Light for Them that Sit in Darkness, Book · Part 10
The Use of the Doctrine.
I come now to make some use of, and to apply this Blessed Doctrine of the Undertaking of Jesus Christ; and of his paying full Price to God for Sinners, and of his obtaining Eternal Redemption for them.
The first Use.
BY this Doctrine, we come to understand many things which otherwise abide obscure and utterly unknown, because this Doctrine is accompanied with the Holy Ghost, that Revealer of secrets, and Searcher of the deep things of God, 1 Pet. 1. 2. Ephes. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 2. The Holy Ghost comes down with this Doctrine, as that in which it alone delighteth: therefore is it called The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledg of Jesus Christ. He giveth also the Light of the Knowledg of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 4. 6. Little of God is known in the World where the Gospel is rejected: the Religious Jew, and the Wise Gentile may see more of God in a Crucified Christ, than in Heaven and Earth besides: For in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and knowledg: not only in his Person, as God, but also in his Undertakings as Mediator. Hence Paul telleth us, That he determined not to know any thing among the Corinthians but Jesus Christ and him Crucified, Col. 2. 2, 3. 1 Cor. 2. 2, 3. I say more of God is revealed in this Doctrine to us, than we can see of him in Heaven and Earth without it.
First, Here is more of his WISDOM seen, than in his making, and upholding all the Creatures. His Wisdom, I say, in devising means to reconcile Sinners to an Holy and Infinite Majesty, to be a Just God, and YET a Saviour; to be just to his Law, just to his Threatning, just to himself, and yet save Sinners, can no-way be understood till thou understandest why Jesus Christ did hang on the Tree; for here only is the Riddle unfolded, Christ died for our Sins, and therefore can God in justice save us, Isa. 45. 21. And hence is Christ called The Wisdom of God, not only because he is so essentially, but because by him is the greatest Revelation of his Wisdom towards man. In Redemption therefore, by the Blood of Christ, God is said to abound towards us in all wisdom, Ephes. 1. 7, 8. Here we see the highest Contradictions reconciled, here Justice kisseth the Sinner, here a Man stands just in the Sight of God, while confounded at his own Pollutions; and here he that hath done no good, hath yet a sufficient Righteousness; even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ.
Secondly, The JUSTICE of God, is here more seen, than in punishing all the Damned. He spared not his own Son, is a Sentence which more revealeth the Nature of the Justice of God, than if it had said he spared not all the World. True, he cast Angels from Heaven, and drowned the Old World; he turned Sodom and Gomorrah into Ashes, with many more of like nature, but what were all these to the Cursing of his Son? yea, what were ten thousand such manifestations of his Ireful Indignation against Sin, to that of striking, afflicting, chastising, and making the darling of his Bosom the Object of his Wrath and Judgment. Here it is seen he respecteth not persons, but, judgeth sin, and condemneth him on whom it is found; yea although on Jesus Christ his well-Beloved, Rom. 8. 32. Gal. 3. 13.
Thirdly, The Mystery of God's WILL, is here more seen, than in hanging the Earth upon nothing; while he condemneth Christ though Righteous, and justifieth us though Sinners: while he maketh him to be sin for us, and us the Righteousness of God in him, 1 Pet. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 5. 20.
Fourthly, The POWER of God, is here more seen, than in making of Heaven and Earth; for, for one to bear, and get the Victory over Sin, when charged by the Justice of an Infinite Majesty, in so doing, he sheweth the Height of the Highest Power: For where sin by the Law is charged, and that by God immediatly, there an Infinite Majesty opposeth, and that with the whole of his Justice, Holiness, and Power: So then, he that is thus charged, and engaged for the Sin of the World, must not only be equal with God, but shew it, by over-coming that Curse and Judgment that by Infinite Justice is charged upon him for Sin.
When Angels and Men had sinned, how did they fall and crumble before the Anger of God! they had not power to withstand the terrour, nor could there be worth found in their Persons, or Doings, to appease displeased Justice. But behold here stands the Son of God before him in the Sin of the World, his Father finding him there, curseth, and condemns him to death: but he by the Power of his God-head, and the Worthiness of his Person and Doings, vanquisheth sin, satisfieth God's Justice, and so becomes the Saviour of the World. Here then is Power seen: Sin is a Mighty thing, it crusheth all in pieces, save him whose Spirit is Eternal, Heb. 9. 14. Set Christ, and his Sufferings aside, and you neither see the Evil of Sin, nor the Displeasure of God against it; you see them not in their utmost. Had'st thou a view of all the Legions that are now in the pains of Hell, yea, couldest thou hear their shreeks, and groans together at once, and feel the whole of all their burden: much of the evil of Sin, and of the Justice of God against it, would be yet unknown by thee; for thou wouldest want power to feel, and bear the utmost! A Giant shews not his Power, by killing of a little Child, nor yet is his might seen by the resistance that such a little one makes, but then he sheweth his power when he dealeth with one like himself: yea, and the Power also of the other is then made manifest in saving himself from being swallowed up with his Wrath. Jesus Christ also made manifest his Eternal Power and God-head, more, by bearing and over-coming our Sins; than in making, or upholding the whole World: Hence Christ Crucified, is called the Power of God, 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24.
Fifthly, The LOVE and MERCY of God, is more seen in, and by this Doctrine, than any other way. Mercy and Love are seen in that God gives us Rain and fruitful Seasons, and in that he filleth our Hearts with food and gladness; from that bounty he bestoweth upon us as men, as his Creatures. Oh! but herein is Love made manifest in that Christ laid down his Life for us: And God commended his Love towards us, in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us; 1 Joh. 3. 16. Chap. 4. 10 Rom. 5. 8.
Never Love like this, nor did God ever give such discovery of his Love from the beginning to this Day. Herein is Love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins.
Here is Love, that God sent his Son! his Darling! his Son that never offended! his Son, that was always his delight! Herein is Love that be sent him to save Sinners! to save them by bearing their Sins! by bearing their Curse! by dying their Death! and by carrying their Sorrows! Here is Love in that while we were yet Enemies, Christ died for us! yea, here is Love, in that while we were yet without strength, Christ died for the Ungodly, Rom. 5.
The second Use.
But Secondly, as this Doctrine giveth us the best discovery of God; so also it giveth us the best discovery of our selves, and our own things.
First, It giveth us the best discovery of our selves: Wouldest thou know Sinner, what thou art; look up to the Cross, and behold a Weeping, Bleeding, Dying Jesus: nothing could do but that, nothing could save thee but his Blood; Angels could not, Saints could not, God could not, because he could not ly, because he could not deny himself. What a thing is Sin, that it should sink all that bear its burden, yea it sunk the Son of God himself into death and the Grave, and had also sunk him into Hell-fire for ever, had he not been the Son of God; had he not been able to take it on his Back, and bear it away. O! This Lamb of God. Sinners were going to Hell, Christ was the Delight of his Father, and had a whole Heaven to himself; but that did not content him, Heaven could not hold him. He must come into the World to save Sinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15. Ay, and had he not come, thy Sins had sunk thee, thy Sins had provoked the Wrath of God against thee; to thy perdition and destruction for ever. There is no Man, but is a Sinner, there is no Sin but would damn an Angel, should God lay it to his charge. Sinner, the Doctrine of Christ crucified crieth, therefore, aloud unto thee, that sin hath made thy Condition dreadful: See your selves, your Sin, and consequently, the Condition that your Souls are in, by the Death and Blood of Christ; Christs Death giveth us the most clear discovery of the dreadful Nature of our Sins. I say again, if sin be so dreadful a thing as to break the Heart of the Son of God (for so he saith it did) how shall a Poor, Wretched, Impenitent, damned Sinner, wrestle with the Wrath of God. Awake Sinners, you are lost, you are undone, you perish, you are damned, Hell-fire is your Portion for ever, if you abide in your Sins, and be found without a Saviour in the dreadful Day of Judgment.
Secondly, For your good Deeds cannot help you, the Blood of Christ tells you so: For by this Doctrine, Christ died for our Sins, God damneth to death and hell, the Righteousness of the World. Christ must die, or Man be damned: where is now any room for the Righteousness of Men? room, I say, for Man's Righteousness, as to his Acceptance and Justification. Bring then thy Righteousness to the Cross of Jesus Christ, and in his Blood behold the Demands of Justice; behold them, I say, in the Cries, and Tears, in the Blood and Death of Jesus Christ. Look again, and behold the Person dying; such an one as never sinned, nor offended at any time, yet he dies. Could an Holy Life, an Innocent, Harmless Conversation have saved one from death, Jesus had not died. But he must die, Sin was charged, therfore Christ must die.
Men therefore need to go no further to prove the Worth of their own Righteousness, than to the Death of Christ: They need not be to seek in that Matter till they stand before the Judgment-Seat.
Quest. But how should I prove the Goodness of mine own Righteousness, by the Death and Blood of Christ?
Ans. Thus: If Christ must die for Sin, then all thy Righteousness cannot save thee. If Righteousness comes by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain, Gal. 2. 21. By this Text 'tis manifest, that either Christ died in vain, or thy Righteousness is vain. If thy Righteousness can save thee, then Christ died in vain. If nothing below, or besides the Death of Christ could save thee, then thy Righteousness is in vain; one of the two must be cast away, either Christ's, or thine. Christ Crucified to save the World, discovereth two great evils in Man's own Righteousness: I mean when brought for Justification and Life.
1. It opposeth the Righteousness of Christ.
2. It condemneth God of Foolishness.
1. It opposeth the Righteousness of Christ; in that it seeketh it self to stand, where should the Righteousness of Christ; to wit, in God's affection for the Justification of thy Person, and this is one of the highest affronts to Christ, that poor man is capable to give him: Right worthily therefore, doth the Doctrine of the Gospel damn the Righteousness of Men, and promiseth the Kingdom of God to Publicans and Harlots rather.
2. It condemneth God of Foolishness: For if Works of Righteousness which we can do, can justifie from the Curse of the Law in the Sight of God, then is not all the Treasures of Wisdom found in the Heart of God and Christ: For this Dolt-headed Sinner, hath now found out a Way of his own, unawares to God, to secure his Soul from Wrath and Vengeance. I say, unawares to God; for he never imagined that such a thing could be, for had he, he would never have purposed before the World began, to send his Son to die for Sinners. Christ is the Wisdom of God, as you have heard, and that as he is our Justifying Righteousness. God was manifest in the Flesh to save us, is the great Mystery of Godliness. But wherein lyeth the depth of this Wisdom of God in our Salvation, if Man's Righthand can save him? Job 40. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
Yea, wherefore hath God also given it out, that there is none other Name given to Men, under Heaven whereby we must be saved: I say again, why is it affirmed, without shedding of Blood is no Remission, if Mans good Deeds can save him?
This Doctrine therefore of the Righteousness of Christ, being rightly preached, and truly believed, arraigneth and condemneth Man's Righteousness to Hell: It casteth it out, as Abraham cast out Ismael.
BLOOD! BLOOD, the sound of Blood, abaseth all the Glory of it. When Men have said all, and shewed us what they can, they have no Blood to present God's Justice with; yet 'tis Blood that maketh an Atonement for the Soul, and nothing but Blood can wash us from our Sins, Levit. 17. 11. Revel. 1. 5. Heb. 9.
Justice calls for Blood, Sins call for Blood, the Righteous Law calls for Blood; yea the Devil himself must be overcome by Blood: Sinner where is now thy Righteousness? Bring it before a Consuming Fire; [for our God is a Consuming Fire] Bring it before the Justice of the Law: yea try if ought but the Blood of Christ can save thee from thy Sins, and Devils; try it, I say, by this Doctrine; go not one step further before thou hast tried it.
Thirdly, By this Doctrine we are made to see, the worth of Souls: it cannot be but that the Soul is of Wonderful Price, when the Son of God will not stick to spill his Blood for it. O Sinners, you that will venture your Souls for a little pleasure, surely you know not the worth of your Souls. Now if you would know what your Souls are worth, and the Price which God sets them at, read that Price by the Blood of Christ. The Blood of Christ was spilt to save Souls. For ye are bought with a Price, and that Price none other than the Blood of Christ; wherefore glorify God in your Bodies and in your Spirits which are Gods, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Sinners, you have Souls, can you behold a Crucified Christ and not Bleed, and not Mourn, and not fall in Love with him?
The third Use.
By this Doctrine Sinners, as Sinners, are encouraged to come to God for mercy, for the Curse due to Sin is taken out of the way. I speak now to Sinners that are awake, and see themselves Sinners.
There are two things in special when Men begin to be awakened, that kill their thoughts of being saved.
1. A Sense of sin.
2. The Wages due thereto.
These kill the Heart, for who can bear up under the guilt of Sin? If our Sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we THEN live? Ezek. 33. 10. How indeed! it is impossible. So neither can Man grapple with the Justice of God. Can thine Heart endure, or can thine Hands be strong? they cannot. A wounded Spirit who can bear? Men cannot, Angels cannot: wherefore if now Christ be hid, and the blessing of Faith in his Blood denied, wo be to them: such go after Saul and Judas, one to the Sword, and the other to the Halter, Ezek. 22. 14. Prov. 18. 14. and so miserably end their days; for come to God they dare not, the thoughts of that Eternal Majesty strikes them through.
But now present such Poor dejected Sinners with a Crucified Christ, and perswade them that the Sins under which they shake and tremble, was long ago laid upon the Back of Christ, and the Noise, and Sense, and Fear of damning, begins to cease, depart, and fly away: Dolours, and Terrours fade, and vanish, and that Soul conceiveth hopes of Life. For thus the Soul argueth, is this indeed the Truth of God, that Christ was made to be Sin for me! was made the Curse of God for me! Hath he indeed born all my Sins, and spilt his Blood for my Redemption? O blessed Tidings, O welcome Grace! Bless the Lord O my Soul, and all that is within me bless his Holy Name. Now is peace come, now the Face of Heaven is altered: Behold all things are become new. Now the Sinner can abide Gods Presence, yea sees unutterable Glory and Beauty in him: For here he sees Justice smite. While Jacob was afraid of Esau, how heavily did he drive, even towards the Promised Land? but when killing thoughts were turned into kissing, and the fears of the Swords Point turned into Brotherly Embraces, what says he, I have seen thy Face, as though it had been the Face of God, and thou wast pleased with me? Gen. 33. 10.
So, and far better is it, with a poor distressed Sinner at the Revelation of the Grace of God through Jesus Christ. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses to them: O! what work will such a word make upon a wounded Conscience, especially when the next words follow. For he hath made him to be Sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him.
Now the Soul sees qualifications able to set him quit in the Sight of God: Qualifications prepared already. Prepared I say already, and that by God through Christ; even such as can perfectly answer the Law. What doth the Law require? If Obedience, here it is; if Bloody Sacrifice, here it is; if infinite Righteousness, here it is. Now then the Law condemns him that Believes, before God, no more; for all its Demands are answered, all its Curses are swallowed up in the Death and Curse Christ underwent.
Object. But reason saith, since Personal Sin brought the Death, surely Personal Obedience must bring us Life and Glory.
Ans. True, Reason saith so, and so doth the Law it self, Rom. 10. 5. but God, we know, is above them both, and he in the Covenant of Grace, saith otherwise: to wit, That if thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine Heart that God hath raised him from the Dead, thou shalt be saved, Rom. 10. 6, 7, 8, 9.
Let Reason then hold his tongue, yea let the Law with all his Wisdom subject it self to him that made it; let it look for sin where God hath laid it; let it approve the Righteousness which God approveth: yea though it be not that of the Law, but that by Faith of Jesus Christ.
God hath made him our Righteousness; God hath made him our Sin; God hath made him our Curse; God hath made him our Blessing. Methinks this word God hath made it so, should silence all the World.
The fourth use.
Fourthly, By this Doctrine sufficiency of argument is ministred to the tempted, to withstand, thereby, the assaults of the Devil.
When the Souls begin to seek after the Lord Jesus, then Satan begins to afflict and distress, as the Canaanites did the Gibeonites, for making Peace with Jehoshuah, Jos. 10. 1, 6.
There are three things that do usually afflict the Soul that is earnestly looking after Jesus Christ.
1. Dreadful accusations from Satan.
2. Grievous defiling and infectious thoughts.
3. A strange readiness in our Nature to fall in with both.
By the first of these the Heart is made continually to tremble. Hence his Temptations are compared to the roaring of a Lyon, 1 Pet. 5. 8. For as the Lyon by roaring killeth the Heart of his Prey, so doth Satan, kill the Spirit of these that hearken to him: For when he tempteth, especially by way of accusation, he doth to us, as Rabshakeh did to the Jews: He speaks to us in our own Language. He speaks our Sin at every word, our guilty Conscience knows it, he speaks our Death at every word, our doubting Conscience feels it.
Secondly, Besides this, there doth now arise even in the Heart such defiling, and soul infectious thoughts, that putteth the Tempted to their wits end: for now it seems to the Soul that the very flood-Gates of the Flesh are opened, and that to sin there is no stop at all; now the Air seems to be covered with darkness, and the Man is as if he was changed into the nature of a Devil: Now if ignorance and unbelief prevail, he concludeth that he is reprobate, made to be taken and destroyed.
Thirdly, Now also he feeleth in him a readiness to fall in with every temptation; a readiness, I say, continually present, Rom. 7. 21. This throws all down, now despair begins to swallow it up; now it can neither pray, nor read, nor hear, nor meditate on God, but Fire and Smoke continually bursteth forth of the Heart against him; now sin and great confusion puts forth it self in all: yea, the more the Sinner desireth to do a duty sincerely, the further off it always finds it self: For by how much the Soul struggleth under these distresses, by so much the more doth Satan put forth himself to resist, still infusing more poison, that if possible it might never struggle more (for strugglings are also us poison to Satan.) The Fly in the Spider's Webb, is an emblem of the Soul in such a condition; the Fly is entangled in the Webb, at this the Spider shews himself; if the Fly stir again, down comes the Spider to her, and claps a Foot upon her, if yet the Fly makes a noise, then with poisoned Mouth the Spider lays hold upon her; if the Fly struggle still, then he poisons her more and more; what shall the Fly do now? why she dies, if some-body does not quickly release her. This is the case of the Tempted, they are entangled in the Webb, (their Feet and Wings are entangled) now Satan shews himself, if the Soul now struggleth, Satan laboureth to hold it down; if it now shall make a noise, then be bites with blasphemous Mouth, (more poisonous than the Gall of a Serpent.) If it struggle again, then he poisoneth more and more: infomuch that it needs at last must die in the Net, if the Man, the Lord Jesus, helps not out.
The afflicted Couscience understands my words.
Further, though the Fly in the Webb, is altogether uncapable of looking for relief, yet this awakened tempted Christian is not; what must he do therefore? how should he contain hopes of life? If he looks to his Heart there is Blasphemy; if he looks to his duties, there is Sin; if he strives to mourn and lament, perhaps he cannot, unbelief and hardness hinder: shall this Man lie down in despair? No: shall he trust to his duties? No: shall he stay from Christ till his Heart is better? No: What then? Let him NOW look to Jesus Christ Crucified, then shall he see his Sins answered for, then shall he see Death a-dying, then shall he see Guilt born by another, and there shall he see the Devil overcome. This sight destroys the Power of the first Temptation; purifies the Heart and inclines the Mind to all good things.
And to encourage thee, tempted Creature, to this most Gospel-Duty: Consider, that when Jesus Christ read his Commission upon the entering into his Ministry, he proclaimed: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor, he hath sent me to heal the broken-Hearted, to preach deliverance to the Captives, and recovering of sight to the Blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable Year of the Lord, Luk. 4. 18, 19.
These things therefore should the Tempted believe, but believing is now sweating-work; for Satan will hold as long as possible, and only stedfast Faith can make him fly: But O! the Toyl of a truly gracious Heart in this Combate, if Faith be weak, he can scarce get higher than his Knees; Lord help, Lord save, and then down again, till an Arm from Heaven takes him up; until Jesus Christ be evidently set forth Crucified for him, and Cursed for his Sin: for then (and not till then) the Temptation rightly ceaseth, at leastwise for a Season. Now the Soul can tend to look about it, and thus consider with it self: If Christ hath bora my Sin and Curse, then 'tis taken away from me, and seeing thus to take away sin, was the Contrivance of the God of Heaven, I will bless his Name, hope in his Mercy, and look upon Death and Hell with Comfort. Thine Heart shall meditate terrour, thou shalt see the Land that is very far off, Isa. 33. 16, 17, 18.
The fifth use.
Fifthly, This Doctrine makes Christ precious to the Believers. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious, 1 Pet. 2. 5. This Head might be greatly enlarged upon, and branched out into a Thousand particulars, & each one full of weight and glory.
1. By considering what Sin is.
2. By considering what Hell is.
3. By considering what Wrath is.
4. By considering what Eternity is.
5. By considering what the loss of a Soul is.
6. What the loss of God is.
7. What the loss of Heaven is.
8. And what it is to be in utter Darkness with Devils and damned Souls for ever and ever.
And after all to conclude, from all these Miseries the Lord Jesus delivered me.
Further, This makes Christ precious, if I consider in the next place:
1. How he did deliver me, 'twas with his Life, his Blood; it cost him Tears, Groans, Agony, Separation from God; to do it he endured his Fathers Wrath, bare his Fathers Curse, and died thousands of deaths at once.
2. He did this, while I was his Enemy, without my desires, without my knowledg, without my deserts, he did it unawares to me.
3. He did it freely, cheerfully, yea he longed to die for me; yea, Heaven would not hold him for the Love he had to my Salvation, which also he hath effectually accomplished for me at Jerusalem. Honourable Jesus! precious Jesus! loving Jesus! Jonathan's Kindness captivated David, and made him precious in his Eyes for ever. I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan (said he) very pleasant hast thou been to me; thy Love to me was wonderful, passing the Love of Women, 2 Sam. 1. 26. Why, what had Jonathan done? O! He had delivered David from the Wrath of Saul. But how much more should he be precious to me, who hath saved me from Death and Hell! who hath delivered me from the Wrath of God! The Love of Christ constraineth us. Nothing will so edge the Spirit of a Christian as, Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood: This makes the Heavens themselves ring with joy and shouting. Mark the Words, Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God with thy Blood, out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and People, and Nation, and and hast made us unto our God, Kings, and Priests, and we shall reign on the Earth. What follows now? And I beheld, and heard the Voice of many Angels round about the Throne, and the Beasts, and the Elders, and the Number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud Voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Blessing; and every Creature which is in Heaven, and on the Earth, and such as are in the Sea, and all that are therein heard I, saying, Blessing, Honour, Glory, and Power, be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and to the LAMB for ever and and ever, Revel. 5. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.
Thus also is the Song, that New-Song, that is said to be sung by the Hundred fourty and four thousand which stand with the LAMB upon Mount Sion, with his Fathers Name written in their Fore-heads. These are also called Harpers, Harping with their Harps. And they sang as it were a new Song before the Throne, and before the four Beasts, and the Elders; and none could learn that Song but the Hundred and fourty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the Earth, Revel. 14. 1, 2, 3.
But why could they not learn that Song? Because they were not redeemed; none can sing of this Song but the Redeemed: they can give Glory to the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain, and that redeemed them to God by his Blood. 'Tis Faith in his Blood on Earth, that will make us sing this Song in Heaven. These Shoutings, and Heavenly Songs must needs come from Love put into a Flame by the Sufferings of Christ.
The last Use.
If all these things be true, what follows but a Demonstration of the Accursed Condition of those among the Religious in these Nations whose notions put them far off from Jesus, and from venturing their Souls upon his Bloody Death. I have observed such a Spirit as this in the World, that careth not for knowing of Jesus; the Possessed therewith do think, that it is not material to Salvation to venture upon a Crucified Christ▪ neither do they trouble their Heads or Hearts with inquiring whether▪ Christ Jesus be risen, and ascended into Heaven, or whether they see him again or no, but rather are for concluding, that there will be no such thing: These Men speak not by the Holy Ghost, for in the Sum, they call Jesus▪ Accursed; but I doubt not to say that many of them are Anathematised of God, and shall stand so, till the Coming of the Lord Jesus, to whom be Glory for ever and ever:
Amen.
THE END.
Books writ by Mr. Bunyan, and printed for Francis Smith, at the Elephant and Castle near the Royal Exchange, in Cornhil.
1. SIghs from Hell, or the Groans of a Damned Soul; discovering the Lamentable Estate of the Damned.
2. Resurrection from the Dead, and Eternal Judgment asserted; and with what Bodies the Dead arise.
3. A Discourse of Prayer, and what it is to pray with the Spirit and with Understanding.
4. The Holy City, or the New-Jerusalem; or the Glorious State of Believers after this Life, asserted.
5. Christian Behaviour; teaching Husbands, Wives, Parents, Children, Masters, Servants, to walk so as to please God.
6. Grace abounding to the chief of Sinners; discovering the woful Estate of the Impenitent, and the Greatness of Gods Mercy.
7. A Map, shewing the Order and Causes of Salvation and Damnation, &c.
8. Serious Meditations on the four last things, viz. Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell.
9. A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Jesus Christ.
10. A Confession of the Author's Faith, and a Reason of his Practice in Matters of Worship.
End of the text · John Bunyan, Light for Them that Sit in Darkness (1675)