“It was Flatterer that did this,” said the Shining One.  “He is a false apostle that hath transformed himself into an angel.”

I saw in my dream that he then rent the net and let the pilgrims out.  Then he commanded them to lie down, and when they did so, he chastised them with his whip of cords, to teach them to walk in the good way, and refrain from following the advice of evil flatterers.  And they thanked him for his kindness, and went softly along the right path, singing for very joy; and after passing through the Enchanted Land, which was full of vapours that made them dull and sleepy, they came to the sweet and pleasant country of Beulah.  In this country the sun shone night and day, and the air was so bright and clear that they could see the Celestial City to which they were going.  Yea, they met there some of the inhabitants, for the Shining Ones often walked in the Land of Beulah, because it was on the borders of Heaven.

As Christian and Hopeful drew near to the city their strength began to fail.  It was builded of pearls and precious stones, and the streets were paved with gold; and what with the natural glory of the city, and the dazzling radiance of the sunbeams that fell upon it, Christian grew sick with desire as he beheld it; and Hopeful, too, was stricken with the same malady.  And, walking on very slowly, full of the pain of longing, they came at last to the gate of the city.  But between them and the gate there was a river, and the river was very deep, and no bridge went over it.  And when Christian asked the Shining Ones how he could get to the gate of the city, they said to him, “You must go through the river, or you cannot come to the gate.”

“Is the river very deep?” said Christian.

“You will find it deeper or shallower,” said the Shining Ones, “according to the depth or shallowness of your belief in the King of our city.”

The two pilgrims then entered the river.  Christian at once began to sink, and, crying out to his good friend Hopeful, he said, “I sink in deep waters!  The billows go over my head!  All the waves go over me.”

“Be of good cheer, my brother,” said Hopeful, “I feel the bottom, and it is good!”

With that a great darkness and horror fell upon Christian; he could no longer see before him, and he was in much fear that he would perish in the river, and never enter in at the gate.  When he recovered, he found he had got to the other side, and Hopeful was already there waiting for him.

And I saw in my dream that the city stood upon a mighty hill; but the pilgrims went up with ease, because they had left their mortal garments behind them in the river.

While they were thus drawing to the gate, behold, a company of the heavenly host came out to meet them.  With them were several of the King’s trumpeters, clothed in white and shining raiment, who made even the heavens to echo with their shouting and the sound of their trumpets.