They only who reject the counsel and mercy of G.o.d, shut heaven"s gates against their own souls, and rush upon Jehovah"s buckler like Judas, or Spira, or like one of Bunyan"s early friends, John Childs, who apostatized for fear of persecution, and perished by his own hand. To such only the day of grace is past; they have set themselves in the scorner"s seat, from which they will be hurled into unutterable wretchedness.
Bunyan well knew that idleness engenders poverty and crime, and is the parent of every evil; and he exhorts his runner to the greatest diligence, not to "fool away his soul" in slothfulness, which induces carelessness, until the sinner is remediless. Our first care is to get into the right way, and then so to run that "the devil, who is light of foot," may not overtake and trip us up. Running to heaven does not prevent the true, the real enjoyment of earthly blessings, but sanctifies and heightens them. The great impetus in our course is love to the prize--to Christ, to heaven; "having our affections set upon things above." Looking unto Jesus.
His righteousness imputed unto us by the shedding of his blood, marks all the road, and while we keep that in sight we cannot err.
In all earthly things we antic.i.p.ate too much--but in the glories of heaven, our antic.i.p.ations are feeble indeed, compared with eternal realities. Could the saints in glory impart to us a sense of their indescribable happiness, with what activity and perseverance we should run. The case of Lot, when flying from destruction, is put by Bunyan with peculiar force--he dared not to look back even to see what had become of his wife, lest death should overtake his own soul. O, my reader, may we be stimulated so to run as to obtain that crown of glory which is imperishable, immortal, and eternal.
Charles Doe, one of Bunyan"s personal friends, having purchased the copyright of this work, kept it for some years, in hope of publishing it with other treatises, as a second folio volume, to complete his works; but failing in this object, he printed it separately in 1698, and appended an interesting list of Bunyan"s works, with thirty cogent reasons why these invaluable labours should be preserved and handed down, to bless succeeding ages.
An earnest desire to preserve, in their perfect integrity, all the treatises as they were originally published, will induce me, at the end of the works, to reprint those interesting additions.
GEO. OFFOR.
AN EPISTLE TO ALL THE SLOTHFUL AND CARELESS PEOPLE.
Friends,
Solomon saith, that "The desire of the slothful killeth him"; and if so, what will slothfulness itself do to those that entertain it? (Prov 21:25). The proverb is, "He that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame" (Prov 10:5). And this I dare be bold to say, no greater shame can befall a man, than to see that he hath fooled away his soul, and sinned away eternal life. And I am sure this is the next way to do it; namely, to be slothful; slothful, I say, in the work of salvation. The vineyard of the slothful man, in reference to the things of this life, is not fuller of briars, nettles, and stinking weeds, than he that is slothful for heaven, hath his heart full of heart-choaking and soul-d.a.m.ning sin.
Slothfulness hath these two evils: First, To neglect the time in which it should be getting of heaven; and by that means doth, in the Second place, bring in untimely repentance. I will warrant you, that he who shall lose his soul in this world through slothfulness, will have no cause to be glad thereat when he comes to h.e.l.l.
Slothfulness is usually accompanied with carelessness, and carelessness is for the most part begotten by senselessness; and senselessness doth again put fresh strength into slothfulness, and by this means the soul is left remediless.
Slothfulness shutteth out Christ; slothfulness shameth the soul (Cant 5:2-4; Prov 13:4).
Slothfulness, it is condemned even by the feeblest of all the creatures. "Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise (Prov 6:6). The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold" (20:4); that is, he will not break up the fallow ground of his heart, because there must be some pains taken by him that will do it; "therefore shall he beg in harvest," that is, when the saints of G.o.d shall have their glorious heaven and happiness given to them; but the sluggard shall "have nothing," that is, be never the better for his crying for mercy, according to that in Matthew 25:10-12.
If you would know a sluggard in the things of heaven, compare him with one that is slothful in the things of this world. As, 1. He that is slothful is loth to set about the work he should follow: so is he that is slothful for heaven. 2. He that is slothful is one that is willing to make delays: so is he that is slothful for heaven. 3. He that is a sluggard, any small matter that cometh in between, he will make it a sufficient excuse to keep him off from plying his work: so it is also with him that is slothful for heaven. 4. He that is slothful doth his work by the halves; and so it is with him that is slothful for heaven. He may almost, but he shall never altogether obtain perfection of deliverance from h.e.l.l; he may almost, but he shall never, without he mend, be altogether a saint. 5. They that are slothful, do usually lose the season in which things are to be done: and thus it is also with them that are slothful for heaven, they miss the season of grace.
And therefore, 6. They that are slothful have seldom or never good fruit: so also it will be with the soul-sluggard. 7. They that are slothful they are chid for the same: so also will Christ deal with those that are not active for him. Thou wicked or slothful servant, out of thine own mouth will I judge thee; thou saidst I was thus, and thus, wherefore then gavest not thou my money to the bank? &c. (Luke 19:22). Take the unprofitable servant, and cast him into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 25:26-30).
WHAT SHALL I SAY? Time runs; and will you be slothful? Much of your lives are past; and will you be slothful? Your souls are worth a thousand worlds; and will you be slothful? The day of death and judgment is at the door; and will you be slothful? The curse of G.o.d hangs over your heads; and will you be slothful? Besides, the devils are earnest, laborious, and seek by all means every day, by every sin, to keep you out of heaven, and hinder you of salvation; and will you be slothful? Also your neighbours are diligent for things that will perish; and will you be slothful for things that will endure for ever? Would you be willing to be d.a.m.ned for slothfulness? Would you be willing the angels of G.o.d should neglect to fetch your souls away to heaven when you lie a-dying, and the devils stand by ready to scramble for them?[1] Was Christ slothful in the work of your redemption? Are his ministers slothful in tendering this unto you? And, lastly, If all this will not move, I tell you G.o.d will not be slothful or negligent to d.a.m.n you--whose d.a.m.nation now of a long time slumbereth not--nor the devils will not neglect to fetch thee, nor h.e.l.l neglect to shut its mouth upon thee.
Sluggard, art thou asleep still? art thou resolved to sleep the sleep of death? Wilt neither tidings from heaven or h.e.l.l awake thee? Wilt thou say still, "Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,"
and "a little folding of the hands to sleep?" (Prov 6:10). Wilt thou yet turn thyself in thy sloth, as the door is turned upon the hinges? O that I was one that was skilful in lamentation, and had but a yearning heart towards thee, how would I pity thee! How would I bemoan thee! O that I could with Jeremiah let my eyes run down with rivers of water for thee! Poor soul, lost soul, dying soul, what a hard heart have I that I cannot mourn for thee! If thou shouldst lose but a limb, a child, or a friend, it would not be so much, but poor man it is THY SOUL; if it was to lie in h.e.l.l but for a day, but for a year, nay, ten thousand years, it would (in comparison) be nothing. But O it is for ever! O this cutting EVER! What a soul-amazing word will that be, which saith, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING fire"! &c.[2]
Object. But if I should set in, and run as you would have me, then I must run from all my friends; for none of them are running that way.
Answ. And if thou dost, thou wilt run into the bosom of Christ and of G.o.d, and then what harm will that do thee?
Object. But if I run this way, then I must run from all my sins.
Answ. That is true indeed; yet if thou dost not, thou wilt run into h.e.l.l-fire.
Object. But if I run this way, then I shall be hated, and lose the love of my friends and relations, and of those that I expect benefit from, or have reliance on, and I shall be mocked of all my neighbours.
Answ. And if thou dost not, thou art sure to lose the love and favour of G.o.d and Christ, the benefit of heaven and glory, and be mocked of G.o.d for thy folly, "I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh"; and if thou wouldst not be hated and mocked, then take heed thou by thy folly dost not procure the displeasure and mockings of the great G.o.d; for his mocks and hatred will be terrible, because they will fall upon thee in terrible times, even when tribulation and anguish taketh hold on thee; which will be when death and judgment comes, when all the men in the earth, and all the angels in heaven, cannot help thee (Prov 1:26-28).
Object. But surely I may begin this time enough, a year or two hence, may I not?
Answ. 1. Hast thou any lease of thy life? Did ever G.o.d tell thee thou shalt live half a year, or two months longer? nay, it may be thou mayst not live so long. And therefore, 2. Wilt thou be so sottish and unwise, as to venture thy soul upon a little uncertain time? 3. Dost thou know whether the day of grace will last a week longer or no? For the day of grace is past with some before their life is ended: and if it should be so with thee, wouldst thou not say, O that I had begun to run before the day of grace had been past, and the gates of heaven shut against me. But, 4. If thou shouldst see any of thy neighbours neglect the making sure of either house or land to themselves, if they had it proffered to them, saying, Time enough hereafter, when the time is uncertain; and besides, they do not know whether ever it will be proffered to them again, or no: I say, Wouldst thou not then call them fools?
And if so, then dost thou think that thou art a wise man to let thy immortal soul hang over h.e.l.l by a thread of uncertain time, which may soon be cut asunder by death?
But to speak plainly, all these are the words of a slothful spirit.
Arise man, be slothful no longer; set foot, and heart, and all into the way of G.o.d, and run, the crown is at the end of the race; there also standeth the loving fore-runner, even Jesus, who hath prepared heavenly provision to make thy soul welcome, and he will give it thee with a willinger heart than ever thou canst desire it of him. O therefore do not delay the time any longer, but put into practice the words of the men of Dan to their brethren, after they had seen the goodness of the land of Canaan: "Arise," say they, &c., "for we have seen the land, and behold it is very good; and are ye still," or do you forbear running? "Be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land" (Judg 18:9). Farewell.
I wish our souls may meet with comfort at the journey"s end.
JOHN BUNYAN
THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN
"So run, that ye may obtain."--1 Corinthians 9:24.
Heaven and happiness is that which every one desireth, insomuch that wicked Balaam could say, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his" (Num 23:10). Yet for all this, there are but very few that do obtain that ever-to-be-desired glory, insomuch that many eminent professors drop short of a welcome from G.o.d into his pleasant place.
The apostle, therefore, because he did desire the salvation of the souls of the Corinthians, to whom he writes this epistle, layeth them down in these words, such counsel, which if taken, would be for their help and advantage. First, Not to be wicked, and sit still, and wish for heaven; but TO RUN for it. Second, Not to content themselves with every kind of running; but, saith he, "So RUN, that ye may obtain." As if he should say, Some, because they would not lose their souls, they begin to run betimes (Eccl 12:1), they run apace, they run with patience (Heb 12:1), they run the right way (Matt 14:26). Do you so run? Some run from both father and mother, friends and companions, and thus, that they may have the crown. Do you so run? Some run through temptations, afflictions, good report, evil report, that they may win the pearl (1 Cor 4:13; 2 Cor 6). Do you so run? "So run that ye may obtain."
These words, they are taken from men"s running for a wager: a very apt similitude to set before the eyes of the saints of the Lord.
"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." That is, do not only run, but be sure you win as well as run. "So run, that ye may obtain."
I shall not need to make any great ado in opening the words at this time, but shall rather lay down one doctrine that I do find in them; and in prosecuting that, I shall show you, in some measure, the scope of the words.
[I. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TEXT.]
The doctrine is this: THEY THAT WILL HAVE HEAVEN, MUST RUN FOR IT; I say, they that will have heaven, they must run for it. I beseech you to heed it well. "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run ye." The prize is heaven, and if you will have it, you must run for it. You have another scripture for this in the 12th of the Hebrews, the 1st, 2d, and 3rd verses: "Wherefore seeing we also," saith the apostle, "are compa.s.sed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."
And LET US RUN, saith he. Again, saith Paul, "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I," &c.
[II. THE WORD RUN OPENED.]
But before I go any further, observe,
First--FLYING--That this running is not an ordinary, or any sort of running, but it is to be understood of the swiftest sort of running; and therefore in the 6th of the Hebrews it is called "a fleeing"; that "we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us." Mark, "who have fled." It is taken from that 20th of Joshua, concerning the man that was to flee to the city of refuge, when the avenger of blood was hard at his heels, to take vengeance on him for the offence he had committed; therefore it is a RUNNING or FLYING for one"s life. A running with all might and main, as we use to say.
So run!
Second--PRESSING--this running in another place is called a pressing. "I press toward the mark" (Phil 3:14); which signifieth, that they that will have heaven, they must not stick at any difficulties they meet with; but press, crowd, and thrust through all that may stand between heaven and their souls. So run!
Third--CONTINUING--this running is called in another place, "a continuing in the way of life. If ye continue in the faith grounded, and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel"
of Christ (Col 1:23). Not to run a little now and then, by fits and starts, or half-way, or almost thither; but to run for my life, to run through all difficulties, and to continue therein to the end of the race, which must be to the end of my life. "So run, that ye may obtain."
[III. SEVERAL REASONS FOR CLEARING THIS DOCTRINE.]
And the reasons for this point are these,
First. Because all or every one that runneth doth not obtain the prize; there be many that do run, yea, and run far too, who yet miss of the crown that standeth at the end of the race. You know that all that run in a race do not obtain the victory; they all run, but one wins. And so it is here; it is not every one that runneth, nor every one that seeketh, nor every one that striveth for the mastery, that hath it (Luke 13). Though a man do strive for the mastery, saith Paul, "yet he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully"; that is, unless he so run, and so strive, as to have G.o.d"s approbation (2 Tim 2:5). What, do you think that every heavy-heeled professor will have heaven? What, every lazy one; every wanton and foolish professor, that will be stopped by anything, kept back by anything, that scarce runneth so fast heaven-ward as a snail creepeth on the ground? Nay, there are some professors do not go on so fast in the way of G.o.d as a snail doth go on the wall; and yet these think, that heaven and happiness is for them.
But stay, there are many more that run than there be that obtain; therefore he that will have heaven must RUN for it.