The Riches of Bunyan: Selected from His WorksBunyan, John
Religion
The Riches of Bunyan: Selected from His Works
Bunyan, John
Theology, Doctrinal
The day of grace is the day of expense; this is our spending time.
Hence we are called pilgrims and strangers in the earth; that is,
travellers from place to place, from state to state, from trial to
trial. Now, as the traveller at the fresh inn is made to spend fresh
money, so Christians, at a fresh temptation, at a new temptation,
are made to spend fresh and a new supply of grace. Great men, when
and while their sons are travellers, appoint that their bags of
money be lodged ready or conveniently paid in at such and such a
place; and so they meet with supplies. Why, so are the sons of the
great One; and he has allotted that we should travel beyond sea, or
at a great distance from our Father's house: wherefore he has
appointed that grace shall be provided for us, to supply at such a
place, such a state or temptation, as need requires. But withal, as
my lord expeeteth his son should acquaint him with the present
emptiness of his purse and with the difficulty he hath now to
grapple with; so God our Father expects that we should plead by
Christ our need at the throne of grace, in order to a supply of
grace. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Then I saw in my dream that the Interpreter took Christian by the
hand, and led him into a place where was a fire burning against a
wall, and one standing by it always casting much water upon it to
quench it; yet did the fire burn higher and hotter.
Then said Christian, "What means this?"
The Interpreter answered, "This fire is the work of grace that is
wrought in the heart; he that casts water upon it to extinguish and
put it out, is the devil; but in that thou seest the fire
notwithstanding burn higher and hotter, thou shalt also see the
reason of that." So he had him about to the backside of the wall,
where he saw a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, of which he did
also continually cast, but secretly, into the fire.
Then said Christian, "What means this?"
The Interpreter answered, "This is Christ, who continually with the
oil of his grace maintains the work already begun in the heart; by
the means of which, notwithstanding what the devil can do, the souls
of his people prove gracious still. 2 Cor. 12: 9. And in that thou
sawest that the man stood behind the wall to maintain the fire; this
is to teach thee that it is hard for the tempter to see how this
work of grace is maintained in the soul."
There is to be seen at the bottom of this holy river, the glory of
God. We are saved, saved by grace, saved by grace through the
redemption that is in Christ, to the praise and glory of God. And
what a good bottom is here. Grace will not fail, Christ has been
sufficiently tried, and God will not lose his glory; therefore they
that drink of this river, shall doubtless be saved; to wit, they
that drink of it with a spiritual appetite to it.
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