Fearless Eagle

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1107

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

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.

Third. We find no city to answer that which was built after the Jews' return from captivity but this; for this, and only this, is the city that you find in this prophecy that is nominated as the antitype of that second of the Jews; wherefore John hath no relation of her while towards the doom of antichrist, and no description of her in particular until antichrist is utterly overthrown; as all may see that wisely read (Rev 17-20).

[Why the church is called a city.]

'And showed me that great city.' The Holy Ghost is pleased at this time to give the church the name of a city, rather than any other name, rather than the name of spouse, woman, temple, and the like-though he giveth us her under the name of a woman also, to help us to understand what he means; but, I say, the name of a city is now the name in special, under which the church must go, and that for special reasons.

First. To show us how great and numerous a people will then be in the church; the church may be a woman, a temple, a spouse, when she is but few, a handful, but two or three; but to be a city, and that in her glory, it bespeaks great store of members, inhabitants, and citizens; especially when she goeth under the name of a great city, as here she does. He 'showed me that great city.'

Second. She goeth rather under the name of a city, than temple or spouse, to show us also how plentifully the nations and kingdoms of men shall at that day traffic with her, and in her, for her goodly merchandize of grace and life; to show us, I say, what wonderful custom the church of God at this day shall have among all sorts of people, for her heavenly treasures. It is said of Tyrus and Babylon that their merchandise went unto all the world, and men from all quarters under heaven came to trade and to deal with them for their wares (Eze 27; Rev 18:2,3). Why, thus it will be in the latter day with the church of God; the nations shall come from far, from Tarshish, Pul, Lud, Tubal, Javan, and the isles afar off. They shall come, saith God, out of all nations upon horses and mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem. 'And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord' (Isa 66:19-23). Alas, the church on that day when she is a woman only, or a temple either, may be without that beauty, treasure, amiableness, and affecting glory that she will be endowed with when she is a prosperous city. His marvelous kindness is seen 'in a strong city' (Psa 31:21). In cities, you know, are the treasures, beauty, and glory of kingdoms; and it is thither men go that are desirous to solace themselves therewith. 'Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined' (Psa 50:2).

Third. It is called a city, rather than a woman or a temple, to show us how strongly and securely it will keep its inhabitants on that day. 'In that day shall this song be sung,—We have a strong city, salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks' (Isa 26:1). And verily if the cities of the Gentiles, and the strength of their bars, and gates, and walls did so shake the hearts, yea, the very faith of the children of God themselves, how secure and safe will the inhabitants of this city be, even the inhabitants of that city which God himself will build,' &c. (Deu 9:1,2; Num 13:28).

Fourth. But lastly, and more especially, the church is called here a city, chiefly to show us that now she shall be undermost no longer. Babylon reigned, and so shall Jerusalem at that day. 'And thou, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion, the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem' (Micah 4:8). Now shall she, when she is built and complete, have a complete conquest and victory over all her enemies; she shall reign over them; the law shall go forth of her that rules them, and the governors of all the world at that day shall be Jerusalem men. 'And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem which is in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the south. And saviors shall come up on Mount Zion, to judge the mount of Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord's (Obad 20,21). 'For the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.—And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off, and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more' (Micah 4:1-3). There brake he the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God; God will establish it for ever' (Psa 48:1-8). For observe it, Christ hath not only obtained the kingdom of heaven for those that are his, when this world is ended, but hath also, as a reward for his sufferings, the whole world given into his hand; wherefore, as all the kings, and princes, and powers of this world have had their time to reign, and have glory in this world in the face of all, so Christ will have his time at this day, to show who is 'the only Potentate—and Lord of lords' (1 Tim 6:15). At which day he will not only set up his kingdom in the midst of their kingdoms, as he doth now, but will set it up even upon the top of their kingdoms; at which day there will not be a nation in the world but must bend to Jerusalem or perish (Isa 60:12). For 'the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him' (Dan 7:27). 'And his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth' (Zech 9:10). O holiness, how shall it shine in kings and nations, when God doth this!

[This city descends out of heaven from God.]

'He showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.' In these words, we are to inquire into three things. First. What he here should mean by heaven. Second. What is it for this city to descend out of it? Third. And why she is said to descend out of it from God.

First. For the word heaven, in Scripture, it is variously to be understood, but generally either materially or metaphorically; now not materially here, but metaphorically; and so is generally, if not always, taken in this book.

Now that it is not to be taken for the material heavens where Christ in person is, consider, that the descending of this city is not the coming of glorified saints with their Lord; because that even after the descending, yea and building of this city, there shall be sinners converted to God; but at the coming of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his saints, the door shall be shut; that is, the door of grace, against all unbelievers (Luke 13:25; Matt 25:10).

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1106

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

To a great and high mountain.' This mountain therefore signifieth the Lord Christ, on which the soul must be placed, as on a mighty hill, whereby he may be able his eyes being anointed with spiritual eye salve, to see over the tops of those mighty corruptions, temptations, and spiritual enemies, that like high and mighty towers are built by the wicked one, to keep the view of God's things from the sight of our souls (2 Cor 10:5,6). Wherefore Christ is called the Mountain of the Lord's house, or that on which the house of God is placed; he is also called the Rock of ages, and the Rock that is higher than we. 'The hill of God is' an high hill, as Bashan; 'an high hill, as the hill of Bashan' (Psa 68:15). This is the hill from whence the prophet Ezekiel had the vision of this city (Eze 40:2); 'And upon this rock [saith Christ] I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it' (Matt 16:18).

[FIRST. The Vision of the Holy City in General.]

'And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem.' Having thus told us how, and with what he was qualified, he next makes relation of what he saw, which was that great city, the holy Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, in the language of the Scripture, is to be acknowledged as the church and spouse of the Lord Jesus, and is to be considered either generally or more particularly. Now as she is to be taken generally, so she is to be understood as being 'the whole family in heaven and earth,' (Eph 3:15); and as she is thus looked upon, so she is not considered with respect to this or that state and condition of the church here in the world, but simply as she is the church: therefore it is said, when at any time any are converted from Satan to God, that they 'are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem; and to an innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly and church of the first-born which are written in heaven; to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect; and to Jesus,—and to the blood of sprinkling' (Heb 12:22,24).

But again, as Jerusalem is thus generally to be understood, so also she is to be considered more particularly: 1. Either as she relates to her first and purest state; or, 2. As she relates to her declined and captivated state, or, 3. With reference to her being recovered again from her apostatized and captivated condition. Thus it was with Jerusalem in the letter, whose threefold state shall be most exactly answered by our gospel Jerusalem, by our New Testament church. Her first state was in the days of Christ and his apostles, and answereth to Jerusalem in the days of Solomon; her second state is in the days of antichrist, and answereth to the carrying away of the Jews from their city into Babylon; and her third state is this in the text, and answereth to their return from captivity, and rebuilding their city and walls again: all which will be fully manifest in this discourse following.

[This city is the gospel church returning out of anti-Christian captivity.]

Besides, that this holy city that here you read of is the church, the gospel church, returning out of her long and antichristian captivity; consider,

First, she is here called a city, the very name that our primitive church went under (Eph 2:19); which name she loseth all the while of her apostatizing and captivity under antichrist; for observe, I say, all the while she is under the scourge of the dragon, beast, and the woman in scarlet, &c. (Rev 13), She goeth under the name of a woman, a woman in travail, a woman flying before the dragon, a woman flying into the wilderness, there to continue in an afflicted and tempted condition, and to be glad of wilderness nourishment, until the time of her enemies were come to an end (Rev 12).

Now the reason why she lost the title of city at her going into captivity is, because then she lost her situation and strength; she followed others than Christ, wherefore he suffered her enemies to scale her walls, to break down her battlements; he suffered, as you see here, the great red dragon, and beast with seven heads and ten horns, to get into her vineyard, who made most fearful work both with her and all her friends; her gates also were now either broken down or shut up, so that none could, according to her laws and statutes, enter into her; her charter also, even the Bible itself, was most grossly abused and corrupted, yea, sometimes burned and destroyed almost utterly; wherefore the Spirit of God doth take away from her the title of city, and leaveth her to be termed a wandering woman, as aforesaid. 'The court which is without the temple [saith the angel] leave out, and measure it not, for it is given unto the Gentiles; and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months' (Rev 11:2). 'The holy city shall they tread under foot'; that is, all the city constitutions, her forts and strength, her laws and privileges for a long time, shall be laid aside and slighted, shall become a hissing, a taunt, and a byword among the nations. And truly thus it was in the letter, in the destruction of Jerusalem by the king of Babylon and his wicked instruments, by whose hands the city was broken up, the walls pulled down, the gates burned, the houses rifled, the virgins ravished, and the children laid dead in the top of every street (2 Chron 36:17-21; Jer 52; Lam 1; 2; 3; 4). Now was Zion become a plowed field, and Jerusalem turned to heaps; a place of briars and thorns, and of wasteness and desolation (Micah 3:12; Isa 7:23,24).

Second, the phrase that is joined with this of the city doth much concern the point; she is here called 'the new and holy city,' which words are explained by these, 'prepared as a bride and adorned for her husband.' The meaning is, that she is now got into her form, fashion, order, and privileges again; she is now ready, adorned, prepared, and put into her primitive state; mark, though she was in her state of affliction called a woman, yet she was not then either called a city or a woman adorned; but rather a woman robbed and spoiled, rent and torn among the briars and thorns of the wilderness (Isa 5:6; 42:22; 32:13,14). Wherefore this city is nothing else, but the church returned out of captivity from under the reign of antichrist, as is yet farther manifest, because,

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1105

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM

By John Bunyan

Revelation 21:10-27; 22:1-4 "And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal: And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. On the east, three gates, on the north, three gates, on the south, three gates, and on the west, three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof and the wall thereof. And the city lieth four-square, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, every several gate was of one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved, shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all day by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. And they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads."

In my dealing with this mystery, I shall not meddle where I see nothing, neither shall I hide from you that which at present I conceive to be wrapt up therein; only you must not from me look for much enlargement, though I shall endeavor to speak as much in few words, as my understanding and capacity will enable me, through the help of Christ.

In this description of this holy city, you have these five general heads:

FIRST, the vision of this city in general. SECOND, A discovery of its defense, entrances, and fashion, in particular. THIRD, A relation of the glory of each. FOURTH, A discovery of its inhabitants, their quality, and numerousness. FIFTH, A relation of its maintenance, by which it continueth in life, ease, peace, tranquility, and sweetness for ever. To all which I shall speak something in their proper places, and shall open them before you.

But before I begin with any of them, I must speak a word or two concerning John's qualification, whereby he was enabled to behold and take a view of this city; which qualification he relateth in these words following:

Verse 10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.

The angel began to show this holy man this great and glorious vision; he first, by qualifying him, puts him into a suitable capacity to behold and take the view thereof; 'He carried me away in the spirit.' When he saith, He carried me away in the Spirit, he means he was taken up into the Spirit; his soul was greatly spiritualized. Take notice that an ordinary frame of spirit is not able to comprehend, nor yet to apprehend extraordinary things. Much of the Spirit discerneth much of God's matters; but little of the Spirit discerneth but little of them: 'I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ; I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able' (1 Cor 3:2).

'And he carried me away in the spirit,' &c. Thus it was with the saints of old, when God had either special work for them to do or great things for them to see. Ezekiel, when he had the vision of this city in the old law, in the captivity at Babylon, he must be first forefitted with a competent measure of the Spirit (Eze 40:2). John also, when he had the whole matter of this prophecy revealed unto him, he must be in the Spirit; 'I was (saith he) in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet' talking with me, &c (Rev 1:10,11). Whence note again, that when God calls a man to this or that work for him, he first fits him with a suitable spirit. Ezekiel saith, when God bid him stand upon his feet, that the Spirit entered into him, and set him upon his feet (Eze 2:1,2).

'And he carried me away,' &c. Mark, and he carried me [away] &c. As a man must have much of the Spirit that sees much of God, and his goodly matters; so he must be also carried away with it; he must by it be taken off from things carnal and earthly, and taken up into the glory of things that are spiritual and heavenly. The Spirit loveth to do what it doth in private; that man to whom God intendeth to reveal great things, he takes him aside from the lumber and cumber of this world, and carrieth him away in the solace and contemplation of the things of another world; 'And when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples' (Mark 4:34). Mark, and when they were ALONE; according to that of the prophet, 'Whom shall he teach knowledge, and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts' (Isa 28:9). Whence observe also, he is the man that is like to know most of God, that is oftenest in private with him (Luke 2:25-38). He that obeyeth when God saith, Come up hither, he shall see the bride, the Lamb's wife.

For 'through desire a man having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom' (Pro 18:1). 'And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain.' Thus having shown his frame, and inward disposition of spirit, he now comes to tell us also of the place or stage on which he was set; to the end that now being fitted by illumination, he might not be hindered of his vision by ought that might intercept. He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain. Thus did God of old also; for when he showed to Moses the patterns of the heavenly things, he must ascend to the Mount Sinai (Exo 19:3). He must into the mount also, when he hath the view of the Holy Land, and of that goodly mountain Lebanon (Deu 32:49). Whence we may learn that the things of God are far from man, as he is natural; and also that there are very great things between us and the sight of them: none can see them but such as are carried away in the Spirit and set on high

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1104

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

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 I have not given you, either in the line or in the margin, a cloud of sentences from the learned fathers, who 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 deserves a more full and profound discourse than my small parts 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 I 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. Yeah, further, where you find the Scriptures and your authors jump, yet believe it for the sake of Scripture's authority. I honor 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; 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-favored 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, 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).

JOHN BUNYAN

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM: 1103

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

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 labor 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 do down with one, may yet not only do down, but be healthful and nourishing to another. Babes are more for milk than for strong meat, though meat will digest well in those 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.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM. 1102

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

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

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 need 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 regarding the New Jerusalem, and in this treatise, the author has richly developed the treasures of the Bible with 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 labors 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 that defileth can enter.

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 honor, under the false pretense 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 honor, 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 Savior, 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, 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 hidden 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 Pacific islands, 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 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 ankles 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 labors 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.

Works of John Bunyan: Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN. 1101

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

VII. PROVOCATION. [TO RUN WITH THE FOREMOST.]

Now that you may be provoked to run with the foremost, take notice of this. When Lot and his wife were running from cursed Sodom to the mountains, to save their lives, it is said that his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt; and yet you see that neither her practice, nor the judgment of God that fell upon her for the same, would cause Lot to look behind him. I have sometimes wondered at Lot in this particular; his wife looked behind her, and died immediately, but let what would become of her, Lot would not so much as look behind him to see her. We do not read that he did so much as once look where she was, or what had become of her; his heart was indeed upon his journey, and well it might: there was the mountain before him, and the fire and brimstone behind him; his life lay at stake, and he had lost it if he had but looked behind him. Do thou so run: and in thy race remember Lot's wife, and remember her doom; and remember for what that doom did overtake her; and remember that God made her an example for all lazy runners, to the end of the world: and take heed thou fall not after the same example. But, if this will not provoke thee, consider thus,

1. Thy soul is thy own soul, that is either to be saved or lost; thou shalt not lose thy soul by thy laziness. It is thy own soul, thy own ease, thy own peace, thy own advantage, or disadvantage. If it were my soul that thou art desired to be good unto, methinks reason should move thee somewhat to pity it. But alas, it is thy own, thy own soul. 'What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?' (Mark 8:36). God's people wish well to the souls of others, and wilt thou not wish well to thy own? And if this will not provoke thee, then think again,

2. If thou lose thy soul, it is thou also that must bear the blame. It made Cain stark mad to consider that he had not looked to his brother Abel's soul. How much more will it perplex thee to think that thou hadst not a care of thy own? And if this will not provoke thee to bestir thyself, think again,

3. That if thou wilt not run, the people of God are resolved to deal with thee even as Lot dealt with his wife, that is, leave thee behind them. It may be thou hast a father, mother, brother, &c., going post-haste to heaven, wouldst thou be willing to be left behind them? Surely no. Again,

4. Will it not be a dishonor to thee to see the very boys and girls in the country have more wit than thyself? It may be the servants of some men, as the horsekeeper, plowman, scullion, &c., are more looking after heaven than their masters. I am apt to think sometimes that more servants than masters, that more tenants than landlords, will inherit the kingdom of heaven. But is not this a shame for those who are such? I am persuaded you scorn that your servants should say that they are wiser than you in the things of this world; and yet I am bold to say that many of them are wiser than you in the things of the world to come, which are of great concernment.

VIII. A SHORT EXPOSTULATION.

Well then, sinner, what sayest thou? Where is thy heart? Wilt thou run? Art thou resolved to strip? Or art thou not? Think quickly, man; it is no dallying in this matter. Confer not with flesh and blood; look up to heaven, and see how thou likest it; also to hell—of which thou mayst understand something by my book, called A Few Sighs from Hell; or the Groans of a damned Soul; which I wish thee to read seriously over—and accordingly devote thyself. If thou dost not know the way, inquire at the Word of God. If thou wantest company, cry for God's Spirit. If thou wantest encouragement, entertain the promises. But be sure thou begin by times; get into the way; run apace and hold out to the end; and the Lord give thee a prosperous journey. Farewell.

Works of John Bunyan: Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN. 1100

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

[VI. NINE USES OF THIS SUBJECT. Part 2]

The fifth use. Again, here you may see, in the next place, that is, they that will have heaven must run for it; then this calls aloud to those who began but a while since to run, I say, for them to mend their pace if they intend to win; you know that they which come hindmost, had need run fastest. Friend, I tell thee, there be those that have run ten years to thy one, nay, twenty to thy five, and yet if thou talk with them, sometimes they will say they doubt they shall come late enough. How then will it be with thee? Look to it, therefore, that thou delay no time, not an hour's time, but speedily part with all, with everything that is a hindrance to thee in thy journey, and run; yea, and so run that thou mayest obtain.

The sixth use. Again, sixthly, You that are old professors, take you heed that the young striplings of Jesus, that began to strip but the other day, do not outrun you, so as to have that scripture fulfilled on you, 'The first shall be last, and the last first'; which will be a shame to you, and a credit for them. What, for a young soldier to be more courageous than he that hath been used to wars! To you that are hindmost, I say, strive to outrun them that are before you; and you that are foremost, I say, hold your ground, and keep before them in faith and love, if possible; for indeed that is the right running, for one to strive to outrun another; even for the hindmost to endeavour to overtake the foremost, and he that is before should be sure to lay out himself to keep his ground, even to the very utmost. But then,

The seventh use. Again, How basely do they behave themselves, how unlike are they to win, that think it enough to keep company with the hindmost? There are some men that profess themselves such as run for heaven as well as any; yet if there be but any lazy, slothful, cold, half-hearted professors in the country, they will be sure to take example by them; they think if they can but keep pace with them they shall do fair; but these do not consider that the hindmost lose the prize. You may know it, if you will, that it cost the foolish virgins dear for their coming too late—' They that were ready went in with him, and the door was shut. Afterward, Mark, after came the other, the foolish, virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; but he answered and said, Depart, I know you not (Matt 25:10-12). Depart, lazy professors, cold professors, slothful professors. O! methinks the Word of God is so plain for the overthrow of you lazy professors, that it is to be wondered men do take no more notice of it. How was Lot's wife served for running lazily, and for giving but one look behind her, after the things she left in Sodom? How was Esau served for staying too long before he came for the blessing? And how were they served that are mentioned in the 13th of Luke, 'for staying till the door was shut?' Also, the foolish virgins, a heavy after-groan will they give that have thus stayed too long. It turned Lot's wife into a pillar of salt (Gen 19:26). It made Esau weep with an exceeding loud and bitter cry (Heb 12:17). It made Judas hang himself: yea, and it will make thee curse the day in which thou wast born, if thou miss of the kingdom, as thou wilt certainly do, if this be thy course. But,

The eighth use. Again, How, and if thou by thy lazy running shouldst not only destroy thyself, but also thereby be the cause of the damnation of some others, for thou being a professor thou must think that others will take notice of thee; and because thou art but a poor, cold, lazy runner, and one that seeks to drive the world and pleasure along with thee: why, thereby others will think of doing so too. Nay, say they, why may not we as well as he? He is a professor, and yet he seeks for pleasures, riches, profits; he loveth vain company, and he is proud, and he is so and so, and professeth that he is going for heaven; yea, and he saith also he doth not fear but he shall have entertainment; let us therefore keep pace with him, we shall fare no worse than he. O how fearful a thing will it be, if that thou shalt be instrumental of the ruin of others by thy halting in the way of righteousness! Look to it, thou wilt have strength little enough to appear before God, to give an account of the loss of thy own soul; thou needest not have to give an account for others; why, thou didst stop them from entering in. How wilt thou answer that saying, You would not enter in yourselves, and them that would you hinder; for that saying will be eminently fulfilled on them that through their own idleness do keep themselves out of heaven, and by giving of others the same example, hinder them also.

The ninth use. Therefore, now to speak a word to both of you, and so I shall conclude.

1. I beseech you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that none of you do run so lazily in the way to heaven as to hinder either yourselves or others. I know that even he which runs laziest, if he should see a man running for a temporal life, if he should so much neglect his own well-being in this world as to venture, when he is a-running for his life, to pick up here and there a lock of wool that hangeth by the way-side, or to step now and then aside out of the way for to gather up a straw or two, or any rotten stick, I say, if he should do this when he is a-running for his life, thou wouldst condemn him; and dost thou not condemn thyself that dost the very same in effect, nay worse, that loiterest in thy race, notwithstanding thy soul, heaven, glory, and all is at stake. Have a care, have a care, poor wretched sinner, have a care.

2. If yet there shall be any that, notwithstanding this advice, will still be flaggering and loitering in the way to the kingdom of glory, be thou so wise as not to take example by them. Learn of no man further than he followeth Christ. But look unto Jesus, who is not only 'the author and finisher of faith,' but who did, 'for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of God' (Heb 12:2). I say, look to no man to learn of him no further than he followeth Christ. 'Be ye followers of me,' saith Paul, 'even as I also am of Christ' (1 Cor 11:1). Though he was an eminent man, yet his exhortation was that none should follow him any further than he followed Christ.

Works of John Bunyan: Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN. 1099

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

[VI. NINE USES OF THIS SUBJECT.]

The first use. You see here that he who will go to heaven must run for it; yea, and not only run, but so run, that is, as I have said, to run earnestly, to run continually, to strip off everything that would hinder in his race with the rest. Well then, do you so run? And now let us examine a little.

1. Art thou got into the right way? Art thou in Christ's righteousness? Do not say yes in thy heart, when in truth there is no such matter. It is a dangerous thing, you know, for a man to think he is in the right way, when he is in the wrong. It is the next way for him to lose his way, and not only so, but if he runs for heaven, as thou sayst thou dost, even to lose that too. O, this is the misery of most men, to persuade themselves that they run right, when they never had one foot in the way! The Lord give thee understanding here, or else thou art undone for ever. Prithee, soul, search when was it thou turned from thy sins and into the righteousness of Jesus Christ. I say, dost thou see thyself in him? And is he more precious to thee than the whole world? Is thy mind always musing on him? Dost thou love to be talking of him—and also to be walking with him? Dost thou count his company more precious than the whole world? Dost thou count all things but poor, lifeless, empty, vain things, without communion with him? Doth his company sweeten all things—and his absence embitter all things? Soul, I beseech thee, be serious, and lay it to heart, and do not take things of such weighty concernment as the salvation or damnation of thy soul, without good ground.

2. Art thou unladen of the things of this world, as pride, pleasures, profits, lusts, vanities? What! dost thou think to run fast enough with the world, thy sins and lusts in thy heart? I tell thee, soul, they that have laid all aside, every weight, every sin, and are got into the nimblest posture, they find work enough to run; so to run as to hold out. To run through all that opposition, all these jostles, all these rubs, over all these stumbling-blocks, over all the snares from all these entanglements, that the devil, sin, the world, and their own hearts, lay before them; I tell thee, if thou art agoing heavenward, thou wilt find it no small or easy matter. Art thou therefore discharged and unladen of these things? Never talk of going to heaven if thou art not. It is to be feared thou wilt be found among the many that 'will seek to enter in, and shall not be able' (Luke 13:24).

The second use. If so, then, in the next place, what will become of them that are grown weary before they are got halfway thither? Why, man, it is he that holdeth out to the end that must be saved; it is he that overcometh that shall inherit all things; it is not every one that begins. Agrippa took a fair step; suddenly, he stepped almost into the bosom of Christ in less than half an hour. Thou, saith he to Paul, hast 'almost persuaded me to be a Christian' (Acts 26:26). Ah! But it was but almost; and so he had as good have been never a whit; he stepped fair indeed, but yet he stepped short; he was hot while he was at it, but he was quickly out of wind. OH, this but almost! I tell you, this but almost, it lost its soul. Methinks I have seen sometimes how these poor wretches that get but almost to heaven, how fearfully their almost, and their but almost, will torment them in hell; when they shall cry out in the bitterness of their souls, saying, I was almost a Christian. I was almost in the kingdom, almost out of the hands of the devil, almost out of my sins, almost from under the curse of God; almost, and that was all; almost, but not altogether. O that I should be almost at heaven, and should not go quite through! Friend, it is a sad thing to sit down before we are in heaven, and to grow weary before we come to the place of rest; and if it should be thy case, I am sure thou dost not so run as to obtain. But again,

The third use. In the next place, what then will become of them that some time since were running post-haste to heaven, insomuch that they seemed to outstrip many, but now are running as fast back again? Do you think those will ever come thither? What, to run back again, back again to sin, to the world, to the devil, back again to the lusts of the flesh? O! 'It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn,' to turn back again, 'from the holy commandment' (2 Peter 2:22). Those men shall not only be damned for sin, but for professing to all the world that sin is better than Christ; for the man that runs back again, he doth as good as say, 'I have tried Christ, and I have tried sin, and I do not find so much profit in Christ as in sin.' I say, this man declareth this, even by his running back again. O sad! What a doom they will have, who were almost at heaven's gates, and then run back again. 'If any draw back,' saith Christ [by his apostle], 'my soul shall have no pleasure in him' (Heb 10:38). Again, 'No man having put his hand to the plough,' that is, set forward, in the ways of God, 'and looking back,' turning back again, 'is fit for the kingdom of God' (Luke 9:62). And if not fit for the kingdom of heaven, then for certain he must needs be fit for the fire of hell. And therefore, saith the apostle, those that 'bring forth' these apostatizing fruits, as 'briars and thorns, are rejected, and nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned (Heb 6:8). OH, there is never another Christ to save them by bleeding and dying for them! And if they shall not escape that neglect, then how shall they escape that rejection and turn their back upon 'so great a salvation?' (Heb 2:3). And if the righteous, that is, they that run for it, will find work enough to get to heaven, 'then where will the ungodly' backsliding 'sinner appear?' or if Judas the traitor, or Francis Spira the backslider, were but now alive in the world to whisper these men in the ear a little, and tell them what it hath cost their souls for backsliding, surely it would stick by them and make them afraid of running back again, so long as they had one day to live in this world.

The fourth use. So again, fourthly, how unlike to these men's passions will those be that have all this while sat still, and have not so much as set one foot forward to the kingdom of heaven. Surely he that backslideth, and he that sitteth still in sin, they are both of one mind; the one he will not stir, because he loveth his sins, and the things of this world; the other he runs back again, because he loveth his sins, and the things of this world: is it not one and the same thing? They are all one here, and shall not one and the same hell hold them hereafter! He is an ungodly one that never looked after Christ, and he is an ungodly one that did once look after him and then ran quite back again; and therefore that word must certainly drop out of the mouth of Christ against them both, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels' (Matt 25:41).

Works of John Bunyan: Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN. 1098

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

[V. NINE MOTIVES TO URGE US ON IN THE WAY.]

The First Motive. Consider that there is no way but this, thou must either win or lose. If thou winnest, then heaven, God, Christ, glory, ease, peace, life, yea, life eternal, is thine; thou must be made equal to the angels in heaven; thou shalt sorrow no more, sigh no more, feel no more pain; thou shalt be out of the reach of sin, hell, death, the devil, the grave, and whatever else may endeavour thy hurt. But contrariwise, and if thou lose, then thy loss is heaven, glory, God, Christ, ease, peace, and whatever else which tendeth to make eternity comfortable to the saints; besides, thou procurest eternal death, sorrow, pain, blackness, and darkness, fellowship with devils, together with the everlasting damnation of thy own soul.

The Second Motive. Consider that this devil, this hell, death and damnation, followeth after thee as hard as they can drive, and have their commission so to do by the law, against which thou hast sinned; and therefore for the Lord's sake make haste.

The Third Motive. If they seize upon thee before thou get to the city of Refuge, they will put an everlasting stop to thy journey. This also cries, Run for it.

The Fourth Motive. Know also that now the gates of heaven, the heart of Christ, with his arms, are wide open to receive thee. O methinks that this consideration, that the devil followeth after to destroy, and that Christ standeth open-armed to receive, should make thee reach out and fly with all haste and speed! And therefore,

The Fifth Motive. Keep thine eye upon the prize; be sure that thy eyes be continually upon the profit thou art like to get. The reason why men are so apt to faint in their race for heaven lies chiefly in either of these two things:

1. They do not seriously consider the worth of the prize; or else if they do, they are afraid it is too good for them; but most lose heaven for want of considering the price and the worth of it. And therefore, that thou mayst not do the like, keep thine eye much upon the excellency, the sweetness, the beauty, the comfort, the peace, that is to be had there by those that win the prize. This was that which made the apostle run through anything; good report, evil report, persecution, affliction, hunger, nakedness, peril by sea, and peril by land, bonds, and imprisonments. Also it made others endure to be stoned, sawn asunder, to have their eyes bored out with augurs, their bodies broiled on gridirons, their tongues cut out of their mouths, boiled in cauldrons, thrown to the wild beasts, burned at the stakes, whipped at posts, and a thousand other fearful torments, 'while they looked not at the things which are seen,' as the things of this world, 'but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal' (2 Cor 4:18). O, this word 'eternal,' that was it that made them, that when they might have had deliverance, they would not accept of it; for they knew in the world to come they should have a better resurrection (Heb 11:35).

2. And do not let the thoughts of the rareness of the place make thee say in thy heart, This is too good for me; for I tell thee, heaven is prepared for whosoever will accept of it, and they shall be entertained with hearty good welcome. Consider, therefore, that as bad as thou hast got thither; thither went scrubbed, beggarly Lazarus, &c. Nay, it is prepared for the poor: 'Hearken, my beloved brethren,' saith James, take notice of it, 'Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom?' (James 2:5). Therefore, take heart and RUN, man. And,

The Sixth Motive. Think much of those that are gone before. First, how did they really get into the kingdom? Secondly, how safe are they in the arms of Jesus; would they be here again for a thousand worlds? Or if they were, would they be afraid that God would not welcome them? Thirdly, what would they judge of thee if they knew thy heart began to fail thee in thy journey, or thy sins began to allure thee, and to persuade thee to stop thy race? Would they not call thee a thousand fools? and say, O, that he did but see what we see, feel what we feel, and taste of the dainties that we taste of! O, if he were here one quarter of an hour, to behold, to see, to feel, to taste, and enjoy but the thousandth part of what we enjoy, what would he do? What would he suffer? What would he leave undone? Would he favor sin? Would he love this world below? Would he be afraid of friends, or shrink at the most fearful threatenings that the greatest tyrants could invent to give him? Nay, those who have had but a sight of these things by faith, when they have been as far off from them as heaven from earth, yet they have been able to say with a comfortable and merry heart, as the bird that sings in the spring, that this and more shall not keep them from running to heaven.

Sometimes, when my base heart hath been inclining to this world, and to loiter in my journey towards heaven, the very consideration of the glorious saints and angels in heaven, what they enjoy, and what low thoughts they have of the things of this world together, how they would befool me if they did but know that my heart was drawing back; [this] hath caused me to rush forward, to disdain these poor, low, empty, beggarly things, and to say to my soul, Come, soul, let us not be weary; let us see what this heaven is; let us even venture all for it, and try if that will quit the cost. Surely Abraham, David, Paul, and the rest of the saints of God were as wise as any are now, and yet they lost all for this glorious kingdom. O! therefore, throw away stinking lusts, follow after righteousness, love the Lord Jesus, devote thyself unto his fear, I'll warrant thee he will give thee a goodly recompense. Reader, what sayst thou to this? Art thou resolved to follow me? Nay, resolve if thou canst to get before me. 'So run, that ye may obtain.'

The Seventh Motive. To encourage thee a little farther, set to the work, and when thou hast run thyself down weary, then the Lord Jesus will take thee up, and carry thee. Is not this enough to make any poor soul begin his race? Thou, perhaps, criest, O but I am feeble, I am lame, &c.: well, but Christ hath a bosom; consider, therefore, when thou hast run thyself down weary, he will put thee in his bosom: 'He shall gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young' (Isa 40:11). This is the way that fathers take to encourage their children, saying: Run, sweet babe, while thou art weary, and then I will take thee up and carry thee. 'He will gather his lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.' When they are weary, they shall ride. The Eighth Motive. Or else he will convey new strength from heaven into thy soul, which will be as well—' The youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall; but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint' (Isa 40:30,31). What shall I say besides what hath already been said? Thou shalt have good and easy lodging, good and wholesome diet, the bosom of Christ to lie in, the joys of heaven to feed on. Shall I speak of the satiety and of the duration of all these? Verily, to describe them to the height is a work too hard for me to do.

The Ninth Motive. Again, methinks the very industry of the devil, and the industry of his servants, &c., should make you that have a desire to heaven and happiness to run apace. Why, the devil, he will lose no time, spare no pains, neither will his servants, both to seek the destruction of themselves and others: and shall not we be as industrious for our own salvation? Shall the world venture the damnation of their souls for a poor corruptible crown; and shall not we venture the loss of a few trifles for an eternal crown? Shall they venture the loss of eternal friends, as God to love, Christ to redeem, the Holy Spirit to comfort, heaven for habitation, saints and angels for company, and all this to get and hold communion with sin, and this world, and a few base, drunken, swearing, lying, covetous wretches, like themselves? And shall not we labor as hard, run as fast, seek as diligently, nay, a hundred times more diligently, for the company of these glorious eternal friends, though with the loss of such as these, nay, with the loss of ten thousand times better than these poor, low, base, contemptible things? Shall it be said on the last day, that wicked men made more haste to hell than you did make to heaven? That they spent more hours, days, and that early and late, for hell, than you spent for that which is ten thousand thousand of thousands times better? OH, let it not be so, but run with all might and main.

Thus, you see, I have here spoken something, though but little. Now I shall come to make some use and application of what hath been said, and so conclude.

Works of John Bunyan: Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN. 1097

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

The Ninth Direction. Beseech God that he would do these two things for thee: First, enlighten thine understanding. And, Second, inflame thy will. If these two be but effectually done, there is no fear but thou wilt go safe to heaven.

[First, Enlighten thine understanding.] One of the great reasons why men and women do so little to regard the other world is that they see so little of it. And the reason they see so little of it is that their understanding is darkened. And therefore, saith Paul, do not you believers 'walk as do other Gentiles, even in the vanity of their minds, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance,' or foolishness 'that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart' (Eph 4:17,18). Walk not as those, run not with them: alas, poor souls, they have their understandings darkened, their hearts blinded, and that is the reason they have such undervaluing thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the salvation of their souls. For when men do come to see the things of another world, what a God, what a Christ, what a heaven, and what an eternal glory there is to be enjoyed; also, when they see that it is possible for them to have a share in it, I tell you it will make them run through thick and thin to enjoy it.

Moses, having a sight of this, because his understanding was enlightened, he feared not the wrath of the king, but chose 'rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.' He refused to be called the son of the king's daughter; accounting it wonderful riches to be counted worthy of so much as to suffer for Christ, with the poor despised saints; and that was because he saw him who was invisible, and 'had respect unto the recompence of the reward' (Heb 11:24-27). And this is that which the apostle usually prayeth for in his epistles for the saints, namely, 'That they might know what is the hope of God's calling, and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints' (Eph 1:18). And that they might 'be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge' (Eph 3:18,19).

Pray therefore that God would enlighten thy understanding: that will be a very great help unto thee. It will make thee endure many a hard brunt for Christ; as Paul saith, 'After ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions. You took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance' (Heb 10:32-34).

If there be never such a rare jewel lie just in a man's way, yet if he sees it not, he will rather trample upon it than stoop for it, and it is because he sees it not. Why, so it is here, though heaven be worth never so much, and thou hast never so much need of it, yet if thou see it not, that is, have not thy understanding opened or enlightened to see it, thou wilt not regard at all: therefore cry to the Lord for enlightening grace, and say, Lord, open my blind eyes: Lord, take the vail off my dark heart, show me the things of the other world, and let me see the sweetness, glory, and excellency of them for Christ his sake. This is the first.

[Second, Inflame thy will.] Cry to God that he would inflame thy will also with the things of the other world. For when a man's will is fully set to do such or such a thing, then it must be a very hard matter that shall hinder that man from bringing about his end. When Paul's will was set resolvedly to go up to Jerusalem, though it was signified to him before what he should there suffer, he was not daunted at all; nay, saith he, 'I am ready,' or willing, 'not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus' (Acts 21:13). His will was inflamed with love to Christ; and therefore all the persuasions that could be used wrought nothing at all.

Your self-willed people, nobody knows what to do with them; we used to say, He will have his own will, do all that you can. Indeed to have such a will for heaven, is an admirable advantage to a man that undertaketh the race thither; a man that is resolved, and hath his will fixed, saith he, I will do my best to advantage myself; I will do my worst to hinder my enemies; I will not give out as long as I can stand; I will have it or I will lose my life; 'though he slay me yet will I trust in him' (Job 13:15). 'I will not let thee go except thou bless me' (Gen 32:26). I WILL, I WILL, I WILL, O this blessed inflamed will for heaven! What is it like? If a man be willing, then any argument shall be matter of encouragement; but if unwilling, then any argument shall give discouragement; this is seen both in saints and sinners; in them that are the children of God, and also those that are the children of the devil. As,

1. The saints of old, they being willing and resolved for heaven, what could stop them? Could fire or faggot, sword or halter, stinking dungeons, whips, bears, bulls, lions, cruel rackings, stoning, starving, nakedness, &c. (Heb 11). 'Nay, in all these things they were more than conquerors, through him that loved them' (Rom 8:37); who had also made them 'willing in the day of his power.'

2. See again, on the other side, the children of the devil, because they are not willing [to run to heaven], how many shifts and starting-holes they will have. I have married a wife, I have a farm, I shall offend my landlord, I shall offend my master, I shall lose my trading, I shall lose my pride, my pleasures, I shall be mocked and scoffed, therefore I dare not come. I, saith another, will stay till I am older, till my children are out of sight, till I am got a little aforehand in the world, till I have done this and that, and the other business; but alas, the thing is, they are not willing; for were they but soundly willing, these, and a thousand such as these, would hold them no faster than the cords held Samson when he broke them like burned flax (Judg 15:14).

I tell you the will is all: that is one of the chief things which turns the wheel either backward or forwards; and God knoweth that full well, and so likewise doth the devil; and therefore they both endeavor very much to strengthen the will of their servants. God, he is for making of his a willing people to serve him; and the devil, he doth what he can to possess the will and affection of those that are his, with love to sin; and therefore when Christ comes close to the matter, indeed, saith he, 'Ye will not come to me' (John 5:40). 'How often would I have gathered you as a hen doth her chickens, and ye would not' (Luke 13:34).

The devil had possessed their wills, and as long as he was sure enough of them. O therefore cry hard to God to inflame thy will for heaven and Christ: thy will, I say, if that be rightly set for heaven, thou wilt not be beat off with discouragements; and this was the reason that, when Jacob wrestled with the angel, though he lost a limb, as it were, and the hollow of his thigh was put out of joint, as he wrestled with him, yet, saith he, 'I will not,' mark, 'I WILL NOT let thee go except thou bless me' (Gen 32:24-26). Get thy will tipped with the heavenly grace, and resolution against all discouragements, and then thou goest full speed for heaven; but if thou falter in thy will, and be not found there, thou wilt run hobbling and halting all the way thou runnest, and also, to be sure, thou wilt fall short at the last. The Lord give thee a will and courage!

Thus have I done with directing thee how to run to the kingdom; be sure thou keep in memory what I have said unto thee, lest thou lose thy way. But because I would have thee think of them, take all in short in this little bit of paper.

1. Get into the way. 2. Then study it. 3. Then strip and lay aside everything that would hinder. 4. Beware of by-paths. 5. Do not gaze and stare too much about thee, and be sure to ponder the path of thy feet. 6. Do not stop for any that call after thee, whether it be the world, the flesh, or the devil; for all these will hinder thy journey, if possible. 7. Be not daunted with any discouragements thou meetest with as thou goest. 8. Take heed of stumbling at the cross. 9. Cry hard to God for an enlightened heart and a willing mind, and God will give you a prosperous journey. Yet before I do quite take my leave of thee, let me give thee a few motives along with thee. It may be they will be as good as a pair of spurs to prick on thy lumpish heart in this rich voyage.

Works of John Bunyan: Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN. 1096

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

How thou mayest know the cross by these six things. 1. It is known in the doctrine of justification. 2. In the doctrine of mortification. 3. In the doctrine of perseverance. 4. In self-denial. 5. Patience. 6. Communion with poor saints.

1. In the doctrine of justification, there is a great deal of the cross in that: a man is forced to suffer the destruction of his own righteousness for the righteousness of another. This is no easy matter for a man to do; I assure you it stretches every vein in his heart before he will be brought to yield to it. What, for a man to deny, reject, abhor, and throw away all his prayers, tears, alms, keeping of sabbaths, hearing, reading, with the rest, in the point of justification, and to count them accursed; and to be willing, in the very midst of the sense of his sins, to throw himself wholly upon the righteousness and obedience of another man, abhorring his own, counting it as deadly sin, as the open breach of the law; I say, to do this in deed and in truth, is the biggest piece of the cross; and therefore Paul calleth this very thing a suffering; where he saith, 'And I have SUFFERED the loss of all things,' which principally was his righteousness, 'that I might win Christ, and be found in him, not having,' but rejecting, 'mine own righteousness' (Phil 3:8,9). That is the first.

2. In the doctrine of mortification, there is also much of the cross. Is it nothing for a man to lay hands on his vile opinions, on his vile sins, on his bosom sins, on his beloved, pleasant, darling sins, that stick as close to him as the flesh sticketh to the bones? What, to lose all these brave things that my eyes behold, for that which I never saw with my eyes? What, to lose my pride, my covetousness, my vain company, sports, and pleasures, and the rest? I tell you this is no easy matter; if it were, what need all those prayers, sighs, watchings? Why do we need to be so backward about it? Nay, do you not see that some men, before they will set about this work, will even venture the loss of their souls, heaven, God, Christ, and all? What else do all those delays and put-offs say: "Stay a little longer; I am loath to leave my sins while I am so young and in health"? Again, what other reason is there that others do it so by halves, coldly and seldom, notwithstanding they are convinced over and over; nay, and also promise to amend, and yet all's in vain? I will assure you, to cut off right hands, and to pluck out right eyes, is no pleasure to the flesh.

3. The doctrine of perseverance is also cross to the flesh; which is not only to begin, but to hold out, not only to bid fair, and to say, Would I had heaven, but so to know Christ, to put on Christ, and walk with Christ as to come to heaven. Indeed, it is no great matter to begin to look for heaven, to begin to seek the Lord, to begin to shun sin. OH, but it is a very great matter to continue with God's approbation! 'My servant Caleb,' saith God, is a man of 'another spirit, he hath followed me,' followed me always, he hath continually followed me, 'fully, he shall possess the land' (Num 14:24). Almost all the many thousands of the children of Israel in their generation, fell short of perseverance when they walked from Egypt towards the land of Canaan. Indeed, they went to work at first pretty willingly, but they were very short-winded, quickly out of breath, and in their hearts they turned back again into Egypt.

It is an easy matter for a man to run hard for a spurt, for a furlong, for a mile or two; O, but to hold out for a hundred, for a thousand, for ten thousand miles: that man that doth this, he must look to meet with cross, pain, and wearisomeness to the flesh, especially if as he goeth he meeteth with briars and quagmires, and other incumbrances, that make his journey so much the more painfuller.

Nay, do you not see with your eyes daily that perseverance is a very great part of the cross? Why else do men so soon grow weary? I could point out a many, that after they have followed the ways of God about a twelvemonth, others it may be two, three, or four, some more, and some less years, they have been beat out of wind, have taken up their lodging and rest before they have got half-way to heaven, some in this, and some in that sin; and have secretly, nay, sometimes openly said, that the way is too strait, the race too long, the religion too holy, and cannot hold out, I can go no farther.

4, 5, 6. And so likewise of the other three, to wit, patience, self-denial, communion, and communication with and to the poor saints. How hard are these things? It is an easy matter to deny another man, but it is not so easy a matter to deny one's self; to deny myself out of love to God, to his gospel, to his saints, of this advantage, and of that gain; nay, of that which otherwise I might lawfully do, were it not for offending them. That scripture is but seldom read, and seldomer put in practice, which saith, 'I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, if it make my brother to offend' (1 Cor 8:13). Again, 'We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves' (Rom 15:1). But how froward, how hasty, how peevish, and self-resolved are the generality of professors at this day! Also, how little considering the poor, unless it be to say, Be thou warmed and filled! But to give is a seldom work; also especially to give to any poor (Gal 6:10). I tell you all things are cross to flesh and blood; and that man that hath but a watchful eye over the flesh, and also some considerable measure of strength against it, he shall find his heart in these things like unto a starting horse, that is rid without a curbing bridle, ready to start at everything that is offensive to him; yea, and ready to run away too, do what the rider can.

It is the cross which keepeth those that are kept from heaven. I am persuaded, were it not for the cross, where we have one professor, we should have twenty; but this cross, that is it which spoileth all.

Some men, as I said before, when they come to the cross, they can go no farther, but back again to their sins they must go. Others stumble at it and break their necks; others, again, when they see the cross approaching, turn aside to the left or to the right, and so think to get to heaven another way, but they will be deceived. 'Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL,' mark, shall be sure to 'suffer persecution' (2 Tim 3:12). There are but few when they come at the cross, cry, 'Welcome cross,' as some of the martyrs did to the stake they were burned at. Therefore, if thou meet with the cross in thy journey, in what manner soever it be, be not daunted, and say, Alas, what shall I do now! But rather take courage, knowing that by the cross is the way to the kingdom. Can a man believe in Christ and not be hated by the devil? Can he make a profession of this Christ, and that sweetly and convincingly, and the children of Satan hold their tongue? Can darkness agree with light? Or the devil endure that Christ Jesus should be honored both by faith and a heavenly conversation, and let that soul alone in quiet? Did you never read that 'the dragon persecuteth the woman?' (Rev 12). And that Christ saith, 'In the world ye shall have tribulation' (John 16:33).

Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN:1095

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

The Fifth Direction. Do not thou be too much in looking too high in thy journey heavenwards. You know men who run in a race do not use to stare and gaze this way and that, neither do they use to cast up their eyes too high, lest, happily, through their too much gazing with their eyes after other things, they in the meantime stumble and catch a fall. The very same case is this; if thou gaze and stare after every opinion and way that comes into the world; also if thou be prying overmuch into God's secret decrees, or let thy heart too much entertain questions about some nice foolish curiosities, thou mayst stumble and fall, as many hundreds in England have done, both in Ranting and Quakery, to their own eternal overthrow; without the marvellous operation of God's grace be suddenly stretched forth to bring them back again. Take heed, therefore, follow not that proud and lofty spirit, that, devil-like, cannot be content with his own station. David was of an excellent spirit where he saith, 'Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child' (Psa 131:1,2). Do thou SO RUN.

The Sixth Direction. Take heed that you have not an ear open to every one that calleth after you as you are in your journey. Men that run, you know, if any do call after them, saying, I would speak with you, or go not too fast, and you shall have my company with you, if they run for some great matter, they use to say, Alas, I cannot stay, I am in haste, pray talk not to me now; neither can I stay for you, I am running for a wager: if I win I am made, if I lose I am undone, and therefore hinder me not. Thus wise are men when they run for corruptible things, and thus should thou do, and thou hast more cause to do so than they, forasmuch as they run but for things that last not, but thou for an incorruptible glory. I give thee notice of this betimes, knowing that thou shalt have enough call after thee, even the devil, sin, this world, vain company, pleasures, profits, esteem among men, ease, pomp, pride, together with an innumerable company of such companions; one crying, Stay for me; the other saying, Do not leave me behind; a third saying, And take me along with you. What, will you go, saith the devil, without your sins, pleasures, and profits? Are you so hasty? Can you not stay and take these along with you? Will you leave your friends and companions behind you? Can you not do as your neighbors do, carry the world, sin, lust, pleasure, profit, esteem among men, along with you? Have a care, thou do not let thine ear now be open to the tempting, enticing, alluring, and soul-entangling flatteries of such sink-souls as these are. 'My son,' saith Solomon, 'if sinners entice thee, consent thou not' (Prov 1:10).

You know what it cost the young man which Solomon speaks of in the 7th of the Proverbs, that was enticed by a harlot, 'With her much fair speech she' won him, and 'caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him,' till he went after her 'as an ox to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks'; even so far, 'till the dart struck through his liver, and knew not that it was for his life. Hearken unto me now therefore,' saith he, 'O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth, let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths, for she hath cast down many wounded, yea, many strong men have been slain by her,' that is, kept out of heaven by her, 'her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.' Soul, take this counsel and say, Satan, sin, lust, pleasure, profit, pride, friends, companions, and everything else, let me alone, stand off, come not nigh me, for I am running for heaven, for my soul, for God, for Christ, from hell and everlasting damnation: if I win, I win all, and if I lose, I lose all; let me alone, for I will not hear. SO RUN.

The Seventh Direction. In the next place, be not daunted though thou meetest with never so many discouragements in thy journey thither. That man that is resolved for heaven, if Satan cannot win him by flatteries, he will endeavour to weaken him by discouragements; saying, thou art a sinner, thou hast broke God's law, thou art not elected, thou comest too late, the day of grace is past, God doth not care for thee, thy heart is naught, thou art lazy, with a hundred other discouraging suggestions. And thus it was with David, where he said, 'I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living' (Psa 27:13,14). As if he should say, the devil did so rage and my heart was so base, that had I judged according to my own sense and feeling, I had been absolutely distracted; but I trusted to Christ in the promise, and looked that God would be as good as his promise, in having mercy upon me, an unworthy sinner; and this is that which encouraged me, and kept me from fainting. And thus must thou do when Satan, or the law, or thy own conscience, do go about to dishearten thee, either by the greatness of thy sins, the wickedness of thy heart, the tediousness of the way, the loss of outward enjoyments, the hatred that thou wilt procure from the world, or the like; then thou must encourage thyself with the freeness of the promises, the tender-heartedness of Christ, the merits of his blood, the freeness of his invitations to come in, the greatness of the sin of others that have been pardoned, and that the same God, through the same Christ, holdeth forth the same grace free as ever. If these be not thy meditations, thou wilt draw very heavily in the way to heaven, if thou do not give up all for lost, and so knock off from following any farther; therefore, I say, take heart in thy journey, and say to them that seek thy destruction, 'Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, when I fall I shall arise, when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me' (Micah 7:8). SO RUN.

The Eighth Direction. Take heed of being offended at the cross that thou must go by, before thou come to heaven. You must understand, as I have already touched on, that no man goeth to heaven but he must go by the cross. The cross is the standing way-mark by which all they that go to glory must pass by. 'We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God' (Acts 14:22). 'Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution' (2 Tim 3:12). If thou art in the way to the kingdom, my life for thine thou wilt come at the cross shortly—the Lord grant thou dost not shrink at it, so as to turn thee back again. 'If any man will come after me,' saith Christ, 'let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me' (Luke 9:23). The cross it stands, and hath stood, from the beginning, as a way-mark to the kingdom of heaven. You know if one asks you the way to such and such a place, you, for the better direction, do not only say, this is the way, but then also say, you must go by such a gate, by such a style, such a bush, tree, bridge, or such like. Why, so it is here; art thou inquiring the way to heaven? Why, I tell thee, Christ is the way; into him thou must get, into his righteousness, to be justified; and if thou art in him, thou wilt presently see the cross, thou must go close by it, thou must touch it, nay, thou must take it up, or else thou wilt quickly go out of the way that leads to heaven, and turn up some of those crooked lanes that lead down to the chambers of death.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN:1094

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

Only by the way, let me bid thee have a care of two things, and so I shall pass to the next thing.

I. Have a care of relying on the outward obedience to any of God's commands, or thinking thyself ever the better in the sight of God for that. 2. Take heed of fetching peace for thy soul from any inherent righteousness; but if thou canst believe that as thou art a sinner, so thou art justified freely by the love of God, through the redemption that is in Christ; and that God for Christ's sake hath forgiven thee, not because he saw any thing done, or to be done, in or by thee, to move him thereunto to do it; for that is the right way; the Lord put thee into it, and keep thee in it.

The Second Direction. As thou shouldst get into the way, so thou shouldst also be much in studying and musing on the way. You know men who would be experts in anything; they are usually very knowledgeable about that thing, and so likewise is it with those who quickly grow expert in any way. This therefore thou shouldst do; let thy study be much exercised about Christ, which is the way; what he is, what he hath done, and why he is what he is, and why he hath done what is done; as, why 'He took upon him the form of a servant,' why he 'was made in the likeness of men' (Phil 2:7). Why he cried; why he died; why he bear the sin of the world; why he was made sin, and why he was made righteousness; why he is in heaven in the nature of man, and what he doth there? (2 Cor 5:21).

Be much in musing and considering of these things; be thinking also enough of those places which thou must not come near, but leave some on this hand, and some on that hand; as it is with those that travel into other countries, they must leave such a gate on this hand, and such a bush on that hand, and go by such a place, where standeth such a thing. Thus, therefore, thou must do: Avoid such things which are expressly forbidden in the Word of God. 'Withdraw thy foot far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house, for her steps take hold on hell, going down to the chambers of death' (Prov 5, 7). And so of everything that is not in the way, have a care of it, that thou go not by it; come not near it, have nothing to do with it. SO RUN.

The Third Direction. Not only thus, but, in the next place, thou must strip thyself of those things that may hang upon thee to the hindering of thee in the way to the kingdom of heaven, as covetousness, pride, lust, or whatever else thy heart may be inclining unto, which may hinder thee in this heavenly race. Men who run for a wager, if they intend to win as well as run, do not encumber themselves or carry about them things that may hinder them in their running. 'Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things' (1 Cor 9:25), that is, he layeth aside every thing that would be any ways a disadvantage to him; as saith the apostle, 'Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us' (Heb 12:1).

It is but a vain thing to talk of going to heaven, if thou let thy heart be encumbered with those things that would hinder. Would you not say that such a man would be in danger of losing, though he run, if he fills his pockets with stones, hangs heavy garments on his shoulders, and great, lumpish shoes on his feet? So it is here; thou talkest of going to heaven, and yet fillest thy pocket with stones, i.e., fillest thy heart with this world, lettest that hang on thy shoulders, with its profits and pleasures. Alas, alas, thou art widely mistaken! If thou intendest to win, thou must strip, thou must lay aside every weight, thou must be temperate in all things. Thou must SO RUN.

The Fourth Direction. Beware of by-paths; take heed thou dost not turn into those lanes which lead out of the way. There are crooked paths, paths in which men go astray, paths that lead to death and damnation, but take heed of all those (Isa 59:8). Some of them are dangerous because of practice (Prov 7:25); some because of opinion, but mind them not; mind the path before thee, look right before thee, turn neither to the right hand nor to the left, but let thine eyes look right on, even right before thee (Prov 3:17). 'Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Remove thy foot far from evil' (Prov 4:26,27). This counsel, being not so seriously taken as given, is the reason for that starting from opinion to opinion, reeling this way and that way, out of this lane into that lane, and so missing the way to the kingdom.

Though the way to heaven be but one, yet there are many crooked lanes and by-paths that shoot down upon it, as I may say. And again, notwithstanding the kingdom of heaven be the biggest city, yet usually those by-paths are most beaten, most travelers go those ways; and therefore the way to heaven is hard to be found, and as hard to be kept in, by reason of these. Yet, nevertheless, it is in this case as it was with the harlot of Jericho; she had one scarlet thread tied in her window, by which her house was known (John 2:18). So it is here, the scarlet streams of Christ's blood run throughout the way to the kingdom of heaven.

Therefore mind that, see if thou do find the besprinkling of the blood of Christ in the way, and if thou do, be of good cheer, thou art in the right way; but have a care thou beguile not thyself with a fancy, for then thou mayst light into any lane or way; but that thou mayst not be mistaken, consider, though it seem never so pleasant, yet if thou do not find that in the very middle of the road there is writing with the heart-blood of Christ, that he came into the world to save sinners, and that we are justified, though we are ungodly; shun that way; for this it is which the apostle meaneth when he saith, We have 'boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh' (Heb 10:19,20).

How easy a matter is it in this our day, for the devil to be too cunning for poor souls, by calling his by-paths the way to the kingdom! If such an opinion or fancy be but cried up by one or more, this inscription being set upon it by the devil, 'This is the way of God,' how speedily, greedily, and by heaps, do poor simple souls throw away themselves upon it; especially if it be daubed over with a few external acts of morality, if so good. But this is because men do not know the by-paths painted from the plain way to the kingdom of heaven. They have not yet learned the true Christ and what his righteousness is; neither do they have a sense of their own insufficiency, but are bold, proud, presumptuous, self-conceited. And therefore.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN:1093

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

Fourth, they that will go to heaven must run for it; because, as the way is long, so the time in which they are to get to the end of it is very uncertain; the time present is the only time; thou hast no more time allotted thee than that thou now enjoyest. 'Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth' (Prov 27:1). Do not say, I have time enough to get to heaven seven years hence; for I tell thee, the bell may toll for thee before seven days more be ended; and when death comes, away thou must go, whether thou art provided or not; and therefore look to it; make no delays; it is not good dallying with things of so great concernment as the salvation or damnation of thy soul. You know he that hath a great way to go in a little time, and less by half than he thinks of, he had need RUN for it.

Fifth, they who will have heaven must run for it, because the devil, the law, sin, death, and hell follow them. There is never a poor soul that is going to heaven, but the devil, the law, sin, death, and hell make after that soul. 'Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour' (1 Peter 5:8). And I will assure you, the devil is nimble, he can run apace, he is light of foot, he hath overtaken many, he hath turned up their heels, and hath given them an everlasting fall. Also, the law, which can shoot a great way, has a care, thou keep out of the reach of those great guns, the Ten Commandments. Hell also hath a wide mouth; it can stretch itself further than you are aware of. And as the angel said to Lot, Take heed, look not behind thee, neither tarry thou in all the plain,' that is, anywhere between this and heaven, 'lest thou be consumed' (Gen 19:17). So say I to thee, Take heed, tarry not, lest either the devil, hell, death, or the fearful curses of the law of God, do overtake thee, and throw thee down in the midst of thy sins, so as never to rise and recover again. If this were well considered, then thou, as well as I, wouldst say, They that will have heaven must run for it.

Sixth, those who will go to heaven must run for it, because perchance the gates of heaven may be shut shortly. Sometimes sinners have not heaven-gates open to them so long as they suppose; and if they be once shut against a man, they are so heavy, that all the men in the world, nor all the angels in heaven, are not able to open them. I shut, 'and no man openeth,' saith Christ. And how if thou shouldst come but one quarter of an hour too late? I tell thee, it will cost thee an eternity to bewail thy misery. Francis Spira can tell thee what it is to stay till the gate of mercy be quite shut; or to run so lazily, that they be shut before thou get within them. What, to be shut out! What, out of heaven! Sinner, rather than lose it, run for it; yea, and 'so run that thou mayst obtain.'

Seventh, Lastly, Because if thou lose, thou losest all, thou losest soul, God, Christ, heaven, ease, peace, &c. Besides, thou layest thyself open to all the shame, contempt, and reproach that either God, Christ, saints, the world, sin, the devil, or all can lay upon thee. As Christ saith of the foolish builder, so will I say of thee, if thou be such a one who runs and missest; I say, even all that go by will begin to mock at thee, saying, This man began to run well, but was not able to finish (Luke 14:28-30). But more of this anon.

Quest. But how should a poor soul run? For this very thing is that which afflicteth me sore, as you say, to think that I may run, and yet fall short. Methinks to fall short at last, O, it fears me greatly. Pray tell me, therefore, how I should run.

Answ. That thou mightest indeed be satisfied in this particular, consider the following things.

[IV. NINE DIRECTIONS HOW TO RUN]

The First Direction. If thou wouldst so run as to obtain the kingdom of heaven, then be sure that thou get into the way that leadeth thither. For it is a vain thing to think that ever thou shalt have the prize, though thou runnest never so fast, unless thou art in the way that leads to it. Set the case, that there should be a man in London that was to run to York for a wager; now, though he run never so swiftly, yet if he run full south, he might run himself quickly out of breath, and be never the nearer the prize, but rather the further off. Just so is it here; it is not simply the runner, nor yet the hasty runner, that winneth the crown, unless he be in the way that leadeth thereto. I have observed, in the little time which I have been a professor, that there is a great running to and fro, some this way, and some that way, yet it is to be feared most of them are out of the way, and then, though they run as swift as the eagle can fly, they are benefited nothing at all.

Here is one runs a-quaking, another a-ranting; one again runs after the Baptism, and another after the Independency. Here is one for free will, and another for Presbytery; and yet possibly most of all these sects run quite the wrong way, and yet every one is for his life, his soul, either for heaven or hell.

If thou now say, Which is the way? I tell thee it is CHRIST, THE SON OF MARY, THE SON OF GOD, Jesus saith, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me' (John 14:6). So then thy business is, if thou wouldst have salvation, to see if Christ be thine, with all his benefits; whether he hath covered thee with his righteousness, whether he hath showed thee that thy sins are washed away with his heart-blood, whether thou art planted into him, and whether thou have faith in him, so as to make a life out of him, and to conform thee to him. That is, such faith as to conclude that thou art righteous, because Christ is thy righteousness, and so constrained to walk with him as the joy of thy heart, because he saveth thy soul. And for the Lord's sake take heed, and do not deceive thyself, and think thou art in the way upon too slight grounds; for if thou miss of the way, thou wilt miss of the prize; and if thou miss of that, I am sure thou wilt lose thy soul, even that soul which is worth more than the whole world.

But I have treated more largely on this in my book of the two covenants, and therefore shall pass it now; only I beseech thee to have a care of thy soul, and that thou mayest so do, take this counsel: Mistrust thy own strength, and throw it away; down on thy knees in prayer to the Lord for the spirit of truth; search his word for direction; fly seducers' company; keep company with the soundest Christians, that have most experience of Christ; and be sure thou have a care of Quakers, Ranters, Freewillers; also do not have too much company with some Anabaptists, though I go under that name myself. I tell thee this is such a serious matter, and I fear thou wilt so little regard it, that the thoughts of the worth of the thing, and of thy too light regarding of it, doth even make my heart ache whilst I am writing to thee. The Lord teach thee the way by his Spirit, and then I am sure thou wilt know it. SO RUN.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN:1092

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN

'So run, that ye may obtain.'—1 Corinthians 9:24.

Heaven and happiness is that which every one desireth, insomuch that wicked Balaam could say, 'Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his' (Num 23:10). Yet for all this, there are but very few that do obtain that ever-to-be-desired glory, insomuch that many eminent professors drop short of a welcome from God into his pleasant place.

The apostle, therefore, because he did desire the salvation of the souls of the Corinthians, to whom he writes this epistle, layeth them down in these words, such counsel, which if taken, would be for their help and advantage. First, not to be wicked, and sit still, and wish for heaven; but TO RUN for it. Second, Not to content themselves with every kind of running; but, saith he, 'So RUN, that ye may obtain.' As if he should say, "Some, because they would not lose their souls, they begin to run betimes" (Eccl 12:1); "they run apace, they run with patience" (Heb 12:1); "they run the right way" (Matt 14:26). Do you so run? Some run from both father and mother, friends and companions, so that they may have the crown. Do you so run? Some run through temptations, afflictions, good report, evil report, that they may win the pearl (1 Cor 4:13; 2 Cor 6). Do you so run? 'So run that ye may obtain.'

These words are taken from men's running for a wager: a very apt similitude to set before the eyes of the saints of the Lord. 'Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.' That is, not only run, but be sure you win as well. 'So run, that ye may obtain.'

I shall not need to make any great ado in opening the words at this time, but shall rather lay down one doctrine that I do find in them; and in prosecuting that, I shall show you, in some measure, the scope of the words.

[I. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TEXT.]

The doctrine is this: THEY THAT WILL HAVE HEAVEN, MUST RUN FOR IT; I say, they that will have heaven, they must run for it. I beseech you to heed it well. 'Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run ye.' The prize is heaven, and if you want it, you must run for it. You have another scripture for this in the 12th of the Hebrews, the 1st, 2d, and 3rd verses: 'Wherefore seeing we also,' saith the apostle, 'are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.' And LET US RUN, saith he. Again, saith Paul, 'I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I,' &c.

[II. THE WORD RUN OPENED.]

But before I go any further, observe,

First—FLYING—That this running is not an ordinary, or any sort of running, but it is to be understood of the swiftest sort of running; and therefore in the 6th of the Hebrews it is called 'a fleeing'; that 'we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us.' Mark, 'who have fled.' It is taken from that 20th of Joshua, concerning the man that was to flee to the city of refuge, when the avenger of blood was hard at his heels, to take vengeance on him for the offense he had committed; therefore, it is a RUNNING or FLYING for one's life. A running with all might and main, as we used to say. So run!

Second—PRESSING—this running in another place is called pressing. 'I press toward the mark' (Phil 3:14); which signifieth, that they that will have heaven, they must not stick at any difficulties they meet with; but press, crowd, and thrust through all that may stand between heaven and their souls. So run!

Third—CONTINUING—this running is called in another place, 'a continuing in the way of life. If ye continue in the faith grounded, and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel' of Christ (Col 1:23). Not to run a little now and then, by fits and starts, or half-way, or almost thither; but to run for my life, to run through all difficulties, and to continue therein to the end of the race, which must be to the end of my life. 'So run, that ye may obtain.'

[III. SEVERAL REASONS FOR CLEARING THIS DOCTRINE.]

And the reasons for this point are these,

First. Because all or every one that runneth doth not obtain the prize; there be many that do run, yea, and run far too, who yet miss of the crown that standeth at the end of the race. You know that not all who run in a race obtain the victory; they all run, but one wins. And so it is here; it is not everyone that runneth, nor everyone that seeketh, nor everyone that striveth for the mastery, that hath it (Luke 13). Though a man do strive for the mastery, saith Paul, 'yet he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully'; that is, unless he so run, and so strive, as to have God's approbation (2 Tim 2:5). What, do you think that every heavy-heeled professor will have heaven? What, every lazy one; every wanton and foolish professor, that will be stopped by anything, kept back by anything, that scarce runneth so fast heaven-ward as a snail creepeth on the ground? Nay, there are some professors who do not go on so fast in the way of God as a snail doth go on the wall; and yet these think that heaven and happiness are for them. But stay, there are many more that run than there are that obtain; therefore, he that will have heaven must RUN for it.

Second, because you know that though a man does run, yet if he does not overcome, or win, as well as run, what will he be the better for his running? He will get nothing. You know the man that runneth, he doth do it that he may win the prize; but if he doth not obtain, he doth lose his labor, spend his pains and time, and that to no purpose; I say, he getteth nothing. And ah! how many such runners will there be found on the day of judgment! Even multitudes, multitudes that have run, yea, run so far as to come to heaven gates, and not able to get any further, but there stand knocking, when it is too late, crying, Lord, Lord, when they have nothing but rebukes for their pains. Depart from me, you come not here, you come too late, you run too lazily; the door is shut. 'When once the master of the house is risen up,' saith Christ, 'and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, I will say, I know ye not, Depart,' &c. (Luke 13:25). O sad will the estate of those be that run and miss; therefore, if you will have heaven, you must run for it; and 'so run that ye may obtain.'

Third, Because the way is long (I speak metaphorically), and there is many a dirty step, many a high hill, much work to do, a wicked heart, world, and devil, to overcome; I say, there are many steps to be taken by those that intend to be saved, by running or walking, in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham. Out of Egypt, thou must go through the Red Sea; thou must run a long and tedious journey, through the vast howling wilderness, before thou comest to the land of promise.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN:1091

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

AN EPISTLE TO ALL THE SLOTHFUL AND CARELESS PEOPLE.

Friends,

Solomon saith, that 'The desire of the slothful killeth him'; and if so, what will slothfulness itself do to those that entertain it? (Prov 21:25). The proverb is, 'He that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame' (Prov 10:5). And this I dare be bold to say, no greater shame can befall a man than to see that he hath fooled away his soul, and sinned away eternal life. And I am sure this is the next way to do it; namely, to be slothful; slothful, I say, in the work of salvation. The vineyard of the slothful man, in reference to the things of this life, is not fuller of briars, nettles, and stinking weeds than he that is slothful, for heaven hath his heart full of heart-choking and soul-damning sin.

Slothfulness hath these two evils: First, To neglect the time in which it should be getting of heaven; and by that means doth, in the Second place, bring in untimely repentance. I will warrant you that he who shall lose his soul in this world through slothfulness will have no cause to be glad thereat when he comes to hell.

Slothfulness is usually accompanied by carelessness, and carelessness is for the most part begotten by senselessness; and senselessness doth again put fresh strength into slothfulness, and by this means the soul is left remediless.

Slothfulness shutteth out Christ; slothfulness shameth the soul
(Cant 5:2-4; Prov 13:4).

Slothfulness is condemned even by the feeblest of all the creatures. 'Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise (Prov 6:6). The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold' (20:4); that is, he will not break up the fallow ground of his heart, because there must be some pains taken by him that will do it; 'therefore shall he beg in harvest,' that is, when the saints of God shall have their glorious heaven and happiness given to them; but the sluggard shall 'have nothing,' that is, be never the better for his crying for mercy, according to that in Matthew 25:10-12.

If you would know a sluggard in the things of heaven, compare him with one that is slothful in the things of this world. As 1. He that is slothful is loth to set about the work he should follow: so is he that is slothful for heaven. 2. He that is slothful is one that is willing to make delays: so is he that is slothful for heaven. 3. He that is a sluggard, any small matter that cometh in between, he will make it a sufficient excuse to keep him off from plying his work: so it is also with him that is slothful for heaven. 4. He that is slothful doth his work by halves; and so it is with him that is slothful for heaven. He may almost, but he shall never altogether obtain perfection of deliverance from hell; he may almost, but he shall never, unless he mend, be altogether a saint. 5. They that are slothful do usually lose the season in which things are to be done, and thus it is also with them that are slothful for heaven; they miss the season of grace. And therefore, 6. They that are slothful have seldom or never good fruit: so also it will be with the soul-sluggard. 7. They that are slothful, they are chid for the same: so also will Christ deal with those that are not active for him. Thou wicked or slothful servant, out of thine own mouth will I judge thee; thou saidst I was thus, and thus, wherefore then gavest not thou my money to the bank? &c. (Luke 19:22). Take the unprofitable servant, and cast him into utter darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 25:26-30).

WHAT SHALL I SAY? Time runs; and will you be slothful? Much of your lives are past; and will you be slothful? Your souls are worth a thousand worlds; and will you be slothful? The day of death and judgment is at the door; and will you be slothful? The curse of God hangs over your heads; and will you be slothful? Besides, the devils are earnest, laborious, and seek by all means every day, by every sin, to keep you out of heaven, and hinder you of salvation; and will you be slothful? Also, your neighbors are diligent for things that will perish; and will you be slothful for things that will endure foreverthat ? Would you be willing to be damned for slothfulness? Would you be willing the angels of God should neglect to fetch your souls away to heaven when you lie a-dying, and the devils stand by ready to scramble for them? Was Christ slothful in the work of your redemption? Are his ministers slothful in tendering this unto you? And, lastly, if all this will not move, I tell you God will not be slothful or negligent to damn you—whose damnation now of a long time slumbereth not—nor will the devils neglect to fetch thee, nor will hell neglect to shut its mouth upon thee.

Sluggard, art thou asleep still? Art thou resolved to sleep the sleep of death? Wilt neither tidings from heaven nor hell awake thee? Wilt thou say still, 'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,' and 'a little folding of the hands to sleep?' (Prov 6:10). Wilt thou yet turn thyself in thy sloth, as the door is turned upon the hinges? O that I was one that was skillful in lamentation, and had but a yearning heart towards thee, how would I pity thee! How would I bemoan thee! O that I could with Jeremiah let my eyes run down with rivers of water for thee! Poor soul, lost soul, dying soul, what a hard heart have I that I cannot mourn for thee! If thou shouldst lose but a limb, a child, or a friend, it would not be so much, but poor man it is THY SOUL; if it were to lie in hell but for a day, but for a year, nay, ten thousand years, it would (in comparison) be nothing. But O, it is forever! OH, this cutting EVER! What a soul-amazing word will that be, which saith, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING fire'! &c.

Object. But if I should set in, and run as you would have me, then I must run from all my friends; for none of them are running that way.

Answ. And if thou dost, thou wilt run into the bosom of Christ and of God, and then what harm will that do thee?

Object. But if I run this way, then I must run from all my sins.

Answ. That is true indeed; yet if thou dost not, thou wilt run into hell-fire.

Object. But if I run this way, then I shall be hated, and lose the love of my friends and relations, and of those that I expect to benefit from, or have reliance on, and I shall be mocked by all my neighbors.

Answ. And if thou dost not, thou art sure to lose the love and favour of God and Christ, the benefit of heaven and glory, and be mocked of God for thy folly, 'I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh'; and if thou wouldst not be hated and mocked, then take heed thou by thy folly dost not procure the displeasure and mockings of the great God; for his mocks and hatred will be terrible, because they will fall upon thee in terrible times, even when tribulation and anguish taketh hold on thee; which will be when death and judgment comes, when all the men in the earth, and all the angels in heaven, cannot help thee (Prov 1:26-28).

Object. But surely I may begin this time enough, a year or two hence, may I not?

Answ. 1. Hast thou any lease of thy life? Did God ever tell thee thou shalt live half a year, or two months longer? Nay, it may be thou mayst not live so long. And therefore, 2. Wilt thou be so sottish and unwise, as to venture thy soul upon a little uncertain time? 3. Dost thou know whether the day of grace will last a week longer or no? For the day of grace is past with some before their life is ended, and if it should be so with thee, wouldst thou not say, O that I had begun to run before the day of grace had been past, and the gates of heaven shut against me. But, 4. If thou shouldst see any of thy neighbors neglect the making sure of either house or land to themselves, if they had it proffered to them, saying, Time enough hereafter, when the time is uncertain; and besides, they do not know whether ever it will be proffered to them again, or no: I say, Wouldst thou not then call them fools? And if so, then dost thou think that thou art a wise man to let thy immortal soul hang over hell by a thread of uncertain time, which may soon be cut asunder by death?

But to speak plainly, all these are the words of a slothful spirit. Arise man, be slothful no longer; set foot, and heart, and all into the way of God, and run, the crown is at the end of the race; there also standeth the loving fore-runner, even Jesus, who hath prepared heavenly provision to make thy soul welcome, and he will give it thee with a willinger heart than ever thou canst desire it of him. O therefore do not delay the time any longer, but put into practice the words of the men of Dan to their brethren, after they had seen the goodness of the land of Canaan: 'Arise,' say they, &c., 'for we have seen the land, and behold it is very good; and are ye still,' or do you forbear running? 'Be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land' (Judges 18:9). Farewell.

I wish our souls may meet with comfort at the journey's end.

JOHN BUNYAN

Works of John Bunyan: THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN:1090

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN; OR, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN THAT GETS TO HEAVEN: TOGETHER WITH THE WAY HE RUNS IN, THE MARKS HE GOES BY; ALSO, SOME DIRECTIONS HOW TO RUN SO AS TO OBTAIN.

'And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain: escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.'—Genesis 19:17.

London: Printed for John Marshall, at the Bible in Gracechurch
Street, 1698.

About forty years ago, a gentleman, in whose company I had commenced my pilgrimage, and who had joined me in communion with a Baptist church, about four years previously, came to my house one Monday morning, greatly delighted with the sermon which our pastor had preached on the previous day, while I was engaged in superintending the Sunday school. It had caused a very remarkable sensation, which, if properly followed up, bid fair to occasion an extraordinary revival of religion in the neighborhood. He, with the deacons, had begged our minister to fill out his outline and prepare the sermon for publication, to which he had consented. He wished to ascertain from me, as a publisher, the expense of printing five thousand copies, being sure that the sale of it would be unprecedented, not only throughout the kingdom, but as far as the English language was spoken. In about a week, the fairly well-written copy was left with me. The text was Hebrews 12:1, 'Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.'

After the introduction that all men desire heaven, but not all run for it—the word run was explained as flying, pressing, and persevering. Then seven reasons, and nine directions, were followed by nine motives and nine uses. This, and the striking ideas and language of the sermon, brought Bunyan to my recollection, and, on comparison, it proved to be the Heavenly Footman, with very slight alterations. Having very recently purchased a neat edition of the book at a very low price, my inquiry was whether they would prefer to have the book in its genuine state, especially as it was ready for delivery. I need not add that all thoughts of circulating the sermon were abandoned at once. In conversation with my excellent pastor, who afterwards for many years bore the honour of a D.D., he acknowledge his obligation to me for detecting the plagiarism before the sermon was published, and explained to me that, when very young, he had read Bunyan's Heavenly Footman with intense interest, and made a full analysis of it, in the shape of notes, which, having committed to memory, he preached to a very delighted and deeply impressed congregation; that after a lapse of many years, looking over the outlines of his early sermons, he was struck with it, and believing it to be his own composition, had again used it with such extraordinary success, as led his deacons and members to request him to print it. Doubtless, Bunyan, being dead, has often similarly spoken—may his voice never be lost in silence or be forgotten.

The title of 'Heavenly Footman' was probably suggested by the words of the prophet Jeremiah, 'If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And in the land of peace thou trustedst, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?' (12:5), and 'Let us run with patience the race that is set before us' (Heb 12:1). The word footman does not refer to that class of servants who are badged and dressed in livery to gratify the pride of their masters, nor to that description of foot-soldiers or infantry, whose business is designated by the blood-stained color of their clothes. But it refers to those who are traveling on foot to a distant country, engaged on a pilgrimage from earth to heaven. It is worthy of remark that the whole of the children of God, of every age and clime, class and kindred, the richest and the poorest, all are upon terms of perfect equality in running the race set before them. No wealth, nor grade, can procure a horse to carry them, or a carriage to ride in; all must run on foot. The only carriage for the foot-sore, weary pilgrim is the bosom of Christ; he carries the lambs in his bosom, and there is room enough for all; the poorest laborer and the noblest aristocrat meet there upon a level with each other; there is no first class for the rich, and parliamentary train for the poor. It is all first class.

In the varied adventures of Christian and his associates, and of Christiana, her children, and her lovely friend Mercy, they never ride. The little one is led by the hand up the steep and rough hill Difficulty, but his own feet carry him throughout the wearisome road. The only carriage was the fiery chariot which carried the soul of the martyred Faithful to the Celestial City; there is no riding to heaven while in the body. Wealth may procure many pleasures to clog the soul in its journey. It may purchase indulgences; it may incline some disciples to look at sinful imperfections through the wrong end of the telescope; it may purchase prayers—but devotional exercises, bought by gold, will freeze the soul. It is the poor disciple that receives the faithful admonitions of his equally poor fellow-saints. The rich have more ceremony, while the laborer enjoys more richly, more free from restraint, the warm outpourings of a devotional spirit. Still, there is nothing to prevent the greatest nobleman or monarch from running to heaven in company with the disciples of our lowly Master. If he refuses this road and this company, he must pursue his downward course to destruction.

The order in which the allegorical works of Bunyan were written very naturally suggests itself from his own narratives and from the dates of their publication. It was thus, while suffering his tedious and dangerous imprisonment for Christ's sake, that he was led to write an account of the dealings of God with his soul, which work he published in 1666, under the title of Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. While engaged in writing this remarkable narrative, the almost unbounded allegorical powers of his mind were brought into exercise—

'And thus it was: I, writing of the way
And race of saints, in this our gospel-day,
Fell suddenly into an allegory
About their journey, and the way to glory.'

Having finished his Grace Abounding, he allowed his fertile imagination its full scope, and again wrote the result of his experience in the form of an allegorical narrative, called the Pilgrim's Progress from this World to that which is to Come. At first, the thoughts pressed upon him as fast as he could write them, yet he says—

'I did not think
To show to all the world my pen and ink
In such a mode.'

And it was several years before he ventured to publish his beautiful allegory. He was released from prison in 1672, having been chosen the previous year as the pastor, or ministering elder, of the church at Bedford. His time was then much occupied with reorganizing the church after years of tempest and fiery persecution. At length, having overcome his own and his friends' reluctance to publish so solemn a work on the conversion of a sinner and his way to heaven, in the form of an allegory, the Pilgrim's Progress was printed in 1678. The wonderful popularity of this book, and the great good it produced, led him again to turn his Grace Abounding into a different form of narrative, in the more profound allegory of the Holy War; this was published in 1682, and in two years afterward he completed the Pilgrim by a delightful second part. His long incarceration, followed by sudden and great activity, probably brought down his robust constitution; and as the end of his course drew nigh, he was doubly diligent, for in 1688, before his death-day, which was in August, he published six important treatises, and had prepared fourteen or fifteen others for the press. Among these were his final and almost dying instructions to the pilgrim, under the title of The Heavenly Footman, the man whom he describes in the poetical apology to the Pilgrim's Progress, as he that

'Runs and runs,
Till he unto the gate of glory comes.'

This treatise sheds a luster over the latter days of our immortal allegorist. It is evidently the production of a mind expanded and chastened with the rich experience of a sanctified age. In it, we are reminded of those important directions to heavenly footmen, contained in his most admired books. Is there a Slough of Despond to be passed, and a hill Difficulty to be overcome? Here, the footman is reminded of 'many a dirty step, many a high hill, a long and tedious journey through a vast howling wilderness'; but he is encouraged, 'the land of promise is at the end of the way.' Must the man who would win eternal glory draw his sword, put on his helmet, and fight his way into the temple—the heavenly footman must press, crowd, and thrust through all that stand between heaven and his soul. Did Ignorance, who perished from the way, say to the pilgrims, 'You go so fast, I must stay awhile behind?' He who runs to heaven is told that the heavy-heeled, lazy, wanton, and foolish professor will not attain the prize. The wicket-gate, at the head of the way, is all-important; none can get to heaven unless they enter by Christ, the door and way, so the footman is reminded that it matters not how fast he runs, he can never attain the prize if he is on the wrong road. Did the pilgrims so severely suffer from entering upon Byepath-meadow, and even after that bitter experience, were they again misled into a bypath by a black man clothed in white raiment? Our footman is warned—Beware then of by- and crooked paths that lead to death and damnation; the way to heaven is one, still there are many well-beaten by-paths that butt or shoot down upon it, and which lead to destruction.

To prevent vain and foolish company from calling you out of the path, or from loitering in it, say, I am in haste, I am running for a prize; if I win, I am made, I win ALL; if I lose, I lose all, and am undone. So it was with Faithful when even Christian, who saw him before, cried Ho ho, so ho. Faithful answered, 'No, I am upon my life, the avenger of blood is behind me.' In the same way, the pilgrims refused the invitations of Demas with his silver mine. No, says the heavenly footman, I am running for heaven, for my soul, for God, for Christ, from hell and everlasting damnation. Did the poor pilgrims go grunting, puffing, and sighing, one tumbled over a bush, another stuck fast in the dirt, one cried out, I am down, and another, Ho! where are you? Pilgrim's Progress. So the footman is told that he will 'meet with cross, pain, and wearisomeness to the flesh, with briars and quagmires, and other encumbrances,' through all which he must persevere. Did Formalist and Hypocrite turn off into byways at the foot of the hill Difficulty, and miserably perish? Did Mistrust and Timorous run back for fear of the persecuting lions, Church and State? So the man that runs for heaven is cautioned—' Some, when they come to the cross, can go no further, but back again to their sins they go, stumble and break their necks, or turn aside to the left or to the right, and perish.' Be not ready to halt, nor run hobbling and halting, but, like my Lord Will-be-will in the Holy War, when fighting against Diabolus, get thy will tipt with heavenly grace, and go full speed for heaven. These quotations tend to prove that this invaluable treatise is a summary of the guidebooks that Bunyan had written before. It was doubtless one of the last productions of his prolific pen.

Two passages in the Heavenly Footman appear to favor the idea that a period in life is, in some cases, fixed, beyond which there is no repentance; thus, in a solemn warning against procrastination, he says, 'Dost thou know whether the day of grace will last a week longer or no? For the day of grace is past with some before their life is ended'; and 'sometimes sinners have not heaven gates open to them so long as they suppose; and if they be once shut against a man, they are so heavy that all the men in the world, nor all the angels in heaven, can open them. Francis Spira can tell thee what it is to stay till the gate of mercy be quite shut.' It becomes an interesting inquiry as to who Bunyan means by the 'some' of whom he says, 'that the day of grace is past before their life is ended.' This cannot refer to those who, neglecting the Savior, are in a perishing condition. No minister felt a more ardent desire to rouse them to a sense of their danger and to guard them against despair than John Bunyan. In his Jerusalem Sinner Saved, he thus argues, 'Why despair? Thou art yet in the land of the living.' 'It is a sin to begin to despair before one sets his foot over the threshold of hell gates.' 'What, despair of bread in a land that is full of corn? Despair of mercy when our God is full of mercy, thou scrupulous fool; despair when we have a redeeming Christ alive. Let them despair that dwell where there is no God, and that are confined to those chambers of death which can be reached by no redemption.' In Bunyan's Come and Welcome, he proves that it would be 'high blasphemy and damnable wickedness' to imagine that Christ would cast out any that come to God by him. He cannot mean the backslider, for Bunyan was such. David also, to an awful extent, and Peter to the denial of his Lord.

No, he may mean those who, while neglecting the Savior, are overtaken by madness, or more probably those such as Judas, Spira, and others who sell their Master, or renounce him. If a man abandons the Savior, there is no other name under heaven whereby he can be saved; 'there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin'; he is a despiser of God's way of salvation, and tramples under foot the Son of God. While such a career continues, fiery indignation must be his wretched destiny. They who contemn the heavenly gift—the Holy Ghost—the word of God—the powers of the world to come—if they persevere unto death in such sentiments, the day of grace is past. There have been some who, like Esau, having sold their birthright, sought repentance even with tears, but found it not—they sought it not in God's appointed way. All hope depends upon such sinners coming unto Christ, humbled and broken-hearted. He is willing, He is able to save even then to the uttermost, but they will not. He has promised, and will perform his word, 'him that cometh to me I will in nowise cast out.' The volume of inspiration is crowned at its close with the same cheering encouragement, 'And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And WHOSOEVER WILL, let him take the water of life freely.' I cannot imagine that any man would have sung with greater pleasure than Bunyan that hymn of Dr. Watts'—

'Life is the time to serve the Lord,
The time to ensure a great reward;
And while the lamp holds out to burn,
The vilest sinner may return.'

They are the only ones who reject the counsel and mercy of God, shut heaven's gates against their own souls, and rush upon Jehovah's buckler like Judas, or Spira, or like one of Bunyan's early friends, John Childs, who apostatized for fear of persecution, and perished by his own hand. To such only the day of grace is past; they have set themselves in the scorner's seat, from which they will be hurled into unutterable wretchedness.

Bunyan well knew that idleness engenders poverty and crime, and is the parent of every evil; and he exhorts his runner to the greatest diligence, not to 'fool away his soul' in slothfulness, which induces carelessness, until the sinner is remediless. Our first care is to get into the right way, and then so to run that 'the devil, who is light of foot,' may not overtake and trip us up. Running to heaven does not prevent the true, the real enjoyment of earthly blessings, but sanctifies and heightens them. The great impetus in our course is love to the prize—to Christ, to heaven; 'having our affections set upon things above.' Looking unto Jesus. His righteousness imputed unto us by the shedding of his blood marks all the road, and while we keep that in sight, we cannot err. In all earthly things we anticipate too much—but in the glories of heaven, our anticipations are feeble indeed, compared with eternal realities. Could the saints in glory impart to us a sense of their indescribable happiness, with what activity and perseverance we should run? The case of Lot, when flying from destruction, is put by Bunyan with peculiar force—he dared not to look back even to see what had become of his wife, lest death should overtake his own soul. O, my reader, may we be stimulated so to run as to obtain that crown of glory which is imperishable, immortal, and eternal.

Charles Doe, one of Bunyan's personal friends, having purchased the copyright of this work, kept it for some years, in hope of publishing it with other treatises, as a second folio volume, to complete his works; but failing in this object, he printed it separately in 1698, and appended an interesting list of Bunyan's works, with thirty cogent reasons why these invaluable labours should be preserved and handed down, to bless succeeding ages.

An earnest desire to preserve, in their perfect integrity, all the treatises as they were originally published, will induce me, at the end of the works, to reprint those interesting additions.

GEO. OFFOR.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY WAR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. 1089

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

At last they came to this result:—1. That Captain Innocency should quarter at Mr. Reason's. 2. That Captain Patience should quarter at Mr. Mind's. This Mr. Mind was formerly the Lord Will-be-will's clerk, in time of the late rebellion. 3. It was ordered that Captain Charity should quarter at Mr. Affection's house. 4. That Captain Good-hope should quarter at my Lord Mayor's. Now for the house of the Recorder, himself desired, because his house was next to the castle, and because from him it was ordered by the Prince, that, if need be, the alarm should be given to Mansoul; it was, I say, desired by him that Captain Boanerges and Captain Conviction should take up their quarters with him, even they and all their men. 5. As for Captain Judgment and Captain Execution, my Lord Will-be-will took them, and their men to him, because he was to rule under the Prince for the good of the town of Mansoul now, as he had before, under the tyrant Diabolus for the hurt and damage thereof (Rom 6:19; Eph 3:17). 6. And throughout the rest of the town were quartered Emmanuel's forces, but Captain Credence with his men abode still in the castle. So the Prince, his captains, and his soldiers were lodged in the town of Mansoul. Now, the ancients and elders of the town of Mansoul thought that they never should have enough of the Prince Emmanuel; his person, his actions, his words, and behavior were so pleasing, so taking, so desirable to them.

Wherefore, they prayed him, that though the castle of Mansoul was his place of residence, and they desired that he might dwell there forever, yet that he would often visit the streets, houses, and people of Mansoul. For, said they, Dread Sovereign, thy presence, thy looks, thy smiles, thy words, are the life, and strength, and sinews of the town of Mansoul. Besides this, they craved that they might have, without difficulty or interruption, continual access unto him, so for that very purpose he commanded that the gates should stand open, that they might there see the manner of his doings, the fortifications of the place, and the royal mansion-house of the Prince. When he spake, they all stopped their mouths and gave audience; and when he walked, it was their delight to imitate him in his goings. Now, upon a time, Emmanuel made a feast for the town of Mansoul, and upon the feasting day, the townsfolk came to the castle to partake of his banquet. And he feasted them with all manner of outlandish food, food that grew not in the fields of Mansoul, nor in all the whole Kingdom of Universe. It was food that came from his Father's court, and so there was dish after dish set before them, and they were commanded freely to eat. But still, when a fresh dish was set before them, they would whisperingly say to each other,

What is it? (Exo 16:15) For they wist not what to call it. They also drank of the water that was made wine, and were very merry with him. There was music also all the while at the table, and man did eat angels' food, and had honey given him out of the rock. So Mansoul did eat the food that was peculiar to the court, yea, they had now thereof to the full (Psa 78:24,25). I must not forget to tell you that, as at this table there were musicians, so they were not those of the country, nor yet of the town of Mansoul; but they were the masters of the songs that were sung at the court of Shaddai. Now, after the feast was over, Emmanuel was for entertaining the town of Mansoul with some curious riddles of secrets drawn up by his Father's secretary, by the skill and wisdom of Shaddai; the like to these there is not in any kingdom. These riddles were made upon the King Shaddai himself, and upon Emmanuel his Son, and upon his wars and doings with Mansoul. Emmanuel also expounded unto them some of those riddles himself, but oh, how they were lightened! They saw what they never saw; they could not have thought that such rarities could have been couched in so few and such ordinary words. I told you before whom these riddles did concern, and as they were opened, the people did evidently see it was so.

Yea, they did gather that the things themselves were a kind of portraiture, and that of Emmanuel himself; for when they read in the scheme where the riddles were writ, and looked in the face of the Prince, things looked so like the one to the other that Mansoul could not forbear but say, This is the Lamb, this is the Sacrifice, this is the Rock, this is the Red Cow, this is the Door, and this is the way; with a great many other things more. And thus he dismissed the town of Mansoul. But can you imagine how the people of the corporation were taken with this entertainment? Oh, they were transported with joy, they were drowned with wonderment, while they saw and understood, and considered what their Emmanuel entertained them withal, and what mysteries he opened to them; and when they were at home in their houses, and in their most retired places, they could not but sing of him, and of his actions. Yea, so taken were the townsmen now with their Prince, that they would sing of him in their sleep. Now it was in the heart of the Prince Emmanuel to remodel the town of Mansoul, and to put it into such a condition as might be more pleasing to him, and that might best stand with the profit and security of the now flourishing town of Mansoul.

He also provided against insurrections at home, and invasions from abroad; such love had he for the famous town of Mansoul. Wherefore he first of all commanded that the great slings that were brought from his Father's court, when he came to the war of Mansoul, should be mounted, some upon the battlements of the castle, some upon the towers, for there were towers in the town of Mansoul, towers new built by Emmanuel since he came thither. There was also an instrument invented by Emmanuel, that was to throw stones from the castle of Mansoul, out at Mouth-gate; an instrument that could not be resisted, nor that would miss of execution; wherefore for the wonderful exploits that it did when used, it went without a name, and it was committed to the care of, and to be managed by the brave captain, the Captain Credence, in case of war. This done, Emmanuel called the Lord Will-be-will to him, and gave him in commandment to take care of the gates, the wall, and towers in Mansoul. Also, the Prince gave him the militia into his hand, and a special charge to withstand all insurrections and tumults that might be made in Mansoul, against the peace of our Lord the King, and the peace and tranquillity of the town of Mansoul. He also gave him in commission, that if he found any of the Diabolonians lurking in any corner in the famous town of Mansoul, he should forthwith apprehend them, and stay them, or commit them to safe custody, that they may be proceeded against according to law.

Then he called unto him the Lord Understanding, who was the old Lord Mayor, he that was put out of place when Diabolus took the town, and put him into his former office again, and it became his place for his lifetime. He also bade him build him a palace near Eye-gate, in the fashion of a tower for defense. He also bade him read in the Revelation of Mysteries all the days of his life, that he might know how to perform his office aright. He also made Mr. Knowledge the Recorder; not of contempt to old Mr. Conscience, who had been Recorder before; but for that it was in his princely mind to confer upon Mr. Conscience another employ, of which he told the old gentleman he should know more hereafter. Then he commanded that the image of Diabolus should be taken down from the place where it was set up, and that they should destroy it utterly, beating of it into powder, and casting it unto the wind, without the town-wall; and that the image of Shaddai his Father should be set up again, with his own, upon the castle gates, and that it should be more fairly drawn than ever; forasmuch as both his Father and himself were come to Mansoul in more grace and mercy than heretofore (Rev 22:4). He would also that his name should be fairly engraven upon the front of the town, and that it should be done in the best of gold, for the honour of the town of Mansoul.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY WAR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. 1088

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

[CHAPTER IX]

When this action was over, the whole town of Mansoul came out as one man to the Prince in the camp to thank him, and praise him for his abundant favor, and to beg that it would please his grace to come unto Mansoul with his men, and there to take up their quarters forever. And this they did in the most humble manner, bowing themselves seven times to the ground before him. Then said he, All peace be to you. So the town came nigh, and touched with the hand the top of his golden scepter, and they said, Oh that the Prince Emmanuel, with his captains and men of war, would dwell in Mansoul for ever; and that his battering-rams and slings might be lodged in her for the use and service of the Prince, and for the help and strength of Mansoul. 'For,' said they, 'we have room for thee, we have room for thy men, we have also room for thy weapons of war, and a place to make a magazine for thy carriages. Do it, Emmanuel, and thou shalt be King and Captain in Mansoul for ever. Yea govern thou also according to all the desire of thy soul, and make thou governors and princes under thee of thy captains and men of war, and we will become thy servants, and thy laws shall be our direction.'

They added, moreover, and prayed his Majesty to consider thereof; 'for,' said they, 'if now, after all this grace bestowed upon us thy miserable town of Mansoul, thou shouldest withdraw, thou and thy captains from us, the town of Mansoul will die. Yea,' said they, 'our blessed Emmanuel, if thou shouldest depart from us now thou hast done so much good for us, and showed so much mercy unto us; what will follow but that our joy will be as if it had not been, and our enemies will a second time come upon us with more rage than at the first. Wherefore, we beseech thee, O thou the desire of our eyes, and the strength and life of our poor town, accept of this motion that now we have made unto our Lord, and come and dwell in the midst of us, and let us be thy people. Besides, Lord, we do not know but that to this day many Diabolonians may be yet lurking in the town of Mansoul, and they will betray us when thou shalt leave us, into the hand of Diabolus again; and who knows what designs, plots, or contrivances have passed betwixt them about these things already; loth we are to fall again into his horrible hands. Wherefore, let it please thee to accept of our palace for thy place of residence, and of the houses of the best men in our town for the reception of thy soldiers, and their furniture.'

Then said the Prince, 'If I come to your town, will you suffer me further to prosecute that which is in mine heart against mine enemies and yours, yea, will you help me in such undertakings?'

They answered, 'We know not what we shall do; we did not think once that we should have been such traitors to Shaddai as we have proved to be; what then shall we say to our Lord? Let him put no trust in his saints, let the Prince dwell in our castle, and make of our town a garrison, let him set his noble captains, and his warlike soldiers over us. Yea, let him conquer us with his love, and overcome us with his grace, and then surely shall he be but with us, and help us, as he was, and did that morning that our pardon was read unto us, we shall comply with this, our Lord, and with his ways, and fall in with his word against the mighty.

'One word more, and thy servants have done, and in this will trouble our Lord no more. We know not the depth of the wisdom of thee, our Prince. Who could have thought that he had been ruled by his reason, that so much sweetness as we do now enjoy should have come out of those bitter trials wherewith we were tried at the first? But, Lord, let light go before, and let love come after; yea, take us by the hand, and lead us by thy counsels, and let this always abide upon us, that all things shall be for the best for thy servants, and come to our Mansoul, and do as it pleaseth thee. Or, Lord, come to our Mansoul, do what thou wilt, so thou keepest us from sinning, and makest us serviceable to thy Majesty.'

Then said the Prince to the town of Mansoul again, 'Go, return to your houses in peace, I will willingly comply with your desires. I will remove my royal pavilion, I will draw up my forces before Eye-gate tomorrow, and so will march forwards into the town of Mansoul. I will possess myself of your castle of Mansoul, and will set my soldiers over you; yea, I will yet do things in Mansoul that cannot be paralleled in any nation, country or kingdom under heaven.'

Then did the men of Mansoul give a shout, and returned unto their houses in peace; they also told their kindred and friends the good that Emmanuel had promised to Mansoul. And tomorrow, said they, he will march into our town, and take up his dwelling, he and his men, in Mansoul.

Then went out the inhabitants of the town of Mansoul with haste to the green trees, and to the meadows, to gather boughs and flowers, therewith to strew the streets against their Prince, the Son of Shaddai, should come; they also made garlands, and other fine works, to betoken how joyful they were, and should be to receive their Emmanuel into Mansoul; yea, they strewed the street quite from Eye-gate to the castle-gate, the place where the Prince should be. They also prepared for his coming what music the town of Mansoul would afford, that they might play before him to the palace, his habitation. So, at the time appointed, he makes his approach to Mansoul, and the gates were set open for him; there also the ancients and elders of Mansoul met him, to salute him with a thousand welcomes. Then he arose and entered Mansoul, he and all his servants. The elders of Mansoul also went dancing before him till he came to the castle gates. And this was the manner of his going up thither. He was clad in his golden armor, he rode in his royal chariot, the trumpets sounded about him, the colors were displayed, his ten thousand went up at his feet, and the elders of Mansoul danced before him. And now were the walls of the famous town of Mansoul filled with the tramplings of the inhabitants thereof, who went up thither to view the approach of the blessed Prince, and his royal army.

Also, the casements, windows, balconies, and tops of the houses were all now filled with persons of all sorts to behold how their town was to be filled with good. Now, when he had come so far into the town as to the Recorder's house, he commanded that one should go to Captain Credence, to know whether the castle of Mansoul was prepared to entertain his Royal Presence, for the preparation of that was left to that captain, and word was brought that it was (Acts 15:9). Then was Captain Credence commanded also to come forth with his power to meet the Prince, the which was, as he had commanded, done, and he conducted him into the castle (Eph 3:17). This done, the Prince that night did lodge in the castle with his mighty captains and men of war, to the joy of the town of Mansoul. Now the next care of the townsfolk was how the captains and soldiers of the Prince's army should be quartered among them, and the care was not how they should shut their hands of them, but how they should fill their houses with them; for every man in Mansoul now had that esteem of Emmanuel and his men, that nothing grieved them more than because they were not enlarged enough, every one of them to receive the whole army of the Prince, yea, they counted it their glory to be waiting upon them, and would in those days run at their bidding like lackeys.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY WAR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. 1087

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 03:30:00 +0000

[CHAPTER IX]

[CONTENTS:—The liberated prisoners return to Mansoul, where they are received with great joy—The inhabitants request Emmanuel to take up his residence among them—He consents—Makes a triumphal entry amid the shouts of the people—The town is newly modeled, and the image of Shaddai erected.]

Well, I told you before how the prisoners were entertained by the noble Prince Emmanuel, and how they behaved themselves before him, and how he sent them away to their home with pipe and tabor going before them. And now you must think that those of the town that had all this while waited to hear of their death, could not but be exercised with sadness of mind, and with thoughts that pricked like thorns. Nor could their thoughts be kept to any one point; the wind blew with them all this while at great uncertainties, yea, their hearts were like a balance that had been disquieted with a shaking hand. But at last, as they with many a long look looked over the wall of Mansoul, they thought that they saw some returning to the town; and thought again, Who should they be, too, who should they be? At last, they discerned that they were the prisoners, but can you imagine how their hearts were surprised with wonder, especially when they perceived also in what equipage and with what honor they were sent home? They went down to the camp in black, but they came back to the town in white; they went down to the camp in ropes, they came back in chains of gold; they went down to the camp with their feet in fetters, but came back with their steps enlarged under them; they went also to the camp looking for death, but they came back thence with assurance of life; they went down to the camp with heavy hearts, but came back again with pipe and tabor playing before them. So, so soon as they came to Eye-gate, the poor and tottering town of Mansoul adventured to give a shout, and they gave such a shout as made the captains in the Prince's army leap at the sound thereof.

Alas for them, poor hearts! Who could blame them, since their dead friends had come to life again? For it was to them as life from the dead, to see the ancients of the town of Mansoul shine in such splendor. They looked for nothing but the axe and the block; but behold, joy and gladness, comfort and consolation, and such melodious notes attending them that were sufficient to make a sick man well. So when they came up, they saluted each other with Welcome! welcome! and blessed be he that has spared you (Isa 33:24). They added also, We see it is well with you, but how must it go with the town of Mansoul? And will it go well with the town of Mansoul? said they. Then answered them the Recorder and my Lord Mayor, Oh tidings! Glad tidings! Good tidings of good and of great joy to poor Mansoul! Then they gave another shout that made the earth ring again. After this, they inquired yet more particularly how things went in the camp, and what message they had from Emmanuel to the town. So they told them all the passages that had happened to them at the camp, and everything the Prince had done to them. This made Mansoul wonder at the wisdom and grace of the Prince Emmanuel. Then they told them what they had received at his hands for the whole town of Mansoul; and the Recorder delivered it in these words—PARDON, PARDON, PARDON for Mansoul; and this shall Mansoul know to-morrow. Then he commanded, and they went and summoned Mansoul to meet together in the market-place tomorrow, there to hear their general pardon read.

But who can think what a turn, what a change, what an alteration this hint of things did make in the countenance of the town of Mansoul! No man of Mansoul could sleep that night for joy; in every house there was joy and music, singing and making merry, telling and hearing of Mansoul's happiness, was then all that Mansoul had to do; and this was the burden of all their song—Oh, more of this at the rising of the sun! More of this tomorrow! Who thought yesterday, would one say, that this day would have been such a day for us? And who thought that saw our prisoners go down in irons, that they would have returned in chains of gold! Yea, they that judged themselves as they went to be judged of their judge, were by his mouth acquitted, not for that they were innocent, but of the Prince's mercy, and sent home with pipe and tabor. But is this the common custom of princes? Do they use to show such favors to traitors? No! This is only peculiar to Shaddai and Emmanuel. His Son.

Now morning drew on apace, wherefore the Lord Mayor, the Lord Will-be-will, and Mr. Recorder came down to the market-place at the time that the Prince had appointed, where the townsfolk were waiting for them; and when they came, they came in that attire and in that glory that the Prince had put them into the day before, and the street was lightened with their glory. So the Mayor, Recorder, and my Lord Will-be-will drew down to Mouth-gate, which was at the lower end of the market-place, because that of old time was the place where they used to read public matters. Thither therefore they came in their robes, and their tabret went before them. Now, the eagerness of the people to know the full extent of the matter was great.

Then the Recorder stood up upon his feet, and first beckoning with his hand for silence, he read out the pardon aloud. But when he came to these words, 'The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin'(Exo 34:6); and to these, 'all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven,' &c. (Mark 3:28)They could not forbear but leap for joy. For this, you must know that there was conjoined herewith every man's name in Mansoul; also, the seals of the pardon made a brave show.

When the Recorder had made an end of reading the pardon, the townsmen ran up upon the walls of the town, and leaped and skipped thereon for joy; and bowed themselves seven times with their faces towards Emmanuel's pavilion, and shouted out aloud for joy, and said, Let Emmanuel live forever! Then the order was given to the young men in Mansoul to ring the bells with joy. So the bells did ring, and the people sang, and the music went in every house in Mansoul.

When the Prince had sent home the three prisoners of Mansoul with joy, and pipe, and tabor, he commanded his captains, with all the field-officers and soldiers throughout his army, to be ready in that morning that the Recorder should read the pardon in Mansoul, to do his further pleasure. So the morning, as I have shown, came, just as the Recorder had made an end of reading the pardon, Emmanuel commanded that all the trumpets in the camp should sound, that the colors should be displayed, half of them upon Mount Gracious, and half of them upon Mount Justice. He commanded also that all the captains should show themselves in all their harness, and that the soldiers should shout for joy. Nor was Captain Credence, though in the castle, silent on such a day, but he, from the top of the hold, showed himself with the sound of a trumpet to Mansoul and to the Prince's camp.

Thus have I shown you the manner and way that Emmanuel took to recover the town of Mansoul from under the hand and power of the tyrant Diabolus.

Now, when the Prince had completed these, the outward ceremonies of his joy, he again commanded that his captains and soldiers should show unto Mansoul some feats of war. So they presently addressed themselves to this work. But oh, with what agility, nimbleness, dexterity, and bravery did these military men discover their skill in feats of war to the now gazing town of Mansoul!

They marched, they counter-marched, they opened to the right and left, they divided and subdivided, they closed, they wheeled, made good their front and rear with their right and left wings, and twenty things more, with that aptness, and then were all as they were again, that they took, yea, ravished the hearts that were in Mansoul to behold it. But add to this, the handling of their arms, the managing of their weapons of war, were marvelous, taking to Mansoul and me.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY WAR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. 1086

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:30:00 +0000

[CHAPTER VIII.]

Wherefore the town of Mansoul spent that night in mourning, and sackcloth, and ashes. The prisoners also, when the time came for them to go down before the Prince, dressed themselves in mourning attire, with ropes upon their heads. The whole town of Mansoul also showed itself upon the wall, all clad in mourning weeds, if, perhaps, the Prince, with the sight thereof, might be moved with compassion. But O how the busy-bodies [vain thoughts] that were in the town of Mansoul did now concern themselves! They did run here and there through the streets of the town by companies, crying out as they ran in tumultuous ways, one after another, and another the quite contrary, to the almost utter distraction of Mansoul.

Well, the time has come for the prisoners to go down to the camp and appear before the Prince. And thus was the manner of their going down. Captain Boanerges went with a guard before them, and Captain Conviction came behind; the prisoners went down, bound in chains, in the midst. So, I say, the prisoners went in the midst, and the guard went with flying colors before and behind, but the prisoners went with drooping spirits.

Or, more particularly, thus:

The prisoners went down all in mourning; they put ropes upon themselves; they went on smiting themselves on the breasts, but durst not lift up their eyes to heaven. Thus they went out at the gate of Mansoul, till they came into the midst of the Prince's army, the sight and glory of which did greatly heighten their affliction. Nor could they now longer forbear, but cry out aloud, O unhappy men! O wretched men of Mansoul! Their chains, still mixing their dolorous notes with the cries of the prisoners, made a more lamentable noise.

So, when they came to the door of the Prince's pavilion, they cast themselves prostrate upon the place. Then one went in and told his Lord that the prisoners had come down. The Prince then ascended a throne of state, and sent for the prisoners in; who, when they came, did tremble before him, also they covered their faces with shame. Now, as they drew near to the place where he sat, they threw themselves down before him. Then said the Prince to the Captain Boanerges, Bid the prisoners stand upon their feet. Then they stood trembling before him, and he said, Are you the men that heretofore were the servants of Shaddai? And they said, Yes, Lord, yes. Then said the Prince again, Are you the men that did suffer yourselves to be corrupted and defiled by that abominable one Diabolus? And they said, We did more than suffer it, Lord; for we chose it of our own mind. The Prince asked further, saying, Could you have been content that your slavery should have continued under his tyranny as long as you had lived? Then said the prisoners, Yes, Lord, yes; for his ways were pleasing to our flesh, and we were grown aliens to a better state. And did you, said he, when I came up against this town of Mansoul, heartily wish that I might not have the victory over you?

Yes, Lord, yes, said they. Then said the Prince, And what punishment is it, think you, that you deserve at my hand for these and other your high and mighty sins? And they said, Both death and the deep,[200] Lord; for we have deserved no less. He asked again if they had aught to say for themselves, why the sentence that they confessed that they had deserved should not be passed upon them? And they said, We can say nothing, Lord; thou art just, for we have sinned. Then said the Prince, And for what are those ropes on your heads? The prisoners answered, These ropes [sins] are to bind us withal to the place of execution, if mercy be not pleasing in thy sight. So he further asked if all the men in the town of Mansoul were in this confession as well. And they answered, All the natives [powers of the soul], Lord; but for the Diabolonians [corruptions and lusts] that came into our town when the tyrant got possession of us, we can say nothing for them.

Then the Prince commanded that a herald should be called, and that he should, in the midst, and throughout the camp of Emmanuel, proclaim, and that with sound of trumpet, that the Prince, the Son of Shaddai, had, in his Father's name, and for his Father's glory, gotten a perfect conquest and victory over Mansoul, and that the prisoners should follow him, and say, Amen. So this was done as he had commanded. And presently, the music that was in the upper region sounded melodiously. The captains that were in the camp shouted, and the soldiers did sing songs of triumph to the Prince, the colors waved in the wind, and great joy was everywhere, only it was wanting as yet in the hearts of the men of Mansoul.

Then the Prince called for the prisoners to come and to stand again before him, and they came and stood trembling. And he said unto them, The sins, trespasses, iniquities, that you, with the whole town of Mansoul, have from time to time committed against my Father and me, I have power and commandment from my Father to forgive to the town of Mansoul; and do forgive you accordingly. And having so said, he gave them written in parchment, and sealed with seven seals, a large and general pardon, commanding both my Lord Mayor, my Lord Will-be-will, and Mr. Recorder, to proclaim, and cause it to be proclaimed to-morrow by that the sun is up, throughout the whole town of Mansoul.

Moreover, the Prince stripped the prisoners of their mourning weeds, and gave them 'beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness' (Isa 61:3)

Then he gave to each of the three, jewels of gold, and precious stones, and took away their ropes, and put chains of gold about their necks, and ear-rings in their ears. Now the prisoners, when they did hear the gracious words of Prince Emmanuel, and had beheld all that was done unto them, fainted almost quite away; for the grace, the benefit, the pardon, was sudden, glorious, and so big, that they were not able, without staggering, to stand up under it. Yea, my Lord Will-be-will swooned outright; but the Prince stepped to him, put his everlasting arms under him, embraced him, kissed him, and bid him be of good cheer, for all should be performed according to his word. He also did kiss, and embrace, and smile upon the other two that were Will-be-will's companions, saying, Take these as further tokens of my love, favor, and compassion to you; and I charge you, that you, Mr. Recorder, tell in the town of Mansoul what you have heard and seen.

Then were their fetters broken to pieces before their faces, and cast into the air, and their steps were enlarged under them. Then they fell down at the feet of the Prince, and kissed his feet, and wetted them with tears; also they cried out with a mighty strong voice, saying, 'Blessed be the glory of the Lord from this place' (Eze 3:12). So they were bid to rise up, and go to the town, and tell to Mansoul what the Prince had done. He commanded also that one with a pipe and tabor should go and play before them all the way into the town of Mansoul. Then was fulfilled what they never looked for, and they were made to possess that which they never dreamed of. The Prince also called for the noble Captain Credence, and commanded that he and some of his officers should march before the noblemen of Mansoul with flying colors into the town. He gave also unto Captain Credence a charge, that about that time that the Recorder did read the general pardon in the town of Mansoul, that at that very time he should with flying colours march in at Eye-gate with his ten thousands at his feet, and that he should so go until he came by the high street of the town, up to the castle gates, and that himself should take possession thereof against his Lord came thither. He commanded, moreover, that he should bid Captain Judgment and Captain Execution to leave the stronghold to him, and to withdraw from Mansoul, and to return into the camp with speed unto the Prince.

And now was the town of Mansoul also delivered from the terror of the first four captains and their men.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY WAR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. 1085

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 03:30:00 +0000

[CHAPTER VIII.]

Now, when they went to petition this third time, they were not without thoughts that by often coming, they might be a burden to the Prince. Wherefore, when they were come to the door of his pavilion, they first made their apology for themselves, and for their coming to trouble Emmanuel so often; and they said that they came not hither to-day for that they delighted in being troublesome, or for that they delighted to hear themselves talk, but for that necessity caused them to come to his Majesty: they could, they said, have no rest day nor night, because of their transgressions against Shaddai, and against Emmanuel, his Son. They also thought that some misbehavior of Mr. Desires, awakened the last time, might give distaste to his Highness, and so cause that he returned from so merciful a Prince empty, and without countenance. So when they had made this apology, Mr. Desires-awake cast himself prostrate upon the ground as at the first, at the feet of the mighty Prince, saying, Oh that Mansoul might live before thee! And so he delivered his petition.

The Prince, then having read the petition, turned aside awhile, as before, and, coming again to the place where the petitioner lay on the ground, he demanded what his name was, and of what esteem in the account of Mansoul; for that he, above all the multitude in Mansoul, should be sent to him upon such an errand. Then said the man to the Prince, 'Oh, let not my Lord be angry; and why inquirest thou after the name of such a dead dog as I am? Pass by, I pray thee, and take no notice of who I am, because there is, as thou very well knowest, so great a disproportion between me and thee. Why the townsmen chose to send me on this errand to my Lord is best known to themselves, but it could not be for that they thought that I had favor with my Lord. For my part, I am out of charity with myself; who then should be in love with me? Yet live I would, and so would I that my townsmen should, and because both they and I are guilty of great transgressions, therefore they have sent me, and I am come in their names to beg of my Lord for mercy. Let it please thee therefore to incline to mercy, but ask not what thy servants are.'

Then said the Prince, 'And what is he that is become thy companion in this so weighty a matter?' So Mr. Desires told Emmanuel that he was a poor neighbour of his, and one of his most intimate associates, and his name, said he, may it please your most excellent Majesty, is Wet-eyes, of the town of Mansoul. I know that there are many of that name that are naught, but I hope it will be no offense to my Lord that I have brought my poor neighbor with me.

Then Mr. Wet-eyes fell on his face to the ground, and made this apology for his coming with his neighbor to his Lord:—

'O my Lord,' quoth he, 'what I am I know not myself, nor whether my name be feigned or true, especially when I begin to think what some have said, namely, that this name was given me because Mr. Repentance was my father. Good men have bad children, and the sincere do oftentimes beget hypocrites. My mother also called me by this name from the cradle, but whether because of the moistness of my brain or the softness of my heart, I cannot tell. I see dirt in mine own tears, and filthiness in the bottom of my prayers. But I pray thee'—and all this while the gentleman wept—' that thou wouldest not remember against us our transgressions, nor take offense at the unqualifiedness of thy servants, but mercifully pass by the sin of Mansoul, and refrain from the glorifying of thy grace no longer.'

So at his bidding they arose, and both stood trembling before him, and he spake to them to this purpose:—

'The town of Mansoul hath grievously rebelled against my Father, in that they have rejected him from being their King, and did choose to themselves for their captain a liar, a murderer, and a runagate slave. For this Diabolus, and your pretended prince, though once so highly accounted of by you, made rebellion against my Father and me, even in our palace and highest court there, thinking to become a prince and king. But being there timely discovered and apprehended, and for his wickedness bound in chains, and separated to the pit with those who were his companions, he offered himself to you, and you have received him.

'Now this is, and for a long time hath been a high affront to my Father, wherefore my Father sent to you a powerful army to reduce you to your obedience. But you know how those men, their captains, and their counsels, were esteemed of you, and what they received at your hand. You rebelled against them, you shut your gates upon them, you bid them battle, you fought them, and fought for Diabolus against them. So they sent to my Father for more power, and I, with my men, have come to subdue you. But as you treated the servants, so you treated their Lord. You stood up in a hostile manner against me, you shut up your gates against me, you turned a deaf ear to me, and resisted as long as you could; but now I have made a conquest of you. Did you cry me mercy so long as you had hopes that you might prevail against me? But now I have taken the town, you cry. But why did you not cry before, when the white flag of my mercy, the red flag of justice, and the black flag that threatened execution, were set up to cite you to it? Now I have conquered your Diabolus, you come to me for favor, but why did you not help me against the mighty? Yet I will consider your petition and answer it so that it is for my glory.

'Go, bid Captain Boanerges and Captain Conviction bring the prisoners out to me into the camp tomorrow, and say you to Captain Judgment and Captain Execution, Stay you in the castle, and take good heed to yourselves that you keep all quiet in Mansoul until you hear further from me.' And with that, he turned himself from them and went into his royal pavilion again.

So the petitioners, having received this answer from the Prince, returned, as at the first, to their companions again. But they had not gone far, but thoughts began to work in their minds that no mercy as yet was intended by the Prince to Mansoul; so they went to the place where the prisoners lay bound; but these workings of mind about what would become of Mansoul, had such strong power over them, that by that they were come unto them that sent them, they were scarce able to deliver their message.

But they came at length to the gates of the town—now the townsmen with earnestness were waiting for their return—where many met them, to know what answer was made to the petition. Then they cried out to those who were sent, "What news from the Prince?" and what hath Emmanuel said? But they said that they must, as before, go up to the prison and deliver their message there. So away they went to the prison, with a multitude at their heels. Now, when they came to the gates of the prison, they told the first part of Emmanuel's speech to the prisoners; to wit, how he reflected upon their disloyalty to his Father and himself, and how they had chosen and closed with Diabolus, had fought for him, hearkened to him, and been ruled by him, but had despised him and his men. This made the prisoners look pale; but the messengers proceeded, and said, He, the Prince, said, moreover, that yet he would consider your petition, and give such answer thereto as would stand with his glory. And as these words were spoken, Mr. Wet-eyes gave a great sigh.

At this, they were all struck into their dumps and could not tell what to say. Fear also possessed them in a marvelous manner, and death seemed to sit upon some of their eyebrows. Now, there was in the company a notable sharp-witted fellow, a mean man of estate, and his name was old Inquisitive. This man asked the petitioners if they had told out every whit of what Emmanuel said. And they answered, Verily, no. Then said Inquisitive, I thought so, indeed. Pray, what was it more that he said unto you? Then they paused awhile, but at last they brought out all, saying, The Prince did bid us bid Captain Boanerges and Captain Conviction bring the prisoners down to him tomorrow; and that Captain Judgment and Captain Execution should take charge of the castle and town till they should hear further from him. They also said that when the Prince had commanded them thus to do, he immediately turned his back upon them and went into his royal pavilion.

But O how this return, and especially this last clause of it, that the prisoners must go out to the Prince into the camp, broke all their loins in pieces! Wherefore, with one voice, they set up a cry that reached up to the heavens. This done, each of the three prepared himself to die; and the Recorder [conscience] said unto them, This was the thing that I feared; for they concluded that to-morrow, by that the sun went down, they should be tumbled out of the world. The whole town also counted on no other but that, in their time and order, they must all drink of the same cup.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY WAR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. 1084

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 03:30:00 +0000

[CHAPTER VIII.]

Now you may think that they of Mansoul that had sent him, what with guilt, and what with fear, lest their petition should be rejected, could not but look with many a long look, and that too with strange workings of heart, to see what would become of their petition. At last, they saw their messenger returning; so when he had come, they asked him how he fared, what Emmanuel had said, and what had become of the petition. But he told them that he would be silent till he came to the prison to my Lord Mayor, my Lord Will-be-will, and Mr. Recorder. So he went forward towards the prison-house, where the men of Mansoul lay bound. But oh! what a multitude flocked after to hear what the messenger said. So when he came and had shown himself at the grate of the prison, my Lord Mayor himself looked as white as a clout, the Recorder also did quake; but they asked and said, Come, good sir, what did the great Prince say to you? Then said Mr. Desires-awake, when I came to my Lord's pavilion, I called, and he came forth; so I fell prostrate at his feet, and delivered to him my petition, for the greatness of his person, and the glory of his countenance would not suffer me to stand upon my legs.

Now, as he received the petition, I cried, oh that Mansoul might live before thee! So, when for a while he had looked thereon, he turned him about, and said to his servant, Go thy way to thy place again, and I will consider of thy requests. The messenger added, moreover, and said, The Prince to whom you sent me is such a one for beauty and glory, that whoso sees him must both love and fear him; I, for my part, can do no less; but I know not what will be the end of these things. At this answer, they were all at a stand; both they in prison, and they that followed the messenger thither to hear the news; nor knew they what or what manner of interpretation to put upon what the Prince had said. Now, when the prison was cleared of the throng, the prisoners among themselves began to comment upon Emmanuel's words. My Lord Mayor said that the answer did not look with a rugged face, but Will-be-will said that it betokened evil, and the Recorder, that it was a messenger of death. Now, they that were left, and that stood behind, and so could not so well hear what the prisoners said, some of them catched hold of one piece of a sentence, and some on a bit of another; some took hold of what the messenger said, and some of the prisoners' judgment thereon; so none had the right understanding of things; but you cannot imagine what work these people made, and what a confusion there was in Mansoul now.

For presently they that had heard what was said, flew about the town; one crying one thing, and another the quite contrary, and both were sure enough they told the truth, for they did hear, they said, with their ears what was said, and therefore could not be deceived. One would say, We must all be killed; another would say, We must all be saved; and a third would say that the Prince would not be concerned with Mansoul, and a fourth that the prisoners must be suddenly put to death. And as I said, everyone stood to it that he told his tale the rightest, and that all others but he were out. Wherefore Mansoul had now molestation upon molestation, nor could any man know on what to rest the sole of his foot; for one would go by now, and as he went, if he heard his neighbor tell his tale, to be sure he would tell the quite contrary, and both would stand in it that he told the truth. Nay, some of them had got this story by the end, that the Prince did intend to put Mansoul to the sword. And now it began to be dark; wherefore poor Mansoul was in sad perplexity all that night until the morning.

But, so far as I could gather, by the best information that I could get, all this hubbub came through the words that the Recorder said, when he told them that, in his judgment, the Prince's answer was a messenger of death. It was this that fired the town, and that began the fright in Mansoul, for Mansoul, in former times, did use to count that Mr. Recorder was a seer, and that his sentence was equal to the best of oracles, and thus was Mansoul a terror to itself.

And now did they begin to feel what was the effects of stubborn rebellion, and unlawful resistance against their Prince. I say they now began to feel the effects thereof by guilt and fear, that now had swallowed them up, and who more involved in the one, but they who were most in the other; to wit, the chief of the town of Mansoul.

To be brief, when the fame of the fight was out of the town, and the prisoners had a little recovered themselves, they took to themselves some heart, and thought to petition the Prince for life again. So they did draw up a third petition, the contents of which were this:—

'Prince Emmanuel the Great, Lord of all worlds, and Master of mercy, We, thy poor, wretched, miserable, dying town of Mansoul, do confess unto thy great and glorious Majesty that we have sinned against thy Father and thee, and are no more worthy to be called thy Mansoul, but rather to be cast into the pit. If thou wilt slay us, we have deserved it. If thou wilt condemn us to the deep, we cannot but say thou art righteous. We cannot complain, whatever thou dost, or however thou carriest it towards us. But oh! let mercy reign, and let it be extended to us! Oh, let mercy take hold upon us, and free us from our transgressions, and we will sing of thy mercy and of thy judgment. Amen.'

This petition, when drawn up, was designed to be sent to the Prince as the first, but who should carry it was the question. Some said, Let him do it, " which went with the first; but others thought it not good to do that, and that because he sped no better. Now there was an old man in the town, and his name was Mr. Good-deed; a man that bore only the name, but had nothing of the nature of the thing. Now, some were for sending him, but the Recorder was by no means for that, for, said he, we now stand in need of, and are pleading for mercy, wherefore to send our petition by a man of this name will seem to cross the petition itself. Should we make Mr. Good-deed our messenger when our petition cries for mercy?

'Besides,' quoth the old gentleman, 'should the Prince now, as he receives the petition, ask him and say, What is thy name? as nobody knows but he will, and he should say, Old Good-deed, what, think you, would Emmanuel say but this, Aye! is old Good-deed yet alive in Mansoul? Then let old Good-deed save you from your distresses? And if he says so, I am sure we are lost; nor can a thousand of old Good-deeds save Mansoul.'

After the Recorder had given in his reasons why old Good-deed should not go with this petition to Emmanuel, the rest of the prisoners and chief of Mansoul opposed it also, and so old Good-deed was laid aside, and they agreed to send Mr. Desires-awake again; so they sent for him, and desired him that he would a second time go with their petition to the Prince, and he readily told them he would. But they bid him that in anywise he would take heed that in no word or carriage he gave offense to the Prince, for by doing so, for ought we can tell, you may bring Mansoul into utter destruction, said they.

Now Mr. Desires-awake, when he saw that he must go of this errand, besought that they would grant that Mr. Wet-eyes might go with him. Now this Mr. Wet-eyes was a near neighbor of Mr. Desires, a poor man, a man of a broken spirit, yet one that could speak well to a petition. So they granted that he should go with him. Wherefore they address themselves to their business. Mr. Desires put a rope upon his head, and Mr. Wet-eyes went with hands wringing together. Thus, they went to the Prince's pavilion.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY WAR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. 1083

noreply@blogger.com (Apprehended by God) — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 03:30:00 +0000

[CHAPTER VIII.]

But you cannot think unless you have been there, as I was, what a shout there was in Emmanuel's camp when they saw the tyrant bound by the hand of their noble Prince, and tied to his chariot wheels! And they said, He hath led captivity captive; he hath spoiled principalities and powers; Diabolus is subjected to the power of his sword, and made the object of all derision!

Those also that rode Reformades, and that came down to see the battle, they shouted with that greatness of voice, and sang with such melodious notes, that they caused them that dwell in the highest orbs to open their windows, put out their heads, and look down to see the cause of that glory (Luke 15:7-10).

The townsmen also, so many of them as saw this sight, were, as it were, while they looked, betwixt the earth and the heavens. True, they could not tell what would be the issue of things as to them, but all things were done in such excellent methods; and I cannot tell how, but things in the management of them seemed to cast a smile towards the town, so that their eyes, their heads, their hearts, and their minds, and all that they had, were taken and held, while they observed Emmanuel's order.

So when the brave Prince had finished this part of his triumph over Diabolus, his foe, he turned him up in the midst of his contempt and shame, having given him a charge no more to be a possessor of Mansoul. Then he went from Emmanuel, and out of the midst of his camp to inherit the parched places in a salt land, seeking rest but finding none (Matt 12:43).

Now Captain Boanerges and Captain Conviction were both men of very great majesty; their faces were like the faces of lions (1 Chron 12:8), and their words like the roaring of the sea (Isa 5:29-30), and they still quartered in Mr. Conscience's house, of whom mention was made before. When, therefore, the high and mighty Prince had thus far finished his triumph over Diabolus, the townsmen had more leisure to view and to behold the actions of these noble captains. But the captains carried it with that terror and dread in all that they did, and you may be sure that they had private instructions so to do, that they kept the town under continual heart-aching, and caused, in their apprehension, the well-being of Mansoul for the future, to hang in doubt before them, so that, for some considerable time, they neither knew what rest, or ease, or peace, or hope meant.

Nor did the Prince himself, as yet, abide in the town of Mansoul, but in his royal pavilion in the camp, and in the midst of his Father's forces. So at a time convenient, he sent special orders to Captain Boanerges to summons Mansoul, the whole of the townsmen, into the castle-yard, and then and there, before their faces, to take my Lord Understanding, Mr. Conscience, and that notable one, the Lord Will-be-will, and put them all three in ward, and that they should set a strong guard upon them there, until his pleasure concerning them were further known. The orders which the captains had put them in execution, made no small addition to the fears of the town of Mansoul; for now, to their thinking, were their former fears of the ruin of Mansoul confirmed. Now, what death they should die, and how long they should be in dying, was that which most perplexed their heads and hearts. Yeah, they were afraid that Emmanuel would command them all into the deep, the place that the prince Diabolus was afraid of, for they knew that they had deserved it. Also to die by the sword in the face of the town, and in the open way of disgrace, from the hand of so good and so holy a prince, that, too, troubled them sore. The town was also greatly troubled for the men that were committed to the ward, for that they were their stay and their guide, and for that they believed that if those men were cut off, their execution would be but the beginning of the ruin of the town of Mansoul. Wherefore what do they, but together with the men in prison, draw up a petition to the Prince, and sent it to Emmanuel by the hand of Mr. Would-live. So he went and came to the Prince's quarters, and presented the petition; the sum of which was this:—

'Great and wonderful Potentate, victor over Diabolus, and conqueror of the town of Mansoul, We, the miserable inhabitants of that most woful corporation, do humbly beg that we may find favour in thy sight, and remember not against us former transgressions, nor yet the sins of the chief of our town, but spare us according to the greatness of thy mercy, and let us not die, but live in thy sight; so shall we be willing to be thy servants, and if thou shalt think fit, to gather our meat under thy table. Amen.'

So the petitioner went, as was said, with his petition to the Prince, and the Prince took it into his hand, but sent him away with silence. This still afflicted the town of Mansoul, but, considering that now they must either petition or die, for they could do nothing else, they consulted again and sent another petition, which was much after the form and method of the former.

But when the petition was drawn up, by whom should they send it was the next question; for they would not send this by him by whom they sent the first, for they thought that the Prince had taken some offence at the manner of his deportment before him; so they attempted to make Captain Conviction their messenger with it, but he said that he neither durst, nor would petition Emmanuel for traitors; nor be to the Prince an advocate for rebels. Yet withal, said he, our Prince is good, and you may adventure to send it by the hand of one of your town, provided he went with a rope about his head, and pleaded nothing but mercy.

Well, they made, through fear, their delays as long as they could, and longer than delays were good; but fearing at last the dangerousness of them, they thought, but with many a fainting in their minds, to send their petition by Mr. Desires-awake; so they sent for Mr. Desires-awake. Now he dwelt in a very mean cottage in Mansoul, and he came at his neighbor's request. So they told him what they had done, and what they would do concerning petitioning, and that they did desire of him that he would go therewith to the Prince.

Then said Mr. Desires-awake, " Why should I not do the best I can to save so famous a town as Mansoul from deserved destruction? They therefore delivered the petition to him, and told him how he must address himself to the Prince, and wished him ten thousand good speeds. So he comes to the Prince's pavilion, as the first, and asked to speak with his Majesty; so word was carried to Emmanuel, and the Prince came out to the man. When Mr. Desires-awake saw the Prince, he fell flat with his face to the ground, and cried out, oh that Mansoul might live before thee! And with that, he presented the petition. The which, when the Prince had read, he turned away for a while and wept, but, refraining himself, he turned again to the man, who all this while lay crying at his feet as at the first, and said to him, Go thy way to thy place, and I will consider of thy requests.