Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk3.djvu/105

Rh music that all who hear him play can scarcely hold from dancing; and yet, behold, the cymbal hath not life, neither comes the music from it but because of the art of him that plays therewith. So then the instrument at last may some to nought and perish, though in, times past such music hath been made upon it.

299. Just thus I saw it was, and will he, with them that have gifts but want saving grace, They are in the hand of Christ as the cymbal in the hand of David; and as David could with the cymbal make that mirth in the service of God as to elevate the hearts of the worshippers, so Christ can use these gifted men as with them to affect the souls of his people in his church; yet, when he hath done all, hang, them by, as lifeless though sounding cymbals.

300. This consideration, therefore, together with some others, were for the most part as a maul on the head of pride and desire of vain-glory. What! thought I, shall I be proud because I am a sounding brass? Is it so much to be a fiddle? Hath not the least creature that hath life more of God in it than these? Besides, I knew it that love should never die; but these must cease and vanish. So I concluded a little grace, a little love, a little of the true fear of God, is better than all the gifts; yea, and I am fully convinced of it that it is possible for souls that can scarce give a man an answer but with great confusion as to methods say, it is possible for them to have a thousand times more grace, and so to be more in the love and favour of the Lord, than some who, by the virtue of the gift of knowledge, can deliver themselves like angels.

301. Thus, therefore, I came to perceive that though gifts in themselves were good to the thing for which they are, designed—to wit, the edification of others—yet empty, and Without power to save the soul of him that hath them if they be alone; neither are they, as so, any sign of a man's state to be happy, being only a dispensation of God to some,