#23: Christian + Hopeful finally enter Beulah -sweetness, pleasure, light, safety, covenant grace, abundance + saw their glorious goal + destination before them: the Celestial City! 2 golden Shining Ones advised: only 2 more difficulties + they had to obtain them by their own faith: 1st: a deep river with no bridge over it = death. ‘You shall find it deeper or shallower, as you believe in the King of the place;’ Christian entered + began to sink, but Hopeful felt bottom + encouraged him. 2nd: apparitions of hobgoblins/evil spirits so frightened Christian he felt he’d never obtain entrance, but Hopeful kept his head above water + comforted him: Remember the Scripture: ‘wicked are not troubled,’ so if he was troubled, then he must be righteous! The enemy was stilled and both came through to the other side. They left their mortal garments in the river + went up the hill with ease to Mt Zion. Comfort + joy + heavenly host trumpeters welcomed them at the Gate. Enoch+Moses+Elijah looked down from the wall; the pilgrims handed over their certificates, the King called them in, the Gate opened, their bodies were transfigured… bells rang out! The dreamer looked in + ‘wished myself among them’. But he also looked back + saw Ignorance ferrying over the river by Vain-hope by boat. He'd come alone, knocked, supposing… without a certificate + was refused entry. 2 Shining Ones conducted him to the door in the side of the hill. 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 + behold, it was a dream. Take heed + don’t be of either extreme: In playing with the outside of my Dream: What of my dross.. be bold to throw away, but yet preserve the gold; What if my gold be wrapped up in ore? None throws away the apple for the core: But if you shall cast all away as vain, I know not but ‘twill make me dream again. … that is, if you miss his central message, Bunyan lovingly threatens he will write another book … + he does!