t _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 his 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 Lifetime thou hadest or
receivedst thy good things, and likewise_ Lazarus _evil things; but
now he is comforted, and thou art tormented_.

_Chr._ Then I perceive 'tis not best to covet things that are now, but
to wait for things to come.

_Inter._ You say the Truth: _For the things which are seen are_
Temporal; _but the things that are not seen are_ Eternal. But though
this be so, yet since things present and our fleshly 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 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 backside of the wall, where he saw
a man with a Vessel of Oyl 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 Oyl of his Grace, 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, this is to teach
thee that it is hard for the tempted to see how this word of Grace is
maintained in