Works of John Bunyan Volume II Part 139

Her gardens yield the chief, the richest spice, Surpa.s.sing them of Adam's paradise: Here be sweet ointments, and the best of gums; Here runs the milk, here drops the honey-combs.

Here are perfumes most pleasant to the sense, Here grows the goodly trees of frankincense; Her arbours, walks, fountains, and pleasant springs, Delightful formerly have been to kings.

Such mountains round about this house do stand As one from thence may see the holy land.

Her fields are fertile, do abound with corn; The lilies fair, her vallies do adorn.

The birds that do come hither every spring, For birds, they are the very best that sing.

Her friends, her neighbours too, do call her blest; Angels do here go by, turn in and rest.

The road to paradise lies by her gate, Here pilgrims do themselves accommodate With bed and board, and do such stories tell As do for truth and profit all excel.

Nor doth the porter here say any nay, That hither would turn in, that there would stay.

This house is rent-free; here the man may dwell That loves his landlord, rules his pa.s.sions well.

VI.

THE WAY OF RECEIVING THOSE THAT WOULD HERE INHABIT.

And wouldst thou know the customs of this place, How men are here admitted to this grace; And consequently whether thou mayst be Made one of this most blest fraternity?

Come hither then, unto me lend an ear; And what is doubtful to thee, I will clear.

1. This place, as mercy's arms, stands ope to those That their own happiness us'd to oppose; Those under hedges, high-way men, or they That would not G.o.d, nor yet good men obey; Those that among the bushes us'd to browse, Or under hedges us'd themselves to louze.

The vilest men, of sinners who are chief, A fornicator, liar, or a thief, May turn in hither, here take up and dwell With those who ransom'd are from death and h.e.l.l.

2. This place, as hospitals, will entertain, Those which the lofty of this world disdain: The poor, the lame, the maimed, halt and blind, The leprous, and possessed too, may find Free welcome here, as also such relief As ease them will of trouble, pain and grief.

3. This place, as David's heart, with free consent Opens to th' distressed, and the discontent; Who is in debt, that has not wherewithal To quit his scores, may here be free from thrall: That man that fears the bailiff, or the jail, May find one here that will become his bail.

4. Art thou bound over to the great a.s.size, For heark'ning to the devil and his lies; Art thou afraid thereat to shew thy head, For fear thou then be sent unto the dead?

Thou may'st come hither, here is room and place, For such as willingly would live by grace.

5. This place, as father's house in former days, Is a receptacle for runaways;[4]

He that, like to the ox,[5] backslidden is, Forfeited hath for sin his share of bliss; May yet come hither, here is room and rest; Of old such have come hither and been blest.

Had this been false, O woe had been to David!

Nor Peter had, nor Magdalen, been saved.

Nor Jonah, nor Mana.s.seh, nor the rest; No runaway from G.o.d could been blest With kind reception at his hands; return Would here come too late, if nought but burn Had been the lot of the backsliding man: But we are told there's no rebellion can Prevent, or hinder him from being saved, That mercy heartily of G.o.d hath crav'd.

She that went from her G.o.d to play the wh.o.r.e, Returning may be as she was before: He that refuses to his G.o.d to turn, That is resolved in h.e.l.l fire to burn; If he bethinks himself, and turns again, May find them here that will him entertain.

6. But bring thou with thee a certificate, To show thou seest thyself most desolate; Writ by the master, with repentance seal'd, To shew also that here thou would'st be heal'd, By those fair leaves of that most blessed tree, By which alone poor sinners healed be; And that thou dost abhor thee for thy ways.

And wouldst in holiness spend all thy days; And here be entertained; or thou wilt find To entertain thee here are none inclin'd.[6]

VII.

OF THE GOVERNORS OF THIS HOUSE.

The governors that here in office are, Such be as service do with love and care; Not swerving from the rule, nor yet intrude Upon each other's work, nor are they rude In managing their own: but to their trust They labour to be honest, faithful, just.

1. The chief is he who is the Lord of all, The Saviour; some him physician call.

He's cloth'd in s.h.i.+ning raiment to the ground, A golden girdle doth begirt him round; His head and hairs are white as any snow, His eyes are like a flame of fire also; His feet are like fine bra.s.s, as if they burn'd Within a furnace, or to fire were turn'd; His voice doth like to many waters sound; In his right hand, seven glittering stars are found.

Out of his mouth goes a two-edged sword, Sharper than any ('tis his holy word)

And for his countenance, 'tis as the sun Which s.h.i.+neth in its strength, till day is done.

His name is call'd holy, The WORD OF G.o.d; The wine-press of his father's wrath he trod; At all the power of sin he doth deride, The keys of h.e.l.l and death hang at his side.

This is our governor, this is the chief, From this physician comes our soul's relief.

He is the tree of life and hidden manna; 'Tis he to whom the children sing hosanna.

The white stone he doth give with a new name; In heaven and earth he is of worthy fame.

This man hath death destroy'd and slain the devil, And doth secure all his from d.a.m.ning evil.

He is the prince of life, the prince of peace; He doth us from the bonds of death release.

His work is properly his own; nor may, In what he doth, another say him nay.

'Tis he who pays our hospitalian scores, He's here to search, supple, and bind up sores; He is our plaster-maker, he applies Them to our wounds, he wipes our wetted eyes.

'Tis he that gives us cups of consolation, 'Tis he renews the hopes of our salvation.

He'll take our parts, oft times to us unknown, And make as if our failings were his own; He'll plead with G.o.d his name and doings too, And save us will, from those would us undo.

His name is as an ointment poured forth; 'Tis sweet from east to west, from south to north.

He's white and ruddy; yea of all the chief; His golden head is rich beyond belief.

His eyes are like the doves which waters wet, Well wash'd with milk, and also fitly set, His cheeks as beds of spices, and sweet flowers.

He us'd to water with those crystal showers, Which often flowed from his cloudy eyes; Better by far than what comes from the skies.

His lips like lilies, drop sweet-smelling myrrh, Scenting as do those of the comforter.

His hands are as gold rings set with the beryls; By them we are delivered out of perils; His legs like marble, stand in boots of gold, His countenance is ex'lent to behold.

His mouth, it is of all a mouth most sweet, O kiss me then, Lord, every time we meet!

Thy sugar'd lips, Lord, let them sweeten mine, With the most blessed scent of things divine.

2. This is one Governor; and next in place, One call'd the Ghost, in Honour and in Grace No whit inferior to him; and HE Will also in this house our helper be, He 'twas who did at first brood the creation; And he's the cause of man's regeneration.

'Tis he by whom the heavens were garnished, With all their host they then abroad did spread (Like spangles, pearls, diamonds or richest gems) Far richer than the fairest diadems.

'Twas he who with his cloven tongues of fire Made all those wise ones of the world admire, Who heard his breathing in unlearned men.

O blessed ruler! now the same as then!

His work our mind is to illuminate With things divine, and to accommodate Us with those graces, which will us adorn, And make us look like men indeed new-born.

For our inheritance he makes us meet; He makes us also in this world discreet.

Prudent and wise in what we take in hand, To do and suffer at our Lord's command.

'Tis he that leads us to the tomb and cross, Where Jesus crucified and buried was; He shews us also, that he did revive, And doth a.s.sure us that he is alive; And doth improve the merit of his blood, At grace's throne for our eternal good.

Dark riddles he doth here to us unfold, Yea, makes us things invisible behold.

He sheds abroad G.o.d's love in every heart, Where he doth dwell, yea to them doth impart, Such tokens of a future happiness, That's past the tongue of angels to express.

'Tis he which helpeth us, that to perform, Whether becalm'd, or whether in a storm, Which G.o.d commands: without him we do nought That's good, either in deed, or word, or thought.

'Tis he that doth with jewels us bedeck, 'Tis he puts chains of gold about our neck; 'Tis he that doth us with fine linen gird, That maketh us ofttimes live as a bird.

That cureth us of all our doubts and fears, Puts bracelets on our hands, rings on our ears; He sanctifies our persons, he perfumes Our spirits also; he our l.u.s.t consumes; Our stinking breath he sweetens, so that we To G.o.d and all good men sweet-scented be; He sets G.o.d's mark upon us, and doth seal Us unto life, and life to us reveal.

VIII.

UNDER OFFICERS.

3. Another sort of officers here are, But such as must not with these first compare; They're under-officers, but serviceable, Not only here to rule, but wait at table.

Those clothed are with linen, fine and white, They glitter as the stars of darksome night.

They have Saint Peter's keys, and Aaron's rod; They ope and shut, they bind and loose for G.o.d.

The chief of these are watchmen, they have power To mount on high and to ascend the tower Of this brave fabric, and from thence to see Who keeps their ground, and who the stragglers be.

These have their trumpet, when they do it sound The mountains echo, yea it shakes the ground.

With it they also sound out an alarm, When they perceive the least mischief or harm Is coming, so they do this house secure There from, or else prepare it to endure Most manfully the cross, and so attain The crown which for the victor doth remain.

This officer is call'd a steward too, 'Cause with his master's cash he has to do, And has authority it to disburse To those that want, or for that treasure thirst.

The distributor of the word of grace He is, and at his mouth, when he's in place, They seek the law, he also bids them do it; He shews them sin, and learns them to eschew it.