Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk1.djvu/166

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162
The Pilgrim's Progress.

and death: "for the former things are passed away." (Isa. lxv. 16, 17.) You are now going to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and to the prophetsminen that God hath taken away from the evil to come, and that are now "resting upon their beds, each one walking in his uprightness." The men then asked, What must we do in the holy place? To whom it was answered, You must there receive the comforts of all your toil, and have joy for all. your sorrow; you must reap what you have sown, even the fruit of all your prayers, and tears, and sufferings for the King by the way. (Gal. vi. 7, 8.)

In that place you must wear crowns of gold, and enjoy the perpetual sight and visions of the Holy One; for "there you shall see him as he is." (1 John iii. 2.) There also you shall serve him continually with praise, with shouting and thanks giving, whom you desired to serve in the world, though with much difficulty, because of the infirmity of your flesh. There your eyes shall be delighted with seeing, and your ears with hearing the pleasant voice of the Mighty One. There you shall enjoy your friends again that are gone thither before you; and there you shall with joy receive even every one that follows into the holy place after you. There also you shall be clothed with glory and majesty, and put in an equipage; fit to ride out with the King of Glory. When he shall come, with sound of trumpet in the clouds, as upon the wings of the wind, you shall seine with him; and when he shall sit upon the throne of judgment, you shall sit by him; yea, and when he shall pass sentence upon all the workers of iniquity, let them be angels or men, you also shall have a voice in; that judgment, because they were his and your enemies. Also, when he shall again return to the City, you Shall go too, with sound of trumpet, and be ever with him. (1 Thess. iv. 13–17; Jude 14, 15. Dan. vii. 9, 10. 1 Cor. vi. 2,3.)

Now while they were thus drawing towards the gate, behold a company of the heavenly host came out to meet them;