The Works of John Bunyan, vol 1 by John Bunyan (best book clubs txt) 📖

even Jesus’ (Heb 6:20). This office of harbinger is distinct from, though it comes by virtue of, his priestly office; therefore they are both mentioned in the text—‘Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high-priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec.’ He is therefore our forerunner by virtue of his priesthood, his blood giving worth to all he does.

In this office of harbinger or forerunner, he prepareth for believers their dwelling-places in the heavens; their dwelling-places according to their place, state, calling, service, or work, in his body, the church—‘In my Father’s house,’ saith he, ‘are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you’ (John 14:2).

This is that mentioned in the forty-seventh Psalm—‘He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob, whom he loved.’

But should he have had power to choose our inheritance for us, to prepare for us our dwelling-places; should he have power to give even heaven itself to a company of poor men, had he not in the first place obtained by his blood the deliverance of our souls from death?

(3.) He is there a prophet for us, by which office of his he hath received to communicate the whole will of the eternal God, so far as is fit for us to know in this world, or in that which is to come.

Hence he is called the prophet of the church—‘The Lord shall raise you up a prophet,’ ‘and this is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.’ But this office he hath also now in heaven, by virtue of the blood he shed for us upon earth. Hence the new testament is called, ‘the new testament in his blood’; and his blood is said to be ‘the blood of the everlasting covenant’ or testament; yea, such virtue doth his blood give to the new testament, or covenant of grace, as that severed from that it is nothing worth; ‘for a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth’ (Heb 9:17). So that every word of God which he hath by Christ given to us for our everlasting consolation, is dipped in blood, is founded in blood, and stands good to sinners purely—I mean with respect to merit—upon the account of blood, or because his blood that was shed for us on the cross prevailed for us for the remission of our sins. Let not man think to receive any benefit by Christ’s prophetical office, by any of the good words of grace, and forgiveness of sins that are sprinkled up and down in the new testament; that looketh not for that good to come to him for the sake of that blood by which this testament is established; for ‘neither was the first testament dedicated without blood; for when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you’ (Heb 9:18-20).

The prophetical office of Christ standeth of two parts—first, in promises of grace: secondly, in directions of worship. But neither is this last—to wit, the doctrine of worship, or our subjection to that worship—of any value any further than as sprinkled also with his blood; for as in the first testament, the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry were sprinkled with blood, and it was necessary that so it should be, so the heavenly things themselves must be also purified with sacrifices, but yet ‘with better sacrifices than these’; for now, not Moses, but Christ, doth sprinkle, not with blood of calves, but with his own blood; neither as entered into places made with hands, but from heaven doth Jesus sprinkle all that doctrine of worship, and subjection of his saints thereto, which is of his own instituting and commanding (Heb 9:23-26).

(4.) He hath received there the office of a king, by which he ruleth in the church, and over all things for her sake. ‘The government shall be upon his shoulder’; the Lord God hath given him the throne of his father David. Hence it is that he saith, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth’; but now this kingly office, he hath it by his blood, because he humbled himself to death, therefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him the highest name. And hence, again, he is called a Lamb upon the throne—‘In the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns’; a demonstration of kingly power. But mark, he was a Lamb upon the throne, he had his horns as a lamb. Now by ‘Lamb’ we are to understand, not only his meek and sweet disposition, but his sacrifice; for he was as a lamb to be slain and sacrificed; and so his having a throne and seven horns, as a lamb, giveth us to understand that he obtained this dignity of king by his blood (Rev 5). ‘When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high’ (Heb 1:3). When ‘he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, he sat down on the right hand of God’ (Heb 10:12).

Now, put all these together—to wit, his resurrection from the dead, his ascension, and exaltation to office; and remember also that the person thus exalted is the same Jesus of Nazareth that sometime was made accursed of God for sin, and also that he obtained this glory by virtue of the blood that was shed for us, and it must unavoidably follow that Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid a full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them.

THE THIRD DEMONSTRATION.

THIRD. But to proceed. A third demonstration that Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them, is, because he hath received for them the Holy Spirit of God.

‘This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof,’ said Peter, ‘we all are witnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear’ (Acts 2:32,33).

The receiving of the Holy Ghost at the hand of the Father, who had bruised him before for the transgressions of his people; the receiving of it, I say, upon his resurrection, and that to give them for whom, just before, he had spilt his blood to make an atonement for their souls, argueth that the Divine Majesty found rest and content in that precious blood, and found it full price for the sinners for whom he shed it.

And if you consider the necessity of the giving of this good Spirit to men, and the benefit that they receive by his coming upon them, you will see yet more into the truth now contended for. First, then, Of the necessity of giving this good Spirit; and then, Second, Of the benefit which we receive at his coming.

First. Of the necessity of its being given.

1. Otherwise, Jesus could never have been proved to be the Saviour; for the promise was, that Messias should have the Spirit given him; given him to communicate—‘As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord, My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth,’ meaning the Redeemer, ‘shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever’ (Isa 59:20,21).

Here is the promise of the Spirit to be given to Christ, and by him to his seed for ever. And this was signified long before in the anointing of Aaron and his sons—‘And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them’ (Exo 30:30).

This Spirit Jesus promised to send unto his at his exaltation on the right hand of God; the Spirit, I say, in the plentiful pourings of it out. True, the church in all ages had something of it by virtue of the suretyship of the Lord Jesus; but this, in comparison of what was to come into the church after his resurrection, is not reckoned a pouring forth; therefore pourings forth are reserved to the time of the ascension and exaltation of this Jesus. ‘I will pour out of my Spirit in those days.’

Hence Jesus reserves it till his going away, and it is expressly said, ‘The Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.’ Accordingly did the apostles wait after his resurrection for the pouring forth of the Holy Ghost, and at the set time did receive it; by the giving of which he declared himself to be the Son of God and Saviour of the world (John 7:39, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7; Acts 1:4,5, 2:16,17; Joel 2:28; Rom 1:4).

2. Without the giving of the Holy Ghost, there had wanted a testimony that his gospel was the gospel of Messias. Moses’ ministration was confirmed by signs and wonders and mighty deeds, both in Egypt, in the wilderness, and at the Red Sea; wherefore it was necessary that the doctrine of redemption by blood, which is the doctrine of the gospel of this Jesus, should be also ‘confirmed with signs following.’ Hence both himself and apostles did as frequently work miracles and do mighty deeds as his ministers now do preach; which signs and miracles and wonders confirmed their doctrine, though themselves, both master and scholar, were in appearance the most considerable mean [in outward show the meanest of men]; yea, they by the means of the Holy Ghost have so ratified, confirmed, and settled the gospel in the world, that no philosopher, tyrant, or devil, hath been able hitherto to move it out of its place. He confirmed ‘the word with signs following’ (Mark 16:20; Heb 2:4).

3. As the giving of the Holy Ghost was necessary thus, so was it necessary also to strengthen them that were intrusted with the gospel, (1.) To preach it effectually; (2.) To stand to it boldly; and (3.) To justify it to be the doctrine of Messias incontrollably.

(1.) To preach it effectually, in demonstration of the Spirit (1

Cor 2:4; John 16:8,9; Acts 8:13). (2.) To stand to it boldly—‘Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said.’ ‘And they saw the boldness of Peter and John’ (2 Cor 6:4-6; Acts 4:8,13). (3.) To justify the doctrine incontrollably—‘I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist’ (Luke 21:15). ‘And they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake’ (Acts 6:10).

Now I say, that God should give the Holy Ghost to Jesus to confirm this gospel, redemption from sin by his blood, what is it but that by his blood he hath paid full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them?

[Second.] But again; the benefit which we receive at the coming of the Holy Ghost doth more demonstrate this truth; hath Christ purchased sinners, and are they the price of his blood? Yes. But how doth that appear? Why, because by the Holy Ghost which he hath received to give us, we are fitted for the inheritance which by his blood is prepared for us.

1. By the Spirit of God we are quickened and