The Works of John Bunyan, vol 1 by John Bunyan (books to read to improve english .TXT) 📕

And ‘the man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead’ (Prov 21:6).

[Second.] The Second thing to be learned from these words, as they have a relation to them going before, is encouragement to those that are yet in the storm; and that from three great arguments.

1. Paul’s peace and comfort now at the time of his death, which he signifieth to Timothy by these three expressions, ‘I have fought a good fight—I have finished my course—I have kept the faith.’

2. By the blessed reward he should have for his labour from Christ in another world, together with all those that love the appearing of the Lord, at ‘that great and notable day.’

3. That now his last act should not be inferior to any act he did for God, while he was alive and preached in the world; for his body should now be an offering, a sacrifice well-pleasing to God.

To all which I shall speak something in my discourse upon these words; and, therefore, to come to them:

‘I AM NOW READY TO BE OFFERED.’

In these words we have to inquire into two things. FIRST. What it is to be ‘offered.’ SECOND. What it is to be ‘ready to be offered up.’ ‘I am now ready to be offered.’

[WHAT IT IS TO BE OFFERED.]

FIRST. For the first of these. Paul, by saying he was ‘to be offered,’

alludeth to some of the sacrifices that of old were under the law; and thereby signifieth to Timothy that his death and martyrdom for the gospel should be both sweet in the nostrils of God, and of great profit to his church in this world; for so were the sacrifices of old. Paul, therefore, lifts his eyes up higher than simply to look upon death, as it is the common fate of men; and he had good reason to do it, for his death was violent; it was also for Christ, and for his church and truth; and it is usual with Paul thus to set out the suffering of the saints, which they undergo for the name and testimony of Jesus. Yea, he will have our prayers a sacrifice; our praises, thanksgiving, and mortification, sacrifices; almsdeed, and the offering up of the Gentiles, sacrifices, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost; and here his death also must be for a sacrifice, and an acceptable offering to God (Heb 13:15,16; Rom 12:1,2, 15:16).

Peter also saith, We are priests ‘to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ’ (1 Peter 2:5). Of which sacrifices, it seems by Paul, the death of a Christian for Jesus’

sake must needs be counted one. Besides, Paul further insinuates this by some other sentences in his epistles; as by that in the epistle to the Colossians, where he saith, ‘I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body’s sake, which is the church’

(Col 1:24). Not by way of merit, for so Christ alone, and that by once being offered himself, hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified (Heb 10:10-14). But his meaning is, that as Christ was offered in sacrifice for his church as a Saviour, so Paul would offer himself as a sacrifice for Christ’s church, as a saint, as a minister, and one that was counted faithful. ‘Yea,’ saith he, ‘and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all’ (Phil 2:17). This, then, teacheth us several things worthy our consideration.

First. That the blood of the saints, that they lose for his name, is a sweet savour to God. And so saith the Holy Ghost, ‘Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints’ (Psa 116:15).

And again, ‘He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence, and precious shall their blood be in his sight’ (Psa 72:14).

Second. Those that suffer for Christ are of great benefit to his church, as the sacrifices of old were confirming and strengthening to Israel; wherefore Paul saith, his bonds encouraged his brethren, and made them much more bold in the way of God to speak his word without fear (Phil 1:14).

Third. The sufferings, or offering of the saints in sacrifice, it is of great use and advantage to the gospel; of use, I say, many ways. (1.) The blood of the saints defends it; (2.) confirmeth it; and (3.) redeemeth that thereof that hath been lost in antichristian darkness.

1. They do thereby defend and preserve it from those that would take it from us, or from those that would impose another upon us.

‘I am set,’ saith Paul, ‘for the defence of the gospel,’ and my sufferings have fallen out for the furtherance of it (Phil 1:17).

That is, it hath not only continued to hold its ground, but hath also got more by my contentions, sufferings, and hazards for it.

2. It confirms it; and this is part of the meaning of Paul in those large relations of his sufferings for Christ, saying, ‘Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool, I am more—in prisons more frequent,’ &c.; as he saith again, and these things ‘I do for the gospel’s sake.’ And again, That the truth of the ‘gospel might be continued with you.’ So again, ‘I suffer,’ saith he, in the gospel ‘as an evil-doer even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound; yea,’ saith he, ‘therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sake’

(2 Tim 2:9,10). That is, that the gospel may be preserved entire, that the souls that are yet unborn may have the benefit of it, with eternal glory.

3. The sufferings of the saints are of a redeeming virtue; for, by their patient enduring and losing their blood for the word, they recover the truths of God that have been buried in Antichristian rubbish, from that soil and slur that thereby hath for a long time cleaved unto them; wherefore it is said, They overcame him, the beast, ‘by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death’ (Rev 12:11). They overcame him; that is, they recovered the truth from under his aspersions, and delivered it from all its enemies. David saith, ‘The words of the Lord are—as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times’ (Psa 12:6). What is this furnace of earth but the body of the saints of God, in which the Word is tried, as by fire in persecution, yea, ‘purified seven times’; that is, brought forth at last by the death of the Christians in its purity before the world. How hath the headship and lordship of Christ, with many other doctrines of God, been taken away from the Pope by the sufferings of our brethren before us? While their flesh did fry in the flames, the Word of God was cleansed, and by such means purified in these their earthen furnaces, and so delivered to us. The lamps of Gideon were then discovered when his soldiers’ pitchers were broken; if our pitchers were broke for the Lord and his gospel’s sake, those lamps will then be discovered that before lay hid and unseen (Judg 7:15-22). Much use might be made of this good doctrine.

Learn thus much:—

1. [Learn] The judgment that is made of our sufferings by carnal men is nothing at all to be heeded; they see not the glory that is wrapped up in our cause, nor the innocence and goodness of our conscience in our enduring of these afflictions; they judge according to the flesh, according to outward appearance. For so, indeed, we seem to lie under contempt, and to be in a disgraceful condition; but all things here are converted to another use and end. That which is contemptible when persons are guilty, is honourable when persons are clear; and that which brings shame when persons are buffeted for their faults, is thankworthy in those that endure grief, suffering wrongfully (1 Peter 2:19-22). Though to suffer for sin be the token of God’s displeasure, yet to those that suffer for righteousness, it is a token of greatest favour; wherefore matter not how the world doth esteem of thee and thy present distress, that thou bearest with patience for God and his Word; but believe that those things that are both shame and dishonour to others, are glory and honour to thee (2 Thess 1:4-10). O for a man to be able to say, ‘For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain’ (Acts 28:20). It makes his face to shine like the face of an angel, and his lips to drop like the honey-comb (Cant 4:11).

2. We learn also from hence, the reason why some in days before us have made light of the rage of the world; but they have laughed at destruction when it cometh (Job 5:21,22). And have gone forth to meet the armed men; and with Job’s war-horse, ‘mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted, neither turneth he back from the sword; the quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield, he said among the trumpets, Ha, ha’ (Job 39:22,25). It hath been their [God’s fearers] glory to suffer for Christ; as it is said of the saints of old, ‘they departed from the presence of the counsel, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name’ (Acts 5:41). As Paul also saith, ‘most gladly I will,’ mark, ‘most gladly, rather glory in mine infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me’ (2 Cor 12:9,10). Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake, &c. Let those that suffer for theft and murder hang down their heads like a bulrush, and carry it like those that are going to hanging; but let those whose trials are for the Word of God know, by these very things they are dignified.

3. Learn also in this to be confident, that thy sufferings have their sound and a voice before God and men. First, Before God, to provoke him to vengeance, ‘when he maketh inquisition for blood’

(Psa 9:12; Gen 4:9-11). The blood of Abel cried until it brought down wrath upon Cain; and so did the blood of Christ and his apostles, till it had laid Jerusalem upon heaps. Secondly, Thy blood will also have a voice before men, and that possibly for their good.

The faithful Christian, in his patient suffering, knows not what work he may do for God; who knows but thy blood may be so remembered by thy children, neighbours, and enemies, as to convince them thou wert for the truth? Yea, who knows but their thoughts of thy resolution for Christ, in thy resisting unto blood, may have so good an effect upon some, as to persuade them to close with his ways? The three children in the fiery furnace made Nebuchadnezzar cry out there was no God like theirs! Indeed, this is hard labour, but be content, the dearer thou payest for it to win the souls of others, the greater will be thy crown, when the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall appear; and in the meanwhile, thy death shall be as a sacrifice pleasing to God and his saints.