Genesis 3:6; Romans 7:24.
It is not enough that the Holy Spirit convince us of sin at our first setting out on pilgrimage, and makes us sensible of our want of Christ; but He also keeps up a sight and sense of the evil of sin in its original nature, as well as actual transgressions. This often makes us wonder at sin, at ourselves, and at the love of Christ in becoming a sacrifice for our sins. And this also humbles us, makes us hate sin the more; and makes Christ, His atonement, and righteousness, more and more precious in our eyes, and inestimable in our hearts. —Mason ↩
The ministration of angels is an animating theme to believers, and is well adapted to promote their confidence in the care and protection of God. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14). —Ivimey ↩
Genesis 28:12; John 1:51. ↩
Hebrews 6:19.
This is the anchor of hope. This keeps the soul safe, and steady to Jesus, who is the alone object of our hopes. Hope springs from faith. It is an expectation of the fulfillment of those things that are promised in the Word of truth, by the God of all grace. Faith receives them, trusts in them, relies upon them; and hope waits for the full accomplishment and enjoyment of them. —Mason ↩
Genesis 22:9. ↩
Bunyan loved harmony—he had a soul for music. But whether he intended by this to sanction the introduction of instrumental music into public worship, is not clear. The late Abraham Booth and Andrew Fuller were extremely averse to it; others are as desirous of it. Music has a great effect on the nervous system, and of all instruments the organ is the most impressive. The Christian’s inquiry is, whether sensations so produced assist the soul in holding communion with the Father of spirits, or whether, under our spiritual dispensation, the Holy Ghost makes use of such means to promote intercourse between our spirits and the unseen hierarchies of Heaven. —Editor ↩
O how reviving and refreshing are those love-tokens from our Lord! Great-heart never comes empty-handed. He always inspires with courage and confidence. Let us look more into, and heartily believe the Word of truth and grace; and cry more to our precious Immanuel, and we shall have more of Great-heart’s company. It is but sad travelling without him. —Mason ↩
What this great robbery was, whether spiritual or temporal, is left to the reader to imagine. The sufferings of the Dissenters were awfully severe at this time. Had it been a year later, we might have guessed it to have referred to the sufferings of that pious, excellent woman, Elizabeth Gaunt, who was burnt, . She was a Baptist, and cruelly martyred. Penn, the Quaker, saw her die. “She laid the straw about her for burning her speedily, and behaved herself in such a manner that all the spectators melted in tears.” —Editor ↩
Mr. Ivimey is of opinion that by this Bunyan sanctioned a hireling ministry, but it appears more to refer to the common custom of rewarding servants to whom you have given trouble. He adduces Luke 10:7; 1 Timothy 5:18; and 1 Corinthians 9:11–14. It is a subject of considerable difficulty; but how is it that no minister ever thinks of referring to the plainest passage upon this subject in the New Testament? It is Acts 20:17–38, especially verses 33–35. The angel was a gold coin, in value half a sovereign. —Editor ↩
Song 2:11, 12.
Such mountains round about this house do stand
—(Bunyan’s House of God, vol. 2 p. 579).
As one from thence may see the Holy Land (Psalms 125:2).
Her fields are fertile, do abound with corn;
The lilies fair her valleys do adorn (Song of Solomon 2:1).
The birds that do come hither every spring,
For birds, they are the very best that sing (Song of Solomon 2:11, 12).
Her friends, her neighbours too, do call her blest (Psalms 48:2);
Angels do here go by, turn in, and rest (Hebrews 13:2).
The road to paradise lies by her gate (Genesis 28:17),
Here pilgrims do themselves accommodate
With bed and board; and do such stories tell,
As do for truth and profit all excel.
Nor doth the porter here say any nay,
That hither would turn in, that here would stay.
This house is rent free; here the man may dwell
That loves his landlord, rules his passions well.
It is sweet melody when we can sing with grace in the heart. The joy arising from God’s free grace and pardoning love, is greater than the joy of harvest, or of one who rejoices when he divides the spoil. —J. B. Those joyful notes spring from a sense of nearness to the Lord, and a firm confidence in His Divine truth and everlasting mercy. O when the Sun of Righteousness shines warmly on the soul, it makes the pilgrims sing most sweetly! These songs approach very nearly to the heavenly music in the realm of glory. —Mason ↩
Forgetfulness makes things nothings. It makes us as if things had never been; and so takes away from the soul one great means of stay, support, and encouragement. When David was dejected, the remembrance of the hill Hermon was his stay. When he was to go out against Goliath, the remembrance of the lion and the bear was his support. The recovery of a backslider usually begins at the remembrance of former things. —Bunyan’s Holy Life, vol. 2, p. 507 ↩
After being thus highly favoured with sensible comforts, in the views of faith, the comforts of hope,
