Works of John Bunyan Volume II Part 118

"And the whole earth was of one language." By these words therefore, we may conceive the reason why so great a judgment as that great wickedness, Babel, should be contrived, and endeavoured to be accomplished. The mult.i.tude was one. Not but that it is a blessed thing for the church to be one: as Christ saith, "My beloved is but one" (John 17:11). But here was an oneness, not only in the church, but in her mixing with the world. The whole earth, among which, as I suppose, is included Noah, Shem, and others; who being overtopt by Nimrod, the mighty hunter, might company with him until he began to build Babel. Therefore it is said in the next verse, that they companied together from the east, to the land of s.h.i.+nar.

Hence note, That the first and primitive churches were safe and secure, so long as they kept entire by themselves; but when once they admitted of a mixture, great Babel, as a judgment of G.o.d, was admitted to come into their mind.

Ver. 2. "And it came to pa.s.s, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of s.h.i.+nar; and they dwelt there."

By these words, we gather, that the first rest of Noah, and so the inhabiting of his posterity, was still eastward from Babylon, towards the sun rising.

But to gospelise: They journeyed from the east: and so consequently they turned their backs upon the rising of the sun. So did also the primitive church, in the day when she began to decline from her first and purest state. Indeed, so long as she kept close to the doctrine and discipline of the gospel, according to the word and commandment of the Lord Jesus, then she kept her face still towards the sun rising: According to the type in Ezekiel, who saith of the second and mystical temple, Her fore front, or face, did stand towards the east (47:1). Also he saith, when he saw the glory of G.o.d, how it came unto this temple, it came from the way of the east (43:2). Their journeying therefore from the east, was, their turning their backs upon the sun. And to us, in gospel times, it holdeth forth such a mystery as this: That their journey was thus recorded, to show they were now apostatized; for a.s.suredly they had turned their back upon the glorious Sun of Righteousness, as upon that which s.h.i.+neth in the firmament of heaven.

"They found a plain in the land of s.h.i.+nar." s.h.i.+nar is the land of Babylon (Dan 1:2; Zech 5:11), as those scriptures in the margin declare.

"They found a plain." Or, place of fatness and plenty, as usually the plains are; and are, upon that account, great content to our flesh: This made Lot separate from Abraham, and choose to dwell with the sinners of Sodom; why, the country was a plain, and therefore fat and plentiful, even like the garden of the Lord, and the land of Egypt. Here therefore they made a stop; here they dwelt and continued together. A right resemblance of the degenerators'

course in the days of general apostacy from the true apostolical doctrine, to the church of our Romish Babel. So long as the church endured hards.h.i.+p, and affliction, she was greatly preserved from revolts and backslidings; but after she had turned her face from the sun, and had found the plain of s.h.i.+nar; that is, the fleshly contents that the pleasures, and profits, and honours of this world afford; she forgetting the word and order of G.o.d, was content, with Lot, to pitch towards Sodom; or, with the travellers in the text, to dwell in the land of Babel.

Ver. 3. "And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly [and burn them to a burning]. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar."

Now they being filled with ease and plenty, they begin to lift up the horn, and to consult one with another what they were best to do: Whereupon, after some time of debate, they came to this conclusion, That they would go build a Babel.

"And they said one to another, Go to." This manner of phrase is often used in scripture; and is some times, as also here, used to show, That the thing intended, must come to pa.s.s, what opinion or contradiction to the contrary soever there be. It argueth that a judgment is made in the case, and proceedings shall be accordingly.

Thus it is also to be taken in Judges 7:3; Ecclesiastes 2:1; Isaiah 5:5; James 5:1, &c. Wherefore it shows, that these men had cast off the fear of G.o.d, and, like Israel in the days of the prophet Jeremiah, they resolved to follow their own imagination, let G.o.d or his judgments speak never so loud to the contrary. And so indeed he says of them at verse the sixth: "And this they begin to do: [saith G.o.d] and now nothing will be restrained from them."

This is all Mr. Bunyan hath writ of this EXPOSITION, as we perceive by the blank paper following the ma.n.u.script.[49]

FOOTNOTES:

[1]Although no mortal mind can by searching find out the Almighty to perfection, yet Bunyan's views of the Divine Being is an approach to perfection. It is worthy the pen of the most profound Christian philosopher.--Ed.

[2]The more extensive our inquiries are into the wonders of creation, the more deeply will our souls be humbled. The answer to the inquiry, "What is man?" can then, and only then, be made in the language of Isaiah, "Nothing--vanity--a drop of a bucket--the small dust of the balance," 40:15.--Ed.

[3]How sad, but true, is this type of many governments, especially of the olden times; the strong devour the weak--strong in person or by subtilty, or by combination. Should this earth ever be blessed with a Christian government, the governors will exclusively seek the welfare and happiness of the governed.--Ed.

[4]This is one of those beautiful discoveries which modern geology fully confirms. The earth is created, matured, prepared and fitted for him, before man is created. That modern popular work, "The Vestiges of Creation," elucidates the same fact from the phenomena of nature: but the philosopher who wrote that curious book little thought that these sublime truths were published more than a century and a half ago, by an unlettered mechanic, whose sole source of knowledge was his being deeply learned in the holy oracles. They discover in a few words that which defies centuries of philosophic researches of the most learned men. A wondrous book is G.o.d's Book!--Ed.

[5]In what pointed language are these solemn warnings put. Reader, in the sight of G.o.d, let the heart-searching inquiry of the apostle's be yours; Lord, is it I?

[6]Bunyan beautifully ill.u.s.trates this view of divine truth in his controversy with Edward Fowler, Bishop of Gloucester. See "The Defence of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Jesus Christ."--Ed.

[7]Christian, you are specially cautioned to "beware of the flatterer." The Pilgrim's Christian and Hopeful forgot the caution, and "a man black of flesh but covered with a very light robe, caught them in his net, and they were chastised sore."--Ed.

[8]Much allowance must be made for the state of female education in Bunyan's days. Every effort was made to keep women in subordination--a mere drudging, stocking mending help meet for man. Now we feel that the more highly she is cultivated, the more valuable help she becomes, and that in intellect she is on a perfect equality with man.--Ed.

[9] "And sensed." Not now used as a verb. The meaning is, that Eve, instead of instantly rejecting the temptation, because contrary to G.o.d's command, she reasoned upon it, and sought counsel of her carnal senses.--Ed.

[10]This pa.s.sage would have done honour to Bishop Taylor, or any one of our best English writers. How blessed are we, if our eyes have been thus painfully opened to see and feel the awful state into which sin plunges us.--Ed.

[11]How solemn are these awful facts, and how impressively does Bunyan fix them on our hears. As Adam and Eve attempted to hide their guilt and themselves by fig-leaves and bushes, so does man now endeavour to screen his guilt from the omniscient eye of G.o.d by refuges of lies, which, like the miserable fig-leaf ap.r.o.n, will be burnt up by the presence of G.o.d. Oh, sinner! seek shelter in the robe of the Redeemer's righteousness; the presence of your G.o.d will add to its l.u.s.tre, and make it s.h.i.+ne brighter and brighter.--Ed.

[12]The remaining words of this alarming verse are very striking, "Though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them." Oh, sinner!

whither can you flee from the punishment of sin, but to the Saviour's bosom? Leave your sins and fly to him; that almighty eternal refuge is open night and day.--Ed.

[13]How art thou fallen, oh Adam! thus to lay the blame of thy sin upon G.o.d,--"the woman whom thou gavest me," she tempted me.

Well does Bunyan term these defences--pitiful fumbling speeches, faulteringly made. How would the glorified spirits of Adam and Aaron embrace him, when he entered heaven, for such honest dealing.--Ed.

[14]A decided Christian cannot obey human laws affecting divine wors.h.i.+p. All such are of Antichrist; "Ye cannot obey G.o.d and mammon." G.o.d requires an undivided allegiance.--Ed.

[15]Genevan or Puritan version.

[16]Many are the anxieties, sorrows, and pains, that females undergo, from which man is comparatively exempt. How tenderly then ought they to be cherished.--Ed.

[17]Most married men find this to be an exceedingly difficult duty. There are few Eves but whose dominant pa.s.sion is to rule a husband. Perhaps the only way to govern a wife is to lead her to think that she rules, while in fact she is ruled. One of the late Abraham Booth's maxims to young ministers, was, If you would rule in your church, so act as to allow them to think that they rule you.--Ed.

[18] "By themselves." This does not mean without human company, but "without divine aid," without the sanction and presence of G.o.d.--Ed.

[19]There is no error more universal, nor more fatal, than that which Bunyan here, as well as in other of his treatises, so admirably elucidates and explodes. No sooner does a poor sinner feel the necessity of flying from the wrath to come, than Satan suggests that some good works must be pleaded, instead of casting the soul, burthened with sin, upon the compa.s.sion of the Lord, and pleading for unconditional mercy. Good works must flow from, but cannot be any cause of grace.--Ed.

[20]Adversaries to Christ and his church, although professing to be Christians; wors.h.i.+pping according to "the traditions of men,"

and putting the saints into wretched prisons, and to a frightful death. An awful state of self-delusion; how Cain-like!--Ed.

[21]If it be asked, Why take your unregenerate children, and invite the unG.o.dly, to the place of wors.h.i.+p? Our answer is, THERE the Lord is pleased to meet with sinners--convince, convert, and purify them--giving them a good hope that their persons and services are accepted.--Ed.

[22]How awfully is this ill.u.s.trated by acts of uniformity. If it be lawful to pa.s.s such acts, it must be requisite and a duty to enforce them. It was this that filled Europe with tears, and the saints with anguish, especially in Piedmont, France, and England.

Mercifully, the tyrant Antichrist's power is curtailed.--Ed.

[23]How solemn are these injunctions, and how opposed to the violent conduct of mankind. A most appalling murder has been committed;--a virtuous and pious young man is brutally murdered by his only brother:--what is the divine judgment? If any man kill him, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold: set a mark upon him--drive him from the abodes of man--shut him up in a cage like a wild beast--but shed not his blood.--Ed.

[24]When Bunyan was in prison, under sentence to be hung, all his thoughts were, not how to escape, but, how so to suffer as to glorify G.o.d; "I thought with myself if I should make a scrabbling s.h.i.+ft to clamber up the ladder, yet I should either with quaking or other symptoms of faintings, give occasion to the enemy to reproach the way of G.o.d and his people for their timorousness.

This, therefore, lay with great trouble upon me, for, methought, I was ashamed to die with a pale face and tottering knees for such a cause as this."--Grace Abounding, No. 334.--Ed.

[25]Bunyan has taken the meaning of all these Scripture names from the first table to the Genevan or Puritan version, vulgarly called "The Breeches Bible," as invaluable translation.--Ed.

[26]Bunyan, after suffering much, and witnessing the cruel havoc made with the church of G.o.d in his time, fell asleep in peace on the eve of the glorious revolution;--while many of his cotemporaries did, he did not "live to see it." He died August 31, 1688--as James the Second fled and lost his crown on the 11th of December following.--Ed.

[27] "And yet there is room." As in Christ, the ark of his church, so it was in Noah's ark. The best calculations, allowing eighteen inches to a cubit, show that the ark was capable of receiving many more than this selection from all the animals now known, together with their requisite provender. Dr. Hunter estimated the tonnage at 42,413 tons measurement.--Ed.

[28]How astonis.h.i.+ng is the fact, that man dares to introduce his miserable inventions to deform the scriptural simplicity of divine wors.h.i.+p; as if HE who make all things perfect, had, in this important inst.i.tution, forgotten to direct the use of liturgies--organs--vestments--pomps and ceremonies. When will man, with child-like simplicity, follow gospel rules?--Ed.

[29]How mysterious are G.o.d's ways: some animals of every kind are saved, and all the rest destroyed. So throughout every age some animals have been treated with kindness, and others of the same species cruelly maltreated. Can those who stumble at the doctrine of election, account for this difference. Reason must submit with reverence to the voice of Christ; "What I do, thou knowest not NOW; but thou shalt know hereafter."--Ed.

[30] "Item," a new article added; a caution or warning.--Ed.

[31]Every edition, but the first, has left out Noah's sons!! from the ark, while they all put in his sons' wives.--Ed.

[32]They perish in sight of a place of security which they cannot reach; they perish with the bitter remorse of having despised and rejected the means of escape, like the rich man in h.e.l.l, whose torment was grievously augmented by the sight of Lazarus, afar off, in the bosom of Abraham.--Ed.

[33]Calmet says, "Apres que l'Arche eut fait le tour du monde pendant l'es.p.a.ce de six mois."--Supplement to Dictionary. He gives no authority for this improbable notion.--Ed.