February 23 - Reasons of My Worship Practice

This entry is taken from Daily Readings - John Bunyan a 366 day devotional edited by (and posted with permission from) Roger D. Duke, Scholar-in-Residence at Stage & Story, and published by Christian Heritage Press.

Each month focuses on a different book or writing by Bunyan. For February: My Confession of Faith (or A Confession of My Faith and a Reason of My Practice, or, With Who, and Who Not, I can Hold Church-fellowship, or the Communion of Saints)

---

Reason One

First, because God himself hath so strictly put the difference both by word and deed. For from the beginning, he did not only put a difference between the Seed of the woman and the children of the wicked, only the instinct of grace and change of the mind as his own. But did cast out from his presence the father of all the ungodly. Even cursed Cain when he showed himself to be openly prophane. God banished him to go into the land of the Runagate [renegade] or vagabond. Away from Gods face, so the privileges of the communion of saints was ever after hidden from him (Genesis 3: 15; & Chapter 4ff).

Besides, when after this through the policy of Satan, the children of Cain and the seed of Seth did commit themselves in worship. By that means they corrupted the way of God: What followed first, God judged it wickedness. He raised up Noah to preach against it, and after that, because they would not be reclaimed, he brought the flood, upon the whole world of these ungodly; and saved only Noah alive because he had kept himself righteous. Gen. 6.1, 2 v. 3.11, 1•, 13. Here I could enlarge abundantly, and add many more instances of alike nature, but I am here only for a truth upon things.

---

John Bunyan was a preacher, theologian and author, whose best-known work, The Pilgrim's Progress, has challenged and influenced readers for almost 350 years.

RETURN TO BUNYAN CENTER