Mistrust thy own strength, and throw it away; down on thy knees in prayer to the Lord for the spirit of truth; search His word for direction; fly seducer's company; keep company with the soundest Christians, that have most experience of Christ; and be sure thou have a care of Quakers, Ranters, Freewillers; also do not have too much company with some (my emphasis) Anabaptist's, though I go under that name myself. I tell thee this is such a serious matter, and I fear thou wilt so little regard it, that the thoughts of the worth of the thing, and of thy too light regarding of it, doth even make my heart ache whilst I am writing to thee. The Lord teach thee the way by His Spirit, and then I am sure thou wilt know it. So RUN.
Page 10, THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN.
If one doesn't know what Quakers, Ranters and Anabaptist's believe, it is not too difficult to find out, for if you have found this page, you can "Google it" as they now say today! As for "Freewillers" the meaning can be deduced from the simple word; that is those who would deny God's sovereign right to determine who will, or who will not be saved. The doctrine of freewill leads to many an error, and if any of the names of this theological school are found in God's "book of life" at the Lord's return, it will only be because He put them there! how thankful will they be to Him for that?
Doubtless, any discerning Christian would agree with Bunyan, the problem today, however, is finding the "company of the soundest Christians, that have most experience of Christ" as the old saint advises!
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8.
Here we are in 2020, over 300 years after the saintly Bunyan's passing; how much harder must it now be to find "the soundest Christians" as he writes?
