The Holy War – John Bunyan

invaluable guards to support us in the loss of friends or property.--Ed.
6. 'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.'
This is the imperative command of Emmanuel to his followers, set forth
in his sermon on the mount. Your lusts must be crucified, your doubts
destroyed, your persecutors pitied and prayed for.--Ed.
7. 'Fives, nines, and seventeens.' Why these odd numbers are given would
not be a bad riddle to give our young friends. Five infernal spirits were
the leaders of the Satanic army. It consisted of nine companies of
Doubters, and eight of Bloodmen, or persecutors. First, five fallen
angels; second, nine classes of doubts; and if this was not enough to
enslave the soul, they were to be aided by eight classes of persecutors.
This may account for the grouping of these dangerous enemies in fives,
nines, and seventeens.--Ed.
8. Many are led captive by Satan at his will, blinded to their misery and
fate by the god of this world, in whose delusive arms many of them
sleep till death and judgment awake them to behold their awful and
remediless state. Lord, pity them!--Mason.
9. These are the three grades of Bloodmen, but all are influenced by hatred
to Christianity and a love of plunder. God hates robbery for offerings,
yet some blind fanatics will seize their neighbour's goods to save their
own pockets in adorning their temples. May God in mercy convert them,
as he did Saul of Tarsus.--Ed.
10. Persecutors, who die in impenitence, must appear at the day of
judgment, when these ungodly men shall be judged of all their ungodly
deeds, and all their hard speeches against Christ in his members (Jude
15).--Ed.
11. 'Down boys,' deep, knowing, determined fellows; as 'down bout,' a tough
battle, a set to at hard drinking. In 1696, it was altered to 'town boys'; an
unmeaning name. This was continued in 1707; but was restored to 'down
boys' in 1720.--Ed.
12. 'Length of my foot,' a proverb meaning similarity of disposition.--Ed.
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