to guide thee in the way that leads to Mount Zion."

Now I saw in my dream that the highway up which Christian was to go
was fenced on either side with a wall. Up this way therefore, did
Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the load
on his back. He ran thus till he came to a steeper place, and upon
that place stood a Cross, and a little below, a Sepulcher. So I saw in
my dream that just as Christian came up to the Cross his burden fell
from off his back, and began to tumble till it came to the mouth of
the Sepulcher, where it fell in and I saw it no more. Then was
Christian glad and happy, and he stood for a while to look and wonder,
for it was surprising to him to see that the Cross should make him
lose his burden. Now as he stood looking, behold three Shining Ones
came to him and greeted him.

The first said to him, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." The second took
away all his rags and clothed him in new raiment. The third set a mark
on his forehead and gave him a roll with a seal on it, which he should
give in at the Celestial Gate. So they went their way.

Then Christian gave three leaps for joy and went on singing. I saw
then in my dream that as he walked he saw two men come tumbling over
the wall into the narrow way.

"Gentlemen, where do you come from and whither do you go?" said
Christian.

They told him, "We were born in a land called Vainglory, and we are
going to Mount Zion."

"Why came you not in at the gate?" said Christian.

They said that to go to the gate was too far, so they had taken a
short cut and climbed over the wall.

"But," said Christian, "will the Lord of the City to which we are
going be pleased that you should come into the way over the wall?"

But the men said he need not trouble his head about that, for what
they did had been done many times before. It had been a custom for
more than a thousand years. And besides, said they, "If we get into
the way, what does it matter how we get in? You came in by the
Wicket-gate, and are in the way, and we came tumbling over the wall
and are in the way, so now we are all in the same condition."

"But," said Christian, "I walk by the Rule of my Master, and you walk
just as you like best."

Then said they, "We see not how thou art different to us, except by
the coat thou wearest, and that, we suppose, was given thee by some of
thy neighbors, to hide thy rags."

"Well," said Christian, "the Lord of the City to which I go g