Transcribed from the 1845 Thomas Nelson “Works of thePuritan Divines (Bunyan)” edition , email
MISCELLANEOUS PIECES
CONTENTS
| Page |
Of the Trinity and a Christian | |
Of the Law and a Christian | |
Bunyan’s Last Sermon | |
Bunyan’s Dying Sayings |
p.245OF THE
TRINITY AND A CHRISTIAN.
How a young orshaken Christian should demean himself under the weighty thoughtsof the Doctrine of the Trinity or Plurality of Persons in theeternal Godhead.
The reason why I say a youngor shaken Christian, is, because some that are not young,but of an ancient standing, may not only be assaulted withviolent temptations concerning gospel-principles, but a secondtime may become a child, a babe, a shallow man, in the things ofGod: especially, either when by backsliding he hath provoked Godto leave him, or when some new, unexpected, and (as to presentstrength) over weighty objection doth fall upon the spirit, bymeans of which great shakings of mind do commonly attend such asoul in the most weighty matters of the concerns of faith, ofwhich this is one that I have supposed in the above-mentionedquestion: Wherefore passing other things, I will come directly tothat, and briefly propose some helps to a soul in such acase.
I. The first preparative.
First, Then, be sure thou keep close to the Word of Godfor that is the revelation of the mind and will of God, both asto the truth of what is either in himself or ways, and also as towhat he requireth and expecteth of thee, either concerning faithin, or obedience to, what he hath so revealed. Now for thybetter performing of this, I shall give thee in brief thesefollowing directions.
1. Suffer thyself, by the authority of the Word, to bepersuaded that the Scripture indeed is the Word of God theScriptures of truth, the words of the Holy One; and that theytherefore must be every one true, pure, and for ever settled inheaven.
2. Conclude therefore from the former doctrine, thatthat God whose words they are, is able to make a reconciliationand most sweet and harmonious agreement with all the sayingstherein, how obscure, cross, dark, and contradictory soever theyseem to thee. To understand all mysteries, to have allknowledge, to be able to comprehend with all saints, is a greatwork; enough to crush the spirit, and to stretch the strings ofthe most capacious, widened soul that breatheth on this sideglory, be they notwithstanding exceedingly enlarged byrevelation. Paul, when he was caught up to heaven, saw thatwhich was unlawful, because impossible, for man to utter. And saith Christ to the reasoning Pharisee, “If I have toldyou earthl