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19 - The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan · Philosophy and Faith

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Speaker 1: Part one, the tenth stage. Then Christian addressed himself thus
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Speaker 1: to his fellow Christian, Well, come, my good hopeful, I
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Speaker 1: perceive that thou and I must walk by ourselves again.
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Speaker 1: So I saw in my dream that they went on
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Speaker 1: a pace before, and ignorance he came hobbling after. Then,
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Speaker 1: said Christian to his companion, I much pity this poor man.
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Speaker 1: It will certainly go ill with him at last, hopeful,
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Speaker 1: alas there are abundance in our town in his condition.
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Speaker 1: Whole families, yea whole streets, and that of pilgrims too.
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Speaker 1: And if there be so many in our parts, how
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Speaker 1: many think you must there be in the place where
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Speaker 1: he was born? Christian? Indeed, the word saith he hath
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Speaker 1: blinded their eyes lest they should see, et cetera. But
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Speaker 1: now we are by ourselves. What do you think of
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Speaker 1: such men? Have they at no time think you convictions
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Speaker 1: of sin? And so consequently fears that their state is dangerous? Hopeful? Nay?
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Speaker 1: Do you answer that question yourself, for you are the
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Speaker 1: elder man Christian? Then I say, sometimes I think they may,
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Speaker 1: but they be naturally ignorant. Understand not that such convictions
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Speaker 1: tend to their good and therefore they do desperately seek
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Speaker 1: to stifle them and presumptuously continue to flatter themselves in
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Speaker 1: the way of their own hearts. Hopeful, I do believe
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Speaker 1: as you say, that fear tends much to men's good
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Speaker 1: and to make them right at their beginning to go
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Speaker 1: on pilgrimage Christian without all doubt it doth if it
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Speaker 1: be right, For so says the word of God of
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Speaker 1: the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Job twenty eight,
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Speaker 1: twenty eight, Psalm one hundred and eleven ten, Proverbs one
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Speaker 1: seven and nine ten. Hopeful, how will you describe right fear? Christian?
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Speaker 1: True or right fear is discovered by three things. One
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Speaker 1: by its rise. It is caused by saving convictions for sin. Two,
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Speaker 1: it driveth the soul to lay fast hold of Christ
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Speaker 1: for salvation. Three it begetteth and continueth in the soul
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Speaker 1: a great reverence of God, his word and ways, keeping
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Speaker 1: it tender and making it afraid to turn from them
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Speaker 1: to the right hand or to the left, to anything
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Speaker 1: that may dishonor God break its peace, grieve the spirit,
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Speaker 1: or cause the enemy to speak reproachfully, Hopeful, well said,
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Speaker 1: I believe you have said the truth. Are we now
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Speaker 1: almost got past the enchanted ground? Christian? Why are you
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Speaker 1: weary of this discourse? Hopeful? No verily, but that I
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Speaker 1: would know where we are? Christian? We have not now
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Speaker 1: above two miles further to go thereon. But let us
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Speaker 1: return to our matter now. The ignorant know not that
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Speaker 1: such conviction as tend to put them in fear are
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Speaker 1: for their good, and therefore they seek to stifle them. Hopeful.
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Speaker 1: How do they seek to stifle them, Christian? One they
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Speaker 1: think that those fears are wrought by the devil, though
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Speaker 1: indeed they are wrought of God, and thinking so they
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Speaker 1: resist them as things that directly tend to their overthrow.
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Speaker 1: Two they also think that these fears tend to the
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Speaker 1: spoiling of their faith, when alas for them, poor men
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Speaker 1: that they are, they have none at all, and therefore
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Speaker 1: they harden their hearts against them. Three they presume they
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Speaker 1: ought not to fear, and therefore in despite of them,
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Speaker 1: wax presumptuously confident. Four they see that those fears tend
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Speaker 1: to take away from them their pitiful old self holiness,
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Speaker 1: and therefore they resist them with all they might Hopeful.
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Speaker 1: I know something of this myself, for before I knew myself.
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Speaker 1: It was so with me, Christian. Well, we will leave
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Speaker 1: at this time our neighbor ignorance by himself, and fall
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Speaker 1: upon another profitable question, hopeful with all my heart, But
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Speaker 1: you shall still begin, Christian. Well, then did you not
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Speaker 1: know about ten years ago, one temporary in your parts,
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Speaker 1: who was a forward man in religion? Then? Hopeful know him? Yes,
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Speaker 1: he felt and graceless a town about two miles off
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Speaker 1: of Honesty, and he dwelt next door to one turned
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Speaker 1: back Christian. Right, he dwelt under the same roof with him. Well,
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Speaker 1: that man was much awakened once. I believe that then
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Speaker 1: he had some sight of his sins and of the
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Speaker 1: wages that were due there too. Hopeful, I am of
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Speaker 1: your mind, for my house, not being above three miles
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Speaker 1: from him, he would ofttimes come to me, and that
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Speaker 1: with many tears. Truly I pitied the man, and was
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Speaker 1: not altogether without hope of him. But one may see
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Speaker 1: it is not everyone that cries, Lord Lord Christian. He
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Speaker 1: told me once that he was resolved to go on
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Speaker 1: pilgrimage as we go now, But all of a sudden
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Speaker 1: he grew acquainted with one save self, and then he
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Speaker 1: became a stranger to me. Now, since we are talking
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Speaker 1: about him, let us a little inquire into the reason
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Speaker 1: of the sudden backsliding of him and such others Christian.
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Speaker 1: It may be very profitable, But do you begin hopeful. Well,
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Speaker 1: then there are in my judgment four reasons for it. One,
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Speaker 1: though the consciences of such men are awakened, yet their
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Speaker 1: minds are not changed. Therefore, when the power of guilt
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Speaker 1: weareth away that which provoked them to be religious, ceaseth.
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Speaker 1: Wherefore they naturally turn to their own course again. Even
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Speaker 1: as we see the dog that is sick of what
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Speaker 1: he hath eaten, so long as his sickness prevails, he
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Speaker 1: vomits and casts up all. Not that he doth this
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Speaker 1: of a free mind, if we may say a dog
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Speaker 1: has a free mind, but because it troubleth his stomach.
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Speaker 1: But now, when his sickness is over, and so his
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Speaker 1: stomach eased, his desires being not at all alienated from
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Speaker 1: his vomit, he turns him about and licks up all.
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Speaker 1: And so it is true which is written, the dog
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Speaker 1: is turned to his own vomit again second Peter to
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Speaker 1: twenty two. Thus I say, being hot for heaven by
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Speaker 1: virtue only of the sense and fear of the torments
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Speaker 1: of hell. As their sense and fear of damnation chills
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Speaker 1: and cools, so their desires for heaven and salvation cool also.
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Speaker 1: So then it comes to pass that when their guilt
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Speaker 1: and fear is gone, the desire for heaven and happiness die,
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Speaker 1: and they return to their course again. Two. Another reason
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Speaker 1: is they have slavish fears that do overmaster them. I
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Speaker 1: speak now of the fears that they have of men,
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Speaker 1: For the fear of man bringeth a snare Proverbs twenty nine,
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Speaker 1: twenty five. So then, though they seem to be hot
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Speaker 1: for heaven so long as the flames of hell are
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Speaker 1: about their ears, yet when that terror is a little over,
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Speaker 1: they betake themselves to second thoughts, namely that it is
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Speaker 1: good to be wise and not to run, For they
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Speaker 1: know not what the hazard of losing all, or at
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Speaker 1: least of bringing themselves into unavoidable and unnecessary troubles, And
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Speaker 1: so they fall in with the world again. Three. The
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Speaker 1: shame that attends religion lies also as a block in
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Speaker 1: their way. They are proud and haughty, and religion in
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Speaker 1: their eye is low and contemptible. Therefore, when they have
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Speaker 1: lost their sense of hell and the wrath to come,
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Speaker 1: they return again to their former course. Four. Guilt and
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Speaker 1: to meditate terror are grievous to them. They like not
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Speaker 1: to see their misery before they come into it, though
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Speaker 1: perhaps the sight of it at first, if they loved,
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Speaker 1: that sight might make them fly. Whether the righteous fly
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Speaker 1: and are safe. But because they do, as I hinted before,
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Speaker 1: even shun the thoughts of guilt and terror. Therefore, when
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Speaker 1: once they are rid of their awakenings about the terrors
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Speaker 1: and wrath of God, they harden their hearts gladly, and
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Speaker 1: choose such ways as will harden them more and more. Christian,
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Speaker 1: you are pretty near the briskness. For the bottom of
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Speaker 1: all is for want of a change in their mind
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Speaker 1: and will. And therefore they are but like the felon
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Speaker 1: that standeth before the judge. He quakes and trembles, and
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Speaker 1: seems to repent most heartily. But the bottom of all
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Speaker 1: is the fear of the halter, not that he hath
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Speaker 1: any detestation of the offense, as it is evident, because
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Speaker 1: let but this man have his liberty, and he will
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Speaker 1: be a thief and so a rogue. Still, whereas if
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Speaker 1: his mind was changed he would be otherwise hopeful. Now
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Speaker 1: I have showed you the reason of their going back,
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Speaker 1: do you show me the manner thereof Christian So I
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Speaker 1: will willingly. One they draw off their thoughts or that
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Speaker 1: they may from the remembrance of God, death and judgment
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Speaker 1: to come. Two. Then they cast off by degrees private
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Speaker 1: duties as closet prayer, curbing their lusts, watching sorrow for sin,
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Speaker 1: and the like. Three. Then they shun the company of
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Speaker 1: lively and warm Christians. Four. After that they grow cold
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Speaker 1: to public duty as hearing, reading, godly conference, and the like. Five.
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Speaker 1: They then begin to pick holes, as we say, in
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Speaker 1: the coats of some of the godly and that devilishly,
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Speaker 1: that they may have a seeming color to throw religion
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Speaker 1: for the sake of some infirmities they have aspied in
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Speaker 1: them behind their backs. Six. Then they begin to adhere
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Speaker 1: to and associate themselves with carnal, loose and wanton men. Seven.
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Speaker 1: Then they give way to carnal and wanton discourses in secret.
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Speaker 1: And glad are they if they can see such things
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Speaker 1: in any that are counted honest, that they may the
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Speaker 1: more boldly do it through their example. Eight. After this
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Speaker 1: they begin to play with little sins openly nine, and
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Speaker 1: then being hardened, they show themselves as they are thus
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Speaker 1: being launched again into the gulf of misery, and less
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Speaker 1: a miracle of grace prevented, they everlastingly perish in their
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Speaker 1: own deceivings. Now I saw in my dream that by
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Speaker 1: this time the pilgrims were got over the enchanted ground
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Speaker 1: and entering into the country of Baolah, whose air was
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Speaker 1: very sweet and pleasant Isaiah sixty two four to twelve,
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Speaker 1: song of Solomon's two ten to twelve, the way lying
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Speaker 1: directly through it. They solaced themselves there for a season. Yea,
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Speaker 1: Here they heard continually the singing of birds, and saw
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Speaker 1: every day the flowers appear in the earth, and heard
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Speaker 1: the voice of the turtle in the land. In this
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Speaker 1: country the sun shineth night and day. Wherefore, this was
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Speaker 1: beyond the valley of the shadow of death, and also
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Speaker 1: out of the reach of giant despair. Neither could they
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Speaker 1: from this place so much as sea douting castle. Here
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Speaker 1: they were within sight of the city they were going to.
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Speaker 1: Also here met them some of the inhabitants thereof For
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Speaker 1: in this land the shining ones commonly walked because it
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Speaker 1: was upon the borders of Heaven. In this land, also
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Speaker 1: the contract between the bride and the bridegroom was renewed. Yea, here,
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Speaker 1: as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so doth God
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Speaker 1: rejoice over them. Here they had no want of corn
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Speaker 1: and wine, for in this place they met with abundance
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Speaker 1: of what they had sought for in all their pilgrimage.
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Speaker 1: Here they heard voices from out of the city, loud
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Speaker 1: voices saying, say, ye, to the daughter of Zion, Behold
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Speaker 1: thy salvation cometh. Behold his reward is with him. Here
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Speaker 1: All the inhabitants of the country called them the holy people,
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Speaker 1: the redeemed of the Lord sought out, et cetera. Now,
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Speaker 1: as they walked in this land they had more rejoicing
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Speaker 1: than in parts more remote from the kingdom to which
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Speaker 1: they were bound. And drawing near to the city, they
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Speaker 1: had yet a more perfect view thereof. It was builded
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Speaker 1: of pearls and precious stones. Also the streets thereof were
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Speaker 1: paved with gold, so that, by reason of the natural
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Speaker 1: glory of the city and the reflection of the sunbeams
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Speaker 1: upon it, Christian with desire fell sick, hopeful also had
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Speaker 1: a fit or two of the same disease. Wherefore here
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Speaker 1: they lay by it awhile, crying out because of their pains.
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Speaker 1: If you see my beloved, tell him that I am
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Speaker 1: sick of love. But being a little strengthened and better
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Speaker 1: able to bear their sickness, they walked on their way
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Speaker 1: and came yet nearer and nearer where were orchards, vineyards
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Speaker 1: and gardens, and their gates opened into the highway. Now,
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Speaker 1: as they came up to these places, behold the gardener
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Speaker 1: stood in the way, to whom the pilgrim said, whose
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Speaker 1: goodly vineyards and gardens are these? He answered, they are
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Speaker 1: the kings and applanted here for his own delight and
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Speaker 1: also for the solace of pilgrims. So the gardener had
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Speaker 1: them into the vineyards and bid them refreshed themselves with
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Speaker 1: the dainties Dueteronomy twenty three twenty four. He also showed
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Speaker 1: them there the king's walks and arbors, where he delighted
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Speaker 1: to be. And here they tarried and slept. Now I
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Speaker 1: beheld in my dream that they talked more in their
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Speaker 1: sleep at this time than ever they did in all
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Speaker 1: their journey. And being in a muse thereabout, the gardener
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Speaker 1: said even to me, wherefore muses thou at the matter.
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Speaker 1: It is the nature of the fruit of the grapes
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Speaker 1: of these vineyards to go down so sweetly as to
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Speaker 1: cause the lips of them that are asleep to speak
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Speaker 1: songs of Solomon seventy nine. So I saw that when
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Speaker 1: they awoke, they dressed themselves to go up to the city.
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Speaker 1: But as I said, the reflection of the sun upon
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Speaker 1: the city, for the city was pure gold Revelations twenty
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Speaker 1: one eighteen, was so extremely glorious that they could not,
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Speaker 1: as yet with open face behold it, but through an
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Speaker 1: instrument made for that purpose. Second Corinthians three eighteen. So
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Speaker 1: I saw that as they went on there met them
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Speaker 1: two men in raiment that she shone like gold. Also
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Speaker 1: their faces shone as the light. These men asked the
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Speaker 1: pilgrims whence they came, and they told them. They also
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Speaker 1: asked them where they had lodged, what difficulties and dangers,
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Speaker 1: what comforts and pleasures they had met with in the way,
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Speaker 1: And they told them. Then said the men that met them,
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Speaker 1: you have but two difficulties more to meet with, and
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Speaker 1: then you are in the city. Christian Then and his
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Speaker 1: companions asked the men to go along with them. So
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Speaker 1: they told them that they would, but said they you
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Speaker 1: must obtain it by your own faith. So I saw
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Speaker 1: in my dream that they went on together till they
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Speaker 1: came in sight of the gate. Now I further saw
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Speaker 1: that betwixt them and the gate was a river, but
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Speaker 1: there was no bridge to go over, and the river
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Speaker 1: was very deep. At the sight Therefore, of this river,
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Speaker 1: the pilgrims were much stunned, But the men that went
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Speaker 1: with them said, you must go through, or you cannot
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Speaker 1: come at the gate. The pilgrims then began to inquire
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Speaker 1: if there was no other way to the gate, to
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Speaker 1: which they answered yes, but there hath not any safe
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Speaker 1: too to wit Enoch and Elijah been permitted to tread
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Speaker 1: that path since the foundation of the world, nor shall
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Speaker 1: until the last trumpet shall sound. The pilgrims, then, especially Christian,
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Speaker 1: began to despond in their mind and looked this way
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Speaker 1: and that, but no way could be found by them
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Speaker 1: by which they might escape the river. Then they asked
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Speaker 1: the men if the waters were all of a depth.
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Speaker 1: They said no. Yet they could not help them in
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Speaker 1: that case, for said they you shall find it deeper
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Speaker 1: or shallower, as you believe in the king of the place.
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Speaker 1: Then they addressed themselves to the water, and entering, Christian
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Speaker 1: began to sink, and crying out to his good friend Hope.
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Speaker 1: For he said, I sink in deep waters. The billows
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Speaker 1: go over my head, all his waves go over me. Selah,
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Speaker 1: then said the other, be of good cheer my brother.
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Speaker 1: I feel the bottom, and it is good. Then said Christian, Ah,
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Speaker 1: my friend, the sorrows of death have compassed me about.
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Speaker 1: I shall not see the land that flows with milk
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Speaker 1: and honey. And with that a great darkness and horror
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Speaker 1: fell upon Christian, so that he could not see before him.
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Speaker 1: Also here he in a great measure lost his senses,
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Speaker 1: so that he could neither remember nor orderly talk of
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Speaker 1: any of those sweet refreshments that he had met with
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Speaker 1: in the way of his pilgrimage. For all the words
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Speaker 1: that he spoke still tendered to discover that he had
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Speaker 1: horror of mind and heart, fears that he should die
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Speaker 1: in that river and never obtain entrance in at the gate. Here, also,
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Speaker 1: as they that stood by, perceived he was much in
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Speaker 1: the troublesome thoughts of the sins that he had committed,
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Speaker 1: both since and before he began to be a pilgrim.
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Speaker 1: It was also observed that he was troubled with apparitions
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Speaker 1: of hobgoblins and evil spirits. For ever and anon he
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Speaker 1: would intimate so much by words. Hopeful, therefore he had
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Speaker 1: much ado to keep his brother's head above water. Yea.
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Speaker 1: Sometimes he would be quite gone down and then ere
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Speaker 1: awhile he would rise up again half dead. Hopeful did
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Speaker 1: also endeavor to comfort him, saying, brother, I see the
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Speaker 1: gate and men standing by to receive us. But Christian
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Speaker 1: would answer, it is you. It is you they wait for.
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Speaker 1: For you have been hopeful ever since I knew you,
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Speaker 1: and so have you. Said he to Christian. Ah brother
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Speaker 1: said he surely, if I was right, he would now
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Speaker 1: rise to help me. But for my sins he hath
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Speaker 1: brought me into the snare and hath left me. Then said, Hopeful,
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Speaker 1: my brother, you have quite forgot the text where it's
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Speaker 1: said of the wicked, there are no bands in their death,
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Speaker 1: but their strength is firm. They are not troubled as
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Speaker 1: other men, neither are they plagued like other men. Psalm
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Speaker 1: seventy three, four and five. These troubles and distresses that
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Speaker 1: you go through in these waters are no sign that
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Speaker 1: God hath forsaken you, but are sent to try you
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Speaker 1: whether you will call to mind that which heretofore you
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Speaker 1: have received of his goodness and live upon him in
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Speaker 1: your distresses. Then I saw in my dream that Christian
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Speaker 1: was in a muse for a while, to whom also hopeful,
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Speaker 1: added these words, be of good cheer, Jesus Christ maketh
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Speaker 1: thee whole. And with that Christian break out with a
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Speaker 1: loud voice. Oh, I see him again, And he tells me,
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Speaker 1: when thou passest through the war, I will be with thee,
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Speaker 1: and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee Isaiah
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Speaker 1: forty three. Too. Then they both took courage, and the
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Speaker 1: enemy was after that as still as a stone, until
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Speaker 1: they were gone over. Christian therefore presently found ground to
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Speaker 1: stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of
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Speaker 1: the river was but shallow. Thus they got over. Now
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Speaker 1: upon the bank of the river on the other side,
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Speaker 1: they saw the two shining men again, who there waited
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Speaker 1: for them. Wherefore, being come out of the river, they
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Speaker 1: saluted them, saying, we are ministering spirits sent forth to
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Speaker 1: minister for those that shall be the heirs of salvation.
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Speaker 1: Thus they went along towards the gate. Now you must
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Speaker 1: note that the city stood upon a mighty hill. But
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Speaker 1: the pilgrims went up that hill with ease, because they
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Speaker 1: had these two men to lead them up by the arms.
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Speaker 1: They had likewise left their mortal garments behind them in
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Speaker 1: the river, for though they went in with them, they
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Speaker 1: came out without them. They therefore went up here with
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Speaker 1: much agility and speed. Though the foundation upon which the
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Speaker 1: city was framed was higher than the clouds. They therefore
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Speaker 1: went up through the region of the air, sweetly talking
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Speaker 1: as they went, being comforted because they safely got over
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Speaker 1: the river and had such glorious companions to attend them.
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Speaker 1: The talk that they had with the shining ones was
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Speaker 1: about the glory of the place, who told them that
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Speaker 1: the beauty and glory of it was inexpressible. There, said
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Speaker 1: they is Mount Sion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the innumerable company
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Speaker 1: of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect
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Speaker 1: Hebrews twelve twenty two to twenty four. You are going now,
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Speaker 1: said they, to the Paradise of God, wherein you shall
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Speaker 1: see the tree of life, and eat of the never
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Speaker 1: fading fruits thereof. And when you come there you shall
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Speaker 1: have white robes given you, and your walk and talk
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Speaker 1: shall be every day with the King, even all the
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Speaker 1: days of eternity Revelations two, seven, three, four, and five
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Speaker 1: twenty two five. There you shall not see again such
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Speaker 1: things as you saw when you were in the lower
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Speaker 1: region upon earth, to wit sorrow, sickness, affliction, and death,
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Speaker 1: for the former things are passed away Revelations twenty one four.
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Speaker 1: You are going now to Abraham, to Isaac and Jacob,
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Speaker 1: and to the prophets men that God had taken away
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Speaker 1: from the evil to come, and that are now resting
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Speaker 1: upon their beds, each one walking in his righteousness. The
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Speaker 1: men then asked what must we do in the Holy Place,
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Speaker 1: to whom it was answered, you must there receive the
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Speaker 1: comfort of all your toil and have joy for all
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Speaker 1: your sorrow. You must reap what you have sown, even
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Speaker 1: the fruit of all your prayers and tears and sufferings
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Speaker 1: for the King by the way Galatians six, seven and eight.
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Speaker 1: In that place you must wear crowns of gold and
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Speaker 1: enjoy the perpetual sight and vision of the Holy One.
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Speaker 1: For there you shall see him as he is first
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Speaker 1: John three two. There also you shall serve him continually
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Speaker 1: with praise, with shouting and thanksgiving, whom you desired to
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Speaker 1: serve in the world, though with much difficulty because of
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Speaker 1: the infirmity of your flesh. There your eyes shall be
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Speaker 1: delighted with singing, and your ears with hearing the pleasant
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Speaker 1: voice of the Mighty One. There you shall enjoy your
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Speaker 1: friends again that are gone thither before you. And there
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Speaker 1: you shall with joy receive even every one that follows
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Speaker 1: into the Holy Place after you. There also you shall
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Speaker 1: be clothed with glory and majesty, and put into an
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Speaker 1: equipage fit to ride out with the King of Glory.
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Speaker 1: When he shall come with sound of trumpet in the clouds,
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Speaker 1: as upon the wings of the wind, you shall come
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Speaker 1: with him. And when he shall sit upon the throne
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Speaker 1: of judgment, you shall sit by him. Yea. And when
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Speaker 1: he shall pass sentence upon all the workers of iniquity,
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Speaker 1: let them be angels or men, you also shall have
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Speaker 1: a voice in that judgment, because they were his and
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Speaker 1: your enemies. Also, when he shall again return to the city,
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Speaker 1: you shall go to you with sound of trumpet, and
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Speaker 1: be ever with him. First Thessalonians four fourteen to seventeen,
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Speaker 1: Jude fourteen and fifteen, Daniel seven nine and ten, First
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Speaker 1: Corinthians six two and three. While they were thus drawing
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Speaker 1: towards the gate, behold a company of the heavenly Host
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Speaker 1: came out to meet them, to whom it was said
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Speaker 1: by the other two shining ones, these are the men
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Speaker 1: that have loved our Lord when they were in the world,
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Speaker 1: and that have left all for his holy name. And
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Speaker 1: he hath sent us to fetch them. And we have
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Speaker 1: brought them thus far on their desired journey, that they
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Speaker 1: may go in and look their redeemer in their face
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Speaker 1: with joy. Then the heavenly Host gave a great shout, saying,
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Speaker 1: blessed are they that are called to the marriage Supper
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Speaker 1: of the Land Revelations nineteen nine. They came out also
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Speaker 1: at this time to meet them, several of the king's trumpeters,
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Speaker 1: clothed in white and shining raiment, who, with melodious noises
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Speaker 1: and loud made even the heavens to echo with their sound.
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Speaker 1: These trumpeters saluted Christian and his fellow with ten thousand
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Speaker 1: welcomes from the world. And this they did with shouting
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Speaker 1: and sound of trumpet. This done, they compassed them round
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Speaker 1: on every side, some went before, some behind, and some
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Speaker 1: on the right hand and some on the left, as
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Speaker 1: it were, to guard them through the upper regions, continually
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Speaker 1: sounding as they went, with melodious noise and notes on high,
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Speaker 1: so that the very sight was to them that could
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Speaker 1: behold it, as if Heaven itself was come down to
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Speaker 1: meet them. Thus therefore they walked on together. And as
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Speaker 1: they walked ever and anon, these trumpeters, even with joyful sound, would,
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Speaker 1: by mixing their music with looks and gestures, still signify
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Speaker 1: to Christian and his brother, how welcome they were into
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Speaker 1: their company, and with what gladness they came to meet them.
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Speaker 1: And now were these two men as it were in
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Speaker 1: Heaven before they came to it, being swallowed up with
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Speaker 1: the sight of angels, and with hearing of their melodious notes.
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Speaker 1: Here also they had the city itself in view, and
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Speaker 1: they thought they heard all the bells therein to ring
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Speaker 1: to welcome them there too. But above all the warm
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Speaker 1: and joyful thoughts that they had about their own dwelling
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Speaker 1: there with such company, and that forever and ever, oh
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Speaker 1: by what tongue or pen can their glorious joy be expressed.
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Speaker 1: Thus they came up to the gate. Now, when they
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Speaker 1: were come up to the gate, there was written over
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Speaker 1: it in letters of gold, Blessed are they that do
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Speaker 1: his commandments, that they may have the right to the
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Speaker 1: Tree of life, and may enter in through the gates
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Speaker 1: into the city. Then I saw in my dream that
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Speaker 1: the shining men bid them call at the gate the witch.
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Speaker 1: When they did, some from above looked over the gate
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Speaker 1: to wit Enoch, Moses, and Elijah, et c. To whom
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Speaker 1: it was said, these pilgrims are come from the city
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Speaker 1: of destruction for the love that they bear to the
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Speaker 1: King of this place. And then the pilgrims gave in
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Speaker 1: unto them each man his certificate which they had received
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Speaker 1: in the beginning. Those therefore were carried in unto the king, who,
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Speaker 1: when he had read them, said, where are the men,
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Speaker 1: to whom it was answered, they are standing without the gate.
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Speaker 1: The King then commanded to open the gate that the
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Speaker 1: righteous nation, said he that keepeth the truth may enter
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Speaker 1: in Isaiah twenty six two. Now I saw in my
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Speaker 1: dream that these two men went in at the gate,
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Speaker 1: and lo as they entered, they were transfigured and they
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Speaker 1: had raiment put on that shone like gold. They were
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Speaker 1: also that met with them with harps and crowns, and
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Speaker 1: gave them to them the harps to praise withal, and
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Speaker 1: the crowns in token of honor. Then I heard in
29:52
Speaker 1: my dream that all the bells in the city rang
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Speaker 1: again for joy, and that it was said unto them,
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Speaker 1: enter ye into the joy of your life. I also
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Speaker 1: heard the men themselves, that they sang with a loud voice, saying,
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Speaker 1: blessing an honor and glory and power be unto him
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Speaker 1: that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever
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Speaker 1: and ever. Now, just as the gates were open to
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Speaker 1: let in the men, I looked in after them, and
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Speaker 1: behold the city shone like the sun. The streets also
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Speaker 1: were paved with gold, and in them walked many men
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Speaker 1: with crowns on their heads, palms in their hands, and
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Speaker 1: golden harps to sing praises withal. They were also of
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Speaker 1: them that had wings, and they answered one another without intermission, saying, Holy, Holy,
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Speaker 1: Holy is the Lord. And after that they shut up
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Speaker 1: the gates, which when I had seen, I wished myself
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Speaker 1: among them. Now, while I was gazing upon all these things,
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Speaker 1: I turned my head to look back, and saw Ignorance
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Speaker 1: come up to the river side. But he soon got over,
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Speaker 1: and that without half the difficulty which the other two
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Speaker 1: men met with. For it happened that there was then
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Speaker 1: in that place one vain hope, a ferryman, that with
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Speaker 1: his boat helped him over. So he, as the other
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Speaker 1: I saw, did ascend the hill to come up to
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Speaker 1: the gate. Only he came alone. Neither did any man
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Speaker 1: meet him with the least encouragement. When he was come
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Speaker 1: up to the gate, he looked up to the writing
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Speaker 1: that was above, and then began to knock, supposing that
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Speaker 1: entrance should have been quickly administered to him. But he
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Speaker 1: was asked by the men that looked over the top
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Speaker 1: of the gate, whence came you, and what would you have?
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Speaker 1: He answered, I have ate and drank in the presence
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Speaker 1: of the king, and he has taught in our streets.
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Speaker 1: Then they asked him for his certificate, that they might
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Speaker 1: go in and show it to the king. So he
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Speaker 1: fumbled in his bosom for one and found none. Then
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Speaker 1: they said, have you none? But the man answered never
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Speaker 1: a word. So they told the king that he would
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Speaker 1: not come down to see him, but commanded the two
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Speaker 1: shining ones that conducted Christian and Hopeful to the city
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Speaker 1: to go out and take ignorance, and bind him hand
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Speaker 1: and foot, and have him away. Then they took him
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Speaker 1: up and carried him through the air to the door
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Speaker 1: that I saw in the side of the hill, and
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Speaker 1: put him in there. Then I saw that there was
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Speaker 1: a way to Hell, even from the gate of Heaven,
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Speaker 1: as well as from the city of Destruction. So I
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Speaker 1: awoke and behold it was a dream. End Part one,
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Speaker 1: the tenth stage