THE number of Bunyan's works given by C. Doe in the first edition of " The Heavenly Footman" is sixty. 66 Some Gospel Truths Opened," 1656; "A Vindication of this Work," 1657; A Few Sighs from Hell, or the Groans of a Damned Soul," 1658; "The Doctrine of the Law and Grace Unfolded," 1659; "I will Pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding also," 1663; "Christian Behaviour," 1663; "The Holy City," 1665; "The Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal Judgment,” 1665; “Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners," 1666; "Defence of the Doctrine of the Justification by Faith," 1672; "Confession of Faith," 1672; "On Water Baptism," 1673; "Light for them that Sit in Darkness;" "Saved by Grace;” “Instruction for the Ignorant," 1675; "The Pilgrim's Progress," 1678; second edition, 1678; third edition, 1679 (each of these editions has additions); Dr. J. Brown in his edition gives a list of seventy-one languages into which this work has been translated. An edition with outline engravings by David Scott, 1860, is among the best of the illustrated copies. A facsimile of the first edition by Dr. J. Brown, 1895.
Come and Welcome to Jesus,” 1678; “A Treatise of the Fear of God," 1679; "The Life and Death of Mr. Badman," 1680; "The Holy War," 1682; second edition, 1684; The Barren Fig-tree," 1682; "Pilgrim's Progress," second part, 1684; "The Greatness of the Soul," 1683; "Of the Seventh Day Sabbath," 1685; "The Pharisee and the Publican,” 1685; “The Jerusalem Sinner Saved,” 1688; "Jesus Christ as an Advocate," 1688; "The Water of Life," 1688; "Solomon's Temple Spiritualised," 1688; "The Acceptable Sacrifice," published after Bunyan's death. Among several posthumous works are "The Heavenly Footman," 1698, and the "Relation of his Emprisonments," 1765. Among works in verse are "Serious Meditations on the Four Last Things;" "Ebal and
Gerizim ;""Prison Meditations,” 1663-65; “A Book for Boys and Girls, or Country Rhymes for Children" (later known as "Divine Emblems," &c.), 1686; and a poem on "The Building, Nature, Excellency, and Government of the House of God," 1688. The authorship of "Scriptural Poems" is questioned.
Works Ed. by C. Doe, 1692; second edition, 1736, 1737; by Stebbing, 1859; by G. Whitefield, 1805-1807. Lives of Bunyan: Southey, 1830; Macaulay, 1853; Precentor Venables, 1879; Froude ("English Men of Letters"), 1880; Copner, 1883; Dr. J. Brown, 1885, 1886, 1887; W. H. White, 1905 ("Literary Lives").
HEN at the first I took my pen in hand Thus for to write, I did not understand That I at all should make a little book In such a mode; nay, I had undertook To make another; which, when almost done, Before I was aware, I this begun.
And thus it was: I, writing of the way And race of saints, in this our gospel day, Fell suddenly into an allegory
About their journey, and the way to glory, In more than twenty things which I set down. This done, I twenty more had in my crown; And they again began to multiply,
Like sparks that from the coals of fire do fly. Nay, then, thought I, if that you breed so fast, I'll put you by yourselves, lest you at last Should prove ad infinitum, and eat out The book that I already am about.
Well, so I did; but yet I did not think To show to all the world my pen and ink In such a mode; I only thought to make I knew not what: nor did I undertake Thereby to please my neighbour: no, not I; I did it my own self to gratify.
Neither did I but vacant seasons spend In this my scribble; nor did I intend But to divert myself in doing this
From worser thoughts which make me do amiss.
Thus, I set pen to paper with delight, And quickly had my thoughts in black and white; For, having now my method by the end, Still as I pulled, it came; and so I penned It down until it came at last to be,
For length and breadth, the bigness which you see. Well, when I had thus put mine ends together, I showed them others, that I might see whether They would condemn them, or them justify : And some said, Let them live; some, Let them die; Some said, JOHN, print it; others said, Not so; Some said, It might do good; others said, No. Now was I in a strait, and did not see Which was the best thing to be done by me : At last I thought, Since you are thus divided, I print it will, and so the case decided.
For, thought I, some, I see, would have it done, Though others in that channel do not run : To prove, then, who advised for the best, Thus I thought fit to put it to the test. I further thought, if now I did deny Those that would have it, thus to gratify; I did not know but hinder them I might Of that which would to them be great delight. For those which were not for its coming forth, I said to them, Offend you I am loath, Yet, since your brethren pleased with it be, Forbear to judge till you do further see.
If that thou wilt not read, let it alone; Some love the meat, some love to pick the bone. Yea, that I might them better palliate, I did too with them thus expostulate
May I not write in such a style as this? In such a method, too, and yet not miss
My end-thy good? Why may it not be done?
Dark clouds bring waters, when the bright bring none. Yea, dark or bright, if they their silver drops Cause to descend, the earth, by yielding crops, Gives praise to both, and carpeth not at either, But treasures up the fruit they yield together; Yea, so commixes both, that in her fruit None can distinguish this from that: they suit Her well when hungry; but, if she be full, She spews out both, and makes their blessings null. You see the ways the fisherman doth take To catch the fish; what engines doth he make!
Behold! how he engageth all his wits; Also his snares, lines, angles, hooks, and nets; Yet fish there be, that neither hook, nor line, Nor snare, nor net, nor engine can make thine : They must be groped for, and be tickled too, Or they will not be catch'd, whate'er you do.
How doth the fowler seek to catch his game By divers means! all which one cannot name: His guns, his nets, his lime-twigs, light, and bell; He creeps, he goes, he stands; yea, who can tell Of all his postures? Yet there's none of these Will make him master of what fowls he please. Yea, he must pipe and whistle to catch this ; Yet, if he does so, that bird he will miss.
If that a pearl may in a toad's head dwell, And may be found too in an oyster-shell; If things that promise nothing do contain What better is than gold; who will disdain, That have an inkling of it, there to look That they may find it? Now, my little book (Though void of all these paintings that may make It with this or the other man to take)
Is not without those things that do excel What do in brave but empty notions dwell. "Well, yet I am not fully satisfied,
That this your book will stand, when soundly tried." Why, what's the matter? "It is dark."
But it is feigned." What of that? I trow Some men, by feigned words, as dark as mine, Make truth to spangle and its rays to shine. "But they want solidness." Speak, man, thy mind. They drown the weak; metaphors make us blind. Solidity, indeed, becomes the pen
Of him that writeth things divine to men ; But must I needs want solidness, because By metaphors I speak? Were not God's laws, His gospel laws, in olden times held forth By types, shadows, and metaphors? Yet loath Will any sober man be to find fault With them, lest he be found for to assault The highest wisdom. No, he rather stoops, And seeks to find out what by pins and loops, By calves and sheep, by heifers and by rams, By birds and herbs, and by the blood of lambs, God speaketh to him; and happy is he
That finds the light and grace that in them be.
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