Read the Introduction by Rev. Robert Maguire, D. D.

The Holy War by John Bunyan

Quick take:
The city of Mansoul, which represents the soul of man, unknowingly finds itself under attack by Diabolus, who represents Satan. The city is deceived to follow Satan in much the same manner as in the Garden of Eden. The ensuing chapters trace God’s operations to regain the city. After the city turns back to God, Diabolus attacks again to try to conquer once more. All aspects of life, attitudes, and character are represented by names, such as Mr. Hard-Heart and Mr. Carnal-Security. This is an epic story of good vs. evil.

My impression:
“The Holy War” is familiar to every believer in Christ. It is the battle of good and evil in daily life. I found many parts amusing such as Mr. Tradition, who is able to serve on both sides of the war; and the Diabolonian armor such as the “shield of unbelief.”

Important excerpt:
“Then the Prince called for the prisoners to come and to stand again before him, and they came and stood trembling. And he said unto them, ‘The sins, trespasses, iniquities that you, with the whole town of Mansoul, have from time to time committed against my Father and me, I have power and commandment from my Father to forgive to the town of Mansoul, and do forgive you accordingly.’ ”

Mr. Think-Well

The son of Mr. Mediation and the husband of Mrs. Piety.[3]

Mr. Mediation

The wealth of Mr. Let-Good-Slip was given to Mr. Mediation.[3]

Old-Dark

The father of No-Hope (Evil-Questioning's wife).[3]

No-Hope

The wife of Evil-Questioning.[3]

Children of Evil-Questioning

The Children of Evil-Questioning:
1. Mr. Doubt
2. Legal-Life - died in a hold.
3. Mr. Unbelief - never caught.
4. Wrong-Thoughts-of-Christ - died in prison.
5. Clip-Promise - Severe judgement of being whipped and then hanged.
6. Carnal-Sense - escaped from prison and is not caught.
7. Live-by-Feeling - died in a hold.
8. Self-Love - judgement deferred.
9. No-Hope
[3]

Diabolonians left in Mansoul

Another group of Diabolonians left in Mansoul:
1. Mr. Fooling - Hanged in Want-Wit-Alley.
2. Mr. Let-Good-Slip - Executed by Lord Will-be-will.
3. Mr. Slavish Fear
4. Mr. No-Love
5. Mr. Mistrust
6. Mr. Flesh
7. Mr. Sloth
[3]

Bad Street

The street where Evil-Questioning was hanged.[3]

Mr. Diligence

"When the Will of the renewed man is seconded by diligence in search and action, all is well for the soul’s health and well-being. Something like Mr. PRYWELL is this trusty servant of the sanctified Will, Mr. DILIGENCE. He goes up and down, and to and fro, in the soul, searching out the lurking power of evil. Bunyan means by this to lay repeated honor on the principle of self-examination. It is well for the soul when it is thus watchful and diligent, and prompt in giving information; and when the Will is strong and resolute to act upon the information given."[2]

Evil-Questioning

"The form that this present phase of peril assumes, is that of doubt arising in the soul from the spirit of evil-questioning. This is not the spirit of legitimate inquiry, nor of diligent self-examination, but rather a spirit of unbelief, engendered in the soul by the encouragement of morbid doubts, as indicated by the names of the Doubters here referred to, which signify a revival of those doubts which question God’s electing love, his effectual call, the fullness of salvation, and that all is of God’s good grace and mercy."[2]

Malice in the county of Envy

"Persecutors who are influenced by malice. These are the guilty persecutors, whose spirit comes of sin. These know the truth, but hate it; see the light, but come not to it; and with malice prepense pursue good men to death. These are they who seek to fulfill their lust of blood upon the servants of the Most High—the Blood-men of the past history of the Church and people of God. Well did the soul cry out to the Prince against this danger, 'Lord, save Mansoul from bloody men!'"[2]

Blind-zeal-shire

"Those who are influenced by blind zeal. These are alluded to by our blessed Lord, when he said to his disciples, 'Yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service;' and this would arise from spiritual blindness; for he adds, 'And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me,' John 16:2, 3. This is that sort of zeal of which the Apostle speaks, as being 'not according to knowledge.'"[2]

Blind-man-shire

"There are those who persecute in ignorance. Such were even some of the persecutors of our Lord, and hence his dying prayer—'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,' Luke 23:34. For such as these there is mercy. Hence the dying prayer of the martyr Stephen—'Lay not this sin to their charge,' Acts 7:60. Saul of Tarsus was also one of this class, for he says of himself, 'Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief,' 1 Timothy 1:13."[2]

Captain Self-Denial

"In the face of threatening danger, there is no more effective ally to the soul than the principle of self-denial. Self-indulgence is not the spirit of martyrs; it needs a stronger principle to enable a man to resist the blood-men of persecution.
Self-denial is the discipline of the Christian man; he has to fight the good fight, therefore he must be bred and inured to hardships; he has to sail the voyage of life, and must therefore be strong to face the tempests, and brave the billows of the deep. Self-denial is the medicine of the soul—not always sweet, but most frequently bitter. Self-denial is the foundation of manly heroism and of all heroic virtues—'seeking not her own.' This is a cross-bearing place, even to the mount of sacrifice. Self-denial thinks more of tomorrow’s sunshine than of the tempest of today. It provides for the time to come at the cost of the time now present; and walks by faith of future glory, and not by sight of present suffering—'choosing rather to suffer affliction—having respect unto the recompense of the reward.' Martyrs have always been self-denying men."[2]

Captain Pope

"POPE, well worthy of a place amid the chief persecutors, and well described by the device upon the escutcheon of his standard-bearer—'The stake, the flame, and the good man in it!'"[2]

Captain Judas

"JUDAS, with the blood-money of the traitor, who sold his Master"[2]

Captain Absalom

"ABSALOM, the type of those men who would persecute even their own flesh, recognizing no tie of affection, no claim of relationship, no bond of brotherhood or sonship;"[2]

Captain Saul

"SAUL, with his malice and envy against David, the chosen of the Lord"[2]

Captain Esau

"ESAU, who hated his brother, and thirsted for his blood;"[2]

Captain Ishmael

"ISHMAEL, the scorner of the holy seed, the vagrant of the desert, a man of blood—'his hand against every man, and every man’s hand against him;'"[2]

Captain Nimrod

"NIMROD; the mighty hunter, the beginning of whose kingdom was Babel, commenced in presumption, and ended in confusion."[2]

Army of Blood-Men

"the names of the captains of the army of Blood-men are suggestive, embodying those names which are in Holy Scripture, or in human history, associated with rapine, hatred, and bloodshed; "[2]

Captain Cain

"CAIN, who slew his brother, the first martyr to the witness of truth."[2]

Loath-Good

The province where the Blood-Men come from.[3]

Mr. Speedy

He came with news that Immanuel was coming.[3]

Diabolonians in Mansoul

Diabolonians in Mansoul that would work for Diabolus;
1. Mr. Penny-Wise-Pound-Foolish
2. Get-i'the-Hundred-and Lose-i'the-Shire
3. Mr. Profuse
4. Mr. Prodigality
5. Mr. Voluptuous
6. Mr. Pragmatical
7. Mr. Ostentation
[3]

Sources


1. Rev. George Burder, Explanatory, Experimental and Practical Notes. The Holy War. By John Bunyan. Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, [Pref. 1803.]
2. Rev. Robert Maguire, Annotations. The Holy War. By John Bunyan. London: Cassell, Petter and Galpin, c1866.
3. John Bunyan, The Holy War.
4. Charlie Doe, my own comments.