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.)

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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.