The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan [most popular novels .txt] 📗

Him, and should reckon that all those graces of God that now were green in me, were yet but like those cracked groats and fourpence-halfpennies, (Irish sixpences, which, in the dearth of silver coin in England, were made current at fourpence-halfpenny —⁠Editor), that rich men carry in their purses, when their gold is in their trunks at home. Oh! I saw that my gold was in my trunk at home, in Christ my Lord and Saviour. Now, Christ was all; all my wisdom, all my righteousness, all my sanctification, and all my redemption.” ↩

Hebrews 12:16. ↩

Genesis 25:32. ↩

Jeremiah 2:24. ↩

Hopeful was not the first pilgrim who has been “almost made angry” while holding a friendly debate upon that highly-important subject, the doctrine of the saints’ final perseverance. Pilgrims ought to debate upon those subjects without being angry. —⁠Editor ↩

Hopeful here expresses himself as if he had read Bunyan on Christ’s Love⁠—“But to fear man is to forget God. He taketh part with them that fear Him; so that we may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me’ (Hebrews 13:6). Would it not be amazing to see a man encompassed with chariots, and horses, and weapons of defence, yet afraid of being sparrow-blasted, or overrun by a grasshopper?” —⁠Vol. 2, p. 13 ↩

Psalms 7:2; 1 Peter 5:8. ↩

Who can stand in the evil day of temptation, when beset with Faint-heart, Mistrust, and Guilt, backed by the power of their master, Satan? No one, unless armed with the whole armour of God; and even then, the power of such infernal foes makes it a hard fight to the Christian. But this is our glory, the Lord shall fight for us, and we shall hold our peace. We shall be silent as to ascribing any glory to ourselves, knowing our very enemies are part of ourselves, and that we are more than conquerors over all these (only) through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37). —⁠Mason ↩

“One Great-grace;” a believer, or minister, who having honourably stood his ground, endeavours to restore the fallen. The remembrance of such, helps to drive away despondency, and inspires the trembling penitent with hope of mercy. —⁠Scott ↩

“I trow;” I imagine or believe: nearly obsolete. —⁠Editor ↩

Now here you see what is meant by Great-grace, who is so often mentioned in this book, and by whom so many valiant things were done. We read, “With great power the apostles gave witness of the resurrection of Jesus.” Why was it? Because “great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33). So you see all is of grace, from first to last, in salvation. If we do great things for Christ, yet, not unto us, but unto the great grace of our Lord, be all the glory. —⁠Mason ↩

Job 12:26⁠–⁠29. ↩

Job 34:19⁠–⁠25. ↩

If we saw our own weakness, we should never court dangers, nor run in the way of temptation; yet, if our temptations be ever so sharp and strong, and our dangers ever so great, if the Lord is our strength, we need not fear. —⁠J. B. ↩

From this sweet and edifying conversation, learn not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think; but to think soberly, according to the measure of faith which God hath dealt to you (Romans 12:3). Now, it is of the very essence of faith to lead us out of all self-confidence and vain vaunting. For we know not how soon Faint-heart, Mistrust, and Guilt may spring up in us, and rob us of our comforts, and spoil our joys. —⁠Mason ↩

Ephesians 6:16. ↩

Instead of saying, “Though all men deny thee, yet will not I,” it behooves us to use all means of grace diligently, and to be instant in prayer, that the Lord Himself may protect us by His power, and animate us by His presence, and then only shall we be enabled to overcome both the fear of man and the temptations of the devil. —⁠Scott ↩

Exodus 33:15. ↩

Psalms 3:5⁠–⁠8; 27:1⁠–⁠3. ↩

Isaiah 10:4. ↩

But how contrary to this is the walk and conduct of some who profess to be pilgrims, and yet can willfully and deliberately go upon the devil’s ground, and indulge themselves in carnal pleasures and sinful diversions! Such evidently declare in plain language, that they desire not the presence of God, but that He should depart from them; but a day will come which will bring on terrible reflections of mind for such things. —⁠Mason ↩

Mr. Ivimey’s opinion is, that this “way which put itself into their way,” and the flatterer, relates to Antinomianism. Of this I can form no accurate judgment, never having met with an Antinomian, or one who professed to be against the law of God. I have met with those who consider that believers are bound to prefer the law of God as revealed by Jesus Christ, in Matthew 22:37⁠–⁠40, to be their rule of life, instead of limiting themselves to the law of God as given by Moses, in Exodus 20; but it has been for this reason, that the law proclaimed by Christ unites in it the law given by Moses, and all the law and the prophets. This law, as given by Christ, is in a few words of beautiful simplicity, which can neither be misunderstood nor be forgotten. Mason says, “It is plain the author means the way of self-righteousness,” into which the flatterer enticed the pilgrims, out of the Scripture highway to Heaven,