To which request Faithful also consented. So
Evangelist began as followeth: --
Evan. My sons, you have heard, in the words of the truth of the
gospel, that you must, through many tribulations, enter into the
kingdom of heaven. And, again, that in every city bonds and
afflictions abide in you; and therefore you cannot expect that
you should go long on your pilgrimage without them, in some sort
or other. You have found something of the truth of these
testimonies upon you already, and more will immediately follow;
for now, as you see, you are almost out of this wilderness,
and therefore you will soon come into a town that you will by
and by see before you; and in that town you will be hardly beset
with enemies, who will strain hard but they will kill you; and
be you sure that one or both of you must seal the testimony
which you hold, with blood; but be you faithful unto death, and
the King will give you a crown of life. He that shall die there,
although his death will be unnatural, and his pain perhaps
great, he will yet have the better of his fellow; not only
because he will be arrived at the Celestial City soonest, but
because he will escape many miseries that the other will meet
with in the rest of his journey.
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