him in the World through the Ignorance that is in Man and through the Power of their Sins Ephes 4.18 19. Q. Wherein doth this alienation from God appear A. In the love they have to their sins in their being loth to come to him in their pleading idle excuses for their sins and in their ignorance of the excellent mysteries of his blessed Gospel Ephes 2.2 3 11 12. Rom. 1.28 Ephes 4.18 19. Q. What is temporal death A. To have Body and Soul separate asunder the Body returning to the Dust as it was and the Spirit to God that gave it Gen. 3.19 Eccles 12.7 Q. What is Everlasting Death A. For Body and Soul to be separate for ever from God and to be cast into Hell-fire Luk. 13. Q. Do Men go Body and Soul to Hell so soon as they die A. The Body abideth in the Grave till the sound of the last Trump but the Soul if the Man dies wicked goes presently from the face of God into Hell as into a Prison there to be kept till the day of Judgment 1 Cor. 15.52 Isa 24.22 Luke 12.20 Q. Do we come into the World as upright as did our first Parent A. No He came into the World sinless being made so of God Almighty but we came into the World sinners being made so by his Pollution Q. How doth it appear that we came into the World polluted A. We are the fruit of an unclean thing are defiled in our very conception and are by nature the Children of wrath Job 14.4 Psal 51.5 Ephes 2.3 Q. Can you make further proof of this A. Yes It is said that by one Man came Sin Death Judgment and Condemnation upon all Men Rom. 5.12 15 16 17 18 19. Q. Do we then come sinners into the World A. Yes we are Transgressors from the Womb and go astray as soon as we are born speaking lies Isa 48.8 Psal 58.3 Q. But as Adam fell with us in him so did he not by faith rise with us in him for he had no 〈…〉 A. He fell as a publick person but believed the Promise as a single person Adam's faith saved not the World though Adam's sin overthrew it Q. But do not some hold that we are sinners only by imitation A. Yes being themselves deceived But God's Word saith we are Children of Wrath by Nature that is by Birth and Generation Q. Can you bring further proof of this A. Yes In that day that we were born we were polluted in our own Blood and cast out to the loathing of our persons Again the Children of old that were dedicated unto the Lord a Sacrifice was offered for them at a month old which was before they were sinners by imitation Ezek. 16.4 5 6 7 8 9. Num. 18.14 15 16. Q. Can you make this appear by experience A. Yes The first things that bloom and put forth themselves in Children shew their Ignorance of God their disobedience to Parents and their innate enmity to Holiness of life their inclinations naturally run to vanity Besides little Children die but that they could not were they not of God counted sinners for death is the wages of sin Rom. 6.23 Q. What is sin A. It is a transgression of the Law 1 John 3.4 Q. A transgression of what Law A. Of the Law of our Nature and of the Law of the Ten Commandments as written in the holy Scriptures Rom. 2.12 14 15. Exod. 20. Q. When doth one sin against the Law of Nature A. When you do any thing that your Conscience tells you is a transgression against God or Man Rom. 2.14 15. Q. When do we sin against the Law as written in the ten Commandments A. When you do any thing that they forbid although you be ignorant of it Psal 19.12 Q. How many ways are there to sin against this Law A. Three By sinful thoughts by sinful words and also by sinful actions Rom. 7.7 Mat. 5.28 chap. 12.37 Rom. 2.6 Q. What if we sin against but one of the Ten Commandments A. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all for he that said do not commit adultery said also do not kill now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art a transgressor of the Law Jam. 2.10 11. Q. Where will God punish sinners for their sins A. Both in this World and in that which is to come Gen 3.24 chap. 4.10 11 12. Job 21.30 Q. How are Men punished in this World for sin A. Many ways as with sickness losses crosses disappointments and the like sometimes also God giveth them up to their own hearts lusts to blindness of mind also and hardness of heart yea and sometimes to strong delusions that they might believe lies and be damned Lev. 26.15 16. Amos. 4.7 10. Rom. 1.24 28. Exod. 4.21 chap. 9.12 13 14. Zeph. 1.17 Rom. 11.7 8. 2 Thes 2.11 12. Q How are sinners punished in the World to come A. With a Worm that never dies and with a Fire that never shall be quenched Mar. 9.44 Q. Whither do sinners go to receive this punishment A. The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God Psal 9.27 Q. What is Hell A. It is a place and a state most fearful Luk. 16.28 Act. 1.25 Luk. 16.21 Q. Why do you call it a place A. Because in Hell shall all the damned be confined as in a Prison in their chains of darkness for ever Luk. 12.5 58. chap. 16.26 Jud. 6. Q What a place is Hell A. It is a dark bottomless burning lake of Fire large enough to hold all that perish Mat. 22.13 Rev. 20.1 15. Isa 30.33 Pro. 27.20 Q. What do you mean when you say it is a fearful state A. I mean that it is the lot of those that are cast in thither to be tormented in most fearful manner to wit with wrath and fiery indignation Rom. 2.9 Heb. 10.26 27. Q. In what parts shall they be thus fearfully tormented A. In Body and Soul for Hell-fire shall kindle upon both beyond what now can be thought Mat. 10.28 Luk. 16.24 Jam. 5.3 Q. How long shall they be in this condition A. These shall go away into everlasting punishment and the smoak of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night for they shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power Mat. 25.46 Rev. 14.11 2 Thes 1.9 Q. But why might not the ungodly be punished with this punishment in this world that we might have seen it and believe A. If the ungodly should with punishment have been rewarded in this World it would in all probability have overthrown the whole order that God hath settled here among Men. For who could have endured here to have seen the flames of Fire to have heard the groans and to have seen the tears perhaps of damned relations as Parents or Children Therefore as Tophet
INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT Being a Salve to cure that great want of Knowledg which so much reigns both in young and old Prepared and presented to them in a plain and easie Dialogue fitted to the Capacity of the weakest By JOHN BUNYAN Hos 4.6 My People perish for lack of Knowledg LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhil near the Royal-Exchange 1675. To the Church of Christ in and about Bedford walking in the Faith and Fellowship of the Gospel your affectionate Brother and Companion in the Kingdom and Patience of JESUS CHRIST wisheth all Grace and Mercy by Jesus Christ Amen HOly and beloved Although I have designed this little Treatise for publick and common benefit yet considering that I am to you a debtor not only in common Charity but by reason of special Bonds which the Lord hath laid upon me to you-ward I could do no less being driven from you in presence not affection but first present you with this little Book not for that you are wanting in the things contained herein but to put you again in remembrance of first things and to give you occasion to present something to your carnal relations that may be if God will for their awakening and conversion accept it therefore as a token of my Christian Remembrance of you Next I present it to all those unconverted old and young who have been at any time under my Preaching and yet remain in their sins And I entreat them also that they receive it as a token of my love to their immortal Souls yea I charge them as they will answer it in the day of the terrible judgment that they read ponder and receive this wholsom Medicine prepared for them Now the God of Blessing bless it to the awakening of many sinners and the salvation of their souls by faith in Jesus Christ Amen Yours to serve you by my Ministry when I can to your Edification and Consolation J. B. Instruction for the Ignorant c. Quest HOw many Gods are there Answ To the Christians there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we of him 1 Cor. 8.9 Q. Why is not the God of the Christians the God of them that are no Christians A. He is their Maker and Preserver but they have not chosen him to be their God Acts 17.24 Psal 36.6 Judg. 10.14 Q. Is there then other gods besides the God of the Christians A. There is none other true God but He but because they want the grace of Christians therefore they chuse not Him but such gods as will suit with and countenance their lusts Joh. 8.44 Q. What gods are they that countenance the lusts of wicked men A. The Devil who is the god of this World the Belly that god of Gluttons Drunkards and riotous persons and idle pleasures and vanities which are for the most part the gods of the youth Job 8.44 2 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.19 Exod. 32.6 1 Cor. 10.7 2 Tim. 2.22 1 John 5.21 Q. Who is a Christian A. One that is born again a new creature one that sits at Jesus feet to hear his Word one that hath his heart purified and sanctified by Faith which is in Christ John 3.3 5 7. Act. 11.26 Act. 15.9 chap. 26.18 2 Cor. 5.17 Q. How do you distinguish the God of the Christians from the gods of other people A. He is a Spirit John 4.24 Q. Is there no other Spirit but the true God A. Yes there are many spirits 1 John 4.1 Q. What spirits are they A. The good Angels are Spirits the bad Angels are Spirits and the Souls of Men are Spirits Heb. 1.7.14 1 King 22.21 22. Rev. 16.13 14. Act. 7.59 Heb. 12.23 Q. How then is the true God distinguished from other Spirits A. Thus No Spirit is Eternal but he no Spirit is Almighty but he no Spirit is Incomprehensible and Unsearchable but he He is also most Merciful most Just most Holy Deut. 33.27 Gen. 17.1 Psal 145.3 Mich. 7.18 Job 34.17 1 Sam. 2.2 Q. Is this God being a Spirit to be known A. Yes and that by his Works of Creation by his Providences by the Judgments that he executeth and by his Word Q. Do you understand him by the Works of Creation A. The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work so that the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead Psal 19.1 2. Rom. 1.20 Q. Doth his Works of Providence also declare him A. They must needs do it since through his Providence the whole Creation is kept in such harmony as it is and that in despite of Sin and Devils also if you consider that from an Angel to a Sparrow nothing falls to the ground without the Providence of our Heavenly Father Mat. 10.29 Q. Is he known by his Judgments A. God is known by his Judgments which he executeth the wicked is shared in the work of his own hands Psal 9.16 Q. Is he known by his Word A. Yes most clearly for by that he revealeth his Attributes his Decrees his Promises his way of Worship and how he is to be pleased by us Q. Of what did God make the World A. Things that are seen were not made of things that do appear Heb. 11.3 Q. How long was he in making the World A. In six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is in them and on the seventh day God ended all his works which he had made Exod. 20.11 Gen. 2.2 Q. Of what did God make Man A. The Lord God formed Man of the dust of the Ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of Life and Man became a living soul Gen. 2.7 Q. Why doth it say God breathed into him the breath of Life is Man's Soul of the very nature of the Godhead A. This doth not teach that the Soul is of the nature of the Godhead but sheweth that it is not of the same matter as his body which is dust Gen. 18.27 Q. Is not the Soul then of the nature of the Godhead A. No for God cannot sin but the Soul doth God cannot be destroyed in Hell but the Souls of the Impenitent shall Ezek. 18.4 Mat. 10.28 Q. How did God make man in the day of his first Creation A. God made Man upright In the Image of God created he him Eccl. 7.29 Gen. 1.27 Q. Did God when he made Man leave him withâ—◠〈…〉 A. No He gave him a Law in his nature and imposed upon him a positive Precept but he offered violence to them and brake them both Gen. 3.3 6. Q. What was the due desert of that Transgression A. Spiritual death in the day he did it Temporal Death afterwards and everlasting Death last of all Gen. 2.17 chap. 3.19 Mat. 25.46 Q What is it to be spiritually dead A. To be alienate from God and to live without
so happy as is that man who lieth fast asleep in his house while that is on fire about his ears Can a man be happy that is ignorant that he is without God and Christ and Hope Can a man be happy that is ignorant that he is hanging over Hell by the poor weak thread of an uncertain Life for this is the state of such an one Q. But may not Faith come to a man without he see himself to be first in this Condition A. It is Gods ordinary way to convince men of this their sad Condition before he revealeth to them the righteousness of Faith or work Faith in them to lay hold of that Righteousness Joh. 16.9 10 11. Gal. 3.23 25. Q. How then do you conclude of them that never saw themselves shut up by unbelief under sin and the curse of God A. I will not judg them for the future God may convert them before they die but at present their state is miserable for because they are shut up and held prisoners by the Law by their lusts and by the Devil and unbelief therefore they cannot so much as with their heart desire that God would have mercy upon them and bring them out of their Snares and Chains Q. Then do you count it better for a man to see his Condition by nature than to be ignorant thereof A. Better a thousand times to see it in the World than to see it in Hell-fire for he must see it there or here now if he sees it here this is the place of Prayer here is the preaching of the Word which is God's Ordinance to beget Faith Besides here God applyeth Promises of Mercy to the desolate and Christ also hath protested that he that cometh to him he will in no wiâ—â— cast out Joh. 6.37 Q. I am convinced that I was once without Faith and also that I cannot fetch it but pray teâ—â— me the way of its coming A. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 Q. How by hearing A. God mixeth it with the Word when he absolutely intendeth the Salvation of the sinner Heb. 4.2 3. Act. 13.48 Q. And how do Men hear when Faith is mixed with the Word A. They hear the Word not as the word of Man but as it is in truth the Word of God which worketh effectually in them that believe Thes 2.13 Q. Pray tell me now the manner of its coming A. It comes through difficulty it comes gradually Q. What are the difficulties which oppose it 〈◊〉 its coming A. Sense of unworthiness guilt of Conscience natural Reason Unbelief and arguments forged in Hell and thence suggested by the Devil into the heart against it Luk. 5.8 Mar. 9.24 Isa 6.5 Rom. 4.18 19 20. Q. How doth Faith come gradually A. Perhaps at first it is but like a grain of Mustard-seed small and weak Mat. 17.20 Q. Will you explain it further A. Faith at first perhaps may have its excellency lie in view only that is in seeing where â—ustification and Salvation is after that it may â—â—ep a degree higher and be able to say it may be or who can tell but I may obtain this Saâ—vation again it may perhaps go yet a steâ— higher and arrive to some short and transier assurance Heb. 11.13 Joel 2.13 14. Zeph. 2.3 Psal 30.7 Q. But doth Faith come only by hearing A. It is usually begotten by the Word preached but after it is begotten it is increased several ways It is increased by Prayer it is increaâ—ed by Christian Conference it is increased bâ— Reading it is increased by Meditation it increased by the remembrance of former Experiences Luk. 17.5 Mar. 9.24 Rom. 1.12 chap. 1â— 25 26. 1 Tim. 4.12 13 14 15. Mat. 16.8 9. Q. What do these things teach us A. They teach us that the Men of this Worlâ— are very ignorant of and as much without desiâ—â— after Faith they neither Hear nor Pray Confer nor Read nor Meditate for the sake of Faith Q. But you said even now that this Faith wâ—â— distinguished from that which profiteth not to Salvation as by the manner of its coming so by iâ— operation pray what is its operation A. It causeth the Soul to see in the lighâ— thereof that there is no Righteousness in thâ— World that can save the sinner Isa 64.6 Q. How doth it give the Soul this Sight A. By giving him to understand the Law and his own inability to do it Gal. 2.15.16 Q. And doth it also show the Soul where Justâ— A. Yes It shews it that Justifying Righteousness is only to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ in what he hath done and suffered in the Flesh Isa 45.24 25. Phil. 3.3 4 5 6 7 8. Q. How doth Faith find this Righteousness in Christ A. By the Word which is therefore called the Word of Faith because Faith by that findeth sufficient Righteousness in him Rom. 10.6 7 8 9. Q. How else doth it operate in the Soul A. It applieth this Righteousness to the sinner and also helps him to embrace it Rom. 3.21 22. 1 Cor. 1.30 Gal. 2.20 Q. How else doth it operate A. By this application of Christ the Soul is quickned to Life Spiritualized and made Heavenly For right Faith quickneth to Spiritual Life Purifies and Sanctifies the Heart and worketh up the Man that hath it into the Image of Jesus Christ Col. 2.12 13. Act. 15.9 chap. 26.18 2 Cor. 3.18 Q. How else doth it operate A. It giveth the Soul peace with God through Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 Q. Surely Christ is of great esteem with them that have this Faith in him is he not A. Yes Yes Unto them therefore which believe he is precious precious in his Person precious in his Undertakings precious in his Word 1 Pet. 2.7 chap 1.18 19. 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Q. Can these people then that have this Faith indure to have this Christ spoken against A. O! No! This is a sword in their bones and a burden that they cannot bear Psal 42.10 Zeph. 3.18 19. Q. Doth it not go near them when they see his ways and people discountenanced A. Yes And they also chuse rather to be despised and persecuted with them than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season Heb. 11.24 25. Q. Do they not pray much for his second Coming A. Yes yes They would fain see him on this side the Clouds of Heaven their Conversation is in Heaven from whence they look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3.20 Q. And do they live in this World as if he was to come presently A. Yes For his coming will be glorious and dreadful full of Mercy and Judgment The day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with servent heat the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we