"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 for a while, 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 waters 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 change of raiment; the Third also set a mark on his forehead and gave him a roll with a seal on it, which he bid him look upon 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 loaden 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 off my back?
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?
Blest Cross! Blest Sepulchre! Blest rather be
The Man that there was put to shame for me!'"
--John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress
No comments:
Post a Comment