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Works of John Bunyan: Works of John Bunyan: AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. 4:6-8-719

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 First. That the blood of the saints, that they lose for his name, is a sweet savour to God. And so said the Holy Ghost, ‘Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints’ (Psa 116:15). And again, ‘He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence, and precious shall their blood be in his sight’ (Psa 72:14). Second. Those who suffer for Christ…

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Works of John Bunyan: Works of John Bunyan: AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. 4. 6-8-718

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 1. Let this therefore smite with conviction those that, in this day of Jacob’s trouble, have been false with God, his cause, and people: I say, those first and especially as the chief ringleaders of this cowardliness, who have done it against light, profession, and resolutions. Behold, thou hast sinned against the Lord, and be sure thy sins will find thee…

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Works of John Bunyan: Works of John Bunyan: AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. 4. 6-8-717

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 ‘For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.’—2 Timothy…

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Works of John Bunyan: AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. 4:6-8-716

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 How great and glorious is the Christian’s ultimate destiny—a kingdom and a crown! Surely it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what ear never heard, nor mortal eye ever saw? The mansions of the blest—the realms of glory—’a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.’ For whom can so precious an inheritance be intended? How are those…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 715

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 VIII. OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. Object. First. But some may object that in this saying I seem too rigid and censorious, and will, if I moderate not these lines with something milder afterward, discourage many an honest soul. Answ. I answer, Not a jot, not an honest soul in all the world will be offended at my words; for not one can be a sincere soul, I mean…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 714

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 VII. THE USE. And for thy awakening in this matter, let me tell thee, and thou wilt find it so, thou must have thy heart broken whether thou wilt or no. God is resolved to break ALL hearts for sin sometime or other. Can it be imagined, sin being what it is, and God what he is—to wit, a revenger of disobedience—but that one time or other man must smart for…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 713

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 VII. THE USE. FOURTH USE. If a broken heart and a contrite spirit be of such esteem with God, then this should encourage them that have it to come to God with it. I know the great encouragement for men to come to God is, for that there ‘is a mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus’ (1 Tim 2:5). This, I say, is the great encouragement, and in its…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 712

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 VII. THE USE. But, soul, be sure thou hast this broken heart. All hearts are not broken hearts, nor is every heart that seems to have a wound a truly broken heart. A man may be cut to, yet not into the heart; a man may have another, yet not a broken heart (Acts 7:54; 1 Sam 10:9). We know there is a difference betwixt a wound in the flesh and a wound in the…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 711

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 VII. THE USE. Let us now, then, make some use of this doctrine. As, FIRST USE. From the truth of the matter, namely, that the man who is truly come to God has had his heart broken—his heart broken to his coming to him. And this shows us what to judge of the league that is between sin and the soul, to wit, that it is so firm, so strong, so inviolable, as…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 710

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 [VI. ADVANTAGES THAT A CHRISTIAN GETS BY KEEPING HIS HEART TENDER.]  [Second]—to the Directions. 1. Labour after a deep knowledge of God to keep it warm upon thy heart; knowledge of his presence, that is everywhere. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord?’ (Jer 23:24). (1.) Knowledge of his piercing eye, that it runneth to and fro through the…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 709

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 [VI. ADVANTAGES THAT A CHRISTIAN GETS BY KEEPING HIS HEART TENDER.] And here, as in a fit place, before I go any further, I will show you some of the advantages that a Christian gets by keeping his heart tender. For, as to have a broken heart, is to have an excellent thing, so to keep this broken heart tender, is also very advantageous. First, this is the…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 708

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684  [V. THE REASONS WHY A BROKEN HEART IS ESTEEMED BY GOD AS SUCH AN EXCELLENT THING.] As bread to the hungry, as water to the thirsty, as light to the blind, and liberty to the imprisoned; so, and a thousand times more, is Jesus Christ to the wounded, and to them that are broken-hearted. Now, as was said, this must needs be excellent in God’s eyes, since…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 707

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684  [V. THE REASONS WHY A BROKEN HEART IS ESTEEMED BY GOD AS SUCH AN EXCELLENT THING.] Here can be no concord, no communion, no agreement, no fellowship. Here, here is enmity on the one side, and flaming justice on the other (2 Cor 6:14-16; Zech 11:8). And what delight, what content, what pleasure, can God take in such men? None at all; no, though they should…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 706

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684  [V. THE REASONS WHY A BROKEN HEART IS ESTEEMED BY GOD AS SUCH AN EXCELLENT THING.] And thus have I done with this, and shall come next to the reasons of the point, namely, to show you, why or how it comes to pass, that a broken heart, a heart truly contrite, is to God such an excellent thing. That to him it is so, we have proved by six demonstrations; what…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 705

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 4. Wild or mad men, if they deck or array themselves with ought, as many times they do, why, the spirit of their wildness or frenzy appears even in the mode and way in which they do it. Either the things themselves which they make use of for that purpose are very toys and trifles; or if they seem to be better, they are put on after an antic manner, instead…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 704

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 But now, how shall this man be reclaimed from this sin? How shall he be brought, wrought, and made, to be out of love with it? Doubtless it can be by no other means, by what we can see in the Word, but by the wounding, breaking, and disabling of the heart that loves it, and by that means making it a plague and gall unto it. Sin may be made an affliction, and…

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Works of John Bunyan: THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE-THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART 703

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 Sixth. Man, as he comes into the world, is not only a dead man, a fool, proud, self-willed, and fearless, but he is a false believer concerning God. Let God report of himself never so plainly, man by nature will not believe this report of him. No, they are become vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart is darkened; wherefore they turn the glory…