_Interpreter_, till I have shewed thee a little more, and
after that thou shalt go on thy way. So he took him by the hand
again, and led him into a very dark room, where there sat a man
in an Iron Cage.
Now the Man, to look on, seemed very sad; he sat with his eyes
looking down to the ground, his hands folded together; and he
sighed as if he would break his heart. Then said _Christian_,
_What means this?_ At which the _Interpreter_ bid him talk
with the Man.
Then said _Christian_ to the Man, _What art thou?_ The
Man answered, _I am what I was not once._
CHR. What wast thou once?
MAN. The Man said, I was once a fair and flourishing Professor,
both in mine own eyes, and also in the eyes of others; I once was,
as I thought, fair for the Coelestial City, and had then even joy
at the thoughts that I should get thither.
CHR. Well, but what art thou now?
MAN. I am now a man of _Despair_, and am shut up in it, as in
this Iron Cage. I cannot get out; O _now_ I cannot.
CHR. But how camest thou in this condition?
MAN. I left off to watch and be sober; I laid the reins upon the
neck of my lusts; I sinned against the light of the Word and the
goodness of God; I have grieved the Spirit, and he is gone; I
tempted the Devil, and he is come to me; I have provoked God to
anger, and he has left me; I have so hardened my heart, that I
_cannot_ repent.
Then said _Christian_ to the _Interpreter_, But are
there no hopes for such a man as this? Ask him, said the
_Interpreter_.
CHR. Then said _Christian_, Is there no hope, but you must be
kept in the Iron Cage of Despair?
MAN. No, none at all.
CHR. Why? The Son of the Blessed is very pitiful.
MAN. I have crucified him to myself afresh, I have despised his
Person, I have despised his Righteousness, I have counted his
Blood an unholy thing; I have done despite to the Spirit of Grace:
Therefore I have shut myself out of all the Promises, and there
now remains to me nothing but threatnings, dreadful threatnings,
fearful threatnings of certain Judgment and fiery Indignation,
which shall devour me as an Adversary.
CHR. For what did you bring yourself into this condition?
MAN. For the Lusts, Pleasures, and Profits of this World; in the
enjoyment of which I did then promise myself much delight; but now
every one of those things also bite me, and gnaw me like a burning
worm.
CHR. But canst thou not now repent and turn?
MAN. God hath denied me repentance: his Word gives me no
encouragement to believe; yea, himself hath shut me up in this
Iron Cage; nor can all the men in the world let me out. O
Eternity! Eternity! how shall I grapple with the misery that I
must meet with in Eternity!
INTER. Then said the _Interpreter_ to _Christian_, Let
this man's misery be remembered by thee, and be an everlasting
caution to thee.
CHR. Well, said _Christian_, this is fearful; God help me to
watch and be sober, and to pray that I may shun the cause of this
man's misery. Sir, is it not time for me to go on my way now?
INTER. Tarry till I shall shew thee one thing more, and then thou
shalt go thy way.
So he took _Christian_ by the hand again, and led him into a
Chamber, where there was one rising out of bed; and as he put on
his raiment, he shook and trembled. Then said _Christian_,
Why doth this man thus tremble? The _Interpreter_ then bid
him tell to _Christian_ the reason of his so doing. So he
began and said, This night, as I was in my sleep, I dreamed, and
behold the Heavens grew exceeding black; also it thundred and
lightned in most fearful wise, that it put me into an agony; so I
looked up in my Dream, and saw the Clouds rack at an unusual rate,
upon which I heard a great sound of a Trumpet, and saw also a Man
sit upon a Cloud, attended with the thousands of Heaven; they were
all in flaming fire, also the Heavens were in a burning flame. I
heard then a Voice saying, _Arise ye dead, and come to Judgment_;
and with that the Rocks rent, the Graves opened, and the
Dead that were therein came forth. Some of them were exceeding
glad, and looked upward; and some sought to hide themselves under
the Mountains. Then I saw the Man that sat upon the Cloud open the
Book, and bid the World draw near. Yet there was, by reason of a
fierce flame which issued out and came from before him, a
convenient distance betwixt him and them, as betwixt the Judge and
the Prisoners at the bar. I heard it also proclaimed to them that
attended on the Man that sat on the Cloud, _Gather together the
Tares, the Chaff, and Stubble, and cast them into the burning
Lake_. And with that, the bottomless pit opened, just whereabout
I stood; out of the mouth of which there came in an abundant
manner, smoke and coals of fire, with hideous noises. It
was also said to the same persons, _Gather my Wheat into the
Garner_. And with that I saw many catch'd up and carried away
into the Clouds, but I was left behind. I also sought to hide
myselfs but I could not, for the Man that sat upon the Cloud still
kept his eye upon me: my sins also came into my mind; and my
Conscience did accuse me on every side. Upon this I awaked from my
sleep.
CHR. But what was it that made you so afraid of this sight?
MAN. Why, I thought that the day of Judgment was come, and that I
was not ready for it: but this frighted me most, that the Angels
gathered up several, and left me behind; also the pit of Hell
opened her mouth just where I stood: my Conscience too afflicted
me; and as I thought, the Judge had always his eye upon me,
shewing indignation in his countenance.
Then said the _Interpreter_ to _Christian, Hast thou
considered all these things_?
CHR. Yes, and they put me in _hope_ and _fear_.
INTER. Well, keep all things so in thy mind that they may be as a
Goad in thy sides, to prick thee forward in the way thou must go.
Then _Christian_ began to gird up his loins, and address
himself to his Journey. Then said the _Interpreter_, The
Comforter be always with thee, good _Christian_, to guide
thee in the way that leads to the City. So _Christian_ went
on his way.
CHRISTIAN'S FIGHT WITH THE MONSTER APOLLYON
By John Bunyan
In the Valley of _Humiliation_, poor _Christian_ was
hard put to it; for he had gone but a little way, before he espied
a foul _Fiend_ coming over the field to meet him; his name is
_Apollyon_. Then did _Christian_ begin to be afraid, and
to cast in his mind whether to go back or to stand his ground: But
he considered again that he had no Armour for his back, and
therefore thought that to turn the back to him might give him the
greater advantage with ease to pierce him with his Darts.
Therefore he resolved to venture and stand his ground; For,
thought he, had I no more in mine eye than the saving of my life,
'twould be the best way to stand.
So he went on, and _Apollyon_ met him. Now the Monster was
hideous to behold; he was cloathed with scales like a Fish (and
they are his pride); he had wings like a Dragon, feet like a Bear,
and out of his belly came Fire and Smoke; and his mouth was as the
mouth of a Lion. When he was come up to _Christian_, he
beheld him with a disdainful countenance, and thus began to
question with him.
APOL. Whence come you? and whither are you bound?
CHR. I am come from the City of _Destruction_, which is the
place of all evil, and am going to the City of _Zion_.
APOL. By this I perceive thou art one of my Subjects, for all that
country is mine, and I am the Prince and God of it. How is it then
that thou hast run away from the King? Were it not that I hope
thou mayest do me more service, I would strike thee now at one
blow to the ground.
CHR. I was born indeed in your dominions, but your service was
hard, and your wages such as a man could not live on, _for the
wages of sin is death_; therefore when I was come to years, I
did as other considerate persons do, look out, if perhaps I might
find something better.
APOL. There is no Prince that will thus lightly lose his Subjects,
neither will I as yet lose thee: but since thou complainest of thy
service and wages, be content to go back; what our country will
afford, I do here promise to give thee.
CHR. But I have let myself to another, even to the King of
Princes, and how can I with fairness go back with thee?
APOL. Thou hast done in this, according to the Proverb, changed a
bad for a worse; but it is ordinary for those that have professed
themselves his Servants, after a while to give him the slip, and
return again to me: Do thou so too, and all shall be well.
CHR. I have given him my faith, and sworn my allegiance to him;
how then can I go back from this, and not be hanged as a Traitor?
APOL. Thou didst the same to me, and yet I am willing to pass by
all, if now thou wilt yet turn again and go back.
CHR. What I promised thee was in my non-age; and besides, I count
that the Prince under whose Banner now I stand is able to absolve
me; yea, and to pardon also what I did as to my compliance with
thee; and besides, O thou destroying _Apollyon_, to speak
truth, I like his Service, his Wages, his Servants, his
Government, his Company and Country, better than thine; and
therefore leave off to persuade me further; I am his Servant, and
I will follow him.
APOL. Consider again when thou art in cool blood, what thou art
like to meet with in the way that thou goest. Thou knowest that
for the most part, his Servants come to an ill end, because they
are transgressors against me and my ways: How many of them have
been put to shameful deaths; and besides, thou countest his
service better than mine, whereas he never came yet from the place
where he is to deliver any that served him out of our hands; but
as for me, how many times, as all the World very well knows, have
I delivered, either by power or fraud, those that have faithfully
served me, from him and his, though taken by them; and so I will
deliver thee.
CHR. His forbearing at present to deliver them is on purpose to
try their love, whether they will cleave to him to the end; and as
for the ill end thou sayest they come to, that is most glorious in
their account; for present deliverance, they do not much
expect it, for they stay for their Glory, and then they shall have
it, when their Prince comes in his and the Glory of the Angels.
APOL. Thou hast already been unfaithful in thy service to him, and
how dost thou think to receive wages of him?
CHR. Wherein, O _Apollyon_, have I been unfaithful to him?
APOL. Thou didst faint at first setting out, when thou wast almost
choked in the Gulf of _Dispond_; thou didst attempt wrong
ways to be rid of thy Burden, whereas thou shouldest have stayed
till thy Prince had taken it off; thou didst sinfully sleep and
lose thy choice thing; thou wast also almost persuaded to go back,
at the sight of the Lions; and when thou talkest of thy Journey,
and of what thou hast heard and seen, thou art inwardly desirous
of vain-glory in all that thou sayest or doest.
CHR. All this is true, and much more which thou hast left out; but
the Prince whom I serve and honor is merciful, and ready to
forgive; but besides, these infirmities possessed me in thy
Country, for there I sucked them in, and I have groaned under
them, been sorry for them, and have obtained Pardon of my Prince.
APOL. Then _Apollyon_ broke out into a grievous rage, saying,
I am an enemy to this Prince; I hate his Person, his Laws, and
People; I am come out on purpose to withstand thee.
CHR. _Apollyon_, beware what you do, for I am in the King's
High-way, the way of Holiness, therefore take heed to yourself.
APOL. Then _Apollyon_ straddled quite over the whole breadth
of the way, and said, I am void of fear in this matter; prepare
thyself to die; for I swear by my infernal Den, that thou shalt go
no further; here will I spill thy soul.
And with that he threw a flaming Dart at his breast, but
_Christian_ had a Shield in his hand, with which he caught
it, and so prevented the danger of that.
Then did _Christian_ draw, for he saw 'twas time to bestir
him: and _Apollyon_ as fast made at him, throwing Darts as
thick as Hail; by the which, notwithstanding all that _Christian_
could do to avoid it, _Apollyon_ wounded him in his _head,_
his _hand,_ and _foot:_ This made _Christian_ give a little
back; _Apollyon_ therefore followed his work amain, and
_Christian_ again took courage, and resisted as manfully
as he could. This sore Combat lasted for above half a day,
even till _Christian_ was almost quite spent; for you must
know that _Christian,_ by reason of his wounds, must needs
grow weaker and weaker.
Then _Apollyon_ espying his opportunity, began to gather up
close to _Christian,_ and wrestling with him, gave him a
dreadful fall; and with that _Christian's_ Sword flew out of
his hand. Then said _Apollyon, I am sure of thee now:_ and
with that he had almost pressed him to death, so that _Christian_
began to despair of life: but as God would have it, while
_Apollyon_ was fetching of his last blow, thereby to make
a full end of this good man, _Christian_ nimbly stretched
out his hand for his Sword, and caught it, saying, _Rejoice
not against me, O mine Enemy! when I fall I shall arise;_
and with that gave him a deadly thrust, which made him give
back, as one that had received his mortal wound: _Christian,_
perceiving that, made at him again, saying, _Nay, in all
these things we are more than Conquerors through him that
loved us._ And with that _Apollyon_ spread forth his Dragon's
wings, and sped him away, that _Christian_ for a season
saw him no more.
In this Combat no man can imagine, unless he had seen and heard as
I did, what yelling and hideous roaring _Apollyon_ made all
the time of the fight, he spake like a Dragon; and on the other
side, what sighs and groans burst from _Christian's_ heart. I
never saw him all the while give so much as one pleasant look,
till he perceived he had wounded _Apollyon_ with his two-
edged Sword; then indeed he did smile, and look upward; but 'twas
the dreadfullest sight that ever I saw.
So when the Battle was over, _Christian_ said, I will here
give thanks to him that hath delivered me out of the mouth of the
Lion, to him that did help me against _Apollyon_. And so he
did, saying, Great _Beelzebub_, the Captain of this Fiend,
Design'd my ruin; therefore to this end He sent him harness'd out:
and he with rage That hellish was, did fiercely me engage: But
blessed _Michael_ helped me, and I By dint of Sword did
quickly make him fly. Therefore to him let me give lasting praise,
And thank and bless his holy name always. Then there came to him a
hand, with some of the leaves of the Tree of Life, the which
_Christian_ took, and applied to the wounds that he had
received in the Battle, and was healed immediately. He also sat
down in that place to eat Bread, and to drink of the Bottle that
was given him a little before; so being refreshed, he addressed
himself to his Journey, with his Sword drawn in his hand; for he
said, I know not but some other Enemy may be at hand. But he met
with no other affront from _Apollyon_ quite through this
Valley.
CHRISTIAN AND HOPEFUL ARE CAPTIVES IN DOUBTING CASTLE
By John Bunyan
I saw then that they went on their way to a pleasant River, which
_David_ the King called the _River of God_, but _John_, _the
River of the Water of Life_. Now their way lay just upon
the bank of the River; here therefore _Christian_ and his
Companion walked with great delight; they drank also of the
water of the River, which was pleasant and enlivening to
their weary spirits; besides, on the banks of this River on
either side were _green Trees_, that bore all manner of Fruit;
and the Leaves of the Trees were good for Medicine; with
the Fruit of these Trees they were also much delighted; and the
Leaves they ate to prevent Surfeits, and other Diseases that are
incident to those that heat their blood by Travels. On either side
of the River was also a Meadow, curiously beautified with Lilies;
and it was green all the year long. In this Meadow they lay down
and slept, for here they might _lie down safely._ When they
awoke, they gathered again of the Fruit of the Trees, and drank
again of the water of the River, and then lay down again to sleep.
Thus they did several days and nights, and when they were
disposed to go on they eat and drank, and departed.
Now I beheld in my Dream, that they had not journeyed far, but the
River and the way for a time parted; at which they were not a
little sorry, yet they durst not go out of the way. Now the way
from the River was rough, and their feet tender by reason of their
Travels; _so the soul of the Pilgrims was much discouraged
because of the way._ Now a little before them, there was on the
left hand of the road a _Meadow_, and a Stile to go over into
it, and that Meadow is called _By-path-Meadow_. Then said
_Christian_ to his fellow, If this Meadow lieth along by our
way-side, let's go over into it. Then he went to the Stile to see,
and behold a Path lay along by the way on the other side of the
fence. 'Tis according to my wish, said _Christian_, here is
the easiest going; come good Hopeful, and let us go over.
HOPE. But how if this Path should lead us out of the way?
CHR. That's not like, said the other; look, doth it not go along
by the way-side? So _Hopeful_, being persuaded by his fellow,
went after him over the Stile. When they were gone over, and were
got into the Path, they found it very easy for their feet: and
withal, they looking before them, espied a man walking as they
did, (and his name was _Vain-confidence_) so they called
after him, and asked him whither that way led? He said, To the
Coelestial Gate. Look, said _Christian_, did I not tell you
so? by this you may see we are right. So they followed, and he
went before them. But behold the night came on, and it grew very
dark, so that they that were behind lost the sight of him that
went before.
He therefore that went before (_Vain-confidence_ by name) not
seeing the way before him, fell into a deep Pit, which was on
purpose there made by the Prince of those grounds, to catch
_vain-glorious_ fools withal, and was dashed in pieces with
his fall.
Now _Christian_ and his fellow heard him fall. So they called
to know the matter, but there was none to answer, only they heard
a groaning. Then said _Hopeful_, Where are we now? Then was
his fellow silent, as mistrusting that he had led him out of the
way; and now it began to rain, and thunder, and lighten in a very
dreadful manner, and the water rose amain.
Then _Hopeful_ groaned in himself, saying, _Oh that I had
kept on my way!_
CHR. Who could have thought that this Path should have led us out
of the way?
HOPE. I was afraid on't at the very first, and therefore gave you
that gentle caution. I would have spoken plainer, but that you are
older than I.
CHR. Good Brother be not offended; I am sorry I have brought thee
out of the way, and that I have put thee into such imminent
danger; pray my Brother forgive me, I did not do it of an evil
intent.
HOPE. Be comforted my brother, for I forgive thee; and believe too
that this shall be for our good,
CHR. I am glad I have with me a merciful Brother; but we must not
stand thus, let's try to go back again.
HOPE. But good Brother let me go before.
CHE. No, if you please, let me go first, that if there be any
danger, I may be first therein, because by my means we are both
gone out of the way.
HOPE. No, said Hopeful, you shall not go first; for your mind
being troubled may lead you out of the way again. Then for their
encouragement, they heard the voice of one saying, _Let thine
heart be towards the High-way, even the way that thou wentest,
turn again._ But by this time the waters were greatly risen; by
reason of which the way of going back was very dangerous. (Then I
thought that it is easier going out of the way when we are in,
than going in when we are out.) Yet they adventured to go back;
but it was so dark, and the flood was so high, that in their going
back they had like to have been drowned nine or ten times.
Neither could they, with all the skill they had, get again to the
Stile that night. Wherefore at last, lighting under a little
shelter, they sat down there till the day brake; but being weary,
they fell asleep. Now there was not far from the place where they
lay, a Castle called _Doubting Castle_, the owner whereof was
Giant _Despair_, and it was in his grounds they were now
sleeping: wherefore he, getting up in the morning early, and
walking up and down in his fields, caught _Christian_ and
_Hopeful_ asleep in his grounds. Then with a _grim_ and
_surly_ voice he bid them awake, and asked them whence they
were? and what they did in his grounds? They told him they were
Pilgrims, and that they had lost their way. Then said the Giant,
You have this night trespassed on me, by trampling in and lying on
my grounds, and therefore you must go along with me. So they were
forced to go, because he was stronger than they. They also had but
little to say, for they knew themselves in a fault. The Giant
therefore drove them before him, and put them into his Castle,
into a very dark Dungeon, nasty and stinking to the spirits of
these two men. Here then they lay from _Wednesday_ morning
till _Saturday_ night, without one bit of bread, or drop of
drink, or light, or any to ask how they did; they were therefore
here in evil case, and were far from friends and acquaintance. Now
in this place _Christian_ had double sorrow, because 'twas
through his unadvised haste that they were brought into this
distress.
Now Giant _Despair_ had a Wife, and her name was
_Diffidence_. So when he was gone to bed, he told his Wife
what he had done, to wit, that he had taken a couple of Prisoners
and cast them into his Dungeon, for trespassing on his grounds.
Then he asked her also what he had best do further to them. So she
asked him what they were, whence they came, and whither they were
bound; and he told her. Then she counselled him that when he arose
in the morning he should beat them without any mercy. So when he
arose, he getteth him a grievous Crab-tree Cudgel, and goes down
into the Dungeon to them, and there first falls to rating of them,
as if they were dogs, although they gave him never a word of
distaste. Then he falls upon them, and beats them fearfully, in
such sort, that they were not able to help themselves, or to turn
them upon the floor. This done, he withdraws and leaves them,
there to condole their misery, and to mourn under their
distress: so all that day they spent the time in nothing but
sighs and bitter lamentations. The next night she talking
with her Husband about them further, and understanding that
they were yet alive, did advise him to counsel them to make away
themselves. So when morning was come, he goes to them in a
surly manner as before, and perceiving them to be very sore with
the stripes that he had given them the day before, he told them,
that since they were never like to come out of that place, their
only way would be forthwith to make an end of themselves, either
with Knife, Halter, or Poison; For why, said he, should you chuse
life, seeing it is attended with so much bitterness? But they
desired him to let them go. With that he looked ugly upon them,
and rushing to them had doubtless made an end of them himself, but
that he fell into one of his Fits, (for he sometimes in Sun-shine
weather fell into Fits) and lost for a time the use of his hand;
wherefore he withdrew, and left them as before, to consider what
to do. Then did the Prisoners consult between themselves, whether
'twas best to take his counsel or no; and thus they began to
discourse:
[Illustration: CHRISTIAN NIMBLY STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND FOR HIS SWORD
_From the etching by William Strang_]
CHR. Brother, said _Christian_, what shall we do? The life
that we now live is miserable: for my part I know not whether is
best, to live thus, or to die out of hand. _My soul chuseth
strangling rather than life,_ and the Grave is more easy for me
than this Dungeon. Shall we be ruled by the Giant?