THE

PILGRIMS PROGRESS:

IN THE SIMILITUDE OF A DREAM.

Then he began to go forward; but Discretion, Piety, Charity, and Prudence

would accompany him down to the foot of the hill. So they went on together,

reiterating their former discourses, till they came to go down the hill.

Then said Christian, As it was difficult coming up, so, so far as I can see,

it is dangerous going down. Yes, said Prudence, so it is; for it is a hard

matter for a man to go down into the valley of Humiliation, as thou art now,

and to catch no slip by the way; therefore, said they, we are come out to

accompany thee down the hill. So he began to go down, but very warily; yet

he caught a slip or two.

Then I saw in my dream, that these good companions, when Christian was got

down to the bottom of the hill, gave him a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine,

and a cluster of raisins; and then he went on his way,

“Whilst Christian is among his godly friends,

Their golden mouths make him sufficient mends

For all his griefs; and when they let him go,

He’s clad with northern steel from top to toe.”

But now, in this valley of Humiliation, poor Christian was hard put to it;

for he had gone but a little way before he espied a foul fiend coming over

the field to meet him: his name is Apollyon. Then did Christian begin to be

afraid, and to cast in his mind whether to go back, or to stand his ground.

But he considered again, that he had no armor for his back, and therefore

thought that to turn the back to him might give him greater advantage with

ease to pierce him with his darts; therefore he resolved to venture and

stand his ground: for, thought he, had I no more in mine eye than the saving

of my life, it would be the best way to stand.

So he went on, and Apollyon met him. Now the monster was hideous to behold:

he was clothed with scales like a fish, and they are his pride; he had wings

like a dragon, and feet like a bear, and out of his belly came fire and

smoke; and his mouth was as the mouth of a lion. When he was come up to

Christian, he beheld him with a disdainful countenance, and thus began to

question him.

APOLLYON: Whence came you, and whither are you bound?

CHRISTIAN: I am come from the city of Destruction, which is the place of all

evil, and I am going to the city of Zion.

APOLLYON: By this I perceive thou art one of my subjects; for all that

country is mine, and I am the prince and god of it. How is it, then, that

thou hast run away from thy king? Were it not that I hope thou mayest do me

more service, I would strike thee now at one blow to the ground.

CHRISTIAN: I was, indeed, born in your dominions, but your service was hard,

and your wages such as a man could not live on; for the wages of sin is

death, Rom. 6:23; therefore, when I was come to years, I did, as other

considerate persons do, look out if perhaps I might mend myself.

APOLLYON: There is no prince that will thus lightly lose his subjects,

neither will I as yet lose thee; but since thou complainest of thy service

and wages, be content to go back, and what our country will afford I do here

promise to give thee.

CHRISTIAN: But I have let myself to another, even to the King of princes;

and how can I with fairness go back with thee?

APOLLYON: Thou hast done in this according to the proverb, “changed a bad

for a worse;” but it is ordinary for those that have professed themselves

his servants, after a while to give him the slip, and return again to me. Do

thou so to, and all shall be well.

CHRISTIAN: I have given him my faith, and sworn my allegiance to him; how

then can I go back from this, and not be hanged as a traitor.

APOLLYON: Thou didst the same by me, and yet I am willing to pass by all, if

now thou wilt yet turn again and go back.

CHRISTIAN: What I promised thee was in my non-age: and besides, I count that

the Prince, under whose banner I now stand, is able to absolve me, yea, and

to pardon also what I did as to my compliance with thee. And besides, O thou

destroying Apollyon, to speak truth, I like his service, his wages, his

servants, his government, his company, and country, better than thine;

therefore leave off to persuade me farther: I am his servant, and I will

follow him.

APOLLYON: Consider again, when thou art in cool blood, what thou art like to

meet with in the way that thou goest. Thou knowest that for the most part

his servants come to an ill end, because they are transgressors against me

and my ways. How many of them have been put to shameful deaths! And besides,

thou countest his service better than mine; whereas he never yet came from

the place where he is, to deliver any that served him out of their

enemies’ hands: but as for me, how many times, as all the world very well

knows, have I delivered, either by power or fraud, those that have

faithfully served me, from him and his, though taken by them! And so will I

deliver thee.

CHRISTIAN: His forbearing at present to deliver them, is on purpose to try

their love, whether they will cleave to him to the end: and as for the ill

end thou sayest they come to, that is most glorious in their account. For,

for present deliverance, they do not much expect it; for they stay for their

glory; and then they shall have it, when their Prince comes in his and the

glory of the angels.

APOLLYON: Thou hast already been unfaithful in thy service to him; and how

dost thou think to receive wages of him?

CHRISTIAN: Wherein, O Apollyon, have I been unfaithful to him?

APOLLYON: Thou didst faint at first setting out, when thou wast almost

choked in the gulf of Despond. Thou didst attempt wrong ways to be rid of

thy burden, whereas thou shouldst have stayed till thy Prince had taken it

off. Thou didst sinfully sleep, and lose thy choice things. Thou wast almost

persuaded also to go back at the sight of the lions. And when thou talkest

of thy journey, and of what thou hast seen and heard, thou art inwardly

desirous of vainglory in all that thou sayest or doest.

CHRISTIAN: All this is true, and much more which thou hast left out; but the

Prince whom I serve and honor is merciful, and ready to forgive. But

besides, these infirmities possessed me in thy country, for there I sucked

them in, and I have groaned under them, been sorry for them, and have

obtained pardon of my Prince.

APOLLYON: Then Apollyon broke out into a grievous rage, saying, I am an

enemy to this Prince; I hate his person, his laws, and people: I am come out

on purpose to withstand thee.

CHRISTIAN: Apollyon, beware what you do, for I am in the King’s highway, the

way of holiness; therefore take heed to yourself.

APOLLYON: Then Apollyon straddled quite over the whole breadth of the way,

and said, I am void of fear in this matter. Prepare thyself to die; for I

swear by my infernal den, that thou shalt go no farther: here will I spill

thy soul. And with that he threw a flaming dart at his breast; but Christian

had a shield in his hand, with which he caught it, and so prevented the

danger of that.

Then did Christian draw, for he saw it was time to bestir him; and Apollyon

as fast made at him, throwing darts as thick as hail; by the which,

notwithstanding all that Christian could do to avoid it, Apollyon wounded

him in his head, his hand, and foot. This made Christian give a little back:

Apollyon, therefore, followed his work amain, and Christian again took

courage, and resisted as manfully as he could. This sore combat lasted for

above half a day, even till Christian was almost quite spent: for you must

know, that Christian, by reason of his wounds, must needs grow weaker and

weaker.

Then Apollyon, espying his opportunity, began to gather up close to

Christian, and wrestling with him, gave him a dreadful fall; and with that

Christian’s sword flew out of his hand. Then said Apollyon, I am sure of

thee now: and with that he had almost pressed him to death, so that

Christian began to despair of life. But, as God would have it, while

Apollyon was fetching his last blow, thereby to make a full end of this good

man, Christian nimbly reached out his hand for his sword, and caught it,

saying, Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise,

Mic. 7:8; and with that gave him a deadly thrust, which made him give back,

as one that had received his mortal wound. Christian perceiving that, made

at him again, saying, Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors,

through Him that loved us. Rom. 8:37. And with that Apollyon spread forth

his dragon wings, and sped him away, that Christian saw him no more. James

4:7.

In this combat no man can imagine, unless he had seen and heard, as I did,

what yelling and hideous roaring Apollyon made all the time of the fight; he

spake like a dragon: and on the other side, what sighs and groans burst from

Christian’s heart. I never saw him all the while give so much as one

pleasant look, till he perceived he had wounded Apollyon with his two-edged

sword; then, indeed, he did smile, and look upward! But it was the

dreadfullest sight that ever I saw.

So when the battle was over, Christian said, I will here give thanks to him

that hath delivered me out of the mouth of the lion, to him that did help me

against Apollyon. And so he did, saying,

“Great Beelzebub, the captain of this fiend,

Designed 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 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 this

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

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. 2:6.

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 of the

Shadow of Death, there met him two men, children of them that brought up an

evil report of the good land Num.13:32, making haste to go back; to whom

Christian spake as follows.

CHRISTIAN: Whither are you going?

THE TWO MEN: They said, Back, back; and we would have you do so too, if

either life or peace is prized by you.

CHRISTIAN: Why, what’s the matter? said Christian.

THE TWO 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 further, we had not been here to bring the news to thee.

CHRISTIAN: But what have you met with? said Christian.

THE TWO MEN: Why, we were 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. Psa. 44:19; 107:19.

CHRISTIAN: But what have you seen? said Christian.

THE TWO 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 hang 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 3:5; 10:22.

CHRISTIAN: Then, said Christian, I perceive not yet, by what you have said,

but that this is my way to the desired haven. Psalm 44:18,19; Jer. 2:6.

THE TWO 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. 69:14.

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 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 I perceived the mouth of hell to be, and it

stood also hard by the wayside. 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. 6:18; so he cried, in my

hearing, O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Psa. 116:4. 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. 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. 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 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 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 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 ears, or to know

from whence these 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, saying, Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will

fear no evil, for thou art with me. Psa. 23:4.

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 9:11.

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 be alone. And by and by the day

broke: then said Christian, “He hath turned the shadow of death into the

morning.” Amos 5:8.

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

12:22.

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,

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 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 29:3.

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, 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 times; by whose power and

tyranny the men whose bones, blood, ashes, etc., lay there, were cruelly put

to death. But by this place Christian went without much danger, whereat I

somewhat wondered; but I have learnt 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.

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 spoke to him, though he could not go after him,

saying, You will never mend, till more of you be burned. 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

That I have met with here! O blessed be

That hand that from it hath delivered 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.”