THE Scriptures carry such a blessed beauty in them to that soul that
has faith in the things contained in them, that they do take the
heart and captivate the soul of him that believeth them into the
love and liking of them, believing all things that are written in
the law and the prophets, and having hope towards God that there
shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust.
To him that believes the Scriptures aright, the promises or
threatenings are of more power to comfort or cast down, than all the
promises or threatenings of all the men in the world; and this was
the cause why the martyrs of Jesus did so slight both the promises
of their adversaries when they would have overcome them with
proffering the great things of this world unto them, and also their
threatenings when they told them they would rack them, hang them,
burn them. None of these things could prevail upon them or against
them.
I never had in all my life so great an inlet into the word of God as
now, [in prison.] Those scriptures that I saw nothing in before,
were made in this place and state to shine upon me. Jesus Christ
also was never more real and apparent than now. Here I have seen and
felt him indeed: O that word, "We have not preached unto you
cunningly devised fables," and that, "God raised Christ from the
dead and gave him glory, that our faith and hope might he in God,"
were blessed words unto me in this condition.
These three or four scriptures also have been great refreshments
in this condition to me, John 14:1-4; 16:33; Heb. 12:22-24; so that
sometimes, when I have been in the savor of them, I have been able
to laugh at destruction, and to fear neither the horse nor his
rider. I have had sweet sights of the forgiveness of my sins in this
place, and of my being with Jesus in another world. Oh the mount
Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the innumerable company of angels, and
God the judge of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect; and
Jesus has been sweet to me in this place: I have seen THAT here,
which I am persuaded I shall never while in this world be able to
express. I have seen a truth in this scripture, "Whom having not
seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye
rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."
The glass was one of a thousand. It would present a man one way with
his own features exactly, and turn it but another way and it would
show one the very face and similitude of the Prince of the pilgrims
himself. Yes, I have talked with them that can tell, and they have
said that they have seen the very crown of thorns upon his head by
looking in that glass; they have therein also seen the holes in his
hands, in his feet, and in his side. Yea, such an excellency is
there in that glass, that it will show him to one where they have a
mind to see him, whether living or dead, whether in earth or in
heaven, whether in a state of humiliation or in his exaltation,
whether coming to suffer or coming to reign. James I: 23-25; I Cor.
13:12; 2 Cor. 3:13.
Then said Greatheart to Mr. Valiant-for-Truth, "Thou hast worthily
behaved thyself; let me see thy sword." So he showed it him. "When
he had taken it into his hand, and looked thereon awhile, he said,
Ha, it is a right Jerusalem blade."
VALIANT. "It is so. Let a man have one of these blades, with a hand
to wield it and skill to use it, and he may venture upon an angel
with it. He need not fear its holding, if he can but tell how to lay
on. Its edge will never blunt. It will cut flesh and bones, and soul
and spirit, and all."
I saw then in my dream, that they went on in this their solitary
ground, till they came to a place at which a man is apt to lose his
way. Now, though when it was light their guide could well enough
tell how to miss those ways that led wrong, yet in the dark he was
put to a stand; but he had in his pocket a map of all ways leading
to or from the celestial city; wherefore he struck a light--for he
never goes without his tinder-box also--and takes a view of his book
or map, which bids him be careful in that place to turn to the right
hand.. And had he not been careful to look in his map, they had in
all probability been smothered in the mud; for just a little before
them, and that at the end of the cleanest way too, was a pit, none
knows how deep, full of nothing but mud, there made on purpose to
destroy the pilgrims in. Then thought I with myself, Who that goeth
on pilgrimage but would have one of these maps about him, that he
may look when he is at a stand which is the way he must take?
If we consider that our next state must be eternal, either eternal
glory or eternal fire, and that this eternal glory or this eternal
fire must be our portion according as the word of God revealed in
the holy Scriptures shall determine, who will not but conclude that
therefore the words of God are they at which we should tremble, and
they by which we should have our fear of God guided and directed?
for by them we are taught how to please him in every thing.
"Noah drank of the wine and was drunken." The Holy Ghost, when it
hath to do with sin, loves to give it its own name; drunkenness must
be drunkenness, murder must he murder, and adultery must bear its
own name. Nay, it is neither the goodness of the man, nor his being
in favor with God, that will cause him to lessen or mince his sin.
Noah was drunken; Lot lay with his daughters; David killed Uriah;
Peter cursed and swore in the garden, and also dissembled at
Antioch. But this is not recorded to the intent that the name of
these godly should rot, but to show that the best men are nothing
without grace, and that "he that standeth should not be high-minded,
but fear." Yea, they are also recorded for the support of the
tempted, who, when they are fallen, are oft raised up by considering
the infirmities of others. "Whatsoever things were written aforetime
were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort
of the scriptures might have hope."
God's word has two edges; it can cut back-stroke and fore-stroke: if
it do thee no good, it will do thee hurt; it is the savor of life
unto life to those that receive it, but of death unto death to them
that refuse it.
I do find in most such a spirit of idolatry concerning the learning
of this world and wisdom of the flesh, and God's glory so much
stained and diminished thereby, that had I all their aid and
assistance at command, I durst not make use of aught thereof, and
that for fear lest that grace and those gifts that the Lord hath
given me, should be attributed to their wits, rather than to the
light of the word and Spirit of God. Wherefore I will not take of
them from a thread to a shoe-latchet, lest they should say, We have
made Abraham rich.
What you find suiting with the scriptures, take, though it should
not suit with authors; but that which you find against the
scriptures, slight, though it should be confirmed by multitudes of
them. Yea, further, where you find the scriptures and your authors
agree, yet believe it for the sake of scripture's authority. I honor
the godly as Christians, but I prefer the Bible before them; and
having that still with me, I count myself far better furnished than
if I had, without it, all the libraries of the two universities.
Besides, I am for drinking water out of my own cistern: what God
makes mine by the evidence of his word and Spirit, that I dare make
bold with. Wherefore, seeing, though I am without their learned
lines, yet well furnished with the words of God, I mean the Bible, I
have contented myself with what I have there found; and having set
it before your eyes,
I pray read and take, sir, what you like best; And that which you
like not, leave for the rest.
Read, and read again, and do not despair of help to understand
something of the will and mind of God, though you think they are
fast locked up from you. Neither trouble your heads though you have
not commentaries and expositions; pray and read, and read and pray;
for a little from God is better than a great deal from men: also
what is from men is uncertain, and is often lost and tumbled over
and over by men; but what is from God is fixed as a nail in a sure
place. There is nothing that so abides with us, as what we receive
from God; and the reason why Christians at this day are at such a
loss as to some things, is because they are content with what comes
from men's mouths, without searching and kneeling before God to know
of him the truth of things. Things that we receive at God's hand
come to us as things from the minting-house, though old in
themselves, yet new to us. Old truths are always new to us, if they
come to us with the smell of heaven upon them.