Friday, May 19, 2006
All loves excelling by John Bunyan
This book was originally titled, 'The saints knowledge of Christ's love'.
Another advangtage that floweth from this knowledge, is, that it makes the next world desirable, not simply as it is with those lean souls, taht desire it only as a thief desireth the judge's favour, that he may be saved from the halter; but out of love such have to God and to the beauties of the house he dwells in; and that they may easily be judged of, by the answerable or unanswerableness of their hearts and lives thereto. Where is the man that groans earnestly to be gone to God, that counts this life a strait unto him: that saith as a sick man of my aquaintance did, wheen his friend at his bed-side prayed to God to spare his life, No, no, said he, pray not so; for it is better to be dissolved and be gone. Christians should show the world how they believe; not by words on paper, not by gay and flourishing notions (James 2:18): but by those desires they have to be gone, and the proof that these desires are true, is a life in heaven while we are on earth (Philippians 3:20,21). I know words are cheap, but a dram of grace is worth all the world. But where, as I saied, shall it be found, not among carnal men, not among weak Christians, but among those, and those only, that enjoy a great measure of Paul's wish here. p 45
Bunyan is well know for writing 'Pilgrim's Progress' his works on theology are also good and should be read as well.
Another advangtage that floweth from this knowledge, is, that it makes the next world desirable, not simply as it is with those lean souls, taht desire it only as a thief desireth the judge's favour, that he may be saved from the halter; but out of love such have to God and to the beauties of the house he dwells in; and that they may easily be judged of, by the answerable or unanswerableness of their hearts and lives thereto. Where is the man that groans earnestly to be gone to God, that counts this life a strait unto him: that saith as a sick man of my aquaintance did, wheen his friend at his bed-side prayed to God to spare his life, No, no, said he, pray not so; for it is better to be dissolved and be gone. Christians should show the world how they believe; not by words on paper, not by gay and flourishing notions (James 2:18): but by those desires they have to be gone, and the proof that these desires are true, is a life in heaven while we are on earth (Philippians 3:20,21). I know words are cheap, but a dram of grace is worth all the world. But where, as I saied, shall it be found, not among carnal men, not among weak Christians, but among those, and those only, that enjoy a great measure of Paul's wish here. p 45
Bunyan is well know for writing 'Pilgrim's Progress' his works on theology are also good and should be read as well.
