56

THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

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 to him a little before; so being refreshed, he addressed himself to his journey, with his sword drawn in his hand; for, In his journey with 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 goes on

his sword drawn in his hand.

Now at the end of this valley was another, called the Valley of the The Valley of the Shadow of Death; and Christian must needs go through Shadow of death. it, because the way to the Celestial City lay through the midst of it. Now this valley is a very solitary place: the prophet Jeremiah thus describes it: "A wilderness, a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought, and of the Shadow of Death, a land that no man,' but a Christian, "passeth through, and where no man dwelt," Jer. ii. 6.

Now here Christian was worse put to it than in his fight with Apollyon, as by the sequel you shall see.

I saw then in my dream, that when Christian was got to the borders The children of of the Shadow of Death, there met him two men (c), the spies go back. children of them that brought up an evil report of the good land, Numb. xiii. 32, making haste to go back; to whom Christian spake as follows.

CHR. Whither are you going?

MEN. They said, Back, back; and we would have you do so too, if either life or peace is prized by you.

CHR. Why, what's the matter? said Christian.

MEN. Matter? said they; we were going that way as you are going, and went as far as we durst: and indeed we were almost past coming back; for had we gone a little farther, we had not been here to bring the news to thee.

CHR. But what have you met with? said Christian.

MEN. Why, we were almost in the Valley of the Shadow of Death,

(c) The two men.-He thinks it unnecessary to give them a name more descriptive than that they are the children of them that brought up an evil report of the good land. They are of near kin to Timorous and Mistrust, whom Christian met earlier. Although the land is promised to them, and the road to it is the King's highway, and he has promised to be their guide and defence, they look only at the apparent dangers, and not only turn back themselves, but try to pervert others, Num. xiii. Their account of the difficulties of the way enabled Christian to recognise it as the true way, Phil. ii. 12; Heb. xi. 25; Luke ix. 57-62.

CHRISTIAN MEETS TWO MEN GOING BACK.

57

but that by good hap we looked before us, and saw the danger before we came to it, Psa. xliv. 19; cvii. 10.

CHR. But what have you seen? said Christian.

MEN. Seen? why, the valley itself, which is as dark as pitch: we also saw there the hobgoblins, satyrs, and dragons of the pit: we heard also in that valley a continual howling and yelling, as of a people under unutterable misery, who there sat bound in affliction and irons; and over that valley hangs the discouraging clouds of confusion: death also doth always spread his wings over it. In a word, it is every whit dreadful, being utterly without order, Job iii. 5; x. 22.

CHR. Then, said Christian, I perceive not yet, by what you have said, but that this is my way to the desired haven, Psa. xliv. 18, 19; Jer. ii. 6.

MEN. Be it thy way, we will not choose it for ours.

So they parted, and Christian went on his way, but still with his sword drawn in his hand, for fear lest he should be assaulted.

I saw then in my dream, so far as this valley reached, there was on the right hand a very deep ditch; that ditch is it, into which the blind have led the blind in all ages, and have both there miserably perished. Again, behold, on the left hand there was a very dangerous quag, into which, if even a good man falls, he finds no bottom for his foot to stand on: into that quag king David once did fall, and had no doubt therein been smothered, had not He that is able plucked him out, Psa. lxix. 14.

The pathway was here also exceeding narrow, and therefore good Christian was the more put to it; for when he sought, in the dark, to shun the ditch on the one hand, he was ready to tip over into the mire on the other: also when he sought to escape the mire, without great

THE HORRORS OF THIS VALLEY.

58 carefulness he would be ready to fall into the ditch. Thus he went on, and I heard him here sigh bitterly; for besides the danger mentioned above, the pathway was here so dark, that ofttimes, when he lifted up his foot to go forward, he knew not where, or upon what he should set it next.

About the midst of this valley (d) I perceived the mouth of hell to be, and it stood also hard by the way-side. Now, thought Christian, what shall I do? And ever and anon the flame and smoke would come out in such abundance, with sparks and hideous noises (things that cared not for Christian's sword, as did Apollyon before), that he was forced to put up his sword, and betake himself to another weapon, called All-prayer, Eph. vi. 18, so he cried, in my hearing, O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul, Psa. cxvi. 4. Thus he went on a great while, yet still the flames would be reaching towards him; also he heard doleful voices, and rushings to and fro, so that sometimes he thought he should be torn in pieces, or trodden down like mire in the streets.

(d) The Valley of the Shadow of Death.-This is not death itself (which is represented by a river through which Christian had afterwards to pass), but any season of great spiritual trial, Ps. xxiii. 4. It is of the same nature, but far worse in degree, than the Slough of Despond. Bunyan describes it from his own experience. He writes, "For about the space of a month after, a very great storm came down upon me, which handled me twenty times worst than all I had met with before; it came stealing upon me, now by one pace, then by another: first, all my comfort was taken from me; then darkness seized upon me; after which whole floods of blasphemies, both against God, Christ, and the Scriptures, were poured upon my spirit, to my great confusion and astonishment. These suggestions did make such a seizure upon my spirit, and did so overweigh my heart, both with their number, continuance, and fiery force, that I felt as if there were nothing else but these from morning to night within me, and as though indeed there could be room for nothing else. While this temptation lasted, which was about a year, I could attend upon none of the ordinances of God, but with sore and great affliction.'

It is believed that the dark experience of Bunyan, which is reflected in the description of Christian's journey, is very rare; but whether the spiritual trial be great or small, we have the promise, "Who is among you that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God," Isa. 1. 10. By prayer, and faith in the promises, Christian passed through in safety. Cowper had evidently this passage of the Pilgrim's Progress in view while penning the following lines:

My soul is sad, and much dismayed,
See, Lord, what legions of my foes,
With fierce Apollyon at their head,
My heavenly pilgrimage oppose.
See from the ever-burning lake,

How like a smoky cloud they rise,

With horrid blasts my soul they shake,
With storms of blasphemies and lies.

Their fiery arrows reach the mark,
My throbbing heart with anguish tear,
Each lights upon a kindred spark,

And finds abundant fuel there.

I hate the thought that wrongs the Lord,
O, I would drive it from my breast,
With thy own sharp two-edged sword,
Far as the east is from the west,
Come then, and chase the cruel host,
Heal the deep wounds I have received,

Nor let the powers of darkness boast,

That I am foiled, and Thou art grieved."

THE HORRORS OF THIS VALLEY.

59 This frightful sight was seen, and these dreadful noises were heard by him, for several miles together; and coming to a place where he thought he heard a company of fiends coming forward to meet him, he stopped, and began to muse what he had best to do. Christian put to a Sometimes he had half a thought to go back; then again stand for a while. he thought he might be half way through the valley. He remembered also, how he had already vanquished many a danger; and that the danger of going back might be much more than for to go forward. So he resolved to go on; yet the fiends seemed to come nearer and nearer. But when they were come even almost at him, he cried out with a most vehement voice, I will walk in the strength of the Lord God. So they gave back, and came no further.

One thing I would not let slip. I took notice that now poor

believe that he spake

Christian was so confounded, that he did not know his own voice; and thus I perceived it. Just when he was come over against the mouth of the burning pit, one of the wicked ones got behind Christian made him, and stepped up softly to him, and, whisperingly, blasphemies, when suggested many grievous blasphemies to him, which it was Satan that he verily thought had proceeded from his own mind. his mind. This put Christian more to it than any thing that he met with before, even to think that he should now blaspheme Him that he loyed so

suggested them into

60 A FELLOW TRAVELLER OVERHEARD.-MORNING DAWNS.

much before. Yet if he could have helped it, he would not have done it; but he had not the discretion either to stop his ears, or to know from whence those blasphemies came.

When Christian had travelled in this disconsolate condition some considerable time, he thought he heard the voice of a man, as going before him (e), saying, Though I walk through the valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, Psa. xxiii. 4.

Then was he glad, and that for these reasons.

First, Because he gathered from thence, that some who feared God were in this valley as well as himself.

Secondly, For that he perceived God was with them, though in that dark and dismal state. And why not, thought he, with me? though by reason of the impediment that attends this place, I cannot perceive it, Job ix. 11.

Thirdly, For that he hoped (could he overtake them) to have company by and by. So he went on, and called to him that was before; but he knew not what to answer, for that he also thought himself to Christian glad at be alone. And by and by the day broke; then said Christian, "He hath turned the shadow of death into

break of day.

the morning," Amos v. 8.

Now morning being come, he looked back, not out of desire to return, but to see, by the light of the day, what hazards he had gone through in the dark. So he saw more perfectly the ditch that was on the one hand, and the quag that was on the other; also how narrow the way was which led betwixt them both. Also now he saw the hobgoblins, and satyrs, and dragons of the pit, but all afar off; for after break of day they came not nigh, yet they were discovered to him, according to that which is written, "He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death," Job xii. 22.

Now was Christian much affected with this deliverance from all the dangers of his solitary way; which dangers, though he feared them much before, yet he saw them more clearly now, because the light or the day made them conspicuous to him. And about this time the sun was rising, and this was another mercy to Christian; for you must The second part note, that though the first part of the Valley of the of this valley very Shadow of Death was dangerous, yet this second part, which he was yet to go, was, if possible, far more dangerous (; for, from the place where he now stood, even to the

dangerous.

(e) Christian encouraged by hearing the voice of Faithful." He perceived God was with him, though in that dark and dismal state, and why not with me." The principle that what God promises to one believer is intended for all, carries us a great way in religion. It was to Abram the Lord said, "I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward;" and to a woman that was a sinner, Jesus said, "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." But what was said to them was virtually said to us, and therefore, in similar circumstances, we are entitled to anticipate similar favours.

(f) The Second Part of the Valley -This is described as more dangerous than the first part. There is room for a difference of opinion about the meaning of "the snares," and they are capable possibly of various explanations, which may be equally