Army of Doubters

"Here commences the inauguration of that terrible army of doubt, which continues to harass the soul, more or less, even to the end. This is an interesting—a painfully interesting—phase of the soul’s oft-chequered history. For now the devices of Satan are designed against the few remaining hopes and joys of Mansoul; and a dark and terrible night of anguish is about, for a time at least, to settle upon the spirit of the man, whose spiritual history is here described.
We must not omit to mention here that this phase of the allegory not only opens up the sequel of the HOLY WAR, but also illustrates that arrow of Satan’s quiver, which was ever the most powerful against Bunyan himself—the weapon of doubt. Some of us might be more exposed to the assault of pride; others might yield more easily to the wanton and vain spirit; but Bunyan seems ever to have fallen most easily under the power of doubt and desperation. He has, therefore, very naturally thrown this part of his Allegory in the direction of his own experience; and, as he had done in the PILGRIM’S PROGRESS, so now he speaks of himself and of his own fierce struggles with the Wicked One."[2]