Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A30167
|
Light for them that sit in darkness, or, A discourse of Jesus Christ, and that he undertook to accomplish by himself the eternal redemption of sinners also, that the Lord Jesus addressed himself to this work, with undeniable demonstrations that he performed the same : objections to the contrary answered / by John Bunyan.
|
Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.
|
1675
(1675)
|
Wing B5554; ESTC R19879
|
89,163
|
194
|
were those that used curious arts that were next to if not Witches indeed I say how were they prevailed upon and overcome by the Word of God which is the Gospel of good Tidings through Faith in the Blood of Christ Act. 19. 17 18. 6. How were the Ephesians who sometimes were far from God how I say were they made nigh by the Blood of Christ Ephes. 2. 13. 7. The Colossians though sometimes dead in their Sins yet how were they quickned by God through the Forgiveness of all their Trespasses and they had that through his Blood Col. 2. 13. Chap. 1. 14. What shall I say no man could as yet stand before and not fall under the Revelation of the Forgiveness of Sins through a Crucified Christ as hanged as dying as accursed for Sinners he draws all men unto him men of all sorts of all degrees Shall I add how have men broken through the Pricks to Jesus when he hath been discovered to them neither Lyons nor Fires nor Sword nor Famine nor Nakedness nor Peril neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 35 36 37 38 39. The Fifth Demonstration THat Jesus Christ by what he hath done hath paid full price to God for Sinners and obtained Eternal Redemption for them is evident by the Peace and Holiness that by that Doctrine possesseth mens Souls The Souls of Men awakned and that continue so By awakened men I mean such as through the Revelation of their Sin and Misery groan under the want of Jesus to save them and that continue sensible that they needs must perish if his benefits be not bestowed upon them For otherwise the Gospel ministreth neither Peace nor Holiness to any of the Souls of the Sons of Men that is to say not Saving Peace and Holiness ☞ The Gospel of Grace and Salvation is above all Doctrines the most dangerous if in word only it be received by graceless men if it be not attended with a Revelation of Men's need of a Saviour if it be not accompanied in the Soul by the Power of the Holy Ghost For such Men as have only the notions of it are of all Men liable to the greatest Sins because there wanteth in their notions the Power of Love which alone can constrain them to love Jesus Christ. And this is the Reason of these Scriptures They turn the Grace of God into wantonness They turn the Grace of our God into lasciviousness Jude 4. For some when they hear of the Riches of Grace through Christ that hearing not being attended with the Faith Love which is in Christ Jesus those Men receive the notions of this good Doctrine only to cloak their wickedness and to harden themselves in their Villanies Others when they hear being leavened before with the Leaven of some other Doctrine some Doctrine of the Righteousness of the World or Doctrine of Devils forthwith make head against and speak evil of the blessed Doctrine and because some that profess it are not cleansed from their filthiness of flesh and spirit and do not perfect Holiness in the Fear of God therefore others conclude that all that profess it are such and that the Doctrine it self tendeth to encourage or at least to tolerate licentiousness as they imagined and affirmed of Paul that he should say Let us do evil that good may come Rom. 3. 8 9. The ground of that wicked Conclusion of theirs was because he by the Allowance of God affirmed That as sin had reigned unto death so grace reigned unto life in a way of Righteousness by Jesus Christ our Lord. Nay then says the Adversary we may be as unholy as we will and that by the Doctrine you preach for if where sin abounds grace abounds more the consequence of a wicked life is but the hightening advancing and magnifying of Grace But what saith the Apostle my conclusions are true That grace doth reign above sin but to say let us therefore sin that Man's Damnation is just because such an one abuseth and maketh the most devilish use of the Blessedest Doctrine that ever was heard of in the World amongst Men. Besides 't is evident that such know not the Power thereof nor have felt or savored its blessedness for where this Gospel cometh in truth it naturally produceth Peace and Holiness 1. Peace He is our Peace he is the Prince of Peace he giveth peace in his High Places This word Peace hath in it a double respect 1. It respecteth God He hath made peace by the Blood of his Cross that is he hath made peace for us with God having appeased the rigor of his Law and satisfied justice for us Hence it is said The Peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your Hearts and Minds through Christ Jesus Col. 1. 20. Phil. 4. 7. The Peace of God that is the Doctrine of Reconciliation by Christ's being made to be sin for us THAT shall keep the Heart that is from despair or fainting under apprehensions of weakness and justice But yet this Peace of God cannot be apprehended nor be of any comfort to the Heart but as the Man looks for it through Christ Jesus Therefore that clause is added through Christ Jesus for he is Peace-maker 't is he that reconcileth us to God in the Body of his Flesh through death for by his doing and suffering he presented God with Everlasting Righteousness with Everlasting Righteousness for Sinners Upon this we have Peace with God Hence Christ is called King of Righteousness FIRST first being by interpretation King of Righteousness and after that also King of Salem which is King of Peace Heb. 7. 1 2. For he could not make peace with God 'twixt us and him but by being first the Lord of Righteousness the Lord our Righteousness but having first compleated Righteousness he then came and preached Peace and commanded his Ambassadors to make Proclamation of it to the World 2 Cor. 5. 19 21. For 't was want of Righteousness that caused want of Peace now then righteousness being brought in it followeth that he hath made peace For he is our Peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle-Wall of Partition between us Having abolished in his Flesh the Enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new Man so making Peace and that he might reconcile both unto God in one Body by the Cross having slain the Enmity thereby and came and preached Peace to you that were afar off and to them that were nigh for through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father Ephes. 2. 14 15 16 17 18. 2dly This word Peace respecteth our inward quietness of heart which we obtain by beholding this Reconciliation made by Christ with God for
forth of the Heart against him now sin and great confusion puts forth it self in all yea the more the Sinner desireth to do a duty sincerely the further off it always finds it self For by how much the Soul struggleth under these distresses by so much the more doth Satan put forth himself to resist still infusing more poison that if possible it might never struggle more for strugglings are also us poison to Satan The Fly in the Spider's Webb is an emblem of the Soul in such a condition the Fly is entangled in the Webb at this the Spider shews himself if the Fly stir again down comes the Spider to her and claps a Foot upon her if yet the Fly makes a noise then with poisoned Mouth the Spider lays hold upon her if the Fly struggle still then he poisons her more and more what shall the Fly do now why she dies if some-body does not quickly release her This is the case of the Tempted they are entangled in the Webb their Feet and Wings are entangled now Satan shews himself if the Soul now struggleth Satan laboureth to hold it down if it now shall make a noise then be bites with blasphemous Mouth more poisonous than the Gall of a Serpent If it struggle again then he poisoneth more and more infomuch that it needs at last must die in the Net if the Man the Lord Jesus helps not out The afflicted Couscience understands my words Further though the Fly in the Webb is altogether uncapable of looking for relief yet this awakened tempted Christian is not what must he do therefore how should he contain hopes of life If he looks to his Heart there is Blasphemy if he looks to his duties there is Sin if he strives to mourn and lament perhaps he cannot unbelief and hardness hinder shall this Man lie down in despair No shall he trust to his duties No shall he stay from Christ till his Heart is better No What then Let him NOW look to Jesus Christ Crucified then shall he see his Sins answered for then shall he see Death a-dying then shall he see Guilt born by another and there shall he see the Devil overcome This sight destroys the Power of the first Temptation purifies the Heart and inclines the Mind to all good things And to encourage thee tempted Creature to this most Gospel-Duty Consider that when Jesus Christ read his Commission upon the entering into his Ministry he proclaimed The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor he hath sent me to heal the broken-Hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the Blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable Year of the Lord Luk. 4. 18 19. These things therefore should the Tempted believe but believing is now sweating-work for Satan will hold as long as possible and only stedfast Faith can make him fly But O! the Toyl of a truly gracious Heart in this Combate if Faith be weak he can scarce get higher than his Knees Lord help Lord save and then down again till an Arm from Heaven takes him up until Jesus Christ be evidently set forth Crucified for him and Cursed for his Sin for then and not till then the Temptation rightly ceaseth at leastwise for a Season Now the Soul can tend to look about it and thus consider with it self If Christ hath bora my Sin and Curse then 't is taken away from me and seeing thus to take away sin was the Contrivance of the God of Heaven I will bless his Name hope in his Mercy and look upon Death and Hell with Comfort Thine Heart shall meditate terrour thou shalt see the Land that is very far off Isa. 33. 16 17 18. The fifth use Fifthly This Doctrine makes Christ precious to the Believers Unto you therefore which believe he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 5. This Head might be greatly enlarged upon and branched out into a Thousand particulars each one full of weight and glory 1. By considering what Sin is 2. By considering what Hell is 3. By considering what Wrath is 4. By considering what Eternity is 5. By considering what the loss of a Soul is 6. What the loss of God is 7. What the loss of Heaven is 8. And what it is to be in utter Darkness with Devils and damned Souls for ever and ever And after all to conclude from all these Miserie 's the Lord Jesus delivered me Further This makes Christ precious if I consider in the next place 1. How he did deliver me 't was with his Life his Blood it cost him Tears Groans Agony Separation from God to do it he endured his Fathers Wrath bare his Fathers Curse and died thousands of deaths at once 2. He did this while I was his Enemy without my desires without my knowledg without my deserts he did it unawares to me 3. He did it freely cheerfully yea he longed to die for me yea Heaven would not hold him for the Love he had to my Salvation which also he hath effectually accomplished for me at Jerusalem Honourable Jesus precious Jesus loving Jesus Jonathan's Kindness captivated David and made him precious in his Eyes for ever I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan said he very pleasant hast thou been to me thy Love to me was wonderful passing the Love of Women 2 Sam. 1. 26. Why what had Jonathan done O! He had delivered David from the Wrath of Saul But how much more should he be precious to me who hath saved me from Death and Hell who hath delivered me from the Wrath of God! The Love of Christ constraineth us Nothing will so edge the Spirit of a Christian as Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood This makes the Heavens themselves ring with joy and shouting Mark the Words Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God with thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation and and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth What follows now And I beheld and heard the Voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and the Elders and the Number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud Voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing and every Creature which is in Heaven and on the Earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are therein heard I saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the LAMB for ever and and ever Revel 5. 9 10 11 12 13. Thus also is the Song that New-Song that is said to be sung by the Hundred fourty and four thousand which stand with the LAMB upon Mount Sion with his Fathers Name written in their Fore-heads These are also called Harpers Harping with their Harps And they sang as it were a new Song before the Throne and before the four Beasts and the Elders and none could learn that Song but the Hundred and fourty and four thousand which were redeemed from the Earth Revel 14. 1 2 3. But why could they not learn that Song Because they were not redeemed none can sing of this Song but the Redeemed they can give Glory to the Lamb the Lamb that was slain and that redeemed them to God by his Blood 'T is Faith in his Blood on Earth that will make us sing this Song in Heaven These Shoutings and Heavenly Songs must needs come from Love put into a Flame by the Sufferings of Christ. The last Use. If all these things be true what follows but a Demonstration of the Accursed Condition of those among the Religious in these Nations whose notions put them far off from Jesus and from venturing their Souls upon his Bloody Death I have observed such a Spirit as this in the World that careth not for knowing of Jesus the Possessed therewith do think that it is not material to Salvation to venture upon a Crucified Christ neither do they trouble their Heads or Hearts with inquiring whether Christ Jesus be risen and ascended into Heaven or whether they see him again or no but rather are for concluding that there will be no such thing These Men speak not by the Holy Ghost for in the Sum they call Jesus Accursed but I doubt not to say that many of them are Anathematised of God and shall stand so till the Coming of the Lord Jesus to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen THE END Books writ by Mr. Bunyan and printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle near the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1. SIghs from Hell or the Groans of a Damned Soul discovering the Lamentable Estate of the Damned 2. Resurrection from the Dead and Eternal Judgment asserted and with what Bodies the Dead arise 3. A Discourse of Prayer and what it is to pray with the Spirit and with Understanding 4. The Holy City or the New-Jerusalem or the Glorious State of Believers after this Life asserted 5. Christian Behaviour teaching Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants to walk so as to please God 6. Grace abounding to the chief of Sinners discovering the woful Estate of the Impenitent and the Greatness of Gods Mercy 7. A Map shewing the Order and Causes of Salvation and Damnation c. 8. Serious Meditations on the four last things viz. Death Judgment Heaven and Hell 9. A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Jesus Christ. 10. A Confession of the Author's Faith and a Reason of his Practice in Matters of Worship