They then addressed themselves to the water, and entering, Christian
began to sink, and crying out to his good friend Hopeful, he said,
"I sink in deep waters; billows go over my head, all his waves go
over me."
Then said the other, "Be of good cheer, my brother; I feel the
bottom, and it is good."
Then said Christian, "Ah, my friend, the sorrow of death hath
compassed me about. I shall not see the land that flows with milk
and honey." And with that a great darkness and horror fell upon
Christian, so that he could not see before him; also he in a great
measure lost his senses, so that he could neither remember nor
orderly talk of any of those sweet refreshments that he had met wilh
in the way of his pilgrimage. But all the words that he spake still
tended to discover that he had horror of mind, and heart-fears that
he should die in that river and never obtain entrance in at the
gate.
Here also, as they that stood by perceived, he was much in
troublesome thoughts of the sins that he had committed both since
and before he began to be a pilgrim. It was also observed that he
was troubled with apparitions of hobgoblins and evil spirits; for
ever and anon he would intimate so much by words.
Hopeful therefore here had much ado to keep his brother's head above
water; yea, sometimes he would be quite gone down, and then, ere a
while, he would rise up again half dead. Hopeful did also endeavor
to comfort him, saying, "Brother, I see the gate, and men standing
by to receive us; but Christian would answer, "It is you, it is you
they wait for; you have been hopeful ever since I knew you."
"And so have you," said he to Christian.
"Ah, brother," said he, "surely if I was right, he would now arise
to help me; but for my sins he hath brought me into the snare, and
hath left me."
Then said Hopeful, "My brother, you have quite forgot the text,
where it is said of the wicked, 'There are no bands in their death,
but their strength is firm: they are not troubled as other men,
neither are they plagued like other men.' These troubles and
distresses that you go through in these waters, are no sign that God
hath forsaken you, but are sent to try you whether you will call to
mind that which heretofore you have received of his goodness, and
live upon him in your distresses."
Then I saw in my dream that Christian was in a muse a while. To whom
also Hopeful added these words: "Be of good cheer; Jesus Christ
maketh thee whole."
And with that Christian broke out with a loud voice, "Oh, I see him
again, and he tells me, 'When thou passest through the waters, I
will he with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow
thee.'"
Then they both took courage, and the enemy was after that as still
as a stone until they were gone over. Christian therefore presently
found ground to stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of the
river was but shallow; thus they got over.
Now upon the bank of the river, on the other side, they saw the two
shining men again, who there waited for them. Wherefore, being come
out of the river, they saluted them, saying, "We are ministering
spirits, sent forth to minister to those that shall be heirs of
salvation." Thus they went along towards the gate.