the good of the world to come. But as thou sawest, that he had quickly lavished all away, and had presently left him nothing but rags; so will it be with all such men at the end of this world.

Chr. Then said Christian, Now I see that Patience has the best wisdom, and that upon many accounts. 1. Because he stays for the best things. 2. And also because he will have the glory of his, when the other has nothing but rags.

Int. Nay, you may add another, to wit, the glory of the next world will never wear out; but these are suddenly gone. Therefore Passion had not so much reason to laugh at Patience, because he had his good

things first, as Patience will have to laugh at Passion, because he had his best things last for first must give place to last, because last must have its time to come; but last gives place to nothing; for there is not another to succeed: he therefore that hath his portion first, must needs have a time to spend it; but he that hath his portion last, must have it lastingly therefore it is said of Dives, "In thy life"time thou receivest thy good things, and Ekewise "Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and "thou are tormented (d).”

Chr. Then I perceive it is not best to covet things that are now, but to wait for things to come.

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Int. You say truth; "For the things that are seen are temporal; but the things that are not seen, "eternal (e)." But though this be so, yet since things present, and our flesbly appetite, are such near neighbours one to another; and again, because things to come, and carnal sense, are such strangers one to another: therefore it is, that the first of these. to suddenly fall into amity, and that distance is so continually between the second.

Then I saw in my dream, that the Interpreter took Christian by the hand, and led him into a place where was a fire burning again a wall, and one standing by it, always casting much water upon it, to quench it; yet did the fire burn higher and hotter.

Then said Christian, What means this?

The Interpreter answered: This fire is the work of grace that is wrought in the heart; he that casts water upon it, to extinguish and put it out, is the devil; but in that thou seest the fire notwithstanding burns higher and hotter, thou shalt also see the reason of that. So he had him about to the backside of the wall, where he saw a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, of the which he did also continually cast (but secretly) into the fire.

(d) 2 Luke xvi. (e) 2 Cor. iv. 18.