Satan though my heart indeed be worse Than 't was a wile ago Yet I perceive Thou shalt me not of happiness bereave Nor yet of holiness for by the Word I find that Jesus Christ our blessed Lord Is made Sanctification for me In his own Person where all Graces be As water in the Fountain and that I By means of that have yet a sanctity Both personal and perfect every way And that is Christ himself as Paul doth say Now though my crazy Pitcher oft doth leak By means of which my Graces are so weak And so much spent that one I cannot find Able to stay or help my feeble mind Yet then I look to Jesus and see all In him that wanting is in me and shall Again take courage and believe he will Present me upright in his Person till He humble me for all my foolishness And then again fill me with holiness Now if thou lovest inward sanctity As all the Saints do most unfeignedly Then add to what I have already said Faith in the Promise and be not afraid To urge it often at the Throne of Grace And to expect it in its time and place Then he that true is and that cannot lye Will give it unto thee that thou thereby May'st serve with faith with fear in truth love That God that did at first thy Spirit move To ask it to his praise that he might be Thy God and that he might delight in thee If I should here particulars relate Methinks it could not but much animate Thy Heart though very listless to enquire How thou may'st that enjoy which all desire That love themselves and future Happiness But Oh! I cannot fully it express The Promise is so open and so free In all respects to those that humble be That want they cannot what for them is good But there 't is and confirmed is with Blood A certain sign all those enjoy it may That see they want it and sincerely pray To God the Father in that Jesus Name Who bled on purpose to confirm the same Now would'st thou have a Heart that tender is A Heart that forward is to close with bliss A Heart that will impressions freely take Of the New Covenant and that will make The best improvement of the Word of Grace And that to Wickedness will not give place All this is in the Promise and it may Obtained be of them that humbly pray Would'st thou enjoy that Spirit that is free And looseth those that in their Spirits be Opprest with guilt or filth or unbelief That Spirit that will where it dwells be chief Which breaketh Sampson's Cord as rotten thread And raiseth up the Spirit that is dead That sets the Will at liberty to chuse Those things that God hath promis'd to infuse Into the humble Heart All this I say The Promise holdeth out to them that pray Wouldest thou have that good that blessed Mind That is so much to heavenly things inclin'd That it aloft will soar and always be Contemplating on blest Eternity That Mind that never thinks it self at rest But when it knows it is for ever blest That Mind that can be here no more content Than he that in the Prison doth lament That blessed Mind that counts it self then free When it can at the Throne with Jesus be There to behold the Mansions he prepares For such as be with him and his co-heirs This Mind is in the Covenant of Grace And shall be theirs that truly seek his face Is godly fear delightful unto thee That fear that God himself delights to see Bear sway in them that love him then he will Thy godly Mind in this request fulfill By giving thee a fear that tremble shall At every trip thou takest lest thou fall And him offend or hurt thy self by sin Or cause poor Souls that always blind have been To stumble at thy falls and harder be Against their own Salvation and thee That fear that of it self would rather chuse The rod than to offend or to abuse In any thing that blessed worthy Name That hath thee saved from that death and shame That sin would soon have brought thee to if he Had not imputed Righteousness to thee I will love them saith God and not depart From them but put my fear within their heart That I to them may always lovely be And that they never may depart from me Would'st thou be very upright and sincere Would'st thou be that within thou dost appear Or seem to be in outward exercise Before the most devout and godly wise Yea art thou thus when no Eye doth thee see But that which is invisible and be The words of God in truth thy prop and stay And do they in their Conscience bear more sway To govern thee in Faith and Holiness Than thou canst with thy heart mouth express And do the things that truly are Divine Before thee more than Gold or Rubies shine And if as unto Solomon God should Propound to thee What would'st thou have how would Thy heart and pulse beat after heav'nly things After the upper and the nether springs Could'st with unfeigned heart and upright lip Cry hold me fast Lord never let me slip Nor step aside from Faith and Holiness Nor from the blessed hope of future bliss Lord rather cross me any where than here Lord fill me always with thy holy fear And godly jealousie of mine own heart Lest I Lord should at any time depart From thy most blessed Covenant of Grace Where Jesus rules as King and where thy face Is only to be seen with comfort and Where sinners justifi'd before thee stand If these thy groanings be sincere and true If God doth count thee one that dost pursue The things thou cryest after with thy heart No doubt but in them thou shalt have a part The next word that I would unto thee say Is how thou may'st attain without delay Those blessed Graces and that Holiness Thou dost with so much godly zeal express Thy love to and thy longing to enjoy That sins and weakness might thee less annoy Know then as I have hinted heretofore And shall now speak unto a little more All graces in the person of the Son Are by the Father hid and therefore none Can them obtain but they who with him close All others graceless are but only those For of his fulness 't is that we receive And grace for grace let no man then deceive Himself or others with a feigned shew Of Holiness if Jesus they eschew When he ascended to his Father then It was that he received Gifts for men Faith hope and love true zeal an upright heart Right humbleness of mind and every part Of what the word of Life counts holiness God then laid up in him that we redress And help might have who do unto him fly For righteousness and Gospel-sanctity Now if thou would'st inherent righteousness And so Sanctification possess In Body Soul and Spirit then thou must To Jesus flye as
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
them that sought his Life no rest he found Until a word of Faith became a ground To stay himself upon O! then they fell His very Song became their passing Bell. Then Holiness of Heart a consequence Of Faith in Christ is for it flows from thence The love of Christ in Truth constraineth us Of love sincerely to make Judgment thus He for us dyed that for ever we Might dye to sin and Christ his Servants be O! nothing's like to the remembrance Of what it is to have deliverance From Death and Hell which is of due our right Nothing I say like this to work delight In holy things this like live-honey runs And needs no pressing out of honey-combs Then understand my meaning by my words How sence of mercy unto faith affords Both Grace to sanctifie and holy make That Soul that of forgiveness doth partake Thus having briefly shewed you what is The way of Life of Sanctity of Bliss I would not in conclusion have you think By what I say that Christian-men should drink In these my words with lightness or that they Are now exempted from what every day Their duty is No God doth still expect Yea doth command that they do not neglect To pray to read to hear and not dissent From being sober grave and diligent In watching self-denyal and with fear To serve him all the time thou livest here Indeed I have endeavoured to lay Before your Eyes the right and only way Pardon to get and also Holiness Without which never think that God will bless Thee with the Kingdom he will give to those That Christ embrace and holy lives do choose To live while here all other go astray And shall in time to come be cast away From Mount Ebal THus having heard from Gerizzim I shall Next come to Ebal and you thither call Not there to curse you but to let you hear How God doth curse that Soul that shall appear An unbelieving man a graceless wretch Because he doth continue in the breach Of Moses Law and also doth neglect To close with Jesus him will God reject And cast behind him for of right his due Is that from whence all miseries ensue Cursed saith he are they that do transgress The least of my Commandments more or less Nothing that written is must broken be But always must be kept unto by thee And must fulfilled be for here no man Can look God in the face or ever stand Before the Judgment seat for if they be Convict condemned too assuredly Now keep this Law no mortal Creature can For they already do as guilty stand Before the God that gave it so that they Obnoxious to the curse lye every day Which also they must feel for certainty If unto Jesus Christ they do not fly Hence then as they for ever shall be blest That do by faith upon the promise rest So peace unto the wicked there is none 'T is wrath and death that they must feed upon That what I say may some impression make On carnal Hearts that they in time may take That course that best will prove when time is done These lines I add to what I have begun First Thou must know that God as he is Love So he is Justice therefore cannot move Or in the least be brought to favour those His Holiness and Justice doth oppose For though thou may'st imagine in thy heart That God is this or that yet if thou art At all besides the truth of what he is And so dost build thy hope for life amiss Still he the same abideth and will be The same the same for ever unto thee As God is true unto his promise so Unto his threatning he is faithful too Cease to be God he must if he should break One tittle that his blessed mouth did speak Now then none can be saved but the men With whom the God-head is contented when It them beholds with the severest eye Of Justice Holiness and yet can spye No fault nor blemish in them these be they That must be saved as the Scriptures say If this be true as 't is assuredly Woe be to them that wicked live and dye Those that as far from Holiness have been All their Life long as if no Eye had seen Their doings here or as if God did not At all regard or in the least mind what Wherein or how they did his Law transgress Either by this or other Wickedness But how deceived these poor creatures are They then shall know when they their burthen bear Alas our God is a consuming fire So is his Law by which he doth require That thou submit to him and if thou be Not in that Justice found that can save thee From all and every sentence which he spake Upon Mount Sinai then as one that brake It thou the flames thereof shalt quickly find As scourges thee to lash while sins do bind Thee hand and foot for ever to endure The strokes of vengeance for thy Life impure What I have said will yet evinced be And manifest abundantly to thee If what I have already spoken to Be joyned with these Lines that do ensue Justice discovers its antipathy Against Prophaneness and Malignity Not only by the Law it gave to men And Threatnings thereunto annexed then But in as much as long before that day He did prepare for such as go astray That dreadful that so much amazing place Hell with its Torments for those men that Grace And Holiness of Life slight and disdain There to bemoan themselves with hellish pain This place also the Pains so dismal be Both as to Name and Nature that in me It is not to express the damning wights The hellish Torture and the fearful plights Thereof for as intolerable they Must needs be found by those that disobey The Lord so can no word or thought express Unto the full the height of that distress Such miserable Caitiffs that shall there Rebukes of Vengeance for Transgressions bear Indeed the Holy Scriptures do make use Of many Metaphors that do conduce Much to the symbolizing of the place Unto our Apprehension but the case The sad the woful case of those that lye As wracked there in endless misery By all similitudes no mortals may Set forth in its own nature for I say Similitudes are but a shade and shew Of those or that they signifie to you The fire that doth within thine Oven burn The Prison where poor People sit and mourn Chains Racks and Darkness and such others be As painting on the Wall to let thee see By Word and Figures the extremity Of such as shall within these burnings lye But certainly if Wickedness and Sin Had only foolish toyes and trifles been And if God had not greatly hated it Yea could he any ways thereof admit And let it pass he would not thus have done He doth not use to punish any one With any place or punishment that is Above or sharper than the sin of his Hath merited and Justice