At morning looks back on the Valley.

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and by the day broke: Then said Christian, "He hath turned the shadow of death into 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 of 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 note, that though the first part of the Valley of the 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 end of the Valley, the way was all along set so full of snares, traps, gins, and nets here, and so full of pits, pit-falls, deep holes, and shelvings down there, that, had it now been dark, as it was when he came the first part of the way, had he had a thousand souls, they had in reason been cast away; but, as I said, just now the sun was rising. Then said he, "His candle shineth on my head, and by his light I go through darkness." (Job xxix. 3.)

In this light, therefore, he came to the end of the valley. Now I saw in my dream, that at the end of the valley lay blood, bones, ashes,

1 A review of the dangers they have escaped, now more clearly discerned than before, will often enlarge the hearts of believers with admiring gratitude to their great and gracious Deliverer.

2 Various interpretations are given of this second part of the valley. In general we are taught by it, that believers are not most in danger when under the deepest distress; that the snares and devices of the enemy are so many and various, through the several stages of our pilgrimage, as to baffle all description or enumeration; and that all the emblems of the Valley of Humiliation, and of the Shadow of Death, could not fully represent the thousandth part of them.

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The Cave of Pope and Pagan.

and mangled bodies of men and even of Pilgrims that had gone this way formerly; and, while I was musing what should be the reason, I espied, a little before me, a cave, where two giants, Pope and Pagan, dwelt in old time, by whose power and tyranny the men, whose bones, blood, ashes, &c. lay there, were cruelly put to death. By this place Christian went without much danger, whereat I somewhat wondered: but I have learned since, that Pagan has been dead many a day; and as for the other, though he be yet alive, he is, by reason of age, and also of the many shrewd brushes that he met with in his younger days, grown so crazy and stiff in his joints, that he can now do little more than sit in his cave's mouth, grinning at Pilgrims as they go by, and biting his nails because he cannot come at them.1

So I saw that Christian went on his way; yet, at the sight of the Old Man that sat at the mouth of the cave, he could not tell what to think, 'specially because he spoke to him, though he could not go after him, saying, You will never mend till more of you be burnt! But he held his peace, and set a good face on it, and so went by, and catched no hurt.2 Then sang Christian,

O world of wonders! (I can say no less,)
That I should be preserv'd in that distress
That I have met with here! O blessed be
That hand that from it hath deliver'd me!
Dangers in darkness, Devils, Hell, and Sin,
Did compass me, while I this vale was in:

Yea, snares, and pits, and traps, and nets did lie

My path about; that worthless, silly I,

Might have been catch'd, entangled, and cast down:

But, since I live, let Jesus wear the crown.

Now, as Christian went on his way, he came to a little ascent, which was cast up on purpose that Pilgrims might see before them: up there, therefore, Christian went, and, looking forward, he saw

3

1 The inhabitants of Britain were not thought by Bunyan to be in any immediate danger, either from Pope or Pagan, and he has described no other persecution than what protestants in his time carried on against one another with very great alacrity.

2 Bunyan seems to have been quite aware of the unchangeable nature of popery: a system that only waits until it have power to show itself to be what it always has been, and always will be, an intolerant and persecuting one.

8 This ascent may denote those moments of encouragement, in which tempted believers rise superior to their difficulties; and are animated to desire the company of their brethren, whom dejection under humiliating experiences disposes them to shun.