The Riches of Bunyan: Selected from His WorksBunyan, John
Religion
The Riches of Bunyan: Selected from His Works
Bunyan, John
Theology, Doctrinal
If thou wouldst be faithful to that work that God hath allotted thee
to do in this world for his name, then labor to see a beauty and
glory in holiness and in every good work; this tends much to the
engaging of thy heart. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;
fear before him all the earth; and for thy help in this, think much
on this in general, that "thus saith the Lord" is the wind-up of
every command; for indeed much of the glory and beauty of duties
doth lie in the glory and excellency of the person that doth command
them; and hence it is, that "Be it enacted by the king's most
excellent majesty" is the head of every law, that that law should
therefore be reverenced by and be made glorious and beautiful to
all. And we see upon this very account, what power and place the
precepts of kings do take in the hearts of their subjects, every one
loving and reverencing the statute because there is the name of
their king. Will you rebel against the king? is a word that shakes
the world. Well then, turn these things about for an argument to the
matter in hand, and let the name of God, seeing he is wiser and
better and of more glory and beauty than kings, beget in thy heart a
beauty in all things that are commanded thee of God. And indeed, if
thou do not in this act thus, thou wilt stumble at some of thy duty
and work thou hast to do; for some of the commands of God are in
themselves so mean and low, that take away from them the name of God
and thou wilt do as Naaman the Syrian, despise instead of obeying.
What is there in the Lord's supper, in baptism, yea, in preaching
the word and prayer, were they not the appointments of God? His name
being entailed to them makes them every one glorious and beautiful.
Wherefore no marvel if he that looks upon them without their
title-page, goeth away in a rage like Naaman, preferring others
before them. "What is Jordan? Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of
Damascus, better than all the waters in Israel? May I not wash in
them and be clean?" saith he. This was because he remembered not
that the name of God was in the command. Israel's trumpets of
rams'-horns, and Isaiah's walking naked, and Ezekiel's wars against
a tile, would doubtless have been ignoble acts, but that the name of
God was that which gave them reverence, power, glory, and beauty.
Set therefore the name of God and "thus saith the Lord" against all
reasonings, defamings, and reproaches that either by the world or
thy own heart thou findest to arise against thy duty; and let his
name and authority alone be a sufficient argument with thee, to
hehold the beauty that he hath put upon all his ways, and to inquire
in his temple.
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