From this World
To that which is to come.
AS I walked through the wilderness of this world, I laid me down to sleep, and as I slept, I dreamed; and behold, I saw a man cloathed with rags, standing with his face from his house, a book in his hand, and a great burthen upon his back. I looked and saw him open the book and read therein; and as he read he wept and trembled: And not being able longer to contain, he broke out, saying, What shall I do to be saved?
In this plight he went home, and refrained himself as long as he could, that his wife and children might not perceive his distress. But his trouble so increased that he soon burst out, “O my dear wife, and you the children of my bowels, I am undone by reason of this burthen which lieth so hard upon me. Moreover, I am certainly informed, that this our city will shortly be destroyed with fire from heaven; in which overthrow we shall all miserably perish, except some way of escape be found.” At this they were sore amazed; not that they believed what he said, but because they thought him distempered in his head. However, hoping sleep might settle him again, they in all haste got him to bed.
But the night was as grievous to him as the day. Instead of sleeping, he spent it in sighs and tears. And in the morning, when they asked him “how he did” he told them, “worse and worse.” They then thought to drive away his distemper by harsh and surly carriage to him. Sometimes they would deride, sometimes chide, and sometimes quite neglect him. Wherefore he began to retire more to his chamber, to pray for them, and to bemoan his own misery. He would also walk solitary in the fields, sometimes reading, and sometimes praying. And thus for some days he spent his time.
Now I saw, upon a time when he was walking in the fields, that he was, as he was wont, reading his book; and as he read, he burst out as before, saying, What must I do to be saved?
I saw also, that he looked this way and that way as if he would run; yet he stood still, because (as I perceived) he could not tell which way to go. I looked then and saw a man, called Evangelist, coming to him, who asked, “Wherefore dost thou cry?”
He answered, “Sir I perceive by the book in my hand, that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to judgment. And I find I am not willing to do the first, nor able to do the second.”
Then said Evangelist, “why not willing to die?” The man answered, because I fear that this burden which is on my back will sink me lower than the grave. And, Sir, if I am not fit to go to prison, I am not fit to go to judgment.”
“But said Evangelist, if this be thy condition, why standest thou still?” He answered, “because I know not whither to go.” Then said Evangelist, pointing over a wide field, “do you see yonder little gate? Go up directly to it and knock; and it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.”