Chapter 30 - The Celestial City
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Christian and Hopeful disappear into the Celestial City with the celestial gates slamming behind them where Bunyan saw them no more.
While Bunyan was beholding the shut gates... In rolls in ignorance... Who believes that he will be allowed into the Celestial City through his own good deeds and saw no need for salvation and the cross of Calvary. As a result, because he was not saved, he was also denied entree into the Celestial City.
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Now while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my head to look back, and saw Ignorance come up to the river side; but he soon got over, and that without half that difficulty which the other two men met with. For it happened that there was then in that place, one Vain-hope, a ferryman, that with his boat helped him over; so he, as the other I saw, did ascend the hill, to come up to the gate, only he came alone; neither did any man meet him with the least encouragement. When he was come up to the gate, he looked up to the writing that was above, and then began to knock, supposing that entrance should have been quickly administered to him; but he was asked by the men that looked over the top of the gate, Whence came you, and what would you have? He answered, I have eat and drank in the presence of the King, and he has taught in our streets. Then they asked him for his certificate, that they might go in and show it to the King; so he fumbled in his bosom for one, and found none. Then said they, Have you none? But the man answered never a word. So they told the King, but he would not come down to see him, but commanded the two Shining Ones that conducted Christian and Hopeful to the City, to go out and take Ignorance, and bind him hand and foot, and have him away. Then they took him up, and carried him through the air to the door that I saw in the side of the hill, and put him in there. Then I saw that there was a way to hell, even from the gates of heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction. So I awoke, and behold it was a dream.
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Notes:
[sup]2[/sup]The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
[sup]3[/sup]And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
[sup]4[/sup]Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
[sup]5[/sup]But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
[sup]6[/sup]And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
[sup]7[/sup]But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
[sup]8[/sup]Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
[sup]9[/sup]Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
[sup]10[/sup]So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
[sup]11[/sup]And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
[sup]12[/sup]And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
[sup]13[/sup]Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
[sup]14[/sup]For many are called, but few are chosen.- Matthew 22:2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14