[150] See the effects of sin. It will pinch and gripe the conscience, and make the heart of a gracious soul sick—(Mason). Matthew, in being admitted a member of the church, represented by the house Beautiful and its happy family, had to relate his experience, and this brought to his recollection plashing the trees, and eating the enemy's fruit, of which his brother also reminds them—(ED).
[151] How often do we suffer by neglecting the cautions of a pious parent or friend. 'In time of temptation it is our duty to keep close to the Word, then we have Satan at the end of the staff. When Eve was tempted, she went to the outside of her liberty, and sat herself on the brink of danger, when she said, we may eat of all but one.'—(Bunyan on Genesis, vol. 2, p. 429). Christiana had chided the boys: 'You transgress, for that fruit is none of ours.' Still the boys went on, and now Matthew feels the bitterness of repentance—(ED).
[152] Although the mother did warn and chide her son, yet she did not use her authority to prevent his taking the fruit which belonged to another. She takes the fault home, falls under the sense of it, and is grieved for it. A tender conscience is a blessed sign of a gracious heart. Ye parents, who know the love of Christ, watch over your children; see to it, lest you smart for your sins, in not warning and preventing them, that 'the fear of the Lord is to depart from all evil'; yea, to abstain from the very appearance of it—(Mason, altered by ED).
[153] Mr. Bunyan's great modesty and humility are truly admirable; he quotes Latin, but is careful to tell us, 'The Latin I borrow' [in his notes]. The English is, 'Of the flesh and of the blood of Christ.' This is the only portion for sin-sick souls. Feeding upon Christ's flesh and blood by faith, keeps us from sinning, and when sick of sin, these, and nothing but these, can heal and restore us. Yet there is in our nature an unaccountable reluctance to receive these, through the unbelief which works in us. So Matthew found it—(Mason).
[154] See the blessed effects of receiving Christ, when under the sense of sin, and distressed for sin. O what a precious Saviour is Jesus! What efficacy is there in His flesh and blood, to purge the conscience from guilt! Lord, what a mercy is it, that though we sin, yet Thou art abundant to pardon, yea, multipliest Thy pardons; yea, and also giveth poor, pained, broken-hearted sinners to know and feel Thy pardoning love!—(Mason).
[155] How correctly are the effects of an indulgence in sinful lusts described. Sin and sorrow are inseparable. The burdened conscience of a backslider can be relieved in no other way, than that in which it was first 'purged from dead works,' by exercising faith in the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus as the only sacrifice for sin, 'If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness' (Gal. 6:1). 'Flee youthful lusts,' and be upon your guard against the fruit of Beelzebub's orchard—(Ivimey).
[156] The relation of Matthew's sickness, and the method of his cure, may be justly esteemed among the finest passages of this work. He ate the fruit of Beelzebub's orchard, sin, the disease of the soul, threatening eternal death. It is an unspeakable mercy to be exceedingly pained with it. Such need the physician, and the remedy is at hand.
Nothing but Thy blood, O Jesus!
Can relieve us from our smart;
Nothing else from guilt release us
Nothing else can melt the heart—(Hart).
It is the universal medicine; blessed are those that will never take
any other physic—(Burder).
[157] This advice should be carefully noted. Numbers abuse the doctrine of free salvation by the merits and redemption of Christ, and presume on forgiveness, when they are destitute of genuine repentance, and give no evidence of sanctification. But this most efficacious medicine in that case will do no good; or rather, the perverse abuse of it will increase their guilt, and tend to harden their hearts in sin—(Scott).
[158] Bunyan's bill of his Master's water of life—'As men, in their bills, do give an account of the persons cured, and the diseases removed, so could I give you account of numberless numbers that have not only been made to live, but to live forever, by drinking this pure water of life. No disease comes amiss to it. It cures blindness, deafness, dumbness, deadness. This right holy water (all other is counterfeit) will drive away evil spirits. It will make you have a white soul, and that is better than a white skin.'—(Bunyan's Water of Life). Whoever offers to purify the heart, and heal a wounded conscience, by any other means, is a deceiver and a soul-destroyer—(ED).