Works of John Bunyan — Complete

by John Bunyan

USE SECOND. My next shall be a use of terror. Has God commanded by the mouth of his holy apostles and prophets, that those that name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity: then what will become of those that rebel against his Word. Where the word of a king is, there is power; and if the wrath of a king be as the roaring of a lion, what is, and what will be the wrath of God, when with violence it falls upon the head of the wicked?

Sirs, I beseech you consider this, namely, that the man that professeth the name of Christ, and yet liveth a wicked life, is the greatest enemy that God has in the world, and, consequently, one that God, in a way most eminent, will set his face against. Hence he threateneth such so hotly, saying, 'And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinner shall be together,' and that 'they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.' (Isa. 1:28; 33:14) But what sinners are these? why, the sinners in Zion, the hypocrites in the church. So again the Lord shall 'purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against him.' (Ezek. 20:38) 'All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.' (Amos 9:10) For though such do think that by professing of the name of Christ, they shall prevent their going down to hell, yet they shall go down thither, with those that have lived openly wicked and profane: Egypt, and Judah, the circumcised with them that are not, for it is not a profession of faith that can save them. (Jer. 9:26) 'Whom dost thou pass in beauty,' saith God? wherein art thou bettered by the profession, than the wicked? 'go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.' (Ezek. 32:19)

This in general; but more particularly, the wrath of God manifesteth itself against such kind of professors. In that the gospel and means of salvation shall not be effectual for their salvation, but that it shall work rather quite contrary effects. It shall bring forth, as I said, quite contrary effects. (2 Cor. 2:15, 16) As,

First, The preaching of the Word shall be to such the savour of death unto death, and that is a fearful thing.

Second, Yea Christ Jesus himself shall be so far off from being a savour unto them, that he shall be a snare, a trap and a gin to catch them by the heel withal; that they may go and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.' (Isa. 8:14, 15; 28:13)

Third, The Lord also will choose out such delusions, or such as will best suit with the workings of their flesh, as will effectually bring them down, with the bullocks and with the bulls to the slaughter: yea, he will lead such forth with the workers of iniquity. (Isa. 66:3, 4; Psa. 125:5)

Fourth, Such, above all, lie open to the sin against the Holy Ghost, that unpardonable sin, that must never be forgiven. For alas, it is not the poor ignorant world, but the enlightened professor that committeth the sin that shall never be forgiven.

I say, it is one enlightened, one that has tasted the good word of God, and something of the powers of the world to come. (Heb. 6:4; 1 John 5:16) It is one that was counted a brother, that was with us in our profession: it is such an one that is in danger of committing of that most black and bloody sin. But yet all and every one of those that are such are not in danger of this; but those among these that take pleasure in unrighteousness, and that rather than they will lose that pleasure, will commit it presumptuously. Presumptuously, that is, against light, against convictions, against warnings, against mercies. Or thus, a presumptuous sin is such an one as is committed in the face of the command, in a desperate venturing to run the hazard, or in a presuming upon the mercy of God, through Christ, to be saved not withstanding: this is a leading sin to that which is unpardonable, and will be found with such professors; that do hanker after iniquity. I say, it is designed by the devil, and suffered by the just judgment of God, to catch and overthrow the loose and carnal gospellers. And hence it is that David cries unto God, that he would hold him back from these sort of sins. 'Cleanse thou me from secret faults,' says he. And then adds, 'Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.' (Psa. 19:12, 13)

If there were any dread of God, or of his word, in the hearts of the men of this generation, the consideration of this one test is enough to shake them in pieces: I speak of those that name the name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity. But the word of God must be fulfilled; in the last days iniquity must abound; wherefore these days will be perilous and dangerous to professors. 'In the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their ownselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.' (2 Tim. 3:1, 2; Matt. 24:12) I do the oftener harp upon this test at this time, because it is a prediction of what shall be in the latter days, to wit, what a sea and deluge of iniquity shall in the latter days overspread and drown those that then shall have a form of godliness, and of religion. So that this day is more dangerous than were the days that have been before us. Now iniquity, even immorality, shall with professors be in fashion, be pleaded for, be loved and more esteemed than holiness itself. Now godliness and self denial shall be little set by; even those very men that have a form of godliness hate the life and power thereof; yea, they shall despise them that are good. Now therefore ministers must not think that what they say of the doctrine of self denial among professors, will be much, if at all regarded. I say, regarded, so as to be loved and put in practice by them that name the name of Christ. For the strong hold that iniquity shall have of their affections will cause that but little effectualness to this end will be found to attend the preaching of the Word unto them.

But what will these kind of men do, when God that is just, God that is holy, and God that is strong to execute his word, shall call them to an account for these things?