account in the day when God shall judge the world I told you before that there is a twofold Faith and now I will tell you that there are two sorts of good works and a Man may be shroudly guess'd at with reference to his Faith even by the Works that he chuseth to be conversant in There are Works that cost nothing and Works that are chargeable And observe it The unsound Faith will chuse to it self the most easie works it can find For example there is Reading Praying hearing of Sermons Baptism Breaking of Bread Church fellowship Preaching and the like and there is mortification of Lusts Charity Simplicity open-Heartedness with a liberal Hand to the Poor and their like also Now the unsound Faith picks and chuses and takes and leaves but the true Faith does not so There are a great many Professors now in England that have nothing to distinguish them from the worst of Men but their Praying Reading hearing of Sermons Baptism Church Fellowship and Breaking of Bread Separate them but from these and every where else they are as black as others even in their whole Life and Conversation Thus they have chosen to them the most easy things to do them but love not to be Conscionably found in the practice of the other a certain sign their Faith is nought and that these things even the things they are conversant in are things attended to of them not for the ends for which God has appointed them but to beguile and undo themselves withall Praying Hearing Reading for what are these things Ordained but that we might by the godly use of them attain to more of the knowledg of God and be strengthened by his Grace to serve him better according to his moral Law Baptism Fellowship and the Lords Supper are Ordained for these ends also But there is a vast difference between using of these things and a using of them for these ends A Man may pray yea pray for such things had he them as would make him better in Morals without desire to be better in Mortals or Love to the things he prays for A Man may Read and Hear not to learn to do though to know Yea he may be dead to doing Moral goodness and yet be great for Reading and Hearing all his days The people then among all Professors that are zealous of good Works are the peculiar ones to Christ. What has a man done that is Baptized if he pursues not the ends for which that appointment was Ordained the like I say of Fellowship of Breaking of Bread c. For all these things we should use to Support our Faith to mortifie the Flesh and strengthen us to walk in newness of Life by the rule of the moral Law Nor can that Man be esteemed holy whose life is tainted with immoralities let him be what he can in all things else I am of that mans mind as to practical Righteousness who said to Christ upon this very question Well Master thou hast said the Truth For to Love the Lord our God with all the Heart and with all the Understanding and with all the Soul and with all the Strength and to love his Neighbour as himself is more than all whole burn-offerings and sacrifices To love my Neighbour as my self to do as I would be done unto this is the Law and the Prophets And he that is altogether a stranger to these things how dwelleth the Love of God in him or how will he manifest to another that his Faith will save him Satan is afraid that Men should hear of justification by Christ lest they should imbrace it but yet if he can prevail with them to keep Fingers off though they do hear and look on and practice lesser things he can the better bear it Yea he will labour to make such Professors bold to conclude they shall by that kind of Faith injoy him though by that they cannot imbrace him nor lay hold of him For he knows that how far soever a Man ingages in a Profession of Christ with a Faith that looks on but cannot receive nor imbrace him that Faith will leave him to nothing but mistakes and disappointments at last The Gospel comes to some in Word only and the Faith of such stands but in a verbal sound but the Apostle was resolved not to know or take notice of such a Faith For the Kingdom of God saith he is not in Word but in Power He whose Faith stands only in a saying I believe has his Works in bare Words also and as vertual is the one as the other and both insignificant enough If a Brother or a Sister be naked or destitute of daily Food And one of you say unto them Depart in peace be you warmed and filled notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body what doth it profit Even so Faith if it hath not Works is dead being alone This Faith therefore Satan can allow because it is somewhat of kin to his own Besides What greater contempt can be cast upon Christ than by such wordy Professors is cast upon him These are the men that by practice say The Gospel is but an empty sound Yea the more they profess the louder they proclaim it thus to be to his disgrace while they notwithstanding their prosession of Faith hold and maintain their League with the Devil and Sin The Son of God was manifest that he might destroy the works of the Devil but these men profess his Faith and keep these Works alive in the World Shall these pass for such as believe to the saving of the Soul For a man to be content with this kind of Faith and to look to go to Salvation by it what to God is a greater provocation The Devil laugheth here for he knows he has not lost his Vassal by such a Faith as this but that rather he hath made use of the Gospel that glorious Word of Life to secure his Captive through his presumption of the right Faith the faster in his shackles It is marvelous to me to see sin so high amidst the swarms of Professors that are found in every corner of this Land Nor can any other reason be given for it but because the Gospel has lost its wonted vertue or because Professors want Faith therein But do you think it is because of the first no the word of our God shall stand in its strength for ever the Faith of such therefore is not right they have for Shields of Gold made themselves Shields of Brass or instead of the Primitive Faith which was of the operation of God they have got to themselves a Faith that stands by the power and in the Wisdom of Man And to say no more to this for what is God so angry with this Land but for the sin of the Professors that dwell therein while they have polluted his name with their Gifts and with their Idols God I say
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
name of Christ. Now I say if he intendeth not those that name the name of Christ irreligiously then tho' the exhortation let every one seems to extend it self to all and all manner of persons that any ways name the name of Christ yet 't is limited by this to wit that rightly religiously or according to the way of the professors of Christ name his worthy name And it must needs be so taken and that for these reasons 1. For that as I said before the Apostle taketh no notice of their manner of naming of his name so as â—o reprove any undecency or unseemâ—iness in their Naming of him wherefore he alloweth of the manner of their naming of him 2. Because the Apostles design in this exhortation was and is that the naming of the name of Christ might be accompanied with such a life of holiness as might put an additional lustre upon that name when ever named in a religious way but this cannot be applied to every manner of naming the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man shall name the name of Christ unduely or irreligiously though he shall never so much there withall depart from iniquity and be circumspect to the utmost in all civility and morality yet he answers not the Apostles end which he seeks by this his exhortation For 1. Suppose a man should name the name of Christ vainly idlely in vain mirth wantonness false or vain swearing or the like and shall back this his manner of naming the name of Christ with all manner of Justness and uprightness of life would this answer the Apostle's end in this his exhortation Verily no for this manner of naming the name is worthy reprehension Thou shalt not take my name in vain or vainly make use thereof And moral goodness attending the so naming of the name of Christ will do more hurt than good 2. There is a reproachful and scandalous naming of the name of Christ such as the Jews and Pharisees did accustom themselves unto as to call him Jesus the deceiver and Christ in a way of scorn and contempt Nor were these men quite destitute of that which put a luster upon their opinions for said the Lord Christ himself unto them Ye indeed appear beautiful outward 3. There is such a naming of the name of Christ as to make it a cloak for false and dangerous Errors that men by the use of that name and the putting of it upon such errors and delusions may put off their errors to others the better Many shall come in my name to wit with their delusions presenting them in my name to the world and shall put them off in my name to the destruction of the Soul Now can any imagine that the Apostle should extend his exhortation to such that they thus continuing to name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity To what end should such be comprehended in this exhortation of his To no purpose at all for the more an erroneous person or a deceiver of Souls shall back his errors with a life that is morally good the more mischievous dangerous and damnable is that man and his delusions wherefore such a one is not concerned in this exhortation 4. There is a naming of the name of Christ magically and after the manner of Exorcism or conjuration as we read in the Acts of the Apostles The vagabond Jews the exorcists there say We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth Thus they called over them that had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus But what if these should cloth this their devilish art and devilish way of using or naming of the name of the Lord Jesus with departing from iniquity so as to commend their whole life to bye-standers for such as is morally good what advantage would Christ or Paul or the Gospel get thereby verily none at all but rather dammage and reproach as will soon appear to any mans reason if it be considered that goodness of life joyned to badness of principles is like the Devil clothed in white or Satan transformed into an Angel of light And Paul was grieved in his Spirit when the wench that had a spirit of divination did acknowledg him to be the servant of the most high God for he knew it would nothing further or help forward the Lords design but be rather an hindrance thereto For when Witches and Devils come once to commend or make use of the name of Christ Christ and Paul like it not therefore Pauls exhortation which here we are presented with by the Text is not extended to any of the four sorts aforenamed but First To those upon whom his name is called they should depart from iniquity I say those whom God has so far dignified as to put the name of Christ upon them and I will add that apply that name to themselves And the reason is because God is now concerned God has changed thy name from Pagan to Christian and thou chusest to call thy self by that â—ame saying I belong to Christ. Now thou must depart from iniquity for that notice is taken of thee both by Heaven and Earth that thou art become a Disciple and let every one that so nameth the name of Christ or that nameth it being himself by God and himself put under such circumstances as these depart from iniquity Secondly It is spoken to those that name the name of Christ either in the publick or priâ—ate worship of God being themselves professed worshippers of him and the reason is for that the ordinances as well as the name of God is holy and he will be sanctified in them that come nigh him He therefore that approacheth the presence of Christ in prayer or any other Divine appointment must take heed of regarding of iniquity in his heart else the Lord will stop his ears to his prayers and will shut his eyes and not take notice of such kind of worship or worshippers Thirdly Those that the Apostle in this place exhorts to depart from iniquity are such as have taken unto themselves the boldness to say that they are in him abide in him and consequently are made partakers of the benefits that are in him He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked And the reason is because Christ is a fruitful root and a free conveyer of sap into the branches Hence it is written that the trees of the Lord are full of sap So then he that nameth the name of Christ by way of applying to himself his benefits and as counting that he is found of God in him and so abideth ought himself to walk even as he walked that he may give proof of what he saith to be true by bearing forth before men that similitude of righteousness that is in his Root and Stem For such as the stock or tree is such let the branches be but that cannot be known but
their profession of faith in him a holy and blessed conversation Having thus briefly shewed you these things I shall come in the next place to shew you Why some that as to words rightly name the name of Christ do not depart from iniquity That it is incident to men to name the name of Christ religiously and not to depart from iniquity I have proved already and now I must shew you why it is so and the reasons are of three sorts First Some profess him yet have not saving faith in him nor yet received grace from him That some profess him that have not saith in him nor received grace from him I will make appear first And then that they do not depart from iniquity shall be shewn afterwards That the first is true consider Christ saies to his Disciples there are some of you that believe not And again For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him Now if they believe not they have none of his grace in them for faith is the first and head grace the beginning and leading grace he therefore that is destitute of that is empty of all the rest Besides other Scriptures also confirm this truth James calls some of the professors of Christ that were in his day vain or empty men that is men void of grace And the Apostle suggesteth in the very words below the Text that as in Gods house there are Golden and Silver Saints so their are also earthy and Wooden ones For in a great house as Gods is are not only Vessels of Gold and Silver but also of wood and of earth and some to honour and some to dishonour that is some for Heaven and some for Hell Now they are these Wooden and Earthy professors that he aimeth at in the Text to wit that they should depart from iniquity or else their profession would do them no good and these also that he despaireth of in the next words saying But but in this great house of God there will not only be Golden and Silver Christians but Wooden and Earthly ones And if any man purge himself from these from these mens companies and from these mens vices he shall be a vessel to honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared to every good work From all which it is gathered that there are some that name the name of Christ in a way of profession that have neither faith nor grace in them and so consequently that do not depart from iniquity For First These want that principle that holy and blessed principle that should induce them thereunto to wit the great and principal graces of the spirit and they are four First As I have said They want faith that heart purifying grace for the heart is purified by faith I have shewed you already that departing from iniquity must be with the mind and affections or with the heart but how can that be where the heart is not sanctified and made holy For an unsanctified mind cannot depart from iniquity no more than the Ethiopian can change his Skin but nothing can purifie the heart but faith Therefore nothing can make a professor depart from iniquity where faith is wanting So then when men professedly name the name of Christ without having holy faith in him they still abide by their iniquity they depart not from their iniquity but rather make of their profession a cloak for their iniquity for their malice and for their covetousness and the like It is not profession but faith that bringeth God and the Soul together and as long as God and the soul are at distance what ever profession is made there is not a departing not an heart departing from iniquity Wherefore to these professors James writeth thus Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded Men far from God cannot think reverently of him nor so speak and profess him as standeth with the nature of Gospel Religion wherefore God saith draw near hither that is by faith and again let them come near then let them speak then let them profess Without faith a man cannot please God because he cannot without it stand before him in the spotless righteousness of Christ nor yet depart from iniquity and live a holy life There are three things in Faith that directly tend to make a man depart from iniquity 1. It apprehendeth the truth of the Being and greatness of God and so it aweth the spirit of a man 2. It apprehendeth the love of this God in Christ and so it conquereth and overcometh the spirit of a man 3. It apprehendeth the sweetness and blessedness of the nature of the Godhead and thence perswadeth the soul to desire here communion with him that it may be holy and the injoyment of him when this world is ended that it may be happy in and by him for ever But without Faith these things cannot be apprehended and therefore those that want it whatever their profession is they will not depart from iniquity Secondly Repentance is another of the great and principal graces which the Holy Ghost worketh in the heart Wherefore without this also there can be no departing from iniquity It is in vain to expect it of any man let his profession be never so stately and great if he is a stranger to found repentance How many are there in our day since the Gospel is grown so common that catch up a notion of good things and from that notion make a profession of the name of Christ get into Churches and obtain the title of a Brother a Saint a member of a Gospel congregation that have clean escaped repentance I say they have catcht up a notion of good things and have through that adventured to name the name of Christ quite forgetting to take repentance with them Repentance should be and is one of the first steps into true Gospel profession but some know nothing of it untill they come to the end of all and their repentance will do them no good Repentance is not but where the true fear of God is yea the fear of God is one ground of repentance Repentance is the scouring grace 't is that which purges Repentance is as I may call it that bitter pill without the taking and sound working of which base and sinful humours will rest unstirred unpurged undriven out of the soul. Can repentance be where godly sorrow is not or can repentance be where the fruits of repentance are not O the fruits of repentance thick sown by preachers but it comes up but thinly Where shall the fruits of repentance be found Confession of sin is one fruit of repentance shame for sin is another fruit of repentance amendment of life is another fruit of repentâ—nce restitution for cousening cheating defrauding beguiling thy neighbour is another