Works of John Bunyan: LIGHT FOR THEM THAT SIT IN DARKNESS. 422

 

Now all these, and five times as many more, having their foundation in the love, blood, and righteousness of Christ, and operating in the soul by faith, are the great arguments unto that holiness that are annexed eternal life. It is worth our observing that in Acts 26:18, the inheritance belongs 'to them which are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ'; for all other pretenses to holiness, they are but a stolen semblance of that which is true and acceptable, though it is common for even that which is counterfeit to be called by the deluded the true, and to be reckoned to be in them that are utter strangers to faith, and the holiness that comes by faith. 'But whosoever compounded any like it, or whosoever put any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people' (Exo 30:23). God knows which is holiness that comes by faith in forgiveness of sins, and acceptance with God through Christ; and God knows which is only such feignedly; and accordingly will he deal with sinners in that great day of God Almighty.

SIXTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price to God for sinners and obtained eternal redemption for them, is evident because prayers are accepted of God only upon the account and for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ—' Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you (John 16:23). In my name, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, in the name of him that came into the world to save sinners, by dying for them a grievous, bloody death; in his name that hath by himself put away sin, and brought unto God acceptable righteousness for sinners; in his name. Why in his name, if he be not accepted of God? Why in his name if his undertakings for us are not well-pleasing to God? But by these words, 'in my name,' are insinuated that his person and performances, as our undertaker, are accepted by the Father of spirits. We may not go in our own names because we are sinners, not in the name of one another because all are sinners. But why not in the name of an angel? Because they are not those that did undertake for us or had them, they could not have done our work for us. 'He put no trust in his saints, yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight' (Job 4:18, 15:15). It may further be objected—

Since Jesus Christ is God, equal with the Father, and so hath naturally the same power to give us the Father, why should the Father rather than the Son be the great giver to the world's sinners? and why may we not go to Christ in the name of the Father, as well as to the Father in the name of Christ? I say, how can these things be solved, but by considering that sin and justice put a necessity upon it that thus must our salvation be obtained. Sin and justice could not reconcile, nor could a means be found out to bring the sinner and a holy God together, but by the intercepting of the Son, who must take upon him to answer justice, and that by taking our sins from before the face of God by bloody sacrifice, not by the blood of others, as the high-priests under the law—' For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is of necessity that this man has somewhat also to offer' (Heb 8:3). Which offering and sacrifice of his being able to perfect for ever them that are sanctified and set apart for eternal life, therefore the name of the person that offered—even Jesus, made of God a high-priest—is acceptable with God; yea, therefore is he made forever, by his doing for us, the appeaser of the justice of God, and the reconciler of sinners to him. Hence, it is that HIS name is that which it behooves us to mention when we come before God, for what God hath determined in his counsels of grace to bestow upon sinners because for his name's sake, he forgives them. 'I write unto you, little children because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake' (1 John 2:12). 'To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins' (Acts 10:43).

They, therefore, that would obtain the forgiveness of sins must ask it of God, through the name of Jesus; and he that shall sensibly and unfeignedly do it, he shall receive the forgiveness of them—'Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you.' Hence, it is evident that he has not only paid full price to God for them but also obtained eternal redemption for them.

And it is observable, the Lord Jesus would have his disciples make a proof of this, and promised that if they do, they shall experimentally find it so—' Hitherto,' saith he, 'have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full' (John 16:24). As who should say, O my disciples, you have heard what I have promised to you, even that my Father shall do for you whatsoever ye shall ask him in my name. Ask now, therefore, and prove me, if I shall not make my words good: ask, I say, what you need, and see if you do not receive it to the joying of your hearts. 'At that day ye shall ask in my name, and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you.' I do not bid you ask in my name as if the Father was yet hard to be reconciled, or unwilling to accept you to mercy; my coming into the world was the design of my Father, and the effect of his love to sinners; but there is sin in you and justice in God; therefore that you to him might be reconciled, I am made of my Father mediator; wherefore ask in my name, for 'there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved' (Acts 4:12). Ask in my name; love is let out to you through me; it is let out to you by me in a way of justice, which is the only secure way for you. Ask in my name, and my Father will love you—' The Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God (John 16:27). My Father's love is set first upon me for my name is chief in his heart, and all that love me are beloved of my Father and shall have what they need, if they ask in my name.