Works of John Bunyan Volume III Part 70

[1] It was the commonly received opinion that, at the moment of death, the angels and devils strove to carry away the soul.

If the dying man had received the consecrated wafer, the devils were scared at it, and lost their victim. Hence the prayer--'From lightning, battle, murder, and sudden death, good Lord, deliver us'; a curious contrast to, 'Thy will be done'! Were they sinners above all men upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and slew them?

(Luke 13:4). O that men would rely upon the righteousness of Christ stimulating them to run for glory, as heavenly footmen, and not upon the nostrums of Antichrist!--Ed.

[2] In a very beautifully ornamented Liturgy of the Church of England, prior to the Reformation, after the Salisbury use, printed in 1526 (in the Editor's library), is this direction--'These iii.

prayers be wrytten in the chapel of the holy crosse in Rome, who that deuoutly say them they shall obteyne ten hundred thousand years of pardon for deadly sins graunted of oure holy father Jhon xxii pope of Rome.' The three prayers only occupy twenty-six short lines, and may be gravely repeated in two minutes. Such was and IS Popery!! But at the end of all this promised pardon for a million of years--what then? Will eternal torments commence?--Ed.

[3] How awfully is this pictured to the soul in that solemn account of the day of death and judgment in Matthew 25; and how strikingly applied in the Pilgrim's Progress in the character of Ignorance.--Ed.

[4] 'When the bell begins to toll, Lord have mercy on the soul.'

The Papists imagine that there is an extraordinary power in the bell hallowed by baptism to drive away the spirits of darkness, so that the departing soul may take its journey without molestation!!

It was also intended to rouse the faithful to pray for the dead person's soul. This, and other superst.i.tious practices, were suspended during the Protectorate in some parishes, if not generally, but were revived at the Restoration, because the omission injured the revenues of the church.--See Brand's Popular Antiquities.--Ed.

[5] This quotation, probably made from memory, is a mixture of the Genevan and the present version.--Ed.

[6] Francis Spira, in 1548, being a lawyer in great repute in Italy, professed gospel principles, but afterwards relapsed into Popery, and became a victim of black despair. The man in the iron cage, at the Interpreter's house, probably referred to Spira. The narrative of his fearful state is preceded by a poem:--

'Here see a soul that's all despair, a man All h.e.l.l, a spirit all wounds. Who can A wounded spirit bear?

Reader, wouldst see what you may never feel, Despair, racks, torments, whips of burning steel?

Behold this man, this furnace, in whose heart Sin hath created h.e.l.l. O! in each part What flames appear?

His thoughts all stings; words, swords; Brimstone his breath; His eyes, flames; wishes, curses; life, a death, A thousand deaths live in him, he not dead-- A breathing corpse in living scalding lead.'--Ed.

[7] How plain and important is this direction. Saul the persecutor ran fast, but the faster he ran in his murderous zeal the further he ran from the prize. Let every staunch sectarian examine prayerfully his way, especially if the sect he belongs to is patronized by princes, popes, or potentates, and endowed with worldly honours.

He may be running from and not to heaven.--Ed.

[8] He that trusts in the sect to which he belongs is a.s.suredly in the wrong way, whether it be the Church of Rome or England, Quaking, Ranting, Baptists, or Independents. Trust in Christ must be all in all. First be IN Christ, then run for heaven, looking unto Christ. Keep fellowship with those who are the purest, and run fastest in the ordinances of the gospel which are revealed in the Word. Follow no human authority nor craft, seek the influence of the Holy Spirit for yourself, that you may be led into all truth, then you will so run as to obtain.--Ed.

[9] How plain is this direction, and how does it commend itself to our common-sense; lumpish shoes, and pockets filled with stones, how absurd for a man who is running a race!! Stop, my dear reader, have you cast away all useless enc.u.mbrances, and all easily besetting sins? Is your heart full of mammon, or pride, or debauchery? if so, you have no particle of strength to run for heaven, but are running upon swift perdition.--Ed.

[10] This is one of those beautiful ideas which so abound in all Bunyan's works. Our way to the kingdom is consecrated by the cross of Christ, and may be known throughout by the sprinkling of his blood, his groans, his agonies. All the doctrines that put us in the way are sanctified by the atonement; all the spurs to a diligent running in that way are powerful as motives, by our being bought with that precious price, the death of Emmanuel. O! my soul, be thou found looking unto Jesus, he is THE WAY, the only way to heaven.--Ed.

[11] Strange infatuation, desperate pride, that man should reject the humbling simplicity of Divine truth, and run so anxiously, greedily, and in hosts, in the road to ruin, because priestcraft calls it 'the way of G.o.d'; preferring the miserable sophistry of Satan and his emissaries to the plain directions of Holy Writ.

O! reader, put not your trust in man, but, while G.o.d is ready to direct you, rely solely on his Holy Word.--Ed.

[12] 'Happily,' or haply, were formerly used to express the same meaning.--Ed.

[13] 'Sink-souls' is one of Bunyan's strong Saxonisms, full of meaning, 'Sink' is that in which filth or foulness is deposited.

'She poured forth out of her h.e.l.lish sink, Her fruitful cursed sp.a.w.n.'--Spencer.--Ed.

[14] This is one of Bunyan's most deeply expressive directions to the heaven-ward pilgrim; may it sink into our hearts. Christ is the way, the cross is the standing way-mark throughout the road, never out of sight. In embracing the humbling doctrines of grace, in sorrow for sin, in crucifying self, in bearing each other's burdens, in pa.s.sing through the river that will absorb our mortality--from the new birth to our inheritance--the cross is the way-mark.--Ed.

[15] Our holiest, happiest duties, IF they interfere with a simple and exclusive reliance upon Christ for justification, must be accursed in our esteem; while, if they are fulfilled in a proper spirit of love to him, they become our most blessed privileges.

Reader, be jealous of your motives.--Ed.

[16] This is very solemn warning. But is it asked how are we to see that that is invisible, or to imagine bliss that is past our understanding? The reply is, treasure up in your heart those glimpses of glory contained in the Word. Be daily in communion with the world of spirits, and it may be your lot, with Paul, to have so soul-ravishing a sense of eternal realities, as scarcely to know whether you are in the body or not.--Ed.

[17] How characteristic of Bunyan is this sentence, 'the rich voyage.' G.o.d environing us about with his presence in time, and eternal felicity in the desired haven: 'the lumpish heart' at times apparently indifferent to the glorious harvest: 'a pair of spurs' to p.r.i.c.k us on in the course. The word voyage (from via, a way) was in Bunyan's time equally used for a journey by sea or land, it is now limited to travelling by sea.--Ed.

[18] 'Scrubbed'; worthless, vile, insignificant in the sight of man, who judges from the outward, temporal condition; but, in the case of Lazarus, precious in the sight of G.o.d.--Ed.

[19] What an inexhaustible source of comfort is contained in this pa.s.sage. Blessed carriage, in which the poorest, weakest of Christ's flock shall ride. Millions of gold could not purchase the privilege thus to ride in ease and safety, supported and guarded by Omnipotence, and guided by Omniscience.--Ed.

[20] Summed up by the Psalmist, 'Happy is that people that is in such a case. Happy is that people whose G.o.d is the Lord' (Psa 144:15).--Ed.

[21] How severe and cutting, but how just, is this reflection upon many, that wicked men, for the gratification of destructive propensities, should evince greater zeal and perseverance to light up the fire of h.e.l.l in their consciences, than some professing Christians do in following after peace and holiness, 'Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise.'--Ed.

[22] How awful a warning is this to the backslider. A wicked professor is a practical atheist and a contemptible hypocrite.

But the backslider is worse, he proclaims, in his downward course, the awful blasphemy that 'sin is better than Christ'; 'h.e.l.l is preferable to heaven.' O! that some poor bewildered backslider may, by a Divine blessing upon the voice of Bunyan, be arrested in his mad career.--Ed.

[23] 'Pa.s.sions'; the old English term for sufferings. It is used in Acts 1 emphatically, to express the last sufferings of the Saviour; as also in what is called 'pa.s.sion week.'--Ed.

THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:

WHEREIN ITS GOODLY LIGHT, WALLS, GATES, ANGELS, AND THE MANNER OF THEIR STANDING, ARE EXPOUNDED: ALSO HER LENGTH AND BREADTH, TOGETHER WITH THE GOLDEN MEASURING-REED EXPLAINED: AND THE GLORY OF ALL UNFOLDED.

AS ALSO THE NUMEROUSNESS OF ITS INHABITANTS; AND WHAT THE TREE AND WATER OF LIFE ARE, BY WHICH THEY ARE SUSTAINED.

'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of G.o.d.'-Psalm 87:3

'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE.'-Ezekiel 48:35

London: Printed in the year 1665

ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nT BY THE EDITOR

Reader, it will require the utmost effort of your powers of faith in perfectly well authenticated history to believe an almost incredible fact, but which certainly took place in England, under the reformed church in 1665. It is, however, true, that a number of eminently pious, loyal, sober, industrious citizens were immured, by the forms of law, within the walls of a small prison on Bedford Bridge, over the river Ouse, for refusing to attend the parish church or join in the service prescribed by Acts of Parliament, according to the Book of Common Prayer. The Ruler of the universe deigned to approve their conduct, and to visit these prisoners with his peculiar approbation. He made their prison a Bethel, the house of G.o.d, and the very gate of heaven-thus richly blessing their souls for refusing to render unto man the things that are G.o.d's.

On the Lord's day they were in the habit of uniting in Divine worship.

Their prison chamber had received no prelatic consecration, but G.o.d was in their midst to bless them. It happened one morning that it came to the turn of a poor itinerant tinker, of extraordinary ability, to address his fellow-prisoners-he had neither written nor even prepared a sermon, and felt, for a time, at a loss for a text or subject. At length, while turning over the sacred pages, his eye was directed to the description of the Holy City-New Jerusalem, which in the latter day will gloriously descend from heaven. His soul was enlarged and enlightened with the dazzling splendour of that sacred city-his heart, which had felt 'empty, spiritless, and barren,' was baptized into his subject-'with a few groans, he carried his meditations to the Lord Jesus for a blessing, which he did forthwith grant according to his grace, and then the preacher did set before his brethren the spiritual meat, and they did all eat and were well refreshed. While distributing the truth, it did so increase in his hand, that of the fragments he gathered up a basket full, and furnished this heavenly treatise.' Such, in substance, is the author's interesting account of the circ.u.mstances under which he wrote this book. He adds, with humility, that the men of this world would laugh, in conceit, that one so low, contemptible, and inconsiderable should busy himself with so hard and knotty a subject, but humbly hopes, that though but a babe in Christ, these truths were revealed to him. To the real followers of the lowly Jesus, the poor carpenter's son, 'who had not where to lay his head'-of whom the Jews said, 'How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?' (John 7:15)-despised by princes, prelates, scribes, and Pharisees-to such, the poverty, the occupation, and the want of book-learning of our author needs no apology. It is all-sufficient to know that he was mighty in the Scriptures, and deeply taught of the Holy Spirit. These are the only sources of information relative to the New Jerusalem; and in this treatise the author has richly developed the treasures of the Bible in reference to this solemn subject. To the same prison discipline to which we are indebted for the Pilgrim's Progress, we owe this, and other of the labours of that eminent servant of Christ, John Bunyan. Little did the poor tyrants who sent him to jail think that, in such a place, he would have this blessed vision of the heavenly city, or that his severe sufferings would materially aid in destroying their wicked craft.

The subject is one of pure revelation. The philosopher-the theologian-the philologist-the historian, and the antiquarian, are utterly unable to grapple with that which is here so admirably handled by a poor unlettered prisoner for Christ, who, from the inexhaustible storehouse of G.o.d's Word, brings forth things new and old to comfort the pilgrim, whether in a prison or a palace, and to enliven his prospects on his way to this celestial city.

The New Jerusalem is a sublime object, and we are bound humbly to adore that majestic mercy which has condescended to give us such a glimpse of the glory which, in its unbounded extent, pa.s.seth all the powers of our earth-bound souls to conceive.

It is a city whose builder and maker is G.o.d-perfect as his infinite wisdom-strong as his omnipotence-eternal as his existence. Who by searching can find out the perfections of the Almighty-they can only be traced by his revealed will, and with our poor powers, even then but faintly. No man ever possessed a more intimate knowledge of the Bible, nor greater apt.i.tude in quoting it than Bunyan: he must have meditated in it day and night; and in this treatise his biblical treasures are wisely used. He begins with the foundation of the walls, and shows that they are based upon the truths taught to the twelve tribes, and by the twelve apostles of the Lamb. All these truths are perfectly handed down to us in holy Writ, alike immutable and unalterable. Cursed are they that add to that book, either by tradition or by the imposition of creeds, rites, and ceremonies, and not less cursed are they that take from it. These solid foundations support walls and gates through which nothing can enter that defileth. It is a pattern to the church on earth, into which none should be admitted but saints, known from their conversation as living epistles. 'Not common stuff, not raked out of the dunghills and muck heaps of this world, and from among the toys of antichrist, but spiritual, heavenly and glorious precious stones.' This city has but one street, showing the perfect unity among all its inhabitants, and it is only under the personal reign of Christ that uniformity can exist. The divisions among Christians arise, as Bunyan justly concludes, from 'antichristian rubbish, darkness, and trumpery.' The cause of all the confusion is the l.u.s.t of man for domination over conscience, the government of which is the sole prerogative of G.o.d, and this is strengthened by the hope of pa.s.sing through time in idleness, luxury, and honour, under the false pretence of apostolic descent transmitted through ceremonies worse than childish. In our Lord's days there was union among his disciples, as there must be under his personal reign in the New Jerusalem. But in the times of the apostles the disciples were divided-one was of Paul-another of Apollos, and others of Cephas.

The Holy Ghost issued laws to regulate the church in their disputes-not an act of uniformity, but an injunction to the exercise of mutual forbearance, 'Who art thou that judges another man's servant.'

'Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind' (Rom 14:4,5).

After viewing the spiritual unity of the inhabitants of this wonderful city, we are introduced to its temple. How vast the edifice, to contain the millions on millions of worshippers-every inhabitant being present in the general a.s.sembly and church of the first-born!

Utterly beneath our notice are the most magnificent temples raised by human ingenuity and vanity, when compared with that of the Holy City. Its foundation, the immutability of G.o.d-its extent, his divine immensity-its walls, the omnipotence of Jehovah-its treasury, the unsearchable riches of Christ-its worshippers, the countless myriads of the nations of those that are saved-its duration, ETERNITY. It is the inheritance of the Son of G.o.d, Jehovah Jesus, and is worthy of HIS inconceivable majesty. In all the mult.i.tude not one hypocrite will be found-not one sleeping worshipper-no wandering thought-no fear of sin or of Satan and his persecuting agents-death itself will be dead and swallowed up in life and immortality-all are pure-clothed in white robes-the palm of victory in their hands-singing the glorious anthems of heaven.

O my soul! who are they that are thus unspeakably blessed? Shall I be a citizen of that city? G.o.d has told us who they are-not those who have been cherished by the state-clothed with honour, who have eaten the bread of idleness. No. 'These are they which came out of great tribulation' (Rev 7:14). From all kindreds, nations, sects, and parties-they who obeyed G.o.d and not man in all matters of faith and holiness-those who submitted to the Saviour, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.