The Riches of Bunyan: Selected from His Works — John Shaqi
The Riches of Bunyan: Selected from His WorksBunyan, John
Religion
The Riches of Bunyan: Selected from His Works
Bunyan, John
Theology, Doctrinal
It was this glory of God, the sight and visions of this God of
glory, that provoked Abraham to leave his country and kindred to
come after God. The reason why men are so careless of and so
indifferent about their coming to God, is because they have their
eyes blinded--because they do not perceive his glory.
God is so blessed a one, that did he not hide himself and his glory,
the whole world would be ravished with him; but he has, I will not
say reasons of state, but reasons of glory, glorious reasons why he
hideth himself from the world and appeareth but to particular ones.
What is heaven without God? But many there be who cannot abide God;
no, they like not to go to heaven, because God is there. The nature
of God lieth cross to the lusts of men. A holy God, a glorious holy
God, an infinitely holy God; this spoils all. But to the soul that
is awakened, and that is made to see things as they are, to him God
is what he is in himself, the blessed, the highest, the only eternal
good, and he without the enjoyment of whom all things would sound
but empty in the ears of that soul.
Methinks, when I consider what glory there is at times upon the
creatures, and that all their glory is the workmanship of God, "O
Lord," say I, "what is God himself?" He may well be called the God
of glory, as well as the glorious Lord; for as all glory is from
him, so in him is an inconceivable well-spring of glory, of glory to
be communicated to them that come by Christ to him. Wherefore, let
the glory and love and bliss and eternal happiness that are in God,
allure thee to come to him by Christ.
MAJESTY OF GOD.
What is God's majesty to a sinful man, but a consuming fire? And
what is a sinful man in himself, or in his approach to God, but as
stubble fully dry?
What mean the tremblings, the tears, those breakings and shakings of
heart that attend the people of God, when in an eminent manner they
receive the pronunciation of the forgiveness of sins at his mouth,
but that the dread of the majesty of God is in their sight mixed
therewith? God must appear like himself, speak to the soul like
himself; nor can the sinner, when under these glorious discoveries
of its Lord and Saviour, keep out the beams of his majesty from the
eyes of its understanding.
Alas, there is a company of poor, light, frothy professors in the
world, that carry it under that which they call the presence of God,
more like to antics than sober, sensible Christians; yea, more like
to a fool of a play, than those who have the presence of God. They
would not carry it so in the presence of a king, nor yet of the lord
of their land, were they but receivers of mercy at his hand. They
carry it even in their most eminent seasons, as if the sense and
sight of God, and his blessed grace to their souls in Christ, had a
tendency in it to make men wanton: but indeed it is the most
humbling and heart-rending sight in the world; it is fearful.
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