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diff --git a/old/bnmsc10.txt b/old/bnmsc10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e61d2ba --- /dev/null +++ b/old/bnmsc10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1139 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Miscellaneous Pieces, by John Bunyan +#6 in our series by John Bunyan + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.05/20/01*END* +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + + + + + +This etext was produced by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, +from the "Works of the Puritan Divines", 1845 Thomas Nelson edition. + + + + + +MISCELLANEOUS PIECES BY JOHN BUNYAN + + + + +Contents + + Of the Trinity and a Christian + Of the Law and a Christian + Bunyan's Last Sermon + Bunyan's Dying Sayings + + + + +OF THE TRINITY AND A CHRISTIAN + + + +How a young or shaken Christian should demean himself under the weighty +thoughts of the Doctrine of the Trinity or Plurality of Persons in the +eternal Godhead. + + +The reason why I say a YOUNG or SHAKEN Christian, is, because some that +are not young, but of an ancient standing, may not only be assaulted +with violent temptations concerning gospel-principles, but a second +time may become a child, a babe, a shallow man, in the things of God: +especially, either when by backsliding he hath provoked God to leave +him, or when some new, unexpected, and (as to present strength) over +weighty objection doth fall upon the spirit, by means of which great +shakings of mind do commonly attend such a soul in the most weighty +matters of the concerns of faith, of which this is one that I have +supposed in the above-mentioned question: Wherefore passing other +things, I will come directly to that, and briefly propose some helps to +a soul in such a case. + +I. The first preparative. + +First, Then, be sure thou keep close to the Word of God for that is the +revelation of the mind and will of God, both as to the truth of what is +either in himself or ways, and also as to what he requireth and +expecteth of thee, either concerning faith in, or obedience to, what he +hath so revealed. Now for thy better performing of this, I shall give +thee in brief these following directions. + +1. Suffer thyself, by the authority of the Word, to be persuaded that +the Scripture indeed is the Word of God the Scriptures of truth, the +words of the Holy One; and that they therefore must be every one true, +pure, and for ever settled in heaven. + +2. Conclude therefore from the former doctrine, that that God whose +words they are, is able to make a reconciliation and most sweet and +harmonious agreement with all the sayings therein, how obscure, cross, +dark, and contradictory soever they seem to thee. To understand all +mysteries, to have all knowledge, to be able to comprehend with all +saints, is a great work; enough to crush the spirit, and to stretch the +strings of the most capacious, widened soul that breatheth on this side +glory, be they notwithstanding exceedingly enlarged by revelation. +Paul, when he was caught up to heaven, saw that which was unlawful, +because impossible, for man to utter. And saith Christ to the +reasoning Pharisee, "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe +not, how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" It is +great lewdness, and also insufferable arrogancy, to come to the Word of +God, as conceiting already that whatever thou readest must either by +thee be understood, or of itself fall to the ground as a senseless +error. But God is wiser than man, wherefore fear thou him, and tremble +at his word, saying still, with godly suspicion of thine own infirmity, +What I see not, teach thou me; and, Thou art God only wise; but as for +me, I am as a beast before thee. + +3. Take heed of taking a part of the Word only, lest thou thereby go +away with the truth as mangled in pieces. For instance, where thou +readest, "The Lord our God is one Lord," there take heed that thou dost +not thence conclude, then there are not three persons in the Godhead: +when thou readest of "the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," then +take heed of concluding there must therefore either be three Gods, or +else that Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are not true God, but the +Father only. Wherefore to help thee here, observe, + +II. The second preparative. + +1. That the Christian religion requireth credit concerning every +doctrine contained in the Word; credit, I say, according to the true +relation of every sentence that the Holy Ghost hath revealed for the +asserting, maintaining, or vindicating that same truth. + +2. And therefore, hence it is that a Christian is not called a doer, a +reasoner, an objector, and perverse disputer, but a believer. Be thou +an example to "the believers;" and, "believers" were "added to the +church," &c. + +3. Therefore, know again, that the Word, if it saith and expresseth +that this or that is so and so, as to the matter in hand, thou art +bound and obliged, both by the name, profession, and the truth, unto +which thou hast joined thyself, to assent to, confess, and acknowledge +the same, even then when thy carnal reason will not stoop thereto. +"Righteous art thou, O God," saith Jeremiah, "yet let me plead with +thee; Wherefore do the wicked live?" Mark, first he acknowledgeth that +God's way with the wicked is just and right, even then when yet he +could not see the reason of his actions and dispensations towards them. +The same reason is good as to our present case: and hence it is that +the apostle saith, the spiritual armour of Christians should be much +exercised against those high towering and self-exalting imaginations, +that within our own bosoms do exalt themselves against the knowledge of +God; that every thought or carnal reasoning may be not only taken, but +brought a captive into obedience to Christ; that is, be made to stoop +to the Word of God, and to give way and place to the doctrine therein +contained, how cross soever our thoughts and the Word lie to each +other. And it is observable that he here saith, "they exalt themselves +against the knowledge of God;" which cannot be understood, that our +carnal, natural reason doth exalt itself against an eternal deity, +simply considered; for that nature itself doth gather from the very +things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead: it must be +then that they exalt themselves against that God as thus and thus +revealed in the Word, to wit, against the knowledge of one God, +consisting of three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit; for this is the +doctrine of the Scriptures of truth: and therefore it is observable +these thoughts must be brought captive, and be made subject in +particular to the Lord Jesus Christ, as to the second person in the +Godhead: for the Father is ever acknowledged by all that profess the +least of religion; but the Son is that stumbling-stone and rock of +offence, against which thousands dash themselves in pieces; though in +him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and in him +dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily. + + + +OF THE LAW AND A CHRISTIAN + + + +The law was given twice upon Mount Sinai, but the appearance of the +Lord, when he gave it the second time, was wonderfully different from +that of his, when at the first he delivered it to Israel. + +1. When he gave it the first time, he caused his terror and severity +to appear before Moses, to the shaking of his soul and the dismaying of +Israel; but when he gave it the second time, he caused all his goodness +to pass before Moses, to the comfort of his conscience and the bowing +of his heart. + +2. When he gave it the first time, it was with thunderings and +lightnings, with blackness and darkness, with flame and smoke, and a +tearing sound of the trumpet; but when he gave it the second time, it +was with a proclamation of his name to be merciful, gracious, long- +suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for +thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgressions, and sins. + +3. When he gave it the first time, Moses was called to go up to +receive it through the fire, which made him exceedingly fear and quake: +but when he went to receive it the second time, he was laid in a clift +of the rock. + +4. From all which I gather, that, though as to the matter of the law, +both as to its being given the first time and the second, it binds the +unbeliever under the pains of eternal damnation (if he close not with +Christ by faith); yet as to the manner of its giving at these two +times, I think the first doth more principally intend its force as a +covenant of works, not at all respecting the Lord Jesus; but this +second time not (at least in the manner of its being given) respecting +such a covenant, but rather as a rule or directory to those who already +are found in the clift of the rock Christ; for the saint himself, +though he be without law to God, as it is considered the first or old +covenant, yet even he is not without law to him as considered under +grace; not without law to God, but under the law to Christ. + +5. Though, therefore, it be sad with the unbeliever, because he only +and wholly standeth under the law as it is given in fire, in smoke, in +blackness, and darkness, and thunder; all which threaten him with +eternal ruin if he fulfil not the utmost tittle thereof; yet the +believer stands to the law under no such consideration, neither is he +so at all to hear or regard it, for he is now removed from thence to +the blessed mountain of Zion--to grace and forgiveness of sins; he is +now, I say, by faith in the Lord Jesus, shrouded under so perfect and +blessed a righteousness, that this thundering law of Mount Sinai cannot +find the least fault or diminution therein, but rather approveth and +alloweth thereof, either when or wherever it find it. This is called +the righteousness of God without the law, and also said to be witnessed +by both the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God, which +is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; +for there is no difference. + +6. Wherefore, whenever thou who believest in Jesus, dost hear the law +in its thundering and lightning fits, as if it would burn up heaven and +earth, then say thou, I am freed from this law, these thunderings have +nothing to do with my soul; nay, even this law, while it thus thunders +and roars, it doth both allow and approve of my righteousness. I know +that Hagar would sometimes be domineering and high, even in Sarah's +house, and against her; but this she is not to be suffered to do, nay, +though Sarah herself be barren; wherefore, serve it also as Sarah +served her, and expel her out from thy house. My meaning is, when this +law with its thundering threatenings doth attempt to lay hold on thy +conscience, shut it out with a promise of grace; cry, The inn is taken +up already; the Lord Jesus is here entertained, and here is no room for +the law. Indeed, if it will be content with being my informer, and so +lovingly leave off to judge me, I will be content, it shall be in my +sight, I will also delight therein; but otherwise, I being now made +upright without it, and that too with that righteousness which this law +speaks well of and approveth, I may not, will not, cannot dare not make +it my Saviour and judge, nor suffer it to set up its government in my +conscience; for by so doing, I fall from grace, and Christ Jesus doth +profit me nothing. + +7. Thus, therefore, the soul that is married to him that is raised up +from the dead, both may and ought to deal with this law of God; yea, it +doth greatly dishonour its Lord and refuse its gospel privileges, if it +at any time otherwise doth, whatever it seeth or feels. "The law hath +power over the wife so long as her husband liveth, but if her husband +be dead she is freed from that law; so that she is no adulteress though +she be married to another man." Indeed, so long as thou art alive to +sin, and to thy righteousness which is of the law, so long thou hast +them for thy husband, and they must reign over thee; but when once they +are become dead unto thee--as they then most certainly will when thou +closest with the Lord Jesus Christ--then, I say, thy former husbands +have no more to meddle with thee; thou art freed from their law. Set +the case: A woman be cast into prison for a debt of hundreds of +pounds; if after this she marry, yea, though while she is in the +jailor's hand, in the same day that she is joined to her husband, her +debt is all become his; yea, and the law also that arrested and +imprisoned this woman, as freely tells her, go: she is freed, saith +Paul, from that; and so saith the law of this land. + +The sum, then, of what hath been said is this--The Christian hath now +nothing to do with the law, as it thundereth and burneth on Sinai, or +as it bindeth the conscience to wrath and the displeasure of God for +sin; for from its thus appearing, it is freed by faith in Christ. Yet +it is to have regard thereto, and is to count it holy, just, and good; +which, that it may do, it is always, whenever it seeth or regards it, +to remember that he who giveth it to us "is merciful, gracious, long- +suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth," &c. + + + + +BUNYAN'S LAST SERMON--PREACHED JULY 1688. + + + +"Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of +the will of man, but of God;" John i. 13. + +The words have a dependence on what goes before, and therefore I must +direct you to them for the right understanding of it. You have it +thus,--"He came to his own, but his own received him not; but as many +as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even +to them which believe on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor +of the will of the flesh, but of God." In the words before, you have +two things - + +First, Some of his own rejecting him when he offered himself to them. + +Secondly, Others of his own receiving him, and making him welcome. +Those that reject him he also passes by; but those that receive him, he +gives them power to become the sons of God. Now, lest any one should +look upon it as good luck or fortune, says he, "They were born, not of +blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of +God." They that did not receive him, they were only born of flesh and +blood; but those that receive him, they have God to their father, they +receive the doctrine of Christ with a vehement desire. + +First, I will shew you what he means by "blood." They that believe are +born to it, as an heir is to an inheritance; they are born of God; not +of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God; not of blood--that is, +not by generation; not born to the kingdom of heaven by the flesh; not +because I am the son of a godly man or woman. That is meant by blood, +Acts xvii. 26, "He has made of one blood all nations." But when he +says here, "not of blood," he rejects all carnal privileges they did +boast of. They boasted they were Abraham's seed. No, no, says he, it +is not of blood; think not to say you have Abraham to your father, you +must be born of God if you go to the kingdom of heaven. + +Secondly, "Nor of the will of the flesh." What must we understand by +that? + +It is taken for those vehement inclinations that are in man to all +manner of looseness, fulfilling the desires of the flesh. That must +not be understood here; men are made the children of God by fulfilling +their lustful desires; it must be understood here in the best sense. +There is not only in carnal men a will to be vile, but there is in them +a will to be saved also--a will to go to heaven also. But this it will +not do, it will not privilege a man in the things of the kingdom of +God. Natural desires after the things of another world, they are not +an argument to prove a man shall go to heaven whenever he dies. I am +not a free willer, I do abhor it; yet there is not the wickedest man +but he desires some time or other to be saved. He will read some time +or other, or, it may be, pray; but this will not do--"It is not in him +that wills, nor in him that runs, but in God that shews mercy;" there +is willing and running, and yet to no purpose; Rom. ix. 16, "Israel, +which followed after the law of righteousness, have not obtained it." +Here I do not understand as if the apostle had denied a virtuous course +of life to be the way to heaven, but that a man without grace, though +he have natural gifts, yet he shall not obtain privilege to go to +heaven, and be the son of God. Though a man without grace may have a +will to be saved, yet he cannot have that will God's way. Nature, it +cannot know anything but the things of nature; the things of God knows +no man but by the Spirit of God; unless the Spirit of God be in you, it +will leave you on this side the gates of heaven--"Not of blood, nor of +the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." It may be +some may have a will, a desire that Ishmael may be saved; know this, it +will not save thy child. If it were our will, I would have you all go +to heaven. How many are there in the world that pray for their +children, and cry for them, and ready to die; and this will not do? +God's will is the rule of all; it is only through Jesus Christ, "which +were born, not of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Now I +come to the doctrine. + +Men that believe in Jesus Christ to the effectual receiving of Jesus +Christ, they are born to it. He does not say they SHALL be born to it, +but they ARE born to it; born of God, unto God, and the things of God, +before they receive God to eternal salvation. "Except a man be born +again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Now unless he be born of +God, he cannot see it. Suppose the kingdom of God be what it will, he +cannot see it before he be begotten of God; suppose it be the Gospel, +he cannot see it before he be brought into a state of regeneration; +believing is the consequence of the new birth, "not of blood, nor of +the will of man, but of God." + +First, I will give you a clear description of it under one similitude +or two. A child, before it be born into the world, is in the dark +dungeon of its mother's womb; so a child of God, before he be born +again, is in the dark dungeon of sin, sees nothing of the kingdom of +God, therefore it is called a new birth; the same soul has love one way +in its carnal condition, another way when it is born again. + +Secondly, As it is compared to a birth, resembling a child in his +mother's womb, so it is compared to a man being raised out of the +grave; and to be born again is to be raised out of the grave of sin-- +"Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall +give thee life." To be raised from the grave of sin is to be begotten +and born; Rev. i. 5. There is a famous instance of Christ--"He is the +first-begotten from the dead, he is the first-born from the dead;" unto +which our regeneration alludeth,--that is, if you be born again by +seeking those things that are above, then there is a similitude betwixt +Christ's resurrection and the new birth; which were born, which were +restored out of this dark world, and translated out of the kingdom of +this dark world into the kingdom of his dear Son, and made us live a +new life; this is to be born again; and he that is delivered from the +mother's womb, it is the help of the mother; so he that is born of God, +it is by the Spirit of God. I must give you a few consequences of new +birth. + +First of all, a child, you know, is incident to cry as soon as it comes +into the world; for if there be no noise, they say it is dead. You +that are born of God, and Christians, if you be not criers, there is no +spiritual life in you; if you be born of God, you are crying ones; as +soon as he has raised you out of the dark dungeon of sin, you cannot +but cry to God, What must I do to be saved? As soon as ever God had +touched the jailor, he cries out, "Men and brethren, what must I do to +be saved?" Oh! how many prayerless professors are there in London that +never pray? Coffee-houses will not let you pray, trades will not let +you pray, looking-glasses will not let you pray; but if you were born +of God, you would. + +Secondly, It is not only natural for a child to cry, but it must crave +the breast, it cannot live without the breast; therefore Peter makes it +the true trial of a new-born babe; the new-born babe desires the +sincere milk of the Word, that he may grow thereby. If you be born of +God, make it manifest by desiring the breast of God. Do you long for +the milk of promises? A man lives one way when he is in the world, +another way when he is brought unto Jesus Christ; Isa. lxvi., "They +shall suck, and be satisfied." If you be born again, there is no +satisfaction till you get the milk of God's word into your souls; Isa. +lxvi. 11, "To suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation." +O what is a promise to a carnal man; a whorehouse, it may be, is more +sweet to him; but if you be born again, you cannot live without the +milk of God's word. What is a woman's breast to a horse? But what is +it to a child? There is its comfort night and day, there is its +succour night and day. O how loath is he it should be taken from him. +Minding heavenly things, says a carnal man, is but vanity; but to a +child of God, there is his comfort. + +Thirdly, A child that is newly born, if it have not other comforts to +keep it warm than it had in its mother's womb, it dies. It must have +something got for its succour; so Christ had swaddling clothes prepared +for him; so those that are born again, they must have some promise of +Christ to keep them alive. Those that are in a carnal state, they warm +themselves with other things; but those that are born again, they +cannot live without some promise of Christ to keep them alive, as he +did to the poor infant in Ezekiel xvii., "I covered thee with +embroidered gold." And when women are with child, what fine things +will they prepare for their child! O but what fine things has Christ +prepared to wrap all in that are born again! O what wrappings of gold +has Christ prepared for all that are born again! Women will dress +their children, that every one may see them how fine they are; so he in +Ezekiel xvi. 11--"I decked thee also with ornaments, and I also put +bracelets upon thine hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel +on thy forehead, and ear-rings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown +upon thine head;" and, says he in the 13th verse, "thou didst prosper +to a kingdom." This is to set out nothing in the world but the +righteousness of Christ, and the graces of the Spirit, without which a +new-born babe cannot live, unless he have the golden righteousness of +Christ. + +Fourthly, A child when it is in its mother's lap, the mother takes +great delight to have that which will he for its comfort; so it is with +God's children, they shall he kept on his knee; Isaiah lxvi. 11, "They +shall stick and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation." +Ver. 13, "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you." +There is a similitude in these things that nobody knows of but those +that are born again. + +Fifthly, There is usually some similitude betwixt the father and the +child; it may be the child looks like its father; so those that are +born again, they have a new similitude, they have the image of Jesus +Christ (Gal. iv.), every one that is born of God has something of the +features of heaven upon him. Men love those children that are likest +them most usually; so does God his children; therefore they are called +the children of God. But others do not look like him, therefore they +are called Sodomites. Christ describes children of the devil by their +features; the children of the devil, his works they will do; all works +of unrighteousness, they are the devil's works. If you are earthly, +you have borne the image of the earthly; if heavenly, you have borne +the image of the heavenly. + +Sixthly, When a man has a child, he trains him up to his own liking, he +learns the custom of his father's house; so are those that are born of +God; they have learned the custom of the true church of God, there they +learn to cry, My Father and my God; they are brought up in God's house, +they learn the method and form of God's house for regulating their +lives in this world. + +Seventhly, Children, it is natural for them to depend upon their father +for what they want. If they want a pair of shoes, they go and tell +him; if they want bread, they go and tell him; so should the children +of God do. Do you want spiritual bread? go tell God of it. Do you +want strength of grace? ask it of God. Do you want strength against +Satan's temptations? go and tell God of it. When the devil tempts you, +run home and tell your heavenly Father; go pour out your complaints to +God. This is natural to children; if any wrong them, they go and tell +their father; so do those that are born of God, when they meet with +temptations, go and tell God of them. + +The first use is this, to make a strict inquiry whether you be born of +God or not. Examine by those things I laid down before of a child of +nature and a child of grace. Are you brought out of the dark dungeon +of this world into Christ? have you learned to cry, My Father? Jer. +iii. 16, "And I said, Thou shalt call me thy Father." All God's +children are criers. Can you be quiet without you have a bellyful of +the milk of God's word? Can you be satisfied without you have peace +with God? Pray you consider it, and be serious with yourselves. If +you have not these marks, you will fall short of the kingdom of God, +you shall never have an interest there; there is no intruding. They +will say, "Lord, Lord, open to us; and he will say, I know you not." +No child of God, no heavenly inheritance. We sometimes give something +to those that are not our children, but not our lands. O do not +flatter yourselves with a portion among the sons, unless you live like +sons. When we see a king's son play with a beggar, this is unbecoming; +so if you be the king's children, live like the king's children. If +you be risen with Christ, set your affections on things above, and not +on things below. When you come together, talk of what your Father +promised you; you should all love your Father's will, and be content +and pleased with the exercises you meet with in the world. If you are +the children of God, live together lovingly. If the world quarrel with +you, it is no matter; but it is sad if you quarrel together. If this +be amongst you, it is a sign of ill-breeding, it is not according to +rules you have in the Word of God. Dost thou see a soul that has the +image of God in him? Love him, love him; say, This man and I must go +to heaven one day. Serve one another, do good for one another; and if +any wrong you, pray to God to right you, and love the brotherhood. + +Lastly, If you be the children of God, learn that lesson: "Gird up the +loins of your mind as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves +according to your former conversation; but be ye holy in all manner of +conversation." Consider that the holy God is your father, and let this +oblige you to live like the children of God, that you may look your +Father in the face with comfort another day. + + + +BUNYAN'S DYING SAYINGS. + + + +OF SIN. + +Sin is the great block and bar to our happiness, the procurer of all +miseries to man, both here and hereafter; take away sin, and nothing +can hurt us; for death temporal, spiritual, and eternal, is the wages +of it. + +Sin, and man for sin, is the object of the wrath of God. How dreadful +therefore must his case be who continues in sin; for who can bear and +grapple with the wrath of God? + +No sin against God can be little, because it is against the great God +of heaven and earth; but if the sinner can find out a LITTLE God, it +may be easy to find out little sins. + +Sin turns all God's grace into wantonness: it is the DARE of his +justice; the RAPE of his mercy; the JEER of his patience; the SLIGHT of +his power; and the CONTEMPT of his love. + +Take heed of giving thyself liberty of committing one sin, for that +will lead thee to another; till by an ill custom it become natural. + +To begin sin is to lay a foundation for a continuance; this continuance +is the mother of custom, and impudence at last the issue. + +The death of Christ giveth us the best discovery of ourselves; in what +condition we were, so that nothing could help us but that; and the most +clear discovery of the dreadful nature of our sins. For if sin be such +a dreadful thing as to wring the heart of the Son of God, how shall a +poor wretched sinner be able to bear it? + +OF AFFLICTION. + +Nothing can render affliction so heavy as the load of sin; would you +therefore be fitted for afflictions, be sure to get the burden of your +SINS laid aside, and then what afflictions soever you meet with will be +very easy to you. + +If thou canst hear and bear the rod of affliction which God shall lay +upon thee, remember this lesson, thou art BEATEN that thou mayst be +better. + +The Lord useth his FLAIL of tribulation to separate the chaff from the +wheat. + +The school of the cross is the school of light; it discovers the +world's vanity, baseness, and wickedness, and lets us see more of God's +mind. Out of dark affliction comes a spiritual light. + +In times of affliction we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences +of the love of God. + +Did we heartily renounce the pleasures of this world, we should be very +little troubled for our afflictions; that which renders an afflicted +state so insupportable to many, is because they are too much addicted +to the pleasures of this life; and so cannot endure that which makes a +separation between them. + +OF REPENTANCE AND COMING TO CHRIST. + +The end of affliction is the discovery of sin; and of THAT to bring us +to the Saviour; let us therefore, with the prodigal, return unto him, +and we shall find ease and rest. + +A returning penitent, though formerly bad as the worst of men, may by +grace become as good as the best. + +To be truly sensible of sin, is to sorrow for DISPLEASING of God: to +be afflicted, that he is displeased BY US more than that he is +displeased WITH us. + +Your intentions to repentance, and the neglect of that soul-saving +duty, will rise up in judgment against you. + +Repentance carries with it a DIVINE RHETORIC, and persuades Christ to +forgive multitudes of sins committed against him. + +Say not to thyself, to-morrow I will repent; for it is thy duty to do +it daily. + +The gospel of grace and salvation is above all doctrine the most +dangerous, if it be received in WORD only by graceless men; if it be +not attended with a sensible need of a Saviour, and bring them to him; +for such men only as have the NOTION of it, are of all men most +miserable; for by reason of their knowing more than heathens, this +shall only be their final portion, that they shall have greater +stripes. + +OF PRAYER. + +Before you enter into prayer, ask thy soul these questions, 1. To what +END, O my soul! art thou retired into this place? Art thou come to +converse with the Lord in prayer? Is he present, will he hear thee? +Is he merciful, will he help thee? Is thy business slight, is it not +concerning the welfare of thy soul? What words wilt thou use to move +him to compassion? + +To make thy preparation complete, consider that thou art but DUST and +ASHES; and he the great God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, THAT +CLOTHES HIMSELF WITH LIGHT AS WITH A GARMENT; that thou art a vile +sinner, and he a holy God; that thou art but a poor crawling worm, and +he the omnipotent Creator. + +In all your prayers, forget not to thank the Lord for his mercies. + +When thou prayest, rather let thy heart be without WORDS than thy words +without HEART. + +Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to +cease from prayer. + +The spirit of prayer is more precious than thousands of gold and +silver. + +Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and +a scourge for Satan. + +OF THE LORD'S-DAYS, SERMONS, AND WEEK-DAYS. + +Have a special care to sanctify the Lord's-day; for as thou keepest it, +so will it be with thee all the week long. + +Make the Lord's-day the MARKET for thy soul; let the whole day be spent +in prayer, repetitions, or meditations; lay aside the affairs of the +other parts of the week; let the sermon thou hast heard be converted +into PRAYER: shall God allow thee six days, and wilt thou not afford +him one? + +In the church, be careful to serve God; for thou art in his eyes, and +not in man's. + +Thou mayst hear sermons often, and do well in practising what thou +hearest; but thou must not expect to be told in a pulpit all that thou +oughtest to do, but be studious in reading the Scriptures, and other +good books; what thou hearest may be forgotten, but what thou readest +may better be retained. + +Forsake not the public worship of God, lest God forsake thee; not only +in public, but in private. + +On the week-day, when thou risest in the morning, consider, 1. Thou +must die; 2. Thou mayst die that minute; 3. What will become of thy +soul. Pray often. At night consider, 1. What sins thou hast +committed; 2. How often thou hast prayed; 3. What hath thy mind been +bent upon; 4. What hath been thy dealing; 5. What thy conversation; +6. If thou callest to mind the errors of the day, sleep not without a +confession to God, and a hope of pardon. Thus, every morning and +evening make up thy account with Almighty God, and thy reckoning will +be the less at last. + +OF THE LOVE OF THE WORLD. + +Nothing more hinders a soul from coming to Christ than a vain love of +the WORLD; and till a soul is freed from it, it can never have a true +love for God. + +What are the honours and riches of this world, when compared to the +glories of a crown of life? + +Love not the world, for it is a moth in a Christian's life. + +To despise the world is the way to enjoy heaven; and blessed are they +who delight to converse with God by prayer. + +What folly can be greater than to labour for the meat that perisheth, +and neglect the food of eternal life? + +God or the world must be neglected at PARTING time, for then is the +time of trial. + +To seek yourself in this life is to be lost; and to be humble is to be +exalted. + +The epicure that delighteth in the dainties of this world, little +thinketh that those very creatures will one day witness against him. + +ON SUFFERING. + +It is not every suffering that makes a man a martyr; but suffering for +the Word of God after a right manner; that is, not only for +RIGHTEOUSNESS, but for righteousness' sake; not only for TRUTH, but out +of love to truth; not only for God's Word, but according to it: to +wit, in that holy, humble, meek manner, as the Word of God requireth. + +It is a rare thing to suffer aright, and to have my spirit in suffering +bent against God's enemy, sin. Sin in doctrine, sin in worship, sin in +life, and sin in conversation. + +Neither the devil, nor men of the world, can kill thy righteousness, or +love to it, but by thy own hand; or separate that and thee asunder, +without thy own act. Nor will he that doth indeed suffer for the sake +of it, or out of love he bears thereto, be tempted to EXCHANGE it for +the good will of the whole world. + +I have often thought that the best of Christians are found in the worst +times: and I have thought again, that one reason why we are not better +is, because God purges us no more. Noah and Lot, who so HOLY as they +in the time of their afflictions! and yet, who so IDLE as they in the +time of their prosperity? + +OF DEATH AND JUDGMENT. + +As the devil labours by all means to keep out other things that are +good, so to keep out of the heart as much as in him lies, the thoughts +of passing out of this life into another world; for he knows if he can +but keep them from the serious thoughts of DEATH, he shall the more +easily keep them in their sins. + +Nothing will make us more earnest in working out the work of our +salvation than a frequent meditation of mortality; nothing hath a +greater influence for the taking off our hearts from vanities, and for +the begetting in us desires for holiness. + +O! sinner, what a condition wilt thou fall into when thou departest the +world; if thou depart unconverted, thou hadst better have been +SMOTHERED the first hour thou wast born; thou hadst better have been +plucked one limb from the other; thou hadst better have been made a +dog, a toad, a serpent, than to die unconverted; and this thou wilt +find true if thou repent not. + +A man would be counted a fool to slight a judge before whom he is to +have a trial of his whole estate. The trial we are to have before God +is of OTHERWISE importance; it concerns our eternal happiness or +misery, and yet dare we affront him. + +The only way for us to escape that terrible judgment is to be often +passing a sentence of condemnation upon ourselves here. + +When the sound of the trumpet shall be heard, which shall summon the +dead to appear before the tribunal of God, the righteous shall hasten +out of their graves with joy to meet their Redeemer in the clouds; +others shall call to the mountains and hills to fall upon them, to +cover them from the sight of their judge; let us, therefore, in time be +POSING ourselves which of the TWO we shall be. + +OF THE JOYS OF HEAVEN. + +There is no good in this life but what is mingled with some evil: +honours perplex, riches disquiet, and pleasures ruin health. But in +heaven we shall find blessings in their purity, without any ingredient +to imbitter; with everything to sweeten it. + +O! who is able to conceive the inexpressible, inconceivable joys that +are there! None but they who have tasted of them. Lord, help us to +put such a value upon them here, that in order to prepare ourselves for +them, we may be willing to forego the loss of all those deluding +pleasures here. + +How will the heavens echo for joy, when the bride, the Lamb's wife, +shall come to dwell with her husband for ever! + +Christ is the desire of nations, the joy of angels, the delight of the +Father; what solace then must the soul be filled with, that hath the +possession of him to all eternity! + +O! what acclamations of joy will there be, when all the children of God +shall meet together, without fear of being disturbed by the anti- +Christian and Cainish brood. + +Is there not a time coming when the godly may ask the wicked, what +profit they have in their pleasure? what comfort in their greatness? +and what fruit in all their labour? + +If you would be better satisfied what the beatifical vision means, my +request is, that you would live HOLILY and go and see. + +OF THE TORMENTS OF HELL. + +Heaven and salvation is not surely MORE promised to the godly, than +hell and damnation is threatened to, and shall be executed on, the +wicked. + +Oh! who knows the power of God's wrath? None but damned ones. + +Sinners' company are the devil and his angels, tormented in everlasting +fire with a curse. + +Hell would be a kind of paradise, if it were no worse than the WORST of +this world. + +As different as grief is from joy, as torment from rest, as terror from +peace; so different is the state of sinners from that of SAINTS in the +world to come. + + + + + +Endo of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Miscellaneous Pieces, by John Bunyan + diff --git a/old/bnmsc10.zip b/old/bnmsc10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5ba2418 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/bnmsc10.zip |