able generation," he says, "and never went to school to Aristotle or Plato, but was brought up in my father's house in a very mean condition, among a company of poor countrymen." He attended, however, the grammar school at Bedford. From early childhood Bunyan was afflicted "with apprehensions of devils and wicked spirits," and trembled "at the thoughts of the fearful torments of hell-fire." After his brief schooling, he was brought up to his father's trade of a tinker. He was not definitely religious in his youth, but he was always sensitive to serious impres- * sions; and there is no question that, looking back long afterwards, he greatly exaggerated the sinfulness of his unconverted days. He became a soldier in the Civil War, and, though this is not absolutely certain, probably fought on the Parliamentarian side. He married the daughter of a godly man. "We came together," he says, "as poor as poor might be, not having so much as a dish or a spoon between us." Presently, under conditions which he has detailed with extraordinary vividness, he fell under conviction of sin, and became extremely miserable; at length unbending himself to some pious women in Bedford, who recommended him to the minister of the Baptist Church

John Bunyan

there, John Gifford. After violent convulsions of doubt and revolt, Bunyan had a "strange apprehension of the grace of God," and his conversion was completed. After this, we find him in good position in his old trade of brazier or kettle-maker, and in 1655 he was emboldened, though "in fear and trembling," to take a part in the Baptist ministry. He preached principally in the open air, on commons or in cleared spaces in copses, and he quickly became celebrated for the fervour of his awakening eloquence. At the Restoration, however, the Nonconformists found themselves forbidden to use their forms of worship, and all such meetings as those at which Bunyan preached were prohibited. It speaks much for the reputation which he had gained as a preacher, that he appears to have been the first Dissenter to be subjected to the penalty. He was preaching at Samsell, near Harlington, on the 12th of November 1660, when the constables entered the chapel and arrested him; he had been warned, but disdained to notice the threat. After an inquiry, he was thrown into Bedford jail, and long remained there. It is only just to those who tried the case of Bunyan, and

Sir Matthew Hale himself was among them, to say that they were ready to leave every loophole open for him to escape, but that he would accept no release which was not a public admission of his right to continue his evangelical work. This, with Charles II. on the throne, was what no court could possibly grant, and Bunyan was kept in prison for twelve years. It appears, however, that he was allowed many indulgences, and a considerable amount of freedom; the comparatively modern

stories of his misery in "a damp and dreary den" are now believed to be grossly exaggerated. While still nominally a prisoner, we find Bunyan an elder of the Baptist church in Bedford at the close of 1671, and appointed its pastor in 1672. He was formally pardoned on the 13th of September of the latter year, and continued his business as a brazier in the town. Though his treasures swelled not to excess, he had always sufficient to live decently and creditably. While he had been in prison, he had written abundantly. One of his earliest tracts bears the strange name of A Few Sighs from Hell (1658). The Holy City was published in 1665, and Grace Abounding in 1666. As Mr. Froude has said, "his writings and sufferings had now made him famous throughout England." He was the recognised head of the Baptist community, and was pleasantly addressed as "Bishop Bunyan." After his release from prison, he lived unmolested for sixteen years in his house at Bedford, visiting London once a year to preach in the chapels of the Baptists. He wrote much, and the publication of the first part of The Pilgrim's Progress, in 1678, made him the most popular religious writer in England. The strange species of didactic novel called The Life and Death of Mr. Badman belongs to 1680; the Holy War to 1682; the second part of The Pilgrim's Progress to 1684. Bunyan's constitution was robust, although his health suffered while he was in prison. His death, however, was brought about by an act of neighbourly kindness: riding through heavy rain to reconcile a son with his father, Bunyan was soaked to the skin, and died after an illness of ten days, in August 1688. His last words were, "Take me, for I come to Thee!" He was buried in the cemetery of the Dissenters in Bunhill Fields. Bunyan "appeared to be of a stern and rough temper, but in his conversation mild and affable." In person "he was tall of stature, strong-boned, though not corpulent, somewhat of a ruddy face, with sparkling

of Mr. Badman"

eyes, wearing his hair on his upper lip; his hair reddish, but in his later days time had sprinkled it with grey. His nose well-set, but not declining or bending. His mouth moderate large, his forehead something high, his habit always plain and modest."

FROM "THE LIFE AND DEATH OF MR. BADMAN."

He gave a sudden and great rush into several men's debts to the value of four or five thousand pounds, driving at the same time a very great trade by selling many things for less than they cost him, to get him custom and blind his creditors' eyes. When he had well feathered his nest with other men's goods and money, after a little while he breaks; while he had by craft and knavery made

so sure of what he had, that his creditors could not touch a penny. He sends mournful, sugared letters to them, desiring them not to be severe with him, for he bore towards all men an honest mind, and would pay them as far as he was able. He talked of the greatness of the taxes, the badness of the times, his losses by bad debts, and he brought them to a composition to take five shillings in the pound. His release was signed and sealed, and Mr. Badman could now put his head out of doors again, and be a better man than when he shut up shop by several thousands of pounds.

Take heed of being offended with magistrates, because by their statutes they may cross thy inclinations. It is given to them to bear the sword, and a command is to thee, if thy heart cannot acquiesce with all things, with meekness and patience to suffer. Discontent in the mind sometimes puts discontent into the mouth; and discontent in the mouth doth sometimes also put a halter about thy neck. For as a man speaking a word in jest may for that be hanged in earnest, so he that speaks in discontent may die for it in sober sadness. Above all, get thy conscience possessed more and more with this, that the magistrate is God's ordinance, and is ordered of God as such; that he is the minister of God to thee for good, and that it is thy duty to fear him and to pray for him, as both Paul and Peter admonish us; and that not only for wrath, but for conscience' sake. For all other arguments come short of binding the soul when this argument is wanting, until we believe that of God we are bound thereto.

I speak not these things as knowing any that are disaffected to the government, for I love to be alone, if not with godly men, in things that are convenient. I speak to show my loyalty to the king, and my love to my fellow-subjects, and my desire that all Christians shall walk in ways of peace and truth.