8 O how few professors feel that the judgment of man is as nothing in comparison with that of a heart-searching God. Thousands would tremble at the thought of outwardly committing these great crimes, but who inwardly, in spirit, are daily guilty of them before God. He who is kept by Divine power from spiritual sins, is alone safe from the commission of carnal sins.—Ed.
9 It is an awful fact that in every age of the church these "blundering raw-headed preachers" have abounded. It is a singular appellation to make use of to those who strut in black, and vainly pride themselves upon being descended from the apostles. Alas! how many are those whose hearts and heads are raw indeed as to any influences of vital religion, and whose whole ministry is calculated to mislead the souls of their fellow-sinners as to their eternal hopes. Reader, how solemn is our duty to examine what we hear by the unerring Word—to try all things, and hold fast that only which is good.—Ed.
10 More particularly in the "Jerusalem Sinner Saved"—"He that would be saved by Jesus Christ, through faith in his blood, cannot be counted for such," &c. The sin against the Holy Ghost is an abandonment of Christianity—"to crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." (Heb 6:6) Poor trembler, wouldst thou crucify the Son of God afresh? If thy conscience says, Never! never! thou hast not committed this unpardonable sin.—Ed.
11 The wedding garments being provided by the host, this man must have refused it, and insults his King by sitting among the guests in his ordinary apparel. O reader, before you take a seat at the Lord's table, take prayerful care to be clothed with the robe of righteousness, otherwise you will eat to your utter condemnation and may, after all, be cast into outer darkness.—Ed.
12 May these searching words make an indelible impression upon the heart of every reader. How striking, and alas! how true, is this delineation of character. Religious when in company with professors—profane when with the world; pretending to be a Christian on a Sunday; striving to climb with Christian the Hill Difficulty—every other day running down the hill with Timorous and Mistrust. Such may get to the bottom of the hill, and hide themselves in the world; but they can never lie concealed from God's anger, either in this world, or in the bottomless pit, whither they are hurrying to destruction.
"Sinner, O why so thoughtless grown? Why in such dreadful hast to die?"—Ed.
13 "Tend it," or attend to it. What madness does sin engender and foster! The trifles of time entirely occupy the attention, while the momentous affairs of eternity are put off to a more convenient opportunity.—Ed.
14 Lowth's translation of this passage in Isaiah 6:13 not only confirms Bunyan, but exhibits his view in a more prominent light:—"And though there be a tenth part remaining in it, even this shall undergo a repeated destruction; yet as the ilex and the oak, though cut down, hath its stock remaining, a holy seed shall be the stock of the nation."—Ed.
15 How solemn the thought—there is but little wheat in comparison with all the grass and vegetable produce of the earth; and in the harvest how much chaff and straw, which grew with the wheat, will be cast out! Well may it be said, Look to it, professors.—Ed.
16 The word "faith" was changed in 1737 for "repentance," which has been continued in subsequent editions; "faith" is right. Awakenings and repentance are classed together under the first head, and faith under the second.—Ed.