The Strait Gate, &c.

NOW I had a ſecond viſion of what was paſſing in the Valley of Tears. Methought I ſaw again the ſame kind of Travellers whom I had ſeen in the former part, ^* and they were wandering at large through the ſame vaſt wilderneſs. At firſt ſetting out on his journey, each Traveller had a ſmall lamp ſo fixed in his boſom that it ſeemed to make a part of himſelf, but as this natural light did not prove to be ſufficient to direct them in the right way, the king of the country, in pity to their wander⯑ings and their blindneſs, out of his gracious conde⯑ſcenſion promiſed to give theſe poor way-faring peo⯑ple an additional ſupply of light from his own Royal Treaſury. But as he did not chuſe to laviſh his favours where there ſeemed no diſpoſition to re⯑ceive them, he would not beſtow any of his bil on ſuch as did not think it worth aſking for. Aſk and ye ſhall have, was the rule he laid down for them. Many were prevented from aſking through [4]pride, for they thought they had light enough al⯑ready, preferring the feeble glimmerings of their own lamp to all the light from the king's treaſury, Yet it was obſerved of thoſe who rejected it, as thinking they had enough, that hardly any acted up to what even their own light ſhewed them. Others were deterred from aſking, becauſe they were told that it not only pointed out the dangers and dif⯑ficulties of the road, but by a certain reflecting power, it turned inward on themſelves, and re⯑vealed to them ugly ſights in their own hearts, to which they rather choſe to be blind; for thoſe Tra⯑vellers choſe darkneſs rather than light, becauſe th [...] deeds were evil. Now it was remarkable that theſe two properties were inſeparable, and that the lamp would be of little outward uſe, except to thoſe who uſed it as an internal reflector. A threat and a promiſe alſo never failed to accompany the offe [...] of this light from the king, a promiſe that to thoſe who improved what they had, more ſhould be given and a threat that from thoſe who did not uſe it wiſe⯑ly ſhould be taken away even what they had.

I obſerved that when the road was very dange⯑rous, when terrors and difficultics and death beſ [...] the faithful Traveller, then on their fervent impo [...] ⯑tunity, the king voluntarily gave large and bou [...] ⯑tiful ſupplies of light, ſuch as in common ſeaſon never could have been expected; always proporti⯑oning the quantity given to the neceſſity of the caſe as their day was, ſuch was their light and ſtrength.

Though many choſe to depend entirely on the [...] own lamp, yet it was obſerved that this light [...] apt to go out if left to itſelf. It was caſily blo [...] out by thoſe violent guſts which were perpetua [...] [5]howling through the wilderneſs, and indeed it was the natural tendency of that unwholeſome atmoſ⯑phere to extinguiſh it, juſt as you have ſeen a candle go out when expoſed to the vapours and foul air of a damp room. It was a melancholy ſight to ſee multitudes of Travellers heedleſsly pacing on, boaſting they had light enough, and deſpiſing the offer of more. But what aſtoniſhed me moſt of all was, to ſee many, and ſome of them [...]oo accounted men of firſt rate wit, actually buſy [...]n blowing out their own light, becauſe while any ſpark of it remained, it only ſerved to tor⯑ment them, and point out things which they did not wiſh to ſee. And having once blown out their own light, they were not eaſy till they had blown out that of their neighbour's alſo; ſo that a good part of the wilderneſs ſeemed to exhibit a ſort of univerſal blindman's buff, each endeavouring to watch his neighbour, while his own voluntary blind⯑neſs expoſed him to be caught himſelf, ſo that [...]ach was actually ſalling into the ſnare he was lay⯑ing for another, till at length, as ſelfiſhneſs is the natural conſequence of blindneſs, "catch he that [...]atch can," became the general cry, throught the wilderneſs.

Now I ſaw in my viſion, that there were ſome [...]thers who were buſy in ſtrewing the moſt gaudy [...]lowers over the numerous bogs, precipices, [...]nd pit-falls, with which the wilderneſs abounded, [...]nd thus making danger and death look ſo gay, [...]hat poor thoughtleſs creatures ſeemed to de⯑ [...]ght in their own deſtruction. Thoſe pit-falls did not appear deep or dangerous, becauſe over them were raiſed gay edifices with alluring names, [6]in which were ſinging men and ſinging wo⯑men, and dancing, and feaſting, and gaming, and drinking, and jollity, and madneſs. But though the ſcenery was gay, the footing was unſound. The floors were full of holes, through which the un⯑thinking merry-makers were continually ſinking. Some tumbled through in the middle of a ſong, many at the end of a feaſt, and though there was many a cup of intoxication wreathed with flowers, yet there was always poiſon at the bottom. But what moſt ſurpriſed me was, that though no day paſt over their heads in which ſome of thoſe merry⯑makers did not drop through, yet their loſs made little impreſſion on thoſe who were left. Nay, in⯑ſtead of being awakened to more circumſpection and ſelf-denial by the continual dropping off of thoſe about them, ſeveral of them ſeemed to borrow from thence an argument of a direct contrary ten⯑dency, and the very ſhortneſs of the time was only urged as a reaſon to uſe it more ſedulouſly for the indulgence in ſenſual delights. Let us eat and drink for to-morrow we die. Let us crown ourſelves with roſe-buds before they are withered. With theſe and a thouſand other ſuch little mottos, the gay gar⯑lands of the wilderneſs were decorated. Some ad⯑mired poets were ſet to work to put the moſt cor⯑rupt ſentiments into the moſt harmonious tunes▪ theſe were ſung without ſcruple, chiefly indeed by the looſer ſons of riot, but not ſeldom alſo by the more orderly daughters of ſobriety, who were not aſhamed to ſing to the ſound of inſtruments ſentiments ſo corrupt and immoral, that they would have bluſhed to ſpeak or read them; bu [...] the muſic ſeemed to ſanctify the corruption [7]eſpecially ſuch as was connected with love or drinking.

Now I obſerved that all the Travellers who had ſo much as a ſpark of light left, ſeemed every now and then, as they moved onwards, to caſt an eye, though with very different degrees of attention, to⯑wards the happy land, which they were told lay at the end of their journey; but as they could not ſee very far forward, and as they knew there was a dark and ſhadowy valley which muſt needs be croſſed before they could attain to the happy land, they tried to turn their attention from it as much as they could. The truth is, they were not ſufficiently apt to conſult a map which the king had given them, and which pointed out the road to the happy land ſo clearly, that the way-faring men though ſimple could not err. This map alſo defined very correctly the boundaries of the happy land from the land of miſery, both of which lay on the other ſide of the dark and ſhadowy valley; but ſo many beacons and light⯑houſes were erected, ſo many clear and explicit di⯑rections furniſhed for avoiding the one country and attaining the other, that it was not the king's fault, if even one ſingle Traveller got wrong. But I am inclined to think that in ſpite of the map, and the king's word, and his offers of aſſiſtance to get them thither, that the Travellers in general did not hear⯑tily and truly believe after all, that there was any ſuch country as the happy land; or at leaſt the pal⯑try and tranſient pleaſures of the wilderneſs ſo be⯑ſotted them, the thoughts of the dark and ſhadowy valley ſo frightened them, that they thought they ſhould be more comfortable by baniſhing all thought and forecaſt.

[8] Now I alſo ſaw in my dream, that there were two roads through the wilderneſs, one of which every Traveller muſt needs take. The firſt was narrow, and difficult, and rough, but it was infallibly ſafe, It did not admit the Traveller to ſtray either to the right hand or the left, yet it was far from being deſtitute of real comforts or ſober pleaſures. The other was a broad and tempting way, abounding with luxurious fruits and gaudy flowers to tempt the eye, and pleaſe the appetite. To forget this dark valley, through which every Traveller was well aſ⯑ſured he muſt one day paſs, ſeemed indeed the ob⯑ject of general deſire. To this grand end, all that human ingenuity could invent was induſtriouſly ſet to work. The Travellers read, and they wrote, and they painted, and they ſung, and they danced, and they drank as they went along, not ſo much be⯑cauſe they all cared for theſe things, or had any real joy in them, as becauſe this reſtleſs activity ſerved to divert their attention from ever being fixed on the dark and ſhadowy valley.

The king, who knew the thoughtleſs temper of the Travellers, and how apt they were to forget their journey's end, had thought of a thouſand lit⯑tle kind attentions to warn them of their dangers. And as we ſometimes ſee in our gardens written on a board in great letters, BEWARE OF SPRING GUNS —MAN TRAPS ARE SET HERE; ſo had this king cauſed to be written and ſtuck up before the eyes of the Travellers, ſeveral like notices and cauti⯑ons, ſuch as Broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruc⯑tion—Take heed leſt ye alſo periſh—Woe to them that riſe up early to drink wine. The pleaſures of ſin are but for a ſeaſon, &c. Such were the notices di⯑rected to the broad-way Travellers, but they were [9]ſo buſily engaged in plucking the flowers, ſometimes before they were blown, and in devouring the fruits, often before they were ripe, and in loading them⯑ſelves with yellow clay, under the weight of which millions periſhed, that they had no time ſo much as to look at the king's directions. Many went wrong becauſe they preferred a merry journey to a ſafe one, and were terrified by certain notices chiefly intended for the narrow-way Travellers, ſuch as ye ſhall weep and lament, but the world ſhall re⯑joice; but had theſe fooliſh people allowed them⯑ſelves time or patience to read to the end, which they ſeldom would do, they would have ſeen theſe comfortable words added, but your ſorrow ſhall be turned into joy, alſo, your joy no man taketh from you, and they that ſow in tears ſhall reap in joy.

Now I alſo ſaw in my dream, that many Travellers who had a ſtrong dread of ending at the Land of Miſery, walked up to the Strait Gate, hoping that though the entrance was narrow, yet if they could once get in, the road would widen; but what was their grief, when on looking more cloſely they ſaw written on the inſide narrow is the way; this made them take fright, they compared the inſcriptions with which the whole way was lined, ſuch as, be ye not con⯑formed to this world—deny yourſelves, take up your croſs, with all the tempting pleaſures of the wilder⯑neſs. Some indeed recollected the fine deſcrip⯑tions they had read of the Happy Land, the Golden City, and the Rivers of Pleaſures, and they ſighed: but then, thoſe joys were diſtant, and from the faintneſs of their light they ſoon got to think that what was remote might be uncertain, and while the preſent good encreaſed in bulk by its nearneſs, the diſtant good receded, diminiſhed, diſappeared! [10]Their faith failed, they would truſt no farther than they could ſee; they drew back and got into the Broad Way, taking a common but ſad refuge in the number and gaiety of their companions. When theſe faint-hearted people, who yet had ſet out well, turned back, their light was quite put out, and then they became worſe than thoſe who had made no attempt to get in. "For it is impoſſible, that is, it is next to impoſſible, for thoſe who were once enlightened, and have taſted of the heavenly gift, and the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance."

A few honeſt humble Travellers not naturally ſtronger than the reſt, but ſtrengthened by their truſt in the king's word, came up by the light of of their lamps, and meekly entered in at the Strait Gate; as they advanced farther they felt leſs heavy, and though the way did not in reality grow wider, yet they grew reconciled to the narrowneſs of it, eſpecially when they ſaw the walls here and there ſtudded with certain jewels called promiſes, ſuch as be that endureth to the end ſhall be ſaved. And my grace is ſufficient for you. Some when they were almoſt ready to faint, were encouraged by ſeeing that many niches in the Narrow Way were filled with ſtatues and pictures of Saints and Martyrs, who had borne their teſtimony at the ſtake, that the Narrow Way was the ſafe way; and theſe Tra⯑vellers, inſtead of ſinking at the ſight of the painted wheel and gibbet, the ſword and the furnace, were animated by theſe words written under them, thoſ [...] that wear white robes came out of great tribulation and be ye followers of thoſe who, through faith an [...] patience, inherit the promiſes.

[11] In the mean time there came a great multitude of Travellers, all from Laodicea; this was the largeſt party I had yet ſeen; theſe were neither hot nor cold, they would not give up future hope, they could not endure preſent pain; ſo they contrived to de⯑ceive themſelves by fancying that they reſolved to keep the happy land in view, yet that there muſt needs be many different ways which led to it, no doubt all equally ſure, without being all equally rough; ſo they ſet on foot little contrivances to at⯑tain the end without uſing the means, and ſoft⯑ened down the ſpirit of the king's directions to fit them to their own practice. Sometimes they would ſplit a direction in two, and only uſe that half which ſuited them. For inſtance, when they met with the following rule, Truſt in the Lord and be doing good, they would take the firſt half, and make themſelves eaſy with a general ſort of truſt, that through the mercy of the king all would go well with them, though they themſelves did nothing; and on the other hand, many made ſure that a few good works of their own would do their bu⯑ſineſs, and carry them ſafely to the happy land, though they did not truſt in the Lord, nor place any faith in his word. Thus ſome periſhed by a lazy faith, and others by a working pride. A large party of Phariſees now appeared, who had ſo neglected their lamp that they did not ſee their way at all, though they fancied themſelves to be full of light; they kept up appearances ſo well, as to delude others, and moſt effectually to delude themſelves with a notion that they might be found in the right way at laſt. In this dreadful deluſion they went on to the end, and till they were finally plunged in the dark valley, never diſcovered the [12]horrors which awaited them on the diſmal ſhore. It was remarkable that while theſe Phariſees were often boaſting how bright their light burnt, in order to get the praiſe of men, the humble Travellers; whoſe ſteady light ſhowed their good works to others, refuſed all commendation, and the brighter their light ſhined before men, ſo much the more they inſiſted that they ought to glorify not them⯑ſelves, but their father which is in heaven.

'I now ſet myſelf to obſerve what was the particular lett, moleſtation, and hindrance, which obſtructed particular Travellers in their endeavours to enter in at the Strait Gate. I remarked a huge portly man who ſeemed deſirous of getting in, but he car⯑ried about him ſuch a vaſt proviſion of bags full of gold, and had on ſo many rich garments which ſtuffed him out ſo wide, that though he puſhed and ſqueezed, like one who had really a mind to get in, yet he could not poſſibly do ſo. Then I heard a voice crying, woe to him that loadeth himſelf with thick clay. The poor man felt ſomething was wrong, and even went ſo far as to change ſome of his more cumberſome vanities into others which ſeemed leſs bulky, but ſtill he and his pack were much too wide for the gate. He would not however give up the matter ſo eaſily, but began to throw away a little of the coarſer part of his baggage, but ſtill I remarked that he threw away none of the vanities which lay near his heart. He tried again, but it would not do; ſtill his dimenſions were too large. He now looked up and read theſe words, "how hardly ſhall thoſe who have riches enter into the kingdom of God." The poor man ſighed to find that it was impoſſible to enjoy his fill of both worlds, and went away ſorrowing. If he ever af⯑terwards [13]caſt a thought towards the happy land, it was only to regret that the road which led to it was too narrow to admit any but the meagre children of want, who were not ſo encumbered by wealth as to be too big for the paſſage. Had he read on he would have ſeen that with God all things are poſſible.

Another advanced with much confidence of ſuc⯑ceſs, for having little worldly riches or honours, the gate did not ſeem ſo ſtrait to him. He got to the threſhold triumphantly, and ſeemed to look back with diſdain on all that he was quitting. He ſoon found, however, that he was ſo bloated with pride, and ſtuffed out with ſelf-ſufficiency, that he could not get in. Nay, he was in a worſe way than the rich man juſt named; for he was wil⯑ling to throw away ſome of his outward luggage, whereas this man refuſed to part with a grain of that vanity and ſelf-applauſe which made him too big for the way. The ſenſe of his own worth ſo ſwelled him out, that he ſtuck faſt in the gateway, and could neither get in nor out. Finding now that he muſt cut off all thoſe big thoughts of himſelf if he wiſhed to be reduced to ſuch a ſize as to paſs the gate, he gave up all thoughts of it. He ſcorned that humility and ſelf-denial which might have ſhrunk him down to the proper dimenſions; the more he inſiſted on his own qualifications for en⯑trance, the more impoſſible it became, for the big⯑ger he grew. Finding that he muſt become quite another manner of man before he could hope to get in, he gave up the deſire; and I now ſaw that though when he ſet his face towards the happy land he could not get an inch forward, yet the inſtant he made a motion to turn back into the world, his [14]ſpeed became rapid enough, and he ſoon got back into the broad way.

Many, who for a time were brought down from their uſual bulk by ſome affliction, ſeemed to get in with eaſe. They now thought all their difficul⯑ties over, for having been ſurfeited with the world, during their late diſappointment, they turn⯑ed their backs upon it willingly enough. A fit of ſickneſs perhaps, which is very apt to reduce, had for a time brought their bodies into ſubjection, ſo that they were able juſt to get in at the gateway; but as ſoon as health and ſpirits returned, the way grew narrower and narrower to them; they could not get on but turned ſhort, and got back into the world. I ſaw many attempt to enter who were ſtopt ſhort by a large burthen of worldly cares; others by a load of idolatrous attachments; but I obſerved that nothing proved a more complete bar than that vaſt bundle of prejudices with which multitudes were loaded. Others were fatally ob⯑ſtructed by loads of bad habits which they would not lay down, though they knew it prevented their entrance. Some few, however, of moſt deſcrip⯑tions, who had kept their light alive by craving con⯑ſtant ſupplies from the king's treaſury, got through at laſt by a ſtrength which they felt not to be their own. One poor man, who carried the largeſt bundle of bad habits I had ſeen, could not get on a ſtep; he never ceaſed however, to implore for light enough to ſee where his miſery lay, he threw down one of his bundles, then another, but all to little purpoſe, ſtill he could not ſtir. At laſt ſtriving as if in an agony (which is the true way of entering) he threw down the heavieſt article in his pack; this was ſelfiſhneſs, the poor fellow felt relieved at once, [15]his light burnt brightly and the reſt of his pack was as nothing.

Then I heard a great noiſe as of carpenters at work. I looked what this might be, and ſaw many ſturdy travellers, who finding they were too bulky to get through, took it into their heads not to re⯑duce themſelves, but to widen the gate; they hacked on this ſide and hewed on that; but all their hacking, and hewing, and hammering, was to no purpoſe, they got only their labour for their pains; it was poſ⯑ſible they might have reduced themſelves, but they could not widen the way.

What grieved me moſt was to obſerve that many who had got on ſucceſsfully a good way, now ſtop⯑ped to reſt, and to admire their own progreſs. While they were thus valuing themſelves on their attain⯑ments, their light diminiſhed. While theſe were boaſting how far they had left others behind, who had ſet out much earlier, ſome ſlower Travellers, whoſe beginning had not been ſo promiſing, but who had walked carefully, now outſtripped them. Theſe laſt walked, "not as though they had already at⯑tained; but this one thing they did, forgetting the things which were behind they puſhed forward toward the mark for the prize of their high calling." Theſe, though naturally weak; yet, by laying aſide every weight, finiſhed the race that was ſet before them. Thoſe who had kept their light burning, who were not wiſe in their own conceit, who laid their help on one that is mighty, who had choſen to ſuffer affliction rather than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin, came at length to the happy land. They had indeed the dark and ſhadowy valley to croſs; but even there they found a rod and a ſtaff to comfort them. Their light, inſtead of being put out by [16]the damps of the valley of the ſhadow of [...] often burnt with added brightneſs. Some [...] ſuffered the terrors of a ſhort eclipſe; but [...] then their light, like that of a dark lanthorn, wa [...] put out; it was only hid for a while, and even [...] often finiſhed their courſe with joy. But be [...] as it might, the inſtant they reached the H [...] Land, all tears were wiped from their eyes, [...] the King himſelf came forth and welcomed [...] into his preſence, and put a crown upon their he [...] with theſe words, Well done, good and faithful [...] ⯑vant, enter thou into the joy of thy LORD.