: Mr. Mannor, Putney Mr. Norris, Jewin-street Mr. S. Neele, Strand SUBSCRIBERS. Mr. Summers, New Bond-street Mr. Simpson, St. Paul's Church Mr Saunders, Fleet-market Mr. W. Salmon, Turnagain lane | Mr. J.Stevenson, Finsbury square | Mr. P. Steele, West Smithfield Mr. Stockbridge, Great Marlow Mr. Slator, Cornhill Mr. Smith, Minories Mr. Smart, Covent Garden Mr. Shrimpton, St. Pauls Mr. Shuter, Bridge-street Mr. Snuttleworth, Milbank-str. Mr. Sibley, Wapping Mrs. Towl, Borough Mr. Joseph Taylor, Whitechapel Mr. W. Tenant, Hermitage-st. Mr. W. Tetlow, Hounsditch Mr. Edw. Thompson, Thames-st. Mr. Emmanuel Thorley Mr. Thornton Mr. Tomling Mr. Sam. Touse Mr. S. Townley Mr. John Travers Mr. Roger Tromell Mr. Robert Trueman Mr. Turnbull, Canon-street Mr. John Unwin, Berwick-street Mr. W. Varley, Mincing lane Mr. W. Vickery Mr. Rob. Vincent Rev. B. Woodd, Paddington Rev. J. Whitford, Borough Mr. Wilkinson, Morden College, Blackheath Mrs. Welford, Blackheath THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. THE celebrated author of the Pilgrim's Progress was born, A.D. 1628, at ELSTOW, a small village near BEDFORD. His father earned his bread by the low occupation of a common tinker; but he bore a fair character, and took care that his son, whom he brought up to the same business, should be taught to read and write. We are told indeed, that he quickly forgot all he had learned, through his extreme profligacy: yet it is probable, that he retained so much, as enabled him to recover the rest, when his mind became better disposed; and that it was very useful to him in the subsequent part of his life. The materials, from which an account of this valuable man must be compiled, are so scanty and confused, that nothing very satisfactory should be expected. - He seems from his earliest youth to have been greatly addicted to impiety and profligacy: yet he was interrupted in his course by continual alarms and convictions, which were sometimes peculiarly overwhelming; but had no other effect at the time, than to extort from him the most absurd wishes that can be imagined. A copious narrative of these early conflicts and crimes is contained in a treatise published by himself, under the title of • Grace abounding to the chief of Sinners.' During this part of his life he was twice preserved from the most imminent danger of drowning: and being a soldier in the parliament's army at the siege of Leicester, A.D. 1645, he was drawn out to stand centinel; but one of his comrades, having by his own desire taken his place, was shot through the head on his post; and thus BUNYAN was reserved by the all-disposing hand of GOD for better purposes. He seems however, to have made progressive advances in wickedness, and to have become the ring-leader of youth in every kind of profaneness and excess. His career of vice received a considerable check, in consequence of his marriage, with the daughter of a person who had been very religious in his way, and remarkably bold in reproving vice, but who was then dead. His wife's discourse to him concerning her father's piety excited him to go regularly to church: and as she brought him, for her whole portion, The Practice of Piety, and The plain Man's Pathway to Heaven, he employed himself frequently in reading these books. The events recorded of our author are so destitute of dates, or regard to the order in which they happened that no clear arrangement can now be made of them: but it is probable, that this new attention to religion, though ineffectual to the reformation of his conduct, rendered him more susceptible of convictions; and his vigorous imagination, at that time wholly unrestrained by knowledge or discretion, laid him open to a variety of impressions, sleeping and waking, which he verily supposed to arise from words spoken to him, or objects presented before his bodily senses; and he never after was able to break the association of ideas thus formed in his mind. Accordingly he says, that one day when he was engaged in diversion with his companions, "A voice did suddenly dart from heaven " into my soul, which said, Wilt thou leave thy sins and go " to heaven, or have thy sins and go to hell?" The consciousness of his wicked course of life, accompanied with the recollection of the truths he had read, suddenly meeting as it were, in his mind, thus produced a violent alarm, and made such an impression on his imagination, that he seemed to have heard these words, and to have seen CHRIST frowning and menacing him. But we must not suppose, that there was any miracle wrought; nor could there be any occasion for a new revelation to suggest or enforce so scriptural a warning. This may serve as a specimen of those impressions, which constitute a large part of his religious experience; but which need not be particularized in this place. He was next tempted to conclude that it was then too late to repent or seek salvation; and, as he ignorantly listened to the suggestion, he indulged his corrupt inclinations without restraint, imagining that this was the only way in which he could possibly have the least expectation of pleasure. While he was proceeding in this wretched course, a woman of very bad character reproved him with great severity for profane swearing; declaring in the strongest expressions, that he exceeded in it all men she had ever heard. This made him greatly ashamed, when he reflected that he was too vile even for such a bad woman to endure: so that from that time he began to break off that odious custom. -His guilty and terrified mind was also prepared to admit the most alarming impressions during his sleep: and he had such a dream about the day of judgement and its awful circumstances and consequences, as powerfully influenced his conduct. There was, indeed, nothing extraordinary in this; for such dreams are not uncommon to men under deep convictions: yet the Lord was doubtless, by all these means secretly influencing his heart, and warning him to flee from the wrath to come. He was, however, reluctant to part with his irreligious associates and vain pleasures; till the conversation of a poor man, who came in his way, induced him to read the Bible, especially the preceptive and historical parts of it: and this put him upon an entire reformation of his conduct; insomuch that his neighbours were greatly astonished at the change, 1 |