THE FOURTH STAGE
BigDog
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 a 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, we are 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
got 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,
"Whilst Christian is among his godly friends,
Their golden mouths make him sufficient mends
For all his griefs; and when they let him go,
He's clad with northern steel from top to toe."
But now, in this 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
armor 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 than the saving of my life, it
would be the best way to stand.
So he went on, and Apollyon met him. Now the monster was hideous to
behold: he was clothed with scales like a fish, and they are his pride;
he had wings like a dragon, and 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 him.
APOLLYON: Whence came you, and whither are you bound?
CHRISTIAN: I am come from the city of Destruction, which is the place
of all evil, and I am going to the city of Zion.
APOLLYON: 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
mayest do me more service, I would strike thee now at one blow to the
ground.
CHRISTIAN: I was, indeed, born 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, (Rom. 6:23); therefore, when I was come to years, I did,
as other considerate persons do, look out if perhaps I might mend
myself.
Read the rest of "The FOURTH STAGE" here:
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bunyan/pilgrim.v.iv.html
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