The Cross

Now I saw in my dream that the highway up which Christian was to go was fenced on both sides with a wall and that wall was called Salvation. Up this way, therefore, burdened Christian ran but not without great difficulty because of the heavy load on his back. He ran on thus until he came to a place where there was a hill And upon that hill stood a cross, and a little below, at the bottom, was a sepulchre.

So I saw in my dream that just as Christian came to the cross, his burden fell off his shoulders and back, and began to tumble until it came to the mouth of the sepulchre where it fell in, and I saw it no more. Then Christian was glad and joyful and said with a merry heart, Jesus has given me rest by his sorrow and life by his death.

So he stood still a while to ponder 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, until tears flowed down his cheeks.

Now as he stood looking and weeping, behold, three shining ones came to him and greeted him with, Peace unto you. The first said to him, Your sins are forgiven. The second stripped him of his rags and clothed him with fine new clothes. The third shining one put a mark on Christian's forehead and gave him a scroll with a seal upon it, and encouraged him to read it on his journey. He told Christian that he should turn it in at the celestial gate.

So the Shining Ones left Christian and went on their way. Then Christian gave three leaps for joy and went on singing,

Thus far did I come, laden with my sin,
Nor could anything ease the grief that I was in,
Until I came here. What a place is this!
this must be the beginning of my bliss
for here the burden fell from off my back
and here the chains that bound it to me did crack
blessed cross
blessed sepulcher
blessed rather be the man
who there was put to shame for me
you
you
you