The Holy War – John Bunyan

world, 'The morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for
joy’ (38:7). But angels in a fallen state had forfeited their high and
exalted titles and glory.— Ed.
10. This agrees with Milton as to the perfect freedom of the will before the
fall:— 'God made thee perfect, not immutable; And good he made thee;
but to persevere He left it in thy power; ordained thy will By nature
free.’—Paradise Lost, B. v.
11. It is evident that Bunyan thought that a fury, whose every hair was a
living snake, ought rather to be a male than a female, as generally
pictured; but, query, was it in the original manuscript Diabolus,
mistaken by the printer for Alecto. He had given this advice. Some
editors have altered the name; but as it is Alecto in all Bunyan’s own
editions, it is here continued.— Ed.
12. If devils cordially unite in the work of destruction, how ought Christians
to unite in their efforts to promote the kingdom of Christ. We should be
'wise as serpents,’ while 'harmless as doves.’—Ed.
13. In this infernal conference the names are well chosen. Apollyon
signified the Destroyer; Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils; Lucifer, the
Morning Star, a fallen angel, the arch-devil; Alecto, a heathen name of
one of the furies, whose head was covered with snakes, and who was
full of vengeance; Tisiphone, another of the furies.— Burder.
14. 'Legion’; a military term. Among the Romans, five thousand men. An
indefinite number (Mark 5:9).—Mason.
15. Resistance to the first sin is of the utmost importance:—'Sin will at first,
just like a beggar crave One penny or one halfpenny to have; And, if you
grant its first suit, 't will aspire From pence to pounds, and so will still
mount higher To the whole soul.’—Bunyan’s Caution.
16. 'The dragon’; a scriptural name of the devil; see Revelation 12, 13.—
Ed.
17. In the early editions this dangerous enemy is called All-pause when first
introduced, but always afterwards Ill-pause.— Ed.
18. The will by which we determine for or against an action.
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