know that you go and return to your Master's house in hopes that you may be a conductor to more of the holy pilgrims), that you send to my family, and let them be acquainted with all that hath, and shall happen unto me: tell them, moreover, of my happy arrival to this place, and of the present and late blessed condition I am in: tell them also, of Christian and Christiana his wife, and how she and her children came after her husband : tell them also, of what a happy end she made, and whither she is gone: I have little or nothing to send to my family, except it be my prayers and tears for them; of which, if you acquaint them, it will suffice, if peradventure they may prevail. When Mr. Standfast had thus set things in order, and the time being come for him to haste him away, he also went down to the river. Now there was a great calm at that time in the river; wherefore Mr. Standfast, when he was about half way in, stood a while, and talked to his companions who had waited upon him thither: and said, This river has been a terror to many; yea, the thoughts of it have often frighted me; now methinks I stand easy, my foot is fixed upon that on which the feet of the priests who bare the ark of the covenant stood, while Israel went over this Jordan. The waters indeed are to the palate bitter, and to the stomach cold; yet the thought of what I am going to, and of the conduct that waits for me on the other side, doth lie as a glowing coal at my heart. I see myself now at the end Ff3 es. end of my journey; my toilsome days are ended. I am going to see that head which was crowned with thorns, and that face which was spit upon for me, I have formerly lived by hearsay and faith; but now I go where I shall live by sight, and shall be with him in whose company I delight myself. I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of; and wherever I have seen the print of his shoe in the earth, there have I coveted to set my foot too. His name has been to me as a civet-box; yea, sweeter than all perfumes. His voice to me has been most sweet ; and his countenance I have more desired than they who have most desired the light of the fun. His words I did use to gather for my food, and for an antidote against my faintings. He has held me, and hath kept me from mine iniquities; yea, my steps have been strengthened in his way. While he was thus in discourse, his countenance changed, his strong man bowed under him; and after he had said, Take me, for I come unto thee, he ceased to be seen of them. . Glorious it was to see, how the open region was filled with horses and chariots, with trumpeters and pipers, with fingers and players.on stringed instruments, to welcome the pilgrims as they went up, and followed one another in at the beautiful gate of the city . .. As * As these are for ever entered into the joy of their Lord, I have now only one question to ask thee, reader. What is thy hope? As for Christiana's children, the four boys whom Should it be my lot to go that way again, I may V FAREWELL. hope? There is a hope that maketh not ashamed, but that aris, IN D E X. The author describes a man whom he saw in his dream ! describes the man's distress and the treat- is pursued by Obstinate and Pliable .. 7 - - 8 Christian and Pliable fall into the Slough of Defpond 10 Pliable gets out of the Slough, and returns home • • 12 : 13 - 14 The reproof and advice given to Christian by Evangelist 19 The wicket gate, where Christian is admitted— Conver- - 26 Christian received at the Interpreter's house is shewn the picture of a grave man , - ibid. a large parlour full of duft - - 32 two children, Paffion and Patience 34 a fire burning against a wall, which can- a stately palace, into which a man fights his way through an armed multitude 38 a man in an iron cage - - 39 3? Page. at the cross-his burden falls off-he is there • 44 - 46 tian's conversation with them, and departure from . , 47 drunk of the spring at the bottom - : 50 of the hill, which Formalist and Hypocrisy take - 51 - ibid. - - - 53 - 56 ful the porter, and with Discretion, Prudence, Piety, i and Charity . . 69 of Faithful being gone before-pursues his journey. 73 . 81 87 - 89 |