Front matter
Christian Behaviour Being the fruits of true
Christianity: Teaching husbands, wives, parents, children, masters, servants, etc., how to walk so as to please G O D.
With a word of direction to all
backsliders.
1674.
Written in 1663, while imprisoned in Bedford Prison. This was John Bunyan's third book during his first incarceration.
Edited by George Offor.
CONTENTS PAGE
Advertisement by the Editor 5 A note to the Reader 9 Chapter 1; Of Faith and Works 11 Chapter 2; Duties of the Master of a Family 24 Chapter 3; Duty in Relation to the Wife 29 Chapter 4; Duty of Parents to Children 32 Chapter 5; Duties of Masters to Servants 35 Chapter 6; The Duty of Wives 38 Chapter 7; Duties of Children to Parents 43 Chapter 8; Concerning Servants 47 Chapter 9; Duties of neighbours to one another 51 Chapter 10; Of Covetousness 54 Chapter 11; Of Pride 57 Chapter 12; Of Adultery or Uncleanness 60 Chapter 11; Against Sin; For Steadfastness; Trials 62 Conclusion 73
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This valuable practical treatise was first published as a pocket volume about the year 1674, soon after the author's final release from his long and dangerous imprisonment. It is evident from the last paragraph that he considered his liberty and even his life to be still in a very uncertain state; not from the infirmities of age, for he was then in the prime of life; but from the tyranny of the government, and probably from the effects of his long imprisonment in a damp, unhealthy jail. It is the best and most scriptural guide that has ever appeared to aid us in the duties of family life: written with originality of thought and that peculiar and reverent earnestness which so distinguishes all his works. No one can read this book without finding in it his own portrait truly and correctly drawn. Many have been the heard the word publicly spoken, who have been astonished that a faithful minister has not only opened their outward conduct, but the inward recesses of their hearts and have asked with wonder, 'Where could he get such a knowledge of my heart?' The habits and feelings of every part of the human family - the rich and poor, outward professor or openly unbelieving, God fearers or God defiers - are displayed in the following pages as accurately as if the author had been present in every family on earth, and had not only witnessed the conduct of the happy and of the miserable in every grade; but he goes within and unveils that mystery of iniquity the human heart, its secret springs, feelings, and processes. What mysterious power could this uneducated man have possessed, thus to dive into the most subtle of all secret places, the human heart! If he had left his body at times and his invisible spirit have entered all chambers, still time would have been too short even to have transiently surveyed outward conduct; and then he could not have entered into the thoughts of others. Reader, the fountain of all hidden things was open to him. Shut up for many years in prison, with the key in his possession which unlocks all the mysteries of earth, and heaven, and hell, he diligently used his time and all was revealed to him. He makes the source of his knowledge no secret, but invites you to search, as he did, this storehouse of things new and old. It was the Bible which unfolded to him all the great events of time and of eternity all the secret springs of states, and families, and individuals; wondrous book! It made an uneducated workman wiser than all the philosophers who have been contented with Plato, Aristotle, Pliny, Plutarch, and the most renowned of human writers. Not only is the real state of human nature revealed with unerring truth, as suffering under a cruel malady, strangely varied in its operations, but all tending to the downward, dark, dreary road to misery here and for eternity: but it also displays the cure; an infallible remedy against all the subtleties of this tortuous disease. Reader, this treasure is in our hands. How great is the responsibility. How blessed are those who with earnest prayer for divine illumination, read, ponder, and, relying on the aid of the Holy Spirit, understand and instantly obey the sacred principles which its pages unfold. Weigh well their nature and tendency, as Bunyan opens them in this invaluable treatise. They lead step by step from darkness to light. It may be a stormy passage in the dim twilight, as it was with him; but it is safe, and leads to the fountain of happiness, the source of blessedness, the presence and smiles of God, and being conformed to his image. As we are thus transformed in our minds, we shall be able to fulfil all our duties and behaviour as befits Christians. We dare not seek to avoid these duties because they are full of anxieties. Blessed are those who know and feel the ties of church fellowship or the nearer union of husband and wife, that type of the mystical union of Christ and his church. Happy are those who reverently discharge parental and filial duties, that figure of the relationship which the Almighty, in infinite mercy, owns between him and his fallen but renewed creatures. We are bound, as those expecting divine approval, not to shrink from duties, but to seek wisdom to fulfil them; and in this little work we have a scriptural guide to which we shall do well to be careful. It is a peculiarly solemn legacy the author's ardent desire is thus expressed; 'Before I die (as the greatest of all the duties he had to perform) let me provoke you to faith and holiness.' Let it be our duty and privilege to examine our conduct faithfully by those parts of scripture which this treatise quotes. It was written in the shadow of suffering and death, and yet how serene was his soul. No cloud, no doubts or fears are seen; his legacy to us as well as to those who survived him is, 'Love one another when I am deceased.' My labours of love to you are limited to this world. 'Though there I shall rest from my labours, and be in paradise, as through grace, I firmly believe; yet it is not there but here I must do you good.' Consider what he has expressed, and the scriptures by which every sentence is confirmed, and may his concluding and fervent prayer be answered to our souls: 'The Lord give us understanding in all things. Farewell.'
GEO. OFFOR.
A note to the Reader
Courteous Reader, Having formerly written a little about the teaching of faith, as justification by grace through the faith of Christ's blood, etc., I here present you with a few lines about good works, that I might, as at first I showed you the good and glory of the one, so now show you the beauty and excellency of the other: for though we are justified freely by grace through Christ before God (Rom 3:24); yet we are justified before men by our works (Jas 2:18): a life of holiness flowing from faith in us who are saved by grace justifies that grace before the world, that justifies us before God (2 Cor 6:1,3; 9:12,13; 1 Pet 2:11,12). I have not here only in general dealt with this teaching of good works, but particularly, after some talk about works flowing from faith, and what makes it truly and gospelly good, I talk of them as we stand under our several relations in this world among men. As, The duty of the master of a family: Of the husband to his wife; and of hers to him: Of the duty of parents to their children; and of children to their parents: Of masters to their servants; and of the servant again to his master: with a brief touch on good neighbourhood; and a consideration of covetousness, pride, and uncleanness, which are great obstructions to a truly gospel lifestyle. I know there are many who have dealt with good works in large and learned books; but I am sure that not all contain as much of the gospel as they should, and as the teaching of the grace of God calls for. So I thought I should add this book to those already written, for these reasons.
1. To take away those criticisms that the adversaries cast on our teaching as in the days of Paul, that because we preach justification without works, they accuse us of loose living: 'whose damnation is just' (Rom 3:8).
2. Because, though there is much talk about works in general, yet a detailed talk of them, as before mentioned, is neglected; and thus too much is left unclear regarding their responsibilities in relationships; which I think is one cause of disorder in families and places where God's people live; to their shame, and the dishonour of God.
3. Because the books that particularly deal with good works, are, I think, now so scarce, or so big, that few have them, and few buy them, especially our new converts, this short talk was written; and indeed, this is one reason for my brevity, that the price might be low, and the reading easy. Too many words drown memory; and wisdom in a few words may be so complete that the reader may find on one page, what some are forced to hunt for in a whole book. The Lord teach us this wisdom.
4. I have written this book, to show that I bear a fellow-testimony and witness, with all who know God, of the work that grace does, and will do, in the heart that has savingly received it.
Lastly, I have thus written, because it is pleasant to God, when Christians keep their rank, relation, and station, doing all as befits their quality and calling. When Christians stand in their right places, and fulfil their responsibilities to each other, then they are like the flowers in the garden that stand and grow where the gardener has planted them, and then they shall both honour the garden where they are planted, and the gardener who has arranged them. From the hyssop in the wall, to the cedar in Lebanon, their fruit is their glory. And seeing the stock into which we are planted is the most fruitful stock, the sap produced the most fruitful sap, and the pruner of our souls the wisest gardener, (John 15:1) how strange it would be, if we were not rich in good works!
So be careful of being painted fire, with is no warmth; and painted flowers, with no smell; and of being painted trees, with no fruit. 'The one who boasts of a false gift, is like clouds and wind without rain' (Prov 25:14). Farewell. The Lord be with your spirit, that you may benefit for time to come.
J. BUNYAN.