rebellion and a share of his punishment.  So great is his malice, that he is continually using this permission, though aware that by so doing he will only add to his own misery; and so great is his love of wickedness, that he takes advantage of his half liberty, to seek to destroy this city and this edifice, though he has long known that their guardian is invincible.”

“Pray, my lord,” said I, “may we approach and take a more minute view of this magnificent palace?” for my heart had warmed towards the place at the first sight.  “Certainly you may,” said the angel, “because there I have my place, charge, and employment.”  The nearer we went to it, the more I wondered, seeing how lofty, strong, beautiful, pure, and lovely every part of it was; how accurate was the workmanship, and how fair were its materials.  A rock wrought with immense labour, and of prodigious strength was the foundation stone; living stones were placed upon this rock, and were cemented in so admirable a manner, that it was impossible for one stone to be so beautiful in another place, as it was in its own.  I could see one part of the church which cast out a very fair and remarkable cross, and the angel perceiving me gazing upon it asked me “if I knew that part.”  I did not know what to answer.  “That is the Church of England,” said he.  These words made me observe it with more attention than before, and on looking up I could

perceive queen Anne, on the pinnacle of the building, with a sword in each hand.  With the one in her left, which is called Justice, she preserves her subjects from the men of the city of Perdition; and with the other in her right, which is the sword of the Spirit, or the word of God, she preserves them from Belial and his spiritual evils.  Under the left sword were the Laws of England; under the other was a large Bible.  The sword of the Spirit was fiery and of prodigious length, it would kill at a distance to which the other sword could not reach.  I observed the other princes with the same arms, defending their portions of the church; but I could see that the portion of my queen was the fairest, and that her arms were the most bright.  By her right hand, I could see a multitude of people in black—archbishops, bishops, and teachers, assisting her in sustaining the sword of the Spirit; and some of the soldiers and civil officers, and a few, very few of the lawyers, supporting, along with her, the other sword.  I obtained permission to rest a little by one of the magnificent doors, whither people were coming to obtain the dignity of the universal church; a tall angel was keeping the door, and the church within side was so vividly light, that it was useless for Hypocrisy to show her visage there—she sometimes appeared at the door, but never went in.  After I had been gazing about a quarter of an hour, there came a papist, who imagined that the Pope possessed the catholic church, and he claimed his share of dignity.  “What proof of your dignity have you?” said the porter.  “I have plenty,” said he, “of traditions of the fathers, and acts of the congresses of the church; but what further assurance do I need, than the word of the Pope, who sits upon the infallible chair?”  Then the porter proceeded to open an exceedingly large Bible.  “Behold,”

said he, “the only Statute Book which we use here, prove your claim out of that, or depart;” whereupon he departed.