The Pilgrim's Progress - Part Two
The Author's Way of Sending Forth His Second Part of the Pilgrim | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26
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The Beautiful Valley of Humiliation

Great-heart. Then said Mr. GREAT-HEART, "We need not to be so afraid of this valley; for here is nothing to hurt us unless we procure it to ourselves. 'Tis true, CHRISTIAN did here meet with APOLLYON, with whom he also had a sore combat; but that fray was the fruit of those slips that he got in his going down the hill. For they that get slips there must look for combats here; and hence it is that this valley has got so hard a name. For the common people, when they hear that some frightful thing has befallen such an one in such a place, are of an opinion that that place is haunted with some foul fiend or evil spirit; when, alas, it is for the fruit of their doing that such things do befall them there.

"This Valley of Humiliation is of itself as fruitful a place as any the crow flies over; and I am persuaded, if we could hit upon it, we might find somewhere hereabouts, something that might give us an account why CHRISTIAN was so hardly beset in this place."

Then JAMES said to his mother, "Lo, yonder stands a pillar, and it looks as if something was written thereon; let us go and see what it is." So they went, and found there written, "Let CHRISTIAN'S slips before he came hither, and the battles that he met with in this place, be a warning to those that come after."

"Lo," said their guide, "did not I tell you, that there was something hereabouts that would give intimation of the reason why CHRISTIAN was so hard beset in this place?" Then turning himself to CHRISTIANA, he said, "No disparagement to CHRISTIAN more than to many others, whose hap and lot his was. For 't is easier going up than down this hill; and that can be said but of few hills in all these parts of the world. But we will leave the good man--he is at rest, he also had a brave victory over his enemy; let him grant that dwells above, that we fare no worse, when we come to be tried, than he.

"But we will come again to this Valley of Humiliation. It is the best and most fruitful piece of ground in all those parts. It is fat ground; and, as you see, consists much in meadows; and if a man were to come here in the summertime, as we do now, if he knew not anything before thereof, and if he also delighted himself in the sight of his eyes, he might see that that would be delightful to him. Behold, how green this valley is! also how beautiful with lilies!

"I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys."
~ Song of Solomon 2:1 ~



"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."
~ James 4:6 ~

"Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."
~ 1 Peter 5:5 ~

I have also known many labouring men that have got good estates in this Valley of Humiliation (for God resists the proud, but gives more grace to the humble); for indeed it is a very fruitful soil, and doth bring forth by handfuls. Some also have wished that the next way to their Father's house were here, that they might be troubled no more with either hills or mountains to go over; but the way is the way, and there's an end."

Now as they were going along and talking, they espied a boy feeding his father's sheep. The boy was in very mean clothes, but of a very fresh and well favoured countenance; and as he sat by himself, he sang. "Hark," said Mr. GREAT-HEART, "to what the shepherd's boy saith."

So they hearkened, and he said:

"He that is down needs fear no fall,
He that is low no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it or much;
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because thou savest such.

Fulness to such a burden is
That go on pilgrimage:
Here little, and hereafter bliss,
Is best from age to age."

"I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
~ Philippians 4:12, 13 ~

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
~ Hebrews 13:5 ~

Then said their guide, "Do you hear him? I will dare to say that this boy lives a merrier life, and wears more of that herb called 'hearts-ease' in his bosom, than he that is clad in silk and velvet: but we will proceed in our discourse.

"In this valley our Lord formerly had his country house; he loved much to be here. He loved also to walk these meadows; for he found the air was pleasant. Besides, here a man shall be free from the noise and from the hurryings of this life: all states are full of noise and confusion; only the Valley of Humiliation is that empty and solitary place. Here a man shall not be so let and hindered in his contemplation as in other places he is apt to be. This is a valley that nobody walks in but those that love a pilgrim's life. And though CHRISTIAN had the hard hap to meet here with APOLLYON, and to enter with him a brisk encounter--yet I must tell you, that in former times men have met with angels here; have found pearls here; and have in this place found the words of life.

"The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial."
~ Hosea 12:2-5 ~

"Did I say, our Lord had here in former days his country house, and that he loved here to walk? I will add, in this place, and to the people that live and trace these grounds, he has left a yearly revenue to be faithfully paid them at certain seasons for their maintenance by the way, and for their further encouragement to go on their pilgrimage".

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
~ Matthew 11:29 ~

Sam. Now, as they went on, SAMUEL said to Mr. GREAT-HEART, "Sir, I perceive that in this valley my father and APOLLYON had their battle; but whereabout was the fight, for I perceive this valley is large?"

Great-heart. Your father had that battle with APOLLYON at a place yonder, before us, in a narrow passage just beyond Forgetful Green. And indeed that place is the most dangerous place in all these parts. For if at any time the pilgrims meet with any brunt, it is when they forget what favours they have received, and how unworthy they are of them. This is the place also where others have been hard put to it. But more of the place when we are come to it; for I persuade myself that, to this day, there remains either some sign of the battle, or some monument to testify that such a battle there was fought.

Mercy. Then said MERCY, "I think I am as well in this valley as I have been anywhere else in all our journey. The place, methinks, suits with my spirit. I love to be in such places where there is no rattling with coaches, nor rumbling with wheels. Methinks here one may, without much molestation, be thinking what he is; whence he came; what he has done; and to what the King has called him. Here one may think, and break at heart and melt in one's spirit, until one's eyes become like the fish pools of Heshbon. They that go rightly through this valley of Baca make it a well; the rain that God sends down from heaven upon them that are here also fills the pools. This valley is that from whence also the King will give to them vineyards, and they that go through it shall sing

"Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus."
~ Song of Solomon 7:4 ~

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God."
~ Psalms 84:5-7 ~

"And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt."
~ Hosea 2:15 ~

(as CHRISTIAN did, for all he met with APOLLYON)."

Great-heart. "'T is true," said their guide, "I have gone through this valley many a time, and never was better than when here. I have also been a conductor to several pilgrims; and they have confessed the same. 'To this man will I look,' saith the King, 'even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembles at my word.'"

Now they were come to the place where the afore mentioned battle was fought. Then said the guide to CHRISTIANA, her children, and MERCY, "This is the place: and on this ground CHRISTIAN stood; and up there came APOLLYON against him. And look, did not I tell you, here is some of your husband's blood upon these stones to this day. Behold also, how here and there are yet to be seen upon the place some of the shivers of APOLLYON'S broken darts. See also how they did beat the ground with their feet, as they fought to make good their places against each other; how also with their by-blows they did split the very stones in pieces. Verily CHRISTIAN did here play the man, and showed himself as stout as could, had he been there, even HERCULES himself. When APOLLYON was beaten, he made his retreat to the next valley, that is called the Valley of the Shadow of Death--unto which we shall come anon. Lo, yonder also stands a monument on which is engraven this battle, and CHRISTIAN'S victory, to his fame throughout all ages."

So because it stood just on the wayside before them, they stepped to it, and read the writing, which, word for word, was this:

"Hard by here was a battle fought,
Most strange, and yet most true;
Christian and Apollyon sought
Each other to subdue.

The man so bravely played the man,
He made the Fiend to fly;
Of which a monument I stand,
The same to testify."

The Pilgrim's Progress - Part Two
The Author's Way of Sending Forth His Second Part of the Pilgrim | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26
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