#John bunyan blasphemous thoughts how to

Also, as I remember, that time that it called to me so loud was the last time that it sounded in mine ears but methinks I hear still with what a loud voice these words, “Simon, Simon,” sounded in mine ears. It came to acquaint me that a cloud and a storm were coming down upon me but I understood it not. Being at a great distance, methought he called so loud, it came, as I have thought since, to stir me up to prayer and to watchfulness. And sometimes it would sound so loud within me, yea, and as it were call so strongly after me, that, once above all the rest I turned my head over my shoulder, thinking verily that some man had behind me called me. Now about a week or a fortnight after this I was much followed by this scripture: ” Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you.” Luke 22: 31. Yet still at times I was helped to believe that it was a true manifestation of grace unto my soul, though I had lost much of the life and savor of it. I thought I could have spoken of his love and have told of his mercy to me, even to the very crows that sat upon the ploughed lands before me, had they been capable of understanding me wherefore I said in my soul with much gladness, “Well, would I had a pen and ink here, I would write this down before I go any further for surely I shall not forget this, forty years hence ” but alas, within less than forty days I began to question all again, which made me begin to question all still.

#John bunyan blasphemous thoughts how to

And with that my heart was filled full of comfort and hope, and now I could believe that my sins would be forgiven me yea, I was now so taken with the love and mercy of God, that I remember I could not tell how to contain till I got home. Then I began to give place to the word, which with power did over and over make this joyful sound within my soul, “Thou art my love, thou art my love,” and nothing shall separate thee from my love. So as I was coming home, these words came again into my thoughts and I well remember, as they came in, I said thus in my heart, What shall I get by thinking on these two words? This thought had no sooner passed through my heart, but these words began thus to kindle in my spirit: “Thou art my love, thou art my love,” twenty times together and still as they ran in my mind they waxed stronger and warmer, and began to make me look up but being as yet between hope and fear, I still replied in my heart, But is it true? but is it true? At which that sentence fell upon me, “He wist not that it was true which was done unto him of the angel.” Acts 12: 9. But I got nothing by what he said at present, only when he came to the application of the fourth particular, this was the word he said: “If it be so that the saved soul is Christ’s love when under temptation and desertion, then, poor tempted soul, when thou art assaulted and afflicted with temptations and the bidings of his face, yet think on these two words, ‘my love,’ still” Christ’s love when under temptation and under desertion 5.

Christ’s love which hath been hated of the world 4. That the church, and so every saved soul, is Christ’s love when loveless 2. But at that time he made these two words, “my love,” his chief subject-matter, from which, after he had a little opened the text, he drew these several conclusions: 1. IN this condition I went a great while but when the comforting time was come, I heard one preach a sermon on these words in the Song, “Behold, thou art fair, my love behold, thou art fair.” Song 4: 1.