Julius Wellhausen - "Prolegomena to the History of Israel"

Jane Austen - "Northanger Abbey"

Frank Pinkerton - "Jim Cummings"

Sir Walter Scott - "The Fair Maid of Perth"

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Books: The Works of John Bunyan Volume 3

J >> John Bunyan >> The Works of John Bunyan Volume 3




[11] Strange infatuation, desperate pride, that man should reject
the humbling simplicity of Divine truth, and run so anxiously,
greedily, and in hosts, in the road to ruin, because priestcraft
calls it 'the way of God'; preferring the miserable sophistry of
Satan and his emissaries to the plain directions of Holy Writ.
O! reader, put not your trust in man, but, while God is ready to
direct you, rely solely on his Holy Word.--Ed.

[12] 'Happily,' or haply, were formerly used to express the same
meaning.--Ed.

[13] 'Sink-souls' is one of Bunyan's strong Saxonisms, full of
meaning, 'Sink' is that in which filth or foulness is deposited.


'She poured forth out of her hellish sink,
Her fruitful cursed spawn.'--Spencer.--Ed.


[14] This is one of Bunyan's most deeply expressive directions to
the heaven-ward pilgrim; may it sink into our hearts. Christ is
the way, the cross is the standing way-mark throughout the road,
never out of sight. In embracing the humbling doctrines of grace,
in sorrow for sin, in crucifying self, in bearing each other's
burdens, in passing through the river that will absorb our
mortality--from the new birth to our inheritance--the cross is
the way-mark.--Ed.

[15] Our holiest, happiest duties, IF they interfere with a simple
and exclusive reliance upon Christ for justification, must be
accursed in our esteem; while, if they are fulfilled in a proper
spirit of love to him, they become our most blessed privileges.
Reader, be jealous of your motives.--Ed.

[16] This is very solemn warning. But is it asked how are we
to see that that is invisible, or to imagine bliss that is past
our understanding? The reply is, treasure up in your heart those
glimpses of glory contained in the Word. Be daily in communion
with the world of spirits, and it may be your lot, with Paul, to
have so soul-ravishing a sense of eternal realities, as scarcely
to know whether you are in the body or not.--Ed.

[17] How characteristic of Bunyan is this sentence, 'the rich
voyage.' God environing us about with his presence in time, and
eternal felicity in the desired haven: 'the lumpish heart' at
times apparently indifferent to the glorious harvest: 'a pair of
spurs' to prick us on in the course. The word voyage (from via,
a way) was in Bunyan's time equally used for a journey by sea or
land, it is now limited to travelling by sea.--Ed.

[18] 'Scrubbed'; worthless, vile, insignificant in the sight of
man, who judges from the outward, temporal condition; but, in the
case of Lazarus, precious in the sight of God.--Ed.

[19] What an inexhaustible source of comfort is contained in
this passage. Blessed carriage, in which the poorest, weakest of
Christ's flock shall ride. Millions of gold could not purchase the
privilege thus to ride in ease and safety, supported and guarded
by Omnipotence, and guided by Omniscience.--Ed.

[20] Summed up by the Psalmist, 'Happy is that people that is
in such a case. Happy is that people whose God is the Lord' (Psa
144:15).--Ed.

[21] How severe and cutting, but how just, is this reflection
upon many, that wicked men, for the gratification of destructive
propensities, should evince greater zeal and perseverance to light
up the fire of hell in their consciences, than some professing
Christians do in following after peace and holiness, 'Go to the
ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise.'--Ed.

[22] How awful a warning is this to the backslider. A wicked
professor is a practical atheist and a contemptible hypocrite.
But the backslider is worse, he proclaims, in his downward course,
the awful blasphemy that 'sin is better than Christ'; 'hell is
preferable to heaven.' O! that some poor bewildered backslider
may, by a Divine blessing upon the voice of Bunyan, be arrested
in his mad career.--Ed.

[23] 'Passions'; the old English term for sufferings. It is used
in Acts 1 emphatically, to express the last sufferings of the
Saviour; as also in what is called 'passion week.'--Ed.

***

THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:

WHEREIN ITS GOODLY LIGHT, WALLS, GATES, ANGELS, AND THE MANNER
OF THEIR STANDING, ARE EXPOUNDED: ALSO HER LENGTH AND BREADTH,
TOGETHER WITH THE GOLDEN MEASURING-REED EXPLAINED: AND THE GLORY
OF ALL UNFOLDED.

AS ALSO THE NUMEROUSNESS OF ITS INHABITANTS; AND WHAT THE TREE AND
WATER OF LIFE ARE, BY WHICH THEY ARE SUSTAINED.

'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.'-Psalm 87:3

'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS
THERE.'-Ezekiel 48:35

London: Printed in the year 1665

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR

Reader, it will require the utmost effort of your powers of faith
in perfectly well authenticated history to believe an almost
incredible fact, but which certainly took place in England, under
the reformed church in 1665. It is, however, true, that a number
of eminently pious, loyal, sober, industrious citizens were immured,
by the forms of law, within the walls of a small prison on Bedford
Bridge, over the river Ouse, for refusing to attend the parish
church or join in the service prescribed by Acts of Parliament,
according to the Book of Common Prayer. The Ruler of the universe
deigned to approve their conduct, and to visit these prisoners
with his peculiar approbation. He made their prison a Bethel, the
house of God, and the very gate of heaven-thus richly blessing their
souls for refusing to render unto man the things that are God's.

On the Lord's day they were in the habit of uniting in Divine worship.
Their prison chamber had received no prelatic consecration, but
God was in their midst to bless them. It happened one morning that
it came to the turn of a poor itinerant tinker, of extraordinary
ability, to address his fellow-prisoners-he had neither written
nor even prepared a sermon, and felt, for a time, at a loss for
a text or subject. At length, while turning over the sacred pages,
his eye was directed to the description of the Holy City-New
Jerusalem, which in the latter day will gloriously descend from
heaven. His soul was enlarged and enlightened with the dazzling
splendour of that sacred city-his heart, which had felt 'empty,
spiritless, and barren,' was baptized into his subject-'with a few
groans, he carried his meditations to the Lord Jesus for a blessing,
which he did forthwith grant according to his grace, and then the
preacher did set before his brethren the spiritual meat, and they
did all eat and were well refreshed. While distributing the truth,
it did so increase in his hand, that of the fragments he gathered
up a basket full, and furnished this heavenly treatise.' Such, in
substance, is the author's interesting account of the circumstances
under which he wrote this book. He adds, with humility, that
the men of this world would laugh, in conceit, that one so low,
contemptible, and inconsiderable should busy himself with so hard
and knotty a subject, but humbly hopes, that though but a babe in
Christ, these truths were revealed to him. To the real followers
of the lowly Jesus, the poor carpenter's son, 'who had not where
to lay his head'-of whom the Jews said, 'How knoweth this man
letters, having never learned?' (John 7:15)-despised by princes,
prelates, scribes, and Pharisees-to such, the poverty, the
occupation, and the want of book-learning of our author needs no
apology. It is all-sufficient to know that he was mighty in the
Scriptures, and deeply taught of the Holy Spirit. These are the
only sources of information relative to the New Jerusalem; and
in this treatise the author has richly developed the treasures of
the Bible in reference to this solemn subject. To the same prison
discipline to which we are indebted for the Pilgrim's Progress,
we owe this, and other of the labours of that eminent servant
of Christ, John Bunyan. Little did the poor tyrants who sent him
to jail think that, in such a place, he would have this blessed
vision of the heavenly city, or that his severe sufferings would
materially aid in destroying their wicked craft.

The subject is one of pure revelation. The philosopher-the
theologian-the philologist-the historian, and the antiquarian,
are utterly unable to grapple with that which is here so admirably
handled by a poor unlettered prisoner for Christ, who, from the
inexhaustible storehouse of God's Word, brings forth things new
and old to comfort the pilgrim, whether in a prison or a palace,
and to enliven his prospects on his way to this celestial city.
The New Jerusalem is a sublime object, and we are bound humbly to
adore that majestic mercy which has condescended to give us such
a glimpse of the glory which, in its unbounded extent, passeth
all the powers of our earth-bound souls to conceive.

It is a city whose builder and maker is God-perfect as his infinite
wisdom-strong as his omnipotence-eternal as his existence. Who by
searching can find out the perfections of the Almighty-they can
only be traced by his revealed will, and with our poor powers, even
then but faintly. No man ever possessed a more intimate knowledge
of the Bible, nor greater aptitude in quoting it than Bunyan: he
must have meditated in it day and night; and in this treatise his
biblical treasures are wisely used. He begins with the foundation
of the walls, and shows that they are based upon the truths taught
to the twelve tribes, and by the twelve apostles of the Lamb. All
these truths are perfectly handed down to us in holy Writ, alike
immutable and unalterable. Cursed are they that add to that book,
either by tradition or by the imposition of creeds, rites, and
ceremonies, and not less cursed are they that take from it. These
solid foundations support walls and gates through which nothing
can enter that defileth. It is a pattern to the church on earth,
into which none should be admitted but saints, known from their
conversation as living epistles. 'Not common stuff, not raked out
of the dunghills and muck heaps of this world, and from among the
toys of antichrist, but spiritual, heavenly and glorious precious
stones.' This city has but one street, showing the perfect unity
among all its inhabitants, and it is only under the personal reign
of Christ that uniformity can exist. The divisions among Christians
arise, as Bunyan justly concludes, from 'antichristian rubbish,
darkness, and trumpery.' The cause of all the confusion is the lust
of man for domination over conscience, the government of which is
the sole prerogative of God, and this is strengthened by the hope
of passing through time in idleness, luxury, and honour, under the
false pretence of apostolic descent transmitted through ceremonies
worse than childish. In our Lord's days there was union among his
disciples, as there must be under his personal reign in the New
Jerusalem. But in the times of the apostles the disciples were
divided-one was of Paul-another of Apollos, and others of Cephas.
The Holy Ghost issued laws to regulate the church in their disputes-not
an act of uniformity, but an injunction to the exercise of mutual
forbearance, 'Who art thou that judges another man's servant.'
'Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind' (Rom 14:4,5).

After viewing the spiritual unity of the inhabitants of this wonderful
city, we are introduced to its temple. How vast the edifice, to
contain the millions on millions of worshippers-every inhabitant
being present in the general assembly and church of the first-born!
Utterly beneath our notice are the most magnificent temples
raised by human ingenuity and vanity, when compared with that of
the Holy City. Its foundation, the immutability of God-its extent,
his divine immensity-its walls, the omnipotence of Jehovah-its
treasury, the unsearchable riches of Christ-its worshippers,
the countless myriads of the nations of those that are saved-its
duration, ETERNITY. It is the inheritance of the Son of God,
Jehovah Jesus, and is worthy of HIS inconceivable majesty. In all
the multitude not one hypocrite will be found-not one sleeping
worshipper-no wandering thought-no fear of sin or of Satan and his
persecuting agents-death itself will be dead and swallowed up in
life and immortality-all are pure-clothed in white robes-the palm
of victory in their hands-singing the glorious anthems of heaven.
O my soul! who are they that are thus unspeakably blessed? Shall I
be a citizen of that city? God has told us who they are-not those
who have been cherished by the state-clothed with honour, who
have eaten the bread of idleness. No. 'These are they which came
out of great tribulation' (Rev 7:14). From all kindreds, nations,
sects, and parties-they who obeyed God and not man in all matters
of faith and holiness-those who submitted to the Saviour, and have
washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
How vile is that sectarian spirit which in cold blood consigns all
but its own sect to eternal misery. How strange the calculation
of that Jewish Rabbi,[1] who, dooming to miserable and eternal
slavery all but his own little party, gives to every Jew two
thousand eight hundred souls to be tormented and tyrannically used
as slaves. The bitter sectarian who thus judges that all not of
his own party shall be destroyed, will do well to listen to the
voice of truth, 'With what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged.'
All these absurd and wicked feelings are fast wearing away before
the advancing spirit of Christianity. When the leaven of Divine
truth shall have spread over the whole earth, antichrist will
finally fall-then shall this New Jerusalem descend from heaven,
and become the glory of the earth. How distant soever that period
may seem, it is irresistibly hastening on. Since Bunyan's days,
persecution has hid its ugly head-North America, which was then a
land of darkness, is now widely covered with gospel blessings-slavery
is coming to an end-India, the islands of the Pacific, and the vast
territories of Australia, are yielding their increase. A few more
centuries of progression, increasing in its ratio as time draws
to a close, will hasten on the coming of our Lord.

The growth in grace of every Christian goes on thus gradually. Bunyan
draws a beautiful picture of this from Ezekiel 47:3-12. It is so
slow as scarcely to be perceptible, and one proof of its growth
in our hearts is a doubt as to whether we are progressing at all.
The more the light of heaven breaks in upon us, the more clearly
it displays our sinful follies. According to the prophet, the waters
rise higher and higher, but so slowly as to elude observation,
until we find that they have risen from the ancles to the knees,
and at length they rise and leave no standing for the feet-the
earth recedes with time, and the soul enters upon the ocean of
eternal grace and glory. The time is coming when we shall no longer
worship in temples made with hands, neither in the mountains of
Samaria, nor in the temples of Jerusalem, or Rome, or London. 'The
cloud-capt towers-the gorgeous palaces-the solemn temples-yea, the
great globe itself, shall dissolve, and, like the baseless fabric
of a vision, leave not a wreck behind.' Or in language far more
solemn and striking, because they are the unerring words of truth,
'The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that
are therein, shall be burned up.' Then shall the Holy City-the New
Jerusalem-descend from heaven, and all the ransomed of the Lord
shall find in it a glorious and everlasting habitation.

Bunyan published this Book in a very small 8vo of 294 pages. It was
never reprinted separately from his other works, and even in them
it suffered from serious omissions and errors. It is now accurately
printed from his original edition. The copy in Dr. Williams'
Library, Redcross Street, is remarkably fine and clean, a present,
most probably, in the first instance, from the author, having
an inscription on the fly leaf, apparently in Bunyan's autograph,
'This for my good and dearly beloved frend mistris Backcraft.'
It has a false title, bearing the imprint of 'London, Printed for
Francis Smith, at the Elephant and Castle without Temple Barr,
1669.' The editor's copy, soiled and tattered, cost him twenty
shillings, a striking proof of its rarity. This has the original
title, with the real date, 1665, but without a printer's or publisher's
name-from which it may be inferred that no one dared to patronize
the labours of the poor prisoner-a circumstance tending to make
the book more prized by the lovers of Christian liberty. The four
dedications are singular, and truly Bunyanish.

GEO OFFOR.


THE EPISTLE TO FOUR SORTS OF READERS

I. TO THE GODLY READER.

Friend,-Though the men of this world, at the sight of this book,
will not only deride, but laugh in conceit, to consider that one
so low, contemptible, and inconsiderable as I, should busy myself
in such sort, as to meddle with the exposition of so hard and
knotty a Scripture as here they find the subject matter of this
little book; yet do thou remember that 'God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise, and things which are
not, to bring to nought things that are' (1 Cor 1:27,28). Consider
also, that even of old it hath been his pleasure to 'hide these
things from the wise and prudent, and to reveal them unto babes'
(Matt 11:25, 21:15,16). I tell you that the operation of the Word
and Spirit of God, without depending upon that idol,[2] so much
adored, is sufficient of itself to search out 'all things, even
the deep things of God' (1 Cor 2:10).

The occasion of my first meddling with this matter was
as followeth:-Upon a certain first-day, I being together with my
brethren in our prison chamber, they expected that, according to
our custom, something should be spoken out of the Word for our
mutual edification; but at that time I felt myself, it being my
turn to speak, so empty, spiritless, and barren, that I thought
I should not have been able to speak among them so much as five
words of truth with life and evidence; but at last it so fell out
that providentially I cast mine eye upon the eleventh verse of
the one and twentieth chapter of this prophecy; upon which, when
I had considered a while, methought I perceived something of that
jasper in whose light you there find this holy city is said to come
or descend; wherefore having got in my eye some dim glimmerings
thereof, and finding also in my heart a desire to see farther
thereinto, I with a few groans did carry my meditations to the
Lord Jesus for a blessing, which he did forthwith grant according
to his grace; and helping me to set before my brethren, we did all
eat, and were well refreshed; and behold also, that while I was in
the distributing of it, it so increased in my hand, that of the
fragments that we left, after we had well dined, I gathered up
this basketful. Methought the more I cast mine eye upon the whole
discourse, the more I saw lie in it. Wherefore setting myself to
a more narrow search, through frequent prayer to God, what first
with doing, and then with undoing, and after that with doing again,
I thus did finish it.

But yet, notwithstanding all my labour and travel in this matter,
I do not, neither can I expect that every godly heart should in
every thing see the truth and excellency of what is here discoursed;
neither would I have them imagine that I have so thoroughly viewed
this holy city, but that much more than I do here crush out is yet
left in the cluster. Alas! I shall only say thus, I have crushed
out a little juice to sweeten their lips withal, not doubting but
in a little time more large measures of the excellency of this
city, and of its sweetness and glory, will by others be opened
and unfolded; yea, if not by the servants of the Lord Jesus, yet
by the Lord himself, who will have this city builded and set in
its own place.

But, I say, for this discourse, if any of the saints that read
herein think they find nought at all but words, as many times it
falleth out even in their reading the Scriptures of God themselves,
I beg, I say, of such, that they read charitably, judge modestly,
and also that they would take heed of concluding that because they
for the present see nothing in this or that passage, that therefore
there is nothing in it: possibly from that which thou mayest cast
away as an empty bone, others may pick both good and wholesome
bits, yea, and also out of that suck much nourishing marrow. You
find by experience, that that very bit that will not down with one,
may yet not only down, but be healthful and nourishing to another.
Babes are more for milk than strong meat, though meat will well
digest with those that are of riper years. Wherefore that which
thy weakness will not suffer thee to feed on, leave; and go to
the milk and nourishment that in other places thou shalt find.

II. TO THE LEARNED READER.

My second word is to my wise and learned reader.

Sir,-I suppose, in your reading of this discourse, you will be apt
to blame me for two things: First, Because I have not so beautified
my matter with acuteness of language as you could wish or desire.
Secondly, Because also I have not given you, either in the line
or in the margent, a cloud of sentences from the learned fathers,
that have, according to their wisdom, possibly, handled these
matters long before me.

To the first I say, the matter indeed is excellent and high; but
for my part I am weak and low; it also deserveth a more full and
profound discourse than my small pats will help me to make upon
the matter. But yet seeing the Lord looketh not at the outward
appearance, but on the heart, neither regardeth high-swelling
words of vanity, but pure and naked truth; and seeing also that a
widow's mite being all, even heart as well as substance, is counted
more, and better, than to cast in little out of much, and that
little too perhaps the worst, I hope my little, being all, my
farthing, seeing I have no more, may be accepted and counted for
a great deal in the Lord's treasury. Besides, Sir, words easy to
be understood do often hit the mark, when high and learned ones
do only pierce the air. He also that speaks to the weakest, may
make the learned understand him; when he that striveth to be high,
is not only for the most part understood but of a sort, but also
many times is neither understood by them nor by himself.

Secondly, The reason why you find me empty of the language of the
learned, I mean their sentences and words which others use, is
because I have them not, nor have not read them: had it not been
for the Bible, I had not only not thus done it, but not at all.

Lastly. I do find in most such a spirit of whoredom and idolatry
concerning the learning of this world, and wisdom of the flesh,
and God's glory so much stained and diminished thereby; that had
I all their aid and assistance at command, I durst not make use of
ought thereof, and that for fear lest that grace, and these gifts
that the Lord hath given me, should be attributed to their wits,
rather than the light of the Word and Spirit of God: Wherefore 'I
will not take' of them 'from a thread even to a shoe-latchet,--lest
they should say, We have made Abram rich' (Gen 14:23).

Sir, What you find suiting with the Scriptures take, though it
should not suit with authors; but that which you find against the
Scriptures, slight, though it should be confirmed by multitudes of
them. Yea, further, where you find the Scriptures and your authors
jump,[3] yet believe it for the sake of Scripture's authority. I
honour the godly as Christians, but I prefer the Bible before them;
and having that still with me, I count myself far better furnished
than if I had without it all the libraries of the two universities.
Besides, I am for drinking water out of my own cistern;[4] what
God makes mine by the evidence of his Word and Spirit, that I
dare make bold with. Wherefore seeing, though I am without their
learned lines, yet well furnished with the words of God, I mean
the Bible, I have contented myself with what I there have found,
and having set it before your eyes,


I pray read and take, Sir, what you like best;
And that which you like not, leave for the rest.


III. TO THE CAPTIOUS READER.

My third word is to the captious and wrangling reader.

Friend,-However thou camest by this book, I will assure thee thou
wast least in my thoughts when I writ it; I tell thee, I intended
this book as little for thee as the goldsmith intendeth his jewels
and rings for the snout of a sow. Wherefore put on reason, and
lay aside thy frenzy; be sober, or lay by the book (Matt 7:6).

IV. TO THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, &c.

My fourth word is to the lady of kingdoms, the well-favoured harlot,
the mistress of witchcrafts, and the abominations of the earth.

Mistress,-I suppose I have nothing here that will either please
your wanton eye or go down with your voluptuous palate. Here is
bread indeed, as also milk and meat; but here is neither paint
to adorn thy wrinkled face, nor crutch to uphold or undershore
thy shaking, tottering, staggering kingdom of Rome; but rather a
certain presage of thy sudden and fearful final downfall, and of
the exaltation of that holy matron, whose chastity thou dost abhor,
because by it she reproveth and condemneth thy lewd and stubborn
life. Wherefore, lady, smell thou mayest of this, but taste thou
wilt not: I know that both thy wanton eye, with all thy mincing
brats that are intoxicated with thy cup and enchanted with thy
fornications, will, at the sight of so homely and plain a dish as
this, cry, Foh! snuff, put the branch to the nose,[5] and say,
Contemptible! (Mal 1:12,13; Eze 8:17). 'But wisdom is justified of
all her children' (Matt 11:19). 'The virgin the daughter of Zion
hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; Jerusalem hath
shaken her head at thee' (Isa 37:22), yea, her God hath smitten
his hands at thy dishonest gain and freaks (Eze 22:7-11, &c.).
'Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love
her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her; that ye
may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations,
that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her
glory' (Isa 66:10,11).