his portion last, must have it lastingly: therefore it is said of Dives, 'Thou in thy life-time re- Dives had ceivedst thy good things, and likewise his good things Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou are tormented,' Luke xvi. 25.

first.

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

The first

Inter. You say truth: 'for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal,' 2 Cor. iv. 18. But things are but temporal. though this be so, yet since things present and our fleshy 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 so suddenly fall into amity, and that distance is so continued 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 against 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 burn higher and hotter, thou shalt also see the reason of that. So he had him about to the, back-side 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.

Then said Christian, What means this?

The Interpreter answered, This is Christ, who continually, with the oil of his grace (2 Cor. xii. 9), maintains the work already begun in the heart; by the means of which, notwithstanding what the Devil can do, the souls of his people prove gracious still. And in that thou sawest that the man stood behind the wall to maintain the fire; that is to teach thee that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is maintained in the soul.

I saw also that the Interpreter took him again by the hand, and led him into a pleasant place, where was builded a stately palace, beautiful to behold; at the sight of which Christian was greatly delighted. He saw also, upon the top thereof, certain persons walking, who were clothed all in gold.

Then said Christian, May we go in thither ? Then the Interpreter took him and led him up towards the door of the palace; and, behold, at the door stood a great company of men, as desirous to go in, but durst not. There also sat a man at a little distance from the door, at a table-side, with a book and his inkhorn before him, to take the name of him that should enter therein; he saw also, that in the door-way stood many men in armour, to keep it, being resolved to do to the men that would enter what hurt and mischief they could. Now was Christian somewhat in amaze. At last, when every man started back for fear of the armed men, Christian saw a man of a very stout The valiant man. countenance come up to the man that sat there to write, saying, Set down my name, sir (z); the which when he had done, he saw the man draw his sword, and put an helmet upon his head, and rush toward the door upon the armed men, who laid upon him with deadly force; but the man, not at all discouraged, fell to cutting and hacking most fiercely. So after he

(2) The Valiant Man.

had received and given many wounds to those that attempted to keep him out, he cut his way through them all, and pressed forward into the palace (Acts xiv. 22), at which there was a pleasant voice heard from those that were within, even of those that walked upon the top of the palace, saying,

'Come in, come in;

Eternal glory thou shalt win.'

So he went in, and was clothed with such garments as they. Then Christian smiled, and said, I think verily I know the meaning of this.

Nay, stay, Despair like

Now, said Christian, let me go hence. said the Interpreter, till I have showed thee a little more, and after that thou shalt go an iron cage. on thy way. So he took him by the hand again, and led him into a very dark room, where there sat a man in an iron cage (a).

Now the man to look on, seemed very sad: he sat with his eyes looking down to the ground, his hands folded together, and he sighed as if he would break his heart. Then said Christian, What means this? At which the Interpreter bid him talk with the man.

Then said Christian to the man, What art thou? The man answered, I am what I was not once.

(a) The Man in an Iron Cage. This is one of the most terrible of all the pictures of despair ever painted, but it may be questioned if it is not overdrawn. All men are expressly invited to believe in Christ; are we, then, warranted in teaching that there is any man on earth who cannot be saved, and who therefore can do nothing but despair? 1 Tim. ii. 3-6; Titus iii. 3-5; Rev. iii. 17-20.

Another view of Despair is presented in the following lines of a nodern poet

For death and life she hated equally,
And nothing saw for her despair
But dreadful time; dreadful eternity;
No comfort anywhere!
Remaining utterly confused with fears,
And ever growing worse with growing time,
And ever unrelieved by dismal tears,

And all alone in crime.
She howled aloud, 'I am on fire within;
There comes no hollow murmur of reply.
What is it that will take away my sin,
And save me lest I die?"

Chr. What wast thou once?

Man. The man said, I was once a fair and flourishing professor, both in mine own eyes and also in the eyes of others; I was once, as I thought, fair for the Celestial City, and had then even joy at the thoughts that I should get thither, Luke viii. 13.

Chr. Well, but what art thou now?

Man. I am now a man of despair, and am shut up in it, as in this iron cage. I cannot get out; oh, now I cannot!

Chr. But how camest thou in this condition?

Man. I left off to watch and be sober; I laid the reins upon the neck of my lusts; I sinned against the light of the word, and the goodness of God; I have grieved the Spirit, and he is gone; I tempted the Devil, and he is come to me; I have provoked God to anger, and he has left me; I have so hardened my heart that I cannot repent.

Then said Christian to the Interpreter, But is there no hope for such a man as this? Ask him, said the Interpreter. Nay, said Christian, pray, sir, do you.

Inter. Then said the Interpreter, Is there no hope, but you must be kept in the iron cage of despair? Man. No, none at all.

Inter. Why, the Son of the Blessed is very pitiful. Man. I have crucified him to myself afresh (Heb. vi. 6); I have despised his person (Luke xix. 14); I have despised his righteousness; I have 'counted his blood an unholy thing;' I have 'done despite to the Spirit of grace' (Heb. x. 28, 29): therefore I have shut myself out of all the promises, and there now remains to me nothing but threatenings, dreadful threatenings, fearful threatenings of certain judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour me as an adversary.

Inter. For what did you bring yourself into this condition?

Man. For the lusts, pleasures, and profits of this world; in the enjoyment of which I did then promise myself much delight: but now every one of those things also bite me, and gnaw me like a burning

worm.

Inter. But canst thou not now repent and turn? Man. God hath denied me repentance. His word gives me no encouragement to believe: yea, himself hath shut me up in this iron cage; nor can all the men in the world let me out. O eternity! eternity! how shall I grapple with the misery that I must meet with in eternity!

Inter. Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Let this man's misery be remembered by thee, and be an everlasting caution to thee.

Chr. Well, said Christian, this is fearful! God help me to watch and be sober, and to pray that I may shun the cause of this man's misery. Sir, is it not time for me to go on my way now?

Inter. Tarry till I shall show thee one thing more, and then thou shalt go on thy way.

So he took Christian by the hand again, and led him into a chamber, where there was one rising out of bed; and as he put on his raiment he shook and trembled. Then said Christian, Why doth this man thus tremble? The Interpreter then bid him tell to Christian the reason of his so doing. So he began and said, This night, as I was in my sleep, I dreamed, and, behold, the heavens grew exceeding black; also it thundered and lightened in most fearful wise, that it put me into an agony. So I looked up in my dream, and saw the clouds rack at an unusual rate; upon which I heard a great sound of trumpet, and saw also a Man sit upon a cloud, attended with the thousands of heaven: they were all in flaming fire; also the heavens were on a burning flame. I heard then a voice saying, 'Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment!' and with that the rocks rent, the graves opened, and the dead that were therein came forth. Some of them were exceeding glad, and looked upward; and some sought to hide themselves under the mountains, 1 Cor. xv. 52; 1 Thess. iv. 16; Jude 14; 2 Thess. i. 7, 8; John v. 28, 29; Rev. xx. 11-14; Isa. xxvi. 21; Dan. vii. 10; Ps. xcv. 1-3; Mie