In this treatise, very powerful arguments are used to counteract these errors and place the doctrine of justification in all its glorious purity. It is essentially the source of the glad tidings of great joy made known by the Christian dispensation; showing that the redemption of believers is perfect and finished, neither needing nor suffering any human additions. The righteousness of Christ fully justifies all that believe, while the fountain that he opened washes away all their defilements, and presents them at the judgment seat, without spot or blemish, their robes being washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.
To prevent this doctrine from being impeached with a tendency to weaken man in the discharge of his moral duties, the same Divine power which thus pardoned sin has decreed that a sense of pardoning love should impel the redeemed to walk in newness of life—and that it is only while thus walking in holy obedience that they have evidence of being members of Christ’s mystical body. For, ‘whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son; whom he did predestinate, he also called; and whom he called, he also justified.’ So full is this of consolation and felicity that the apostle exclaims, ‘If God be for us, who can be against us?’ Thus, salvation by free grace is inseparably connected with good works. The righteousness of the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, imputed to his members, justifies them, in the same manner as the disobedience of the first Adam, imputed to all his members or posterity, makes them sinners. To use the expressive words of Bunyan, ‘The sinner is justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while a sinner in himself.’ This is a startling fact. That Rahab or Mary Magdalene, and even Saul, the murderous persecutor, were, in the sight and purposes of God, justified, while they were, in the esteem of God’s saints, in a state of the vilest sin, is a doctrine revolting to the pride of human nature. But we should remember that, in the sight of God, a thousand years are but as one day; while one day may be magnified into a thousand years; and that the purposes of God are concealed to us while sin blinds our eyes. Rahab and Magdalene were wretched before their conversion, nor could Saul have been much less wretched, while carrying misery into the hearts and families of God’s saints.
There can be no real happiness without spiritual life—holy obedience to the Divine will, and a scriptural hope of justification before God and his law. These are the means he uses to make known to us his secret purposes. No man has lived in the world, since the inspired writers, more capable of detecting the devil’s sophistry upon this subject than John Bunyan. He had passed through a furnace of experience while seeking justification. He well knew that, upon keeping the moral law of God, the peace of the world and our personal happiness depended. How is this great object to be accomplished? If we attempt to keep it, to gain eternal life, we shall fail, as all others have done. In every attempt thus to keep it, to use Bunyan’s expression, ‘The guilt of sin, which is by the law, makes such a noise and horror in my conscience that I can neither hear nor see the word of peace unless it is spoken with a voice from heaven!’ Our polluted nature leads to sin; a mist is before our eyes; we ‘go astray speaking lies.’ The strong natural bias to break the law will prevail; we see its effects in the great bulk of those who are taught to rely upon ceremonies and upon keeping the law. Who are so lawless, so little advanced in civilization, as the poor Irish, Spaniards, or Italians? while those who seek justification as the free gift of God, influenced by gratitude and love, are found walking in obedience to the Divine Law, their only regret is, that they cannot live more to the glory of their Saviour. As exhibited in this treatise, the doctrines of grace have ever produced glory to God, peace on earth, and goodwill to men;. However, that spirit that called Christ a gluttonous man and a winebibber still charges these doctrines as having a tendency toward licentiousness.
Christian, be not offended with the humbling, but scriptural views, which Bunyan entertained of every church of Christ: ‘A hospital of sick, wounded, and afflicted people.’ None but those who feel their need of the Physician of Souls are fit for church membership or are safely on the road to heaven. Leaving this solemn and interesting subject to the prayerful attention of the reader, I shall conclude my advertisement by quoting from a characteristic specimen of Bunyan’s style of writing, and it was doubtless his striking mode of preaching:—’ Faith doth the same against the devil that unbelief doth to God. Does unbelief count God a liar? Faith counts the devil as a liar. Does unbelief hold the soul back from the mercy of God? Faith protects the soul from the malice of the devil. Does unbelief quench your grace? 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, does unbelief bind down your sins upon you? Why, faith in Jesus Christ releases them all.’
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