Works of John Bunyan Volume III Part 148

FOOTNOTES:

[1] There were nine editions of this book published during the Author's life; all those subsequent to the first have the following t.i.tle:--'Sighs from h.e.l.l, or the Groans of a d.a.m.ned Soul; discovering from the 16th of Luke the lamentable state of the d.a.m.ned: and may fitly serve as a warning word to sinners, both old and young, by faith in Jesus Christ, to avoid the same place of torment. With a discovery of the usefulness of the Scriptures as our safe-conduct for avoiding the torments of h.e.l.l. By John Bunyan. London: Printed for F. Smith, at the Elephant and Castle, without Temple-bar. At 1s bound.'

[2] In the 'errata' to the first edition, Bunyan says--'At the first I thought to put out with this a discourage of the two covenants, which since I thought to put forth in a piece by itself.' This shows that his great work on the covenants was the fourth volume which he wrote. In the second edition, the author altered the arrangement of the text, by placing in his comment on verse 28 a considerable part of what in the first edition formed the 'use and application.'

[3] In the second and subsequent editions, this was altered to 'I am thine to serve in the Lord Jesus.'--Ed.

[4] 'Sad' frequently occurs in this treatise; it is from the Saxon, saetan--set, fixed, gloomy, grievous, mournful.--Ed.

[5] The first and second editions have 'the saints,' instead of 'such are saints.'--Ed.

[6] In quoting these pa.s.sages, Mr. Bunyan has mixed the Puritan version with that now authorized; very probably, quoting from memory. His text is from the present version; the reader will see, by comparison, the different words employed in the two translations.--Ed.

[7] Solemn truth! The heir of heaven and immortality has to trudge the street in the foulest weather, while the sinner's lap-dog is held up to the carriage window, taken out for an airing.--Ed.

[8] Reader, this feeling yet remains. Christians have recently, even in Scotland, had to meet in barns, or in the open air, for worship, because no landowner would sell or let a piece of ground on which to build a place of worship.--Ed.

[9] Cannot down; will not receive, submit to, or feel pleasure in. 'If a boy is hungry, bread by itself will down.'--Locke on Education. 'Down and beg mercy of the Duke.'--Shakespeare.--Ed.

[10] Alluding to the awful sufferings of Leighton, and all Christians of his time, under that bigoted demon in human shape, Laud.--Ed.

[11] It is a very ancient and prevailing opinion, that man is always attended by invisible spirits, whose powers or mode of intercourse with our spirits is unknown. These attendants are most active at the hour of death. They cannot be seen unless the eyes are made to possess new or miraculous powers. It may be that, when dying, the spirit, before it entirely quits its mortal habitation, has a glimpse of spiritual existences. If so, how awful for the sinner to see the infernal demons ready to drag away his soul; but most joyful for the Christian to embrace his celestial guides. This is ill.u.s.trated in the Pilgrim's Progress, during Christian's conflict at the hour of death.--Vol. 3, p. 163.--Ed.

[12] Guard, convoy, or escort. See Pilgrim's Progress, the entrance into the celestial city.--Ed.

[13] This proverb was very probably founded upon Jeremiah 50:11: 'Ye are grown fat as the heifer at gra.s.s, and bellow as bulls.'--Ed.

[14] Bunyan is here expressing what he had most acutely felt. 'I blessed the condition of the dog and toad, because they had no soul to perish under the everlasting weight of h.e.l.l. I was broken to pieces,' until he found refuge in Jesus. See Grace Abounding, No. 104.--Ed.

[15] The first edition has, 'and the practice of the saints.' This was left out in all the subsequent editions.--Ed.

[16] Ale bench, in Bunyan's time, was very similar to a taproom; more generally the place of resort for the idle tipplers, but sometimes of refreshment to the weary traveller.--Ed.

[17] Formerly designated not only a courageous man, but his counterpart, a braggart, a bully, or a dandy. In these latter senses it is obsolete.--Ed.

[18] These feelings appear in awful reality in Grace Abounding, Nos. 87 and 104.--Ed.

[19] How awfully general is this wretched delusion. The chattering of monkeys or parrots is more acceptable than to mock G.o.d with a solemn sound upon a thoughtless tongue. Jews gabble Hebrew, and Papists Latin, and, alas! others who NEVER prayed, have been from childhood in the habit of repeating or reading a form of words, called, with devilish subtlety, 'saying prayers.'--Ed.

[20] The intelligent reader should notice that these terms are not jumbled together. Their selection and arrangement would confer honour upon the most profound doctor of philology; while from Bunyan they flowed from native genius, little inferior to inspiration.

To show the enmity of the unconverted to those who bear the image of Christ, he descends step by step. They first mock, or deride them by mimicry; second, flout, or treat them with contemptuous sneers, both by words and actions; third, scoff at them with insolent ridicule, sometimes accompanied by a push or blow; fourth, taunt, revile, upbraid, bully, and challenge them: all these produce, fifth, hate, abhorrence, and detestation, leading inevitably to, sixth, persecution--to pursue with malignity--to afflict, hara.s.s, and destroy. Such are the gradations in the opposition of the carnal mind to the most excellent of the earth; and such the worldly inheritance of the followers of our once lowly, but now exalted Saviour.--Ed.

[21] 'Troubles,' see Puritan translation.--Ed.

[22] With what searching truthfulness is the character of Bye-ends drawn in the Pilgrim's Progress, p. 132: 'looking one way and rowing another.'--Ed.

[23] This is not intended to convey any reflection upon human learning, but to exhibit the contemptuous spirit of learned men, so generally manifested to the illiterate, but really learned followers of the Lamb. They sometimes meet their match, even in worldly wit. Thus, when three learned gentlemen from Oxford overtook a pious waggoner, they ironically saluted him as Father Abraham, Father Isaac, and Father Jacob; he replied, Gentlemen, you are mistaken: I am neither Abraham, Isaac, nor Jacob, but Saul, the son of Kish, who was sent to find his father's a.s.ses, and so I have found them.--Ed.

[24] The word 'clergy' is omitted from all the editions published after Bunyan's death. These words are calculated to fix upon the mind the necessity of a visitation from heaven, of personal examination of the Scriptures, and of solemn, earnest, persevering prayer, without which no clergyman can do a sinner good. But how inexpressibly terrible will be the misery of carnal clergymen, who, by precept or example, have led their hearers to a false hope of heaven. How will such souls gnash their teeth in bitter anguish, and trample their devoted souls to the hottest h.e.l.l!--Ed.

[25] Making an entertainment by stealth, privately indulging in wickedness.--Ed.

[26] Awful responsibility!! A heavy curse on the souls of those who labour to prevent private judgment, guided simply by the Bible--who lead poor sinners to rely upon acts of uniformity, liturgies, articles, or creeds, the groveling inventions of men; instead of relying wholly on the revealed will of G.o.d, which alone is able to make man wise unto salvation.--Ed.

[27] The word 'not' is omitted from most of the editions published in Bunyan's life.--Ed.

[28] These times of tyrannizing oppression are fast pa.s.sing away.

It was difficult, a few years ago, to hire a room in some of the villages even round London, for a Sunday school and lecture, or to admit a missionary into a workhouse. A poor baby has been scornfully driven from the font--the dead body of a dissenter has been refused Christian burial--the cries of poverty and distress have been disregarded--from bitter sectarianism. The genial influence of Christianity is fast driving these demoniac feelings to the owls and bats.--Ed.

[29] Anguish or embarra.s.sment of mind, derived from the name of a most painful disease.--Ed.

[30] This is one of Bunyan's proverbs, which, however homely, is sure to make a lasting impression on the mind. Sin breeds the scorpions which will torment the sinner, unless they tormented the Saviour. O for greater hatred of sin!--Ed.

[31] From this paragraph to the end of the comment on verse 28, was placed by Bunyan, in his first edition, as the first part of the general use and application.--Ed.

[32] A familiar phrase, expressive of embarra.s.sment. 'There is no comfort in the house upon a washing day.' Suds, in this sentence, would puzzle a foreigner. Johnson's dictionary interprets it, 'A lixivium of soap and water!'--Ed.

[33] The word 'simple' is here used as it is by Solomon in the Proverbs--silly, unwise.--Ed

[34] Men armed with halberts or javelins; now only used at a.s.sizes in England, or by officers attending meetings of magistrates in Scotland.--Ed.

[35] Modern editors have altered this to, 'did deal with him.'--Ed.

[36] Altered in the third edition to 'a great exceeding danger.'--Ed.

[37] Bunyan published this work before the Quakers were formed into a Society. Many of the wildest enthusiasts called themselves Quakers. Barclay, in his Apology, very clearly defines what the Society of Friends mean by, 'Christ within, the hope of glory.'

'It is a spiritual, heavenly, and invisible principle, in which G.o.d, as Father, Son, and Spirit, dwells or reigns.'--Prop. V. and VI.--Ed.

[38] This quotation, probably made from memory, is from the Genevan or Puritan version of the Bible.--Ed.

[39] How favourable an alteration has been produced by permitting the free publication of the Bible. In Bunyan's time, under the monopoly of church and state, they were full of typographical errors, and at a high price. When eggs were four-a-penny, one hundred and sixty must have been paid for an ordinary copy; while now a handsome one, with gilt edges, may be had for eighteen or twenty. Thanks to those good men who brought about this wondrous change.--Ed.

[40] The improvement in the whole cla.s.s of books used by children, since the Tract Society commenced its operations, is almost incredible. None but antiquarians have seen the books which Bunyan names, but they are as inferior to Who killed c.o.c.k Robin, as that is to Dr. Watt's Divine Songs.--Ed.

[41] Such was the then state of society, fostered by the Book of Sports and Pastimes, authorized by Charles I. to be used on Sunday, and by Rupert and his cavaliers with the civil war, notwithstanding the restraints of the Commonwealth. They are very young, or dim-sighted, or badly read, who do not now see a wonderful improvement in the state of public morals and religion.--Ed.

[42] These persecutions are fast disappearing. One of my near relatives was locked into a first floor parlour in Whitechapel, without hat or shoes, to prevent his going to hear Mr. Whitefield; but, at the risk of being turned out of doors by his parents, he escaped out of the window, by clinging to the rain water-pipe, and enjoyed the public service at the Tabernacle.--Ed.

[43] For an admirable and deeply impressive account of these distinct books, see Bunyan on The Resurrection of the Dead.--Ed.

[44] The idea prevails to a vast extent. The splendour, power, and intolerance of national hierarchies is mistaken for the humble benignity of the Bible system of Christianity or personal religion.

Antichrist, tricked out in robes and gewgaws, is, by perverted minds, received as Christ.--Ed.

[45] This is exemplified in Bunyan's experience, published by him in Grace Abounding. 'That scripture also did tear and rend my soul (Isa 57:22).' Sec. 104. 'That scripture did seize upon my soul (Heb 12:16,17).' Sec. 141.--Ed.