Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; SAVED BY GRACE. 355

 

QUEST. I.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED?

This question supposed that there is such a thing as damnation due to man for sin, for to save supposed the person to be saved to be in a sad condition; saving, to him that is not lost, signifies nothing, neither is it anything in itself. "To save, to redeem, to deliver" are in the general terms equivalent, and they all of them suppose us to be in a state of thralldom and misery; therefore, this word "saved," in the sense that the apostle here doth use it, is a word of great worth, forasmuch as the miseries from which we are saved is the misery of all most dreadful.

The miseries from which they that shall be saved shall by their salvation be delivered are dreadful; they are no less than sin, the curse of God, and flames of hell forever. What is more abominable than sin? What is more insupportable than the dreadful wrath of an angry God? And what more fearful than the bottomless pit of hell? What more fearful than to be tormented there for ever with the devil and his angels? Now, to "save," according to my text, is to deliver the sinner from these, with all things else that attend them. And although sinners may think that it is no hard matter to answer this question, I must tell you no man can feelingly know what it is to be saved, that knows not experimentally something of the dread of these three things, as is evident, because all others do even by their practice count it a thing of no great concern, when yet it is of all other of the highest concern among men; "For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matt 16:26).

But, I say, if this word "saved" concluded our deliverance from sin, how can he tell what it is to be saved that hath not in his conscience groaned under the burden of sin? Yeah, it is impossible else that he should ever cry out with all his heart, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"—that is, do to be saved (Acts 2:37). The man that hath no sores or aches cannot know the virtue of the salve; I mean, not know it from his own experience, and therefore cannot prize, nor have that esteem of it, as he that hath received cure thereby. Clap a plaster to a good place, and that maketh, not its virtue of appearing; neither can he to whose flesh it is so applied, by that application understand its worth. Sinners, you, I mean, that are not wounded with guilt and oppressed with the burden of sin, you cannot—I will repeat it—you cannot know, in this senseless condition of yours, what it is to be saved.

Again, this word "saved," as I said, concludes deliverance from the wrath of God. How, then, can he tell what it is to be saved that hath not felt the burden of the wrath of God? He—he that is astonished by, and that trembled at, the wrath of God—he knows best what it is to be saved (Acts 16:29).

Further, the word "saved" concluded deliverance from death and hell. How, then, can he tell what it is to be saved that never was sensible of the sorrows of the one nor distressed with the pains of the other? The Psalmist says, "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord"—(mark, then), "then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul,"—then, in my distress. When he knew what it was to be saved, he called because, I say, he knew what it was to be saved (Psa 18:4,5; 116:3,4). I say this is the man, and this only, that knows what it is to be saved. And this is evident, as is manifest by the little regard that the rest have for saving or the little dread they have of damnation. Where is he that seeks and groans for salvation? Where is he that hath taken his flight for salvation because of the dread of the wrath to come? "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matt 3:7). Alas! Do not the most set light by salvation?—as for sin, how do they love it, embrace it, please themselves with it, hide it within their mouth, and keep it close under their tongue. Besides, for the wrath of God, they feel it not, they fly not from it; and for hell, it becomes a doubt to many, if there be any, and a mock to those whose doubt is resolved by atheism.

But to come to the question—What is it to be saved? To be saved may either respect salvation in the whole of it, salvation in the parts of it, or both. I think this text respected both—to wit, salvation completing, and salvation completed, for "to save" is a work of many steps; or, to be as plain as possible, "to save" is a work that hath its beginning before the world began, and shall not be completed before it is ended.

First, then, we may be said to be saved in the purpose of God before the world began. The apostle saith, "he saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim 1:9). This is the beginning of salvation. According to this beginning, all things concur and fall to a conclusion: "He hath saved us according to his eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus." In this saving, God may be said to save us by determining to make those means effectual for the blessed completion of our salvation; hence, we are said "to be chosen in Christ to salvation." And again, that he hath in that choice given us that grace that shall complete our salvation. Yea, the text is very full, "He hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world" (Eph 1:3,4).

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; SAVED BY GRACE. 354

 

I. WHAT IT IS TO BE SAVED.

SAVED BY GRACE.

"BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED."—EPHESIANS 2:5.

In the first chapter, from the fourth to the twelfth verse, the apostle is treating the doctrine of election concerning the act itself, the end, and the means conducing to it. The act, he tells us, was God's free choice of some (verses 4,5,11). The end was God's glory in their salvation (verse 6,14). The means conducing to that end was Jesus Christ himself—"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (verse 7). This done, he treated the subjection of the Ephesians to the faith, as it was held forth to them in the Word of the truth of the gospel, as also of their being sealed by the Holy Spirit of God unto the day of redemption (verse 12-14). Moreover, he told them how he gave thanks to God for them, making mention of them in his prayers, even that he would make them see "what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead," &c. (verse 15-20).

And lest the Ephesians, at the hearing of these their so many privileges, should forget how little they deserved them, he tells them that in time past they were dead in trespasses and sins, and that then they walked in them "according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph 2:2,3).

Having thus called them back to the remembrance of themselves—to wit, what they were in their state of unregeneracy, he proceeded to show them that their first quickening was by the resurrection of Christ their Head, in whom they before were chosen, and that by him they were already set down in heavenly places, (verse 5,6); inserting, by the way, the true cause of all this blessedness, with what else should be by us enjoyed in another world; and that is, the love and grace of God: "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ [by grace ye are saved]." These last words are seen to be the apostle's conclusion rightly drawn from the premises, as who should say, If you Ephesians were indeed dead in trespasses and sins; if indeed you were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, then you deserve no more than others.

Again, if God hath chosen you, justified and saved you by his Christ, and left others as good as you by nature to perish in their sins, then the true cause of this your blessed condition is the free grace of God. But just thus it is, therefore by grace ye are saved; therefore all the good which you enjoy more than others, it is of mere goodwill.

"BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED."

The method that I shall choose to discourse upon these words shall be this—I will propound certain questions upon the words and direct particular answers to them, in which answers I hope I shall also answer, somewhat at least, the expectation of the godly and conscientious reader, and so shall draw towards a conclusion.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; SAVED BY GRACE. 353

 

THIS admirable Treatise upon the most important of all subjects, that of the soul’s salvation, was first published in a pocket volume in 1675. This has become rare but is inserted in every edition of the author’s collected works. Our copy is reprinted from the first edition published after the author’s decease, in a small folio volume of his works, 1691. Although it is somewhat encumbered with subdivisions, it is plain, practical, and written in Bunyan’s strong and energetic style, calculated to excite the deepest attention and to fix the mind upon those solemn realities that alone can unite earth with heaven.

Ho extensive means that little sentence, ‘Saved by Grace!’ It includes in it redemption from the curse of sin, which oppresses the poor sinner with the fears of everlasting burnings, while it elevates the body, soul, and spirit to an eternal and exceeding weight of glory—to the possession of infinite treasures, inconceivable, and that never fade away.

In opening and deeply investigating this subject, Bunyan shows his master hand in every page. It was a subject which, from his first conviction of sin while playing a gat at the cat on a Sunday, excited his feelings intensely, absorbing all the powers of his soul. It was eminently to him the one thing needful—the sum and substance of human happiness. He felt that it included the preservation and re-structure of the body—raised from filth and vileness—from sickness, pain, and disease—from death and the grave—to be perfected in immortality like the Saviour’s glorious body. That included in this salvation is the death of death and the swallowing up of the grave, to be no more seen forever. The soul will be perfect and, reunited with the body, be filled ‘with bliss and glory, as much as ever it can hold;’ all jars and discord between soul and body will be finished, and the perfect man be clothed with righteousness; in a word, be like Christ and with him. All this is the work of grace performed by the ever-blessed Trinity.

In displaying the feelings and experience of the inquiring, alarmed, quickened sinner, we are instructed by a continual illustration of the Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. He manifests profound knowledge of the devices of Satan—the workings of unbelief—the difficulties thrown by the wicked one in the way of the sinner to prevent his approach to Christ. He fastens conviction upon conviction and gives blow upon blow to human pride, proving that nothing in our fallen nature can be found to recommend the sinner to God—all is of grace—from the foundation to the top stone of a sinner’s salvation. Above all, he clearly shows that salvation by grace is the most sin-killing doctrine in the world and the most consoling tidings that can be brought to a sin-sick soul. ‘O, when a God of grace is upon a throne of grace, and a poor sinner stands by and begs for grace, and that in the name of a gracious Christ, in and by the help of the Spirit of grace, can it be otherwise but that such a sinner must obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need? O, then, COME BOLDLY!’

But I must not detain the reader from entering upon this solemn subject, only for a moment, while I quote another passage conceived in all the ardor of Bunyan’s feelings:—’ O Son of God! Grace was in all thy tears—grace came out where the. Whip smote thee, where the thorns pricked thee, where the nails and spear pierced thee! O blessed Son of God! Here is grace indeed!’ Unsearchable riches of grace! Grace to make angels wonder, grace to make sinners happy, grace to astonish devils! And what will become of them that trample this Son of God underfoot?’

In this little book thou art presented with a discourse of the GRACE of God, and of salvation by that grace. In which discourse, thou shalt find how each Person in the Godhead doth his part in the sinner’s salvation. I. The Father put forth his grace, thus. II. The Son put forth his grace, thus. III. And the Spirit put forth his grace, thus. Which things thou shalt find here particularly handled.

Thou shalt also find, in this small treatise, the way of God with the sinner, as to his CONVERSATION, 1 and the way of the sinner with God in the same; where[in] the grace of God, and the wickedness of the sinner, do greatly show themselves.

If thou finds me short in things, impute that [to] my love to brevity. If thou finds beside the truth in aught, impute that to my infirmity. But if thou finds anything here that served to thy furtherance and joy of faith, impute that to the mercy of God bestowed on thee and me.

Thine to serve thee with that little I have, J.B.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; SAVED BY GRACE. 352

 

THIS admirable Treatise upon the most important of all subjects, that of the soul's salvation, was first published in a pocket volume in 1675. This has become rare but is inserted in every edition of the author's collected works. Our copy is reprinted from the first edition published after the author's decease, in a small folio volume of his works, 1691. Although it is somewhat encumbered with subdivisions, it is plain, practical, and written in Bunyan's strong and energetic style, calculated to excite the deepest attention and to fix the mind upon those solemn realities that alone can unite earth with heaven.

How extensive is the meaning of that little sentence, 'Saved by Grace!' It includes in it redemption from the curse of sin, which oppresses the poor sinner with the fears of everlasting burnings, while it elevates the body, soul, and spirit to an eternal and exceeding weight of glory—to the possession of infinite treasures, inconceivable, and that never fade away.

In opening and deeply investigating this subject, Bunyan shows his master hand in every page. It was a subject which, from his first conviction of sin while playing a gat at a cat on a Sunday, had excited his feelings intensely, absorbing all the powers of his soul. It was eminently to him the one thing needful—the sum and substance of human happiness. He felt that it included the preservation and re-structure of the body—raised from filth and vileness—from sickness, pain, and disease—from death and the grave—to be perfected in immortality like the Saviour's glorious body. That included in this salvation is the death of death and the swallowing up of the grave, to be no more seen forever. The soul will be perfect and, reunited with the body, be filled 'with bliss and glory, as much as ever it can hold;' all jars and discord between soul and body will be finished, and the perfect man be clothed with righteousness; in a word, be like Christ and with him. All this is the work of grace performed by the ever-blessed Trinity.

In displaying the feelings and experience of the inquiring, alarmed, quickened sinner, we are instructed by a continual illustration of the Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. He manifests profound knowledge of the devices of Satan—the workings of unbelief—the difficulties thrown by the wicked one in the way of the sinner to prevent his approach to Christ. He fastens conviction upon conviction and gives blow upon blow to human pride, proving that nothing in our fallen nature can be found to recommend the sinner to God—all is of grace—from the foundation to the top stone of a sinner's salvation. Above all, he clearly shows that salvation by grace is the most sin-killing doctrine in the world and the most consoling tidings that can be brought to a sin-sick soul. 'O, when a God of grace is upon a throne of grace, and a poor sinner stands by and begs for grace, and that in the name of a gracious Christ, in and by the help of the Spirit of grace, can it be otherwise but that such a sinner must obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need? O, then, COME BOLDLY!'

But I must not detain the reader from entering upon this solemn subject, only for a moment, while I quote another passage conceived in all the ardor of Bunyan's feelings:—' O Son of God! Grace was in all thy tears—grace came out where the. Whip smote thee, where the thorns pricked thee, where the nails and spear pierced thee! O blessed Son of God! Here is grace indeed!' Unsearchable riches of grace! Grace to make angels wonder, make sinners happy, and astonish devils! And what will become of them that trample underfoot this Son of God?'

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, A WORD TO NEGLECTERS OF CHRIST. 351

 

Before I conclude this use, I would lay down a few motives, if so be thou mayest be prevailed with to look after thine own everlasting state.

1. Consider, God hath put man above all the creatures in this visible world, into a state of abiding forever; they cannot be annihilated, they shall never again be turned into nothing but must live with God or the devil forever and ever. And though the scripture saith, 'Man hath no pre-eminence over a beast in his death,' yet the beast hath pre-eminence above many men, for he shall not rise again to come into judgment as man must, nor receive that dismal sentence for sin and transgression as man shall; this, therefore, is worthy to be considered with seriousness of all that have souls to be saved or damned—'They must one day come to judgment,' there to stand before that Judge of all the earth whose eyes are like a flame of fire, from the sight of which thou canst not hide one of thy words, or thoughts, or actions, because thou wants the righteousness of God. The fire of his justice shall burn up all thy rags of righteousness wherewith by the law thou hast clothed thyself and will leave thee nothing but a soul full of sin to bemoan and eternal burnings to grapple with. O the burnings that will then beset sinners on every side, and that will eat their flesh and torment their spirit with far more terror than if they were stricken with scorpions! And observe it; the torment will be higher than others where there is the guilt of neglecting Jesus Christ; he is indeed the Saviour, and he was sent to deliver men from the wrath to come.

2. Consider once past grace and ever past grace. When the door is shut against thee, it will open no more, and then repenting, desires, wishing, and inclinations come all too late (Luke 13). Good may be done to others, but to thee, none; and this shall be because, even because thou hast withstood the time of thy visitation, and not received grace when offered: 'My God will cast them away because they did not hearken unto him' (Luke 19:41-43; Hosea 9:17). Cain was driven out from the presence of God, for aught I know, some hundreds of years before his death; Ishmael has cast away after seventeen years of age; Esau lived thirty or forty years after he had sold his birthright. Oh! Many, very many are in this condition! Though God is gracious, he will not always be slighted or abused; there are plenty of sinners in the world—if one will not, another will. Christ was soon repulsed by and sent away from the country of the Gadarenes, but on the other side of the sea, many were ready with joy to receive him (Luke 8:37,40). So, when the Jews contradicted and blasphemed, 'the Gentiles gladly received the word' (Acts 13:46-48). Look to it, sinner, here is life and death set before thee; life, if it is not too late to receive it; but if it be, it is not too late for death to swallow thee up. And tell me, will it not be dreadful to be carried from under the gospel to the damned, there to lie in endless torment, because thou wouldst not be delivered therefrom? Will it be comfort to thee to see the Saviour turn Judge? To see him that wept and died for the sin of the world now ease his mind on Christ-abhorring sinners by rendering them the just judgment of God? For all their abominable filthiness, had they closed with Christ, they had been shrouded from the justice of the law and should not have come into condemnation. 'But had been passed from death to life'; but they would not take shelter there; they would venture to meet the justice of God in its fury, wherefore now it shall swallow them up forever and ever. And let me ask further, is not he a madman who, being loaded with combustible matter, will run headlong into the fire upon a bravado? Or that, being guilty of felony or murder, will desperately run himself into the hand of the officer, as if the law, the judge, the sentence, execution, were but a jest, or a thing to be played withal? And yet thus mad are poor, wretched, miserable sinners, who, flying from Christ as if he were a viper, are overcome and cast off forever by the just judgment of the law. But ah! How poorly will these be able to plead the virtues of the law to which they have cleaved when God shall answer them, 'Whom dost thou pass in beauty? Go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised' (Eze 32:19). Go down to hell, and there be laid with those that refused the grace of God.

Sinners take my advice, with which I shall conclude this use—Call often to remembrance that thou hast a precious soul within thee; that thou art on the way to the end, at which thy precious soul will be in special concern; it is then time to delay no longer, the time of reward being come. I say again, bring thy end home; put thyself in thy thoughts into the last day thou must live in this world, seriously arguing thus—How if this day were my last? What if I never see the sunrise more? How if the first voice that rings tomorrow morning in my heavy ears be, 'Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment?' Or how, if the next sight I see with mine eyes be the Lord in the clouds, with all his angels, raining floods of fire and brimstone upon the world? Am I in a case where I am thus near my end? To hear this trump of God? Or to see this great appearance of this great God and the Lord Jesus Christ? Will my profession, or the faith I think I have, carry me through all the trials of God's tribunal? Cannot his eyes, which are as a flame of fire, see in my words, thoughts, and actions enough to make me culpable of the wrath of God? O, how serious should sinners be in this work of remembering things to come, of laying to their heart the greatness and terror of that notable day of God Almighty, and in examining themselves, how it is like to go with their souls when they shall stand before the Judge indeed! To this end, God makes this word effectual. Amen.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, A WORD TO NEGLECTERS OF CHRIST. 350

 

To conclude. One word to you that are neglecters of Jesus Christ: 'How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?' Here, we may see how we ought to judge all such persons as neglecting the Lord Jesus, under whatever guise, name, or notion they are. We ought, I say, to judge of such, that they are at present in a state of condemnation; of condemnation, 'because they have not believed in the only-begotten Son of God' (John 3:18). It is true; there is no man more at ease in his mind, with such ease as it is, than the man that hath not closed with the Lord Jesus, but is shut up in unbelief. O! but that is the man that stands convict before God, and that is bound over to the great assize; that is the man whose sins are still his own, and upon whom the wrath of God abided (v 36); for the ease and peace of such, though it keeps them far from fear, is but like to that of the secure thief, that is ignorant that the constable stands at the door; the first sight of an officer makes his peace to give up the ghost (1 John 5:12). Ah, how many thousands that can now glory that they never were troubled for sin against God; I say, how many be there that God will trouble worse than he troubled cursed Achan, because their peace, though false, and of the devil, was rather chosen by them than peace by Jesus Christ, than 'peace with God by the blood of his cross' (Col 1:20). Awake, careless sinners, awake! And arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. Content not yourselves either with sin or righteousness, if you be destitute of Jesus Christ, but cry, cry, O cry to God for light to see your condition by; for light in the Word of God, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed (Eph 5:14). Cry, therefore, for light to see this righteousness by; it is a righteousness of Christ's finishing, of God's accepting, and that which alone can save the soul from the stroke of eternal justice! (Rom 1:17).

There are six things that, on man's part, are the cause he receives, not the gospel of Christ, and so life by him—1. They do not see their state by nature, how polluted they are with original sin (Eph 2:2). 2. They do not see the justice of God against sin; they do not know him that hath said, 'Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense' (Heb 10:30). 3. They cannot see the beauty of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:4). 4. they dare not venture their souls with Jesus Christ, unbelief being mighty in them. They dare not trust his righteousness and to that only (Rev 21:8). For, 5. Their carnal reason also sets itself against the word of faith and cannot stoop to the grace of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 2:14). 6. They love to have honored one another; they love to be commended for their own vain-glorious righteousness, and the fools think that because they are commended of men, they shall be commended of God also: 'How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?' (John 5:44). This last thing—to wit, the desire of vain-glory, is the bane of thousands; it is the legalist's bane, it is the civilian's bane, it is the formalist's bane, yea, which yet is stranger, it is the bane of the vicious and debauched also; for though there be a generation that, to one's thinking, have not regard to righteousness, yet watch them narrowly, and they have their times of doing something that looks like good, and though possibly it is but seldom, yet this wretch counted that, for the sake of that, God accepted him, and counted his, glorious righteousness. I might add a seventh cause: the desire for serious meditation upon the eternal judgment and what shall follow. If it took a deep place in the heart, this consideration would doubtless produce these workings of spirit after Jesus Christ for justification that now are wanted in most men. This made Felix, yea, it makes the devils, tremble; and would, I say, could thou deeply meditate, make thee start and turn thy wanton thoughts into heavy sighs after God's mercy in Jesus Christ, lest thou also come into their place of torment.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, THAT MEN CAN BE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE BEFORE GOD. 349

 

First, the first sort, though they may seek life, yet thus continue, are never likely to find it. Wherefore? Because they seek it not by faith but, as it were, by the works of the law. Indeed, they will not be merit-mongers; they will not wholly trust the law; they will partly venture on Christ and partly trust the law. Well, but therefore they shall be damned because they trust to Christ but in part, and in part, as it were, to the works of the law; for such sinners make Christ but a Saviour in part—why, then, should he be their Saviour in whole? No; because they halt between Christ and the law, they shall fall between Christ and the law; yea, because they will trust to their works in part, they shall be but almost saved by Christ. Let not that man think that he shall obtain anything from the Lord. What man? Why did he doubt or waver in his mind about the truth of the mercy of God in Christ? Therefore, the exhortation is, 'But let him ask in faith.—For he that wavered,' or, that halted between the law and Christ for life, 'is like a wave of the sea, driven off the wind and tossed' (James 1:6). In conclusion, he resteth nowhere—a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways' (v 8). This man, therefore, must miscarry; he must not see the good land that flows with milk and honey; no, let him not have thought of life in his heart; let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

This was the case of many in the primitive times, for whose sake this caution was written; for the devout and religious Jew and proselyte, when they fell away from the word of the gospel, they did not fall to those gross and abominable pollutions in which the open profane, like sows and swine, do wallow, but they fell from the grace of God to the law; or, at least, did rest betwixt them both, doubting of the sufficiency of either; and thus, being fearful, they distrust; wherefore, being found at length unbelieving, they are reputed of God abominable, as murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolators, and liars, and so must have their portion in the lake, with them, that burns with fire and brimstone (Rev 21:8). The reason is, because where Christ is rejected sin remaineth, and so the wrath of God for sin. Neither will he be a Saviour in part; he must be all thy salvation or none. 'Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord' (James 1:7; John 3:36). Not anything. There is no promise for him, no pardon for him, no heaven for him, no salvation for him, no escaping of his fire! What condition is this man in? Yet he is a religious man, for he prays; he is a seeking man, a desiring man, for he prays; but he halts between two, leaneth to his righteousness, and committeth iniquity. He is afraid to venture all upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Let not that man think of receiving anything from the Lord!

Yet the words suggest that he is apt to think he shall receive something because God is merciful because his promise is great, but this expectation is, by this word, cut off, and this sinner is cast away. Let not that man think, let him forbear to think, of having anything at the hand of God. The Israelites thought to go up to the land the day after they had despised it. Agag thought the bitterness of death was past, even that day in which he was hewn to pieces. Rechab and Baanah, his brother, thought to have received the reward of David that day they were hanged over the pool in Hebron. Let not that man think he shall receive anything from the Lord (Num 14:40-45; 1 Sam 15:32,33; 2 Sam 4:12).

Second. As for those that professedly deny the sufficiency of this most blessed righteousness, the whole book is a conviction to them and shall assuredly, if it comes to their hands, rise up in judgment against them. They have rejected the wisdom and mercy of God; they have rejected the means of their salvation; they have trampled upon the blood of the Son of God; wherefore judgment waiteth for them, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, THAT MEN CAN BE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE BEFORE GOD. 348

 

There are three things in the act of believing which make this grace displeasing to the wicked one—

1. Faith discovers the truth of things to the soul; the truth of things as they are, whether they be things of this world, or of what is to come; the things and pleasures above, and also those beneath. Faith discovers to the soul the one’s blessedness, goodness, and durableness; the vanity, foolishness, and transitoriness of the other. Faith gives credit to all things that are written in the law and in the prophets (Acts 24:14), both as to the being, nature, and attributes of God; the blessed undertaking of the Lord Jesus Christ; the glory of heaven and torments of hell; the sweetness of the promise and terror of the threatening and curses of the Word; by which means Satan is greatly frustrated in his assaults when he tempted either to love this world or slight that which is to come, for he can do no great matter in these things to any but those who want the faith. ‘In vain is the snare laid in the sight of any bird’ (Prov 1:17); therefore he must first blind, and hold blind, the minds of men, ‘that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them,’ else he can do no harm to the soul (2 Cor 4:4). Now, faith is the eye of the godly man, and that sees the truth of things, whatever Satan suggests, either about the glory of this world, the sweetness of sin, the uncertainty of another world, or the like (1 John 5:4,5; Heb. 11:27).

2. Faith wraps the soul up in the bundle of life with God; it encloses it in the righteousness of Jesus, and presents it so perfectly, that whatever he can do, with all his cunning, cannot render the soul spotted or wrinkled before the justice of the law; yea, though the man, as to his own person and acts, be full of sin from top to toe, Jesus Christ covers all; faith sees it, and holds the soul in the godly sense and comfort of it. The man, therefore, standing here, stands shrouded under that goodly robe that makes him glisten in the eye of justice. Yeah, all the answer that Satan can get from God against such a soul is, that he ‘doth not see iniquity in Jacob, nor behold perverseness in Israel’; for here ‘Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of hosts, though,’ as to their own persons, ‘their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel’ (Num 23:21-23; Jer 51:5; Rom 6:14; Deut. 33:12). Thus, therefore, the soul believing, is hid from all the power of the enemy, and dwells safely under the dominion of grace.

3. Faith keeps the soul from giving credit to any of his insinuations; for whatever Satan saith, either about the acceptance of my person or performances, so long as I believe that both are accepted by God for Christ’s sake, he suggested to the wind; wherefore faith doth the same against the devil that unbelief doth to God. Does unbelief count God as a liar? Faith counts the devil as a liar. Does unbelief hold the soul from the mercy of God? Faith holds the soul from the malice of the devil. Does unbelief quench thy graces? Faith kindled them even into a flame. Does unbelief fill the soul full of sorrow? Faith fills it full of the joy of the Holy Ghost. In a word, doth unbelief bind down thy sins upon thee? Why, faith in Jesus Christ releases thee of them all.

4. As faith keeps the soul from giving credit to the insinuations of Satan, so, when he makes his assaults, it over-masters him, and makes him retreat; ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.—Whom resist steadfast in the faith’ (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9). Believe, as I have already said, that God loveth you, that the blood of Christ was shed for you, that your person is presented complete before him, through the righteousness of Christ, and Satan must give place; thy crediting of the gospel makes him fly before thee; but thou must do it steadfast in the faith; every waverer giveth him advantage. And, indeed, this is why the godly are so foiled by his assaults, they do not resist him steadfastly in the faith; they often stagger through unbelief. Now, at every stagger, he recovered lost ground again and gave the battle another time. Besides, by this and the other stagger he taketh heart to attempt by other means, and so double the affliction with manifold temptations. This is, I say, for want of being steadfast. ‘Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked’ (Eph 6:16). To quench them, though they come from him as kindled with the very fire of hell. None knows, save him that feels it, how burning hot the fiery darts of Satan are; and how, when darted, they kindle upon our flesh and unbelief; neither can any know the power and worth of faith to quench them but he that hath it and hath power to act it.

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Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, THAT MEN CAN BE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE BEFORE GOD. 347

 

SECOND. THAT MAN CAN BE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE BEFORE GOD, WHILE SINNERS IN THEMSELVES, BY NO OTHER RIGHTEOUSNESS THAN THAT LONG AGO PERFORMED BY, AND REMAINING WITH, THE PERSON OF CHRIST.

Fourth. I might add, that living by faith is the way to receive fresh strength from heaven, thereby to manage thine every day’s work with life and vigor; yea, every look by faith upon Jesus Christ, as thine, doth this great work. When Paul saw the brethren that came to meet him, ‘he thanked God and took courage’ (Acts 28:15). O! how much more, then, shall the Christian be blessed with fresh strength and courage even at the beholding of Christ; whom ‘beholding as in a glass,’ we ‘are changed,’ even by beholding of him by faith in the word, ‘into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord’ (2 Cor 3:18). But to be brief.

Fifth. Make conscience of the duty of believing, and be as afraid of falling short here as in any other command of God. ‘This is his commandment, that you believe’ (1 John 3:23). Believe, therefore, in the name of the Lord Jesus. This is the will of God, that you believe. Believe, therefore, to the saving of the soul (John 6:46). Unbelief is a fine-spun thread, not so easily discerned as grosser sins; and therefore, that is true ‘The sin that doth so easily beset us’ (Heb 12:1). The light of nature will show those sins that are against the law of nature, but the law of faith is a command beyond what flesh or nature teaches; therefore to live by faith is so much the harder work; yet it must be done, otherwise thine other duties profit thee nothing.

For if a man gives way to unbelief, though he is most frequent in all other duties besides, so often as he worshipped God in these, he yet saith, God is a liar in the other, even because he hath not believed: ‘He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God had given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son (1 John 5:10,11). So then, when thou gives way to unbelief; when thou dost not venture the salvation of thy soul upon the justifying life that is in Christ—that is, in his blood, &c.,—at once, thou gives the lie to the whole testament of God; yea, thou tramples upon the promise of grace, and countess this precious blood an unholy and unworthy thing (Heb 10:29). Now how thou doing thus, the Lord should accept of thy other duties, of prayer, alms, thanksgiving, self-denial, or any other, will be hard for thee to prove.

In the meantime, remember that faith pleased God; without faith, it is impossible to please him. Remember also, that for this cause it was that the offering of Cain was not accepted: ‘By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain’; for by faith Abel first justified the promise of the Messiah, by whom a conquest should be obtained over the devil, and all the combination of hell against us: then he honored Christ by believing that he was able to save him; and in token that he believed these things indeed, he presented the Lord with the firstlings of his flock, as a remembrance before God that he believed in his Christ (Heb 11:4). And therefore it is said, ‘By faith he offered’; by which means the offering was accepted of God; for no man’s offering can be accepted with God but his that stands righteous before him first. But unbelief holds men under their guilt, because they have not believed in Christ, and by that means put on his righteousness. Again; he that believeth not, hath made invalid—what in him lies—the promise of God and merits of Christ, of whom the Father hath spoken so worthily; therefore what duties or acts of obedience soever he performed, God by no means can be pleased with him.

By this, you see the miserable state of the people with no faith—’ Whatever they do, they sin’; if they break the law, they sin; if they endeavor to keep it, they sin. They sin, I say, upon a double account: first, because they do it but imperfectly; and, secondly, because they yet stay upon that, resisting that which is perfect, even that which God hath appointed. It mattered not, as to justification from the curse, therefore; men wanting faith, whether they be civil or profane, they are such as stand accursed of the law, because they have not believed, and because they have given the lie to the truth, and to the God of truth. Let all men, therefore, that would please God make conscience of believing; on pain, I say, of displeasing him; on pain of being, with Cain, rejected, and on pain of being damned in hell. ‘He that believes not shall be damned’ (Mark 16:16).

Faith is the very quintessence of all gospel obedience, it is that which must go before other duties and that which also must accompany whatever I do in the worship of God if it is accepted of him. Here you may see a reason why the force and power of hell is so bent against believing. Satan hated all the parts of our Christian obedience, but the best and chiefs most. And hence the apostle saith to the Thessalonians, that he sent to know their faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted them, and so his labor had been in vain (1 Thess 3:5). Indeed, where faith is wanting, or hath been destroyed, all the labor is in vain, nothing can profit any man, neither as to peace with God, nor the acceptance of any religious duty; and this, I say, Satan knows, which makes him so bend his force against us.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, THAT MEN CAN BE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE BEFORE GOD. 346

 

SECOND. THAT MAN CAN BE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE BEFORE GOD, WHILE SINNERS IN THEMSELVES, BY NO OTHER RIGHTEOUSNESS THAN THAT LONG AGO PERFORMED BY, AND REMAINING WITH, THE PERSON OF CHRIST.

THE USE/APPLICATION

But I find, sayest thou, as if the Spirit led me forth to study other matters.

Answ.—First. What other matters? What matters besides, above, or beyond the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ and our acceptance of God through him? What spirit, or doctrine, or wisdom soever it be that centers not in, that cometh not from, and that terminates not within, the bonds of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is not worthy the study of the sons of God; neither is it food for the faith of Jesus Christ, for that is the flesh of Christ, and that is eternal life (John 6:5). Whither will you go? Beware of the spirit of the Antichrist; for 'many false spirits are gone out into the world.' I told you before, that the Spirit of God is 'the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ,' and that without and besides the Lord Jesus it discovered nothing (Eph 1:17). It is sent to testify of him; it is sent to bring his words to our remembrance; it is sent to take of his things and show them unto us (John 14,15,16). Wherefore, never call that the Spirit of Jesus which leads you away from the blood and righteousness of Christ; that is but the spirit of delusion and of the devil, whose teachings end in perdition and destruction. Tempt not Christ as they of old did. But how did they tempt him? Why, in loathing the manna, which was the type of his flesh and blood, which we are to eat of by believing. I say, tempt him not, lest you be destroyed by the serpents, by the gnawing guilt of sin; for, take away Christ, and sin remains, and there is no more sacrifice for sin: if so, thou wilt be destroyed by the destroyer (Num 21:5-7; 1 Cor 10:10). But again—

Second. Living by faith begets in the heart a son-like boldness and confidence to God-ward in all our gospel duties, under all our weaknesses, and under all our temptations. It is a blessed thing to be privileged with a holy boldness and confidence God-ward, that he is on our side, that he taketh part with us, and that he will plead our cause 'with them that rise up against us' (2 Cor 2:14, 4:17,18; Gal 2:20). But this boldness faith helped us to do, and also managed in our heart. This is that which made Paul always triumph and rejoice in God and the Lord Jesus (Phil 3:3; Rom 5:11). He lived a life of faith; for faith sets a man in the favor of God by Christ, and makes a man see that what befalls him in this life, it shall, through the wisdom and mercy of God, not only prove for his forwarding to heaven but to augment his glory when he comes there. This man now stands on high, lives, is rid of slavish fears and carking cares, and in all his straits he hath a God to go to! Thus David, when all things looked awry upon him, 'encouraged himself in the Lord his God' (1 Sam 30:6). Daniel also believed in his God, and knew that all his trouble, losses, and crosses, would be abundantly made up in his God (Dan 6:23). And David said, 'I had fainted unless I had believed' (Psa 27:13). Believing, therefore, is a great preservative against all such impediments, and makes us confident in our God, and with boldness to come into his presence, claiming privilege in what he is and hath (Jonah 3:4,5). For by faith, I say, he sees his acceptance through the Beloved, and himself interested in the mercy of God, and riches of Christ, and glory in the world to come (Heb 10:22,23; Eph 1:4-7). This man can look upon all the dangers in hell and earth without paleness of countenance; he shall meditate terror with comfort, 'because he beholds the King in his beauty' (Isa 33:17,18). Again—

Third. Living by faith makes a man exercise patience and quietness under all his afflictions; for faith shows him that his best part is safe, that his soul is in God's special care and protection, purged from sin in the blood of Christ. Faith also shows him that after a little while he shall be in the full enjoyment of that which now he believes is coming: 'We, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by faith' (Gal 5:5). Wherefore, upon this ground it is that James exhorted the saints to whom he wrote, to patience, because they knew the harvest would in due time come (James 5:7-11). Faith lodged the soul with Christ: 'I know,' saith Paul, 'on whom I have believed,' and to whom I have committed my soul, 'and am persuaded,' I believe it, 'that he can keep that which I have committed unto him against that day'; therefore it was no shame to him to wear a chain for his name and sake (2 Tim 1:12). O! It is a blessed thing to see, I say, by the faith of the Lord Jesus, that we are embarked on the same ship with him; this will help us greatly 'both to hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord' (Psa 46:1-6; Lam 3:26).