confined till the quarter-sessions, when his indictment stated, That John Bunyan, of the town of Bedford, labourer, had devilishly and perniciously abstained from coming to church to hear divine service; and was a common upholder of several unlawful meetings and conventicles, to the great disturbance and distraction of the good subjects of this kingdom, contrary to the laws of our sovereign Lord the King." The facts charged upon him in this absurd indictment were never proved, as no witnesses were produced. He had confessed, in conversation with the magistrates, that he was a dissenter, and had preached; these words, being considered as equivalent to conviction, were recorded against him, and as he refused to conform he was sentenced to perpetual banishment. This sentence indeed was not executed; but he was confined in Bedford jail more than twelve years, notwithstanding several attempts were made to obtain his deliverance !

During this tedious imprisonment, or, at least, part of it, he had no books, except a bible, and Fox's Martyrology: yet in this situ ation he penned the Pilgrim's Progress, and many other treatises. He was only thirty-two years of age, when he was imprisoned; he had spent his youth in the most disadvantageous manner imaginable; had been no more than five years a member of the church at Bedford; and less time a preacher of the Gospel yet in this admired allegory he ap pears to have been most intimately acquaint

ed with all the variety of characters, which ministers, long employed in the sacred service, and eminent for judgment and sagacity, have observed among professors or opposers of evangelical truth!

No fewer than sixty dissenters, and two ministers, were confined with Mr. Bunyan in this jail; and as some were discharged, others were committed during the time of his impris onment but this painful situation afforded him an opportunity of privately exercising his ministry to good effect. He learned in prison to make tagged thread laces, in the intervals of his other labours, and by this em ployment provided in the most unexceptionable manner for himself and his family. He seems to have been endued with extraordinary patience and courage, and to have experienced abundant consolations, while enduring these hardships: he was however sometimes distressed about his family, especially his eldest daughter, who was blind; but in these trying seasons he received comfort from meditating on the promises of Scripture (Jer. xv. 11; xlix. 11.)

He was at some times favoured by the jailors, and permitted to see his family and friends, and, during the former part of his imprisonment, was even allowed to go out occasionally, and once to take a journey to London, probably to see whether some legal redress might not be obtained, according to some intimations given by Sir Matthew Hale, when petitions in his favour were laid before the

judges. But this indulgence of the jailor exposing him to great danger, Mr. Bunyan was afterwards more closely confined. Hence I suppose, has arisen the opinion, which commonly prevails, that he was imprisoned at different times: but he seems never to have been set at liberty, and then recommitted; though his hardships and restraints were greater at one time than at another.

In the last year of his imprisonment (A. D. 1671,) he was chosen pastor of the dissenting church at Bedford; though it does not appear what opportunity he could have of exercising his pastoral office, except within the precincts of the jail. He was however liberated soon after, through the good offices of Dr. Barlow, bishop of Lincoln, after many fruitless attempts had been made for that purpose Thus terminated his tedious, severe, and even illegal, imprisonment, which had given him abundant opportunity for the exercise of patience and meekness; and which seems to have been overruled, both for his own spiritual improvement, and tho furtherance of the Gospel; by leading him to study, and to form habits of close reflection, and accurate investigation of various subjects, in order to pen his several treatises: when probably he would neither have thought so deeply, nor written so well, had he been more at ease, and at liberty.

A short time after his enlargement, he built a meeting-house at Bedford, by the voluntary contributions of his friends; and here he

statedly preached to large auditories, till his death, without meeting with any remarkable molestation. He used to come up to London every year, where he preached among the Bonconformists with great acceptance; and it is said that Dr. Owen frequently attendea on these occasions, and expressed his approbation in very decided language. He also made stated circuits into other parts of England; and animated his brethren to bear the cross patiently, to obey God rather than man, and to leave all consequences with him. He was at the same time peculiarly attentive to the temporal wants of those who suffered for conscience-sake, and of the sick or afflicted; and he employed his influence very successfully, in reconciling differences among professors of the Gospel, and thus preventing disgraceful and burthensome litigations. was very exact in family religion, and the instruction of his children; being principally concerned for their spiritual interests, and comparatively indifferent about their temporal prosperity. He therefore declined the liberal proposal of a wealthy citizen of London, to take his son as an apprentice without any premium, saying, 'God did not send me to advance my family, but to preach the Gospel :' probably disliking the business, or situation, as unfavourable to piety.

He

Nothing material is recorded concerning him, between his enlargement in 1672, and his death in 1688. It is said, that he clearly saw through the designs of the court, in fa VOL. I.

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vour of popery, when the indulgence was granted to the dissenters, by James II., in 1687 but that he advised his brethren to avail themselves of the sunshine, by diligent endeavours to spread the Gospel; and to prepare for an approaching storm by fasting and prayer. The next year he took a journey in very bad weather from London to Reading, Berks, to make up a breach between a father and his son, with whom he had some acquaintance; and having happily effected his last work and labour of love, he returned to his lodgings on Snow-hill, apparently in good health; but very wet with the heavy rain that was then falling; and soon after he was seized with a fever, which in ten days terminated his useful life. He bore his malady with great patience and composure, and died in a very comfortable and triumphant manner, Aug. 31, 1688, aged sixty years; after having exercised his ministry about thirty-two. He lies buried in Bunhill-fields, where a tomb-stone to his memory may still be seen. He was twice married; by his first wife he left four children, one of which, a daughter named Mary, who was blind, died before him. He was married to his second wife A. D. 1658, two years before his imprisonment, by whom he seems not to have had any children she survived him about four years. Concerning the other branches of his family we have not been able to gain any information.