Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A30153
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A holy life, the beauty of Christianity, or, An exhortation to Christians to be holy by John Bunyan.
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Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.
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1684
(1684)
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Wing B5537; ESTC R30867
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84,448
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237
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A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF Christianity OR An EXHORTATION to CHRISTIANS to be HOLY By JOHN BUNYAN Holiness becomes thy House O Lord for ever LONDON Printed by B. W. for Benj. Alsop at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry 1684. AN INTRODUCTION To the following DISCOURSE WHen I write of Justification before God from the dreadful curse of the Law then I must speak of nothing but Grace Christ the Promise and Faith but when I speak of our Justification before Men then I must joyn to these good Works For Grace Christ and Faith are things invisible and so not to be seen by another otherwise than through a life that becomes so blessed a Gospel as has declared unto us the remission of our sins for the sake of Jesus Christ. He then that would have Forgiveness of Sins and so be delivered from the Curse of God must believe in the Righteousness and Blood of Christ but he that would shew to his Neighbours that he hath truly received this Mercy of God must do it by good Works for all things else to them is but talk As for example A Tree is known to be what it is to wit whether of this or that kind by it's Fruit. A Tree it is without Fruit but so long as it so abideth there is ministred occasion to doubt what manner of Tree it is A Professor is a Professor though he hath no good Works but that as such he is truly godly he is foolish that so concludeth Not that Works make a Man good for the Fruit maketh not a good Tree it is the Principle to wit Faith that makes a Man good and his works that shew him to be so What then why all Professors that have not good Works flowing from their Faith are naught are Bramble-bushes are nigh unto Cursing whose end is to be burned For Professors by their fruitlesness declare that they are not of the planting of God nor the Wheat but Tares and Children of the Wicked one Not that Faith needeth good works as an help to Justification before God For in this matter Faith will be ignorant of all good Works except those done by the Person of Christ. Here then the good Man worketh not but believeth for he is not now to carry to God but to receive at his Hand the matter of his Justification by Faith nor is the matter of his Justification before God ought else but the good deeds of another Man to wit Christ Jesus But is there therefore no need at all of good Works because a Man is justified before God without them or can that be called a justifying Faith that has not for its Fruit good Works Verily good works are necessary though God need them not nor is that Faith as to Justification with God worth a rush that abideth alone or without them There is therefore a twofold Faith of Christ in the World and as to the notion of Justifying Righteousness they both concur and agree but as to the manner of application there they vastly differ The one to wit the non-saving faith standeth in speculation and naked knowledg of Christ and so abideth idle but the other truly seeeth and receives him and so becometh Fruitful And hence the true justifying Faith is said to receive to imbrace to obey the Son of God as tendred in the Gospel by which expressions is shewed both the nature of Justifying Faith in its actings in point of Justification and also the cause of its being full of good Works in the World A gift is not made mine by my seeing of it or because I know the nature of the thing so given but then it is mine if I receive and imbrace it yea and as to the point in hand if I yield my self up to stand and fall by it Now he that shall not only see but receive not only know but imbrace the Son of God to be justified by him cannot but bring forth good Works because Christ who is now received and imbraced by Faith leavens and seasons the Spirit of this Sinner through his Faith to the making of him capable so to be Faith made Sarah receive Strength to conceive Seed and we are Sanctified through Faith which is in Christ. For Faith hath joyned Christ and the Soul together and being so joyned the Soul is one Spirit with him not essentially but in agreement and oneness of design Besides when Christ is truly received and imbraced to the justifying of the sinner in that Mans Heart he dwels by his Word and Spirit through the same Faith also Now Christ by his Spirit and Word must needs season the Soul he thus dwells in so then the Soul being seasoned it seasoneth the Body and Body and Soul the Life and Conversation We know it is not the Seeing but taking of a potion that maketh it work as it should nor is the Blood of Christ a Purge to this or that Conscience except received by Faith Shall that then be counted right believing in Christ unto justification that amounts to no more than to an idle speculation or naked knowledg of him shall that knowledg of him I say be counted such as only causes the Soul to behold hold but moveth it not to good Works No verily For the true beholding of Jesus to justification and Life changes from glory to glory Nor can that Man that hath so believed as that by his Faith he hath received and imbraced Christ for Life before God be destitute of good works for as I said the Word and Spirit comes also by this Faith and dwels in the Heart and Conscience now shall a Soul where the Word and Spirit of Christ dwels be a Soul without good Works Yea shall a Soul that has received the Love the Mercy the Kindness Grace and Salvation of God through the Sorrows Tears Groans Cross and Cruel Death of Christ be yet a Fruitless Tree God forbid This faith is as the Salt which the Prophet cast into the Spring of bitter Water it makes the Soul good and serviceable for ever If the receiving of a temporal Gift naturally tends to the making of us to move our Cap and Knee and binds us to be the Servant of the Giver shall we think that Faith will leave him who by it has received Christ to be as unconcerned as a Stock or Stone or that it 's utmost excellency is to provoke the Soul to a lip-labour and to give Christ a few fair Words for his Pains and Grace and so wrap up the business No no the Love of Christ constraineth us thus to judge that it is but reasonable since he gave his all for us that we should give our some for him Let no Man then deceive himself as he may and will if he takes not heed with true Notions but examine himself concerning his Faith to wit Whether he hath any and if some Whether of that kind that will turn to
Grace of Christ the Faith the Repentance the Love and hope of the Gospel No marvel then if they abide among the wooden sort of professors No marvel then though the iniquity of their heels still follows them and that it droppeth from them whereever they go But so much for the first reason Why men do name the name of Christ and yet do not depart from iniquity Secondly The second reason why some that name the name of Christ depart not from iniquity is for that though they rest not in bare notions as those forementioned yet they take up as they short of the saving grace of God There are bare notions there are common workings and there is a work that is saving and that will do the soul good to eternity 1. There are bare notions and they that have them are such unto whom the Gospel comes in word only such whose Religion stands in word only and is not attended with a power sutable that is there goeth not along with the word a power sufficient to subdue and work over the heart to a cordial and gracious close with that word that comes to them Yet such is the noise and sound of the word that they are willing to become professors thereof there is some kind of musicalness in it specially when well handled and fingered by a skilful preacher And lo saith God unto such preachers when their auditory is made up of such kind of hearers And lo thou art unto them as a very lovely Song or as one that sings a Song of Loves of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument For they hear thy words but they do them not 2. But then besides these there is another sort and they go further than these For to them the word came not in word only but also in power though not in that or in such a power as is sufficient absolutely against all atempts whatsoever to bring the soul to glory Of these we read in several places to wit that they have tasted of the powers of the world to come but not so as to bring them safe to glory Yet thus far they go 1. They attain light or illumination to see much of their state by nature with 2. This light standeth not in bare speculation but le ts fall upon the conscience convincing arguments to the bowing and humbling of the spirit 3. They submit to these convictions and reform and may for a time not only come out from them that live in error but escape the pollutions of the world by the knowlege of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 4. Yea so powerful will this dispensation be that it will prevail with them to do and suffer many things for the vindication of the truth of that Gospel which they profess For 1. The word will be sweet unto them 2. Christ the gift of God will be relished by them 3. The powers of the world to come will be in them 4. Some workings of the Holy Ghost will be in them 5. And joy which is as oyl to the wheels will be with their souls Thus I say it is with some professors who yet cannot be said to depart from iniquity that is for all ado because the things that now are upon them abide with them but awhile For awhile they believe they rejoyce in the light for a season So they clean escape from them who live in error for a little or awhile and after that return to their old course and are again intangled with their inquities and overcome This is called A turning with the Dog to his own vomit again and with the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire And some of these are set forth by this and such like sayings When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and finding none Then he saith I will return into my house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first Now the causes of this declension returning or falling away again unto iniquity are many First One is for that this work this work of power that they have been made partakers of has not been thorough enough upon all the powers of their souls Their understandings their Judgments and Consciences have been dealt with but the power of God has not been upon their wills and minds and affections rightly to subdue them to the grace of the Gospel Indeed there seems to be a subjection of the will and an overruling of the mind and affections also else they could not for a time lay aside their iniquity come off from the pollutions of the world and for a season rejoyce in the word and be pleased with the light thereof But we may consider that this may be not for that a sound work of God hath passed upon these powers of the soul but that rather this was by reason of those reflex acts that the understanding now inlightened the judgment now informed and the conscience now convinced had upon these other powers of the soul. And I the rather think it so because willingness mindfulness of and affection for this Gospel lasted no longer than the light shined in their understandings or than the things were relished by their judgment and conscience So that when the light of their Candle went out and when the taste of this sugar-plumb was out of their mouth their wills and affections not being possessed with the fear of God they returned again to their course and went away as before with iniquity Nor do I by any thing here discoursed lay blame or fault at the door of God For 1. He is a free agent to do what he pleaseth and may if he please refuse to give any thing or if he gives something why may he not give what he pleases also He may give special grace to one and that which is not so to another he may open Baalams eyes and open Lydia 's heart he may give some but a taste and cause some to eat abundantly He may suffer some to fall away and keep others by his power through faith unto salvation 2. Besides Gods withdrawing to wit of those common workings if they were withdrawn without a cause given which yet I question yet why may they not be withdrawn from these as well as from his own peculiar ones He knows but little that doth not know that God oft-times hides his face from his own and also withdraws from them the light and great influences of the Holy Ghost and turns them over at least in their own apprehensions to the ungodly and to fallen Angels for their Chastisement or Tryal or Instruction c. 3. And why