Shall it be my lot to go that way again, I may give those that desire it an account of

Who can read this chapter (observes the Rev. Mr. Burder) without exclaiming in words once received from heaven, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours!" In the important article of death the privileges of believers appear distinguishing indeed. To human nature, unassisted by grace, death, the awful punishment of sin, is "the king of terrors." Bitter indeed, and insupportably painful, are the thoughts of death to men who have their "portion in this life" and who are at ease in their possessions. How horrible to be torn away from all they love, and plunged at once into the unutterable miseries of the damned! How enviable, even to such, is the calm and serene frame of a dying saint! Here the monster seems to have lost his sting, having left it in the bleeding body of Jesus. Death has changed its nature and its name. Call it no more death; it is the sweet sleep of the body, deposited in its earthly bed, under the eye of the Redeemer, till the morning of the resurrection.

what I am here silent about; mean time, I bid my reader FAREWELL.*

At the close of this excellent book (says the excellent Mr. Mason) let me address one word, reader, to your soul and mine. What think we of a pilgrim's life and a pilgrim's death? His life begins with the knowledge of Christ, and ends by dying in him and eternally enjoying of him. And all through life the pilgrim looks to and lives upon Christ. Blessed beginning! comfortable living! joyful dying!

Now, have we part and lot in this matter? Is Christ our life-the life of our souls? If he is, we shall live by faith upon him, rely on his atonement, glory in his righteousness, rejoice in his salvation, have done with all sin, and be dead to all self-righteous confidence, and in heart, lip, and life study to glorify him by devoting ourselves to him, looking, longing, and waiting for his coming to receive us to himself, that where he is there we may be also.

As many as live by this faith and walk according to this rule, peace be on them from the holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity! Amen.

COURTEOUS READER:

HAVING formerly writ some small matter teaching the doctrine of faith, as justification by grace through the faith of Christ's blood, &c., I do here, as the second to that doctrine, present thee with a few lines touching good works, that I might, as at first I showed thee the good and glory of the one, now show thee the beauty and excellency of the other: "For though we are justified (Rom. iii. 24, &c.) freely by grace through Christ before God; yet we are justified before men (James ii. 18) by our works." Nay, a life of holiness, flowing from faith in us that are saved by grace, it doth justify that grace before the world that justifies us before God. 2 Cor. vi. 2, 3; ix. 12, 13; 1 Pet. ii. 11, 12.

I have here not only in general treated of this doctrine of good works, but particularly after some discourse about works flowing from faith, and what makes it true and gospelly good) I discourse of them as we stand under our several relations in this world among men. As first, The duty of the master of a family; of the husband to his wife, and of hers to him; of the duty of parents to their children, and of children to their parents; of masters also to their servants, and of the servant again to his master; with a brief touch upon good neighbourhood, and a discovery of covetousness, pride, and uncleanness, which

are great obstructions to a truly gospel conversation.

I know there are many that have treated of good works in large and learned discourses; but I doubt all have not so gospelized their discourse as becomes them, and as the doctrine of the grace of God calleth for.

However, I thought it my duty to add this discourse to all that are past; and that for these reasons:

1. To take away those aspersions that the adversaries cast upon our doctrine, (Rom. iii. 8, as also in the days of Paul,) that because we preach justification without the works of the law, therefore they pretend we plead for looseness of life, whose damnation is just.

2. Because, though there be much discourse about works in general, yet a particular discourse of them, as before is touched, is too much neglected; and by this means every one too much left at uncertainties (as from them) of their several works under their particular relations; which I think is one reason of that disorder in families and places where God's people live, to their shame and the dishonour of God.

3. Because these few books that do particularly treat thus of good works are, I. think, now so scarce or so big that but few have them and few buy them, if they may be had, especially our new converts, for whose

sakes principally this short discourse is intended; and indeed, this is one reason of my brevity, that the price might neither be burdensome, nor the reading long and tedious. Multitude of words drown the memory; and an exhortation in few words may yet be so full that the reader may find that in the side of a sheet which some are forced to hunt for in a whole quire, &c. The Lord teach us this wisdom.

4. I have written this book to show that I bear a fellow testimony and witness (with all that know God) of the operation that grace hath and will have in the heart that hath savingly received it.

Lastly. I have thus written because it is amiable and pleasant to God when Christians keep their rank, relation, and station, doing all as become their quality and calling. When Christians stand every one in their places, and do the work of their relations, then they are like the flowers in the garden, that stand

and grow where the gardener hath planted them, and then they shall both honour the garden in which they are planted, and the gardener that hath so disposed of them. From the hyssop in the wall to the cedar in Leb anon their fruit is their glory. And seeing the flock into which we are planted is the fruitfullest flock, the sap conveyed thereout the fruitfullest sap, and the dresser of our souls the wisest husbandman (John xv. 1), how contrary to nature, to example, and expectation should we be if we should not be rich in good works!

'Wherefore take heed of being painted fire wherein is no warmth, and painted flowers which retain no smell, and of being painted trees whereon is no fruit; "Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain." Prov. xxv. 14. Farewell. The Lord be with thy spirit, that thou mayst profit for time to come.

JOHN BUNYAN.

I SHALL not at this time discourse of every particular at large included in these words, but shall briefly fall upon those things that I judge most necessary for the people of God. Neither shall I need to take any great preamble to the words for their explication, they themselves being plain, and without that ambiguity that calleth for such a thing; the general scope being this, That they which have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. But yet, to prosecute what I intend with what clearness I may, I shall in a word or two make way for what is to be the main of this book.

"This is a faithful saying." This-which? Why, that which goeth before, namely, “That being justified by grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly."

Why so?

Why, "That they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works."

The meaning is, that the way to provoke others to good works is constantly (in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit) to show them the certainty of their being by grace made heirs of eternal life.

From this Scripture I do gather these things observable:

1. That good works do flow from faith. Yea, 2. That every one that believeth should be careful that their works be good. 3. That every believer should not only be careful that their works be good, and for the present do them, but should also be careful to maintain them; that is, they should carefully study to keep in a constant course of good works.

And lastly, that the best way to provoke both ourselves and others to this work is to be often affirming to others the doctrine of justi

fication by grace, and to believe it ourselves. "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will (saith Paul) that thou affirm constantly, that they who have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works."

I. I begin with the first: That good works do flow from faith.

This is evident divers ways: 1. From the impossibility of their flowing from any other thing-they must either flow from faith or not at all; "For whatsoever is not of faith is sin." And again, "Without faith it is impossible to please him." Every man by nature, before faith, is an evil and a corrupt tree; and a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit: "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" Now a man is made good by faith, and by that bringeth forth the fruits that are acceptable to God.

Wherefore sinners, before faith, are compared to the wilderness, whose fruits are briers and thorns; and whose hearts are the habitation of dragons-that is, of devils.

And hence again it is that they are said to be Godless, Christless, Spiritless, faithless, hopeless; without the covenant of grace, without strength; enemies in their minds by wicked works, and possessed by the spirit of wickedness as a castle by a conqueror.

Now, these things being thus, it is impossible that all the men under heaven that are un converted should be able to bring forth one work rightly good; even as impossible as for all the briers and thorns under heaven to bring forth one cluster of grapes or one bunch of figs; for indeed they want the qualification. A thorn bringeth not forth figs, because it wanteth the nature of the fig tree; and so doth the bramble, the nature of the vine. Good works must come from a good heart.

Now, this the unbeliever wanteth because