The Riches of Bunyan: Selected from His WorksBunyan, John
Religion
The Riches of Bunyan: Selected from His Works
Bunyan, John
Theology, Doctrinal
CHRISTIAN. Yes; when I think on what I saw at the cross, that will
do it; and when I look upon my embroidered coat, that will do it;
and when I look into the roll that I carry in my bosom, that will do
it; and when my thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that
will do it.
PRUDENCE. And what is it that makes you so desirous to go to mount
Zion?
CHRISTIAN. Why, there I hope to see him alive that did hang dead on
the cross, and there I hope to be rid of all those things that to
this day are in me, an annoyance to me: there, they say, there is no
death; and there shall I dwell with such company as I like best.
For, to tell you the truth, I love him because I was by him eased of
my burden; and I am weary of my inward sickness. I would fain be
where I shall die no more, and with the company that shall
continually cry, "Holy, holy, holy!"
Be often remembering what a blessed thing it is to be saved, to go
to heaven, to be made like angels, and to dwell with God and Christ
to all eternity.
ADOPTION.
The Spirit cannot, after he hath come to the soul as a Spirit of
adoption, come again as a Spirit of bondage to put the soul into his
first fear, to wit, a fear of eternal damnation, because he cannot
say and unsay, do and undo. As a Spirit of adoption, he told me that
my sins were forgiven me and I was included in the covenant of
grace, that God was my Father through Christ, that I was under the
promise of salvation, and that this calling and gift of God to me
are permanent and without repentance. And do you think that, after
he told me this, and sealed up the truth of it to my precious soul,
he will come to me and tell me that I am yet in my sins, under the
curse of the law and the eternal wrath of God? No, no; the word of
the gospel is not yea, yea; nay, nay. It is only yea and amen; it is
so, "as God is true." 2 Cor. 17:20.
Sin, after that the Spirit of adoption has come, cannot dissolve the
relations of Father and son, of Father and child. And this the
church did rightly assert, and that when her heart was under great
hardness and when she had the guilt of erring from his ways; saith
she, "Doubtless thou art our Father:" doubtless thou art, though
this be our case, and though Israel should not acknowledge us for
such.
That sin dissolveth not the relation of Father and son, is further
evident: When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son
made of a woman, made under the law, that we might receive the
adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the
Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, "Father, Father!" Now
mark: "Wherefore, thou art no more a servant;" that is, no more
under the law of death and damnation, but a son; and if a son, then
an heir of God through Christ.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account