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T H E By J O H N.B U N Y A N. 1698. |
[IV. NINE DIRECTIONS HOW TO RUN]
he 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.[7] I have observed, that 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 benefitted 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.[8]
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 Lords 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.
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 that would be expert in any
thing, they are usually much in studying of that thing, and so likewise is it with
those that 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 every thing 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 that run for a wager,
if they intend to win as well as run, they do not use to encumber themselves, or
carry those things about them that may be a hindrance to 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 fill his pockets with stones, hang heavy garments
on his shoulders, and great lumpish shoes on his feet?[9] 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 it's 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 of 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 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 travellers 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;[10]
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.[11] But this is because
men do not know painted by-paths from the plain way to the kingdom of heaven. They
have not yet learned the true Christ, and what his righteousness is, neither have
they a sense of their own insufficiency; but are bold, proud, presumptuous, self-conceited.
And therefore.
The Fifth Direction. Do not thou be too much in looking too high in thy journey heavenwards.
You know men that 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,[12] through their too 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 neighbours 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[13] 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, that
there is no man that 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.[14] You know if one ask 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.
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 to you it stretcheth
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;[15] 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 is also much of the cross. Is it nothing for
a man to lay hands on his vile opinions, on his vile sins, of his bosom sins, of
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? What need we be so backward
to it? Nay, do you not see, that some men, before they will set about this work,
they will even venture the loss of their souls, heaven, God, Christ, and all? What
means else all those delays and put-offs, saying, Stay a little longer, I am loth
to leave my sins while I am so young, and in health? Again, what is the reason else,
that others do it so by the halves, coldly and seldom, notwithstanding they are convinced
over and over; nay, and also promise to amend, and yet alls 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 for 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. O 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 the work at first pretty willingly, but they were very short-winded,
they were 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 ones 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 at the cross they can go no farther, but
back again to their sins they must go. Others they stumble at it, and break their
necks; others again, when they see the cross is approaching, they turn aside to the
left hand, or to the right hand, 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 honoured
both by faith and a heavenly conversation, and let that soul alone at 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).
The Ninth Direction. Beg of 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 regard the other world, it is because they see so little of it.[16] And the reason why
they see so little of it is because they have their understandings 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 kings
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 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 mans
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 mans 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 what 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 like it? 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 backwards or forwards; and God knoweth
that full well, and so likewise doth the devil; and therefore they both endeavour
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 so long 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 tipt 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 on it. 3. Then strip, and lay aside everything
that would hinder. 4. Beware of bye-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 give thee 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.[17]
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