The doctrine of the law and grace unfolded, or, A discourse touching the law…

Name: The doctrine of the law and grace unfolded, or, A discourse touching the law…
Author: John Bunyan

The doctrine of the law and grace unfolded, or, A discourse touching the law and grace the nature of the one and the nature of the other, showing what they are as they are the two covenants ... wherein for the better understanding of the reader there is several questions answered touching the law and grace ... : also several titles set over the several truths contained in this book, for thy sooner finding of them, which are those following the epistle / published by that poor and contemptible creature, John Bunyan of Bedford.

:457p. 178

Fourthly, If his Children sin through weakness, or by sudden temptation; they confessing of it, he willingly forgives, and heals all their wounds, reneweth his love towards them, waits to do them good, casteth their sins into the depths of the sea, and all this freely, without any work done by men as men. Not for your sakes do I this, O House of Israel, be it known unto you, saith the Lord, Ezek. 36. 22, 32. but wholly and alone by the blood of Jesus.

Fourthly, If his Children sin through weakness, or by suddain temptation; they confessing of it, he willingly forgives, and heals all their wounds, reneweth his love towards them, waits to do them good, casteth their sins into the depths of the sea, and all this freely, without any work done by men as men. Not for your sakes do I this, O House of Israel, be it known unto you, saith the Lord, Ezek. 36. 22, 32. but wholly and alone by the blood of Jesus.

:458p. 178

Fifthly, In a word, if you would see it altogether, Gods love was the cause why Jesus Christ was sent to bleed for sinners. Jesus Christs bleeding stops the cries of divine justice: God looks upon them as complete in him, gives them to him, as his by right of purchase. Jesus ever lives to pray for them that are thus given unto him. God sends his holy Spirit into them, to reveal this to them; sends his Angels to minister for them: and all this by virtue of an everlasting Covenant between the Father and the Son. Thrice happy are the people that are in such a case.

Fifthly, In a word, if you would see it altogether, Gods love was the cause why Jesus Christ was sent to bleed for sinners. Jesus Christs bleeding stops the cries of divine justice: God looks upon them as compleat in him, gives them to him, as his by right of purchase. Jesus ever lives to pray for them that are thus given unto him. God sends his holy Spirit into them, to reveal this to them; sends his Angels to minister for them: and all this by vertue of an everlasting Covenant between the Father and the Son. Thrice happy are the people that are in such a case.

:459p. 178–179

Nay, further he hath made them Brethren with Jesus Christ, members of his flesh, and of his bones: the Spouse of this Lord Jesus; and ⟨p. 179⟩all to show you how dearly, how really, how constantly he loveth us, who by the faith of his operation, have laid hold upon him.

Nay, further he hath made them Brethren with Jesus Christ, members of his flesh, and of his bones: the Spouse of this Lord Jesus; and ⟨p. 179⟩all to shew you how dearly, how really, how constantly he loveth us, who by the faith of his operation, have laid hold upon him.

:460p. 179

I shall now lay down a few arguments for the superabundant clearing of it, and afterwards answer two or three objections, as may be made against it, and so I shall fall upon the next thing.

:461p. 179

First, God loves the Saints, as he loves Jesus Christ. And God loves Jesus Christ with an eternal love; therefore the Saints also with the same. Thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me, John 17. 23.

:462p. 179

Secondly, That love which is God himself must needs be everlasting love. And that is the love, wherewith God hath loved his Saints in Christ Jesus; therefore his love towards his children in Christ must needs be an everlasting ¹love. There is none dare say, that the love of God is mixed with a created mixture: if not; then it must needs be himself, 1 John 4. 16.

1You must not understand that love in God, is a passion as it is in us: but the love of G•d is the very essence, or nature of God, 1 John 4. 16.

:463p. 179–180

Thirdly, That love which is always pitched upon us, in an object as holy as God, must needs be an everlasting love. Now the love of God was, and is pitched upon us, through an object as holy as God himself, even our Lord ⟨p. 180⟩Jesus: Therefore it must needs be unchangeable.

:464p. 180

Fourthly, If he with whom the Covenant of Grace was made, did in every thing, and condition do, even what the Lord could desire or require of him, that his love might be extended to us, and that for ever; Then his love must needs be an everlasting love, seeing every thing required of us, was completely accomplished for us by him: And all this hath our Lord Jesus done, and that most gloriously, even on our behalf: therefore it must needs be a love that lasts for ever and ever.

Fourthly, If he with whom the Covenant of Grace was made, did in every thing, and condition do, even what the Lord could desire or require of him, that his love might be extended to us, and that for ever; Then his love must needs be an everlasting love, seeing every thing required of us, was compleatly accomplished for us by him: And all this hath our Lord Jesus done, and that most gloriously, even on our behalf: therefore it must needs be a love that lasts for ever and ever.

:465p. 180

Fifthly, If God hath declared himself, to be the God that changeth not, and hath sworn to be immutable in his promise, then surely he will be unchangeable. And he hath done so: therefore it is impossible for God to lie; and so for his eternal love to be unchangeable (Heb. 6. 13, 14, 17, 18.) Here is an argument of the Spirits own making, who can contradict it? If any object, and say, but still it is upon the condition of believing. I answer, the condition also is his own free gift, and not a qualification arising from the stock of nature (Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 28, 29.) So that here is the love unchangeable, here is also the condition given by him whose love is unchangeable, which may serve yet further for a strong argument, that God will have his love unchangeable. Sinner this is better felt and enjoyed, then talked of.

:466p. 181

Object. But if this love of God be unchangeable in it self; yet it is not unchangeably set upon the Saints, unless they behave themselves the better.

:467p. 181

Answ. As Gods love at the first was bestowed upon the Saints, without any thing foreseen by the Lord in them, as done by them (Deut. 9. 4, 5, 6.) So he goeth on with the same, saying, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, Heb. 13. 5.

:468p. 181

Object. But how cometh it to pass then that many fall off again, from the grace of the Gospel, after a profession of it for some time; some •o delusions, and some to their open sins again.

:469p. 181–182

Answ. They are fallen away, not from the everlasting love of God to them; but from the profession of the love of God to them: men may process that God loves them, when there is no such matter, and that they are the Children of God, when the Devil is their father; (as it is in John 8. 40, 41, 42, 43, 44) Therefore they that do finally fall away from a profession of the grace of the Gospel: It is first, because, they are Bastards and not Sons. Secondly, Because as they are not Sons, so God suffereth them to fall, to make it appear that they are not Sons, not of the household of God. They went out from us, for they were not of us; for if they had been of us, no doubt, mark that, no doubt, saith he, they would have continued with us; but they went out from us, that it might be made man ⟨p. 182⟩fest that they were not all of us. (1 John 2. 19.) And though Hymeneus and Philetus, do throw themselves headlong to hell, Nevertheless the Foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, 2 Tim. 2. 17, 18, 19.

Answ. They are fallen away, not from the everlasting love of God to them; but from the profession of the love of God to them: men may process that God loves them, when there is no such matter, and that they are the Children of God, when the Devil is their father; (as it is in John 8. 40, 41, 42, 43, 44) Therefore they that do finally fall away from a profession of the grace of the Gospel: It is first, because, they are Bastards and not Sons. Secondly, Because as they are not Sons, so God suffereth them to fall, to make it appear that they are not Sons, not of the houshold of God. They went out from us, for they were not of us; for if they had been of us, no doubt, mark that, no doubt, saith he, they would have continued with us; but they went out from us, that it might be made man ⟨p. 182⟩fest that they were not all of us. (1 John 2. 19

:470p. 182

Object. But the Scripture saith, that there are some that had Faith, yet lost it, and have made shipwreck of it: Now God loves no longer than they believe, as is evident; For he that believes not shall be damned. So then, if some may have Faith, and yet lose it, and so lose the love of God, because they have lost their Faith, it is evident that Gods love is not so immutable as you say it is to every one that believeth.

Object. But the Scripture saith, that there are some that had Faith, yet lost it, and have made shipwrack of it: Now God loves no longer than they believe, as is evident; For he that believes not shall be damned. So then, if some may have Faith, and yet lose it, and so lose the love of God, because they have lost their Faith, it is evident that Gods love is not so immutable as you say it is to every one that believeth.

:471p. 182

Answ. There is more sorts of Faith than one, that is spoken of in Scripture.

:472p. 182

First, There is a Faith that men may have, and yet be nothing, none of the Saints of God (2 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4.) and yet may do great things therewith.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36