Works of John Bunyan Volume II Part 69

5. Penn (p. 25 [p. 21 ed. 1684]), 'Since therefore there can be no admittance had, without performing that righteous will, and doing those holy, and perfect sayings; alas! to what value will an imputative righteousness amount?' &c.

Fowler (p. 16), 'Christ shall bring in an inward substantial, and everlasting righteousness, and by abrogating the outward [ceremonial]

and establishing ONLY this righteousness, he should enlarge the Jewish Church, an accession of the Gentiles, being by that means made unto it.'

6. Penn (p. 24,25 [p. 20 ed. 1684]), 'Since G.o.d has prescribed an inoffensive life, as that which only can give acceptance with him; and on the contrary hath determined never to justify the wicked, &c.--Will not the abomination appear greatest of all, where G.o.d shall be found condemning the just, on purpose to justify the wicked; and that he is thereto compelled, or else no salvation, which is the tendency of their doctrine, who imagine the righteous, and merciful G.o.d to condemn and punish his [innocent[38]] righteous Son, that he having satisfied for our sins, we might be justified [while unsanctified] by the imputation of his perfect righteousness.

O why should this horrible thing be contended for by Christians!'

Fowler (p. 119), 'If it were possible [as it hath been proved it is not] that a wicked man should have G.o.d's pardon, it would not make him cease to be miserable.'

Fowler (p. 120), 'Were it possible that Christ's righteousness could be imputed to an unrighteous man, I dare boldly affirm it would signify as little to his happiness, as would a gorgeous and splendid garment, to one that is almost starved with hunger, or that lieth racked by the torturing diseases of the stone, or colic.'

Fowler (p. 130), 'To justify a wicked man, while he continueth so, if it were possible for G.o.d to do it, would far more disparage his justice, and holiness, than advance his grace and kindness.'

7. Penn (p. 26 [p. 22 ed. 1684]), 'Unless we be[come] doers of that law, which Christ came not to destroy, but as our example to fulfil, we can never be justified before G.o.d.'

Fowler (p. 296), 'It is impossible we should not have the design of Christianity accomplished in us, and therefore that we should be dest.i.tute of the power of it, if we make our Saviour's most excellent life, the pattern of our lives. Those that sincerely, and industriously endeavour to imitate the holy Jesus in his spirit and actions, can never be ignorant what it is to be truly Christians, nor can they fail to be so.'

8. Penn (p. 26), 'Nor let any fancy that Christ hath so fulfilled it for them, as to exclude their obedience, from being requisite to their acceptance, but only as their pattern.'

Fowler (p. 148), 'This Son of G.o.d taught men their duty, by his own example, and did himself perform among them, what he required of them. Now that he should tread before us EVERY step of that way, which he hath told us leadeth to eternal happiness, and commend those duties which are most ungrateful to our corrupt inclinations, by his own practice; our having so brave an example is no small encouragement, to a cheerful performance of all that is commanded.'

Understandest thou what thou readest?

FOOTNOTES:

1. Fowler's Design, p. 6.

2. Ibid.

3. Seeing, then, it is evident from scripture, how deeply and dreadfully man is fallen from G.o.d, what a folly it is to suppose, in such a depraved creature, conditions previous to his justification!

They who talk at this rate, know not what they say, nor whereof they affirm. In a natural man there is no meetness, but a meetness to sin, and a meetness to be d.a.m.ned. They who know themselves, know this. And there are no pre-requisites to justification, but what G.o.d, by his Spirit, is pleased to work in men's hearts. None are meet to obey the gospel, till G.o.d implants in their souls a principle of faith and evangelical obedience. Before this is done, there is no meetness in the creature, no disposition to do anything spiritually good; neither are any of our works, till a change of nature takes place, acceptable and well-pleasing in the sight of Almighty G.o.d.--Mason and Ryland.

4. Fowler, p. 6.

5. Ibid.

6. Fowler, p. 6.

7. Ibid.

8. Man, in his first estate, was holy and righteous; and he continued to be possessed of this righteousness as long as he was obedient to his Creator; but as soon as he disobeyed the divine command, he lost all his holiness and righteousness at once; he emptied himself of every spark of goodness, and was full of all manner of wickedness; he forfeited all his primitive purity, and became a sinful, impure, and unrighteous creature. Hence, all mankind are dest.i.tute of original righteousness: there is none of the children of men righteous, 'no not one: there is none that doeth good, no not one' (Rom 3:10,12). What then becomes of the purity and dignity of human nature, so vainly boasted of? or how shall man be righteous before G.o.d? To this last question, we answer with Paul, in the above-quoted chapter (vv 21, 22), 'Now the righteousness of G.o.d without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of G.o.d, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe.' Without this righteousness, no soul ever was, no soul ever will be, justified before G.o.d.--Mason and Ryland.

9. Great will be the condemnation of all those who profess to know G.o.d, but in works deny him; who are abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate (t.i.tus 1:16). A great profession, without a suitable life and conversation, will only procure a greater condemnation. Therefore, up, ye sleepy virgins; up, and be doing; shew your faith by your works. There is no true religion without good works, attended with a G.o.dly walk and behaviour. There may be works seemingly good, where there is no true religion.

Good works are not the causes, but the fruits and effects of true religion, of justifying faith wrought in the soul by the Holy Ghost; and where true religion is, good works, of every divine kind and quality, will naturally follow, to the glory and praise of that grace which alone brings salvation to miserable ruined sinners.--Mason and Ryland.

10. Hierocles, the Greek philosopher.

11. Bunyan must have formed his opinions of the Quakers from some persons who pa.s.sed as such. No form either of doctrine or discipline had appeared in 1672. As soon as their tenets were published, they professed, as they do to this day, entire dependence upon Jesus Christ for holiness.--Ed.

12. Mr. Fowler gives no reference to any of the works of these learned divines, nor could he!! He traduces these great reformers and the doctrines of his own church, and yet was soon after made a bishop!!!--Ed.

13. The saints of G.o.d experience a mystery of iniquity, a horrible depth of corruption in their own hearts, and groan under the plague and burden of it. If we rightly know ourselves, and behold our vileness, filthiness, and exceeding sinfulness, in their true colours, we shall be obliged to own that we are very wicked, unholy, unG.o.dly, abominable; and that a principle and inclination to evil is so prevalent in the best of us, that were G.o.d to leave us to ourselves, we should greedily commit the most heinous sins.

These truly humbled persons, and these alone, are made sensible of the want of the application of the precious atoning blood of Christ to cleanse them from the pollution of sin, and of the sanctifying grace of the Spirit to deliver them from the dominion and tyranny of it.--Mason and Ryland.

14. 'Rusheth the soul.' To rush is a neuter verb, here used in an active sense;--'precipitateth' gives the correct idea.--Ed.

15. 'So natural, and ignorant,' in distinction from that spiritual wisdom which is immortal and illuminating.--Ed.

16. Against all unG.o.dliness and unrighteousness of men, such as disbelief, idolatry, adultery, &c. (p. 35).

17. How astonishing the mystery! how condescending the love! that the infinite Deity and finite flesh should meet in one person (Christ), in order to display to mankind the glory of G.o.d in that divine person! to bring h.e.l.l-deserving mortals into a nearness, yea, into a oneness with his Creator, that they might be made partakers of his holiness, and adore and admire his perfections for ever! O Christians, know and prize your inestimable privileges, and be instant at the throne of grace, that your souls may be so far a.s.similated to the image of the ever-blessed and adorable Jesus, that you may be constantly looking and hastening to, and longing for that happy time, when, having dropt the dimming rages of mortality, the veil of sinful flesh, you shall be brought to 'know him even as you are known' of him, because you shall 'see him as he is.'--Ryland.

18. 'Common,' as the head of his church, in whom all his people have an equal or common right.--Ed.

19. 'And even that miracle which might seem the most inconsiderable, namely, his causing his disciple Peter to catch a fish with a small piece of money in its mouth, was also instructive of a duty; it being an instance of his loyalty to the supreme magistrate; for the money was expended in paying tribute, and taken out of the sea in that strange manner for no other purpose.'--Fowler's Design, &c. p. 72.

20. 'Lay you,' brings forth to yourself. 'Lay' is here used as in 'a hen lays eggs'; such an application to this proverb is a cutting satire.--Ed.

21. 'To possess them.' Possess was formerly used as an active verb, but now is only used as a neuter verb; the meaning is 'to fill them with the certainty of the knowledge.'

22. 'As in Adam all died,' were bereft of every good, and became obnoxious to wrath and endless misery, so 'IN Christ,' by virtue of his life, death, and resurrection, 'shall all be made alive'; they shall have that incorruptible seed implanted in their hearts, which liveth and abideth for ever. Every grace and blessing is derived to the renewed soul from its union to Christ, as its living head, through the eternal Spirit. Christ hath fulfilled all righteousness for us and in our stead, and this was the end and intent of his coming into the world; so that Christ is now become the righteousness of all them that do truly believe in him.

'Created IN Christ Jesus unto good works, which G.o.d hath before ordained that we should walk in them' (Eph 2:10).--Mason and Ryland.

23. Would to G.o.d this legal, self-exalting, Christ-dishonouring doctrine had been confined to the times in which our author wrote, or had been then banished to h.e.l.l, from whence it came; but alas! it is but too prevalent in these degenerate times, in which Arianism, Arminianism, Socinianism, &c., &c., so dreadfully infect the mult.i.tude even of professors! In the national churches, what do we hear but Moses and the law, 'This do and live'; or, in other words, do your duty as well as you can, and Christ will do the rest: thus making the gospel the sacrifice of Christ, and the work of the Spirit, of no effect. Whereas, on the contrary, unregenerate, depraved, and sinful mortals 'have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to G.o.d, without the grace of G.o.d preventing [or going before] them, that they may have a good will; and working in and by them, when they have that good will'; which is perfectly agreeable to our Lord's declaration, (John 15:5) 'Without me, ye can do nothing.'--Mason and Ryland.

24. 'Sir Johns,' formerly the t.i.tle given to the priests. It was succeeded by the t.i.tle 'reverend.'--Ed.

25. Chap. 17: 'How fearfully the gospel is abused by the papists.'

Chap. 18: 'Those sottish, who expect salvation without holiness; and those more so who encourage themselves by the grace of the gospel in unholiness.'--Heads of these Chapters.--Ed.

26. 'Would that man be accounted any better than a perfect idiot, who, being sorely hurt, should expect from his surgeon perfect ease, when he will not permit him to apply any plaister for the healing of his wound? Or that being deadly sick, should look that his physician should deliver him from his pain, when he will not take any course he prescribes for the removal of the distemper that is the cause of it?'--Fowler's Design, p. 216. How admirably does Bunyan detect and unravel this casuistic sophistry.--Ed.

27. 'The righteousness of G.o.d is revealed from faith to faith'; that is, from one degree of faith to another: therefore increase in faith; live nearer to Christ; and the nearer you live to the Saviour, the farther you will be from sin; yea, he will make you, by precious faith in him, more than conqueror over all your spiritual enemies: therefore venture wholly upon Christ, and see if he will cast you out: indeed, he never will. Trust in him, hope in him, believe in him, and you will never be disappointed.

All our fitness is in Christ. Believe in him, and he is yours. In him dwells all fullness. Believe in Christ, and all that Christ has is yours: his blood is yours, his wisdom is yours, his righteousness, his sanctification is yours; yea, Christ Jesus himself is yours--he is yours in this world, and in the world to come; he is yours in time, and in eternity. Even so, Amen.--Mason and Ryland.

28. 'More groundedly,' with better foundation.

29. 'Take the way,' occupy the place.--Ed.

30. 'Doubtful opinions, modes and rites, eagerly opposed, is like the apes blowing at a glowworm, which affords neither light nor warmth' (p. 239).

31. These sentiments are the essential fundamentals of all state religions, be they heathen, christian, or mohamedan. This plain avowal of them might have been the cause why the author was soon after made a bishop of the Church of England.--Ed.

32. Like the vicar of Bray, near Maidenhead, who boasted of his consistency. He was under Henry VIII a papist, then a semi-protestant; under Edward, a protestant; under Mary, again a papist; and under Elizabeth, a protestant. Still he had never ceased to be vicar of Bray.--Ed.

33. 'Diggle together,' probably from 'degladiation,' a combat, quarrel, or contest; a fencing match between two friends.--Ed.