thee: And befides, O thou deftroying Apol lyon, to speak Truth, I like his Service, his Wages, his Servants, his Government, his Company and Country better than thine, therefore leave off to perfuade me any farther, I am his Servant, and will follow him. Apol. Confider again, when thou art in Apollycool Blood, what thou art like to meet with on pleads in the Way that thou goeft. Thou knoweft the griev that for the most Part his Servants come to ous Ends of an ill End, because they are Tranfgreffors Chriftians, against me and my Ways; how many of to diffuade them have been put to fhameful Death. Chriftian And befides thou counteft his Service better from perthan mine, whereas he never came yet from fifting in the Place where he is, to deliver any that his Ways. ferved him out of their Hands: But as for me, how many Times, as all the World well knows, have I delivered, either by Power or, Fraud, those that have faithfully ferved me, from him or his, tho' taken by them? And fo will I deliver thee. Chr. His forbearing at prefent to deliver them, is on purpose to try their Love, whether they will cleave to him to the End: And for the ill End thou fayeft they come to, that is most glorious in their Account : But for present Deliverance, they do not much expect it: For they flay for their Glory, and then they fhall have it, when their Prince comes in his, and the Glory of the Angels. Apol. Thou haft already been Unfaithful in thy Service to him, and how doft thou think to receive Wages of him! Chr. Wherein, ○ Apollyon! have I been Unfaithful to him? * *Apolly- Apol. Thou didst faint at firft fetting on pleads out, when thou was almoft choaked in the Chriftian's Gulph of Defpond; thou didst attempt wrong Infirmities Ways to be rid of thy Burthen, whereas thou against fhould have ftaid till thy Prince had taken it him. off, Thou didst finfully fleep, and lofe thy choice Things. Thou waft almoft perfuaded to go back at the Sight of the Lions; and when thou talkeft of thy Journey, and of what thou haft heard and feen, thou art inwardly defirous of Vain-glory in all that thou fayeft or doeft. Chr. All this is true, and much more, which thou haft left out; but the Prince whom I ferve and honour, is merciful, and ready to forgive: But, befides, these Infirmities poffeffed me in thy Country, for there I fuck'd them in, and I have groaned under them, being forry for them, and have obtain'd Pardon of my Prince. Apollyon Apol. Then Apollyon broke out into a greatin a Rage er Rage, faying, I am an Enemy to this falls upon Prince, I hate his Perfon, his Laws, and PeoChriftian. ple. I am come out on purpose to withstand :thee. Chr. Apollyon, beware what you do; for I am in the King's Highway, the Way of Ho liness; therefore take heed to yourself. Apol. Then Apollyon ftradled quite over the whole Breadth of the Way, and faid, 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 fpill thy Soul. And with that he threw a flaming Dart at his Breaft; but Chriftian had a Shield in his Hand, with which he caught it and fo prevented the Danger of that... Then an wound Then did Chriftian draw, for he faw 'twas Time to beitir him; and Apollyon as faft made at him, throwing Darts as thick as Hail; by the which, notwithstanding all that Chriftian could do to avoid it, Apollyon wounded him in the Head, in his Hand Chriftiand Foot. This made Christian give a little back; Apollyon therefore followed his Worked in his amain, and Chriftian again took Courage, Underand refifted as manfully as he could. This ftanding, fore Combat lafted for above half a Day, Faith, and even till Chriftian was almoft quite spent. Converfa For you must know, that Chriftian, by rea- tion. fon of his Wounds, muft needs grow weaker and weaker. t Then Apollyon efpying this Opportunity, began to gather up clofe to Chriftian, and wrestling with him, gave him a dreadful Fall, and with that Chriftian's Sword flew + Apollyout of his Hand. Then faid Apollyon, I am on cafteth fure of thee now. And with that he had al- Chriftian most preft him to Death; fo that Chriftian down to the began to defpair of Life: But, as God would Ground. have it, while Apollyon was fetching his laft Blow, thereby to make an End of this good Man, Chriftian nimbly ftretched out his Hand for his & Sword, and caught it, faying, Chrifti Rejoice not against me, O mine Enemy, an's Victo when I fall, I fhall arife; and with that gave ry over him a deadly Thruft, which made him give Apollyon. back, as one that had received his mortal Mic 7.8. Wound. Chriftian perceiving that, made at him again, faying, Nay, in all thefo Things ae Rom. 8.9. are more than Conquerors, thro' him that loved Jam. 4. 7. us. And with that Apollyon spread forth his Dragon's Wings, and fped him away, that you A more equal Match can hardly be, In this Combat no Man can imagine, unless he had feen and heard, as * I did, what * A brief yellowing and hideous Roaring Apollyon made Relation of all the Time of the Fight; he fpake like a the Combat Dragon: And on the other Side what Sighs by the Speand Groans burft from poor Chriftian's Heart. &tators. I never faw him all the while give fo much as one pleasant Look, till he perceived he had wounded Apollyon with his two-edged Sword, then indeed he did fimile, and look upward; but 'twas the moft dreadful Fight that ever I faw. So when the Battle was over, Chriftian said, + I will here give Thanks to him that hath de- Chrilivered me out of the Mouth of the Lion, and to fian gives him that did help me against Apollyon. And God Thanks fo he did, faying, Great Belzebub, the Captain of this Fiend, Then there came to him an Hand with fome of the Leaves of the Tree of Life, the which Chriftian took and applied to the Wounds that he had received in the Battle, and was healed immediately. He also fat down in that Place to eat Bread, and to drink of that Bottle that was given him a little before; fo being refreshed, he addreffed himself to his Journey, with his Sword Ꭰ ; for his Deliverance. |