The Holy War – John Bunyan

and told his news to the townsfolk. But all this was done with all imaginable
secrecy, because the foes had yet great strength in the town. But, to return to
our story again:
Notes:
1. Night, or a time of desertion, was the best for the enemy; for then selfconfidence
prevailed, the soul depended upon a fancied inherent strength
of its own, which is perfect weakness. In the Lord alone have we
righteousness and strength for the battle.--Mason.
2. Behaviour, deportment.--Ed.
3. The night of darkness and desertion was not a proper season for this
effort. It seems intended to show the effects of the prevalence of a selfconfident
spirit, which cannot issue well; for faith, hope, and experience
were wounded.--Burder.
4. Misery without remedy and without end; eternal death; the being cut off
from God, the root and fountain of happiness.--Mason.
5. If this word was coined by Bunyan, he could not have introduced
anything more appropriate. No word in common use could convey an
idea of the wretchedly uneasy state of the soul in such a siege. Evil
thoughts and imaginations are hurricaning within him; it is a tempest
rushing upon him at once from all quarters; like Bunyan's feelings, as
described in Grace Abounding, No. 187.--Ed.
6. Again Diabolus determines to attack Mansoul by Feel-gate. The cry was
incessantly to be Hell-fire! Hell-fire! Christian, depend not upon your
frames or feelings, but upon the immutable and unchangeable Word of
God. The terrors of hell will get hold upon him who trusts to his
experience, instead of fixing all his hopes in the Lord Jehovah.--Ed.
7. The heart. It is a blessed presage when that is right with God; then may
the soul, in the strength of the Lord, exult and say, 'Rejoice not against
me, O mine enemy; for when I fall, I shall rise again.'-- Mason.
8. 'I could neither eat my food, stoop for a pin, chop a stick, or cast mine
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