Chapter 3

_Chr._ Yes, over, and over, and over. They might also see my fears in my countenance, in my tears, and also in my trembling under the apprehension of the Judgment that did hang over our heads; but all was not sufficient to prevail with them to come with me.

_Char._ But what could they say for themselves, why they came not?

_Chr._ Why, my Wife was afraid of losing this World, and my Children were given to the foolish Delights of youth: so what by one thing, and what by another, they left me to wander in this manner alone.

_Char._ But did you not with your vain life, damp all that you by words used by way of persuasion to bring them away with you?

_Chr._ Indeed I cannot commend my life; for I am conscious to myself of many failings therein: I know also, that a man by his conversation may soon overthrow, what by argument or persuasion he doth labour to fasten upon others for their good. Yet this I can say, I was very wary of giving them occasion, by any unseemly action, to make them averse to going on Pilgrimage. Yea, for this very thing they would tell me I was too precise, and that I denied myself of things (for their sakes) in which they saw no evil. Nay, I think I may say, that if what they saw in me did hinder them, it was my great tenderness in sinning against God, or of doing any wrong to my Neighbour.

_Char._ Indeed _Cain_ hated his Brother, because his own works were evil, and his Brother's righteous; and if thy Wife and Children have been offended with thee for this, they thereby shew themselves to be implacable to good, and thou hast delivered thy soul from their blood.

Now I saw in my Dream, that thus they sat talking together until supper was ready. So when they had made ready, they sat down to meat. Now the Table was furnished with fat things, and with Wine that was well refined: and all their talk at the Table was about the LORD of the Hill; as namely, about what HE had done, and wherefore HE did what HE did, and why HE had builded that House: and by what they said, I perceived that he had been a _great Warriour_, and had fought with and slain him that had the power of Death, but not without great danger to himself, which made me love him the more.

For, as they said, and as I believe (said _Christian_), he did it with the loss of much blood; but that which put Glory of Grace into all he did, was, that he did it out of pure love to his Country. And besides, there were some of them of the Household that said they had seen and spoke with him since he did dye on the Cross; and they have attested that they had it from his own lips, that he is such a lover of poor Pilgrims, that the like is not to be found from the East to the West,

They moreover gave an instance of what they affirmed, and that was, He had stript himself of his glory, that he might do this for the Poor; and that they heard him say and affirm, That he would not dwell in the Mountain of _Zion_ alone. They said moreover, that he had made many Pilgrims Princes, though by nature they were Beggars born, and their original had been the Dunghill.

Thus they discoursed together till late at night; and after they had committed themselves to their Lord for protection, they betook themselves to rest. The Pilgrim they laid in a large upper chamber, whose window opened towards the Sun-rising; the name of the chamber was _Peace_, where he slept till break of day; and then he awoke and sang,--

"Where am I now? Is this the love and care Of Jesus for the men that Pilgrims are Thus to provide! That I should be forgiven! And dwell already the next door to Heaven!"

So in the morning they all got up, and after some more discourse, they told him that he should not depart till they had shewed him the _Rarities_ of that place. And first they had him into the Study, where they shewed him Records of the greatest Antiquity; in which, as I remember my Dream, they shewed him first the _Pedigree_ of the Lord of the Hill, that he was the Son of the Ancient of Days, and came by an Eternal Generation. Here also was more fully recorded the Acts that he had done, and the names of many hundreds that he had taken into his service; and how he had placed them in such Habitations that could neither by length of Days, nor decaies of Nature, be dissolved.

Then they read to him some of the worthy Acts that some of his Servants had done: as, how they had subdued Kingdoms, wrought Righteousness, obtained Promises, stopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of Fire, escaped the edge of the Sword; out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, and turned to flight the Armies of the _Aliens_.

Then they read again in another part of the Records of the house, where it was shewed how willing their Lord was to receive into his favour any, even any, though they in time past had offered great affronts to his Person and proceedings. Here also were several other Histories of many other famous things, of all which _Christian_ had a view; as of things both Ancient and Modern; together with Prophecies and Predictions of things that have their certain accomplishment, both to the dread and amazement of Enemies, and the comfort and solace of Pilgrims.

The next day they took him and had him into the Armory, where they shewed him all manner of Furniture, which their Lord had provided for Pilgrims, as Sword, Shield, Helmet, Brestplate, _All-prayer_, and Shooes that would not wear out. And there was here enough of this to harness out as many men for the service of their Lord as there be Stars in the Heaven for multitude.

They also shewed him some of the Engines with which some of his Servants had done wonderful things. They shewed him _Moses'_ Rod; the Hammer and Nail with which _Jael_ slew _Sisera_; the Pitchers, Trumpets, and Lamps too, with which _Gideon_ put to flight the Armies of _Midian_. Then they shewed him the Oxes goad wherewith _Shamger_ slew six hundred men. They shewed him also the Jaw-bone with which _Samson_ did such mighty feats. They shewed him moreover the Sling and Stone with which _David_ slew _Goliath_ of _Gath_; and the Sword also with which their Lord will kill the Man of Sin, in the day that he shall rise up to the prey. They shewed him besides many excellent things, with which _Christian_ was much delighted. This done, they went to their rest again.

Then I saw in my Dream, that on the morrow he got up to go forwards, but they desired him to stay till the next day also; and then, said they, we will (if the day be clear) shew you the Delectable Mountains, which, they said, would yet further add to his comfort, because they were nearer the desired Haven then the place where at present he was. So he consented and staid. When the morning was up, they had him to the top of the House, and bid him look South; so he did: and behold at a great distance he saw a most pleasant Mountainous Country, beautified with Woods, Vinyards, Fruits of all sorts, Flowers also; Springs and Fountains, very delectable to behold. Then he asked the name of the Country. They said it was _Immanuel's Land_; and it is as common, said they, as this _Hill_ is, to and for all the Pilgrims. And when thou comest there, from thence, said they, thou maist see to the gate of the Coelestial City, as the Shepheards that live there will make appear.

Now he bethought himself of setting forward, and they were willing he should: but first, said they, let us go again into the Armory. So they did; and when they came there they harnessed him from head to foot with what was of proof, lest perhaps he should meet with assaults in the way. He being therefore thus acoutred, walketh out with his friends to the Gate, and there he asked the Porter if he saw any Pilgrims pass by. Then the Porter answered, Yes.

_Chr._ Pray, did you know him?

_Por._ I asked his name, and he told me it was _Faithful_.

_Chr._ O, said _Christian_, I know him; he is my Townsman, my near Neighbour, he comes from the place where I was born. How far do you think he may be before?

_Por._ He has got by this time below the Hill.

_Chr._ Well, said _Christian_, good Porter, the Lord be with thee, and add to all thy blessings much increase, for the kindness that thou hast shewed to me.

Then he began to go forward; but _Discretion_, _Piety_, _Charity_, and _Prudence_ would accompany him down to the foot of the Hill. So they went on together, reiterating their former discourses, till they came to go down the Hill. Then said Christian, As it was difficult coming up, so (so far as I can see) it is dangerous going down. Yes, said _Prudence_, so it is, for it is an hard matter for a man to go down into the Valley of _Humiliation_, as thou art now, and to catch no slip by the way; therefore, said they, are we come out to accompany thee down the Hill. So he began to go down, but very warily; yet he caught a slip or two.

Then I saw in my Dream that these good Companions, when _Christian_ was gone down to the bottom of the Hill, gave him a loaf of Bread, a bottle of Wine, and a cluster of Raisins; and then he went on his way.

CHRISTIAN'S FIGHT WITH APOLLYON

_By John Bunyan_

In this Valley of _Humiliation_, poor _Christian_ was hard put up 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 whither 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 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 then the saving of my life, 't would be the best way to stand.

So he went on, and _Apollyon_ met him. Now the Monster was hidious to behold; he was cloathed with scales like a Fish (and they are his pride); he had wings like a Dragon, and out of his belly came Fire and Smoak; 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 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 thy king? Were it not that I hope thou maiest 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 mend myself.

_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 diddest the same to me, and yet I am willing to pass by all, if now thou will turn again and go back.

_Chr._ What I promised thee was in my nonage; 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 perswade 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, 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 diddest 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 perswaded 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 vainglory 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 honour 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_ strodled quite over the whole breadth of the way, and said, I am void of fear in this matter, prepare thyself to dye; for I swear thou shalt go no further; here will I spill thy soul.

And with that he threw a flaming Dart at his brest, 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 prest 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 reached out his hand for his Sword, and caught it, saying, _Rejoyce 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 then Conquerours_. 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 brast 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 Battel 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 harnest out: and he with rage That hellish was, did fiercely me ingage: 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 an hand, with some of the leaves of the Tree of Life, the which _Christian_ took, and applyed to the wounds that he had received in the Battel, 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.

THE CASTLE OF GIANT DESPAIR

_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 eat 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. Then they sang,--

"Behold ye how these Christal streams do glide, (To comfort Pilgrims) by the High-way side; The Meadows green, besides their fragrant smell, Yield dainties for them: and he that can tell What pleasant Fruit, yea Leaves, these Trees do yield, Will soon sell all, that he may buy this Field."

So when they were disposed to go on (for they were not as yet at their Journey's end), they eat and drank, and departed.

Now I beheld in my Dream, that they had not journied 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_. Wherefore still as they went on, they wished for better 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 _Bypath-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 perswaded by his fellow, went after him over the Stile. When they were gone over, and were got into the Path, they found it very easie 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 withall, 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 very first, and therefore gave you that gentle caution. I would have spoke plainer, but that you are older then 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 eminent 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.

_Chr._ 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 Highway, 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 liked to have been drowned nine or ten times.