登陆注册
15484900000038

第38章 CHAPTER VII.(6)

The value of the "Grace Abounding," however, as a work of experimental religion may be easily over-estimated. It is not many who can study Bunyan's minute history of the various stages of his spiritual life with real profit. To some temperaments, especially among the young, the book is more likely to prove injurious than beneficial; it is calculated rather to nourish morbid imaginations, and a dangerous habit of introspection, than to foster the quiet growth of the inner life. Bunyan's unhappy mode of dealing with the Bible as a collection of texts, each of Divine authority and declaring a definite meaning entirely irrespective of its context, by which the words hide the Word, is also utterly destructive of the true purpose of the Holy Scriptures as a revelation of God's loving and holy mind and will. Few things are more touching than the eagerness with which, in his intense self-torture, Bunyan tried to evade the force of those "fearful and terrible Scriptures" which appeared to seal his condemnation, and to lay hold of the promises to the penitent sinner. His tempest-tossed spirit could only find rest by doing violence to the dogma, then universally accepted and not quite extinct even in our own days, that the authority of the Bible - that "Divine Library" - collectively taken, belongs to each and every sentence of the Bible taken for and by itself, and that, in Coleridge's words, "detached sentences from books composed at the distance of centuries, nay, sometimes at a millenium from each other, under different dispensations and for different objects,"are to be brought together "into logical dependency." But "where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty." The divinely given life in the soul of man snaps the bonds of humanly-constructed logical systems. Only those, however, who have known by experience the force of Bunyan's spiritual combat, can fully appreciate and profit by Bunyan's narrative. He tells us on the title-page that it was written "for the support of the weak and tempted people of God." For such the "Grace Abounding to the chief of sinners" will ever prove most valuable. Those for whom it was intended will find in it a message - of comfort and strength.

同类推荐
  • 张氏妇科

    张氏妇科

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说海意菩萨所问净印法门经

    佛说海意菩萨所问净印法门经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 南平县志

    南平县志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 新西游记

    新西游记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK

    THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 穷小子的逆袭之路

    穷小子的逆袭之路

    睡在美女怀里,踩在敌人头上!从特贫困的穷小子到终极男神之路,他成了所有女人都想嫁的国民男神!他用实际行动告诉所有人,莫欺少年穷!
  • 总裁老婆潜入梦

    总裁老婆潜入梦

    当地下拳手走向职场,是用拳头解决问题,还是智商压制。都说商场如战场,他却待商场如情场,扬马奋蹄,来去自如。
  • 你好啊,好久不见

    你好啊,好久不见

    冷傲总裁程源,新秀作家赵棵,本是从小玩到大的青梅竹马好哥们,也是大学时代的恋人。因为一场家庭变故,今非昔比,物是人非。他怒喊着让她滚,于是她乖巧的消失在他眼前。五年后,他一条短信,把在美国发展大好的她召了回来。他让她当自己的秘书,人前人后欺负她。她忍,因为,她欠他的。一场因恨而生的婚姻,拉近了两个人身体的距离,却没有拉近心与心的距离,从此扯不清的恩恩恩怨怨。已经回不到过去的两个人,又会做出怎样的选择?
  • 白色眷恋

    白色眷恋

    因为不满皇马6比2的比分,中国青年律师沈星怒砸啤酒瓶,结果电光火石间,他穿越成了佛罗伦蒂诺的儿子,且看来自09年的小伙子如何玩转03年的欧洲足坛
  • 南京血祭

    南京血祭

    经济犯罪现代著名作家阿垅写于1939年的报告文学体长篇小说《南京血祭》(原名南京),是第一部纪实南京大屠杀和南京保卫战的史诗般的作品。
  • 琉璃悴

    琉璃悴

    他是一代帝王,有后宫佳丽三千,他却惦记别人的王妃,只奈佳人无心。痴情的熬皇后,无辜的钟妃,以及他的后宫,无一不是他巩固皇权的工具,桀骜的苢嫔,狠毒的熠贵妃,无情的苜皇贵妃,锦妃,郄贵人,翮妃及榃贵人……她们的争斗将不停上演。
  • 如果你醒来,我们就在一起

    如果你醒来,我们就在一起

    易冷静静地看着舞蹈室里训练的厖呇樊,露出了微笑,跌倒在门口,血流不止。
  • 尔心九月

    尔心九月

    【暑期六月内每晚7点更新2000+,周末不间断,不定时加更】无论你选择了哪条路,都有一个共同点。——那就是你都再也回不来了。原名《休笑江秋晚》,一场恍恍惚惚的重生,一次郑重而全新的抉择。要么重来,要么毁灭。这世界和她,总有一个要灰飞烟灭给人看。——其实,她似乎总也是笨拙的,无论两世为人也好,无论她伪装出一身洒脱也好和睿智也好,她好像总也还是那个不怎么济事的她。似乎什么也没变,又似乎什么也都变了。如果有那么一个人,可以让她放心的,安安全全地做傻事,那就好了。
  • 墨点倾城彼岸流兮

    墨点倾城彼岸流兮

    故事讲述一个穿越女智商太低,总是被各种人或事而抢夺她所爱之人。最后心灰意冷的找个人嫁了。
  • 惊醒的青春

    惊醒的青春

    盛世的繁华之下,永远都只是黄沙,没有鲜衣怒马,也可以潇潇洒洒,她叫婧丽,他叫杜兴,且看她俩如何在命运的泥潭中挣扎,又将擦出怎样的火花。