IN THIS MESSAGE WE WILL DELINEATE THE DIFFERENCE OF HOW THE BONDAGE OF THE WILL DOCTRINE ADDS VIRTUE TO ITS FAITH JUXTAPOSED TO HOW THE FASTFOOD FREEWILL DOCTRINE ADDS VIRTUE TO ITS FAITH.

ALSO IN THIS MESSAGE WE WILL INCORPORATE EXCERPTS OF PILGRIMS PROGRESS IN OUR DEFENSE. HERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM PILGRIM’S PROGRESS:

“Hope. Another thing that hath troubled me, even since my late amendments, is, that if I look narrowly into the best of what I do now, I still see sin, new sin, mixing itself with the best of that I do. So that now I am forced to conclude, that notwithstanding my former fond conceits of myself and duties, I have committed sin enough in one day to send me to hell, though my former life had been faultless.

Chr. And what did you do then?

Hope. Do! I could not tell what to do, till I brake my mind to FAITHFUL; for he and I were well acquainted: and he told me, "That unless I could obtain the righteousness of a Man that never had sinned, neither mine own nor all the righteousness of the world could save me."

Chr. And did you think he spake true?

Hope. Had he told me so when I was pleased and satisfied with mine own amendments, I had called him fool for his pains; but now, since I see my own infirmity, and the sin that cleaves to my best performance, I have been forced to be of his opinion.

Chr. But did you think, when at first he suggested it to you, that there was such a man to be found, of whom it might justly be said, that he never committed sin?

Hope. I must confess the words at first sounded strangely; but after a little more talk and company with him, I had full conviction about it.

Chr. And what did you do then?

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

Chr. And what said FAITHFUL to you then?

Hope. He bade me go to him, and see. Then I said, "It was presumption;" but he said, "No; for I was invited to come".

Then I asked him, what must do when I came; and he told me, I must entreat upon my knees, with all my heart and soul, the Father to reveal him to me.

told him that I knew not what to say when I came; and he bid me 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."

Chr. And did you do as you were bidden?

Hope. Yes; over, and over, and over.

Chr. And did the Father reveal the Son to you?

Hope. No, not at first, nor second, nor third, nor fourth, nor fifth; no, nor at the sixth time either.

Chr. What did you then?

Hope. What? why I could not tell what to do.

Chr. Had you no thoughts of leaving off praying?

Hope. Yes, and a hundred times twice told.

Chr. And what was the reason you did not?

Hope. I believed that it was true which had been told me; to wit, that without the righteousness of this Christ, all the world could not save me.

and thus it was: one day I was very sad, I think sadder than at anyone time in my life, and this sadness was through a fresh sight of the greatness and vileness of my sins. And as I was then looking for nothing but hell, and the everlasting damnation of my soul,

suddenly,

as I thought, I saw the Lord Jesus looking down from heaven upon me, and saying, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…

Yea, I thought, that had I now a thousand gallons of blood in my body, I could spill it all for the sake of the Lord Jesus.