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Books: The Works of John Bunyan Volume 1

J >> John Bunyan >> The Works of John Bunyan Volume 1




11 'An old horse shoe' must be mentioned, to throw utter contempt
upon a custom, then very prevalent, and even now practised, of
nailing an old horse shoe over the door of the house, to prevent
a witch from entering. When will these absurd heathenish customs
cease in Christian England?--Ed.

12 'A point,' the tag at the end of a lace.--Ed.

13 Nothing can more fully display the transcendant worth and
excellency of the soul, than these two considerations:--first, That
by the operation of the Eternal Spirit, it is made a habitation for
God Himself, and susceptible of communion and converse with God,
nay, of being even filled with all the fulness of God; and, second,
The infinite price that was paid for its redemption from sin and
woe--the precious blood of the Son of God.--Mason.

14 'A Relation of the Fearful Estate of Frances Spira.' He had
been a Protestant, but, for some unworthy motives, became a Papist,
and was visited with the most awful compunctions of conscience. A
poetical introduction thus describes the guilty wretch:--


'Reader, wou'dst see what, may you never feel,
Despair, racks, torments, whips of burning steel?
Behold this man, this furnace, in whose heart,
Sin hath created hell. Oh! In each part
What flames appear;
His thoughts all stings; words swords;
Brimstone his breath;
His eyes flames; wishes curses; life a death;
A thousand deaths live in him, he not dead;
A breathing corpse, in living scalding lead.'


It is an awful account, and has added to it a narrative of the
wretched end of John Child, a Bedford man, one of Bunyan's friends,
who, to avoid prosecution, conformed; was visited with black
despair, and hung himself. A copy of this curious little book is
in the editor's possession.--Ed.

15 Nothing more properly excited horror throughout Christendom, than
the conduct of the Algerines in making slaves of their captives;
because their victims had white skins, and were called Christians.
Hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling were paid to redeem
the Christian captives, and thus the pirates were strengthened to
continue their ferocious deeds. Many contributed to those funds
the very money which they derived from the negro slave trade; who,
while they professed to execrate white man slavery, perpetrated
the same barbarities upon their brethren of a different colour
and caste. How strangely does sin pervert the understandings of
men, who arrogate to themselves the highest grade of humanity and
civilization!--Ed.

16 These awful denunciations are so many proofs of the immutablilty
of the justice and of the Word of God.--Ed.

17 'Saith Christ;' Peter in Acts i. 20, applies this Psalm to Christ,
when the Jews cried, 'His blood be upon us and upon our children;'
then did they put on the envenomed garment which has tormented them
ever since. It is girded about their loins; the curse has penetrated
like water, and entered the very bones like oil. How awful will
be the state of those who crucify Him afresh, and again put Him to
open shame!--Horsley.

18 How awfully inconceivable is that eternal death that never dieth;
that final end that never endeth--an immortal death--a soul-murdering
life--ever dying, but never dead; were the mountains and rocks to
fall upon and and crush them, still eternity would intervene between
them and death. Oh that grace may be given to ransom our souls from
the doom we have deserved!--Ed.

19 'Weal;' wealth, happiness, prosperity; 'wherefore taking comfort
and boldness, partly of your grace and benevolent inclination toward
the universal weal of your subjects, partly inflamed with zeal, I
have now enterprized to describe, in our vulgar tongue, the form
of a just public weal.' Sir T. Elyot, Dedication of the Governor
to Henry VIII.--Ed.

20 'From the belly,': from its birth.

21 Bunyan having been engaged in the civil war, accounts for his
using this military idea.--Ed.

22 God hates not the sinner, but the sin; the glorious provision
made for salvation, proves His good will to sinful souls. This
will be 'the worm that dieth not,' to sinners to reflect, that,
in rejecting the inviting promises of God, they have sealed their
own condemnation.--Mason.

23 'Hideth his sins,' is quoted from the Genevan, or Puritan
version.--Ed.

24 'Pother;' to be, or cause to be, as one involved in dust, in a
cloud; to perplex, to puzzle, to confound.--Ed.

25 This is an allusion to a custom, nearly obsolete, originating in
the feast of tabernacles, of sacrificing to Vacina at the harvest
home. The Papists substituted St. Bartholomew for the heathen
goddess. Upon his day, the harvest being completed, an image of
straw was carried about, called the corn, or Bartholomew, baby; and
masters, mistresses, men, and maidens danced and rioted together;
thus, under the guise of harmless joy, much evil was perpetrated.--Ed.

26 'A blandation,' an obsolete word, which means wheedling, flattering
speech, soft words.--Ed.

27 Knowing the certainty that this wrath to the uttermost will be
poured out, our blessed Lord exhorts all to 'fear God, who is able
to destroy both body and soul in hell.' In that doleful pit, the
soul, re-united with the body, will suffer under the outpourings
of Divine wrath.--Mason.

28 Bunyan probably here refers to his own experience when he was in
prison, and was threatened by the judge to be hung for not going to
parish church. 'I thought with myself, if I should make a scrabbling
shift to clamber up the ladder, yet I should, either with quaking
or other symptoms of faintings, give occasion to the enemy to
reproach the way of God. I was ashamed to die with a pale face and
tottering knees in such a cause as this.'--Grace Abounding, No.
334.--Ed.

29 This wish has been felt while in a desponding state, under the
terrors of the law, and a fearful looking for of fiery indignation.
Thus Bunyan says, 'I blessed the condition of the dog and toad,
and counted the estate of everything that God had made far better
than this dreadful state of mine.' Grace Abounding, No. 104.--Ed.

30 Alluding to the old proverb of bringing a noble to ninepence,
and ninepence to nothing.--Ed.

31 At the popular game of nine pins--Ed.

32 In our comparatively happy days, we have little if any conception
of the manner in which our forefathers desecrated the Sabbath.
When Popery clouded the country, mass was attended on the Lord's
day morning early; it was a recital of certain unknown words,
after which parties of pleasure, so called, spent the day in places
attractive for the frivolity or wantonness of their entertainments--in
dancing, and carousing; the evening being devoted to the theatres
or ball rooms. This was afterwards encouraged by our English 'heads
of the church,' in a book of lawful sports to be used on Sundays.
Even in our time a flood of iniquity continues to flow on those
sacred days, which human laws cannot prevent. As the influence of
the gospel spreads, the day will become sanctified and this will
ever prove a correct standard of its progress.--Ed.

33 How solemn, nay, awful is the thought that heaven's gates must
be shut against all impurity. None who live and die in the love of
sin can enter heaven, lest they should defile it--'And there shall
in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither worketh
abomination, or a lie' (Rev 21: 27).--Ed.

34 In 'The Pilgrim's Progress,' in the house called Beautiful, all
the inmates, except the porter, are females.--Ed.

35 The edict of Nantes was issued April 1598; but in violation of
it, Rochelle was taken from the Protestants in 1628. From that time
horrid barbarities were practised upon them. In 1676, the elector of
Brandenburg appealed to the French king on behalf of his Protestant
subjects, of whom multitudes fled for refuge to England and
Germany. In 1685, the edict of Nantes was revoked, and a frightful
persecution ensued.--Ed.

36 Great allowance must be made for the times in which Bunyan lived.
Baxter, and all the great divines, Sir M. Hale, and the judges,
believed in witches, ghosts, and other chimeras; in fact, any one
professing unbelief in these wild fancies, would have been counted
among infidels and atheists.--Ed.

37 Sin 'in the general of it,' or sin wherever it may be found.

38 The law is a transcript of the mind of God, it is holy, just,
and good--so that he that offendeth in one point is guilty of all.
The law convicts and shows the sinner that God is all eye to see,
and all fire to consume, every unclean thing. Thus the law gives
sin its strength, and death its warrant, to arrest and execute the
sinner.--Mason.

***

THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST AS AN ADVOCATE,

CLEARLY EXPLAINED, AND LARGELY IMPROVED,

FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BELIEVERS.

1 John 2:1--"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

By JOHN BUNYAN, Author of "The Pilgrim's Progress."

London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms, in the
Poultry, 1689.

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR.

This is one of the most interesting of Bunyan's treatises, to edit
which required the Bible at my right hand, and a law dictionary
on my left. It was very frequently republished; but in an edition
by John Marshall, 1725, it became most seriously mutilated, many
passages were omitted, and numerous errors were made. In this
state, it was copied into Mr. Whitefield's edition of his works,
and it has been since republished with all those errors. It is now
restored to its original state; and we hope that it will prove a
most acceptable addition to our theological literature. Although
Bunyan was shut up for more than twelve years a prisoner for the
truth, and his time was so fully occupied in preaching, writing,
and labouring to provide for the pressing wants of his family;
still he managed to get acquainted, in a very remarkable manner,
with all those law terms which are connected with the duties of
a counsel, or advocate. He uses the words replevin, supersedeas,
term, demur, nonsuit, reference, title, in forma pauperis, king's
bench, common pleas, as properly and familiarly as if he had been
brought up to the bar. How extraordinary must have been his mental
powers, and how retentive his memory! I examined this work with
apprehension, lest he had misapplied those hard words; but my
surprise was great, to find that he had used every one of them with
as much propriety as a Lord Chief-Justice could have done.

We are indebted for this treatise to Bunyan's having heard a sermon
which excited his attention to a common, a dangerous, and a fatal
heresy, more frequently preached to crowned heads, mitred prelates,
members of parliament, and convocations, than it is to the poor,
to whom the gospel is preached. In this sermon, the preacher said
to his hearers, "see that your cause be good, else Christ will not
undertake it." p. 159. Bunyan heard, as all Christians ought to
hear, with careful jealousy, and at once detected the error. He
exposes the fallacy, and uses his scriptural knowledge to confute
it, by showing that Christ pleads for the wicked, the lost; for those
who feel themselves so involved in a bad cause, that no advocate
but Christ can bring them through. He manifests great anxiety that
every inquirer should clearly ascertain definite truths and not be
contented with general notions. See p. 189-199, and 201. This is
very important advice, and by following which, we shall be saved
from many painful doubts and fears. Our need of an advocate is proved
by the fact, that Christ has undertaken the office. Some rely on
their tears and sighs, as advocates for them with God; others on
imperfect good works-from all these the soul must be shaken, until
it finds that there is no prevailing Advocate but the Saviour;
and that he alone, with his mystical body, the church, is entitled
to the inheritance. Then sincere repentance, sighs, and tears,
evidence our faith in him, and our godly sorrow for having occasioned
him such inconceivable sufferings; tears of joy that we have such
a Saviour and an Advocate, equally omnipotent to plead for, as to
save us. The inheritance being Christ's, the members of his body
cannot be cheated of it, or alienate it. p. 187. Bunyan, with his
fertile imagination, and profound scriptural knowledge, spiritualizes
the day of jubilee as a type of the safety of the inheritance of
the saints. By our folly and sin we may lose sight for a time of
our title deeds; but the inheritance is safe.

The whole work is a rich treat to those who love experimental divinity,
and are safe in Christ as Noah was in the ark; but, Oh! how woeful
must those be, who are without an interest in the Saviour; and
that have none to plead their cause. "They are left to be ground
to powder between the justice of God and the sins which they have
committed. It is sad to consider their plight. This is the man
that is pursued by the law, and by sin, and by death, and has none
to plead his cause. Terrors take hold on him as waters; a stone
hurleth him out of his place" (Job 27). p. 200. Reader, this is
a soul-searching subject-may it lead us to a solemn trial of our
state, and to the happy conclusion, that the Saviour is our Advocate,
and that our eternal inheritance is safe in heaven.

HACKNEY. MAY 1850.

GEORGE OFFOR.

THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.

COURTEOUS READER,

Of all the excellent offices which God the Father has conferred
upon Jesus Christ our Lord, this of his being an Advocate with him
for us is not the least, though, to the shame of saints it may be
spoken, the blessed benefits thereof have not with that diligence
and fervent desire been inquired after as they ought.

Christ, as sacrifice, priest, and king, with the glories in, and
that flow from, him as such, has, God be thanked, in this our day,
been much discovered by our seers, and as much rejoiced in by those
who have believed their words; but as he is an Advocate with the
Father, an Advocate for us, I fear the excellency of that doth still
too much lie hid; though I am verily of opinion that the people
of God in this age have as much need of the knowledge thereof, if
not more need, than had their brethren that are gone before them.

These words, "if not more need," perhaps may seem to some to be
somewhat out of joint; but let the godly wise consider the decays
that are among us as to the power of godliness, and what abundance
of foul miscarriages the generality of professors now stand guilty
of, as also how diligent their great enemy is to accuse them at
the bar of God for them, and I think they will conclude, that, in
so saying, I indeed have said some truth. Wherefore, when I thought
on this, and had somewhat considered also the transcendent excellency
of the advocateship of this our Lord; and again, that but little
of the glory thereof has by writing been, in our day, communicated
to the church, I adventured to write what I have seen thereof, and
do, by what doth follow, present it unto her for good.

I count not myself sufficient for this, or for any other truth
as it is in Jesus; but yet, I say, I have told you somewhat of
it, according to the proportion of faith. And I believe that some
will thank God for what I here have said about it; but it will be
chiefly those, whose right and title to the kingdom of heaven and
glory, doth seem to themselves to be called in question by their
enemy, at the bar of the Judge of all.

These, I say, will read, and be glad to hear, that they have an
Advocate at court that will stand up to plead for them, and that
will yet secure to them a right to the heavenly kingdom. Wherefore,
it is more particularly for those that at present, or that hereafter,
may be in this dreadful plight, that this my book is now made
public; because it is, as I have showed, for such that Jesus Christ
is Advocate with the Father.

Of the many and singular advantages, therefore, that such have by
this their Advocate in his advocating for them, this book gives
some account; as, where he pleads, how he pleads, what he pleads,
when he pleads, with whom he pleads, for whom he pleads, and how
the enemy is put to shame and silence before their God and all the
holy angels.

Here is also showed to those herein concerned, how they indeed may
know that Jesus is their Advocate; yea, and how their matters go
before their God, the Judge; and particularly that they shall well
come off at last, yea, though their cause, as it is theirs, is
such, in justification of which, themselves do not dare to show
their heads.

Nor have I left the dejected souls without directions how to entertain
this Advocate to plead their cause; yea, I have also shown that he
will be with ease prevailed with, to stand up to plead for such,
as one would think, the very heavens would blush to hear them named
by him. Their comfort also is, that he never lost a cause, nor a
soul, for whom he undertook to be an Advocate with God.

But, reader, I will no longer detain thee from the perusal of the
discourse. Read and think; read, and compare what thou readest with
the Word of God. If thou findest any benefit by that thou readest,
give the Father, and his Son the glory; and also pray for me. If
thou findest me short in this, or to exceed in that, impute all
such things to my weakness, of which I am always full. Farewell.
I am thine to serve thee what I may,

JOHN BUNYAN.

THE CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE

The apostle's Divine policy, to beget a due regard to his Divine
doctrine of eternal life.-The apostle's explication of this
expression, viz., The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all
sin.-The apostle's exhortation to separation from sin, as a good
effect of a good cause, viz., Forgiveness-The apostle's addition,
to prevent misunderstanding, viz., We have an advocate with the
Father

This brings to the text, in which are two great truths contained:
I. A supposition, viz., That men in Christ may sin. II. An expression,
by way of consolation, in case of sin, viz., We have an Advocate
with the Father

Two things for inquiry in these truths: First. An inquiry into what
our apostle means by sin; in which is considered, A difference in
the person and in the sin. And, Second, An inquiry into what it
is for Christ to be an Advocate, viz., To plead for another in a
court of judicature

Seven things supposed in the office of an advocate: 1. That God, as
judge, is on the throne of judgment. 2. That saints are concerned
at that bar. 3. That Christians have an accuser. 4. That sinning
saints dare not appear at this bar to plead their own cause.
5. That Christians are apt to forget their Advocate, and remember
their Judge. 6. To remember our Advocate is the way to support faith
and hope.-7. That if our advocate plead our cause (though that be
never so black) he is able to bring us off

The apostle's triumph in Christ on this account.-An exhortation to
the difficult task of believing.-Christ's advocateship declares us
to be sorry creatures

THE METHOD OBSERVED IN THE DISCOURSE.

FIRST, TO SPEAK OF THIS ADVOCATE'S OFFICE

First, By touching on the nature of this office

Second, By treating of the order or place of this office

Third, The occasion of this office, viz., some great sin.-Christ,
as Advocate, pleads a bad cause.-A good cause will plead for
itself.-A bad man may have a good cause, and a good man may have
a bad cause.-Christ, the righteous, pleading a bad cause, is a
mystery.-The best saints are most sensible of their sins.-A pestilent
passage of a preacher

SECOND, TO SHOW HOW CHRIST DOES MANAGE HIS OFFICE

First, How he manages his office of Advocate with the Father.-1.
ALONE, not by any proxy or deputy.-2. Christ pleads at God's bar; the
cause cannot be removed into another court.-If removed from heaven,
we have no advocate on earth.-3. In pleading, Christ observes
these rules: (1.) He granteth what is charged on us.-(2.) He pleads
his own goodness for us.-He payeth all our debts down.-All mouths
stopped, who would not have the sinner delivered.-(3.) Christ requires
a verdict in order to our deliverance.-The sinner is delivered,
God contented, Satan confounded, and Christ applauded

Second, How Christ manages his office of an Advocate against the
adversary by argument.-1. He pleads the pleasure of his Father in
his merits.-Satan rebuked for finding fault therewith.-2. He pleads
God's interest in his people.-Haman's mishap in being engaged against
the king's queen.-N. B. It seems a weak plea, because of man's
unworthiness; but it is a strong plea, because of God's worthiness.-The
elect are bound to God by a sevenfold cord.-The weight of the plea
weighed

Third, Christ pleads his own interest in them.-A parallel between
cattle in a pound and Christ's own sheep.-Six weighty reasons in
this plea.-1. They are Christ's own.-2. They cost him dear.-3.
He hath made them near to himself.-(a.) They are his spouse, his
love, his dove; they are members of his body.-(b.) A man cannot
spare a hand, a foot, a finger.-Nor can Christ spare any member.-4.
Christ pleads his right in heaven to give it to whom he will.-Christ
will; Satan will not; Christ's will stands.-5. Christ pleads
Satan's enmity against the godly.-Satan is the cause of the crimes
he accuses us of.-A simile of a weak-witted child.-6. Christ can
plead those sins of saints for them for which Satan would have them
damned.-Eight considerations to clear that.-Seven more considerations
to the same end.-Men care most for children that are infirm.-A
father offended hath been appeased by a brother turning advocate

THIRD HEAD.-TO SHOW WHO HAVE CHRIST FOR AN ADVOCATE; WHEREIN ARE
THREE THINGS CONTAINED

First, This office of advocate differs from that of a priest.-1.
They differ in name.-2. They differ in nature.-3. They differ as
to their extent.-4. They differ as to the persons with whom they
have to do.-5. They differ as to the matter about which they are
employed.-6. Christ, as Priest, precedes; Christ, as Advocate,
succeeds

Second, How far this office of an advocate is extended; in five
particulars

Third, Who have Christ for their Advocate.-1. In general, all
adopted children.-Object. The text saith, "If any man sin."-Answ.
"Any man," is not any of the world; but any of the children of God.-A
difference in children; some bigger than some.-Christ an Advocate
for strong men.-2. In particular, to show if Christ be our Advocate-(1.)
If one have entertained Christ to plead a cause.-Quest. How shall
I know that?-Answ. By being sensible of an action commenced against
thee in the high court of justice.-(2.) If one have revealed a
cause to Christ.-An example of one revealing his cause to Christ,
in a closet.-In order to this, one must know Christ, (a.) To be a
friend.-(b.) To be faithful.-(3.) If one have committed a cause to
Christ.-In order to this, one must be convinced, (a.) Of Christ's
ability to defend him.-(b.) Of Christ's courage to plead a cause.-(c.)
Of Christ's will for this work.-(d.) Of Christ's tenderness in case
of his client's dullness.-(e.) Of Christ's unweariedness-(4.) If
one wait till things come to a legal issue.-Quest. What is it thus
to wait?-Answ. (a.) To be of good courage; look for deliverance.-(b.)
To keep his way in waiting.-(c.) To observe his directions.-(d.) To
hearken to further directions which may come from the advocate.-(e.)
To come to no ill conclusion in waiting, viz., that the cause is
lost; because one hears not from court.-(f.) To wait waking, not
sleeping.-Ordinances and ministers compared to a post house and
carriers of letters.-The client's comfortable conclusion about his
advocate and cause.-But yet doubting and desponding.-The author's
reply to, and compliance with, the client's conclusion; and his
counsel in the case

FOURTH HEAD-TO SHOW THE CLIENT'S PRIVILEGES, BY THE BENEFIT OF THIS
OFFICE OF ADVOCATE

First Privilege.-The Advocate pleads a price paid.-Of a rich
brother and his poor brethren.-Of the ill-conditioned man, their
enemy.-Further cleared by three considerations

Second Privilege.-The client's Advocate pleads for himself also;
both concerned in one bottom.-1. He pleads the price of his own
blood.-2. He pleads it for his own.-A simile of a lame horse.-Of
men going to law for a thing of little worth.-Object. I am but
one.-Answ. Christ cannot lose one

Third Privilege.-The plea of Satan is groundless.-Satan must be
cast over the bar.-A simile of a widow owing a sum of money.-Of an
old law nulled1 by a new law.-Satan pleads by the old law; Christ
by the new

Fourth Privilege.-Is consequential; the client's accuser must needs
be overthrown.-The client's solemn appeal to the Almighty.-In case
the accused have no advocate, Satan prevails

Fifth Privilege.-The Advocate hath pity for his client, and
indignation against the accuser.-Men choose an advocate who hath
a quarrel against their adversary

Sixth Privilege.-The judge counts the accuser his enemy.-To procure
the judge's son to plead, is desirable

Seventh Privilege.-The client's Advocate hath good courage; he
will set his face like a flint.-He pleads before the God, and all
the host, of heaven.-He is the old friend of publicans and sinners.-He
pleads a cause bad enough to make angels blush.-Love will do, and
bear, and suffer much