celestial city, remind us of Rev 14:13, ‘And I heard a voice from
heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the
Lord, from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from
their labours; and their works do follow them.’ What an exchange! From
incessant anxious labour; from sighing and sorrow; from corruption and
temptation; to commence an endless life of holiness and purity, rest
and peace. To be with and like his Lord! His works have followed, and
will follow him, till time shall be no more.—Ed.
24. Among these truly remarkable sayings, so characteristic of our
great author, this of the fearful nature of sin is peculiarly striking;
it is worthy of being imprinted on every Christian’s heart, to keep
alive a daily sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin.—Ed.
25. Judges in those days were often biased by personal feelings, and in
some cases even by bribes.—Ed.
26. ‘Otherguise importance’; another manner of importance.—Ed.
27. ‘Posing,’ questioning closely, putting to a stand.—Imperial
Dictionary.—Ed.
***
PRISON MEDITATIONS DIRECTED TO THE HEART OF SUFFERING SAINTS AND
REIGNING SINNERS
By John Bunyan, in Prison, 1665
ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR
These verses, like those called “A Caution to watch against Sin,” were
first printed on a half sheet, and passed through several editions. The
Editor possesses a copy published by the author, a short time before
his decease; it is in an exceedingly rare little volume, including his
poems of “One thing needful” and his “Ebal and Gerizzim”; with “a
catlogue of all his other books.” London: printed for Nath, Ponder, at
the Peacock in the Poultry, 1688. On the reverse of the title is a
singular advertisement; “This author having published many books, which
have gone off very well, there are certain ballad sellers about
Newgate, and on London Bridge, who have put the two first letters of
this author’s name, and his effigies, to their rhymes and ridiculous
books, suggesting to the world as if they were his. Now know that this
author publisheth his name at large to all his books, and what you
shall see otherwise he disowns.”
Bunyan was imprisoned for teaching the gospel in its purity to the
poor, and for refusing conformity to national creeds and ceremonies.
This was as absurd as it would be, to imprison such of the inhabitants
of a country who refused to swear that all mankind were of one standard
in height; sending those who had consciences to prison, until they
pretended that they had grown taller or shorter, and were willing to
take the oath. Mental decision must be formed on evidence. God can
enlighten the mind to see that he alone can guide us to spiritual
worship—that his will must be personally consulted, and unreservedly
obeyed. Such a man feels that his soul’s salvation depends upon
obedience to God, and not to man. If human laws send him to jail for
refusing to disobey God, he will write upon the prison wall as William
Prynne did upon that in the Tower, “The Lord heareth the poor, and
despiseth not HIS prisoners.”
‘Christ’s presence hath my prison turn’d into
A blessed heaven; what then will it do
In heaven hereafter, when it now creates
Heav’n in a dungeon; goals to courts translates?’
‘He is not bound whom Christ makes free; he,
Though shut close prisoner, chained, remains still free:
A godly man’s at large in every place,
Still cheerful, well content, in blessed case,
Unconquered; he a sacred heaven still bears
About within his breast.’…
These were the feelings of all Christ’s prisoners. Indomitable was the
heroic spirit of Bunyan. He tells his persecutors their folly and their
sin, even while suffering under their lash; and after more than twelve
years’ incarceration, his free spirit is unsubdued. Again for sixteen
years he enjoyed the sweets of liberty, and then re-published at all
risks his proofs of the wickedness of persecution for conscience’ sake.
There was no craft, nor guile, nor hypocrisy about his character, but a
fearless devotion to the will of his God; and he became one of the most
honoured of his saints.
GEO. OFFOR.
PRISON MEDIATIONS
1. Friend, I salute thee in the Lord,
And wish thou may’st abound
In faith, and have a good regard
To keep on holy ground.
2. Thou dost encourage me to hold
My head above the flood,
Thy counsel better is than gold,
In need thereof I stood.
3. Good counsel’s good at any time,
The wise will it receive,
Though fools count he commits a crime
Who doth good counsel give.
4. I take it kindly at thy hand
Thou didst unto me write,
My feet upon Mount Zion stand,
In that take thou delight.
5. I am, indeed, in prison now
In body, but my mind
Is free to study Christ, and how
Unto me he is kind.
6. For though men keep my outward man
Within their locks and bars,
Yet by the faith of Christ I can
Mount higher than the stars.
7. Their fetters cannot spirits tame,
Nor tie up God from me;
My faith and hope they cannot lame,
Above them I shall be.
8. I here am very much refreshed
To think when I was out,
I preached life, and peace, and rest
To sinners round about.
9. My business then was souls to save,
By preaching grace and faith;
Of which the comfort now I have,
And have it shall till death.
10. They were no fables that I taught,
Devised by cunning men,
But God’s own Word, by which were caught
Some sinners now and then.
11. Whose souls by it were made to see
The evil of their sin;
And need of Christ to make them free
From death which they were in.
12. And now those very hearts that then
Were foes unto the Lord,
Embrace his Christ and truth, like men
Conquered by his word.
13. I hear them sigh and groan, and cry
For grace, to God above;
They loathe their sin, and to it die,
’Tis holiness they love.
14. This was the work I was about
When hands on me they laid,
’Twas this from which they pluck’d me out,
And vilely to me said,
15. You heretic, deceiver, come,
To prison you must go;
You preach abroad, and keep not home,
You are the church’s foe.
16. But having peace within my soul,
And truth on every side,
I could with comfort them control,
And at their charge deride.
17. Wherefore to prison they me sent,
Where to this day I lie,
And can with very much content
For my profession die.
18. The prison very sweet to me
Hath been since I came here,
And so would also hanging be,
If God would there appear.
19. Here dwells good conscience, also peace
Here be my garments white;
Here, though in bonds, I have release
From guilt, which else would bite.
20. When they do talk of banishment,
Of death, or such-like things;
Then to me God sends heart’s content,
That like a fountain springs.
21. Alas! they little think what peace
They help me to, for by
Their rage my comforts do increase;
Bless God therefore do I.
22. If they do give me gall to drink,
Then God doth sweetn’ning cast
So much thereto, that they can’t think
How bravely it doth taste.
23. For, as the devil sets before
Me heaviness and grief,
So God sets Christ and grace much more,
Whereby I take relief.
24. Though they say then that we are fools
Because we here do lie,
I answer, goals are Christ his schools,
In them we learn to die.
25. ’Tis not the baseness of this state
Doth hide us from God’s face,
He frequently, both soon and late,
Doth visit us with grace.
26. Here come the angels, here come saints,
Here comes the Spirit of God,
To comfort us in our restraints
Under the wicked’s rod.
27. God sometimes visits prisons more
Than lordly palaces,
He often knocketh at our door,
When he their houses miss.
28. The truth and life of heavenly things
Lift up our hearts on high,
And carry us on eagles’ wings,
Beyond carnality.
29. It take away those clogs that hold
The hearts of other men,
And makes us lively, strong and bold
Thus to oppose their sin.
30. By which means God doth frustrate
That which our foes expect;
Namely, our turning th’ Apostate,
Like those of Judas’ sect.
31. Here comes to our rememberance
The troubles good men had
Of old, and for our furtherance,
Their joys when they were sad.
32. To them that here for evil lie
The place is comfortless,
But not to me, because that I
Lie here for righteousness.
33. The truth and I were both here cast
Together, and we do
Lie arm in arm, and so hold fast
Each other; this is true.
34. This goal to us is as a hill,
From whence we plainly see
Beyond this world, and take our fill
Of things that lasting be.
35. From hence we see the emptiness
Of all this world contains;
And here we feel the blessedness
That for us yet remains.
36. Here we can see how all men play
Their parts, as on a stage,
How good men suffer for God’s way,
And bad men at them rage.
37. Here we can see who holds that ground
Which they in Scripture find;
Here we see also who turns round
Like weathercocks with wind.
38. We can also from hence behold
How seeming friends appear
But hypocrites, as we are told
In Scripture every where.
39. When we did walk at liberty,
We were deceiv’d by them,
Who we from hence do clearly see
Are vile deceitful men.
40. These politicians that profest
For base and worldly ends,
Do now appear to us at best
But Machiavellian friends.
41. Though men do say, we do disgrace
Ourselves by lying here
Among the rogues, yet Christ our face
From all such filth will clear.
42. We know there’s neither flout nor frown
That we now for him bear,
But will add to our heavenly crown,
When he comes in the air.
43. When he our righteousness forth brings
Bright shining as the day,
And wipeth off those sland’rous things
That scorners on us lay.
44. We sell our earthly happiness
For heavenly house and home;
We leave this world because ’tis less,
And worse than that to come.
45. We change our drossy dust for gold,
From death to life we fly:
We let go shadows, and take hold
Of immortality.
46. We trade for that which lasting is,
And nothing for it give,
But that which is already his
By whom we breath and live.
47. That liberty we lose for him,
Sickness might take away:
Our goods might also for our sin
By fire or thieves decay.
48. Again, we see what glory ’tis
Freely to bear our cross
For him, who for us took up his,
When he our servant was.
49. I am most free that men should see
A hole cut thro’ mine ear;
If others will ascertain me,
They’ll hang a jewel there.
50. Just thus it is we suffer here
For him a little pain,
Who, when he doth again appear,
Will with him let us reign.
51. If all must either die for sin
A death that’s natural;
Or else for Christ, ’tis best with him
Who for the last doth fall.
52. Who now dare say we throw away
Our goods or liberty,
When God’s most holy Word doth say
We gain thus much thereby?
53. Hark yet again, you carnal men,
And hear what I shall say
In your own dialect, and then
I’ll you no longer stay.
54. You talk sometimes of valour much,
And count such bravely mann’d,
That will not stick to have a touch
With any in the land.
55. If these be worth commending then,
That vainly show their might,
How dare you blame those holy men
That in God’s quarrel fight?
56. Though you dare crack a coward’s crown,
Or quarrel for a pin,
You dare not on the wicked frown,
Nor speak against their sin.
57. For all your spirits are so stout,
For matters that are vain;
Yet sin besets you round about,
You are in Satan’s chain.
58. You dare not for the truth engage,
You quake at prisonment;
You dare not make the tree your stage
For Christ, that King, potent.
59. Know then, true valour there doth dwell
Where men engage for God,
Against the devil, death, and hell,
And bear the wicked’s rod.
60. These be the men that God doth count
Of high and noble mind;
These be the men that do surmount
What you in nature find.
61. First they do conquer their own hearts,
All worldly fears, and then
Also the devil’s fiery darts,
And persecuting men.
62. They conquer when they thus do fall,
They kill when they do die:
They overcome then most of all,
And get the victory.
63. The worldling understands not this,
’Tis clear out of his sight;
Therefore he counts this world his bliss,
And doth our glory slight.
64. The lubber knows not how to spring
The nimble footman’s stage;
Neither can owls or jackdaws sing
If they were in the cage.
65. The swine doth not the pearls regard,
But them doth slight for grains,
Though the wise merchant labours hard
For them with greatest pains.
66. Consider man what I have said,
And judge of things aright;
When all men’s cards are fully played,
Whose will abide the light?
67. Will those, who have us hither cast?
Or they who do us scorn?
Or those who do our houses waste?
Or us, who this have borne?
68. And let us count those things the best
That best will prove at last;
And count such men the only blest,
That do such things hold fast.
69. And what though they us dear do cost,
Yet let us buy them so;
We shall not count our labour lost
When we see others’ woe.
70. And let saints be no longer blam’d
By carnal policy;
But let the wicked be asham’d
Of their malignity.
THE JERUSALEM SINNER SAVED;
OR,
GOOD NEWS FOR THE VILEST OF MEN;
BEING A HELP FOR DESPAIRING SOULS, SHOWING THAT JESUS CHRIST WOULD HAVE
MERCY IN THE FIRST PLACE OFFERED TO THE BIGGEST SINNERS.
THE THIRD EDITION,
IN WHICH IS ADDED, AN ANSWER TO THOSE GRAND OBJECTIONS THAT LIE IN THE
WAY OF THE THEM THAT WOULD BELIEVE: FOR THE COMFORT OF THEM THAT FEAR
THEY HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST.
BY JOHN BUNYAN, OF BEDFORD.
London: Printed for Elizabeth Smith, at the Hand and Bible, on London
Bridge, 1691.
ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR.
THAT Bunyan, who considered himself one of the most notorious of
Jerusalem sinners, should write with the deepest earnestness upon this
subject, is not surprising. He had preached upon it with very peculiar
pleasure, and, doubtless, from many texts; and, as he says, ‘through
God’s grace, with great success.’ It is not probable that, with his
characteristic intensity of feeling, and holy fervour in preaching, he
ever delivered the same sermon twice; but this was a subject so in
unison with his own feelings and experience, that he must have dilated
upon it with even unusual interest and earnestness. The marrow of all
these exercises he concentrated in this treatise; and when his judgment
was, by severe internal conflicts, fully matured—upon the eve of the
close of his earthly pilgrimage, in the last year of his life, 1688—he
published it in a pocket volume of eight sheets. It was soon translated
into several languages, and became so popular as to pass through ten
editions in English by 1728. Like other favourite books, it was
ornamented with some very inferior wood-cuts.
The object of the author is fully explained in the title to his book.
It is to display the riches of Divine grace and mercy to the greatest
sinners—even to those whose conduct entitled them to be called ‘Satan’s
colonels, and captains, the leaders of his people; and to such as most
stoutly make head against the Son of God.’ It is to those who feel
themselves to be such, and who make a proper estimate of their own
characters, as in the sight of God, that the gracious proclamations of
the gospel are peculiarly directed. They to whom much is forgiven, love
much; and the same native energies which had been misdirected to
promote evil, when sanctified and divinely guided, become a great
blessing to the church, and to society at large.
Bunyan does not stoop to any attempt to reconcile the humbling
doctrines of grace to the self-righteous pride of those who,
considering themselves but little sinners, would feel contaminated by
the company of those who had been such great sinners, although they
were pardoned and sanctified by God. His great effort was directed to
relieve the distress and despair of those who were suffering under deep
convictions; still, his whole treatise shows that the doctrine of
salvation by grace, of free gift, is no encouragement to sin that grace
may abound, as some have blasphemously asserted. It is degrading to the
pride of those who have not drunk so deeply of sin, to be placed upon a
level with great sinners. But the disease is the same—in breaking one
commandment, the whole law is violated; and, however in some the moral
leprosy does not make such fearful ravages as in others, the slightest
taint conveys moral, spiritual, and eternal death. ALL, whether young
or old, great or small, must be saved by grace, or fall into perdition.
The difference between the taint of sin, and its awfully developed
leprosy, is given. Who so ready to fly to the physician as those who
feel their case to be desperate? and, when cured, they must love the
Saviour most.
Comparatively little sins before conviction, when seen in the glass of
God’s law, and in his holy presence, become great ones. Those who feel
themselves to be great sinners, are peculiarly invited to the arms of
the Saviour, who saves to the uttermost ALL that come unto him; and it
is thus that peculiar consolation is poured in, and the broken heart is
bound up. We are then called by name, as Bunyan forcibly describes it,
as men called by name before a court. ‘Who first cry out, “Here, Sir”;
and then shoulder and crowd, and say, “Pray give way, I am called into
the court.” This is thy case, wherefore say, “Stand away, devil, Christ
calls me; stand away, unbelief, Christ calls me; stand away, all ye my
discouraging apprehensions, for my Saviour calls me to him to receive
of his mercy.”’ ‘Wherefore, since Christ says come, let the angels make
a lane, and let all men give place, that the Jerusalem sinner may come
to Jesus Christ for mercy.’ How characteristic is this of the
peculiarly striking style of Bunyan! How solemn his warnings! ‘The
invitations of the gospel will be, to those who refuse them, the
hottest coals in hell.’ His reasonings against despair are equally
forcible: ‘’Tis a sin to begin to despair before one sets his foot over
the threshold of hell gate. What! despair of bread in a land that is
full of corn! despair of mercy, when our God is full of mercy! when he
goes about by his ministers, beseeching of sinners to be reconciled
unto him! Thou scrupulous fool, where canst thou find that God was ever
false to his promise, or that he ever deceived the soul that ventured
itself upon him?’ This whole treatise abounds with strong consolation
to those who are beset with fears, and who, because of these, are ready
to give way to despair; it ought to be put into the hands of all such,
let them belong to what party they may; for, like our author’s other
books, nothing of a sectarian nature can be traced in it, except we so
call the distinguishing truths of evangelical religion. There are some
very interesting references to Bunyan’s experience and life, and one
rather singular idea, in which I heartily concur; it is, that the
glorified saints will become part of the heavenly hierarchy of angels,
and take the places of those who fell from that exalted state (Rev
22:8,9).
To those whose souls are invaded by despair, or who fear that they have
committed the sin against the Holy Ghost—to all who pant to have their
faith strengthened, and hopes brightened, this little work is most
earnestly and affectionately commended.
GEORGE OFFOR.
TO THE READER.
COURTEOUS READER,
ONE reason which moved me to write and print this little book was,
because, though there are many excellent heart-affecting discourses in
the world that tend to convert the sinner, yet I had a desire to try
this simple method of mine; wherefore I make bold thus to invite and
encourage the worst to come to Christ for life.
I have been vile myself, but have obtained mercy; and I would have my
companions in sin partake of mercy too: and, therefore, I have writ
this little book.
The nation doth swarm with vile ones now, as ever it did since it was a
nation. My little book, in some places, can scarce go from house to
house, but it will find a suitable subject to spend itself upon. Now,
since Christ Jesus is willing to save the vilest, why should they not,
by name, be somewhat acquainted with it, and bid come to him under that
name?
A great sinner, when converted, seems a booty to Jesus Christ; he gets
by saving such an one; why then should both Jesus lose his glory and
the sinner lose his soul at once, and that for want of an invitation?
I have found, through God’s grace, good success in preaching upon this
subject, and perhaps, so I may by my writing upon it too.1 I have, as
you see, let down this net for a draught. The Lord catch some great
fishes by it, for the magnifying of his truth. There are some most vile
in all men’s eyes, and some are so in their own eyes too; but some have
their paintings, to shroud their vileness under; yet they are naked and
open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do; and for all these,
God hath sent a Saviour, Jesus; and to all these the door is opened.
Wherefore, prithee, profane man, give this little book the reading.
Come; pardon, and a part in heaven and glory, cannot be hurtful to
thee. Let not thy lusts and folly drive thee beyond the door of mercy,
since it is not locked nor bolted up against thee. Manasseh was a bad
man, and Magdalene a bad woman, to say nothing of the thief upon the
cross, or of the murderers of Christ; yet they obtained mercy; Christ
willingly received them.
And dost thou think that those, once so bad, now they are in heaven,
repent them there because they left their sins for Christ when they
were in the world? I cannot believe, but that thou thinkest they have
verily got the best on’t. Why, sinner, do thou likewise. Christ, at
heaven gates, says to thee, Come hither; and the devil, at the gates of
hell, does call thee to come to him. Sinner, what sayest thou? Whither
wilt thou go? Don’t go into the fire; there thou wilt be burned! Don’t
let Jesus lose his longing, since it is for thy salvation, but come to
him and live.
One word more, and so I have done. Sinner, here thou dost hear of love;
prithee, do not provoke it, by turning it into wantonness. He that dies
for slighting love, sinks deepest into hell, and will there be
tormented by the remembrance of that evil, more than by the deepest
cogitation of all his other sins. Take heed, therefore; do not make
love thy tormentor, sinner. Farewell.
GOOD NEWS FOR THE VILEST OF MEN;
OR,
A HELP FOR DESPAIRING SOULS.
‘BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM.’—LUKE 24:47.
THE whole verse runs thus: ‘And that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name among all nations, ‘beginning at
Jerusalem.’ The words were spoken by Christ, after he rose from the
dead, and they are here rehearsed after an historical manner, but do
contain in them a formal commission, with a special clause therein. The
commission is, as you see, for the preaching of the gospel, and is very
distinctly inserted in the holy record by Matthew and Mark. ‘Go-teach
all nations,’ &c. (Matt 28:19) ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel to every creature’ (Mark 16:15). Only this clause is in
special mentioned by Luke, who saith, that as Christ would have the
doctrine of repentance and remission of sins preached in his name among
all nations, so he would have the people of Jerusalem to have the first
proffer thereof. Preach it, saith Christ, in all nations, but begin at
Jerusalem.
The apostles, then, though they had a commission so large as to give
them warrant to go and preach the gospel in all the world, yet by this
clause they were limited as to the beginning of their ministry; they
were to begin this work at Jerusalem. “Beginning at Jerusalem.”
Before I proceed to an observation upon the words, I must, but briefly,
touch upon two things: namely, FIRST, Show you what Jerusalem now was.
SECOND, Show you what it was to preach the gospel to them.
FIRST, Jerusalem is to be considered either, First, With respect to the
descent of her people; or, Second, With respect to her preference and
exaltation; or, Third, With respect to her present state, as to her
decays.
First, As to her descent, she was from Abraham, [by] the sons of Jacob,
a people that God singled out from the rest of the nations, to set his
love upon them.
Secondly, As to her preference or exaltation, she was the place of
God’s worship, and that which had in and with her the special tokens
and signs of God’s favour and presence, above any other people in the
world. Hence, the tribes went up to Jerusalem to worship; there was
God’s house, God’s high-priest, God’s sacrifices accepted, and God’s
eye, and God’s heart perpetually (Psa 76:1,2, 122; 1 Kings 9:3). But,
Thirdly, We are to consider Jerusalem also in her decays; for, as she
is so considered, she is the proper object of our text, as will be
further showed by and by.