Pilgrim's Progress: Still Talking - Still awake

Our heroes Christian's and Hopeful's conversation continues on, as they, fearful of falling asleep in the Enchanted Ground, discuss Hopeful's conversion.

We can learn a great deal from this simple testimony as the wisdom of God through Bunyan's apt pen comes through:

Hopeful: I made my objections against my believing, for that I thought he was not willing to save me.

Christian: And what said Faithful to you then?

Hopeful: He bid me go to him and see. Then I said it was presumption.

I like this, Hopeful thought he had no right to believe that Jesus was willing to save himself. But Faithful says: "GO TO HIM AND SEE." I repeated that to my girls many times this morning. I loved it as we read over. Will he recieve me? I don't know. -- The answer: "GO TO HIM AND SEE." Am I one of the elect? I don't know. Well Go to him and see.

Then in answer to Hopeful's, "I think it would be presumption to go and see" we read:

He said, No; for I was invited to come. Matt. 11:28. Then he gave me a book of Jesus’ inditing, to encourage me the more freely to come; and he said concerning that book, that every jot and tittle thereof stood firmer than heaven and earth. Matt. 24:35.

So with objections resolved, Hopeful tells us he next asked of Faithful - "what must I do when I come to him. " Faithful's answer --- Pray. But read careful the content of this prayer. Not so reflective of the modern "sinner's prayer" to which you may be accustomed.

Then I asked him what I must do when I came; and he told me I must entreat upon my knees, Psa. 95:6; Dan. 6:10, with all my heart and soul, Jer. 29:12,13, the Father to reveal him to me. Then I asked him further, how I must make my supplications to him; and he said, Go, and thou shalt find him upon a mercy-seat, where he sits all the year long to give pardon and forgiveness to them that come. Exod. 25:22; Lev. 16:2; Num. 7:89; Heb. 4:16. I told him, that I knew not what to say when I came; and he bid say to this effect: God be merciful to me a sinner, and make me to know and believe in Jesus Christ; for I see, that if his righteousness had not been, or I have not faith in that righteousness, I am utterly cast away. Lord, I have heard that thou art a merciful God, and hast ordained that thy Son Jesus Christ should be the Saviour of the world; and moreover, that thou art willing to bestow him upon such a poor sinner as I am-and I am a sinner indeed. Lord, take therefore this opportunity, and magnify thy grace in the salvation of my soul, through thy Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Note:

As the Father to REVEAL Jesus.

Make me to KNOW and BELEIVE.

If his Righteousness HAD NOT BEEN.

If I had not faith in that Righteousness. I am UTTERLY CAST AWAY.

MAGNIFY thy Grace in the salvation of my soul.

I'm so thankful to discuss such wisdom with my little girls. May God give us the grace not to waste this opportunity and the reading of such a great work. By the grace of God, I'm humbled by Bunyan once again.