Derek Thomas

And every day your walk and talk shall be with the king, even all the days of eternity.

You'll not see there again such things as you saw when you were in the lower region upon the earth.

That is sorrow and sickness and affliction and death.

for the old order of things has passed away.

As they draw near the gate, a company of the heavenly host come out to greet them.

The pilgrims are introduced by the two shining ones, and the heavenly host cry out, "'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.'"

And then the king's trumpeters come out and meet them.

Everyone travels together with much shouting and rejoicing.

And the sound of trumpets, they reach the gate.

Above the gates are written, blessed are those who wash their robes that they may have right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.

Shining ones now look down from above.

Enoch and Moses and Elijah and others are there.

And the pilgrims present their certificates.

Yes, Hopeful has one too.

And the certificates are taken to the king who orders that the gates be opened, that the righteous may enter.

In they go, and as they enter, they are transfigured and given new robes to wear.

They break out into praise, singing with a loud voice, to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever.

It's a wonderful description.

It would take a heart of stone, I think, not to be moved by Bunyan's powerful imagination and his powerful description of death passing through the river and eventually entering into the gates of the city.

And all of it circumscribed by Bunyan's understanding of justification and double imputation, that the old garments are taken away and white garments, now the garments of Christ, are given.