Works of John Bunyan Volume II Part 62

First, you say, It is not possible a wicked man should have G.o.d's pardon (p. 119,130).

Secondly, You suppose it to be impossible for Christ's righteousness to be imputed to an unrighteous man (p. 120).

Ans. To both which, a little briefly; G.o.d doth not use to pardon painted sinners, but such as are really so. Christ died for sinners (1 Tim 1:15), and G.o.d justifieth the unG.o.dly (Rom 5:6-9), even him that worketh not (4:3-5), nor hath no works to make him G.o.dly (9:18; Isa 33:11). Besides, pardon supposes sin; now he that is a sinner is a wicked man; by nature a child of wrath, and, as such, an object of the curse of G.o.d, because he hath broken the law of G.o.d. But such G.o.d pardoneth; not because they have made themselves holy, or have given up themselves to the law of nature, or to the dictates of their human principles, but because he will be gracious, and because he will give to his beloved Son Jesus Christ, the benefit of his blood.

As to the second head, what need is there that the righteousness of Christ should be imputed, where men are righteous first? G.o.d useth not thus to do; his righteousness is for the 'stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness' (Isa 46:12).

The believing of Abraham was while yet he was uncirc.u.mcised; and circ.u.mcision was added, not to save him by, but as a seal of the righteousness of that faith, which he had, being yet uncirc.u.mcised.

Now we know that circ.u.mcision in the flesh, was a type of circ.u.mcision in the heart (Rom 2); wherefore the faith that Abraham had, before his outward circ.u.mcision, was to shew us, that faith, if it be right, layeth hold upon the righteousness of Christ, before we be circ.u.mcised inwardly; and this must needs be so: for if faith doth purify the heart, then it must be there before the heart is purified. Now this inward circ.u.mcision is a seal, or sign of this: that that is the only saving faith, that layeth hold upon Christ before we be circ.u.mcised. But he that believeth before he be inwardly circ.u.mcised, must believe in another, in a righteousness without him, and that, as he standeth at present in himself unG.o.dly; for he is not circ.u.mcised; which faith, if it be right, approveth itself also so to be, by an after work of circ.u.mcising inwardly. But, I say, the soul that thus layeth hold on Christ, taketh the only way to please his G.o.d, because this is that also, which himself hath determined shall be accomplished upon us. 'Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth THE UNG.o.dLY, his faith is counted for righteousness'

(Rom 4). He that is unG.o.dly, hath a want of righteousness, even of the inward righteousness of works: but what must become of him?

Let him believe in him that justifieth the unG.o.dly, because, for that purpose, there is in him a righteousness. We will now return to Paul himself; he had righteousness before he was justified by Christ; yet, he choose to be justified rather as an unrighteous man, than as one endued with so brave a qualification. That I may 'be found in him, not having mine own righteousness,' away with mine own righteousness; I choose rather to be justified as unG.o.dly, by the righteousness of Christ, than by mine own, and his together (Phil 3).

You argue therefore, like him that desireth to be a teacher of the law, (nay worse,) that neither knoweth what he saith, nor whereof he affirmeth. But you say,

'Were it possible that Christ's righteousness could be imputed to an unrighteous man, I dare boldly affirm that it would signify as little to his happiness, while he continueth so, as would a gorgeous, and splendid garment, to one that is almost starved,'

&c (p. 12).

Ans. 1. That Christ's righteousness is imputed to men, while sinners, is sufficiently testified by the word of G.o.d (Eze 16:1-8; Zech 3:1-5; Rom 3:24-25, 4:1-5, 5:6-9; 2 Cor 5:18-21; Phil 3:6-8; 1 Tim 1:15,16; Rev 1:5).

2. And that the sinner, or unrighteous man, is happy in this imputation, is also as abundantly evident. For, (1.) The wrath of G.o.d, and the curse of the law, are both taken off by this imputation. (2.) The graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost, are all entailed to, and followers of, this imputation. 'Blessed is he to whom the Lord will not impute sin.' It saith not, that he is blessed that hath not sin to be imputed, but he to whom G.o.d will not impute them, he saith, therefore the non-imputation of sin, doth not argue a non being thereof in the soul, but a glorious act of grace, imputing the sufficiency of Christ's righteousness, to justify him that is yet unG.o.dly.

But what blessedness doth follow the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, to one that is yet unG.o.dly?

Ans. Even the blessing of Abraham, to wit, grace and eternal life: For Christ was made the curse, and death, that was due to us as sinners; 'That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through [faith in] Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith' (Gal 3:13,14). Now faith hath its eye upon two things, with respect to its act of justifying. First, it acknowledgeth that the soul is a sinner, and then, that there is a sufficiency in the righteousness of Christ, to justify it in the sight of G.o.d, though a sinner.

We have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; therefore they that believe aright, receive righteousness, even the righteousness of another, to justify them, while yet in themselves they are sinners.

Why do they believe in Christ? the answer is: that they might be justified, not because in their own eyes they are. They therefore at present stand condemned in themselves, and therefore they believe in Jesus Christ, that they might be set free from present condemnation. Now being justified by his blood, as unG.o.dly, they shall be saved by his life, that is, by his intercession: for whom he justifieth by his blood, he saveth by his intercession; for by that is given the spirit, faith, and all grace that preserveth the elect unto eternal life and glory.

I conclude therefore, that you argue not gospelly, in that you so Boldly affirm, That it would signify as little to the happiness of one, to be justified by Christ's righteousness, while a sinner; as would a gorgeous and splendid garment to one that is ready to perish. For farther, thus to be justified, is meat and drink to the sinner; and so the beginning of eternal life in him. 'My flesh is meat indeed [said Christ] and my blood is drink indeed; and he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal, or everlasting life.' He affirmeth it once again: 'As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me' (John 6:57). Here now is a man an hungered, what must he feed upon? Not his pure humanity, not upon the sound complexion of his soul, nor yet on the dictates of his human nature, nor those neither, which you call truly generous principles: but upon the flesh and blood of the Son of G.o.d, which was once given for the sin of the world. Let those then, that would be saved from the devil and h.e.l.l, and that would find a fountain of grace in themselves, first receive, and feed upon Christ, as sinners and unG.o.dly; let them believe that both his body, and blood, and soul, was offered for them, as they were sinners. The believing of this, is the eating of Christ; this eating of Christ, is the beginning of eternal life, to wit, of all grace and health in the soul; and of glory to be enjoyed most perfectly in the next world.

Your twelfth chapter is to shew, 'That holiness being perfected is blessedness itself; and that the glory of heaven consists chiefly in it.'

Ans. But none of your holiness, none of that inward holiness, which we have lost before conversion, shall ever come to heaven: that being, as I have shewed, a holiness of another nature, and arising from another root, than that we shall in heaven enjoy.

But further, your description of the glory that we shall possess in heaven, is questionable, as to your notion of it; your notion is, that the substance of it consists 'in a perfect resemblance to the divine nature' (p. 123,124).

Ans. Therefore not in the enjoyment of the divine nature itself: for that which in substance is but a bare resemblance, though it be a most perfect one, is not the thing itself, of which it is a resemblance. But the blessedness that we shall enjoy in heaven, in the very substance of it, consisteth not wholly, nor princ.i.p.ally, in a resemblance of, but in the enjoyment of G.o.d himself; 'Heirs of G.o.d.' Wherefore there shall not be in us a likeness only to, but the very nature of G.o.d: 'Heirs of G.o.d, and joint heirs with Christ' (Rom 8:17). Hence the apostle tells us, that he 'rejoiced in hope of the glory of G.o.d' (Rom 5:2). Not only in hope of a resemblance of it. 'The Lord is my portion, saith my soul.' But this is like the rest of your discourse. You are so in love with your Adamitish holiness, that with you it must be G.o.d in earth, and heaven.

Who they are that hold, [that] our happiness in heaven shall come by a mere fixing our eyes upon the divine perfections, I know not: But thus I read, 'we shall be like him.' Why? or how? 'For we shall see him as he is.' Our likeness then to G.o.d, even in the very heavens, will in great part come by the visions of him. And to speak the truth, our very entrance into eternal life, or the beginnings of it here, they come to us thus, 'But we all [every one of us that shall be saved, come by it only thus] with open face beholding as in a gla.s.s the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord' (2 Cor 3:18).

And whereas you tell us (p. 124). That the devils themselves have a large measure of some of the attributes of G.o.d, as knowledge, power, &c. though themselves are unlike unto them.

In this you most prodigiously blaspheme.

Your thirteenth chapter is to show, 'That our Saviour's preferring the business of making men holy, before any other, witnesseth, that this is to do the best service to G.o.d.'

But still respecting the holiness, you have in your first chapter described, which still the reader must have his eye upon, it is false, and a slander of the Son of G.o.d. He never intended to promote or prefer your natural old covenant holiness, viz. that which we had lost in Adam, or that which yet from him, in the dregs thereof, remaineth in human nature; but that which is of the Holy Ghost, of faith, of the new covenant.

I shall not here again take notice of your 130th page, nor with the error contained therein, about justification by imputed righteousness.

But one thing I observe, that in all this chapter you have nothing fortified what you say, by any word of G.o.d; no, though you insinuate (p. 129 and p. 131) that some dissent from your opinion.

But instead of the holy words of G.o.d, being as you feign, conscious to yourself, you cannot do it so well as by another method, viz.

The words of Mr. John Smith; therefore you proceed with his, as he with Plato's, and so wrap you up the business.

[Christ gives a new and spiritual light.]

You come next to an improvement upon the whole, where you make a comparison between the heathens and the gospel; shewing how far the gospel helpeth the light the heathens had, in their pursuit after your holiness. But still the excellency of the gospel, as you have vainly dreamt, is to make improvement first of the heathen principles; such good principles, say you, 'as were by the light of nature dictated to them' (p. 133). As,

1. 'That there is but one G.o.d; that he is infinitely perfect,'

&c.

2. 'That we owe our lives, and all the comforts of them to him.'

3. 'That he is our sovereign Lord.'

4. 'That he is to be loved above all things' (p. 136).

Ans. 1. Seeing all these are, and may be known, as you yourself confess, by them that have not the gospel; and I add, nor yet the Holy Ghost, nor any saving knowledge of G.o.d, or eternal life: Therefore it cannot be the design of Jesus Christ by the gospel to promote or help forward this knowledge, simply from this principle, viz. Natural light, and the dictates of it. My reason is, because when nature is strained to the highest pin, it is but nature still; and so all the improvement of its light and knowledge is but an increase of that which is but natural. 'But [saith Paul]

the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of G.o.d: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned' (1 Cor 2:14).

But the gospel is the ministration of the Spirit; a revelation of another thing than is found in, or can be acquired by, heathenish principles of nature.

I say, a revelation of another thing; or rather, another discovery of the same. As, 1. Concerning the G.o.dhead; the gospel giveth us another discovery of it, than is possible to be obtained by the dictates of natural light; even a discovery of a trinity of persons, and yet unity of essence, in the same Deity (1 John 5:1,5,8).

2. The light of nature will not shew us, that G.o.d was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. 3. The light of nature will not shew us, that we owe what we are, and have, to G.o.d, because we are the price of the blood of his Son. 4. The light of nature will not shew, that there is such a thing as election in Christ. 5. Or, that there is such a thing, as the adoption of children to G.o.d, through him. 6. Nor, that we are to be saved by faith in his blood.

7. Or, that the man Christ shall come from heaven to judgment.

These things, I say, the light of nature teacheth not; but these things are the great and mighty things of the gospel, and those about which it chiefly bendeth itself, touching upon other things, still as those that are knowable, by a spirit inferior to this of the gospel.

Besides, as these things are not known by the light of nature, so the gospel, when it comes, as I also told you before, doth implant in the soul another principle, by which they may be received, and from which the soul should act and do, both towards G.o.d and towards men; as namely the Holy Ghost, faith, hope, the joy of the Spirit, &c.

The other things you mention, viz.

1. 'The immorality of the soul' (p. 138).

2. 'The doctrine of rewards and punishments in the life to come'

(p. 140).

3. 'Of the forgiveness of sin upon true repentance,' &c. (p. 142).

[4. The doctrine of G.o.d's readiness to a.s.sist men by his special grace in their endeavours after virtue (p. 143).]

Ans. All these things may be a.s.sented to, where yet the grace of the gospel is not, but yet the apprehension must be such, as is the light by which they are discovered; but the light of nature cannot discover them, according to the light and nature of the gospel; because the gospel knowledge of them, ariseth also from another principle: So then, These doctrines are not confirmed by the gospel, as the light of nature teacheth them: Wherefore, Paul, speaking of the things of the gospel, and so consequently of these, he saith, 'Which things also we speak, NOT in the WORDS which MAN'S wisdom teacheth, but which the HOLY GHOST teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual' (1 Cor 2:13). As if he should say, We speak of G.o.d, of the soul, of the life to come, of repentance, of forgiveness of sins, &c. Not as philosophers do, nor yet in their light; but as saints, Christians, and sons of G.o.d, as such who have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of G.o.d; that we may know the things that are freely given to us of G.o.d.

But you add (for the glory of the gospel) That we have other things, which no man could, without divine revelation, once have dreamed of. As,

That G.o.d hath made miserable sinners the objects of such transcendent love, as to give them his only begotten Son.

Ans. I must confess, If this one head had by you been handled well, you would have written like a worthy gospel minister. But you add (p. 146).