><>...PILGRIM'S PROGRESS continued...><>
Chr... ><> Therefore thou never hadst one good thought concerning thyself in thy life. But let me go on. As
the Word passeth a judgment upon our heart, so it passeth a judgment upon our ways; and when
OUR thoughts of our hearts and ways agree with the judgment which the Word giveth of both, then
are both good, because agreeing thereto.
Ignor...><> Make out your meaning.
Chr...><> Why, the Word of God saith that man's ways are crooked ways; not good, but perverse. It
saith they are naturally out of the good way, that they have not known it. Now, when a man thus
thinketh of his ways, -- I say, when he doth sensibly, and with heart-humiliation, thus think, then hath
he good thoughts of his own ways, because his thoughts now agree with the judgment of the Word
of God.
Ignor...><> What are good thoughts concerning God?
Chr...><> Even as I have said concerning ourselves, when our thoughts of God do agree with what the
Word saith of him; and that is, when we think of his being and attributes as the Word hath taught, of
which I cannot now discourse at large; but to speak of him with reference to us: Then we have right
thoughts of God, when we think that heknows us better than we know ourselves, and can see sin in
us when and where we can see none in ourselves; when we think he knows our inmost thoughts, and
that our heart, with all itsdepths, is always open unto his eyes; also, when we think that all our
righteousness stinks in his nostrils, and that, therefore, he cannot abide to see us stand before him in
any confidence, even in all our best performances.
Ignor...><> Do you think that I am such a fool as to think God can see no further than I? or, that I would
come to God in the best of my performances?
Chr...><> Why, how dost thou think in this matter?
Ignor...><> Why, to be short, I think I must believe in Christ for justification.
Chr...><> How! think thou must believe in Christ, when thou seest not thy need of him! Thou neither seest
thy original nor actual infirmities; but hast such an opinion of thyself, and of what thou dost, as plainly
renders thee to be one that did never see a necessity of Christ's personal righteousness to justify thee
before God. How, then, dost thou say, I believe in Christ?
Ignor...><> I believe well enough for all that.
Chr...><> How dost thou believe?
Ignor...><> I believe that Christ died for sinners, and that I shall be justified before God from the curse,
through his gracious acceptance of my obedience to his law. Or thus, Christ makes my duties, that
are religious, acceptable to his Father, by virtue of his merits; and so shall I be justified.
Chr...><> Let me give an answer to this confession of thy faith: --
1. Thou believest with a fantastical faith; for this faith is nowhere described in the Word.
2. Thou believest with a false faith; because it taketh justification from the personal righteousness of
Christ, and applies it to thy own.
3. This faith maketh not Christ a justifier of thy person, but of thy actions; and of thy person for thy
actions' sake, which is false.
4. Therefore, this faith is deceitful, even such as will leave thee under wrath, in the day of God
Almighty; for true justifying faith puts the soul, as sensible of its condition by the law, upon flying for
refuge unto Christ's righteousness, which righteousness of his is not an act of grace, by which he
maketh for justification, thy obedience accepted with God; but his personal obedience to the law, in
doing and suffering for us what that required at our hands; this righteousness, I say, true faith
accepteth; under the skirt of which, the soul being shrouded, and by it presented as spotless before
God, it is accepted, and acquit from condemnation.
Ignor...><> What! would you have us trust to what Christ, in his own person, has done without us? This
conceit would loosen the reins of our lust, and tolerate us to live as we list; for what matter how we
live, if we may be justified by Christ's personal righteousness from all, when we believe it?
Chr...><> Ignorance is thy name, and as thy name is, so art thou; even this thy answer demonstrateth what
I say. Ignorant thou art of what justifying righteousness is, and as ignorant how to secure thy soul,
through the faith of it, from the heavy wrath of God. Yea, thou also art ignorant of the true effects of
saving faith in this righteousness of Christ, which is, to bow and win over the heart to God in Christ,
to love his name, his word, ways, and people, and not as thou ignorantly imaginest.
Hope...><> Ask him if ever he had Christ revealed to him from heaven.
Ignor...><> What! you are a man for revelations! I believe that what both you, and all the rest of you, say
about that matter, is but the fruit of distracted brains.
Hope...><> Why, man! Christ is so hid in God from the natural apprehensions of the flesh, that he cannot
by any man be savingly known, unless God the Father reveals him to them.
Ignor...><> That is your faith, but not mine; yet mine, I doubt not, is as good as yours, though I have not in
my head so many whimsies as you.
Chr...><> Give me leave to put in a word. You ought not so slightly to speak of this matter; for this I will
boldly affirm, even as my good companion hath done, that no man can know Jesus Christ but by the
revelation of the Father; yea, and faith too, by which the soul layeth hold upon Christ, if it be right,
must be wrought by the exceeding greatness of his mighty power; the working of which faith, I
perceive, poor Ignorance, thou art ignorant of. Be awakened, then, see thine own wretchedness, and
fly to the Lord Jesus; and by his righteousness, which is the righteousness of God, for he himself is
God, thou shalt be delivered from condemnation.
Ignor...><> You go so fast, I cannot keep pace with you. Do you go on before; I must stay a while
behind.
Then they said --
Well, Ignorance, wilt thou yet foolish be,
To slight good counsel, ten times given thee?
And if thou yet refuse it, thou shalt know,
Ere long, the evil of thy doing so.
Remember, man, in time, stoop, do not fear;
Good counsel taken well, saves: therefore hear.
But if thou yet shalt slight it, thou wilt be
The loser, (Ignorance,) I'll warrant thee.
Then Christian addressed thus himself to his fellow: -- |
