Works of John Bunyan: THE STRAIT GATE. 367

 

THE STRAIT GATE.

“STRIVE TO ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE; FOR MANY, I SAY UNTO YOU, WILL SEEK TO ENTER IN, AND SHALL NOT BE ABLE.”—LUKE 13:24

These are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and are, therefore, in a special manner to be heeded; besides, the subject matter of the words is the most weighty, to wit, how we should attain salvation and, therefore, also to be heeded.

The occasion of the words was a question which one that was at this time in the company of the disciples put to Jesus Christ; the question was this, “Lord, are there few that be saved?” (verse 23) A serious question, not such as tending to the subversion of the hearers, as too many nowadays do, but such as in its own nature tended to the awakening of the company to good, which called for such an answer that might also profit the people. This question also well pleased Jesus Christ, and he prepared and giveth such an answer as was without the least retort or show of distaste; such an answer, I say, carried in it the most full resolve to the question itself and help to the persons questioning. “And he said unto them, Strive to enter in,” &c. The words are an answer and an instruction. First. An answer, and that in the affirmative; the gate is straight—many who seek will not be able, but few shall be saved. Second. The answer is an instruction also; “strive to enter in,” &c., good counsel and instruction; pray God to help me, my reader, and all that love their own salvation, to take it.

[FIRST. THE WORDS BY WAY OF EXPLICATION.]

FIRST. The general scope of the text is to be considered, and that is that great thing—salvation; for these words do immediately look at, point to, and give directions about salvation: “Are there few that be saved? Strive to enter in at the strait gate.”

The words are to direct us not only to talk of or to wish for but to understand how we shall and to seek that we may be effectually saved and of the greatest importance. To be saved! What is it like being saved? To be saved from sin, from hell, from the wrath of God, from eternal damnation, what is like it? What is it like to be made an heir of God, of his grace, kingdom, and eternal glory? And yet all this is included in this word saved, and in the answer to that question, “Are there few that can be saved?” Indeed this word SAVED is but of little use in the world, save to them that are heartily afraid of damning. This word lies in the Bible as excellent salves lie in some men’s houses, thrust into a hole, and not thought on for many months because the household people have no wounds or sores. In time of sickness, what so set by as the doctor’s glasses and gally-pots full of his excellent things? But when the person is grown well, the rest is thrown to the dunghill.

O, when men are sick of sin and afraid of damning, what a text is that where this word saved is found! Yea, what a word of worth, goodness, and blessedness is it to him that lies continually upon the wrath of a guilty conscience? “But the whole need, not a physician”; therefore, he only knows what saved means, that knows what the hell, death, and damnation mean. “What shall I do to be saved?” is the language of the trembling sinner. “Lord save me” is the language of the sinking sinner, and none admire the glory that is in that word saved, but such as see, without being saved, all things in heaven and earth are emptiness to them. They also believe themselves privileged in all the blessedness wrapped up in that word, bless and admire God who saved them. Since the thing intended, both in the question and the answer is no less than the soul’s salvation, I beseech you to give the more earnest heed. (Heb 12) But,

SECOND. I found four things in the words to come to the particular phrases in the words and to handle them in an orderly. First. An intimation of the kingdom of heaven. Second. A description of the entrance into it. Third. An exhortation to enter into it. And Fourth, A motive to enforce that exhortation.

[AN INTIMATION OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.]

First, an intimation of the kingdom of heaven, for when he saith, “Strive to enter in,” and in such phrases, there is supposed a place or state, or both, to be enjoyed. “Enter in”; enter into what, or whither, but into a state, place, or both? Therefore, when you read “enter in,” you must say that good things are certainly included in the text that are not yet expressed. “Enter in”; into heaven, that is the meaning, where the saved are, and shall be; into heaven, that glorious place, where God, Christ, and angels are, and the souls or spirits of just men made perfect. “Enter in”; that thing included, though not expressed in the words, is called in another place, the Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the general assembly and church of the firstborn written in heaven. (Heb 12:23) And therefore the words signify unto us, that there is a state most glorious, and that when this world is ended; and that this place and state are likewise to be enjoyed, and inherited by a generation of men forever. Besides, this word, “enter in,” signified that salvation to the full is to be enjoyed only there and that there only is eternal safety; all other places and conditions are hazardous, dangerous, full of snares, imperfections, temptations, and afflictions, but there all is well; there is no devil to tempt, no desperately wicked heart to deliver us up, no deceitful lust to entangle, nor any enchanting world to bewitch us. There all shall be well to all eternity. Further, all the parts of and circumstances that attend salvation are only there to be enjoyed; there only is immortality and eternal life; there is the glory and fulness of joy and the everlasting pleasures; there is God and Christ to be enjoyed by open vision, and more; there are the angels and the saints; further, there is no death, nor sickness, no sorrow nor sighing forever; there is no pain, nor persecutor, nor darkness, to eclipse our glory. O, this Mount Zion! O, this heavenly Jerusalem! (2 Cor 5:1-4, Psa 16:11, Luke 20:35,36, Heb 12:22-24)

Behold, therefore, what a great thing the Lord Jesus hath included by this little word, “IN.” In this word is wrap up whole heaven and eternal life; even as there are other little words in the holy Scriptures of truth: where he saith, “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you,” and “the election hath obtained it.” This should teach us not only to read but to attend in reading; not only to read but to lift up our hearts to God in reading; for if we are not heedful, if he gives us not light and understanding, we may easily pass over, without any great regard, such a word as may have a glorious kingdom and eternal salvation in the bowels of it; yea, sometimes, as here, whole heaven is intimated, where it is not at all expressed. The apostles of old did use to fetch great things out of the Scriptures, even out of the very order and timing of the several things contained therein. See Romans 4:9-11, Galatians 3:16,17, Hebrews 8:13. But,

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS: SAVED BY GRACE. 366

 

THE THIRD USE.

SECOND. [In life.] But again, as we advance this grace in our hearts, we should do it in our lives. In our conversation, we should adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. It is a great word of the apostle, "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ," which is the gospel of the grace of God (Phil 1:27). God expected that there should in our whole life be a blessed tang of the gospel, or that in our life among men, there should be preached to them the grace of the gospel of God.

The gospel shows us that God did wonderfully stoop and condescend for our good, and to do accordingly, it is to stoop and condescend to others.

The gospel shows us that there was an abundance of pity, love, bowels, and compassion in God toward us, and accordingly, we should be full of bowels, pity, love, and compassion to others.

The gospel shows us that there is a great willingness to do good for others in God.

The gospel shows us that God acts towards us according to his truth and faithfulness, and so should we be in all our actions one to another.

By the gospel, God declares that he forgives us ten thousand talents, and we ought likewise to forgive our brother the hundred pence.

And now, before I conclude this use, let me give you a few heart-endearing considerations to this so-good and so-happy work.

[Heart-endearing Considerations.]

First, consider God hath saved thee by his grace. Christian, God hath saved thee, thou hast escaped the lion's mouth, thou art delivered from wrath to come; advance the grace that saves thee in thy heart and life.

Second. Consider, God left millions in their sins that day he saved thee by his grace; he left millions out, and pitched upon thee; it may be hundreds also, yea, thousands, were in the day of thy conversion lying before him under the preaching of the word as thou wert, yet he took thee. Considerations of this nature affected David much; God would have them affect thee, to advance his grace in thy life and conversation (Psa 78:67-72; Deu 7:7).

Third. Consider, perhaps the most part of those that God refused that day that he called thee by his grace were, as to conversation, far better than ever thou wert—I was a blasphemer, I was a persecutor, I was an injurious person, but I obtained mercy! This should affect thy heart and engage thy heart to study and advance this grace of God (1 Tim 1:14,15).

Fourth. Perhaps thou was more unruly than many on the day of thy conversion. Like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, hardly tamed, thou was brought home by strong hands; thou wouldst not drive, the Lord Jesus must take thee up, lay thee upon his shoulder, and carry thee home to his Father's house. This should engage thy heart to study to advance the grace of God (Luke 15:1-6).

Fifth. It may be many did take even offense at God in his converting and saving of thee by his grace, even as the elder son was offended with his father for killing the fatted calf for his brother, and yet that did not hinder the grace of God, nor make God abate his love to thy soul. This should make thee study to advance the grace of God in thy heart and life (Luke 15:21-32).

Sixth. Consider again that God hath allowed thee but a little time for this good work, even the few days that thou hast now to live—I mean, for this good work among sinful men, and then thou shalt go to receive that wages that grace also will give thee for thy work to thy eternal joy.

Seventh. Let this also have some place upon thy heart—every man shows subjection to the god he served; yea, though that god be none other the devil and his lusts; and wilt not thou, O man! Saved of the Lord, be more subject "to the Father of spirits, and live"?

Alas! They are pursuing their own damnation, yet they sport it and dance all the way they go. They serve that "god" (Satan) with cheerfulness and delight, who at last will plunge them into the everlasting gulf of death and torment them in the fiery flames of hell; but thy God is the God of salvation, and to God, thy Lord belong the issues from death. Wilt, not thou serve him with a joyfulness in the enjoyment of all good things, even by whom thou art to be blessed forever?

Object. This is that which kills me—honor God I cannot; my heart is so wretched, so spiritless, and desperately wicked, I cannot.

Answ. What dost thou mean by cannot? 1. If thou have no strength to do it, thou hast said an untruth, for "greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). 2. If thou meanest thou hast no will, then thou art out also; for every Christian, in his right mind, is a willing man, and the day of God's power hath made him so (Psa 110:3). 3. If thou meanest that thou wants wisdom, that is thine own fault—"If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraided not" (James 1:5).

Object. I cannot do things as I would.

Answ. No more could the best of the saints of old—"To will is present with me," said Paul, "but how to perform that which is good I find not." And again, "The flesh lusted against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Rom 7:18; Gal 5:17).

And here indeed lies a great discovery of this truth, "ye are saved by grace"; for the children of God while here, notwithstanding their conversion to God, and salvation by Christ through grace, are so infirm and weak because of a body of death that yet remained in them, that should even the sin that is in the best of their performances be laid to their charge, according to the tenor of a covenant of works, they would find it impossible ever to get into glory. But why do I talk about this? It is impossible that those who are saved by grace should have their infirmities laid to their charge as afore, "for they are not under the law"; they are included by the grace of God in the death and blood of the Son of God, who ever lived to make intercession for them at the right hand of God; whose intercession is so prevalent with the Father as to take away the iniquity of our holy things from his sight, and to present us holy, and unreprovable, and unblameable in his sight. To him, by Christ Jesus, through the help of the blessed Spirit of grace, be given praise, thanks, glory, and dominion by all his saints, now and forever. Amen.

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS: SAVED BY GRACE. 365

 

THE THIRD USE.

Are they that are saved, saved by grace? Then, let Christians labor to advance God's grace. FIRST. In heart. SECOND. In life.

FIRST. In heart, and that in this manner—

First, believe in God's mercy through Jesus Christ, and so advance the grace of God; I mean, venture heartily, venture confidently, for there is a sufficiency in the grace of God. Abraham magnified the grace of God when "he considered not his own body now dead,—neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God" (Rom 4:19,20).

Second. Advance it by heightening it in thy thoughts. Have always good and great thoughts of the grace of God; narrow and slender thoughts of it are a great disparagement to it.

And to help thee in this matter, consider—1. This grace is compared to a sea—"And thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19). Now, a sea can never be filled by casting into it.

2. This grace is compared to a fountain, to an open fountain—"In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness." Now, a fountain can never be drawn dry (Zech 12:1). 3. The Psalmist cries out concerning the grace and mercy of God, "It endures forever"; he says so twenty-six times in one psalm. Surely he saw a great deal in it, surely he was taken a great deal with it (Psa 136). 4. Paul says the God of all grace can do more than "we ask or think" (Eph 3:20). 5. Therefore, as God's Word says, so thou should conclude with the grace of God.

Third. Come boldly to the throne of grace by hearty prayer, for this is also the way to magnify God's grace. The apostle exhorts, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). See here a little and wonder.

We have been all this while discoursing God's grace, and now we are come to his throne, as Job says, "even to his seat," and behold, "that is a throne of grace." 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 such a sinner must obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need? But do not forget the exhortation, "Come boldly." Indeed, we are apt to forget this exhortation; we think, seeing we are such abominable sinners, we should not presume to come boldly to the throne of grace; but yet so we are bidden to do; and to break a commandment here is as bad as to break it in another place.

You may ask me, What is it to come boldly? [I] answer—

1. It is to come confidently—"Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water" (Heb 10:22).

2. To come boldly, it is to come frequently—"At morning, at noon, and at night, will I pray." We used to count the bold beggars that come often to our door.

3. To come boldly is to ask for great things when we come. That is the bold beggar who will not only ask but also choose what he asks.

4. To come boldly, it is to ask for others as well as ourselves, to beg mercy and grace for all the saints of God under heaven as well as for ourselves—"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit—for all saints" (Eph 6:18).

5. To come boldly is to come and take no nay; thus, Jacob came to the throne of grace—"I will not let thee go except thou bless me" (Gen 32:26).

6. To come boldly, it is to plead God's promises with him both in the way of justice and mercy and to take it for granted God will give us—because he hath said it—whatever we ask in the name of his Son.

Fourth. Labor to advance God's grace in thy heart by often admiring, praising, and blessing God in secret for it; God expects it—"Whoso of offered raise glorified," says he. "By Jesus Christ therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually; that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name" (Psa 50:23; Heb 13:15).

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS: SAVED BY GRACE. 364

 

QUEST. II.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED BY GRACE?

Of the grace of the Spirit. THIRD. I come now to speak of the grace of the Spirit, for he also saves us by his grace. The Spirit, I told you, is God, as the Father and the Son, and is therefore also the author of grace; yea, and it is absolutely necessary that he put forth his grace also, or else no flesh can be saved. The Spirit of God hath his hand in saving of us many ways; for they that go to heaven, as they must be beholding to the Father and the Son, so also to the Spirit of God. The Father chose us, gave us to Christ, heaven to us, and the like. The Son fulfills the law for us, takes the law's curse from us, bears in his own body our sorrows, and sets us justified in the sight of God. The Father's grace is shown in heaven and earth; the Son's grace is shown on the earth and the cross; and the Spirit's grace must be shown in our souls and bodies before we come to heaven.

Quest. But some may say, Wherein doth the saving grace of the Spirit appear?

Answ. In many things.

In taking possession of us for his own, in his making of us his house and habitation, so that though the Father and the Son have both gloriously put forth gracious acts to our salvation, yet the Spirit is the first that makes seizure of us (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19; Eph 2:21,22). Christ, therefore, when he went away, said not that he would send the Father, but the Spirit, and that he should be in us forever—"If I depart," said Christ, "I will send him, the Spirit of truth, the Comforter" (John 14:16; 16:7,13).

The Holy Spirit coming into us and dwelling in us worketh many salvations for us now, each to save us forever.

1. He save us from our darkness by illuminating us; hence, he is called "the Spirit of revelation" because he opened the blind eyes and delivered us from that darkness which else would drown us in the deeps of hell (Eph 1:17,19).

2. He convinced us of the evil of our unbelief and showed us the necessity of our believing in Christ; without the conviction of this, we should perish (John 16:9).

3. This is that finger of God by which the devil is made to give place unto grace, by whose power else we should be carried headlong to hell (Luke 11:20-22).

4. This is he that worketh faith in our hearts, without which neither the grace of the Father nor the grace of the Son can save us, "For he that believeth not, shall be damned" (Mark 16:16; Rom 15:13).

5. This is he by whom we are born again, and he that is not so born can neither see nor inherit the kingdom of heaven (John 3:3-7).

6. This is he that set up his kingdom in the heart, and by that means keep out the devil after he is cast out, which kingdom of the Spirit, whoever wants, they lie liable to a worse possession of the devil than ever (Matt 12:43-45; Luke 11:24,25).

7. By this Spirit, we come to see the beauty of Christ, without a sight of which we should never desire him, but should certainly live in his neglect, and perish (John 16:14; 1 Cor 2:9-13; Isa 53:1,2).

8. By this Spirit, we are helped to praise God acceptably, but without it, it is impossible to be heard unto salvation (Rom 8:26; Eph 6:18; 1 Cor 14:15).

9. By this blessed Spirit, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, and our hearts are directed into the love of God (Rom 5:5; 2 Thess 2:13).

10. By this blessed Spirit, we are led from the ways of the flesh into the ways of life, and by it, our mortal body, as well as our immortal soul, is quickened in the service of God (Gal 5:18,25; Rom 8:11).

11. By this good Spirit we keep that good thing, even the seed of God, that at the first by the Word of God was infused into us, and without which we are liable to the worst damnation (1 John 3:9; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Tim 1:14).

12. By this good Spirit, we have help and light against all the wisdom and cunning of the world, which put forth itself in its most cursed sophistications to overthrow the simplicity in Christ (Matt 10:19,20; Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11,12).

13. By this good Spirit, our graces are maintained in life and vigor, as faith, hope, love, a spirit of prayer, and every grace (2 Cor 4:13; Rom 15:13; 2 Tim 1:7; Eph 6:18; Titus 3:5).

14. By this good Spirit, we are sealed to the day of redemption (Eph 1:14).

15. By this good Spirit, we are made to wait patiently until the redemption of the purchased possession comes (Gal 5:5).

Now, all these things are so necessary to our salvation that I know not which of them can be wanting; neither can any of them be by any means attained but by this blessed Spirit.

And thus have I, in few words, showed you the grace of the Spirit and how it put forth itself towards the saving of the soul. And verily, Sirs, you must know these things distinctly—to wit, the grace of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the grace of the Holy Ghost; for it is not the grace of one, but of all these three, that save him that shall be saved indeed.

The Father's grace save no man without the grace of the Son; neither doth the Father and the Son save any without the grace of the Spirit; for as the Father loves, the Son must die, and the Spirit must sanctify, or no soul must be saved.

Some think that the love of the Father, without the blood of the Son, will save them, but they are deceived, for "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb 9:22).

Some think that the love of the Father and blood of the Son will do without the holiness of the Spirit of God, but they have also deceived, for "if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his"; and again, "without holiness, no man shall see the Lord" (Rom 8:9; Heb 12:14).

There is a third sort that thinks the holiness of the Spirit is sufficient of itself, but they (if they had it) are also deceived, for it must be the grace of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the grace of the Spirit, jointly, that must save them.

But yet, as these three do put forth grace jointly and truly in the salvation of a sinner, they put it forth, as I have shown you before, in a diverse manner. The Father designs us for heaven, the Son redeems from sin and death, and the Spirit makes us meet for heaven; not by electing, that is the work of the Father; not by dying, that is the work of the Son; but by his revealing Christ, and applying Christ to our souls, by shedding the love of God abroad in our hearts, by sanctifying of our souls, and taking possession of us as an earnest of our possession of heaven.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS: SAVED BY GRACE. 363

 

QUEST. II.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED BY GRACE?

[Second. How poor he made himself.] Now this heaven he forsook for our sakes—"He came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim 1:15).

[1.] He was made lower than the angels, for the suffering of death (Heb 2:9). When he was born, he made himself, as he saith, a worm, or one of no reputation; he became the reproach and byword of the people; he was born in a stable, laid in a manger, earned his bread with his labor, being by trade a carpenter (Psa 22:6; Phil 2:7; Luke 2:7; Mark 6:3). When he betook himself to his ministry, he lived upon the charity of the people; when other men went to their own houses, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Hark what himself saith for the clearing of this—"Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." He denied himself of this world's good (Luke 8:2,3; 9:58; John 7:35; 8:1).

[2.] Again, as he was Prince of life, so he for our sakes laid down that also; for so stood the matter, that he or we must die; but the grace that was in his heart wrought with him to lay down his life: "He gave his life a ransom for many." He laid down his life that we might have life; he gave his flesh and blood for the life of the world; he laid down his life for his sheep.

[3.] Again, he was a Prince of peace, but he forsook his peace also. (1.) He laid aside peace with the world, and chose upon that account to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and therefore was persecuted from his cradle to his cross, by kings, rulers, &c. (2.) He laid aside his peace with his Father, and made himself the object of his Father's curse, insomuch that the Lord smote, struck, and afflicted him; and, in conclusion, hid his face from him (as he expressed, with great crying) at the hour of his death.

[Object.] But perhaps some may ask what Jesus Christ needed to do all this? Could not the grace of the Father save us without this condescension of the Son?

Answ. As there is grace, so there is justice in God; and man having sinned, God concluded to save him in the way of righteousness; therefore, Jesus Christ needed to put himself into our very condition, sin only excepted. 1. Now by sin we had lost the glory of God. Therefore, Jesus Christ lays aside his glory with the Father (Rom 3:23; John 17:5). 2. Man, by sin, had shut himself out of an earthly paradise, and Jesus Christ will leave his heavenly paradise to save him (Gen 3:24; 1 Tim 1:15; John 6:38,39). 3. Man by sin had made himself lighter than vanity, and this Lord God, Jesus Christ, made himself lower than the angels to redeem him (Isa 40:17; Heb 2:7). 4. Man, by sin, lost his right to the creatures, and Jesus Christ will deny himself of a whole world to save him (Luke 9:58). 5. Man, by sin, had made himself subject to death, but Jesus Christ will lose his life to save him (Rom 6:23). 6. Man by sin had procured to himself the curse of God, but Jesus Christ will bear that curse in his own body to save him (Gal 3:13). 7. Man by sin had lost peace with God, but this would cause Jesus Christ also lose, to the end, man might be saved. 8. Man should have been mocked of God, therefore Christ was mocked of men. 9. Man should have been scourged in hell, but to hinder that, Jesus was scourged on earth. 10. Man should have been crowned with ignominy and shame, but Jesus was crowned with thorns to prevent that. 11. Man should have been pierced with the spear of God's wrath, but to prevent that, Jesus was pierced both by God and men. 12. Man should have been rejected of God and angels; but, to prevent that, Jesus was forsaken of God, and denied, hated, and rejected of men (Isa 48:22; Prov 1:24-26; Matt 27:26,39,46; Psa 9:17; 11:6; 22:7; Dan 12:2; John 19:2-5,37; Num 24:8; Zech 12:10; Luke 9:22).

Thus, I might enlarge that by authority from this text—"He became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." All the riches he stripped himself of, it was for our sakes; all the sorrows he underwent, it was for our sakes; to the least circumstance of the sufferings of Christ, there was a necessity that so it should be, all was for our sakes: "For our sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

And you see the argument that prevailed with Christ to do this great service for man, the grace in his heart; as also the prophet saith, "In his love and in his pity he redeemed them." According to the Corinthians, "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," both agree with the text, "By grace, ye are saved."

I say this was the grace of the Son and the exercise thereof. The Father, therefore, shows his grace one way and the Son his another. It was not the Father, but the Son, that left his heaven for sinners; it was not the Father, but the Son, that spilled his blood for sinners. The Father indeed gave the Son and blessed be the Father for that, and the Son gave his life and blood for us and blessed be the Son for that.

But methinks we should not yet have done with this grace of the Son. Thou Son of the Blessed, what grace was manifest in thy condescension! Grace brought thee down from heaven, grace stripped thee of thy glory, grace made thee poor and despicable, grace made thee bear such burdens of sin, such burdens of sorrow, such burdens of God's curse as are unspeakable. O Son of God! Grace was in all thy tears, grace came bubbling out of thy side with thy blood, grace came forth with every word of thy sweet mouth (Psa 45:2; Luke 4:22). 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! Unthought-of 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: SAVED BY GRACE. 362

 

QUEST. II.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED BY GRACE?

So then, it remained that I show you, FIRST, How we are saved by the grace of the Father. SECOND, How we are saved by the grace of the Son. And, THIRD, How we are saved by the grace of the Spirit.

Of the Father’s grace.

FIRST. How we are saved by the grace of the Father. Now this will

I open unto you thus—

1. The Father by his grace hath bound up them that shall go to heaven in an eternal decree of election. Here, indeed, as was showed at first, is the beginning of our salvation (2 Tim 1:9). And election is reckoned not the Son’s act, but the Father’s—” Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 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). Now, this election is counted as an act of grace—” So then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Rom 11:5).

2. The Father’s grace ordained and giveth the Son to undertake for us our redemption. The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world—” In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph 1:7; 2:7; 1 John 4:14; John 3:16; 6:32,33; 12:49).

3. The Father’s grace gives us Christ to be justified by his righteousness, washed in his blood, and saved by his life. Christ mentions this and tells us it is his Father’s will that they should be safe-coming at the last day and that he had kept them all the days of his life, and they shall never perish (John 6:37-39; 17:2,12).

4. The Father’s grace giveth the kingdom of heaven to those he hath given to Jesus Christ—” Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

5. The Father’s grace provided and lay up in Christ, for those that he hath chosen, a sufficiency of all spiritual blessings, to be communicated to them at their need, for their preservation in the faith, and faithful perseverance through this life; “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; Eph 1:3,4).

6. The Father’s grace saves us by the blessed and effectual call that he gives us to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ (1 Col 1:9; Gal 1:15).

7. The Father’s grace saves us by multiplying pardons daily for Christ’s sake—” In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph 1:7).

8. The Father’s grace saves us by exercising patience and forbearance towards us all the time of our unregeneracy (Rom 3:24).

9. The Father’s grace saves us by holding us fast in his hand and by keeping us from all the power of the enemy—” My Father,” said Christ, “that gave them me is greater than all, and no man can pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:29).

10. What shall I say? The Father’s grace saves us by accepting our persons and services, lifting up the light of his countenance upon us, manifesting his love, and sending his angels to fetch us to himself when we have finished our pilgrimage.

Of the grace of the Son.

SECOND. I come now to speak of the grace of the Son; for as the Father put forth his grace in the saving of the sinner, so doth the Son put forth his—” For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor 8:9).

Here, you also see that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is brought in as a partner with the grace of his Father in the salvation of our souls. Now, this is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; he was rich, but for our sakes, he became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be made rich.

To inquire, then, into this grace, this condescending grace of Christ, and that by searching out how rich Jesus Christ was, and then how poor he made himself, that we, through his poverty, might have the riches of salvation.

First. How rich was Jesus Christ? To which I answer—1. Generally; 2. Particularly.

1. Generally. He was rich as the Father—” All things that the Father hath,” saith he, “are mine.” Jesus Christ is the Lord of all, God over all, blessed forever. “He thought it not robbery to be equal with God,” being naturally and eternally God, as the Father, but of his Godhead he could not strip himself (John 10:30; 16:15; Acts 10:36; Phil 2:6; Rom 9:4,5).

2. Particularly. Jesus Christ had glory with the Father; yea, a manifold glory with him, which he stripped himself of.

(1.) He had the glory of dominion; he was Lord of all the creatures; they were under him upon a double account—(a) as he was their Creator (Col 1:16); (b) as he was made the heir of God (Heb 1:2).

(2.) Therefore the glory of worship, reverence, and fear from all creatures was due unto him; the worship, obedience, subjection, and service of angels were due unto him; the fear, honor, and glory of kings, and princes, and judges of the earth were due unto him; the obedience of the sun, moon, stars, clouds, and all vapors, were due unto him; all dragons, deeps, fire, hail, snow, mountains and hills, beasts, cattle, creeping things, and flying fowls, the service of them all, and their worship were due unto him (Psa 148).

(3.) The glory of the heavens themselves was due unto him; in a word, heaven and earth were his.

(4.) But above all, the glory of communion with his Father was his; I say, the glory of that unspeakable communion that he had with the Father before his incarnation, which alone was worth ten thousand worlds, that was ever his.

(5.) But again, as Jesus Christ was possessed with this, so, besides, he was Lord of life; this glory also was Jesus Christ’s: “In him was life,” therefore he is called the Prince of it; because it was in him originally as in the Father (Acts 3:15). He gave to all life and breath, and all things; angels, men, beasts, they had all their life from him.

(6.) Again, as he was Lord of glory and Prince of life, he was also Prince of peace (Isa 9:6); by him, harmony and good order were maintained among things in heaven and things on earth.

Take things briefly in these few particulars—(a.) The heavens were his, and he made them. (b.) Angels were his, and he made them. (c.) The earth was his, and he made it. (d.) Man was his, and he made him.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS: SAVED BY GRACE. 361

 

QUEST. II.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED BY GRACE?

Now I come to the second question—What is it to be saved by grace? For so are the words of the text, "By grace, ye are saved." But,

First. I must touch the word GRACE and show you how diverse it is. Sometimes, it is taken for the goodwill and favor of men (Esth 2:17: Ruth 2:2: 1 Sam 1:18: 2 Sam 16:4). Sometimes, it is taken for those sweet ornaments that a life according to the Word of God put about the neck 9 (Prov 1:9; 3:22). Sometimes it is taken for the charity of the saints, as 2 Corinthians 9:6-8.

But "grace" in the text is taken for God's goodwill, "the goodwill of him that dwelt in the bush," and is expressed variously. Sometimes, it is called "his good pleasure." Sometimes, "the good pleasure of his will," which is all one with "the riches of his grace" (Eph 1:7). Sometimes, it is expressed by goodness, pity, love, mercy, kindness, and the like (Rom 2:4; Isa 63:9; Titus 3:4,5). Yea, he styles himself, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty" (Exo 34:6,7).

Second. As the word "grace" signifies all these, it intimates to us that all these are free acts of God, love, mercy, and kindness; hence, we have other hints in the Word about the nature of grace, as, 1. It is an act of God's will, which must need to be free; an act of his own will, of the good pleasure of his will; by each of these expressions, it is intimated that grace is a free act of God's goodness towards the sons of men. 2. Therefore, it is expressly said—"Being justified freely by his grace" (Rom 3:24). 3. "And when they had nothing to pay, he forgave them both" (Luke 7:42). 4. Again, "Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you" (Eze 36:32; Deu 9:5). 5. And therefore "grace," and the deserving of the creature, are set in flat opposition one to another—"And if by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace; otherwise work is no more work" (Rom 11:6).

The word "grace," therefore, being understood, doth most properly set forth the true cause of man's happiness with God, not but that those expressions, love, mercy, goodness, pity, kindness, &c., and the like, have their proper place in our happiness also. Had not God loved us, grace had not acted freely in our salvation; had not God been merciful, good, pitiful, kind, he would have turned away from us when he saw us in our blood (Eze 16).

So then, when he saith, "By grace ye are saved," it is all one as if he had said, By the goodwill, free mercy, and loving-kindness of God ye are saved; as the words conjoined with the text do also further manifest: "But God," saith Paul, "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."

[Third.] The words thus understood admit us to these few conclusions: 1. God, in saving the sinner, hath no respect for the sinner's goodness; hence, it is said he is frankly forgiven and freely justified (Luke 7:42; Rom 3:24). 2. That God doth this to whom and when he pleases because it is an act of his own good pleasure (Gal 1:15,16). 3. This is the cause why great sinners are saved, for God pardoned "according to the riches of his grace" (Eph 1:7). 4. This is the true cause that some sinners are so amazed and confounded at the apprehension of their own salvation; his grace is unsearchable; and by unsearchable grace God oft puzzles and confounds our reason (Eze 16:62,63; Acts 9:6). 5. This is why sinners so often recover from their backslidings, heal the wounds they get from their falls, and rejoice in God's mercy. Why, he will be gracious to whom he will be gracious, and he will have compassion on whom he will have compassion (Rom 9:15).

[Fourth.] But I must not conclude this point here. We are here discoursing of the grace of God, and that by it we are saved; saved, I say, by the grace of God.

God is outlined in the Word unto us under a double consideration—1. He is outlined in his own eternal power and Godhead. Thus, we are to conceive of him by his attributes of power, justice, goodness, holiness, everlastingness, &c. 2. But then, we have him outlined in the Word of truth as consisting of Father, Son, and Spirit. Although this second consideration contained the nature of the Godhead, the first did not demonstrate the persons in the Godhead. We are saved by the grace of God—that is, by the grace of the Father, who is God; by the grace of the Son, who is God; and by the grace of the Spirit, who is God.

Now, since we are said to be "saved by grace," and that the grace of God, and since also we find in the Word that in the Godhead there are Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, we must conclude that it is by the grace of the Father, Son, and Spirit that we are saved; wherefore grace is attributed to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost distinctly. 1. Grace is attributed to the Father, as these scriptures testify; Romans 7:25, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4, Philemon 3. 2. Grace is also attributed to the Son. I first manifest it by all those texts above-mentioned, as also by these that follow: 2 Corinthians 8:9, 13:14, Galatians 6:18, Philippians 4:23, 1 Thessalonians 5:28, 2 Thessalonians 3:18, Philemon 25, Revelation 22:21. 3. It is also attributed to the Holy Ghost. He is called the Spirit of grace because he is the author of grace as the Father and the Son (Zech 12:10; Heb 10:29).

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; SAVED BY GRACE. 360

 

QUEST. I.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED?

1. The understanding shall then be perfect in knowledge—"Now we know but in part;" we know God, Christ, heaven, and glory, but in part; "but when that which is perfect comes, then that which is in part shall be done away" (1 Cor 13:10). Then shall we have perfect and everlasting visions of God, and that blessed one his Son Jesus Christ, good thought of whom doth sometimes so fill us while in this world, that it caused "joy unspeakable and full of glory." 2. Then shall our will and affections be ever in a burning flame of love to God and his Son Jesus Christ; our love here hath ups and downs, but there it shall always be perfect with that perfection which is not possible in this world to be enjoyed. 3. Then will our conscience have that peace and joy that neither tongue nor pen of men or angels can express. 4. Then will our memory be so enlarged to retain all things that happened to us in this world, so that with unspeakable aptness we shall call to mind all God's providences, all Satan's malice, all our own weaknesses, all the rage of men, and how God did all work together for his glory and our good, to the everlasting ravishing of our hearts.

Second. For our body; it shall be raised in power, in incorruption, a spiritual body and glorious (1 Cor 15:44). The glory of which is set forth by several things—1. It is compared to "the brightness of the firmament" and to the shining of the stars "forever and ever" (Dan 12:3; 1 Cor 15:41,42). 2. It is compared to the sun's shining—"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matt 13:43). 3. Their state is then to be equally glorious with angels; "But they which shall be counted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; neither can they die anymore, for they are equal unto the angels" (Luke 20:35,36). 4. It is said that then this our vile body shall be like the glorious body of Jesus Christ (Phil 3:20,21; 1 John 3:2,3). 5. And when body and soul are thus united, who can imagine what glory they both possess? They will now be both in capacity, without jarring, to serve the Lord with shouting thanksgivings and with a crown of everlasting joy upon their head. 8

In this world, there cannot be that harmony and oneness of body and soul as there will be in heaven. Here, the body sometimes sins against the soul, and the soul again vexes and perplexes the body with dreadful apprehensions of the wrath and judgment of God. While we are in this world, the body oft hangs this way, and the soul the quite contrary; but there, in heaven, they shall have that perfect union as never to jar more; but now the glory of the body shall so suit with the glory of the soul, and both so perfectly suit with the heavenly state, that it passed words and thoughts.

Third. Shall I now speak of where this saved body and soul dwell in?

Why, 1. It is a city (Heb 11:16; Eph 2:19,22). 2. It is called heaven (Heb 10:34). 3. It is called God's house (John 14:1-3). 4. It is called a kingdom (Luke 12:32). 5. It is called glory (Col 3:4; Heb 2:10). 6. It is called paradise (Rev 2:7). 7. It is called everlasting habitation (Luke 16:9).

Fourth. Shall I speak of their company?

Why, 1. They shall stand and live in the presence of the glorious God, the Judge of all (Heb 12:23). 2. They shall be with the Lamb, the Lord Jesus. 3. They shall be with an innumerable company of holy angels (Heb 12:22). 4. They shall be with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of heaven (Luke 13:28).

Fifth. Shall I speak of their heavenly raiment?

1. It is salvation; they shall be clothed with the garment of salvation (Psa 132:16; 149:4; Isa 61:10). 2. This is called white raiment, signifying their clean and innocent state in heaven. "And they," says Christ, "shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy" (Rev 3:4; 19:8; Isa 57:2). 3. It is called glory—"When he shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory" (Col 3:4). 4. They shall also have crowns of righteousness, everlasting joy, and glory (Isa 35:10; 2 Tim 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4).

Sixth. Shall I speak of their continuance in this condition?

1. It is for ever and ever. "And they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads, and they shall reign forever" (Rev 22:4,5). 2. It is everlasting. "And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone who set the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life" (John 6:40,47). 3. It is life eternal. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life" (John 10:27,28). 4. It is a world without end. "But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation; ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end" (Isa 45:17; Eph 3:20,21).

O sinner! what sayest thou? How dost thou like being saved? Doth not thy mouth water? Doth not thy heart twitter at being saved? Why, come then: "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev 22:17).

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; SAVED BY GRACE. 359

 

QUEST. I.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED?

These angels, therefore, are not to fail them that is saved; but must, as commissioned of God, come down from heaven to do this office for them; they must come, I say, and take the care and charge of our soul, to conduct it safely into Abraham's bosom. It is not our meanness in the world, nor our weakness of faith, that shall hinder this, nor shall the loathsomeness of our diseases make these delicate spirits shy of taking this charge upon them. Lazarus, the beggar, found this a truth; a beggar so despised of the rich glutton that he was not suffered to come within his gate; a beggar full of sores and noisome putrefaction; yet, behold, when he dies, the angels come from heaven to fetch him thither: "And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom" (Luke 16:22). True, sick-bed temptations are ofttimes the most violent because then the devil plays his last game with us, he is never to assault us more; besides, perhaps God suffereth it thus to be, that the entering into heaven may be the sweeter, and ring of this salvation the louder! It is a blessing for God to be our guide even unto death and for his angels to conduct us safely to glory; this is saving indeed. And he shall save Israel "out of all his troubles;" out of sick-bed troubles as well as others (Psa 25:22; 34:6; 48:14).

Sixth. To be saved and perfectly saved calls for more than all this; the godly are not perfectly saved when their soul is possessed of heaven. True, their spirit is made perfect and hath as much of heaven as at present it can hold, but man, consisting of body and soul, cannot be said to be perfectly saved so long as but part of him is in the heavens; his body is the price of the blood of Christ as well as his spirit; his body is the temple of God, and a member of the body, and of the flesh, and of the bones of Christ; he cannot, then, be completely saved until the time of the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor 6:13-19; Eph 5:30). Wherefore, when Christ shall come the second time, then will he save the body from all those things that at present make it incapable of the heavens. "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change" this "our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body" (Phil 3:20,21). O, what a great deal of good God hath put into this little word "saved"! We shall not see all the good that God hath put into this word "saved" until the Lord Jesus comes to raise the dead. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be" (1 John 3:2). But till it appears what we shall be, we cannot see the bottom of this word "saved." True, we have the earnestness of what we shall be; we have the Spirit of God, "which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession" (Eph 1:14). The possession is our body—it is called "a purchased possession," because it is the price of blood; now the redemption of this purchased possession is the raising of it out of the grave, which raising is called the redemption of our body (Rom 8:23). And when this vile body is made like unto his glorious body. This body and soul are possessed of the heavens; shall we be saved in every way?

There are three things from which this body must be saved—1. There is that sinful filth and vileness that dwells in it, under which we groan earnestly all day (2 Cor 5:1-3). 2. Mortality subjecteth us to age, sickness, aches, pains, diseases, and death. 3. There is the grave and death itself, for death is the last enemy to be destroyed. "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor 15:54). So then when this comes to pass, then we shall be saved; then will salvation, in all the parts of it, meet together in our glory; then we shall be every way saved—saved in God's decree, saved in Christ's undertakings, saved by faith, saved in perseverance, saved in the soul, and in body and soul together in the heavens, saved perfectly, everlastingly, gloriously.

[Of the state of our body and soul in heaven.] Before I conclude my answer to the first question, I will discuss the state of our body and soul in heaven when we shall enjoy this blessed state of salvation.

First. Of the soul; it will then be filled in all its faculties with as much bliss and glory as ever it can hold.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; SAVED BY GRACE. 358

 

QUEST. I.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED?

1. That all the power and policy, malice and rage, of the devils and hell itself are against us. Any man who understands this will conclude that to be saved is no small thing. The devil is called a god, a prince, a lion, a roaring lion; it is said that he hath death and the power of it, &c. But what can a poor creature, whose habitation is in the flesh, do against a god, a prince, a roaring lion, and the power of death itself? Our perseverance, therefore, lies in the power of God; "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

2. All the world is against him that shall be saved. But what is one poor creature to all the world, especially if you consider that with the world is terror, fear, power, majesty, laws, jails, gibbets, hangings, burnings, drownings, starving, banishments, and a thousand kinds of deaths? (1 John 5:4,5; John 16:33).

3. Add to this that all the corruptions that dwell in our flesh are against us and that not only in their nature and being, but they lust against us and war against us to "bring us into captivity to the law of sin and death" (Gal 5:17; 1 Peter 2:11; Rom 7:23).

4. All the delusions in the world are against them that shall be saved, many of which are so cunningly woven, so plausibly handled, so rarely5 polished with Scripture and reason, that it is ten thousand wonders that the elect are not swallowed up with them; and swallowed up they would be, were they not elect, and was not God himself engaged, either by power to keep them from falling, or by grace to pardon if they fall, and to lift them up again (Matt 24:24; Eph 4:14; Rom 3:12).

5. Every fall of the saved is against the salvation of his soul, but a Christian has once fallen rise not but as helped by Omnipotent power—"O Israel, thou hast fallen by thine iniquity," "but in me is thy help," says God (Hosea 13:9; 14:1; Psa 37:23).

Christians were you awake, there would be a matter of wonder to you to see a man assaulted with all the power of hell and yet to come off a conqueror! Is it not a wonder to see a poor creature, weaker than the moth, stand against and overcome all devils, all the world, all his lusts, and corruptions? (Job 4:19). Or if he falls, is it not a wonder to see him, when devils and guilt are upon him, to rise again, stand upon his feet again, walk with God again, and persevere after all this in the faith and holiness of the gospel? He that knows himself wonders; he that knows temptation wonders; he that knows what falls and guilt mean wonders; indeed, perseverance is a wonderful thing and is managed by the power of God, for he only "can keep you from falling, and present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). Those of the children of Israel who went from Egypt and entered the land of Canaan, how came they thither? Why, the text says, that "as an eagle spread abroad her wings, so the Lord alone did lead them." And again, "he bore them, and carried them all the days of old" (Deu 32:11,12; Isa 63:9). David also tells us that mercy and goodness should follow him all the days of his life, and so he should dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psa 23:6). Fifth. To be saved calls for more than all this; he that is saved must, when this world can hold him no longer, have safe conduct to heaven, for that is the place where they that are saved must to the full enjoy their salvation. This heaven is called "the end of our faith" because it is that which faith looks at; as Peter says, "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." And again, "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul" (1 Peter 1:9; Heb 10:39). For, as I said, heaven is the place for the saved to enjoy their salvation in, with that perfect gladness that is not attainable here. Here, we are saved by faith and hope of glory, but we who are saved shall enjoy the end of our faith and hope, even the salvation of our souls. There is "Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the general assembly and church of the firstborn;" there is the "innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect;" there is "God the judge of all, and Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant;" there shall our soul have as much of heaven as it is capable of enjoying, and that without intermission; wherefore, when we come there we shall be saved indeed! But now, for a poor creature to be brought hither, this is the life of the point. But how shall I come hither? There are heights and depths to hinder (Rom 8:38,39).

Suppose the poor Christian is now upon a sick-bed, beset with a thousand fears, and ten thousand at the end of that; sick-bed fears! And they are sometimes dreadful ones; fears that are begotten by the review of the sin, perhaps, of forty years' profession; fears that are begotten by dreadful and fearful suggestions of the devil, the sight of death, and the grave, and it may be of hell itself; fears that are begotten by the withdrawing and silence of God and Christ, and by, it may be, the appearance of the devil himself; some of these made David cry, "O spare me" a little, "that I may recover strength before I go hence, and be no more" (Psa 39:13). "The sorrows of death," said he, "compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow" (Psa 116:3). These things, in another place, he calls the bands that the godly have in their death, and the plagues that others are not aware of. "They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men" (Psa 73:9). But now, out of all these, the Lord will save his people; not one sin, nor fear, nor devil shall hinder; nor the grave nor hell disappoint thee. But how must this be? Why, thou must have a safe conduct to heaven? 6 What conduct? Conduct of angels: "Are they, not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb 1:14).