56 THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS.

CHAPTER ITI.

‘OW, I saw in my dream that the highway up which Christian was to go was fenced

 

}[, on either side with a wall that was called Salvation.” Up this way, therefore,
E> did burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the
load on his back.

He ran thus till he came to a place somewhat ascending ; and upon that place stood
a Cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that
just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and
fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the
mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.

Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, “ He hath
given me rest by His sorrow, and life by His death.” Then he stood still awhile to
look and wonder ; for it was very surprising to him that the sight of the cross should
thus ease him of his burden. He looked, therefore, and looked again, even till the
springs that were in his head sent the water down his cheeks.” Now, as he stood
looking and weeping, behold, three Shining Ones came to him, and saluted him with
“ Peace be to thee.” So the first said to him, “Thy sins be forgiven thee ;’” the second
stripped him of his rags, and clothed him with a change of raiment;" the third also
set a mark on his forehead,” and gave him a roll with a seal upon it, which he bade
him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the celestial gate: so they went
their way. Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on, singing,

‘Thus far did I come laden with my sin ;
Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in,
Till I came hither: what a place is this!
Must here be the beginning of my bliss ?
Must here the burden fall from off my back ?
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack ?
Blest cross! blest sepulchre! blest rather be
The Man that was there put to shame for me!”? °

I saw then in my dream that he went on thus, even until he came to the bottom,
where he saw, a little out of the way, three men fast asleep, with fetters upon their
heels. The name of one was Simple, of another Sloth, and of the third Presumption.

Christian, then, seeing them lie in unis case, went to them, if peradventure he might