The first use is this, to make a strict inquiry whether you be born of
God or not. Examine by those things I laid down before of a child of
nature and a child of grace. Are you brought out of the dark dungeon of
this world into Christ? have you learned to cry, My Father? Jer. iii. 16,
“And I said, Thou shalt call me thy Father.” All God’s children are
criers. Can you be quiet without you have a bellyful of the milk of
God’s word? Can you be satisfied without you have peace with God? Pray
you consider it, and be serious with yourselves. If you have not these
marks, you will fall short of the kingdom of God, you shall never have an
interest there; there is no intruding. They will say, “Lord, Lord, open
to us; and he will say, I know you not.” No child of God, no heavenly
inheritance. We sometimes give something to those that are not our
children, but not our lands. O do not flatter yourselves with a portion
among the sons, unless you live like sons. When we see a king’s son play
with a beggar, this is unbecoming; so if you be the king’s children, live
like the king’s children. If you be risen with Christ, set your
affections on things above, and not on things below. When you come
together, talk of what your Father promised you; you should all love your
Father’s will, and be content and pleased with the exercises you meet
with in the world. If you are the children of God, live together
lovingly. If the world quarrel with you, it is no matter; but it is sad
if you quarrel together. If this be amongst you, it is a sign of
ill-breeding, it is not according to rules you have in the Word of God.
Dost thou see a soul that has the image of God in him? Love him, love
him; say, This man and I must go to heaven one day. Serve one another,
do good for one another; and if any wrong you, pray to God to right you,
and love the brotherhood.
_Lastly_, If you be the children of God, learn that lesson: “Gird up the
loins of your mind as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves
according to your former conversation; but be ye holy in all manner of
conversation.” Consider that the holy God is your father, and let this
oblige you to live like the children of God, that you may look your
Father in the face with comfort another day.
BUNYAN’S DYING SAYINGS.
OF SIN.
SIN is the great block and bar to our happiness, the procurer of all
miseries to man, both here and hereafter; take away sin, and nothing can
hurt us; for death temporal, spiritual, and eternal, is the wages of it.
Sin, and man for sin, is the object of the wrath of God. How dreadful
therefore must his case be who continues in sin; for who can bear and
grapple with the wrath of God?
No sin against God can be little, because it is against the great God of
heaven and earth; but if the sinner can find out a _little_ God, it may
be easy to find out little sins.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account