Works of John Bunyan Volume II Part 54

2. Smiting upon the breast is sometimes a token of indignation and abhorrence of something thought upon. I read in Luke, that when Christ was crucified, those spectators that stood to behold the barbarous usage that he endured at the hands of his enemies, "smote their b.r.e.a.s.t.s and returned." "And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and returned." (Luke 23:48) Smote their b.r.e.a.s.t.s; that is, in token of indignation against, and abhorrence of their cruelty, that so grievously used the Son of G.o.d.

Here also we have our Publican smiting upon his breast, in token of indignation against, and abhorrence of his former life. And indeed without indignation against, and abhorrence of his former life, his repentance had not been good. Wherefore the apostle doth make indignation against sin, and against ourselves for that, one sign of true repentance (2 Cor 7:11), and his indignation against sin in general, and against his former life in particular, was manifested by his smiting upon the breast. Even as Ephraim's smiting upon the thigh was a sign and token of his: "Surely,"

says he, "after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth." (Jer 31:19) Man when he vehemently dislikes a thing, is very apt to shew that dislike that to that thing he hath, by this or another outward gesture: as in putting the branch to the nose,41 in snuffing or snorting at it (Eze 8:17, Mal 1:13); or in deriding; or, as some say, in blowing of their noses at it. (Luke 16:14) But the Publican here chooseth rather to use this most solemn posture; for smiting upon the breast, seems to imply a more serious, solemn, grave way or manner of dislike, than any of those last mentioned do.

3. Smiting upon the breast, seems to intimate a quarrel with the heart for beguiling, deluding, flattering, seducing, and enticing of him to sin: For as conviction for sin begets in man, I mean if it be thorough, a sense of the sore and plague of the heart. So repentance, if it be right, begets in the man an outcry against the heart; for as much as by that light, by which repentance takes occasion, the sinner is made to see, that the heart is the fountain, and well-spring of sin. "For from within, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,--covetousness,"

&c. (Mark 7:21,22) And hence it is, that commonly young converts do complain so of their hearts, calling them wicked, treacherous, deceitful, desperate ones.

Indeed one difference between true and false repentance lieth in this. The man that truly repents crieth out of his heart; but the other, as Eve, upon the serpent, or something else. And that the Publican perceived his heart to be naught I conclude, by his smiting upon his breast.

4. Smiting upon the breast, seems to intimate one apprehensive of some new, sudden, strange and amazing thing: As when a man sees some strange sight in the air, or heareth some sudden or dismal sound in the clouds: Why, as he is struck into a deep damp in his mind, so 'tis a wonder if he can keep or hold back from smiting upon his breast.

Now ofttimes a sight of G.o.d and sense of sin, comes to the sinner like a flash of lightning, not for short continuance, but for suddenness, and so for surprisal; so that the sinner is struck, taken and captivated to his own amazement, with what so unexpectedly is come upon him. It is said of Paul at his conversion, that when conviction of his bad life took fast hold of his conscience, he trembled, and was astonished. (Acts 9:6) And although we read not of any particular circ.u.mstance of his behaviour under his conviction outwardly, yet it is almost impossibly but he must have some, and those of the most solid sort. For there is such a sympathy betwixt the soul and the body, that the one cannot be in distress or comfort, but the other must partake of, and also signify the same.

If it be comfort, then 'tis shewn; If comfort of mind, then by leaping, skipping, cheerfulness of the countenance, or some other outward gesture. If it be sorrow or heaviness of spirit, then that is shewed by the body, in weeping, sighing, groaning, softly-going, shaking of the head, a lowering countenance, stamping, smiting upon the thigh or breast as here the Publican did, or somewhat.

We must not therefore look upon these outward actions or gestures of the Publican, to be empty insignificant things; but to be such, that in truth did express and shew the temper, frame, and present complexion of his soul. For Christ, the wisdom of G.o.d, hath mentioned them to that very end, that in and by them, might be held forth, and that men might see, as in a gla.s.s, the very emblem of a converted, and truly penitent sinner. "He smote upon his breast."

5. Smiting upon the breast, is sometimes to signify a mixture of distrust, joined with hope. And indeed in young converts, hope and distrust, or a degree of despair, do work and answer one another, as doth the noise of the balance of the watch in the pocket. Life and death, life and death is always the motion of the mind then, and this noise continues until faith is stronger grown, and until the soul is better acquainted with the methods and ways of G.o.d with a sinner. Yea, was but a carnal man in a convert's heart, and could see, he should discern these two, to wit, hope and fear, to have a continual motion in the soul: wrestling and opposing one another, as doth light and darkness, in striving for the victory.

And hence it is that you find such people so fickle and uncertain in their spirits; Now on the mount, then in the valleys; now in the suns.h.i.+ne, then in the shade; now warm, then frozen; now bonny and blithe, then in a moment pensive and sad; as thinking of a portion nowhere but in h.e.l.l. This will cause smiting on the breast; nor can I imagine that the Publican was as yet farther than thus far in the Christian's progress, since yet he was smiting upon his breast.

6. Smiting upon the breast, seems to intimate, that the party so doing is very apprehensive of some great loss that he has sustained; either by negligence, carelessness, foolishness, or the like, and this is the way in which men do lose their souls. Now to lose a thing, a great thing, the only choice thing that a man has, negligently, carelessly, foolishly, or the like, why it puts aggravations into the thoughts of the loss that the man has sustained; and aggravations in the thoughts of them go out of the soul, and come in upon a sudden, even as the bailiff, or the king's sergeant at arms, and at every appearance of them makes the soul start; and starting, it smites upon the breast.

I might multiply particulars; but to be brief, we have before us a sensible soul, a sorrowful soul, a penitent soul: one that prays indeed, that prays sensibly, affectionately, effectually. One that sees his loss, that fears and trembleth before G.o.d in consideration of it, and one that knows no way, but the right way, to secure himself from peris.h.i.+ng, to wit, by having humble and hearty recourse to the G.o.d of heaven for mercy.

I should now come to speak something by way of use and application; but before I do that, I will briefly draw up, and present you with a few conclusions that in my judgment do naturally flow from the text, therefore in this place I will read over the text again.

"Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican: The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, G.o.d, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican: I fast twice in the week, I give t.i.thes of all that I possess. And the Publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon is breast, saying, G.o.d be merciful to me a sinner."

From these words I gather these several conclusions, with these inferences.

Conclusion First, It doth not always follow, that they that pray do know G.o.d, or love him, or trust in him. This conclusion is evident by the Pharisee in the text; he prayed, but he knew not G.o.d, he loved not G.o.d, he trusted not in G.o.d; that is, he knew him not in his Son, nor so loved, nor trusted in him. He was, though a praying man, far off from this. Whence it may be inferred, that those that pray not at all cannot be good, cannot know, love, or trust in G.o.d. For if the star, though it s.h.i.+nes, is not the sun, then surely a clod of dirt cannot be the sun. Why, a praying man doth as far outstrip a non-praying man, as a star outstrips a clod of earth. A non-praying man lives like a beast, nay worse, and with reference to his station, a more sottish life than he.

"The ox knoweth his owner, and the a.s.s his master's crib: but [this man] Israel doth not know, [but this man] my people doth not consider." (Isa 1:3) The prayerless man is therefore of no religion, except he be an Atheist, or an Epicurean. Therefore the non-praying man is numbered among the heathens, and among those that know not G.o.d, and is appointed and designed by the sentence of the word to the fearful wrath of G.o.d. (Psa 79:6, Jer 10:25)

Conclusion Second, A second conclusion is, That the man that prays, if in his prayer he pleads for acceptance, either in whole or in part, for his own good deeds, is in a miserable state. This also is gathered from the Pharisee here, he prayed, but in his prayer he pleaded his own good deeds for acceptance, that is, of his person, and therefore went down to his house unjustified. Now to be unjustified is the worst condition that a man can be in, and he is in this condition that doth thus. The conclusion is true, forasmuch as the Pharisee mentioned in the parable is not so spoken of, for the only sake of that sect of men, but to caution, forewarn, and bid all men take heed, that they by doing as he, procure not his rejection of G.o.d, and be sent away from his presence unjustified. I do therefore infer from hence, that if he that pleadeth his own good doing for personal acceptance with G.o.d, be thus miserable; then he that teacheth men so to do, is much more miserable. We always conclude, that a ring-leader in an evil way, is more blame-worthy, than those that are led of him. This falls hard upon the leading Socinians and others, who teach, that men's works make their person accepted of G.o.d.

True, they say, through Christ; but that is brought in as a blandation,42 merely to delude the simple with, and is an horrible lie; for we read not in all the word of G.o.d, as to personal justification in the sight of G.o.d from the curse, and that is the question under consideration, that it must be by man's righteousness, as made prevalent by Christ's, but contrariwise by his, and his only, without the deeds, works, or righteousness of the law which is our righteousness. Wherefore I say, the teachers and leaders of this doctrine have the greater sin.

Conclusion Third, A third conclusion is. They that use high and flaunting language in prayer, their simplicity and G.o.dly sincerity is to be questioned, as to the doing of that duty sincerely. This still flows from our text, the Pharisee greatly used this; for higher and more flaunting language can hardly be found, than in the Pharisee's mouth; nor will ascribing to G.o.d by the same mouth laud and praise, help the business at all: For to be sure, where the effect is base and rotten, the cause cannot be good.

The Pharisee would hold himself in hand that he was not as other men, and then gives thanks to G.o.d for this: But the conclusion was most vilely false, and therefore the praise for it could not but be foolish, vain, and frivolous. Whence I infer, that if to use such language in prayer is dangerous, then to affect the use thereof is yet more dangerous: Prayer must be made with humble hearts, and sensible words, and of that we have treated before, wherefore high, flaunting, swelling words of vanity becomes not a sinner's mouth, no, not at any time, much less when he comes to, and presents himself before G.o.d in that solemn duty of prayer.

But, I say, there are some that so affect the Pharisee's mode, that they cannot be well if in some sort or other they be not in the practice of it; not knowing what they say, nor whereof they affirm; but these are greatly addicted to hypocrisy, and to desire of vain-glory, especially if the sound of their words be within the reach of other men's ears.

Conclusion Fourth, A fourth conclusion is, that reformation and amendment, though good, with, and before me, are nothing as to justification with G.o.d. This is manifest by the condition of our Pharisee; he was a reformed man, a man beyond others for personal righteousness, yet he went out of the temple from G.o.d unjustified, his works, came to nothing with G.o.d. Hence I infer, that the man that hath nothing to commend him to G.o.d of his own, yet stands as fair before G.o.d for justification, and so acceptance, as any other man in the world.

Conclusion Fifth, A fifth conclusion is, it is the sensible sinner, the self-bemoaning sinner, the self-judging sinner, the self-abhorring sinner, and the self-condemning sinner, whose prayers prevail with G.o.d for mercy. Hence I infer, that one reason why men make so many prayers, and prevail no more with G.o.d, is because their prayers are rather the floatings of Pharisaical fancies, than the fruits of sound sense of sin, and sincere desire of enjoying G.o.d in mercy, and in the fruits of the Holy Ghost.

The use and application we must let alone till another time.

FOOTNOTES:

1 The word "merit" was changed for "mercy" after the author's death.--Ed.

2 "Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." (2 Cor 10:18)

3 "Carry the bell and wear the garland," alluding to our old English races; the winner being rewarded with a silver bell, and crowned with a garland: or to the morris dance, in which the leader carried the garland and danced with bells fixed to his dress.--Ed.

4 The glorious revolution, conducted by William, Prince of Orange, afterwards King William the 3rd, took place soon after Bunyan's decease. It was probably on this account that this paragraph was omitted from the edition of September, 1688, and all the subsequent ones to the present time. The popular opinion, in those times, was, that Dutchman and extortioner were nearly synonymous.

"We trade wid de Yankey, we deal wid de Scot. And cheaten de tain and de teither: We cheaten de Jew, aye and better dan dat, We cheaten well ein aniether." Old Song.

5 "To pole, to peel," to take off the top and branches of a tree, and then to peel off the bark; terms used to designate violent oppressions under pretended legal authority. "Which pols and pils the poor in piteous wise." Fairy Queen. "Pilling and polling is grown out of request, since plain pilfering came into fas.h.i.+on."

Winwood's Memorials. "They had rather pill straws than read the scriptures." Dent's Pathway.--Ed.

6 Immediately after the calling of Matthew and of James, our Lord sat at meat in Levi's [James'] house, and made that gracious declaration, "I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance"; compare Matthew 9:10-13, with Mark 2:14-17 and Luke 5:27-32.--Ed.

7 Nearly half this paragraph is omitted from every edition since 1688, probably from a fear lest it should be misinterpreted as reflecting upon the glorious revolution under William and Mary.--Ed.

8 This proud beggar shews not his wounds but his worth; not his rags, but his robes; not his misery, but his stoutheartedness: he brings in G.o.d Almighty as a debtor to him for his services, and thanks G.o.d more that others were bad, than for his own fancied goodness.--Ryland.

9 The word "criminal," used by Bunyan, has been altered in modern editions to "ceremonial"; but it was not only ceremonial but superst.i.tious, and therefore more criminal than moral.

10 It is singular that our modern Pharisees continue the custom of fasting twice a week, on Wednesday and Friday. This is not so monstrous as pretending to do what "G.o.d manifest in the flesh"

alone could do--to fast for forty consecutive days.--Ed.

11 G.o.d heareth the heart, without the mouth; but never heareth the mouth acceptably, without the heart. (1 Sam 1:13,15) Puritan Saying.

12 To such poor deceived souls, our Lord's words are extremely applicable; "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" If poor blind sinners are, through the ignorance of their minds, fully persuaded that the destructive way in which they walk is the road to true happiness, how dangerous is their error, and how deplorable the consequences.--Ryland.

13 What home-thrusts are here! The two-edged sword of the Spirit, wielded by such a man, pierces--divides--lays bare every refuge of lies to which poor souls vainly fly for succour. It is a solemn and most important subject. May every reader have grace given him to weigh his hopes of heaven in the balances of divine unerring truth.--Ed.

14 Those who plead for mercy, as the reward of their own righteousness, are guilty of gross absurdity. They may claim to employ the mercy which they have earned: why plead with the G.o.d of justice for that to which they consider themselves in justice ent.i.tled? G.o.d will give to all that to which they are ent.i.tled, without being sued for their earnings.--Ed.

15 "Points and pantables"; quibbles and quirks. "With periods, points, and tropes, he slurs his crimes; He robb'd not, but he borrowed from the poor."--Dryden.

"Pantable," from pantoufle, a slipper. To stand upon his pantables, was a contemptuous mode of speech, to express a very dishonourable man's "standing upon his honour," which could so easily be slipped from under him. "What pride is equal to the pope's in making kings kiss his pantables." Sir E. Sandys. "He standeth upon his pantables, and regardeth greatly his reputation." Saker's Character of a Fraudulent Fellow. Bunyan was peculiarly happy in his use of popular and proverbial expressions.--Ed.

16 "Meddle nor make," to interfere with matters that do not concern us.

"I think it no sin, to sleep in a whole skin, So I neither meddle nor make."--Old Play.

"He that will meddle with all things, may go shoe the goslings."

"I'll neither meddle nor make, said Bill Heaps, when he spill'd the b.u.t.ter milk." Old Proverbs.--Ed.

17 The accurate knowledge of Bunyan as to the meaning of law terms is very surprising, and proves him to have been an apt scholar.

A caveat is a caution not to admit a will that may injure some other party.--Ed.

18 In this country the introduction of earthenware plates has driven the less cleanly wooden plate, called a trencher, entirely out of use.--Ed.