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 him a little before; so, being refreshed, he addressed himself to his journey, with his sword drawn in his hand; for he said, I know not but some other enemy may be at hand. But he met with no other affront from Apollyon quite through the Valley.

Now at the end of this Valley was another, called "The Valley of the Shadow of Death," and Christian must needs go through it, because the way to the cœlestial 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 of 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 (c).”

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

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

THE christian life is a warfare. Every believer is a soldier. The difficulties a pilgrim meets with are not only from worldly crosses and inward corruptions, but from Satan's temptations also. He wrestles with wicked spirits, Eph. vi. 21. But his Captain arms him for the combat. He has the helmet of hope the breast-plate of righteousness-the girdle of truththe shoes of gospel peace-the sword of the Spirit, or word of God-and above all, the shield of faith.

The scene of Christian's conflict with Apollyon, is the Valley of Humiliation; and, as we are informed in the second part of the book, "in a narrow passage, just beyond Forget

(c) Jer. ii. 6.

"ful Green." The plain meaning is, that highly-favoured christians must be humbled, lest they should be puffed up with spiritual pride. Their comforts are often withdrawn, and outward trials prevail, for this purpose. In such a care, they are apt to murmur and repine, and with all their care, "to get a slip or two."

Attention to these unpleasing circumstances, and forgetfulness of the Lord's special mercies, gave occasion to a grievous assault from the Destroyer. When the mind is agitated by trouble, then Satan knows it is a fit time to present such temptations as he did to Christian. 1. He sets before him the crimson sins of his natural state. 2. He flatters him with a view of the pleasure of sin. 3. He shows him the frequent apostacies of false professors. 4. He pleads the difficulties and persecutions often met with, especially in a time of persecution. 5. He would fain persuade him, that the Lord will not hear prayer, or relieve in distress. 6. Above all, he charges him with actual failures, mistakes, backslidings, and false motives since he became a christian. To all these he is enabled to give an answer; and as to the last, he confesses it all, and more, but flies to Paul's refuge, the atonement and love of Jesus; "Who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died." Happy is the soul that can deal thus with the tempter!

But the conflict is not yet over. "Apollyon straddles "over the whole way." Temptations are sometimes of such a nature, that a christian is quite at a stand; the path of duty seems entirely blocked up, and he becomes totally unfit for any service, civil or religious. How useful then is the shield of faith! By this the pilgrim warded off many a flaming dart; yet was he wounded in his head, his hand, and his foot; or, in other words, in his understanding, faith, and conversation. All the Lord's people do not experience this severity of temptation, but those who do, should be pitied, even when, in such a case, "they think, speak, or act ainiss."

Christian was in the greatest danger, when he fell, and lost his sword. Unless we make constant use of the word of God, the enemy will prevail. At length he recovered it :— that one text of scripture relieved his mind, “ Rejoice not "against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise." Frequently a single sentence, applied to the tempted mind, will do wonders. As faith in that word prevails, the power of temptation declines, and the christian becomes victorious; yea, more than a conqueror, through the love of Jesus. Thus, reader, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

CHAP. X.

Christian sorely distressed in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, through which, however, he passes unhurt.

ISAW then in my dream, that when Christian was

got to the borders of the Shadow of Death, there met him two men, children of them that brought up an evil report of the good land, making haste to go back (a); to whom Christian spake as follows:

Chr. Whither are you going?

Men. They said, Back! back! And we would have you to 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 are almost in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, but that by good hap we looked before us, and saw the danger before we came to it (b).

Chr. But what have you seen? said Christian.

Men. Seen! Why the Valley itself 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 people under unutterable misery, who there sat bound in affliction and irons; and over that valley hang the discouraging clouds of confusion; death

(a) Num. xiii. (b) Psal. xliv. 19, cvii. 19.

also doth always spread his wings over it. In a word, it is every whit dreadful, being utterly without order (a).

Chr. Then said Christian, I perceive not yet, by what you have said, but that this is my way to the desired haven (b).

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 (c).

The path-way was here also exceedingly 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 carefulness, he would be ready to fall into the ditch. Thus he went on,

and I heard him sigh bitterly; for besides the danger mentioned above, the path way was here so dark, that oft-times, when he lift up his foot to set forward, he knew not where, or upon what, he should set it next.

About the midst of this valley, 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

(a) Job iii. 5. x. 22. (b) Jer. ii. 6. (6) Psal. xl. 2.

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 (f). So he cried in my hearing, "O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul (g). 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 stopt, and began to muse what he had best to 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 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 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 stept up softly to him, and whisperingly 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 met with before, even to think that he should now blaspheme him that he loved so 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

(ƒ) Eph. vi. 18. (g) Psalm cxvi. 3.

E