without fome Sort of Religious Emotion and Affection.
All these Things confidered, Is it not wonderful that a plain, fimple Man, and unlearned, as Mr. Bunyan was, fhould, notwithstanding, have compofed fo useful and admirable a Treatife? But alas! from the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings GOD is fometimes pleafed wonderfully to manifeft his Glory; and the Poor and Unlearned gain Heaven, while (to use S. Auguftin's Expreffions) the Great Ones of this World, with all their mighty Stock and Boaft of Learning, fink into Perdition. So true is it, that the Spirit of God is unconfined: And he ordereth it's Salutary Influence where he lifteth.
The univerfal Good, which this incomparable Treatife hath done to Mankind, and the Defire of it's farther public Benefit, is the Occafion of this prefent Edition; for the former Impreffions being, on Account of the Poorer Sort, published at fo cheap a Rate, it was out of their Power to purchase a Better; fo that a great many worthy Chriftians, through Age or other Infirmities, were unhappily deA 4 prived
prived of the Benefit of it, which fome Perfons of Diftinction and Piety duly weighing, in order to remedy that Inconvenience, very generously and highly becoming their Character and good Intentions, propofed that it might be fent into the World, in the handfome Manner it now appears. Great Care has been taken, not only in the Correct Printing, but in the Engraving of the feveral CopperPlates, which adorn it; fo that it is not in the leaft doubted, but the Whole will give fuch entire Satisfaction to the Public in general, as well as to thofe Worthy Gentlemen in particular, who have fo handfomely and generously contributed to this beautiful Edition, by their large Subfcriptions, as will fully anfwer their Expectation.
We fhall conclude this PREFACE, with a merry but juft Obfervation made by Dr. Radcliffe, who used to say, that Bunyan's PILGRIM was a CHRISTIAN; and Patrick's PILGRIM a wretched PEDLAR, who fold damaged Commodities; alluding to the Legendary Tales therein related.
OOK
HEN at the first I took my Pen in Hand,
Thus for to write, I did not understand
That I at all fhould make a little Book
In fuch 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 Gofpel-Day,
Fell fuddenly into an Allegory
About their Journey, and the Way to Glory,
In more than twenty Things, which I fet down;
This done, I twenty more bad 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 fo faft,
I'll put you by yourselves, left you at last
Should prove ad infinitum, and eat out
The Book that I already am about.
Well, fo I did; but yet I did not think
To fhew to all the World my Pen and Ink
In fuch a Mode; I only thought to make
I knew not what: Nor did I undertake
Thereby to pleafe my Neighbour; no not 1,
I did it my ownfelf to gratify.
Neither did I but vacant Seafons fpend
In this my Scribble; nor did I intend
But to divert myfelf in doing this,
From worfer Thoughts which make me do amifs.
Thus I fet 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 pull'd, it came; and fo I penn'd
It down; until it came at last to be
For Length and Breadth, the Bignefs which you see.
Well, when I bad thus put my Ends together,
I fhew'd them others, that I might fee whether
They would condemn them, or them justify:
And fome faid, let them live; fome, let them die
Some faid, John, print it, others faid, Not fo.
Some faid it might do Good, others faid, No.
Now I was in a Streight, and did not fee
Which was the best Thing to be done by me:
At laft I thought, fince ye are thus divided,
I print it will; and fo the Cafe decided.
For, thought I, fome 1 fee 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 Teft.
I farther thought, if now I did deny
Thofe that would have it, thus to gratify;
I did not know, but hinder then I might
Of that which would to them be great Delight:
For those which were not for it coming forth,
I faid to them, Offend you I am loth:
Yet fince your Brethren pleafed with it be,
Forbear to judge, till you do farther fee.
If that thou wilt not read, let it alone
Some love the Meat, fome love to pick a Bone.
Yea, thet I might them better moderate,
I did too with them thus expoftulate.
May I not write in fuch a Style as this?
In fuch 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
Caufe to defcend, the Earth by yielding Crops,
Gives Praife to both, and carpeth not at either,
But treasures up the Fruit they yield togelker,
Yea, fo commixes both, that in their Fruit
None can diftinguish this from that; they fuit
Her well when Hungry: But if foe be full,
She fpews out both, and makes their Blessing null,
You fee the Ways the Fisherman doth take
To catch the Fish; what Engines doth be make?
Behold! How he engageth all bis Wits
Alfo 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 grop'd for, and be tickled too,
Or they will not be catch'd, whate'er you do.
How does the Fowler feek to catch the Game
By divers Means? All which one cannot name;
His Gun, bis Nets, his Lime-twigs, Light and Bell:
He creeps, he goes, he ftands: yea, who can tell
Of all his Poftures? Yet, there's none of thefe
Will make him Mafter of what Fowls he pleafe.
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