ber to sixty-six. This is about two on an average for every year of his ministerial life. And although a few of them are but short poems and tracts, most of them are elaborate treatises, on which Bunyan laid out the full strength of his mind and soul.

Bunyan's Complete Works, if printed in the same style as those of Andrew Fuller, issued by our Society, would probably fall little, if any, short of three thousand large octavo pages. Only about one-half have ever been re-printed in this country, in the most perfect edition, and the selection of those published is, in some cases, by no means creditable to the knowledge or judgment of the publisher.

Yet the quality of the whole is quite as remarkable as the quantity. His rich experience, his ready memory, his clear quick conscience, his rare gifts of genius, taste and imagination, impart a novelty, variety, beauty, freshness and force of illustration peculiarly his own. On the most common themes he is seldom common-place. How could he be indeed, and yet be John Bunyan? "It is yet to be shown (says the author of the Chronological Critique) how, and why, and when he did so much, and did it so well."

The writings of Bunyan (excluding all apocryphal pieces, and including all that fairly belongs to him), we have already said amount to sixty-six. They may be conveniently classed for our present purpose under six heads - Allegorical, Poetical, Typical, Doctrinal (including his Catechetical and Controversial pieces) Biographical and Practical. Thus classed, about one-half of them come under the last of these heads, and of these the present series will be composed. The practical element is indeed largely infused into all the rest. His warmest controversies glow with a divine unction. Even his occasional errors, show his paramount endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Let him have this praise, even with his error on Church Communion.

It is well known that several pieces which go under the

name of Bunyan, such as the "Pilgrim's Progress, Part Third;""The World to Come," &c., are not his. They are not found in any good edition of his Works. But there is one treatise, "An Exhortation to Unity and Peace," found in almost all editions, which yet (from internal evidence alone) has been recently challenged, as not Bunyan's. It is, indeed, quoted and praised as his by Dr. Southey, by Alexander Philip, and by Robert Philip; though the latter, with singular inconsistency, denies it to be Bunyan's, and in the next chapter quotes it as his, with the highest commendation. If Bunyan wrote it, it is true, he must not only have greatly extended his reading, and polished his style, but also essentially changed his views of Open Gommunion in the latter part of his life. This may not seem at first sight probable, after he had twice written in defence of them; but he lived fourteen years after his last defence appeared, and may have discovered his error, not long before his sudden decease.*

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And here seems the proper place to notice the great injustice done to the Baptists on this subject, by Mr. Robert Philip, throughout his "Life and Times of Bunyan," and his "Chronological Critique." He uniformly speaks of them as actuated by "bigotry," and as "sprinkling" (not to say immersing") other Christians "with the bitter waters of Close Communion." All this is in very bad taste, to say nothing of its temper. But the point of most importance is this. It leads Mr. Philip to say what is not true in fact, when the facts were before his eyes. Thus he quotes (C. C. p. 24.) Bunyan's noble and touching language pre

* Precisely such a change, it is well known, took place in the views of the excellent Isaac Backus, the candid and discriminating author of the Church History of New England. If any one would see this subject of Communion set in the clearest light, let him read "Curtis on Communion," a fundamental and admirable work, just issued, by the American Baptist Publication Society, alike fitted to satisfy, improve and delight the inquiring Christian.

fixed to his Confession of Faith (1672): "I have not hitherto been so sordid as to stand to a doctrine, right or wrong; much less when so weighty an argument as above eleven years' imprisonment is continually dogging me to weigh and pause (poise?) and poise again, the grounds and foundations of those principles for which I have thus suffered. But having not only at my trial asserted them, but also since, even all this tedious tract of time, in cool blood, a thousand times, by the word of God, examined them, and found them good, I cannot, I dare not now revolt, or deny the same, on pain of eternal damnation." Mr. Philip adds, "This, solemn as it is, refers to his Open Communion principles as well as to his Creed." It is sufficient to say in reply, that Bunyan himself expressly distinguishes between them, styling one class "the principles for which he suf fered," and calling the other, with great modesty, his "present judgment." It is not impossible, therefore, however unlikely, that this "judgment" may have afterward been changed; and that the "Exhortation to Peace and Unity" grew out of the change, and was intended to justify it in the gentlest manner possible. One thing is certain, that the Author of that admirable "Exhortation" was a Strict Communion Baptist; and his clear judgment, large views, and lovely temper, are the best rebuke to Mr. Philip's rhetoric on Close Communion.

It was a just remark of Dr. Southey that the works of Bunyan have been printed without any regard to Arrangement. He suggests the Order of Time (if ascertained), as the best; since it would enable the critical reader to trace the progress of Bunyan's intellectual developement. Mr. Philip in his Chronological Critique (to which we have repeatedly referred) has sought to follow out this suggestion, by the aid of Charles Doe's "Catalogue Table." But that Catalogue avowedly gives the order of publication, not of composition, and these two differ widely. Mr. Philip,

through forgetfulness of this difference, falls into some singular errors. The most remarkable one is a denial of the prison origin of the Pilgrim's Progress; and this solely on the ground that it was not published till 1677, five years after Bunyan was set at liberty. This novel opinion of Mr. Philip, is not only contrary to all the other evidence, but actually contradicts Bunyan himself; as has been fully shown by George Offor, Esq., of London, in his noble Introduction to the Hanserd Knollys Society's edition of the Pilgrim.

It is, however, but just to Mr. Philip to say, that notwithstanding these unfortunate mistakes, his Chronological Critique contains many beautiful and valuable thoughts, and many just criticisms on Bunyan's successive works, of which we may yet find occasion to avail ourselves for the advantage of the present edition. Most critics have confined their remarks to the Allegories, or to the Grace Abounding. The more credit, therefore, is due to one, who, for the first time, has attempted to trace the characteristic merits and defects of Bunyan's other works-and this, as far as he could, in the order of their successive production; thus throwing over them new and engaging lights of association, comparison, circumstances, and progress.

The Arrangement of the Practical Works in this edition is the first that has been attempted on a systematic plan. As it is designed, however, for general readers, (rather than for critics,) the particular plan pursued has been chosen for their benefit. The main principle of it is to follow the Order of the Author's experience in the work of the Ministry. As this corresponds with the order of Nature and of Scripture, we prefer it to all others for practical purposes. Bunyan himself thus describes its successive stages:

"In my preaching of the word, I took special notice of this one thing, namely, that the Lord did lead me to begin where his word begins with sinners; that is, to condemn all

flesh, and to open and allege, that the curse of God by the law, doth belong to, and lay hold on, all men as they come into the world because of sin. Now this part of my work I fulfilled with great sense; for the terrors of the law, and guilt for my transgressions, lay heavy on my conscience. I preached what I felt, what I smartingly did feel; even that under which my poor soul did groan and tremble to astonishment. Indeed I have been as one sent to them from the dead. I went myself in chains to speak to them in chains; and carried that fire in my own conscience that I persuaded them to beware of. Thus I went on for the space of two years; crying out against men's sins, and their fearful state because of them. After which, the Lord came in upon my own soul, with some sure peace and comfort through Christ; for he did give me many sweet discoveries of his blessed grace through him. Wherefore now I altered my preaching, (for still I preached what I saw and felt.) Now, therefore, I did much · labor to hold forth Jesus Christ in all his offices, relations, and benefits unto the world; and did strive, also, to discover, to condemn, and remove those false supports and props on which the world doth lean, and by them fall and perish. On these things, also, I staid as long as the other.”

This is the way in which Bunyan was led on, in the execution of his ministerial work, by the Spirit of God. We say, the Spirit of God, with emphasis; for the saving effects produced by his ministry demonstrate the guiding and cooperating influence of the Holy Spirit of Truth, whose revealed office it is to "convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." Not that God is limited to our methods. He has his own reserved resources of Sovereign Wisdom, as well as Sovereign Grace. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. He can, at any moment, surprise and encourage us by new and unexpected manifestations of mercy. The combinations of his wisdom, like his understanding, are infinite. But his