Bunyan's inviting works

Front matter

J LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.} t$ h »i> 4mty* $° i

' AMERrCl.'

SITED STATES OF

Introduction

In presenting to the public another volume of Bunyan's Practical Works, it is thought proper to indicate briefly its general design as a whole, and the peculiar characteristics of the several treatises here associated together, to aid in accomplishing that design.

The present volume is designed immediately to follow the volume of his Awakening Works, just issued from the press of our Publication Society; and is therefore made up of pieces of an opposite tendency; that is, of such as are addressed to awakened sinners, and directly adapted to invite and encourage them to come to Christ for salvation. Within this specific design, however, it will be found that a very wide range of cases and characters is embraced by the keenly observant, sympathizing and comprehensive mind of the Author. Besides the favorite work, " The Jerusalem Sinner Saved," it includes the two excellent pieces entitled "Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ," and "Christ a Complete Saviour." The Author's Last Sermon, on the New Birth, is added, as in its doctrinal connection, a fitting close to this volume of Bunyan's Inviting Works.

Robert Philip, in his "Life and Times of Bunyan," has devoted a whole chapter to the first treatise in this volume — " The Jerusalem Sinner Saved." It was first issued from the press, it seems, early in 1688, six months before the Author's death; but this gives us no clue to the time of its composition, which must have been years before. Philip calls it Bunyan' s favorite sermon, and adds, "I call it his favorite, because he says he preached it often, and but sel-

(iii)

IV INTRODUCTION.

dom without success. It is only common-place at first; but it soon breathes and burns with all the energy and ingenuity of the Author." Here is a brief specimen. Having shown that Jerusalem sinners were the greatest of sinners, Bunyan exclaims, " Christ, as he sits on his Throne of Grace, pointeth over the heads of thousands, directly to such a man, and says, t Come/ Wherefore since He says Come — let the angels make a lane, and all men make room, that the Jerusalem sinner may come to Christ for mercy !" See the whole of this fine passage : pp. 71, 72.

The second treatise in this volume was published in 1680, about eight years earlier than the " Jerusalem Sinner Saved," but was probably a later composition. It is longer and more elaborate. It enters far more deeply into the plan of Divine Grace, and draws a thousand fresh encouragements for the coming sinner, from those deeper and less explored fountains that gush up under the cool shadow of the Rock of Ages. Robert Philip thus speaks of it. "His next book was the well known 'Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ/ a work not very easily characterized in a few words, although as highly characteristic of himself, perhaps, as any thing he ever wrote. He cries both ' Come ' — and 'Welcome/ with equal energy and impartiality, to all who have any wish to come." Even to the Backslider, Bunyan says, " The Text makes no exception against thee. It doth not say any 'him,' but a Backslider; but indefinitely openeth wide its golden arms to every coming soul without exception. Therefore thou mayest come." Again, "God hath prepared a Golden Altar for thee to offer thy prayers and tears upon. It is called golden to show its worth. It is Christ. This Altar then makes thy Groans, golden groans; thy Tears, golden tears ; thy Prayers, goldenpra yers in the eye of that God thou comest to." But the following image breathes a still sweeter tenderness. " God hath strewed all the way from the gate of Hell to the gate of Heaven, with

INTRODUCTION. V

flowers out of his own garden. Behold how the Promises, Invitations, Calls, lie around thee like lilies. Take heed that thou do not tread them under foot, sinner !"

The third piece in this volume was never published in the Author's lifetime. It is numbered 53, in Doe's Catalogue of Bunyan's Works. It is eminently suited to follow the other two, because it opens a new source of unfailing hope to those who come to Christ, and unfolds more distinctly the great object and ends to be thus secured — even the full and final enjoyment of God for ever. It thus happily blends a higher confirmation of faith with the warm and urgent invitations that have been given before.

As this treatise is little known among us, the following specimen of its spirit may rouse attention. " Since Christ is an Intercessor, I infer that believers should not rest at the cross for comfort. Justification they should look for there ; but being justified by his blood, they should ascend up after him to the throne. At the cross you will see him in his sorrows and humiliations, in his tears and blood; but follow him to where he now is, and then you shall see him in his robes, in his priestly robes, and with his golden girdle about his breast. Then you shall see him wearing the breastplate of judgment, and with all your names written upon his heart. Then you shall perceive, that the whole family in heaven and earth is named by him, and how he prevaileth with God, the Father of mercies for you. Stand still awhile, and listen ! Tea, enter with boldness into the holiest ! and see your Jesus, as he now appears in the presence of God for you; what work he makes against the devil, and sin, and death, and hell, for you. Ah, it is brave, following Jesus Christ into the holiest ! The vail is rent ! You may see with open face, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord."

The short discourse on the New Birth, which closes the volume, will be found appropriate and instructive, notwithstanding its brevity. In no other of his works has he pro-

1*

Vi INTRODUCTION.

fessedly handled this topic, though it is one which powerfully affected him at a critical period of his life, and led to his conversion. His own account of it, in his " Grace Abounding/' is so extremely interesting, that we give it here. " Poor wretch as I was, I was all this while ignorant of Jesus Christ, and going about to establish my own righteousness; and had perished therein, had not God, in mercy, showed me more of my state by nature. But upon a day, the good providence of God called me to Bedford, to work on my calling ; and in one of the streets of that town, I came where there were three or four poor women sitting at a door in the sun, talking about the things of God ; and being now willing to hear their discourse, I drew near — for I was now a brisk talker of myself, in the matter of religion. But I may say I heard, but understood not ; for they were far above out of my reach. Their talk was about a new birth, the work of God in their hearts ; as also how they were convinced of their miserable state by nature. They talked how God had visited their souls with his love in the Lord Jesus; and with what words and promises they had been refreshed, comforted, and supported against the temptations of the devil. And methought they spake as if joy did make them speak/' &c.

One can scarcely doubt that this very scene was in Bunyan's recollection, when he says in the close of this sermon on the New Birth, " If you be the king's children, live like the king's children. If you be risen with Christ, set your affection on things above, and not on things below. When you come together, talk of what your Father has promised you. You should all love your Father's will, and be content, and pleased with the exercises you meet with in the world. — Dost thou see a soul that has the image of God in him? Love him, love him ; say, i this man and I must go to heaven one day V " Such beautiful sentiments acquire a new force from the fact that they were uttered in his Last Sermon.

"It is" says the .Eclectic Review " a melancholy fact in the

INTRODUCTION. Vll

history of human reason that in all its efforts to secure the real and permanent good of man, it should neglect those very means which are stamped with the authority of Heaven. The Bible, in the hands of the Spirit of God, is to be the instrument of the world's regeneration. Its claims are paramount, and can never be set aside. But next to it, as we know from history, those labors are the most efficient for permanent and everlasting good, which breathe most of its living spirit. In this noblest of services Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress has been honored to accomplish extensive good. In the same career of usefulness his Practical Works are worthy to take their place.

" They contain, with as little human admixture as well could be expected, those great principles which alone can sustain and adorn the social body. Their general circulation among all classes of men would tend to arrest that current of infidelity and vice which threatens to sweep society away, and to spread over this disordered ruin, the beauty and holiness of its pristine condition. But Bunyan's great object was something higher and nobler by far. He always regarded man as a lost being. And having found, by the Spirit of God, that a glorious remedy was provided, and a holy immortality opened up to the righteous after death, his constant desire was to point lost and desponding wanderers to the peace and comfort of salvation. "

" His Sermons are the most perfect specimens of pure Scriptural preaching of any that we know. Our preaching at the present day is marred by over polished eloquence, or over labored argument. There is little of pure Scriptural preaching; little of free, bold, authoritative proclamation of the message of grace. Hence so few conversions under the ministry of the word, and hence so low a state of spiritual religion among Christians. Our preaching must have less of elaborate formality, before we can expect a blessing. It must be more intensely, boldly scriptural,

Vlll INTRODUCTION.

before we shall see much fruit; and for this Bunyan is one of the best models."

"No single feature," says Alexander Philip, " appears more prominent in the Practical Works of Bunyan than the one referred to above. A bold uncompromising offer of free grace is written as with a sunbeam on every page ; and especially in his celebrated sermon of " The Jerusalem Sinner Saved." So full and free are his statements, that the way is opened up for the most desponding soul to the mercy and favor of God. There appears in it the fruit of his own severe experience in reaching a state of hallowed peace. — In " Christ a Complete Saviour," we see him settled down into the peace and joy of believing. — In his " Come and Welcome," he opens the door of mercy, and encourages the desponding soul to enter the ark of eternal salvation.— He knew well how to promote the growth of Christian hope — how to encourage the pilgrim in his journey from this scene of trial to the kingdom of heaven — and how to unfold those promises on which the disembodied spirit must rest at the dawn of eternity."

These pieces of a kindred tendency have never been combined until now. All the resources of the Author's deep and diversified experience, and practical study of the Scriptures, are here laid under contribution to show the awakened and anxious sinner, the freeness, the jitness, the fulness, the efficiency, and the glory of the gospel. Perhaps nothing uninspired is equally adapted to relieve the wounded conscience, enlighten the perplexed mind, and encourage the tempted and desponding heart. Every leaf drops the very balm of Gilead.

J. N. B.

Philadelphia, August 2, 1850.

TO THE READER.

Courteous Reader,

One reason which moved me to write and print this little work was, because though there are many excellent heartaffecting discourses in the world that tend to convert the sinner, yet I had a desire to try this simple method of mine. Wherefore I make bold thus to invite and encourage the worst to come to Christ for life.

I have been vile myself, but have obtained mercy; and I would have my companions in sin partake of mercy too; and therefore I have written this little book.

The nation doth swarm with vile ones now, as ever it did since it was a nation. My little book in some places can scarce go from house to house, but it will find a suitable subject to spend itself upon. Now, since Christ Jesus is willing to save the vilest, why should they not by name be somewhat acquainted with it, and bid come to him under that name.

A great sinner, when converted, seems a booty to Jesus Christ; he gets glory by saving such a one. Why then • should both Jesus lose his glory, and the sinner lose his soul at once, and that for want of an invitation ?

I have found, through God's grace, good success in preaching upon this subject; and perhaps so I may by my writing upon it too. I have, as you see, let down this net for a draught. The Lord catch some great fishes by it, for the magnifying of his truth !

For sinners differ. There are some most vile in all men's

10 TO THE READER.

eyes, and some are so in their own eyes too. But some have their paintings to shroud their vileness under; yet they are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. And for all these, God hath sent a Saviour, Jesus; and to all these the door is opened

Wherefore, prithee, profane man, give this little book the reading. Come, pardon and a part in heaven and glory, cannot be hurtful to thee. Let not thy lusts and folly drive thee beyond the door of mercy, since it is not locked nor bolted up against thee. Manasseh was a bad man, Magdalen a bad woman; to say nothing of the thief upon the cross, or of the murderers of Christ; yet they obtained mercy; Christ willingly received them.

And dost thou think that those, once so bad, now they are in heaven, repent them there, because they left their sins for Christ when they were in the world ? I cannot believe, but that thou thinkest they have verily got the best of it. Why, sinner, do thou likewise. Christ at heaven's gates, says to thee, Come hither; and the devil, at the gates of hell, does call thee to come to him. Sinner, what sayest thou? Whither wilt thou go? Don't go into the fire; there thou wilt be burned. Do not let Jesus lose his longing, since it is for thy salvation; but come to him and live.

One word more, and so I have done. Sinner, here thou dost hear of love; prithee, do not provoke it, by turning it into wantonness. He that dies for slighting love, sinks deepest into hell, and will there be tormented by the remembrance of that evil, more than by the deepest cogitation of all his other sins. Take heed, therefore; do not make love thy tormentor, sinner.

Farewell.

THE

JERUSALEM SINNER SAYED;

OR,

GOOD NEWS FOR THE VILEST OF MEN:

BEING

A HELP FOR DESPAIRING SOULS :

SHOWING,

THAT JESUS CHRIST WOULD HAVE MERCY, IN THE FIRST PLACE, OFFERED TO THE GREATEST SINNERS.

TO WHICH IS ADDED,

AN ANSWER TO THOSE GRAND OBJECTIONS

THAT LIE IN THE WAY OF THEM THAT WOULD BELIEVE ; AND FOR THE COMFORT OF THOSE THAT FEAR THEY HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST.

Beginning at Jerusalem.— Luke xxiv. 47.

THE

JERUSALEM SINNER SAVED.

Chapter I. The Doctrine Opened And Proved

Beginning at Jerusalem.— Luke xxiv. 47.

The whole verse runs thus : " And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem/'

The words were spoken by Christ, after he rose from the dead. They are here rehearsed after a historical manner, but contain in them a formal commission, with a special clause therein. The commission is, as you see, for the preaching of the gospel, and is very distinctly inserted in the holy record by Matthew and Mark. " Go teach all nations," &c. " Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Only this clause is in special mentioned by Luke, who saith, that as Christ would have the doctrine of repentance and remission of sins preached in his name among all nations, so he would have the people- of Jerusalem to have the first offer thereof. c Preach it, saith Christ, in all the world; but begin at Jerusalem/

The apostles then, though they had a commission so large

(ii)

as to give them warrant to go and preach the gospel in all the world, yet by this clause were limited as to the beginning of their ministry: they were to begin this work at Jerusalem. " Beginning at Jerusalem. "

Before I proceed to an observation upon the words, I must (but briefly) touch upon two things : namely,

I. Show you what Jerusalem now was.

II. Show you what it was to preach the gospel to them. I. For the first, Jerusalem is to be considered, either,

1. With respect to the descent of her people : or, 2. With respect of her preference and exaltation: or, 3. With respect to her present state, as to her decays.

1. As to her descent. She was from Abraham, from the sons of Jacob, a people that God singled out from the rest of the nations to set his love upon them.

2. As to her preference of exaltation. She was the place of God's worship, and that city which had in her the special tokens and signs of God's favor and presence, above any other people in the world. Hence, the tribes went up to Jerusalem to worship. There were God's house, God's high-priest, God's sacrifices accepted, and God's eye, and God's heart perpetually. Psalm lxxvi. 1. 2; Psalm cxxii. ; 1 Kings ix. 3. But,

3. We are to consider Jerusalem also in her decays. For as she is so considered, she is the proper object of our text; as will be further showed by and by.

Jerusalem, as I told you, was the place and seat of God's worship; but now decayed, degenerated, and apostatized. The word, the rule of worship, was rejected of them, and in its place they had put and set up their own traditions ; they had rejected also the most weighty ordinances, and put in the room thereof their own little things. Matt. xv. ; Mark vii. Jerusalem was therefore now greatly backslidden, and become the place where truth and true religion were much defaced.

DREADFUL PRE-EMINENCE IN BUT. 13

It was also now become the very sink of sin, and seat of hypocrisy, and the gulf where true religion was drowned. Here also now reigned presumption, that groundless confidence in God, which is the bane of souls. Amongst its rulers, doctors, and leaders, envy, malice, and blasphemy, vented themselves against the power of godliness, in all places where it was espied ; as also against the promoters of it; yea, their Lord and Maker could not escape them.

In a word, Jerusalem was now become the shambles, the very slaughter-shop of saints. This was the place wherein the prophets, Christ, and his people, were most horribly persecuted and murdered. Yea, so hardened at this time was this Jerusalem in her sins, that she feared not to commit the biggest, and to bind herself by wish under the guilt and damning evil of it 5 saying, when she had murdered the Son of God, " His blood be on us and on our children. "

And though Jesus Christ did, both by doctrine, miracles, and holiness of life, seek to put a stop to their villanies, yet they shut their eyes, stopped their ears, and rested not, till, as was hinted before, they had driven him out of the world. Yea, that they might, if possible, have extinguished his name, and exploded his doctrine out of the world, they, against all argument, and in despite of heaven, its mighty hand, and undeniable proof of his resurrection, did hire soldiers to invent a lie, saying, his disciples stole him away from the grave ; on purpose that men might not count him the Saviour of the world, nor trust in him for the remission of sins.

They were, saith Paul, contrary to all men : for they did not only shut up the door of life against themselves, but forbade that it should be opened to any else. " Forbidding us," saith he, " to preach to the Gentiles, that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway." Matt, xxiii. 35; xv. 7-9; Mark vii. 6-8; Matt, iii. 7-9; John viii. 33-41; Matt, xxvii. 18; Mark iii. 30; Luke vii. 31-34; Matt

14 THE JERUSALEM SINNER SAYED.

xxiii. 37; Luke xiii. 33, 34; Psalm cvii. 23, 24; Mattxxvii. 25; xxi. 33-39; 1 Thess. ii. 14-16; Acts vii. 51-60.

This is the city, and these are the people ; this is their character, and these are their sins : nor can there be produced their parallel in all this world. Nay, what world, what people, what nation, for sin and transgression, could, or can be compared to Jerusalem? Especially if you join to the matter of fact the light they sinned against, and the patience which they abused. Infinite was the wickedness upon this account which they committed.

After all their abusings of wise men, and prophets, God sent unto them John the Baptist, to reclaim them, and then his Son to redeem them; but they would be neither reclaimed nor redeemed, but persecuted both to the death. Nor did they, as I said, stop here ; the holy apostles they afterwards persecuted also to death even so many as they could; the rest they drove from them unto the utmost corners.

II. I come now to show you what it was to preach the gospel to them. It was, saith Luke, to preach to them "repentance and remission of sins' ' in Christ's name; or, as Mark has it, to bid them " repent and believe the gospel ;" not that repentance is a cause of remission, but a sign of our hearty reception thereof. Repentance is therefore here put to intimate, that no pretended faith of the gospel is good that is not accompanied with it : and this he doth on purpose, because he would not have them deceive themselves. For with what faith can he expect remission of sins in the name of Christ, that is not heartily sorry for them ? Or how shall a man be able to give to others a satisfactory account of his unfeigned subjection to the gospel, that yet abides in his impenitence ?

Wherefore repentance is here joined with faith in the way of receiving the gospel. Faith is that without which it cannot be received at all; and repentance that without

EMPHATIC MEANING OF CHRIST. 15

which it cannot be received unfeignedly. When therefore Christ says, he would have repentance and remission of sins preached in his name among all nations, it is as much as to say, 1 1 will that all men every where be sorry for their sins, and accept of mercy at God's hand through me, lest they fall under his wrath in the judgment/ For as I had said, without repentance, what pretence soever men have of faith, they cannot escape the wrath to come. Wherefore Paul saith, "God now commands all men every where to repent" (in order to salvation), u because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained."

And now we come to this clause, u Beginning at Jerusalem j w that is, that Christ would have Jerusalem have the first offer of the gospel.

1. This cannot be so commanded, because they had now any more right of themselves thereto than had any of the nations of the world; for their sins had divested them of all self-deservings.

2. Nor yet, because they stood upon the advance-ground over the worst of the sinners of the nations; nay, rather, the sinners of the nations had the advance-ground of them : for Jerusalem was, long before she had added this iniquity to her sin, worse than the very nations that God cast out before the children of Israel. 2 Chron. xxxiii.

3. It must therefore follow, that this clause, ( Begin at Jerusalem/ was put into this commission of mere grace and compassion, even from the overflowings of the bowels of mercy ; for indeed they were the worst, and so in the most deplorable condition of any people under the heavens.

Whatever, therefore, their relation was to Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob; however they formerly had been the people among whom God had placed his name and worship; they were now degenerated from God, more than the nations were with their idols, and were become guilty of the highest sins which the people of the world were capable of committing. Nay, none can be capable of committing such pardonable sins as they committed against their God, when they slew his Son, and persecuted his name and word.

From these words, therefore, thus explained, we gain this observation ; which is the doctrine to be unfolded :

That Jesus Christ would have mercy offered in the first place to the greatest sinners.

That these Jerusalem sinners were the greatest sinners that ever were in the world, I think none will deny, that believes that Christ was the best man that ever was in the world, and also was their Lord God. And that they were to have the first offer of his grace, the text is as clear as the sun ; for it saith, " Begin at Jerusalem." " Preach," saith he, " repentance and remission of sins" to the Jerusalem sinners ; to the Jerusalem sinners in the first place.

One would have thought, since the Jerusalem sinners were the worst and greatest sinners, Christ's greatest enemies, and those that not only despised his person, doctrine, and miracles, but that a little before had had their hands up to the elbows in his heart-blood, that he should rather have said, Go into all the world, and preach repentance and remission of sins among all nations; and after that offer the same to Jerusalem ; yea, it had been infinite grace, if he had said so. But what grace is this, or what name shall we give it, when he commands that this repentance and remission of sins, which is designed to be preached in all nations, should first be offered to Jerusalem, in the first place to the worst of sinners !

Nor was this the first time that the grace which was in the heart of Christ thus showed itself to the world. For while he was yet alive, even while he was yet in Jerusalem, and perceived even among these Jerusalem sinners, which was the most vile amongst them, he still in his preaching d id signify that he had a desire that the worst of these worst

THE WORST HAVE THE FIRST OFFER. 17

should in the first place come unto him. The which he showeth, where he saith to the better sort of them, " The publicans and harlots enter into the kingdom of God before you." Also when he compared Jerusalem with the sinners of the nations, then he commands that the Jerusalem sinners should have the gospel at present confined to them. " Go not/' saith he, "into the way of the Gentiles, and into any of the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not ; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel;" yea, go rather to them, for they are in the most fearful plight.

These therefore must have the cream of the gospel, namely, the first offer thereof in his lifetime : yea, when he departed out of the world, he left this as part of his last will with his preachers, that they also should offer it first to Jerusalem. He had a mind, a careful mind, as it seems, to privilege the worst of sinners with the first offer of mercy, and to take from among them a people to be the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.

The 15th of Luke also is famous for this; where the Lord Jesus takes more care (as appears there by three parables) for the lost sheep, lost groat, and the prodigal son, than for the other sheep, the other pence, or for the son that said he had never transgressed; yea, he shows that there is joy in heaven, among the angels of God, at the repentance of one sinner, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Luke xv.

After this manner therefore the mind of Christ was set on the salvation of the biggest sinners in his lifetime. But join to all this, this clause, which he carefully put into the apostles' commission to preach, when he departed Tience to the Father, and then you shall see that his heart was vehemently set upon it. For these were part of his last words with them, Preach my gospel to all nations, but see that you begin at Jerusalem.