John Bunyan's Dying Sayings # 2

John Bunyan's Dying Sayings # 2

Of Prayer

Before you enter into prayer, ask your soul these questions: To what end, O my soul, are you retired into this place? Are you not come to discourse the Lord in prayer? Is He present - will He hear you? Is He merciful - will He help you? Is your business slight - is it not concerning the welfare of your soul? What words will you use to move Him to compassion?

To make your preparation complete, consider: that you are but dust and ashes - and He the great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who clothes Himself with light as with a garment; that you are a vile sinner- and He is a holy God; that you are but a poor crawling worm - ahd He the omnipotent Creator.

In all your prayers, forget not to thank the Lord for His mercies.

When you pray, rather let your heart be without words - than your words without heart.

Prayer will make a man cease from sin - or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.

The spirit of prayer is more precious than treasures of gold and silver.

Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for satan.


Of the Lord's Day, Sermons, and week days.

Have a special care to sanctify the Lord's day; for as you keep it, so it will be with you all the week long.

Make the Lord's day the market-day for your soul.

Let the whole day be spent in prayer, repetitions, or meditations.

Lay aside the affairs of the other parts of the week.

Let your sermon you have heard be converted into prayer.

Shall God allow you six days - and will you not afford Him one?

In the church be careful to serve God - for you are in His eyes, and not in man's.

You may hear sermons often, and do well in practicing what you hear; but you must not expect to be told in a pulpit all that you ought to do, but be studious in searching the scriptures, and reading good books.

What you hear may be forgotten, but what you read may better be retained.

Forsake not the public worship of God - lest God forsake you, not only in public, but in private.

In the week days, when you rise in the morning, consider that you must die; you may die that minute; what will become of your soul? Pray often.

At night, consider: what sins you have committed; how often you have prayed; what has your mind been bent upon; what has been your conversation; if you call to mind the errors of the day, sleep not without a confession to God, and a hope of pardon.

Thus every morning and evening, make up your accounts with Almighty God, and your reckoning will be the less at last.

~John Bunyan~

(continued with # 3)