1. OF PR/A,; Iflftr; Bunyan, Johnr"l628-1688 The works of John
Bunyan RR 7S .R7 I'fiSS
2. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from
IVIicrosoft Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/worksofjohnbunya01buny
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4. >- " - ''ject, as sketched out by Bunyan, from being
perceived ; while the reader would be perplexed among the mazes of
firsts, seconds, and thirds, that wei-e constantly occurring, and
thus much of the profit and enjoyment of the perusal be lost. Great
care has been bestowed to remedy these defects by the use of
capitals, small capitals, Italic,
8. PREFACE. V numerals, and figures, as occasion required, to
distinguish the various divisions. Headings to the various sections
have also been introduced where Bunyan had not given them ; and in
some cases these have been likewise needful for the subdivisions :
such insertions are always placed within brackets [ ]. These
improvements, we trust, wnll greatly add to the pleasure and profit
of every reader of these invaluable treatises. Our great object has
been to secure accuracy ot text; and to render that text more
valuable to the general reader by the addition of select notes,
especially to explain obsolete words, local idioms, or allusions to
the customs of by-gone days. In some cases the reader's attention
is directed by a short note, to the extraordinary beauties which
richly abound ; while im- portant doctrines are illustrated and
enforced by extracts from other parts of these Works, so as to
render Bunyan his own interpreter. Every treatise has an
Introduction, shoAving the peculiar circumstances under which it
was written, its object, and the mode by which that object was
sought to be attained. In editing each of the treatises, much care
was taken to extract every sentence that threw a light upon the
life, times, contemporaries, and personal experience of the author,
with the intention of making his Memoir as far as possible an
autobiography. With i-espect to his solemn and most
deeply-interesting spiritual life, this was the only source from
whence information could be derived. When these extracts were
arranged in chro- nological order, with the numerous references to
which they led, they were careftiUy compared with every life which
has been written of this extraorcUnary and popular man. Those that
were written shortly after his decease contain much valuable
information and interesting anecdotes, which, being confirmed by
eye-witnesses, have been incorporated in the narrative. Of
necessity most of his modern biographers copy from those that went
before. Much valuable information was obtained by visiting the
scenes of his labours ; and in doing this, as well as in searching
registersthe church bookthe materials collected by his admiring
friends and followers, were opened for my inspection with as much
courtesy and kindly feeling, as if the spirit of Bunyan had
hovei'ed about usevery hand was extended with cheerful alacrity and
self-devotion of time, and the result is to the editor peculiarly
gratifying. The satisfaction of being able to unravel all the
mystery that liung over Bunyan's release from prison, is very
great. That he was solely indebted to the Quakers for it, there
could be no reasonable doubt ; but why that debauched monarch
Charles II. took a fancy to these prim-moralists, the Quakers, was
an insoluble problem, until the discovery of original letters in
the archives at Devonshire House revealed the seci-et, and with all
the bad quali- ties of that licentious King, proved that he
possessed gratitude to the Quaker sailor who nobly saved his life.
The character of Bunyan, when a young preacher, drawn by his
pastor, ' holy John Gifibrd,' and many deeply-interesting
circumstances, are published for the first time. While, connected
with so eminent a disciple, much remains to be discovered, our
difficulty has been to condense the Memoir into the smallest space,
by referring the reader to the copies of State j^apers and other
documents printed in the introduction to The, Pilgrim's Prof/ress,
and other parts of the Woi-ks, and by abridging as much as pos-
sible all our extracts. When Bunyan entered upon ministeiial
duties, it was with the deepest anxiety; in proclaiming the
unsearchable riches of Christ, his first efibrt was to fix upon his
hearers the all-important truth, ' Ye must be born again.' This
soon led him into controversy, in
9. vi PREFACE. which he made marvellous discoveries of the
state of societ}- in those eventful times. Strangely absurd errors
were promulgated, to conquer which, all the mighty energies of
Bunyan's mind, baptized into Scriptural truth, and hallowed b}'
heavenly communion, were brought into active exercise. Limited in
preaching to the few who were within the sound of his voice, and
knowing that poisonous errors had extended throughout the king-
dom, he sought the all-powerful aid of the press, and published
several searching treatises before his imprisonment. Soon after
this, he was called to suffer persecution as a Chris- tian
confessor, and then his voice was limited to the walls of his
prison, excepting when, by the singular favour of his jailers, he
was permitted to make stolen visits to liis fellow- Christians.
From the den in this jail issued works which have embalmed his
memory in the richest fragrance in the churches of Christ, not only
in his native land, but in nearly all tlie Idngdoms of the world.
Thus was the folly of persecution demonstrated, while the mad WTath
of man promoted the very object Avhich it intended to destroy.
Bunyan's name is now as much identified w^ith British literature as
that of Milton, or of Shakespeare. Some of his works, printed with
patent ink, on vellum paper, with all the elegant illustrations and
embellishments Avhicli art can devise, and in sumptuous bindings,
adorn the library of our beloved Queen, and the drawing-rooms of
her nobles; while millions of copies, in a cheaper form, supply
every class of society, even to the humblest cottager. Multitudes
also, in other lands and other languages, feel the sanctify- ing
and happy effects of reading these works, and imbibing their
peaceful spirit; and we trust that to nations yet unborn these
happy effects will be increasingly multiplied. Bunyan knew nothing
of the art of composing written language. He lived in the
atmosphere of the Bible; and its beautiful simplicity of style, and
fine old Saxonisms, with its perspicuous brevity, shine through all
his writings. His simple and ardent devotion to his Master's glory,
in the salvation of sinners, constrained him to write as he felt ;
while his fertile imagination, accurate eye, and musical ear, were
natural, and ver}^ power- ful aids to correct language. Still it is
surprising that, without the advantages of educa- tion, he could
wi'ite with such singular accuracy and power of expression. However
rich in instruction, and admirable in their tendency, Bunyan's
"wiitings were, they had to struggle with no ordinary difficulties.
The doctrines of the gospel were not so popular then as in oui-
happier age. Free and unfettered inquiries into Divine truth were
not even tolerated until after the author's death. While the Act of
Toleration per- mitted Christians to exist without persecution in
this land of Bibles and of religion, it did not place them on terms
of equality. Since that time the spirit of intolerance has been
dying by particles, but is still strong in the human mind. These
works had to struggle with those prejudices, and that enmity which
at all times has opposed the pro- gress of truth. In addition to
many other general reasons that might be stated, Avhicli equally
apply to the -s^Titings of all godly men, we have to add that
Bunyan was a poor mechanic, a Dissenter, and of the Baptist
denomination. Although he had come to so careful a decision upon
this subject, that he firmly adhered through life to his opinions,
yet he never obtruded upon the public his private views on
non-essentials ; so that in nearly all his works, water-baptism is
sw^allowed up in his earnest desire to win souls to Christ. All his
effort is, to fix attention upon that spiritual baptism which is
essential to sal- vation, by which the soul passeth from death unto
life, and from which springs good-will to man, and glory to
God.
10. PREFACE. vii Of all the objections that have been made to
Bunyan's works, the most absurd is, that he was poor and
unlettered. To despise the poor is an impious reflection upon
Divine wisdom. It is true that great grace can keep the scholar
humble, and bless his learning to the welflire of the church, but
for the welfare of the world we want many Bunyans, and can manage
with few Priestleys or Porsons. Bunyan, although unlearned as to
the arts and sciences ofthis world, was deeply versed in the
mysteries of godliness, and the glories of the world to come. He
was a most truth- ful, ino-enious, persuasive, and invaluable
writer upon the essentials of human happiness. To refuse his
Scriptural instruction, because he was not versed in chemistry,
mathematics, Greek, or Latin, would be to proclaim ourselves void
of understanding. "We heartily pity those who, with pampered sickly
appetites, feed only on vanity, Avhich, however served up in dainty
dishes, only fits the soul to become fuel for an eternal fii-ean
awful price to pay for such debasing gratifications. They have no
part nor lot with those blessed ones who hunger and thirst after
righteousness, and who buy the choicest treasures of eternity
without money or pricethe free gift of God, to which Bunyan's works
constantly point, as the magnetic needle does to the pole.
Throughout the whole of his treatises, beautiful and striking
passages scintillate and sparkle like well- set diamonds ; they are
none borrowed, but all flow from his native genius. Every sentiment
is intimately connected with the most important truths, all
pointing to one common centre, ' Christ the hope of glory'all
tending to fix the value of religion on the mind; and, aided by the
Divine blessing, calculated to produce heavenly fruit to the
spiritual and temporal happiness of the reader, and to the comfort
of the church and of the world. Never was there a period which so
imperatively called forth these works as the pre- sent day. Mighty
eflbrts are making to exalt the Man of Sin, and again to inthral
this country in the satanic yoke of Popery, or that of its dark,
ill-shapen brother Puseyism. Bunj-an's book on that awful word
Antichrist, is a home-thrust at the enemy ; his work on The
Greatness of the Soul excites the deepest interest in its
indescribable value ; his Feiv Sighs from Hell alarm the
thoughtless, and fill the believer v/ith adoring gratitude for his
escape ; his treatise upon Baptism raises us above water, to that
one baptism of the Holy Ghost v/hich alone regenerates the soul.
Every treatise, while it excites solemn and earnest inquiries after
salvation, clearly defines the narrow path which leads to life,
abounding with antidotes against despair, and with comfort to the
feeble-minded ; they contain milk for babes, and meat for men in
Christ. In Bunyan's writings there is no sectarian biasChrist is
all in all. He addresses the hearts of the whole family of heaven
old or 3^oung, rich or poor, learned or unletteredleading all
classes to be found ' looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith.' Every efl'ort has been made to render this Edition
useful and popular. It is true that the wealthy are not indulged
with large margins and a small stream of letterpress ; but they
have a more ample source of gratification, in the reflection that
this saving of expense brings valuable treasures within the reach
of the poor, and more especially to students training for
ministerial labours. Nor must we forget the many thousand pas- tors
of churches, who, with their scanty means, will be able to avail
themselves of works eminently calculated to render their labours
more abundantly useful. No expense has been spared to render the
pictorial illustrations worthy such an author. The portraits
11. viii PREFACE. are fi-om the only two originals known to
have been taken from life. The painting by Sadler, and the
beautiful and characteristic drawing and engraving by the
celebrated K. White, in 1682, preserved in the British Museum. The
wood-cuts printed with the original editions of liis works are
faithfully copied, together with scenes and relics con- nected with
his life. The Index is entirely new, and was the result of great
labour. Our hope is that this wdll prove itself a Standard Edition,
and be extensively used wherever the English language is
knovn;that, by the Divine blessing, it may aid the imperceptible
progress of that leaven of the gospel which must eventually bless
with a benign influence ' all kindreds, and tongues, and nations
that dwell upon the earth.' We owe an ample apology to our
Subscribers for having severely taxed their patience by the delay
in finishing the Third Volume. The reasons have been our great
anxiety to render these important Works as complete as possible^the
necessity of visiting the scenes of Bunyan's labours, to do justice
to so illustrious a man in the memoir of his experience, his
sufferings, his amazing usefulnessand in compiling a comprehensive
Index to his Works. A more gratifying duty is to thank our friends
for their zealous aid and assist- ance. They are far too numerous
to be namedthey will have the pleasure of knowing that they
contributed to raise a solid tribute of esteem to om^ great pilgrim
forefather. GEORGE OFFOR. Hackney, June, 1853.
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