378 EPISTLE TO SLOTHFUL AND CARELESS PEOPLE. is past; they have set themselves in the scorner's glory impart to us a sense of their indescribable seat, from which they will be hurled into unutterable wretchedness. Bunyan well knew that idleness engenders poverty and crime, and is the parent of every evil; and he exhorts his runner to the greatest diligence, not to fool away his soul' in slothfulness, which induces carelessness, until the sinner is remedyless. Our first care is to get into the right way, and then so to run that the devil, who is light of foot,' may not overtake and trip us up. Running to heaven does not prevent the true, the real enjoyment of earthly blessings, but sanctifies and heightens them. The great impetus in our course is love to the prize to Christ, to heaven; having our affections set upon things above.' Looking unto Jesus. His righteousness imputed unto us by the shedding of his blood, marks all the road, and while we keep that in sight we cannot err. In all earthly things we anticipate too much-but in the glories of heaven, our anticipations are feeble indeed, compared with eternal realities. Could the saints in happiness, with what activity and perseverance we should run. The case of Lot, when flying from destruction, is put by Bunyan with peculiar force he dared not to look back even to see what had become of his wife, lest death should overtake his own soul. p. 394. O, my reader, may we be stimulated so to run as to obtain that crown of glory which is imperishable, immortal, and eternal. Charles Doe, one of Bunyan's personal friends, having purchased the copyright of this work, kept it for some years, in hope of publishing it with other treatises, as a second folio volume, to complete his works; but failing in this object, he printed it separately in 1698, and appended an interesting list of Bunyan's works, with thirty cogent reasons why these invaluable labours should be preserved and handed down, to bless succeeding ages. An earnest desire to preserve, in their perfect integrity, all the treatises as they were originally published, will induce me, at the end of the works, to reprint those interesting additions. GEO. OFFOR. FRIENDS, AN EPISTLE TO ALL THE SLOTHFUL AND CARELESS PEOPLE. SOLOMON saith, that "The desire of the slothful killeth him; and if so, what will slothfulness itself do to those that entertain it? Pr. xxi. 25. The proverb is, 'Ile that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. Pr. x. 5. And this I dare be bold to say, no greater shame can befal a man, than to see that he hath fooled away his soul, and sinned away eternal life. And I am sure this is the next way to do it; namely, to be slothful; slothful, I say, in the work of salvation. The vineyard of the slothful man, in reference to the things of this life, is not fuller of briars, nettles, and stinking weeds, than he that is slothful for heaven, hath his heart full of heart-choaking and soul-damning sin. Slothfulness hath these two evils: First, To neglect the time in which it should be getting of heaven; and by that means doth, in the Second place, bring in untimely repentance. I will warrant you, that he who shall lose his soul in this world through slothfulness, will have no cause to be glad thereat when he comes to hell. of all the creatures. 'Go to the ant, thou sluggard, If you would know a sluggard in the things of heaven, compare him with one that is slothful in the things of this world. As, 1. He that is slothful is loth to set about the work he should follow: so is he that is slothful for heaven. 2. He that is slothful is one that is willing to make delays: so is he that is slothful for heaven. 3. He that is a sluggard, any small matter that cometh in between, he will make it a sufficient excuse to keep him off from plying his work: so it is also with him that is slothful for heaven. 4. He that is slothful doth his work by the halves; and so it is with him that is slothful for heaven. He may almost, but he shall never altogether obtain perfection of deliverance from hell; he may almost, but he shall never, without he mend, be altogether a saint. 5. They that are slothful, do usually lose the season in which things are to be done: and thus it is also with them that are slothful for heaven, they miss the season Slothfulness, it is condemned even by the feeblest of grace. And therefore, 6. They that are slotu Slothfulness is usually accompanied with carelessness, and carelessness is for the most part begotten by senselessness; and senselessness doth again put fresh strength into slothfulness, and by this means the soul is left remediless. Slothfulness shutteth out Christ; slothfulness shameth the soul. Ca. v. 2-4. Pr. xiii. 4. ful have seldom or never good fruit: so also it will be with the soul-sluggard. 7. They that are slothful they are chid for the same: so also will Christ deal with those that are not active for him. Thou wicked or slothful servant, out of thine own mouth will I judge thee; thou saidst I was thus, and thus, wherefore then gavest not thou my money to the bank? &c. Lu. xix. 22. Take the unprofitable servant, and cast him into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Mat. xxv. 26–30. WHAT SHALL I SAY? Time runs; and will you be slothful? Much of your lives are past; and will you be slothful? Your souls are worth a thousand worlds; and will you be slothful? The day of death and judgment is at the door; and will you be slothful? The curse of God hangs over your heads; and will you be slothful? Besides, the devils are earnest, laborious, and seek by all means every day, by every sin, to keep you out of heaven, and hinder you of salvation; and will you be slothful? Also your neighbours are diligent for things that will perish; and will you be slothful for things that will endure for ever? Would you be willing to be damned for slothfulness? Would you be willing the angels of God should neglect to fetch your souls away to heaven when you lie adying, and the devils stand by ready to scramble for them?* Was Christ slothful in the work of your redemption? Are his ministers slothful in tendering this unto you? And, lastly, If all this will not move, I tell you God will not be slothful or negligent to damn you—whose damnation now of a long time slumbereth not-nor the devils will not neglect to fetch thee, nor hell neglect to shut its mouth upon thee. Sluggard, art thou asleep still? art thou resolved to sleep the sleep of death? Wilt neither tidings from heaven or hell awake thee? Wilt thou say still, 'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,' and 'a little folding of the hands to sleep?' Pr. vi. 10. Wilt thou yet turn thyself in thy sloth, as the door is turned upon the hinges? O that I was one that was skilful in lamentation, and had but a yearning heart towards thee, how would I pity thee! How would I bemoan thee! O that I could with Jeremiah let my eyes run down with rivers of water for thee! Poor soul, lost soul, dying soul, what a hard heart have I that I cannot mourn for thee! It was the commonly received opinion that, at the moment of death, the angels and devils strove to carry away the soul. If the dying man had received the consecrated wafer, the devils were scared at it, and lost their victim. Hence the prayer From lightning, battle, murder, and sudden death, good Lord, deliver us;' a curious contrast to, 'Thy will be done!' Were they sinners above all men upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and slew them? Lu. xiii. 4. O that men would rely upon the righteousness of Christ stimulating them to run for glory, as heavenly footmen, and not upon the nos trums of Antichrist!-ED. If thou shouldst lose but a limb, a child, or a friend, it would not be so much, but poor man it is THY SOUL; if it was to lie in hell but for a day, but for a year, nay, ten thousand years, it would (in comparison) be nothing. But 0 it is for ever! O this cutting EVER! What a soul-amazing word will that be, which saith, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING fire'! &c.† Object. But if I should set in, and run as you would have me, then I must run from all my friends; for none of them are running that way. Answ. And if thou dost, thou wilt run into the bosom of Christ and of God, and then what harm will that do thee? Object. But if I run this way, then I must run from all my sins. Answ. That is true indeed; yet if thou dost not, thou wilt run into hell-fire. Object. But if I run this way, then I shall be hated, and lose the love of my friends and relations, and of those that I expect benefit from, or have reliance on, and I shall be mocked of all my neighbours. Answ. And if thou dost not, thou art sure to lose the love and favour of God and Christ, the benefit of heaven and glory, and be mocked of God for thy folly, 'I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;' and if thou wouldst not be hated and mocked, then take heed thou by thy folly dost not procure the displeasure and mockings of the great God; for his mocks and hatred will be terrible, because they will fall upon thee in terrible times, even when tribulation and anguish taketh hold on thee; which will be when death and judgment comes, when all the men in the earth, and all the angels in heaven, cannot help thee. Pr. i. 26-28. Object. But surely I may begin this time enough, a year or two hence, may I not? Answ. 1. Hast thou any lease of thy life? Did ever God tell thee thou shalt live half a year, or two months longer? nay, it may be thou mayst not live so long. And therefore, 2. Wilt thou be so sottish and unwise, as to venture thy soul upon a little uncertain time? 3. Dost thou know whether the day of grace will last a week longer or no? For the day of grace is past with some before their life is ended: and if it should be so with thee, In a very beautifully ornamented Liturgy of the Church of England, prior to the Reformation, after the Salisbury use, printed in 1526 (in the Editor's library), is this directionThese iii. prayers be wrytten in the chapel of the holy crosse in Rome, who that deuoutly say them they shall obteyne ten hundred thousand years of pardon for deadly sins graunted of oure holy father Jhon xxii pope of Rome.' The three prayers only occupy twenty-six short lines, and may be gravely repeated in two minutes. Such was and is Popery!! But at the end of all this promised pardon for a million of yearswhat then? Will eternal torments commence ?-ED. wouldst thou not say, O that I had begun to run before the day of grace had been past, and the gates of heaven shut against me. But, 4. If thou shouldst see any of thy neighbours neglect the making sure of either house or land to themselves, if they had it proffered to them, saying, Time enough hereafter, when the time is uncertain; and besides, they do not know whether ever it will be proffered to them again, or no: I say, Wouldst thou not then call them fools? And if so, then dost thou think that thou art a wise man to let thy immortal soul hang over hell by a thread of uncertain time, which may soon be cut asunder by death? But to speak plainly, all these are the words of a slothful spirit. Arise man, be slothful no longer; set foot, and heart, and all into the way of God, and run, the crown is at the end of the race; there also standeth the loving fore-runner, even Jesus, who hath prepared heavenly provision to make thy soul welcome, and he will give it thee with a willinger heart than ever thou canst desire it of him. O therefore do not delay the time any longer, but put into practice the words of the men of Dan to their brethren, after they had seen the goodness of the land of Canaan: 'Arise,' say they, &c., 'for we have seen the land, and behold it is very good; and are ye still,' or do you forbear running? 'Be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.' Ju. xviii. 9. Farewell. I wish our souls may meet with comfort at the journey's end. JOHN BUNYAN. 381 THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE OF THIS BOOK. I. DOCTRINE.-After the words are opened, this doctrine is laid down, namely, that they that will have heaven, they must run for it, II. After that, THE WORD RUN IS OPENED by three other Scripture expressions 1. Flying. 2. Pressing. 3. Continuing, III. After which is laid down SEVERAL REASONS FOR THE CLEARING OF THE DOCTRINE 1. Because every one that runneth doth not obtain. 2. Because if they do not obtain, then will they lose their running also. 3. Because the way is long. 4. Because the time is uncertain. 5. Because the devil, sin, hell, and the law runs after them. 6. Because heaven's gates may be shut shortly. 7. Because if they lose, they lose ALL; even God, Christ, their souls, &c., IV. DIRECTIONS.-In the fourth place, I come to give some directions how to run so as to obtain; and they in all are nine 3. The sad estate of them that are running quite back 2. To ponder the path of thy feet, 384 3. To strip thyself of incumbrances that may hang on thee, like weights to hinder thee, 4. To shun bye-paths, 4. Their woe also that to this day sit still, and run not at all, 5. This doctrine calleth out to them that began but a while since to mend their pace, 392 393 5. To take heed of gazing and staring about thee, on things that do not concern thy running, 385 6. That old professors should not let young striplings outrun them, 393 6. Not to let thy ear be open to every one that calleth after thee, 385 7. Not to be daunted with the enemies thou art like to meet with between this and the kingdom of heaven, 7. They behave themselves basely that count they run fast enough, if they keep company with the hindmost and laziest professors, 393 386 8. To take heed of stumbling at the cross, 386 9. To cry hard to God for an enlightened heart and a willing mind, 388 8. That lazy professors are apt to keep others besides themselves out of heaven, 9. The conclusion, or last use; wherein, to provoke thee, thou hast the heavenly carriage of Lot as he went from Sodom, and the fearful doom of his wife, 393 VII. PROVOCATION.-Also to consider, if thy soul be lost, it is thy own loss, and THOU ONLY wilt feel the smart thereof, These be the contents of this little book; 393 394 THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN. 'SO RUN, THAT YE MAY OBTAIN.'-1 COR. IX. 24. HEAVEN and happiness is that which every one desireth, insomuch that wicked Balaam could say, 'Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.' Nu. xxiii. 10. Yet for all this, there are but very few that do obtain that ever-tobe-desired glory, insomuch that many eminent professors drop short of a welcome from God into his pleasant place. The apostle, therefore, because he did desire the salvation of the souls of the Corinthians, to whom he writes this epistle, layeth them down in these words, such counsel, which if taken, would be for their help and advantage. First, Not to be wicked, and sit still, and wish for heaven; but TO RUN for it. Second, Not to content themselves with every kind of running; but, saith he, 'SO RUN, that ye may obtain.' As if he should say, Some, because they would not lose their souls, they begin to run betimes, Ec. xii. 1, they run apace, they run with patience, He. xii. 1, they run the right way. Mat. xiv. 26. Do you so run? Some run from both father and mother, friends and companions, and thus, that they may have the crown. Do you so run? Some run through temptations, afflictions, good report, evil report, that they may win the pearl. 1 Co. iv. 13. 2 Co. vị. Do you so run? So run that ye may obtain.' These words, they are taken from men's running for a wager: a very apt similitude to set before the eyes of the saints of the Lord. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.' That is, do not only run, but be sure you win as well as run. 'So run, that ye may obtain.' I shall not need to make any great ado in opening the words at this time, but shall rather lay down one doctrine that I do find in them; and in prosecuting that, I shall show you, in some measure, the scope of the words. [I. THE DOCTRINE of the Text.] The doctrine is this: THEY THAT WILL HAVE HEAVEN, MUST RUN FOR IT; I say, they that will have heaven, they must run for it. I beseech you to heed it well. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run ye.' The prize is heaven, and if you will have it, you must run for it. You have another scripture for this in the 12th of the Hebrews, the 1st, 2d, and 3rd verses: Wherefore seeing we also,' saith the apostle, are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.' And LET US RUN, saith he. Again, saith Paul, 'I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I,' &c. [II. THE WORD RUN OPENED.] But before I go any further, observe, First-FLYING-That this running is not an ordinary, or any sort of running, but it is to be understood of the swiftest sort of running; and therefore in the 6th of the Hebrews it is called 'a fleeing;' that 'we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us.' Mark, 'who have fled.' It is taken from that 20th of Joshua, concerning the man that was to flee to the city of refuge, when the avenger of blood was hard at his heels, to take vengeance on him for the offence he had committed; therefore it is a RUNNING or FLYING for one's life. A running with all might and main, as we use to say. So run! Second-PRESSING-This running in another place is called a pressing. I press toward the mark;' Ph. iii. 14; which signifieth, that they that will have heaven, they must not stick at any difficulties they meet with; but press, crowd, and thrust through all that may stand between heaven and their souls. So run! Third-CONTINUING This running is called in another place, 'a continuing in the way of life. If ye continue in the faith grounded, and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel' of Christ. Col. i. 23. Not to run a little now and then, by fits and starts, or half-way, or almost thither; but to run for my life, to run through all difficulties, and to continue therein to the end of the race, which must be to the end of my life. 'So run, that ye may obtain.' [III. SEVERAL REASONS FOR CLEARING THIS And the reasons for this point are these, First. Because all or every one that runneth doth not obtain the prize; there be many that do run, yea, and run far too, who yet miss of the crown that standeth at the end of the race. You know that all that run in a race do not obtain the victory; they all run, but one wins. And so it is here; it is not every one that runneth, nor every one that seeketh, nor every one that striveth for the mastery, that hath it. Lu. xiii. Though a man do strive for the mastery, saith Paul, yet he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully;' that is, unless he so run, and so strive, as to have God's approbation. | certain; the time present is the only time; thou 2 Tim. ii. 5. What, do you think that every heavy-hast no more time allotted thee than that thou now heeled professor will have heaven? What, every enjoyest. Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou lazy one; every wanton and foolish professor, that knowest not what a day may bring forth.' Pr. xxvii. 1. will be stopped by anything, kept back by any- Do not say, I have time enough to get to heaven thing, that scarce runneth so fast heaven-ward as a seven years hence; for I tell thee, the bell may toll snail creepeth on the ground? Nay, there are some for thee before seven days more be ended;2 and professors do not go on so fast in the way of God when death comes, away thou must go, whether as a snail doth go on the wall; and yet these think, thou art provided or not; and therefore look to it; that heaven and happiness is for them. But stay, make no delays; it is not good dallying with things there are many more that run than there be that of so great concernment as the salvation or damobtain; therefore he that wil have heaven must nation of thy soul. You know he that hath a great RUN for it. way to go in a little time, and less by half than he thinks of, he had need RUN for it. Second, Because you know that though a man do run, yet if he do not overcome, or win, as well as run, what will he be the better for his running? He will get nothing. You know the man that runneth, he doth do it that he may win the prize; but if he doth not obtain, he doth lose his labour, spend his pains and time, and that to no purpose; I say, he getteth nothing. And ah! how many such runners will there be found at the day of judgment! Even multitudes, multitudes that have run, yea, run so far as to come to heaven gates, and not able to get any further, but there stand knocking, when it is too late, crying, Lord, Lord, when they have nothing but rebukes for their pains. Depart from me, you come not here, you come too late, you run too lazily; the door is shut. When once the master of the house is risen up,' saith Christ, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand withcut, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, I will say, I know ye not, Depart,' &c. Lu. xiii. 25. O sad will the estate of those be that run and miss; therefore, if you will have heaven, you must run for it; and 'so run that ye may obtain.' 1 Third, Because the way is long (I speak metaphorically), and there is many a dirty step, many a high hill, much work to do, a wicked heart, world, and devil, to overcome; I say, there are many steps to be taken by those that intend to be saved, by running or walking, in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham. Out of Egypt thou must go through the Red Sea; thou must run a long and tedious journey, through the vast howling wilderness, before thou come to the land of promise. Fourth, They that will go to heaven they must run for it; because, as the way is long, so the time in which they are to get to the end of it is very un 1 How awfully is this pictured to the soul in that solemn account of the day of death and judgment in Mat. xxv.; and how strikingly applied in the Pilgrim's Progress in the character of Ignorance.—(ED.) 2 When the bell begins to toll, The Papists imagine that there is an extraordinary power in the bell hallowed by baptism to drive away the spirits of darkness, so that the departing soul may take its journey without Fifth, They that will have heaven they must run for it; because the devil, the law, sin, death, and hell, follow them. There is never a poor soul that is going to heaven, but the devil, the law, sin, death, and hell, make after that soul. Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.' 1 Pe. v. 8. And I will assure you, the devil is nimble, he can run apace, he is light of foot, he hath overtaken many, he hath turned up their heels, and hath given them an everlasting fall. Also the law, that can shoot a great way, have a care thou keep out of the Sixth, They that will go to heaven must run for it; because perchance the gates of heaven may be shut shortly. Sometimes sinners have not heavengates open to them so long as they suppose; and if they be once shut against a man, they are so heavy, that all the men in the world, nor all the angels in heaven, are not able to open them. I shut, and no man openeth,' saith Christ. And how if thou shouldst come but one quarter of an hour too late? I tell thee, it will cost thee an eternity to bewail thy misery in. Francis Spira can tell thee what it is to stay till the gate of mercy molestation!! It was also intended to rouse the faithful to pray for the dead person's soul. This, and other superstitious practices, were suspended during the Protectorate in some parishes, if not generally, but were revived at the Restoration, because the omission injured the revenues of the church.See Brand's Popular Antiquities.—(ED.) 3 This quotation, probably made from memory, is a mixture of the Genevan and the present version.-(ED.) |