Works of John Bunyan: The Greatness of The Soul And Unspeakableness of the Loss Thereof; The Power Of Christ To Save, Or To Cast Out, 298

 

But I shall say, as I said before, this has oftentimes been the lot of God’s people. And, “There hath no temptation overtaken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able” (1 Cor 10:13). See the Book of Job, the Book of Psalms, and the Lamentations. And remember further, that Christ himself was tempted to blaspheme, to worship the devil, and to murder himself, (Matt 4; Luke 4); temptations worse than which thou canst hardly be overtaken with. But he was sinless, that is true. And he is thy Saviour, and that is as true! Yea, it is also true that, by his being tempted, he became the conqueror of the tempter, and a succourer of those that are tempted (Col 2:14,15; Heb 2:15; 4:15,16).

Quest. But what should the reason that some are coming to

Christ be so lamentably cast down and buffeted with temptations?

Answ. It may be for several reasons.

1. Some who are coming to Christ cannot be persuaded until the temptation comes, that they are as vile as the Scripture says they are. True, they see so much of their wretchedness as to drive them to Christ. But there is an over and above of wickedness that they do not see. Peter little thought that he had had cursing, swearing, and lying, and an inclination in his heart to deny his Master, before the temptation came; but when that indeed came upon him, then he found it there to his sorrow (John 13:36–38; Mark 14:36–40; 68-72).

2. Some that are coming to Jesus Christ are too much affected by their own graces, and too little taken with Christ’s person; therefore, God, takes them off from doting upon their own jewels, so that they might look more to the person, undertaking, and merits of his Son, plunges them into the ditch by temptations. And this I take to be the meaning of Job, “If I wash myself,” said he, “with snow-water, and make my hands never so clean, yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall abhor me” (Job 9:30). Job had been a little too numbering with his own graces, and setting his excellencies a little too high; as these texts make manifest: Job 33:8-13, 34:5-10, 35:2,3, 38:1,2, 40:105, 42:3-6. But by that, the temptations were ended, and you find him better taught.

Yea, God doth ofttimes, even for this thing, as it were, take our graces from us, and so leave us almost quite to ourselves and to the tempter, that we may learn not to love the picture more than the person of his Son. See how he dealt with them in the 16th of Ezekiel, and the second of Hosea.

3. Perhaps thou hast been given too much to judge thy brother, to condemn thy brother, because a poor tempted man. And God, to bring down the pride of thy heart, let the tempter loose upon thee, that thou also mayst feel thyself weak. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov 16:18).

4. It may be thou hast dealt a little too roughly with those that God has this way wounded, not considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. And therefore God hath suffered it to come unto you (Gal 6:1).

5. It may be that you were given to slumber and sleep, and therefore these temptations were sent to awaken you. You know that Peter’s temptation came upon him after his sleeping; then, instead of watching and praying, he denied, and denied, and denied his Master (Matt 26).

6. It may be thou hast presumed too far, and stood too much in thine own strength, and therefore is a time of temptation come upon thee. This was also one cause why it came upon Peter—Though all men forsake thee, yet I will not. Ah! That is indeed the way to be tempted (John 13:36–38).

7. It may be that God intends to make thee wise, to speak a word in season to others that are afflicted; and therefore he suffers thee to be tempted. Christ was tempted so that he might be able to succour those who are tempted (Heb 2:18).

8. It may be Satan hath dared God to suffer him to tempt thee; promising himself, that if he will but let him do it, thou wilt curse him to his face. Thus he obtained leave against Job; therefore, take heed, tempted soul, lest thou provest the devil’s sayings true (Job 1:11).

9. It may be thy graces must be tried in the fire, that that rust that cleaves to them may be taken away, and themselves proved, both before angels and devils, to be far better than of gold that perished; it may also be that thy graces are to receive special praise, honor, and glory, at the coming of the Lord Jesus to judgment, for all the exploits that thou hast acted by them against hell, and its infernal crew, in the day of thy temptation (1 Peter 1:6,7).

10. It may be God would have others learn by thy sighs, groans, and complaints, under temptation, to beware of those sins for the sake of which thou art at present delivered to the tormentors.

But to conclude this, put the worst to the worst—and then things will be bad enough—suppose that thou art to this day without the grace of God, yet thou art but a miserable creature, a sinner, that hath need of a blessed Saviour; and the text presents thee with one as good and kind as heart can wish; who also for thy encouragement saith, “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”