n unto them each man his certificate, which they
had received in the beginning; those, therefore, were carried in
to the King, who, when he had read them, said, Where are the men?
To whom it was answered, They are standing without the gate. The
King then commanded to open the gate, "That the righteous nation,"
said he, "which keepeth the truth, may enter in." [Isa. 26:2]
{400} Now I saw in my dream that these two men went in at the
gate: and lo, as they entered, they were transfigured, and they
had raiment put on that shone like gold. There was also that met
them with harps and crowns, and gave them to them--the harps to
praise withal, and the crowns in token of honour. Then I heard
in my dream that all the bells in the city rang again for joy, and
that it was said unto them, "ENTER YE INTO THE JOY OF YOUR LORD."
I also heard the men themselves, that they sang with a loud voice,
saying, "BLESSING AND HONOUR, AND GLORY, AND POWER, BE UNTO HIM
THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE, AND UNTO THE LAMB, FOR EVER AND EVER."
[Rev. 5:13]
{401} Now, just as the gates were opened to let in the men,
I looked in after them, and, behold, the City shone like the sun;
the streets also were paved with gold, and in them walked many
men, with crowns on their heads, palms in their hands, and golden
harps to sing praises withal.
{402} There were also of them that had wings, and they answered
one another without intermission, saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the
Lord." [Rev. 4:8] And after that they shut up the gates; which,
when I had seen, I wished myself among them.
{403} Now while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my
head to look back, and saw Ignorance come up to the river side;
but he soon got over, and that without half that difficulty which
the other two men met with. For it happened that there was then
in that place, one Vain-hope, a ferryman, that with his boat helped
him over; so he, as the other I saw, did ascend the hill, to come
up to the gate, only he came alone; neither did any man meet him
with the least encouragement. When he was come up to the gate, he
looked up to the writing that was above, and then began to knock,
supposing that entrance should have been quickly administered to
him; but he was asked by the men that looked over the top of the
gate, Whence came you, and what would you have? He answered, I
have eat and drank in the presence of the King, and he has taught
in our streets. Then they asked h
|