from these shakings run 19. But how much more then when he comes To graffle with thy Heart To bind with Thread thy Toes and Thumbs And fetch thee in his Cart. 20. Then will he cut thy silver Cord And break thy Golden Bowl Yea break that Pitcher which the Lord Made Cabin for thy Soul 21. Thine Eyes that now are quick of sight Shall then no way espy How to escape this doleful plight For Death will make thee dye 22. Those Legs that now can nimbly run Shall then with faintness fail To take one step Death's Dart to shun When he doth thee assail 23. That Tongue that now can boast and brag Shall then by Death be ty'd So fast as not to speak or wag Though Death lyes by thy side 24. Thou that did'st once encline thine Ear Unto the Song and Tale Shall only now Death's Message hear While he with Face most pale 25. Doth reason with thee how thy days Hath hitherto been spent And what have been thy deeds and ways Since God thee time hath lent 26. Then will he so begin to tear Thy Body from thy Soul And both from Life if now thy Care Be not on Grace to roll 27. Death puts on things another face Than we in health do see Sin Satan Hell Death Life and Grace Now great and weighty be 28. Yea now the Sick-man's Eye is set Upon a World to come He also knows too without let That there must be his Home 29. Either in Joy in Bliss and Light Or Sorrow Woe and Grief Either with Christ and Saints in white Or Fiends without Relief 30. But oh the sad estate that then They will be in that dye Both void of Grace and Life poor men How will they fear and cry 31. Ha! Live I may not though I would For Life give more than all And dye I dare not though I should The World gain by my fall 32. No here he must no longer stay He feels his Life run out His Night is come also the day That makes him fear and doubt 33. He feels his very Vitals dye All waxeth pale and wan Nay worse he fears to misery He shortly must be gone 34. Death doth already strike his Heart With his most fearful sting Of Guilt which makes his Conscience start And quake at every thing 35. Yea as his body doth decay By a contagious grief So his poor Soul doth faint away Without hope or relief 36. Thus while the man is in this scare Death doth still at him lay Live dye sink swim fall foul or fair Death still holds on his way 37. Still pulling of him from his place Full sore against his Mind Death like a Sprite stares in his face And doth with links him bind 38. And carries him into his den In darkness there to lye Among the swarms of wicked men In grief eternally 39. For only he that God doth fear Will now be counted wise Yea he that feareth him while here He only wins the Prize 40. 'T is he that shall by Angels be Attended to that bliss That Angels have for he O he Of glory shall not miss 41. Those weapons and those instruments Of death that others fright Those dreadful fears and discontents That brings on some that night 42. That never more shall have a day Brings this man to that rest Which none can win but only they Whom God hath call'd and blest 43. With the first fruits of saving grace With faith hope love and fear Him to offend this man his face In visions high and clear 44. Shall in that light which no Eye can Approach unto behold The rayes and beams of Glory and Find there his Name inrol'd 45. Among those glittering Stars of light That Christ still holdeth fast In his right hand with all his might Until that danger 's past 46. That shakes the world and most hath dropt Into grief and distress O blessed then is he that 's wrapt In Christ his righteousness 47. This is the man Death cannot kill For he hath put on arms Him Sin nor Satan hath not skill To hurt with all their charms 48. An Helmet on his head doth stand A Breast-plate on his Heart A Shield also is in his Hand That blunteth every Dart. 49. Truth girds him round the Reins also His Sword is on his Thigh His Feet in Shooes of Peace do go The ways of Purity 50. His Heart it groaneth to the Lord Who hears him at his call And doth him help and strength afford Wherewith he conquers all 51. Thus fortify'd he keeps the field While Death is gone and fled And then lies down upon his Shield Till Christ doth raise the dead Of Judgment 1. AS 't is appointed men should dye So Judgment is the next That meet them must assuredly For so saith holy Text. 2. Wherefore of Judgment I shall now Inform you what I may That you may see what 't is and how 'T will be with Men that Day 3. This World it hath a time to stand Which time when ended then Will issue Judgment out of hand Upon all sorts of Men. 4. The Judge we find in Gods Record The Son of Man for he By God's appointment is made Lord And Judge of all that be 5. Wherefore this Son of man shall come At last to Count withal And unto them shall give just doom Whether they stand or fall 6. Behold ye now the Majesty And State that shall attend This Lord this Judge and Justice high When he doth now descend 7. He comes with Head as white as snow With Eyes like flames of fire In Justice clad from top to toe Most glorious in attire 8. His Face is fill'd with gravity His Tongue is like a Sword His Presence aws both stout and high The World shakes at his Word 9. He comes in flaming fire and With Angels clear and bright Each with a Trumpet in his hand Cloathed in shining white 10. The Trump of God sounds in the Air The dead do hear his Voice The living too run here and there Who made not him their Choice 11. Thus to his place he doth repair Appointed for his Throne Where he will sit to Judge and where He 'l Count with every one 12. Angels attending on his hand By thousands on a roe Yea thousand thousands by him stand And at his beck do go 13. Thus being set the Books do ope In which all Crimes are writ All Vertues too of Faith and Hope Of Love and every whit 14. Of all that Man hath done or said Or did intend to do Whether they fin'd or were afraid Evil to come into 15. Before this Bar each Sinner now In Person must appear Under his Judgment there to bow With trembling and with fear 16. Within whose breast a witness then Will certainly arise That to each Charge will say Amen While they seek and devise 17. To shun the Sentence which the Lord Against them then will read Out of the Books of God's Record With Majesty and Dread
One THING is Needful OR Serious Meditations UPON THE Four Last THINGS DEATH And JUDGMENT HEAVEN And HELL Unto which is added Ebal and Gerizzim OR The Blessing and the Curse WITH Prison Meditations And a Catalogue of all this Author's Books The Third Edition By JOHN BUNYAN LONDON Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry 1683. ADVERTISEMENT THIS Author having Publish'd 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 Rhimes 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 A CATALOGUE of Mr. John Bunyan's BOOKS 1. GRace Abounding or the Author's Conversion 2. Greatness of the Soul with the unspeakableness of its Loss 3. Sighs from Hell or the Groans of a damned Soul 4. Instructions for the Ignorant 5. Come and welcome to Jesus Christ. 6. Water of Life proceeding out of the Throne of God 7. Publican and Pharisee at Prayer 8. I will Pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding also 9. Law and Grace or the Nature of the two Covenants 10. The Barren Fig-tree 11. The strait Gate 12. Christian Behaviour 13. A holy Life the Duty of Christians 14. Country Rhimes for Children upon seventy four things 15. The Fear of God 16. Saved by Grace 17. Election and Reprobation 18. A Map of Salvation and Damnation 19. Good News for the Vilest of Men or a help for despairing Souls 20. Light for them that fit in Darkness 21. Justification by Jesus Christ against Doctor Fowler 's c. 22. Confession of Faith and Reason of Practice in Worship 23. Difference in Judgment about Water Baptism no bar to Communion 24. Peaceable Principles and True 25. Some Gospel Truths opened 26. A Vindication of that 27. First Day the Christian Sabbath 28. The House of God 29. Advice to Sufferers 30. The Advocateship of Jesus Christ. 31. Temple Types and Service and Building explained 32. Holy City 33. Holy War 34. Pilgrims Progress the first Part with Cuts 35. Pilgrims Progress the second Part with Cuts 36. Life and Death of Mr. Badman with Cuts 37. Four last things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell Ebal and Gerizzim with Prison Meditations 38. Resurrection from the Dead and Eternal Judgment AN INTRODUCTION TO THE Ensuing Discourse I. THese Lines I at this time present To all that will them heed Wherein I shew to what intent God saith Convert with speed II. For these Four Things come on apace Which we should know full well Both Death and Judgment and in place Next to them Heav'n and Hell III. For doubtless Man was never born For this Life and no moe No in the Resurrection Morn They must have Weal or Woe IV. Can any think that God should take That pains to form a Man So like himself only to make Him here a moment stand V. Or that he should make such ado By Justice and by Grace By Prophets and Apostles too That Men might see his Face VI. Or that the Promise he hath made Also the Threatnings great Should in a moment end and fade O! No this is a Cheat. VII Besides who is so mad or worse To think that Christ should come From Glory to be made a Curse And that in Sinners room VIII If nothing should by us be had When we are gone from hence But Vanities while here O mad And foolish Confidence IX Again Shall God who is the Truth Say There is Heaven and Hell And shall men play that Trick of Youth To say But who can tell X. Shall he that keeps his Promise sure In things both low and small Yet break it like a Man impure In Matters great'st of all XI Oh let all tremble at that thought That puts on God the lye That saith Men shall turn into nought When they be sick and dye XII Alas Death is but as the Door Through which all men do pass To that which they for evermore Shall have by Wrath or Grace XIII Let all therefore that read my Lines Apply them to the Heart Yea let them read and turn betimes And get the better part XIV Mind therefore what I treat on here Yea mind and weigh it well 'T is Death and Judgment and a clear Discourse of Heaven and Hell Of Death 1. DEath as a King Rampant and stout The World he dare ingage He Conquers all yea and doth rout The great strong wise and sage 2. No King so great nor Prince so strong But Death can make to yield Yea bind and lay them all along And make them quit the Field 3. Where are the Victors of the World With all their men of might Those that together Kingdoms hurl'd By Death are put to flight 4. How feeble is the strongest hand When Death begins to gripe The Giant now leaves off to stand Much less withstand and fight 5. The man that hath a Lions face Must here give place and bend Yea though his Bones were bars of brass 'T is vain here to contend 6. Submit he must to feeble ones To Worms who will enclose His skin and flesh sinews and bones And will thereof dispose 7. Among themselves as Merchants do The prizes they have got Or as the Souldiers give unto Each man the share and lot 8. Which they by dint of Sword have won From their most daring foe While he lyes by as still as stone Not knowing what they do 9. Beauty Death turns to rottenness And Youth to wrinckled Face The Witty he brings to distress And Wantons to disgrace 10. The wild he tames and spoils the mirth Of all that wanton are He takes the worldling from his worth And poor man from his Care 11. Death favours none he lays at all Of all sorts and degree Both Old and Young both great and small Rich Poor and bound and free 12. No fawning Words will flatter him Nor Threatnings make him start He favours none for worth or kin All must taste of his Dart. 13. What shall I say the Graves declare That Death shall Conquer all There lye the skuls dust bones and there The Mighty daily fall 14. The very looks of Death are grim And gastly to behold Yea though but in a Dead-mans-skin When he is gone and cold 15. How fraid are some of dead-mens beds And others of their bones They neither care to see their Heads Nor yet to hear their Groans 16. Now all these things are but the shade And badges of his Coat The Glass that runs the Sythe and Spade Though weapons more remote 17. Yet such as make poor mortals shrink And fear when they are told These things are signs that they must drink With death O then how cold 18. It strikes them to the heart how do They study it to shun Indeed who can bear up and who Can
brib'd of none But gives to all their doul 42. This worm 't is said shall never dye But in the belly be Of all that in the flames shall lye O dreadful sight to see 43. This worm now needs must in them live For sin will still be there And guilt for God will not forgive Nor Christ their burden bear 44. But take from them all help and stay And leave them to despair Which seeds upon them night and day This is the damned's share 45. Now will confusion so possess These Monuments of Ire And so confound them with distress And trouble their desire 46. That what to think or what to do Or where to lay their head They know not 't is the damned's wo To live and yet be dead 47. These cast-aways would fain have life But know they never shall They would forget their dreadful plight But that sticks fast'st of all 48. God Christ Heav'n they know are best Yet dare not on them think The Saints they know in joys do rest While they their tears do drink 49. They cry alas but all in vain They stick fast in the mire They would be rid of present pain Yet set themselves on fire 50. Darkness is their perplexity Yet do they hate the light They always see their misery Yet are themselves all night 51. They are all dead yet live they do Yet neither live nor dye They dye to weal and live to wo This is their misery 52. Amidst all this so great a scare That here I do relate Another falleth to their share In this their sad estate 53. The Legions of infernal Fiends Then with them needs must be A just reward for all their pains This they shall feel and see 54. With yellings howlings shrikes and cries And other doleful noise With trembling hearts and failing eyes These are their hellish joyes 55. These Angels black they would obey And serve with greedy mind And take delight to go astray That pleasure they might find 56. Which pleasure now like poison turns Their joy to heaviness Yea like the gall of Asps it burns And doth them sore oppress 57. Now is the joy they lived in All turn'd to brinish tears And resolute attempts to sin Turn'd into hellish fears 58. The floods run trickling down their face Their hearts do prick and ake While they lament their woful case Their loins totter and shake 59. O wetted cheeks with-bleared eyes How fully do you shew The pangs that in their bosom lyes And grief they undergo 60. Their dolor in their bitterness So greatly they bemoan That Hell it self this to express Doth eccho with their groan 61. Thus broiling on the burning grates They now to wailing go And say of those unhappy fates That did them thus undo 62. Alas my grief hard hap had I Those dolors here to find A living Death in Hell I lye Involv'd with grief of mind 63. I once was fair for light and grace My days were long and good I lived in a blessed place Where was most heav'nly food 64. But wretch I am I slighted life I chose in death to live Oh for these days now if I might Ten thousand Worlds would give 65. What time had I to pray and read What time to hear the Word What means to help me at my need Did God to me afford 66. Examples too of Piety I every day did see But they abuse and slight did I Oh woe be unto me 67. I now remember how my Friend Reproved me of Vice And bid me mind my latter end Both once and twice and thrice 68. But oh deluded man I did My back upon him turn Eternal life I did not heed For which I now do mourn 69. Ah golden time I did thee spend In Sin and Idleness Ah health and wealth I did you lend To bring me to distress 70. My Feet to evil I let run And Tongue of folly talk My Eyes to vanity hath gone Thus did I vainly walk 71. I did as greatly toil and strain My self with Sin to please As if that everlasting gain Could have been found in these 72. But nothing nothing have I found But weeping and alas And sorrow which doth now surround Me and augment my Cross. 73. Ah bleeding Conscience how did I Thee check when thou didst tell Me of my faults for which I lye Dead while I live in Hell 74. I took thee for some peevish foe When thou didst me accuse Therefore I did thee buffet so And counsel did refuse 75. Thou often didst me tidings bring How God did me dislike Because I took delight in Sin But I thy News did slight 76. Ah Mind why didst thou do those things That now do work my woe Ah Will why wast thou thus inclin'd Me ever to undo 77. My Senses how were you beguil'd When you said sin was good It hath in all parts me defil'd And drown'd me like a flood 78. Ah that I now a being have In sorrow and in pain Mother would you had been my grave But this I wish in vain 79. Had I been made a Cockatrice A Toad or such like thing Yea had I been made Snow or Ice Then had I had no sin 80. A Block a Stock a Stone or Clot Is happier than I For they know neither cold nor hot To live nor yet to dye 81. I envy now the happiness Of those that are in light I hate the very name of bliss 'Cause I have there no right 82. I grieve to see that others are In glory life and well Without all fear or dread or care While I am wrackt in Hell 83. Thus-will these Souls with watry eyes And hacking of their Teeth With wringing hands and fearful cries Expostulate their grief 84. O set their teeth they will and gnash And gnaw for very pain While as with Scorpions God doth lash Them for their Life so vain 85. Again still as they in this muse Are feeding on the fire To mind there comes yet other news To scrue their Torments higher 86. Which is the length of this estate Where they at present lye Which in a word I thus relate 'T is to Eternity 87. This thought now is so firmly fixt In all that comes to mind And also is so strongly mixt With wrath of every kind 88. So that whatever they do know Or see or think or feel For ever still doth strike them throw As with a bar of steel 89. For ever shineth in the fire Ever is on the chains 'T is also in the pit of Ire And tasts in all their pains 90. For ever separate from God From Peace and Life and Rest For ever underneath the Rod That Vengeance liketh best 91. O ever ever this will drown'd Them quite and make them cry We never shall get o're thy bound Oh great Eternity 92. They sooner now the Stars may count Than loose these dismal bands Or see to what the moats amount Or number up the sands 93. Than see an end of this their woe
off on every side While smiles Divine themselves from him did While earth did quake and rocks in pieces rent And while the Sun as veiled did lament To see the innocent and harmless dye So sore a death so full of misery Yea let us turn again and say all this He did and suffered for love of his He brought in everlasting Righteousness That he might cover all our nakedness He wept and washt his Face with brinish tears That we might saved be from hellish fears Blood was his sweat too in his agony That we might live in joyful extasie He apprehended was and led away That Grace to us-ward never might decay With swords and bills and outrage in the night That to the peace of Heaven we might have right Condemn'd he was between two Thieves to dye That we might ever in his bosom lye Scourged with whips his precious body were That we lashes of Conscience might not fear His head was crown'd with thorns that we might be Crowned with glory and felicity He hanged was upon a cursed Tree That we delivered from death might be His Father from him hides his smiles and face That we might have them in the heav'nly place He cry'd My God why hast forsaken me That we forsaken of him might not be Into his Side was thrust a bloody Spear That we the sting of death might never fear He went into the Grave after all this That we might up to Heav'n go and have bliss Yea rise again he did out of the Earth And shook off from him all the chains of death Then at his Chariot-wheels he captive led His Foes and trod upon the Serpents Head Riding in triumph to his Fathers Throne There to possess the Kingdom as his own What sayst thou will 't not yet unto him come His Arms are open in his Heart is room To lay thee be not then discouraged Although thy sins be many great and red Unto thee Righteousness he will impute And with the kisses of his Mouth salute Thy drooping Soul and will it so uphold As that thy shaking Conscience shall be bold To come to Mercys Seat with great access There to expostulate with that Justice That burns like fiery flames against all those That do not with this blessed Jesus close Which unto thee will do no harm but good Because thou hast relyance on that blood That Justice saith hath given him content For all that do unfeignedly repent Their ill spent Life and roll upon free grace That they within that bosom might have place That open is to such where they shall lye In ease and gladness and felicity World without end according to that state I have nay better than I can relate If thou shalt still object thou yet art vile And hast a Heart that will not reconcile Unto the holy Law but will rebell Heark yet to what I shall thee farther tell Two things are yet behind that help thee will If God shall put into thy Mind that skill So to improve them as becometh those That would with mercy and forgiveness close First then let this sink down into thy Heart That Christ is not a Saviour in part But every way so fully he is made The All of those that underneath his shade And wing would sit and shroud their weary Soul That even Moses dare it not controul But justifi't approve of 't and conclude No Man nor Angel must himself intrude With such Doctrine that may oppose the same On pain of blaspheming that holy Name Which God himself hath given unto Men To stay to trust to lean themselves on when They feel themselves assaulted and made fear Their sin will not let them in life appear For as God made him perfect Righteousness That he his love might to the height express And us present compleat before the Throne Sanctification too of his own He hath prepared in which do we stand Compleat in Holiness at his right Hand Now this Sanctification is not That Holiness which is in us but that Which in the Person of this Jesus is And can inherently be only his But is imputed to us for our good As is his active Righteousness and Blood Which is the cause though we infirm are found That Mercy and Forgiveness doth abound To us ward and that why we are not shent And empty and away rebuked sent Because that all we do imperfect is Bless God then for this Holiness of his And learn to look by Faith on that alone When thou seest thou hast nothing of thine own Yea when thy Heart most willing is to do What God by his good Word doth call thee to And when thou find'st most Holiness within And greatest power over every sin Yet then to Jesus look and thou shalt see In him Sanctification for thee Far more compleat than all that thou canst find In the most upright Heart and willing Mind That ever Men or Angels did possess When most fill'd with inherent Righteousness Besides if thou forgettest here to live And Satan get thee once into his sieve He will so hide thy Wheat and shew thy Brun That thou wilt quickly cry I am undone Alas thy goodliest attainments here Though like the fairest blossoms they appear How quickly will they lowr and decay And be as if they all were fled away When once the East-wind of temptations beat Upon thee with their dry and blasting heat Rich Men will not account their treasure lyes In crackt Groats and in Four-pence-half-pennys But in those Bags they have within their Chests In staple Goods which shall within their brests Have place accordingly because they see Their substance lyeth here But if that be But shaken then they quickly fear and cry Alas 't is not this small and odd money We carry in our Pockets for to spend Will make us rich or much will stand our friend If famine or if want do us assail How quickly will these little pieces fail If thou be wise consider what I say And look for all in Christ where no decay Is like to be then though thy present frame Be much in up and down yet he the same Abideth yea and still at Gods right hand As thy most perfect holiness will stand It is I say not like to that in thee Now high then low now out then in but he Most perfect is when thou art at the worst The same the very same I said at first This helpeth much when thou art buffetted And when thy graces lye in thee as dead Then to believe they are all perfect still In Christ thy head who hath that blessed skill Yet to present thee by what is in him Unto his Father one that hath no sin Yea this will fill thy mouth with Argument Against the Tempter when he shall present Before thee all thy weakness and shall hide From thee thy Graces that thou may'st abide Under the fretting fumes of unbelief Which never yielded Christian man relief Nor help thy self thou may'st against him thus O