Reading boundaryStart: Now I saw in my dream, that by this timeStop after: I know not but 'twill make me dream again.
Summary
In Beulah, Christian and Hopeful delight in the Celestial City’s nearness. A deep river without a bridge bars the gate. Christian sinks in fear and troubled memory, but Hopeful supports him until Christ’s promise restores his courage; both cross, leaving their mortal garments behind. Shining Ones escort them uphill, and their certificates secure joyful admission to the City.
Ignorance crosses easily with Vain-hope’s help, but arrives without welcome or certificate. The King has him bound and taken through a side-door to hell, showing that outward nearness and an easy passage do not establish acceptance. In “The Conclusion,” Bunyan asks readers to seek the substance within his metaphors: discard the dross, preserve the gold, and do not reject the apple for its core.
Who’s who
The gardener — Keeper of the King’s vineyards, offering refreshment and explaining their fruit.
The two shining men — Ministering spirits who accompany, instruct, and support the pilgrims.
Vain-hope — A ferryman who provides Ignorance an unauthorized ease across the river.
Enoch, Moses, and Elijah — Biblical figures seen at the gate; Enoch and Elijah are also named as the only people exempted from the river.