CHAPTER XVIII.
THE LAND OF BEULAH--THE FORDS OF THE RIVER--AT HOME.
NOW I saw in my dream that by this time the wights had got clear ofthe Enchanted Ground, and had come to the land of Beulah, whose airwas most sweet: as the way did lie straight through it, they took restthere for a while. Yea, here they heard at all times "the songs ofbirds," and saw each day the plants bud forth in the earth, and heard"the voice of the dove" in the land. In this realm the sun shines nightand day: for this was far from the Vale of the Shade of Death, and, inlike way, out of the reach of Giant Despair; nor could they from thisplace so much as see Doubting Castle. Here they were in sight of theCity to which they were bound: here, too, met them some of the folk whodwelt there, for in this land the Bright Ones did walk, for that it wason the verge of bliss.
CHRISTIAN AND HOPEFUL ENTER THE LAND OF BEULAH.]
Now as they did walk in this land they had more joy than in parts notso nigh the realm to which they were bound: and as they drew near theCity they had yet a more clear view of it. It was built of pearls andrare gems: its streets, too, were of gold: so that, from the sheen ofthe place, and the glow of the sun on it, Christian did long so muchthat he fell sick. Hopeful, in like way, had a fit or two of the samekind.
But when they got some strength, and could bear their sick state, theywent on their way, and came near and yet more near where were groundsthat bore fruits, vines, and plants; and their gates did ope on thehigh road. Now, as they came up to these parts, lo, the Gardener stoodin the way; to whom the men said, "Whose fine vine and fruit groundsare these?" He said, "They are the King's, and are put there for hisown joy, as well as to cheer such as come this way." So he took themto where the vines grew, and bid them wet their mouths with the fruit:he, too, did show them there the King's walks, and the shades that hesought: and here they staid and slept.
Now I saw in my dream that they spoke more in their sleep at this timethan erst they did in all their way: and as I did muse on it, theGardener said to me, "Why dost thou muse at this? It is a charm in thefruit of the grapes of these grounds 'to go down in so sweet a way asto cause the lips of them that sleep to speak.'"
So I saw that when they did wake they girt up their loins to go up tothe City. So as they went on, there met them two men in robes thatshone like gold, while the face of each was bright as the light.
These men did ask them whence they came; and they told them. They wouldknow, too, where they did lodge, and what straits and risks and joysthey had met with in the way; and they told them. Then said the menthat met them, "You have but two straits more to meet with, and thenyou are in the City."
Christian then, and his friend, did ask the men to go with them: sothey told them that they would; but said they, "You must gain it byyour own faith." So I saw in my dream that they went on each with each,till they came in sight of the gate.
Now I saw still more, that a stream ran in front of them and the gate;but there was no bridge to cross, and the stream was deep. At the sightof this stream, the wights with staves took fright; but the men thatwent with them said, "Thou must go through, or thou canst not come atthe gate."
The wights then sought to know if there was no way but that to thegate. To which they said, "Yes; but none, save two--to wit, Enoch andElijah--hath been let to tread that path since the world was made, norshall till the last trump shall sound." The wights then (and Christianin chief) grew as if they would give up hope, and did look this wayand that, but no way could be found by which they might get clear ofthe stream. Then they did ask the men if it was all the same depth.They said, "No"; yet they could not help them in that case: "for," saidthey, "you shall find it more or less deep as you trust in the King ofthe place."
Then they did wade in the stream, and as Christian sank he did cry tohis good friend Hopeful, and said, "I sink."
Then said Hopeful, "Be of good cheer, my friend: I feel the ground,and it is good." Then said Christian, "Ah! my friend, I shall not seethe land I seek." And with that all grew dark, and fear fell onChristian, so that he could not see in front of him. All the words thathe spoke still did tend to show that he had dread of mind and fears ofheart that he should die in that stream, and fail to go in at the gate.Hopeful, from this cause, had here hard work to hold up the head ofhis friend; yea, at times he would be quite gone down, and then, ere awhile, he would rise up once more half dead. Hopeful would try to cheerhim, and said, "Friend, I see the gate, and men stand by to greet us":but Christian would say, "'Tis you, 'tis you they wait for; you havehad hope since the time I knew you." Then said Hopeful, "These fearsand griefs that you go through are no sign that God has left you, butare sent to try you; if you will call to mind that which of yore youhave had from him, and live on him in your griefs."
Then I saw in my dream that Christian was in a muse for a while. Towhom, too, Hopeful did add these words, "Be of good cheer, Christdoth make thee whole." And with that Christian brake out with a loudvoice, "Oh, I see Him once more! and he tells me, 'When thou dost passthrough the stream, I will be with thee.'" Then they both took heart,and the foe then grew as still as a stone, till they were gone through.Christian then straight found ground to stand on, and so it came topass that the rest of the stream was but of slight depth: thus they didford it.
Now on the bank of the stream, on the far off side, they saw the twoBright Men once more, who there did wait for them. When they came outof the stream these did greet them, and said: "We are sprites sentforth to aid them who shall be heirs of Christ." Thus they went on tothe gate.
Now you must note that the City stood on a high hill: but the wightswent up that hill with ease, for that they had these two men to leadthem up by the arms: more than this, they had left the garb they worein the stream; for though they went in with them they came out freedfrom them. They hence went up here with much speed, though the rise onwhich the City was built was more high than the clouds. They then wentup through the realms of air, and held sweet talk as they went, as theyfelt joy for that they had got safe through the stream, and had suchBright Ones to wait them.
The talk that they had with the Bright Ones was of the place; who toldthem that no words could paint it. "You go now," said they, "to thesphere where God dwells, in which you shall see the Tree of Life, andeat of the fruits of it that fade not: and when you come there youshall have white robes to wear, and your walk and talk shall be eachday with the King, while time shall be known no more. There you shallnot see such things as you saw when low on earth, to wit, grief, pain,and death; for these things are gone. You now go to Abraham, to Isaac,and Jacob, and to men that God 'took from the woe to come.'" These menthen did ask, "What must we do in this pure place?" To whom it wassaid, "You must there get the meed of all your toil, and have joy forall your grief; you must reap what you have sown, ay, the fruit ofall your tears and toils for the King by the way. In that place youmust wear crowns of gold, and bask for aye in the sight of the Lord ofHosts, for there you 'shall see Him as he is.' There, too, you shallserve Him with praise, with shouts, with joy, whom you sought to servein the world, though with much pain, for that your flesh was weak.There you shall join with your friends once more that are gone thereere you; and there you shall with joy greet each one that comes in yourwake. When the King shall come with sound of trump in the clouds, ason the wings of the wind, you shall come with Him; and, when He shallsit on the Throne to judge all the realms of the earth, you shall sitby Him: yea, and when He shall pass doom on all that did work ill, letthem be sprites or men, you shall too have a voice in that doom, forthat they are His and your foes. More than this, when He shall go backto the City, you shall go too, with sound of trump, and be for aye withHim."
Now while they thus drew nigh to the gate, lo a troop of the BrightHost came to meet them; to whom it was said by the first two BrightOnes, "These are the men that did love our Lord, when they were in theworld, and that have left all for His name, and He hath sent us tofetch them, and we have brought them thus far on their way, that theymay go
in and look their Lord in the face with joy." There came, too,at this time to meet them a group of the King's men with trumps, cladin white and sheen robes, who, with sweet and loud notes, made thewhole arch of the sky full of the sound. These men did greet Christianand his friend with much warmth; and this they did with shouts andsound of trump.
"'Tis you, 'tis you they wait for; you have had hopesince the time I knew you."
(_Page 92_) (_The Pilgrim's Progress._)]
This done, they went round them on each side; some went in front, somein the rear, and some on the right hand, some on the left (as it wereto guard them through the vast realms), and did sound as they went,with sweet noise, in notes on high; so that the bare sight was to themthat could look on it as if all the blest were come down to meet them.Thus then did they walk on side by side. And now were these two men, asit were, in bliss ere they came at it. Here, too, they had the Cityin view; and they thought they heard all the bells in it to ring, so asto greet them. But, more than all, the warm and rare thoughts that theyhad of the place to which they went, and of those that dwelt there, andthat for aye; oh! by what tongue or pen can such vast joy be told? Thusthey came up to the gate.
Then I saw in my dream that the Bright Men bid them call at the gate:the which when they did, some from on high did look down, to wit,Enoch, Moses, and Elijah, and so forth, to whom it was said, "Thesewights are come from the City of Destruction, for the love that theybear to the King of this place"; and then the wights gave in to themeach man his roll, which they had got at first: those, then, werebrought in to the King, who, when he had read them, said, "Where arethe men?" To whom it was told, "They are at the porch of the gate."Then spoke the King, "Ope the gate, that the just land that keeps truthmay come in."
Now I saw in my dream, that these two men went in at the gate: and lo!as they did so, a change came on them; and they had robes put on thatshone like gold. There were, too, that met them with harps and crowns,and gave them to them; the harps to praise with, the crowns in sign ofrank. Then I heard in my dream that all the bells of the place rang forjoy, and that it was said to them, "Come ye to the joy of our Lord."
Now, just as the gates did ope to let in the men, did I peer at them,and lo, the place shone like the sun: the streets, too, were of gold;and in them did walk men with crowns on their heads, palms in theirhands, and gold harps to aid in songs of praise.
There were some of them that had wings, and they sang, with not apause, songs to the "Lamb that was slain!"
Then they shut up the gates; which when I had seen I did wish to bewith them.
Now, while I did gaze on all these things, I saw Ignorance come up tothe side of the stream: but he soon got through, and that void of halfthe toil which the two men that I of late saw met with. So he did climbthe hill to come up to the gate; but none came with him, nor did oneman meet or greet him. When he was come up to the gate, he gave a lookup at what was writ in front of it, and then gave a knock. So theytold the King, but he would not come down to see him; but told the twoBright Ones, that led Christian and Hopeful to the City, to go out andtake Ignorance, and bind him hand and foot, and have him off. Then theytook him up, and bore him through the air to the door that I saw in theside of the hill, and put him in there. Then I saw that there was away to Hell, ay, from the gates of bliss, as well as from the City ofDestruction! So I did wake, and lo, it was a dream!
THE END.