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 conformed to this world”—­“Deny yourselves, take up your cross,” with all the tempting pleasures of the wilderness.

Some indeed recollected the fine descriptions they had read of the Happy land, the Golden city, and the river 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 increased in bulk by its nearness, the distant good receded, diminished, disappeared.  Their faith failed; they would trust no farther than they could see:  they drew back and got into the Broadway, taking a common but sad refuge in the number and gayety 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 shall 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 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, “He that endureth to the end shall be saved;” and, “My grace is sufficient for thee.”

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 travellers, 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:  “Those that wear white robes came out of great tribulation;” and, “Be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

In the meantime there came a great multitude of travellers, all from Laodicea:  this was the largest party I had yet seen; these were neither cold nor hot; they would not give up future hope, they could not endure present pain; so they contrived to deceive themselves by fancying, that though they resolved to keep the Happy land in view, yet 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 certain little contrivances to attain the end without using the means, and softened down the spirit of the King’s directions to fit them to their own practice.