The Interpreter then called for a man-servant of his, one Great-heart, and bid him take a sword, and helmet, and shield; and take these my daughters, said he; conduct them to the house called Beautiful, at which place they will rest next. So he took his So he took his weapons, and went before them; and the Those also that belonged with many a good wish. and sang

Interpreter said, God speed. to the family sent them away So they went on their way,

This place hath been our second stage:
Here we have heard and seen
Those good things, that from age to age
To others hid have been.

The dunghill-raker, spider, hen,

The chicken, too, to me

Have taught a lesson: let me then

Conformed to it be.

The butcher, garden, and the field,
The robin and his bait,
Also the rotten tree, doth yield
Me argument of weight;

To move me for to watch and pray,
To strive to be sincere:

To take my cross up day by day,
And serve the Lord with fear.

Now I saw in my dream, that these went on, and Great-heart before them; so they went, and came to

who at all look to, trust in, or depend upon their own righteousness, in any degree, for their clothing and justification before God, always look down with an air of supercilious contempt upon others, who they think are not so righteous as themselves. This is contrary to living by faith upon, and looking wholly to Jesus. Lord, hide self-righteous pride from my heart, and sink me into the depth of deepest humility, that I may ever glory of thee, and in thee, in whom I am perfectly righteous!

the place where Christian's burden fell off his back,

and tumbled into a sepulchre.

Here then they made Now, said Christiana, it comes to my mind what was said to us at the gate, to wit, that we should have pardon by word and deed; by word, that is, by the promise; by deed, to wit, in the way it was obtained. it was obtained. What the promise is, of that I know something: but what it is to have pardon by deed, or in the way that it was obtained, Mr. Greatheart, I suppose you know; wherefore, if you please, let us hear your discourse thereof.

a pause; here also they blessed God.

A COMMENT UPON WHAT WAS SAID AT THE GATE, OR A DISCOURSE OF OUR BEING JUSTIFIED BY CHRIST.

GREAT. Pardon by the deed done, is pardon obtained by some one, for another that hath need thereof: not by the person pardoned, but in the way, saith another, in which I have obtained it. So then, to speak to the question more at large, the pardon that you, and Mercy, and these boys, have attained, was obtained by another; to wit, by him that let you in at the gate: and he hath obtained it in this double way: he hath performed righteousness to cover you, and spilt his blood to wash you in.*

This, this is the comfort, joy, and glorying of a pilgrim's heart. Hath Jesus performed righteousness to cover us, and spilt blood to wash us? Have we the faith of this? O how ought we to love him, glory of him, rejoice in him, and study to glorify him in every step of our pilgrimage! But Satan will envy us the comfort of this, and strive to spoil our rejoicing in it. And corrupt teachers will separate here. Many will speak highly of the blood of Christ being shed for our redemption, but oppose his righteousness being imputed to us, to cover, adorn, and justify us; and, instead of this, they will set up an inherent righteousness of their own, in opposition to the righteousness of Christ. As we love our souls, value our peace, comfort, and joy springing from the belief of the truth; and as we regard the honour and glory of our dear Lord, let us be on our guard against such proud, self-righteous, self-justifying, soul-deceiving teachers; for they err, not knowing the scriptures.

CHR. But if he parts with his righteousness to us, what will he have for himself?

GREAT. He has more righteousness than you have need of, or than he needeth himself.

CHR. Pray make that appear.

GREAT. With all my heart: but first I must premise, that he, of whom we are now about to speak, is one that has not his fellow. He has two natures in one person, plain to be distinguished, impossible to be divided. Unto each of these natures a righteousness belongeth, and each righteousness is essential to that nature. So that one may as easily cause the natures to be extinct, as to separate its justice or righteousness from it. Of these righteousnesses, therefore, we are not made partakers, so as that they, or any of them, should be put upon us, that we might be made just, and live thereby. Besides these, there is a righteousness which this person has, as these two natures are joined in one. And this is not the righteousness of the Godhead, as distinguished from the manhood; nor the righteousness of the manhood, as distinguished from the Godhead; but a righteousness which standeth in the union of both natures, and may properly be called the righteousness that is essential to his being prepared of God to the capacity of the mediatory office, which he was entrusted with. If he parts with his first righteousness, he parts with his Godhead: if he parts with his second righteousness, he parts with the purity of his manhood: if he parts with his third, he parts with that perfection which capacitates him for the office of mediation.

He has therefore another righteousness, which standeth in performance, or obedience to a revealed will:

*

Pray attend closely to this scriptural distinction and definition of Christ's righteousness.

and that is what he puts upon sinners, and that by which their sins are covered. Wherefore he saith, "As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."

CHR. But are the other righteousnesses of no use to us?

GREAT. Yes; for though they are essential to his natures and office, and cannot be communicated unto another, yet it is by virtue of them that the righteousness that justifies is for that purpose efficacious. The righteousness of his Godhead gives virtue to his obedience; the righteousness of his manhood giveth capability to his obedience to justify; and the righteousness that standeth in the union of these two natures to his

c Rom. v. 19.

Here Mr. Bunyan gives a very clear and distinct account of that righteousness of Christ, as Mediator, which he wrought out by his perfect obedience to the law of God, for, and in behalf of all his seed: and which righteousness is imputed to them by God the Father, through faith; and in this one righteousness, and in no other, believers in Christ are made perfectly righteous before God. And by this righteousness, and no other, they are fully justified from all condemnation in the sight of God. Of this righteousness, therefore, they glory, and their souls make their boast of it, saying, In the Lord, Jehovah-Jesus, have I righteousness, Isa. xlv. 24. Reader, study this point deeply, so as to be established in it. It is not of a speculative nature, but is of the essence of the gospel, enters into the life and joy of faith, brings relief to the conscience, and influences to the love of the Lord our righteousness, and to bring forth the fruits of righteousness, which are by him to the praise and glory of God. Nothing can be of greater importance to our souls than to be fully informed, and scripturally assured, how we, who are sinners before God, are made perfectly righteous and everlastingly justified in his sight. This will bring comfort to our souls in the day of life, and administer divine consolation in the hour of death. Therefore, be strong in the faith of thy Lord's righteousness being thine, and thou shalt be joyful in hope, comfortable in love, and steady in all holy obedience.

office, giveth authority to that righteousness to do the work for which it was ordained.

So then here is a righteousness that Christ, as God, has no need of; for he is God without it. Here is a righteousness that Christ, as man, has no need of to make him so, for he is perfect man without it. Again, here is a righteousness, that Christ, as God-man, has no need of, for he is perfectly so without it. Here then is a righteousness that Christ, as God, and as God-man, has no need of, with reference to himself, and therefore he can spare it; a justifying righteousness, that he for himself wanteth not, and therefore giveth it away. Hence it is called "the gift of righteousness." This righteousness, since Christ Jesus the Lord has made himself under the law, must be given away; for the law doth not only bind him that is under it, to do justly, but to use charity. Wherefore he must, or ought by the law, if he hath two coats, to give one to him that has none. Now, our Lord indeed hath two coats, one for himself, and one to spare: wherefore he freely bestows one upon those that have none. And thus, Christiana and Mercy, and the rest of you that are here, doth your pardon come by deed, or by the work of another man. Your Lord Christ is he that worked, and hath given away what he wrought for, to the next poor beggar he meets.

But again, in order to pardon by deed, there must something be paid to God as a price, as well as something prepared to cover us withal. Sin has delivered us up to the just curse of a righteous law: now from this curse we must be justified by way of redemption, a price being paid for the harms we have done; and this is by the blood of your Lord, who came and stood in your place and stead, and died your death for your