One THING is Needful OR Serious Meditations UPON THE Four Last THINGS DEATH And JUDGMENT HEAVEN And HELL Unto which is added Ebal and Gerizzim OR The Blessing and the Curse WITH Prison Meditations And a Catalogue of all this Author's Books The Third Edition By JOHN BUNYAN LONDON Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry 1683. ADVERTISEMENT THIS Author having Publish'd many Books which have gone off very well There are certain Ballad-sellers about Newgate and on London-Bridge who have put the two first Letters of this Author's Name and his Effigies to their Rhimes and Ridiculous Books suggesting to the World as if they were his Now know that this Author publisheth his Name at large to all his Books and what you shall see otherwise he disowns A CATALOGUE of Mr. John Bunyan's BOOKS 1. GRace Abounding or the Author's Conversion 2. Greatness of the Soul with the unspeakableness of its Loss 3. Sighs from Hell or the Groans of a damned Soul 4. Instructions for the Ignorant 5. Come and welcome to Jesus Christ. 6. Water of Life proceeding out of the Throne of God 7. Publican and Pharisee at Prayer 8. I will Pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding also 9. Law and Grace or the Nature of the two Covenants 10. The Barren Fig-tree 11. The strait Gate 12. Christian Behaviour 13. A holy Life the Duty of Christians 14. Country Rhimes for Children upon seventy four things 15. The Fear of God 16. Saved by Grace 17. Election and Reprobation 18. A Map of Salvation and Damnation 19. Good News for the Vilest of Men or a help for despairing Souls 20. Light for them that fit in Darkness 21. Justification by Jesus Christ against Doctor Fowler 's c. 22. Confession of Faith and Reason of Practice in Worship 23. Difference in Judgment about Water Baptism no bar to Communion 24. Peaceable Principles and True 25. Some Gospel Truths opened 26. A Vindication of that 27. First Day the Christian Sabbath 28. The House of God 29. Advice to Sufferers 30. The Advocateship of Jesus Christ. 31. Temple Types and Service and Building explained 32. Holy City 33. Holy War 34. Pilgrims Progress the first Part with Cuts 35. Pilgrims Progress the second Part with Cuts 36. Life and Death of Mr. Badman with Cuts 37. Four last things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell Ebal and Gerizzim with Prison Meditations 38. Resurrection from the Dead and Eternal Judgment AN INTRODUCTION TO THE Ensuing Discourse I. THese Lines I at this time present To all that will them heed Wherein I shew to what intent God saith Convert with speed II. For these Four Things come on apace Which we should know full well Both Death and Judgment and in place Next to them Heav'n and Hell III. For doubtless Man was never born For this Life and no moe No in the Resurrection Morn They must have Weal or Woe IV. Can any think that God should take That pains to form a Man So like himself only to make Him here a moment stand V. Or that he should make such ado By Justice and by Grace By Prophets and Apostles too That Men might see his Face VI. Or that the Promise he hath made Also the Threatnings great Should in a moment end and fade O! No this is a Cheat. VII Besides who is so mad or worse To think that Christ should come From Glory to be made a Curse And that in Sinners room VIII If nothing should by us be had When we are gone from hence But Vanities while here O mad And foolish Confidence IX Again Shall God who is the Truth Say There is Heaven and Hell And shall men play that Trick of Youth To say But who can tell X. Shall he that keeps his Promise sure In things both low and small Yet break it like a Man impure In Matters great'st of all XI Oh let all tremble at that thought That puts on God the lye That saith Men shall turn into nought When they be sick and dye XII Alas Death is but as the Door Through which all men do pass To that which they for evermore Shall have by Wrath or Grace XIII Let all therefore that read my Lines Apply them to the Heart Yea let them read and turn betimes And get the better part XIV Mind therefore what I treat on here Yea mind and weigh it well 'T is Death and Judgment and a clear Discourse of Heaven and Hell Of Death 1. DEath as a King Rampant and stout The World he dare ingage He Conquers all yea and doth rout The great strong wise and sage 2. No King so great nor Prince so strong But Death can make to yield Yea bind and lay them all along And make them quit the Field 3. Where are the Victors of the World With all their men of might Those that together Kingdoms hurl'd By Death are put to flight 4. How feeble is the strongest hand When Death begins to gripe The Giant now leaves off to stand Much less withstand and fight 5. The man that hath a Lions face Must here give place and bend Yea though his Bones were bars of brass 'T is vain here to contend 6. Submit he must to feeble ones To Worms who will enclose His skin and flesh sinews and bones And will thereof dispose 7. Among themselves as Merchants do The prizes they have got Or as the Souldiers give unto Each man the share and lot 8. Which they by dint of Sword have won From their most daring foe While he lyes by as still as stone Not knowing what they do 9. Beauty Death turns to rottenness And Youth to wrinckled Face The Witty he brings to distress And Wantons to disgrace 10. The wild he tames and spoils the mirth Of all that wanton are He takes the worldling from his worth And poor man from his Care 11. Death favours none he lays at all Of all sorts and degree Both Old and Young both great and small Rich Poor and bound and free 12. No fawning Words will flatter him Nor Threatnings make him start He favours none for worth or kin All must taste of his Dart. 13. What shall I say the Graves declare That Death shall Conquer all There lye the skuls dust bones and there The Mighty daily fall 14. The very looks of Death are grim And gastly to behold Yea though but in a Dead-mans-skin When he is gone and cold 15. How fraid are some of dead-mens beds And others of their bones They neither care to see their Heads Nor yet to hear their Groans 16. Now all these things are but the shade And badges of his Coat The Glass that runs the Sythe and Spade Though weapons more remote 17. Yet such as make poor mortals shrink And fear when they are told These things are signs that they must drink With death O then how cold 18. It strikes them to the heart how do They study it to shun Indeed who can bear up and who Can
Which now for sin they have O wantons take heed what ye do Sin will you never save 94. They sooner may drink up the Sea Than shake off these their fears Or make another in one day As big with brinish tears 95. Than put an end to misery In which they now do roar Or help themselves no they must cry Alas for evermore 96. When years by thousands on a heap Are passed o're their head Yet still the fruits of sin they reap Among the ghostly dead 97. Yea when they have time out of mind Been in this Case so ill For ever ever is behind Yet for them to fulfill FINIS Ebal and Gerizzim OR The BLESSING and the CURSE Being a short Exhortation to Sinners by the Mercy and Severity of God From Mount Gerizzim BEsides what I said of the Four last Things And of the weal and woe that from them springs An After-word still runneth in my Mind Which I shall here expose unto that wind That may it blow into that very hand That needs it Also that it may be scan'd With greatest soberness shall be my Prayer As well as diligence and godly care So to present it unto publick view That only truth and peace may thence ensue My talk shall be of that amazing love Of God we read of which that it may prove By its engaging Arguments to save Thee I shall lay out that poor help I have Thee to entice that thou wouldst dearly fall In love with thy Salvation and with all That doth thereto concurr that thou may'st be As blessed as the Blessed can make thee Not only here but in the World to come In bliss which I pray God may be thy home But first I would advise thee to bethink Thy self how sin hath laid thee at the brink Of Hell where thou art lulled fast asleep In Satans arms who also will thee keep As sensless and secure as e're he may Left thou should'st wake and see 't and run away Unto that Jesus whom the Father sent Into the World for this cause and intent That such as thou from such a thrall as this Might'st be released and made heir of bliss Nâ—â— that thou mayst awake the danger flye And so escape the death that others dye Come let me set my Trumpet to thine ear Be willing all my message for to hear 'T is for thy life O do it not refuse Woe unto them good counsel do abuse Thou art at present in that very case Which argues thou art destitute of grace For he that lyes where sin hath laid him lyes Under the curse graceless and so he dyes In Body and in Soul within that range If God his heart in mercy doth not change Before he goes the way of all the Earth Before he lose his Spirit and his Breath Repentance there is none within the Grave Nor Christ nor Grace nor Mercies for to save Thee from the Vengeance due unto thy sin If now thou dost not truly close with him Thou art like him that sleepeth in the Sea On broken Boards which without guide or stay Are driven whither Winds and Water will While greedy Beasts do wait to have their fill By feeding on his Carkass when he shall Turn over-board and without Mercy fall Into the Jaws of such as make a prey Of those whom Justice drowneth in the Sea Thou art like him that snoring still doth lye Upon the Bed of vain security Whil'st all about him into burning flame By fire is turn'd yea and while the frame And building where he lyes consuming is And while himself these burnings cannot miss Thou art like one that hangeth by a thread Over the mouth of Hell as one half dead And oh how soon this thread may broken be Or cut by death is yet unknown to thee But sure it is if all the weight of sin And all that Satan too hath doing been Or yet can do can break this crazy thread 'T will not be long before among the dead Thou tumble do as linked fast in chains With them to wait in fear for future pains What shall I say wilt thou not yet awake Nor yet of thy poor Soul some pity take Among the Lyons it hood-winked lyes Oh! that the Lord would open once thine Eyes That thou might'st see it then I dare say thou As half berest of Wits wouldst cry out how Shall I escape Lord help Oh! help with speed Reach down thy hand from Heaven for help I need To save me from the Lyons for I fear This Soul of mine they will in pieces tear Come then and let us both expostulate The Case betwixt us till we animate And kindle in our Hearts that burning love To Christ to Grace to Life that we may move Swifter than Eagles to this blessed prey Then shall it be well with us in that day The trump shall sound the dead made rise and stand Then to receive for breach of God's Command Such thunder-claps as these Depart from me Into Hell fire you that the Wicked be Prepared for the Devil and for those That with him and his Angels rather chose To live in filthy sin and wickedness Whose fruit is everlasting bitterness We both are yet on this side of the Grave We also Gospel-privileges have The Word and time to pray God give us Hearts That like the Wise-man we may act our parts To get the Pearl of price then we shall be Like godly Mary Peter Paul and we Like Jacob too the blessing shall obtain While Esau rides a Hunting for the gain Of worldly Pelf which will him not avail When Death or Judgment shall him fore assail Now to encourage us for to begin Let us believe the Kingdom we may win And be possest thereof if we the way Shall hit into and then let nothing stay Or hinder us the Crown is at the end Let 's run and strive and fly and let 's contend With greatest courage it for to obtain 'T is Life and Peace and everlasting gain The gate of Life the new and living way The Promise holdeth open all the day Which thou by Jacob's Ladder must ascend Where Angels always wait and do attend As Ministers to minister for those That do with God and Christ and glory close If guilt of sin still lieth at our door Us to discourage let us set before Our Eyes a bleeding Jesus who did dye The Death and let 's believe the reason why He did it was that we might ever be From death and sin from hell and wrath set free Yea let 's remember for that very end It was his blessed Father did him send That he the Law of God might here fulfill That so the Mystery of his blessed Will Might be revealed in the blessedness Of those that fly to Christ for righteousness Now let us argue with our selves then thus That Jesus Christ our Lord came to save us By bearing of our sins upon his back By hanging on the Cross as on a Rack While Justice cut him
Satan though my heart indeed be worse Than 't was a wile ago Yet I perceive Thou shalt me not of happiness bereave Nor yet of holiness for by the Word I find that Jesus Christ our blessed Lord Is made Sanctification for me In his own Person where all Graces be As water in the Fountain and that I By means of that have yet a sanctity Both personal and perfect every way And that is Christ himself as Paul doth say Now though my crazy Pitcher oft doth leak By means of which my Graces are so weak And so much spent that one I cannot find Able to stay or help my feeble mind Yet then I look to Jesus and see all In him that wanting is in me and shall Again take courage and believe he will Present me upright in his Person till He humble me for all my foolishness And then again fill me with holiness Now if thou lovest inward sanctity As all the Saints do most unfeignedly Then add to what I have already said Faith in the Promise and be not afraid To urge it often at the Throne of Grace And to expect it in its time and place Then he that true is and that cannot lye Will give it unto thee that thou thereby May'st serve with faith with fear in truth love That God that did at first thy Spirit move To ask it to his praise that he might be Thy God and that he might delight in thee If I should here particulars relate Methinks it could not but much animate Thy Heart though very listless to enquire How thou may'st that enjoy which all desire That love themselves and future Happiness But Oh! I cannot fully it express The Promise is so open and so free In all respects to those that humble be That want they cannot what for them is good But there 't is and confirmed is with Blood A certain sign all those enjoy it may That see they want it and sincerely pray To God the Father in that Jesus Name Who bled on purpose to confirm the same Now would'st thou have a Heart that tender is A Heart that forward is to close with bliss A Heart that will impressions freely take Of the New Covenant and that will make The best improvement of the Word of Grace And that to Wickedness will not give place All this is in the Promise and it may Obtained be of them that humbly pray Would'st thou enjoy that Spirit that is free And looseth those that in their Spirits be Opprest with guilt or filth or unbelief That Spirit that will where it dwells be chief Which breaketh Sampson's Cord as rotten thread And raiseth up the Spirit that is dead That sets the Will at liberty to chuse Those things that God hath promis'd to infuse Into the humble Heart All this I say The Promise holdeth out to them that pray Wouldest thou have that good that blessed Mind That is so much to heavenly things inclin'd That it aloft will soar and always be Contemplating on blest Eternity That Mind that never thinks it self at rest But when it knows it is for ever blest That Mind that can be here no more content Than he that in the Prison doth lament That blessed Mind that counts it self then free When it can at the Throne with Jesus be There to behold the Mansions he prepares For such as be with him and his co-heirs This Mind is in the Covenant of Grace And shall be theirs that truly seek his face Is godly fear delightful unto thee That fear that God himself delights to see Bear sway in them that love him then he will Thy godly Mind in this request fulfill By giving thee a fear that tremble shall At every trip thou takest lest thou fall And him offend or hurt thy self by sin Or cause poor Souls that always blind have been To stumble at thy falls and harder be Against their own Salvation and thee That fear that of it self would rather chuse The rod than to offend or to abuse In any thing that blessed worthy Name That hath thee saved from that death and shame That sin would soon have brought thee to if he Had not imputed Righteousness to thee I will love them saith God and not depart From them but put my fear within their heart That I to them may always lovely be And that they never may depart from me Would'st thou be very upright and sincere Would'st thou be that within thou dost appear Or seem to be in outward exercise Before the most devout and godly wise Yea art thou thus when no Eye doth thee see But that which is invisible and be The words of God in truth thy prop and stay And do they in their Conscience bear more sway To govern thee in Faith and Holiness Than thou canst with thy heart mouth express And do the things that truly are Divine Before thee more than Gold or Rubies shine And if as unto Solomon God should Propound to thee What would'st thou have how would Thy heart and pulse beat after heav'nly things After the upper and the nether springs Could'st with unfeigned heart and upright lip Cry hold me fast Lord never let me slip Nor step aside from Faith and Holiness Nor from the blessed hope of future bliss Lord rather cross me any where than here Lord fill me always with thy holy fear And godly jealousie of mine own heart Lest I Lord should at any time depart From thy most blessed Covenant of Grace Where Jesus rules as King and where thy face Is only to be seen with comfort and Where sinners justifi'd before thee stand If these thy groanings be sincere and true If God doth count thee one that dost pursue The things thou cryest after with thy heart No doubt but in them thou shalt have a part The next word that I would unto thee say Is how thou may'st attain without delay Those blessed Graces and that Holiness Thou dost with so much godly zeal express Thy love to and thy longing to enjoy That sins and weakness might thee less annoy Know then as I have hinted heretofore And shall now speak unto a little more All graces in the person of the Son Are by the Father hid and therefore none Can them obtain but they who with him close All others graceless are but only those For of his fulness 't is that we receive And grace for grace let no man then deceive Himself or others with a feigned shew Of Holiness if Jesus they eschew When he ascended to his Father then It was that he received Gifts for men Faith hope and love true zeal an upright heart Right humbleness of mind and every part Of what the word of Life counts holiness God then laid up in him that we redress And help might have who do unto him fly For righteousness and Gospel-sanctity Now if thou would'st inherent righteousness And so Sanctification possess In Body Soul and Spirit then thou must To Jesus flye as
one ungodly first And so by him crave pardon for thy sin Which thou hast loved and hast lived in For this cannot at all forgiven be For any righteousness that is in thee Because the best thou hast is filthy raggs Prophane presumptuous and most beastly braggs Of Flesh and Blood which always cross doth lye To God to Grace and thy Felicity Then Righteousness imputed thou must have Thee from that guilt and punishment to save Thou lyest under as a sinful man Throughout polluted and that never can By any other means acquitted be Or ever have true holiness in thee The reason is because all Graces are Only in Christ and be infused where Or into those whom he doth justifie By what himself hath done that he thereby Might be the whole of all that happiness The Sinner shall enjoy here and in Bliss Besides if Holiness should first be found In those whom God doth pardon then the ground Why we forgiven are would seem to be He first found Holiness in thee and me But this the Holy Scriptures will refute And prove that Righteousness he doth impute Without respect to goodness first in man For to speak Truth indeed no goodness can Be found in those that underneath the Law Do stand For if God Goodness in them saw Why doth he once and twice say Ther 's is none That Righteous be no not so much as one None understandeth none seek after God His ways they have not known but have abode In Wickedness unprofitable they Must needs appear to be then every way Their Throats an open Sepulchre also Their Mouths are full of filthy Cursings too And bitterness yea underneath their Lips The Asp hath Poyson O how many slips And falls in Sin must such poor People have Now where 's the Holiness that should them save Or as a preparation go before To move God to do for them less or more No Grace must on thee Righteousness bestow Or else Sin will for ever thee undo Sweet Paul this Doctrine also doth express Where he saith Some may have a Righteousness Though Works they have not and it thus may stand Grace by the promise gives what the command Requireth us to do and so are we Quitted from doing and by Grace made free Now then if Holiness thou would'st obtain And would'st a tender Christian-man remain Keep Faith in action let that Righteousness That Christ fulfilled always have express And clear distinction in thy Heart from all That Men by Scripture or besides it call Inherent Gospel-holiness or what Terms else they please to give it for 't is that And that alone by which all Graces come Into the Heart for else there is no room For ought but pride presumption or despair No love or other Graces can be there Received you the Spirit saith St. Paul By hearing Faith or Works not Works and shall No ways retain the same except you do Hear Faith imbrace the same and stick thereto The word of Faith unto me pardon brings Shews me the ground and reason whence it springs To wit free grace which moved God to give His Son to dye and bleed that I might live This word doth also loudly preach to me Though I a miserable sinner be Yet in this Son of God I stand compleat Whose righteousness is without all deceit 'T is that which God himself delighteth in And that by which all his have saved been When I do this begin to apprehend My Heart my Soul and Mind begins to bend To God-ward and sincerely for to love His Son his Ways his People and to move With brokenness of Spirit after him Who broken was and killed for my sin Now is mine heart grown holy now it cleaves To Jesus Christ my Lord and now it leaves Those ways that wicked be it mourns because It can conform no more unto the Laws Of God who loved me when I was vile And of sweet Jesus who did reconcile Me unto Justice by his precious blood When no way else was left to do me good If you would know how this can operate Thus on the Soul I shall to you relate A little farther what my Soul hath seen Since I have with the Lord acquainted been The word of Grace when it doth rightly seize The Spirit of a man and so at ease Doth set the Soul the Spirit of the Lord Doth then with might accompany the Word In which it sets forth Christ as crucifi'd And by that means the Father pacifi'd With such a wretch as thou and by this fight Thy guilt is in the first place put to flight For thus the Spirit doth expostulate Behold how God doth now communicate By changing of the person grace to thee A sinner but to Christ great misery Though he the just one was and so could not Deserve this punishment behold then what The love of God is how 't is manifest And where the reason lyes that thou art blest This Doctrine being spoken to the heart Which also is made yield to every part Thereof it doth the same with sweetness fill And so doth sins and wickednesses kill For when the love of God is thus reveal'd And thy poor drooping Spirit thereby seal'd And when thy heart as dry ground drinks this in Unto the roots thereof which nourish sin It smites them as the worm did Jonah's Gourd And makes them dwindle of their own accord And dye away instead of which there springs Up Life and Love and other holy things Besides the holy Spirit now is come And takes possession of thee as its home By which a war maintained always is Against the old man and the deeds of his When God at first upon Mount Sinai spake He made his very servant Moses quake But when he heard the Law the second time His heart was comforted his face did shine What was the reason of this difference Seeing no change was in the ordinance Although a change was in the manner when The second time he gave it unto Men. At first 't was given in Severity In Thunder Blackness Darkness Tempest high In fiery Flames it was delivered This struck both Moses and the Host as dead But Moses when he went into the Mount The second Time upon the same account No fear nor dread nor shaking of his Mind Do we in all the Holy Scripture find But rather in his Spirit he had rest And look'd upon himself as greatly blest He was put in the Rock he heard the Name Which on the Mount the Lord did thus proclaim The Lord merciful gracious and more Long-suffering and keeping up in store Mercy for thousands pardoning these things Iniquity Transgressions and Sins And holding guilty none but such as still Refuse forgiveness of rebellious will This Proclamation better pleased him Than all the Thunder and the Light'ning Which shook the Mount this rid him of his fear This made him bend make haste worship there Jehosaphat when he was sore opprest By Amon and by Moab and the rest Of
them that sought his Life no rest he found Until a word of Faith became a ground To stay himself upon O! then they fell His very Song became their passing Bell. Then Holiness of Heart a consequence Of Faith in Christ is for it flows from thence The love of Christ in Truth constraineth us Of love sincerely to make Judgment thus He for us dyed that for ever we Might dye to sin and Christ his Servants be O! nothing's like to the remembrance Of what it is to have deliverance From Death and Hell which is of due our right Nothing I say like this to work delight In holy things this like live-honey runs And needs no pressing out of honey-combs Then understand my meaning by my words How sence of mercy unto faith affords Both Grace to sanctifie and holy make That Soul that of forgiveness doth partake Thus having briefly shewed you what is The way of Life of Sanctity of Bliss I would not in conclusion have you think By what I say that Christian-men should drink In these my words with lightness or that they Are now exempted from what every day Their duty is No God doth still expect Yea doth command that they do not neglect To pray to read to hear and not dissent From being sober grave and diligent In watching self-denyal and with fear To serve him all the time thou livest here Indeed I have endeavoured to lay Before your Eyes the right and only way Pardon to get and also Holiness Without which never think that God will bless Thee with the Kingdom he will give to those That Christ embrace and holy lives do choose To live while here all other go astray And shall in time to come be cast away From Mount Ebal THus having heard from Gerizzim I shall Next come to Ebal and you thither call Not there to curse you but to let you hear How God doth curse that Soul that shall appear An unbelieving man a graceless wretch Because he doth continue in the breach Of Moses Law and also doth neglect To close with Jesus him will God reject And cast behind him for of right his due Is that from whence all miseries ensue Cursed saith he are they that do transgress The least of my Commandments more or less Nothing that written is must broken be But always must be kept unto by thee And must fulfilled be for here no man Can look God in the face or ever stand Before the Judgment seat for if they be Convict condemned too assuredly Now keep this Law no mortal Creature can For they already do as guilty stand Before the God that gave it so that they Obnoxious to the curse lye every day Which also they must feel for certainty If unto Jesus Christ they do not fly Hence then as they for ever shall be blest That do by faith upon the promise rest So peace unto the wicked there is none 'T is wrath and death that they must feed upon That what I say may some impression make On carnal Hearts that they in time may take That course that best will prove when time is done These lines I add to what I have begun First Thou must know that God as he is Love So he is Justice therefore cannot move Or in the least be brought to favour those His Holiness and Justice doth oppose For though thou may'st imagine in thy heart That God is this or that yet if thou art At all besides the truth of what he is And so dost build thy hope for life amiss Still he the same abideth and will be The same the same for ever unto thee As God is true unto his promise so Unto his threatning he is faithful too Cease to be God he must if he should break One tittle that his blessed mouth did speak Now then none can be saved but the men With whom the God-head is contented when It them beholds with the severest eye Of Justice Holiness and yet can spye No fault nor blemish in them these be they That must be saved as the Scriptures say If this be true as 't is assuredly Woe be to them that wicked live and dye Those that as far from Holiness have been All their Life long as if no Eye had seen Their doings here or as if God did not At all regard or in the least mind what Wherein or how they did his Law transgress Either by this or other Wickedness But how deceived these poor creatures are They then shall know when they their burthen bear Alas our God is a consuming fire So is his Law by which he doth require That thou submit to him and if thou be Not in that Justice found that can save thee From all and every sentence which he spake Upon Mount Sinai then as one that brake It thou the flames thereof shalt quickly find As scourges thee to lash while sins do bind Thee hand and foot for ever to endure The strokes of vengeance for thy Life impure What I have said will yet evinced be And manifest abundantly to thee If what I have already spoken to Be joyned with these Lines that do ensue Justice discovers its antipathy Against Prophaneness and Malignity Not only by the Law it gave to men And Threatnings thereunto annexed then But in as much as long before that day He did prepare for such as go astray That dreadful that so much amazing place Hell with its Torments for those men that Grace And Holiness of Life slight and disdain There to bemoan themselves with hellish pain This place also the Pains so dismal be Both as to Name and Nature that in me It is not to express the damning wights The hellish Torture and the fearful plights Thereof for as intolerable they Must needs be found by those that disobey The Lord so can no word or thought express Unto the full the height of that distress Such miserable Caitiffs that shall there Rebukes of Vengeance for Transgressions bear Indeed the Holy Scriptures do make use Of many Metaphors that do conduce Much to the symbolizing of the place Unto our Apprehension but the case The sad the woful case of those that lye As wracked there in endless misery By all similitudes no mortals may Set forth in its own nature for I say Similitudes are but a shade and shew Of those or that they signifie to you The fire that doth within thine Oven burn The Prison where poor People sit and mourn Chains Racks and Darkness and such others be As painting on the Wall to let thee see By Word and Figures the extremity Of such as shall within these burnings lye But certainly if Wickedness and Sin Had only foolish toyes and trifles been And if God had not greatly hated it Yea could he any ways thereof admit And let it pass he would not thus have done He doth not use to punish any one With any place or punishment that is Above or sharper than the sin of his Hath merited and Justice
And joyntly shall with all our Heart In Life each other greet 72. A Crown to them we then shall be A Glory and a Joy And that before the Lord when he The World comes to destroy 73. This is the place this is the State Of all that fear the Lord Which men nor Angels may relate With tongue or pen or word 74. No night is here for to eclipse Its spangling rayes so bright Nor doubt nor fear to shut the lips Of those within this light 75. The strings of Musick here are tun'd For heavenly Harmony And every Spirit here perfum'd With perfect Sanctity 76. Here runs the Chrystal streams of Life Quite thorow all our veins And here by love we do unite With Glory's golden Chains 77. Now that which sweetneth all will be The lasting of this state This heightens all we here or see To a transcendent rate 78. For should the Saints enjoy all this But for a certain time Oh how would they their mark then miss And at this thing repine 79. Yea 't is not possible that they Who then shall dwell on high Should be content unless they may Dwell there eternally 80. A thought of parting with this place Would bitter all their sweet And darkness put upon the Face Of all they there do meet 80. But far from this the Saints shall be Their portion is the Lord Whose face for ever they shall see As saith the holy Word 81. And that with everlasting peace Joy and felicity From this time forth they shall encrease Unto Eternity Of Hell and the Estate of those that perish 1. THus having shew'd you what I see Of Heaven I now will tell You also after search what be The damned wights of Hell 2. And oh that they who read my lines Would ponder soberly And lay to heart such things betimes As touch Eternity 3. The sleepy sinner little thinks What sorrows will abound Within him when upon the brinks Of Tophet he is found 4. Hell is beyond all thought a state So doubtful and forlorn So fearful that none can relate The pangs that there are born 5. God will exclude them utterly From his most blessed Face And them involve in misery In shame and in disgrace 6. God is the Fountain of all bliss Of Life of Light and peace They then must needs be comfortless Who are depriv'd of these 7. Instead of Life a living death Will there in all be found Dyings will be in every breath Thus sorrow will abound 8. No light but darkness here doth dwell No peace but horror strange The fearful damning wights of Hell In all will make this change 9. To many things the damned's woe Is likened in the Word And that because no one can shew The vengeance of the Lord. 10. Unto a dreadful burning Lake All on a fiery flame Hell is compared for to make All understand the same 11. A burning Lake a Furnace hot A burning Oven too Must be the portion share and lot Of those which evil sow 12. This plainly shews the burning heat With which it will oppress All hearts and will like burnings eat Their Souls with sore distress 13. This burning Lake it is Gods wrath Incensed by the sin Of those who do reject his path And wicked ways walk in 14. Which wrath will so perplex all parts Of Body and of Soul As if up to the very hearts In burnings they did roul 15. Again to shew the stinking state Of this so sad a Case Like burning Brimstone God doth make The hidings of his Face 16. And truly as the steam and smoak And flames of Brimstone smell To blind the Eyes and Stomach choak So are the pangs of Hell 17. To see a Sea of Brimstone burn Who would it not afright But they whom God to Hell doth turn Are in most woful plight 18. This burning cannot quenched be No not with tears of blood No mournful groans in misery Will here do any good 19. O damned Men this is your fate The day of Grace is done Repentance now doth come too late Mercy is fled and gone 20. Your groans and cries they sooner should Have sounded in mine ears If Grace you would have had or would Have me regard your tears 21. Me you offended with your sin Instructions you did slight Your sins against my Law hath bin Justice shall have his right 22. I gave my Son to do you good I gave you space and time With him to close which you withstood And did with Hell combine 23. Justice against you now is set Which you cannot appease Eternal Justice doth you let From either life or ease 24. Thus he that to this place doth come May groan and sigh and weep But sin hath made that place his home And there it will him keep 25. Wherefore Hell in another place Is call'd a Prison too And all to shew the evil case Of all sin doth undo 26. Which Prison with its locks and bars Of Gods lasting decree Will hold them fast O how this mars All thought of being free 27. Out at these brazen bars they may The Saints in glory see But this will not their grief allay But to them torment be 28. Thus they in this infernal Cave Will now be holden fast From heav'nly freedom though they crave Of it they may not tast 29. The Chains that darkness on them hangs Still ratling in their Ears Creates within them heavy pangs And still augments their fears 30. Thus hopeless of all remedy They dyingly do sink Into the Jaws of misery And Seas of sorrows drink 31. For being cop'd on every side With helplesness and grief Head-long into despair they slide Berest of all relief 32. Therefore this Hell is call'd a Pit Prepar'd for those that dye The second Death a term most fit To shew their misery 33. A Pit that 's bottomless is this A Gulf of grief and wo A Dungeon which they cannot miss That will themselves undo 34. Thus without stay they always sink Thus fainting still they fail Despair they up like water drink These Prisoners have no bail 35. Here meets them now that worm that gnaws And plucks their bowels out The Pit too on them shuts her jaws This dreadful is no doubt 36. This gastly worm is guilt for sin Which on the Conscience feeds With Vipers Teeth both sharp and keen Whereat it sorely bleeds 37. This worm is fed by memory Which strictly brings to mind All things done in prosperity As we in Scripture find 38. No word nor thought nor act they did But now is set in sight Not one of them can now be hid Memory gives them light 39. On which the understanding still Will judge and sentence pass This kills the mind and wounds the will Alas alas alas 40. Oh Conscience is the slaughter-shop There hangs the Axe and Knife 'T is there the worm makes all things hot And wearies out the life 41. Here then is execution done On Body and on Soul For Conscience will be
brib'd of none But gives to all their doul 42. This worm 't is said shall never dye But in the belly be Of all that in the flames shall lye O dreadful sight to see 43. This worm now needs must in them live For sin will still be there And guilt for God will not forgive Nor Christ their burden bear 44. But take from them all help and stay And leave them to despair Which seeds upon them night and day This is the damned's share 45. Now will confusion so possess These Monuments of Ire And so confound them with distress And trouble their desire 46. That what to think or what to do Or where to lay their head They know not 't is the damned's wo To live and yet be dead 47. These cast-aways would fain have life But know they never shall They would forget their dreadful plight But that sticks fast'st of all 48. God Christ Heav'n they know are best Yet dare not on them think The Saints they know in joys do rest While they their tears do drink 49. They cry alas but all in vain They stick fast in the mire They would be rid of present pain Yet set themselves on fire 50. Darkness is their perplexity Yet do they hate the light They always see their misery Yet are themselves all night 51. They are all dead yet live they do Yet neither live nor dye They dye to weal and live to wo This is their misery 52. Amidst all this so great a scare That here I do relate Another falleth to their share In this their sad estate 53. The Legions of infernal Fiends Then with them needs must be A just reward for all their pains This they shall feel and see 54. With yellings howlings shrikes and cries And other doleful noise With trembling hearts and failing eyes These are their hellish joyes 55. These Angels black they would obey And serve with greedy mind And take delight to go astray That pleasure they might find 56. Which pleasure now like poison turns Their joy to heaviness Yea like the gall of Asps it burns And doth them sore oppress 57. Now is the joy they lived in All turn'd to brinish tears And resolute attempts to sin Turn'd into hellish fears 58. The floods run trickling down their face Their hearts do prick and ake While they lament their woful case Their loins totter and shake 59. O wetted cheeks with-bleared eyes How fully do you shew The pangs that in their bosom lyes And grief they undergo 60. Their dolor in their bitterness So greatly they bemoan That Hell it self this to express Doth eccho with their groan 61. Thus broiling on the burning grates They now to wailing go And say of those unhappy fates That did them thus undo 62. Alas my grief hard hap had I Those dolors here to find A living Death in Hell I lye Involv'd with grief of mind 63. I once was fair for light and grace My days were long and good I lived in a blessed place Where was most heav'nly food 64. But wretch I am I slighted life I chose in death to live Oh for these days now if I might Ten thousand Worlds would give 65. What time had I to pray and read What time to hear the Word What means to help me at my need Did God to me afford 66. Examples too of Piety I every day did see But they abuse and slight did I Oh woe be unto me 67. I now remember how my Friend Reproved me of Vice And bid me mind my latter end Both once and twice and thrice 68. But oh deluded man I did My back upon him turn Eternal life I did not heed For which I now do mourn 69. Ah golden time I did thee spend In Sin and Idleness Ah health and wealth I did you lend To bring me to distress 70. My Feet to evil I let run And Tongue of folly talk My Eyes to vanity hath gone Thus did I vainly walk 71. I did as greatly toil and strain My self with Sin to please As if that everlasting gain Could have been found in these 72. But nothing nothing have I found But weeping and alas And sorrow which doth now surround Me and augment my Cross. 73. Ah bleeding Conscience how did I Thee check when thou didst tell Me of my faults for which I lye Dead while I live in Hell 74. I took thee for some peevish foe When thou didst me accuse Therefore I did thee buffet so And counsel did refuse 75. Thou often didst me tidings bring How God did me dislike Because I took delight in Sin But I thy News did slight 76. Ah Mind why didst thou do those things That now do work my woe Ah Will why wast thou thus inclin'd Me ever to undo 77. My Senses how were you beguil'd When you said sin was good It hath in all parts me defil'd And drown'd me like a flood 78. Ah that I now a being have In sorrow and in pain Mother would you had been my grave But this I wish in vain 79. Had I been made a Cockatrice A Toad or such like thing Yea had I been made Snow or Ice Then had I had no sin 80. A Block a Stock a Stone or Clot Is happier than I For they know neither cold nor hot To live nor yet to dye 81. I envy now the happiness Of those that are in light I hate the very name of bliss 'Cause I have there no right 82. I grieve to see that others are In glory life and well Without all fear or dread or care While I am wrackt in Hell 83. Thus-will these Souls with watry eyes And hacking of their Teeth With wringing hands and fearful cries Expostulate their grief 84. O set their teeth they will and gnash And gnaw for very pain While as with Scorpions God doth lash Them for their Life so vain 85. Again still as they in this muse Are feeding on the fire To mind there comes yet other news To scrue their Torments higher 86. Which is the length of this estate Where they at present lye Which in a word I thus relate 'T is to Eternity 87. This thought now is so firmly fixt In all that comes to mind And also is so strongly mixt With wrath of every kind 88. So that whatever they do know Or see or think or feel For ever still doth strike them throw As with a bar of steel 89. For ever shineth in the fire Ever is on the chains 'T is also in the pit of Ire And tasts in all their pains 90. For ever separate from God From Peace and Life and Rest For ever underneath the Rod That Vengeance liketh best 91. O ever ever this will drown'd Them quite and make them cry We never shall get o're thy bound Oh great Eternity 92. They sooner now the Stars may count Than loose these dismal bands Or see to what the moats amount Or number up the sands 93. Than see an end of this their woe
seeth due Read sin then by the death that doth ensue Most men do judge of sin not by the fruits It bears and bringeth forth but as it suits Their carnal and deluded hearts that be With sensual Pleasures eaten up but he That now so judgeth shortly shall perceive That God will judge thereof himself and leave Such men no longer to their carnal lusts To judge of wickedness and of the just And righteous punishment that doth of right Belong thereto and will too in despite Of all their carnal reason justifie Himself in their eternal misery Then Hell will be no fancy neither will Mens sins be pleasant to them but so ill And bitter yea so bitter that none can Fully express the same or ever stand Under the burden it will on them lay When they from Life and Bliss are sent away When I have thought how often God doth speak Of their destruction who his Law do break And when the nature of the punishment I find so dreadful and that Gods intent Yea resolution is it to inflict On every sinner that shall stand convict I have amazed been yet to behold To see poor sinners yet with sin so bold That like the Horse that to the battel runs Without all fear and that no danger shuns Till down he falls O resolute attempts O sad amazing damnable Events The end of such proceedings needs must be From which O Lord save and deliver me But if thou think that God thy noble Race Will more respect than into such a place To put thee hold though thou his off-spring be And so art lovely yet sin hath made thee Another kind of Creature than when thou Didst from his fingers drop and therefore now Thy first Creation stands thee in no stead Thou hast transgressed and in very deed Set God against thee who is infinite And that for certain never will forget Thy sins nor favour thee if thou shalt dye A graceless Man this is thy misery When Angels sinned though of higher race Than thou and also put in higher place Yet them he spared not but cast them down From Heaven to Hell where also they lye bound In everlasting chains and no release Shall ever have but wrath that shall encrease Upon them to their everlasting woe As for the state they were exalted to That will by no means mitigate their fear But aggravate their hellish torment here For he that highest stands if he shall fall His danger needs must be the great'st of all Now if God noble Angels did not spare Because they did transgress will he forbear Poor dust and ashes will he suffer them To break his Law and sin and not condemn Them for so doing let not man deceive Himself or others they that do bereave Themselves by sin of happiness shall be Cut off by Justice and have misery Witness his great severity upon The World that first was planted wherein none But only eight the Deluge did escape All others of that Vengeance did partake The reason was That World ungodly stood Before him therefore he did send the flood Which swept them all away a just Reward For their most wicked ways against the Lord Who could no longer bear them and their ways Therefore into their bosom Vengeance pays We read of Sodom and Gomorrha too What Judgments they for sin did undergo How God from Heaven did fire upon them rain Because they would not wicked ways refrain Condemning of them with an overthrow And turned them to ashes who can know The miseries that these poor People felt While they did underneath those burnings melt Now these and many more that I could name That have been made partakers of the flame And Sword of Justice God did then cut off And make Examples unto all that scoff At holiness or do the Gospel slight And long it will not be before the night And Judgment painted out by what he did To Sodom and Gomorrha fulfilled Upon such sinners be that they may know That God doth hate the sin and Persons too Of such as still rebellious shall abide Although they now at Judgment may deride FINIS Prison-Meditations Directed to the Heart of SUFFERING SAINTS AND REIGNING SINNERS By JOHN BUNYAN in Prison 1665. 1. FRiend I salute thee in the Lord And wish thou may'st abound In Faith and have a good regard To keep on Holy Ground 2. Thou dost encourage me to hold My Head above the Flood Thy Counsel better is than Gold In need thereof I stood 3. Good Counsel's good at any time The Wise will it receive Tho' Fools count he commits a Crime Who doth good Counsel give 4. I take it kindly at thy hand Thou didst unto me write My Feet upon Mount Sion stand In that take thou delight 5. I am indeed in Prison now In Body but my Mind Is free to study Christ and how Unto me he is kind 6. For though men keep my outward man Within their Locks and Bars Yet by the Faith of Christ I can Mount higher than the Stars 7. Their Fetters cannot Spirits tame Nor tye up God from me My Faith and Hope they cannot lame Above them I shall be 8. I here am very much refresht To think when I was out I preached Life and Peace and Rest To Sinners round about 9. My business then was Souls to save By preaching Grace and Faith Of which the comfort now I have And have it shall till death 10. They were no Fables that I taught Devis'd by cunning men But God's own Word by which were caught Some sinners now and then 11. Whose Souls by it were made to see The evil of their sin And need of Christ to make them free From death which they were in 12. And now those very Hearts that then Were Foes unto the Lord Embrace his Christ and Truth like men Conquered by his Word 13. I hear them sigh and groan and cry For Grace to God above They loath their sin and to it dye 'T is Holiness they love 14. This was the work I was about When Hands on me they laid 'T was this from which they pluck'd me out And vilely to me said 15. You Heretick Deceiver come To Prison you must go You preach abroad and keep not home You are the Churches foe 16. But having Peace within my Soul And Truth on every side I could with comfort them controul And at their charge deride 17. Wherefore to Prison they me sent Where to this day I lie And can with very much content For my Profession die 18. The Prison very sweet to me Hath been since I came here And so would also hanging be If God will there appear 19. Here dwells good Conscience also Peace Here be my Garments white Here though in Bonds I have Release From Guilt which else would bite 20. When they do talk of Banishment Of Death or such like Things Then to me God sends Hearts content That like a Fountain springs 21. Alas they little think what peace They help