The Valley of the Shadow of Death. 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 to pieces, or trodden down like mire in the streets. 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 better do. Sometimes he had half a thought to go back; then again 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 that of going forward. So he resolved to go on: yet the fiends seemed to come nearer and nearer. But when they were come even almost to 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 farther. One thing I would not let slip. I took notice that now poor 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 him, and stepped up softly to him, and whispering, suggested many grievous blasphemies to him, which he verily thought had proceeded from his own mind. This put Christian more to it than any thing that he had met with before, even to think that he should now blaspheme him whom he loved so much before. Yet if he could have helped it, he would not have done it; ut he had not the discretion either to stop his ears, or to know from whence those blasphemies came. times, when he lift up his foot to go forward, he knew not where, or upon what, he should set it next;" that is, he knew not, if he were to die, whether he should awake in heaven or hell. Mr. Bunyan attributed his terrifying fears respecting death and The Valley of the Shadow of Death. When Christian had travelled in this disconsolate condition some considerable time, he thought he heard the voice of a man, as going before him, saying, Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me." Psalm 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 him) 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 be alone. And by 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 the future judgment, to the temptations of the devil; and it is doubtless correct, that when a christian thinks himself approaching towards the grave, it is an opportunity which Satan employs, to harass the soul with hellish suggestions and alarming apprehensions. To feel such horrors of mind, is, as it were, passing by "the mouth of hell:"" the sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow," Ps. cxvi. 3. Where the Seriptures afford the mind no defence from such overbearing attacks of the devil, the only resource of the christian is humble, believing, and importunate prayer; and then, though his fears may be strong, he may expect, through divine help, "to stand fast in the evil day," and to go forward in the strength of the Lord God. This scene, however dreadful, does not appear to be exaggerated, as it respects the fierce temptations of the devil with which Mr. Bunyan was assailed. The reader will recollect a part of Mr. Bunyan's experience, before mentioned, on which part of this description is founded, namely, his attributing to himself those blasphemous thoughts of consenting "to sell and part with Christ," which he afterwards considered to have proceeded entirely from satanic influence upon his mind. The Dangers of the Valley of the Shadow of Death. of desire to return, but to see, by the light of the day, what bazards 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 was 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 his deliverance from all the dangers of his solitary way; which dangers, though he feared them more before, yet he saw 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, though the first part of the Valley of the Shadow of Death was dangerous, yet the 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, pitfalls, 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 The manner in which Mr. Bunyan was relieved has been stated in a former note, and the judicious reader will perceive that this allegorical representation is substantially the same. He found, that other afflicted christians had gone the same dreary way before him, and had yet been safely carried through the gates of death to heaven. He "perceived that God was with his people in that dark and dismal state," to support them, if not to comfort them; and that, though weeping "might endure for a night, yet joy would come in the morning; light being sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." The "breaking of the day" upon a dark world, well describes the deliverance which Mr. Bunyan experienced, when, as he says, "he walked comfortably in his work for God again." Now he could clearly see, "what hazards he had gone through in the dark," and the mercy which he had experienced in neing restored to peace and comfort. Pope and Pagan. 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 walk 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 this valley lay blood, bones, ashes, and mangled bodies of men, 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. But 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 is 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. 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, especially because he spake 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. Then sang Christian: O world of wonders, (I can say no less,) That I should be preserved in that distress Mr. Bunyan, I doubt not, intended, by the second part of the Valley of Death, the dangers to which he had been exposed by the persecutions he had endured; and the fears which he had entertained when terrified at the prospect of banishment or death, to which he was sentenced by Mr. Justice Keeling "Then, said he, Pope and Pagan. Which I have met with here! O blessed be hear your judgment. You must be had back again to prison, and there lie for three months following; and at three months' end, if you do not submit to go to church to hear divine service, and leave your preaching, you must be banished this realm; and if, after such a day as shall be appointed you to be gone, you shall be found in this realm, &c. or be found to come over again without special licence from the king, &c. you must stretch by the neck for it, I tell you plainly." LIFE, p. 135. To intimate that he refers to this period of his life, the author has very ingeniously placed the "cave where two giants, Pope and Pagan, dwelt in old time," at the end of the second part of the valley. Although "Pagan," was dead, and, "Pope was grown crazy and stiff in his joints," the valley still existed, and was "set full of snares, traps, gins," &c. denoting, that his sufferings were for conscience sake, and on a religious account, though not inflicted either by infidels or papists. It is easy to see that Mr. Bunyan strongly intimates, (and considering his work was published in the reign of Charles II. it was not safe to do more,) that though his persecutors were nomimally protestants, yet they were influenced by a popish spirit; for though in that dissolute reign popery was not publicly professed, yet it was (at least by the king and his brother the duke of York) secretly encouraged. This is perhaps further intimated, by Christian's "not knowing what to think," because giant Pope, "though he could not go after him," yet " spoke to him" loud enough to be heard, saying, "You will never mend till more of you be burnt." The spirit of cruel persecution is inherent in popery; and if it had the power of the state on its side, papists would in all probability soon display it, and Smithfield would again be lighted for the burning of protestants. Mr. Bunyan at this part of his history had no distress of soul respecting his future salvation; the joys of God's salvation had been restored to him, and for some time before, and quite to the end of his imprisonment, he walked in the light of God's countenance. Had not this been the case,-if, in addition to what he before endured, he had also experienced the fears of a banished and exiled condition, "exposed to hunger, to cold, to perils, to nakedness, to enemies, and a thousand calamities, and at last, it may be, to die in a ditch, like a poor and desolate sheep," LIFE, p. 155.-he would in all probability have sunk under his mental afflictions, or have been carried away by the force of the devil's temptations. Thus God mercifully "stayed his rough wind in the day of bis east wind," and, by relieving his mind from fears of eternal misery, enabled him to bear up under his accumulated trials of being torn from his family, his religious connections, and his delightfu |