Light for them that sit in darkness, or, A discourse of Jesus Christ, and that he undertook to accomplish by himself the eternal redemption of sinners also, that the Lord Jesus addressed himself to this work, with undeniable demonstrations that he performed the same : objections to the contrary answered / by John Bunyan.

The second Use.

But Secondly, as this Doctrine giveth us the best discovery of God; so also it giveth us the best discovery of our selves, and our own things.

First, It giveth us the best discovery of our selves: Wouldest thou know Sinner, what thou art; look up to the Cross, and behold a Weeping, Bleeding, Dying Jesus: nothing could do but that, nothing could save thee but his Blood; An∣gels could not, Saints could not, God could not, because he could not ly, because he could not deny himself. What a thing is Sin, that it should

sink all that bear its burden, yea it sunk the Son of God himself into death and the Grave, and had also sunk him into Hell-fire for ever, had he not been the Son of God; had he not been able to take it on his Back, and bear it away. O! This Lamb of God. Sinners were going to Hell, Christ was the Delight of his Father, and had a whole Heaven to himself; but that did not con∣tent him, Heaven could not hold him. He must come into the World to save Sinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15. Ay, and had he not come, thy Sins had sunk thee, thy Sins had provoked the Wrath of God against thee; to thy perdition and destru∣ction for ever. There is no Man, but is a Sin∣ner, there is no Sin but would damn an Angel, should God lay it to his charge. Sinner, the Doctrine of Christ crucified crieth, therefore, a∣loud unto thee, that sin hath made thy Condition dreadful: See your selves, your Sin, and conse∣quently, the Condition that your Souls are in, by the Death and Blood of Christ; Christs Death giveth us the most clear discovery of the dreadful Nature of our Sins. I say again, if sin be so dreadful a thing as to break the Heart of the Son of God (for so he saith it did) how shall a Poor, Wretched, Impenitent, damned Sinner, wrestle with the Wrath of God. Awake Sinners, you are lost, you are undone, you perish, you are damned, Hell-fire is your Portion for ever, if you abide in your Sins, and be found without

a Saviour in the dreadful Day of Judgment.

Secondly, For your good Deeds cannot help you, the Blood of Christ tells you so: For by this Doctrine, Christ died for our Sins, God damneth to death and hell, the Righteousness of the World. Christ must die, or Man be damn∣ed: where is now any room for the Righteous∣ness of Men? room, I say, for Man's Righteous∣ness, as to his Acceptance and Justification. Bring then thy Righteousness to the Cross of Jesus Christ, and in his Blood behold the De∣mands of Justice; behold them, I say, in the Cries, and Tears, in the Blood and Death of Jesus Christ. Look again, and behold the Person dying; such an one as never sinned, nor offend∣ed at any time, yet he dies. Could an Holy Life, an Innocent, Harmless Conversation have saved one from death, Jesus had not died. But he must die, Sin was charged, therfore Christ must die.

Men therefore need to go no further to prove the Worth of their own Righteousness, than to the Death of Christ: They need not be to seek in that Matter till they stand before the Judg∣ment-Seat.

Quest. But how should I prove the Goodness of mine own Righteousness, by the Death and Blood of Christ?

Ans. Thus: If Christ must die for Sin, then all thy Righteousness cannot save thee. If Righ∣teousness comes by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain, Gal. 2. 21. By this Text 'tis manifest,

that either Christ died in vain, or thy Righteous∣ness is vain. If thy Righteousness can save thee, then Christ died in vain. If nothing below, or besides the Death of Christ could save thee, then thy Righteousness is in vain; one of the two must be cast away, either Christ's, or thine. Christ Crucified to save the World, discovereth two great evils in Man's own Righteousness: I mean when brought for Justification and Life.

• 1. It opposeth the Righteousness of Christ.
• 2. It condemneth God of Foolishness.

1. It opposeth the Righteousness of Christ; in that it seeketh it self to stand, where should the Righteousness of Christ; to wit, in God's affe∣ction for the Justification of thy Person, and this is one of the highest affronts to Christ, that poor man is capable to give him: Right worthily therefore, doth the Doctrine of the Gospel damn the Righteousness of Men, and promiseth the Kingdom of God to Publicans and Harlots ra∣ther.

2. It condemneth God of Foolishness: For if Works of Righteousness which we can do, can justifie from the Curse of the Law in the Sight of God, then is not all the Treasures of Wisdom found in the Heart of God and Christ: For this Dolt-headed Sinner, hath now found out a Way of his own, unawares to God, to secure his Soul from Wrath and Vengeance. I say, unawares to God; for he never imagined that such a thing

could be, for had he, he would never have pur∣posed before the World began, to send his Son to die for Sinners. Christ is the Wisdom of God, as you have heard, and that as he is our Justify∣ing Righteousness. God was manifest in the Flesh to save us, is the great Mystery of Godli∣ness. But wherein lyeth the depth of this Wis∣dom of God in our Salvation, if Man's Right∣hand can save him? Job 40. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.

Yea, wherefore hath God also given it out, that there is none other Name given to Men, under Heaven whereby we must be saved: I say again, why is it affirmed, without shedding of Blood is no Remission, if Mans good Deeds can save him?

This Doctrine therefore of the Righteousness of Christ, being rightly preached, and truly be∣lieved, arraigneth and condemneth Man's Righ∣teousness to Hell: It casteth it out, as Abraham cast out Ismael.

BLOOD! BLOOD, the sound of Blood, a∣baseth all the Glory of it. When Men have said all, and shewed us what they can, they have no Blood to present God's Justice with; yet 'tis Blood that maketh an Atonement for the Soul, and nothing but Blood can wash us from our Sins, Levit. 17. 11. Revel. 1. 5. Heb. 9.

Justice calls for Blood, Sins call for Blood, the Righteous Law calls for Blood; yea the Devil

himself must be overcome by Blood: Sinner where is now thy Righteousness? Bring it be∣fore a Consuming Fire; [for our God is a Con∣suming Fire] Bring it before the Justice of the Law: yea try if ought but the Blood of Christ can save thee from thy Sins, and Devils; try it, I say, by this Doctrine; go not one step further before thou hast tried it.

Thirdly, By this Doctrine we are made to see, the worth of Souls: it cannot be but that the Soul is of Wonderful Price, when the Son of God will not stick to spill his Blood for it. O Sinners, you that will venture your Souls for a little plea∣sure, surely you know not the worth of your Souls. Now if you would know what your Souls are worth, and the Price which God sets them at, read that Price by the Blood of Christ. The Blood of Christ was spilt to save Souls. For ye are bought with a Price, and that Price none other than the Blood of Christ; wherefore glorify God in your Bodies and in your Spirits which are Gods, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Sinners, you have Souls, can you behold a Crucified Christ and not Bleed, and not Mourn, and not fall in Love with him?