Pilgrim’s Progress: Stage 4 – Into the Valley

Apollyon (4:1)

But now, in this Valley of Humiliation, poor Christian was hard put to it; for he had gone but a little way before he saw 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. He considered again that he had no armor for his back, and therefore thought that to turn the back to him might give Apollyon greater advantage with ease to pierce him with arrows. 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 with him:

Apollyon: Whence come you, and whither are you bound?

Christian: I have come from the City of Destruction, which is the place of all evil, and am going to the City of Zion.

The Argument (4:2)

Apollyon: By this I perceive that you are one of my subjects; for all that country is mine, and I am the prince and God of it. How is it then that you have  run away from your king? Were it not that I hope that you might do me more service, I would strike you now with one blow to the ground.

Christian: I was indeed born in your kingdom; but your service was hard, and your wages such as a man could not live on; for the wages of sin is death. Therefore, when I came of age, I did as other thoughtful persons do, look out, if perhaps I might mend myself.

Apollyon: There is no prince that will in this way, lightly lose his subjects. Neither will I as yet lose you; but, since you complain of your service and wages, be content to go back, and what our country can afford I do here promise to give you.

Christian: But I have let myself to another, even to the King of princes. How can I with fairness go back with you?

Apollyon: You have done in this according to the proverb, “changed a bad for a worse.” But it is common for those that have called themselves His servants, after a while, to give Him the slip, and return again to me. Do so as well, and all shall be well with you.

Christian: I have given Him my faith, and sworn my service to Him. How, then, can I go back from this, and not be hanged as a traitor?

Apollyon: You did the same to me, and yet I am willing to pass by all, if now you will yet turn again and go back.

Christian: What I promised you was in my childhood, and besides, I count that the Prince under whose banner I now stand is able to set me free, yes, and to pardon also what I did as to my service with you. And besides, O destroying Apollyon, to speak the truth, I like His service, His wages, His servants, His government, His company, and country, better than yours. Therefore leave off to persuade me further: I am His servant, and I will follow Him.

Apollyon: Consider again when you are in cold blood, what thou are likely to meet with in the way that you go. You know that for the most part His servants come to an ill end, because they are disobedient against me and my ways. How many of them have been put to shameful deaths? And besides, you count His service better than mine; but He never came yet from the place where He is, to deliver any that served Him out of their 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 I will deliver you.

Christian: His forbearing at present to deliver them is on purpose to try their love, whether they will cleave to Him to the end. As for the ill end you say they come to, that is most glorious in their account. For their present deliverance, they do not much expect it. They stay for their glory, and then they shall have it when their prince comes in His and the glory of the angels.

Apollyon: You have already been unfaithful in your service to Him. How do you think to receive wages of Him?

Christian: In what way, O Apollyon, have I been unfaithful to Him?

Apollyon: You did faint at first setting out, when you were almost choked in the Gulf of Despond. You did attempt wrong ways to be rid of your burden, whereas you should have stayed till your Prince had taken it off. You did sinfully sleep and lose your choice things. You were almost persuaded to go back at the sight of the lions. And when You talked of your journey, and of what you had seen and heard, you were inwardly desirous of glory to yourself in all that you said or did.

Christian: All this is true, and much more which you have left out; but the Prince whom I serve and honor is merciful and ready to forgive. But besides, these infirmities possessed me in my own country; for there I sucked them in, and I have groaned under them, been sorry for them, and have obtained the pardon of my Prince.

The Battle (4:3)

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 have come out on purpose to withstand you.”

Christian: Apollyon, beware what you do, for I am on 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 yourself to die; for I swear by my infernal den, that you shall go no farther: here will I spill your soul.” And, with that, he launched a flaming arrow at his breast. But Christian held a shield in his hand, with which he caught, and so prevented the danger of that arrow.

Then did Christian draw, for he saw it was time to bestir himself; and Apollyon as fast made at him, throwing darts as thick as hail. By these, 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 with all his might. Christian again took courage and resisted as manfully as he could. This intense 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, gradually grew weaker and weaker.

Then Apollyon, spying his opportunity, began to gather up close to Christian, and, wrestling with him, gave him a dreadful fall. With that, Christian’s sword flew out of his hand. Then said Apollyon, “I am sure of you 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 grasped it, saying, “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall I shall arise.” With that, Christian 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 who loved us.” And, with that, Apollyon spread forth his dragon’s wings and sped away, that Christian for a season saw him no more.

The Victory (4:4)

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 spoke 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.

Christian: So, when the battle was over, Christian said, “I will here give thanks to Him that has delivered me out of the mouth of the lion; to Him that did help me against Apollyon.” And so he did, saying:

“Great Satan, the captain of this fiend,
Designed my ruin; therefore to this end
He sent him harnessed out: and he with rage
That hellish was, did fiercely me engage;
But blessed angels helped me; and I,
By dint of sword, did quickly make him fly:
Therefore to God 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 which Christian took, and laid upon 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 to him a little before. So, being refreshed, he went forth on 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 harm 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 “passes through, and where no man dwells.”

Two Men Retreating (4:5)

Now here Christian was worse put to it than in his fight with Apollyon, as in the story 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, making haste to go back; to whom Christian spoke as follows:

Christian: Where 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.”

Christian: “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 dared. Indeed, we were almost past coming back; for had we gone a little farther, we would not be here to bring the news to you.”

Christian: “But what have you met with?” said Christian.

Men: Why, we were almost in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, but that by good luck we looked before us, and saw the danger before we came to it.

Christian: “But what have you seen?” said Christian.

Men: Seen! Why, the valley itself, which is as dark as pitch. We also saw there the hobgoblins, satyrs, and dragons in 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. Over that hung the discouraging clouds of confusion. Death also does always spread his wings over it. In a word, it is every bit dreadful, being utterly without order.

Christian: Then said Christian, “I perceive not yet, by what you have said, but that this is my way to the desired haven.”

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 attacked.

The Narrow Path (4:6)

I saw then in my dream, as 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 quagmire, or marsh, into which, if even a good man falls, he finds no bottom for his foot to stand on. Into that quagmire, King David once did fall, and would no doubt there have been smothered, had not He that is able plucked him out.

The pathway 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 here sigh bitterly, for besides the danger mentioned above, the pathway was here so dark, that oftentimes, when he lifted up his foot to go forward, he knew not where or upon what he should set it next.

Whispers In The Dark (4:7)

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 every now and then, 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 equipped himself with another weapon, called “All-Prayer.” So he cried in my hearing, “O Lord, I beseech You, deliver my soul.” 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 those dreadful noises were heard by him, for several miles together. 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 dangers, and that the danger of going back might be much more than going forward. So he resolved to go on; yet the fiends seemed to come nearer and nearer. But, when they were almost upon 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. Thus I perceived it that just when he was 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 wicked words to him, which he verily thought had proceeded from his own mind. This put Christian more to it than anything he had met with before, even to think that he should now speak evil of Him that he had so much loved before. Yet, if he could have helped it, he would not have done it. But he had not the wisdom either to stop his ears, or to know from whence those wicked words came.

A Voice of Encouragement (4:8)

When Christian had traveled in this sorrowful condition some considerable time he thought he heard the voice of a man, as going before him, saying, “Even though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no evil; for You are with me.”

Then he was 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. He thought, “Why not would He be with me, though by reason of the darkness that attends this place, I cannot perceive it?”

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 has turned the shadow of death into the morning.”

The Break of Dawn (4:9)

Now, morning being come, he looked back, not out of desire to return, but to see, by the light of the day, what dangers he had gone through in the dark. So he saw more perfectly the ditch that was on the one hand, and the quagmire that was on the other; also how narrow the way which led between 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 near; yet they were shown to him according to that which is written, “He shows deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.”

Now was Christian much affected with his 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 plain 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. 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, and nets here, and so full of 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 shines on my head, and by His light I go through darkness.”

Pope and Pagan (4:10)

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. While I was musing what should be the reason, I spied 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, etc., lay there, were cruelly put to death. But by this place Christian went without danger. At this I somewhat wondered; but I have since learned that Pagan has been dead many a day; and, as for the other, though he be yet alive, he is, by reason of age, 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 to 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 caught 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! Oh, 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;
Yes, snares, and pits, and traps, and nets did lie
My path about, that worthless, silly I
Might have been catched, entangled, and cast down;
But, since I live, let Jesus wear the crown.”