this book is about a man, christian, who comes to realize that he is living in the CITY OF DESTRUCTION and that he and his family are in imminent danger thereof. after unsuccessfully trying to persuade his wife and children of the fact and in the face of their mockery/persuasion to stay, he finally, in desperation to escape, runs-with his family crying out for him to come back- from the city, with his fingers in his ears and crying out again and again,
'LIFE, ETERNAL LIFE!
the rest of the book is a description of his journey through many difficulties and fears which brings him finally into heaven. sometimes he travels alone, other times with another. the two longest fellow travelers are FAITHFUL and HOPEFUL. faithful is martyred. at one point. further on hopeful joins christian and they enter heaven together.
i read this book a long time ago. a friend recently shared that he had just read the book a second time. he had received nothing the first time and he still received nothing. i had been thinking to read again and this prompted it. i received such good and helpful spiritual impressions that i can see myself re-reading it AGAIN AND AGAIN, with benefit, as long as i may be here.
this book was criticized by some believers before it was printed. bunyan, feeling that God used the devise of allegory in the bible and sensing that it might be helpful to some who might read, went ahead with the plan to publish. i hear that only the bible has had more printed copies than this book and that many, many people have been helped spiritually. i can now heartily recommend it for it has been this second a real 'spiritual elixir' to my soul. (i was a church goer, religious and self righteous when i read the first as its only a little over 10 years since the time of what i now believe to be, by the grace of God, my true conversion...God certainly has not dealt with me according to a formulaic ' i-came-to-a-crisis-and-cried-out-to-God-to-save-me' i once held to be the only way God saves men...no, if I am now truly saved, God found me not me Him.)
the dialogue below between CHRISTIAN and HOPEFUL takes place just after christian talks to ATHEIST. it starts on page 150 of my copy...
christian - now, then, to prevent drowsiness in this place,
let us fall into good discourse.
(note: as much as i bemoan that God has not seen fit to cause me to meet up with living examples of what some divines of old called 'experimental christians', that is genuine, serious seekers of holiness who, dead to the world, openly witnessed to the Christ and His truth and suffer in an ongoing way for it (matthew 5.10-12.) this makes me sad for i do not yet see myself as one of the number of 'experimental christians' but as some kind of aspirant to such a blessed group. i occasionally hear of some that sound like such who are reported to boldly live for Christ in the face of threats and the possibility of death. i occasionally meet dead ones in books who draw out my spirit to them to be companion with them. but i am not one. oh, may
God have mercy and help me to give all for Him and be totally unashamed of the gospel....and possibly be given the gift of actually meeting another like minded.
sorry..back to the book.
if my above impression is generally true of the church as i have experienced it (ie.that it is dead spiritually),
yet thankfully this book, written in england of the 1600s, was written in a situation where there were actual 'experimental' christians and therefore portrays them along with all the counterfeit types.
i see the book as containing two continuous intermingled strains:
1. bunyan seems to portray genuine believers in a way that seems to almost 'say'
that any true believer
will not only seek out
but will find
ongoing dialogue about and comraderie in
both spiritual reality and experiences
(which often result in general temporal difficulty
and, what might be called repeated times of 'recovered spiritual decline')
in the hearts, conversation and acts of obedience to the word of God
of any other true believer they happen to come into contact with.
2. bunyan, on the other hand, portrays the genuine believer
as having little 'heart dialogue' with false 'believers'
(whose life contains only,
at the best, correct doctrine
and often a lot of words
but no obedient acts)
the genuine believer,
in my understanding of bunyan's portrayal of
what we call 'fellowship',
1. being a doer of the word by practice
quickly discerns the non-doer
2. and by words of truth he
a. seeks to gain the other to its practice
b. but inevitably seems to end up
unmasking the other,
who disappears from the scene.
when this happens the genuine believer is never portrayed as being saddened
...and sometimes positively relieved and gladdened, for
'evil company corrupts good morals' I corinthians 15.33
SUMMARY STATEMENT: it seems that the genuine believer is
1-obedient to the Lord
2-when disobedient or careless
turning from this and
learning from his mistake
3-very open in his speech with every other person:
believer, would be believer, false believer, unbeliever. etc
4-continuously desirous to talk with other genuine believers
not about what is 'correct doctrine',
but the experience in the pursuit of obedience
with the desire either to teach or to learn what
obedience involves
and pitfalls to its proper performance and fruit
5-very open about his faith in Jesus Christ
in words and actions...end of note... to dialogue again.)
hopeful.
with all my heart. (i want to discourse, or talk, with you)
ch.
where shall we begin?
ho.
where God began with us.
but do you begin, if you please.
ch.
i will ask you a question.
how came you to think at first
of so doing as you DO now.
ho.
do you mean,
how came i at first
to look after the good
of my soul?
ch.
yes, that is my meaning.
ho.
i continued a great while in the delight of those things which were seen and sold at our fair;
(note: vanity fair, an allegory of all the vain, empty things this world affords-
things, wealth, power, sex, fame etc.)
things which, i believe now,
would have,
had i continued in them still,
drowned me in perdition and destruction
ch.
what things are they?
ho.
all the treasures and riches of the world.
also i delighted much in
(note: the person who is familiar with the king james version, used in bunyan's day, will soon realize how much word for word bible is in the book.)
rioting, reveling, drinking,
swearing, lying, uncleanness, sabbath breaking,
and what not, that tended to destroy my soul.
but i found at last,
by hearing and considering of things that are divine,
which indeed i heard of you,
as also of beloved Faithful,
that was put to death for his faith and good living in vanity fair,
that the end of these things is death.
and that for these things' sake
cometh the wrath of god upon the children of disobedience.
ch.
and did you presently fall under the power of this conviction?
ho.
the causes were:
1. i was ignorant that this was the work of god upon me.
i never thought that,
by awakenings for sin,
God at first begins the conversion of the sinner.
2. sin was yet very sweet to my flesh,
and i was loath to leave it.
3. i could not tell how to part with mine old companions,
their presence and actions were so desirable unto me.
4. the hours in which convictions were upon me
were such troublesome and
such heart affrighting hours,
that i could not bear, no,
not so much as the remembrance of them upon my heart.
ch.
then, as it seems, sometimes you got rid of your trouble.
ho.
yes, verily,
but it would come into my mind again,
and then i should be as bad,
nay, worse than i was before.
ch.
and could you at any time,
with ease,
get off the guilt of sin,
when by any of these ways it came upon you?
ho.
no, not i,
for then they got faster hold of my conscience;
and then if i did but think of going back to sin
(though my mind was turned against it),
it would be double torment to me.
ch.
and how did you do then?
ho.
i thought i must endeavor to mind my life;
for else, thought i,
i am sure to be damned.
ch.
and did you endeavor to mend?
ho.
yes, for a while;
but at the last, my trouble came tumbling upon me again,
and that over the neck of all my reformations.
ch.
how came that about,
since you were now reformed?
ho.
there were several things brought it upon me,
especially such sayings as these:
all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
when ye shall have done all those things, say,
we are unprofitable;
with many more like.
from whence i began to reason with myself thus:
if ALL my righteousnesses are filthy rags;
if, by the deeds of the law,
NO man can be justified;
and if, when we have done ALL,
we are yet unprofitable,
then it is but a folly to think of heaven by the law.
i further thought thus:
if a man runs a hundred pounds into the shopkeeper's debt,
and after that shall pay for all that he shall fetch;
yet, if this old debt stands still in the book uncrossed,
for that the shopkeeper may sue him,
and cast him into prison till he shall bay the debt.
ch.
how did you apply this to yourself?
ho.
why, i thought thus with myself:
i have,
by my sins,
run a great way into god's book,
and that my now reforming will not pay off that score:
therefore i should think still,
under my present amendments,
but how shall i be freed from that damnation
that i have brought myself in danger of,
by my former transgressions?
ch.
a very good application;
but pray, go on.
ho.
another thing that hath troubled me,
even since my late amendments,
is that
IF I LOOK NARROWLY
INTO THE BEST OF WHAT I DO NOW,
I STILL SEE SIN,
NEW SIN,
MIXING ITSELF
WITH THE BEST OF THAT I DO;
so that now i am forced to conclude,
that notwithstanding my former fond conceits of myself and duties,
I HAVE COMMITTED SIN ENOUGH IN ONE DAY
TO SEND ME TO HELL,
THOUGH MY FORMER LIFE HAD BEEN FAULTLESS.
ch.
and what did you do then?
ho.
Do!
i could not tell what to do
until i brake my mind to Faithful,
for he and i were well acquainted.
and he told me,
that unless i could obtain the righteousness
of a man that never had sinned,
neither mine own,
nor all the righteousness of the world,
could save me.
ch.
and did you think he spake true?
ho.
had he told me so
when i was pleased and satisfied
with mine own amendment (trying to do good instead of bad)
i had called him fool for his pains;
but now,
since i see mine own infirmity,
and the sin that cleaves to my best performance,
i have been forced to be of his opinion.
ch.
but did you think,
when at first he suggested it to you,
that there was such a man to be found,
of whom it might justly be said
that he never committed sin?
ho.
i must confess the words at first sounded strangely,
but after a little more talk and company with him,
i had a full conviction about it.
ch.
and did you ask him what man this was,
and how you must be justified by him?
ho.
yes, and he told me it was the Lord Jesus,
that dwelleth on the right hand of the Most High.
and thus, said he,
you must be justified by Him,
even by trusting to what He hath done by Himself,
in the days of His flesh,
and suffered when He did hang on the tree.
i asked him further,
how that man's righteousness could be of that efficacy
to justify another before god:
and he told me He was the mighty God,
and did what He did,
and died the death also,
not for Himself,
but for me;
to whom His doings,
and the worthiness of them,
should be imputed,
it i believed on Him.
ch.
and what did you then?
ho.
i made my objections against my believing,
for that i though He was not willing to save me.
ch.
and what said Faithful to you then?
ho.
he bid me go to Him and see.
then i said it was ;presumption;
but he said,
no, for i was invited to come.
then he gave me a book of Jesus,
His inditing,
(compose, write)
to encourage me the more freely to come;
and he said, concerning that book,
that every jot and tittle thereof stood firmer than heaven and earth.
then i asked him,
what i must to when i came;
and he told me,
I MUST ENTREAT
WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL,
THE RATHER TO REVEAL HIM TO ME.
then i asked him further,
how i must make my supplication to Him?
and he said,
go, and thou shall find Him upon a mercy seat,
where He sits all the year long,
to give pardon and forgiveness to them that come.
i told him that i knew not what to say when i came.
and he bid me say to this effect;
God be merciful to me a sinner,
and make me to know and believe in Jesus Christ;
for i see, that if His righteousness had not been,
or i have not faith in that righteousness,
i am utterly cast away.
Lord, i have ordained that Thy Son Jesus Christ
should be the Saviour of the world;
and moreover, that Thou art willing to bestow Him
upon such a poor sinner as i am
(and i am a sinner indeed);
Lord, take therefore this opportunity,
and magnify Thy grace in the salvation of my soul,
through thy Son Jesus Christ. amen.
ch.
and did you do as you were bidden?
ho.
yes; over, and over and over.
ch.
and did the Father reveal His Son to you?
ho.
not at the first nor second nor third nor fourth nor fifth;
no, nor at the sixth time neither.
ch.
what did you do then?
ho.
what! why i could not tell what to do.
ch.
had you not thoughts of leaving off praying?
ho.
yes; an hundred times twice told.
ch.
and what was the reason you did not?
ho.
i believed that that was true which had been told me,
to wit, that without the righteousness of this Christ
all the world could not save me;
and therefore, thought i with myself,
IF I LEAVE OFF I DIE,
AND I CAN DIE AT THE THRONE OF GRACE.
and withal, this came into my mind:
though it tarry, wait for it;
because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
so i continued praying until the Father showed me His Son.
ch.
and how was He revealed unto you?
ho.
i did not see Him with my bodily eyes,
but with the eyes of my understanding;
and thus it was:
one day i was very sad,
i think sadder than at any one time in my life,
and this sadness was through a fresh sight of the greatness and vileness of my sins.
and as i was then looking for nothing but hell,
and the everlasting damnation of my soul,
suddenly, as i thought,
i saw the Lord Jesus Christ, look down from heaven upon me,
and saying,
'beleive on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.
but i replied,
Lord, i am a great, a very great sinner.
and He answered,
My grace is sufficient for thee.
then i said,
but, Lord, what is believing?
and then i saw from that saying,
'he that cometh to Me shall never hunger,
and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst',
that believing and coming was all one;
and that he that came,
that is, ran out in his heart and affections after salvation by Christ,
he indeed believed in Christ.
then the water stood in mine eyes,
and i asked further:
but Lord, may such a great sinner as i am
be indeed accepted of Thee,
and be saved by Thee?
and i heard Him say,
'and him that cometh to Me,
i will in no wise cast out.
then i said,
but how, Lord, must i consider of Thee in my coming to Thee,
that my faith may be placed aright upon Thee?
then He said,
'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
He is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
he died for our sins, and rose again for our justification.
He loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.
He is mediator betwixt God and us.
He ever liveth to make intercession for us.
from all which i gathered,
that i must look for righteousness in His person,
and for satisfaction for my sins by his blood;
that what he did in obedience to His Father's law,
and in submitting to the penalty thereof,
was not for Himself,
but for him that will accept it for his salvation,
and be thankful.
AND NOW WAS MY HEART FULL OF JOY
MINE EYES FULL OF TEARS,
AND MINE AFFECTIONS RUNNING OVER WITH LOVE
TO THE
NAME,
PEOPLE
AND WAYS
OF JESUS CHRIST.
ch.
this was a revelation of Christ to your soul indeed;
but tell me what effect this had upon your spirit.
ho. it made me see that all the world,
notwithstanding all the righteousness thereof,
is in a state of condemnation.
it made me greatly ashamed of the vileness of my former life,
and confounded me with the sense of mine own ignorance;
for there never came thought into my heart before now
that showed me so the beauty of Jesus Christ.
IT MADE ME LOVE A HOLY LIFE AND
LONG TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE HONOR AND GLORY
OF THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS;
yea, i thought that had i now a thousand gallons of blood in my body,
i could spill it all for the sake of the Lord Jesus.
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