John Bunyan
1628-1688

      The name of John Bunyan is forever linked with the town of Bedford. Bunyan was born in 1628 just outside the village of Elstow, on the outskirts of modern Bedford. His precise birth site is unknown, though it seems likely he was born in a now lost cottage near two fields called "Further Bunyans" and "Bunyans". A plaque on the supposed site of the cottage was erected in 1951.

      He was the son of a tinker, and may well have helped his father in that occupation during his youth. Bunyan reported on his own childhood that he loved to play "tip-cat", a form of rounders, on the village green in Elstow.

      Bunyan fought in the Civil War on the side of Parliament and when the conflict ended he returned to Elstow and married a local woman who's name was probably Mary. He had four children with his first wife, including a girl who was blind from birth.

      It may partly have been this occurrence that led him to question his rowdy lifestyle and search for a deeper sense of meaning in his life. Bunyan began attending a new religious congregation meeting at St. John's Church, Bedford. He became good friends with the pastor, John Gifford.

      When Gifford died, Bunyan took his place as head of the congregation, and he travelled the district preaching, generally out of doors. When the Restoration of the monarchy took place in 1660 preaching was forbidden in an attempt to restrain the growth of Independent Congregations. Bunyan refused to stop preaching, and he was arrested in the village of Samsell. He was tried at Bedford Assizes and ordered held in the County Gaol until he agreed to conform.

      For the next 12 years Bunyan remained in gaol, in generally poor conditions, though he was allowed visitors and occasionally he was allowed out on what we would today consider "day leave". His second wife Elizabeth appeared before the Lord Chief Justice of England, Matthew Hale, to plead for her husband's release, but her appeal was refused.

      Bunyan spent his time in gaol writing a number of books on religious themes, including his biography. Most importantly, he produced the religious allegorical novel, The Pilgrim's Progress, which was eventually published in 1678.

      In 1672 Charles II issued his Declaration of Religious Indulgences, and Bunyan, along with other religious offenders, was released from custody. He bought a barn on Mill Street and converted the building to a home for his Independent Congregation.

      But in 1673 the king was pressured into repealing his Declaration, and Bunyan was cast back into gaol until 1677.

      Bunyan wrote a further 40 books before his death 1n 1688. He is buried in Bunhill Fields, City Road, London.

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1.) A Case of Conscience Resolved
      A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED; VIZ., WHETHER, WHERE A CHURCH OF CHRIST IS SITUATE, IT IS THE DUTY OF THE WOMEN OF THAT CONGREGATION, ORDINARILY, AND BY APPOINTMENT, TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THEIR BRETHREN, AND SO TO ASSEMBLE TOGETHER, TO PERFORM SOME PARTS OF DIVINE WORSHIP, AS PRAYER, ETC., WITHOUT THEIR MEN? AND THE ARGUMENTS MADE USE ...read more

2.) A Few Sighs from Hell
      A Few Sighs from Hell; OR The Groans of a Damned Soul. Luke 16:19-31. here was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: ...read more

3.) Affliction with Patience
      "Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip" (2 Sam. 22:37). I have often thought that the best Christians are found in the worst of times: and I have thought again, that one reason why we are no better, is because God purges us no more. I know these things are against the grain of the flesh, but they are not against th ...read more

4.) Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners - Preface
      A PREFACE, OR BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PUBLISHING OF THIS WORK, WRITTEN BY THE AUTHOR THEREOF, AND DEDICATED TO THOSE WHOM GOD HATH COUNTED HIM WORTHY TO BEGET TO FAITH, BY HIS MINISTRY IN THE WORD. Children, grace be with you, Amen. I being taken from you in presence, and so tied up, that I cannot perform that duty that from God doth lie upon me to ...read more

5.) Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners - Introduction
      GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS: A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID D ...read more

6.) Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners - Part 1
      GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS; OR, A BRIEF RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST, TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN. [BUNYAN'S ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF PREVIOUS TO HIS CONVERSION.] 1. In this my relation of the merciful working of God upon my soul, it will not be amiss, if, in the first place, I do, in a few words, give you a hint ...read more

7.) Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners - Part 2
      [HIS CONVERSION AND PAINFUL EXERCISES OF MIND, PREVIOUS TO HIS JOINING THE CHURCH AT BEDFORD.] 37. But upon a day, the good providence of God did cast me to Bedford, to work on my calling; and in one of the streets of that town, I came where there were three or four poor women sitting at a door in the sun, and talking about the things of God; and ...read more

8.) Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners - Part 3
      [BUNYAN ATTENDS THE MINISTRY OF MR. GIFFORD, AND BECOMES INTENSELY EARNEST TO UNDERSTAND THE DOCTRINES OF THE GOSPEL.] 117. At this time, also, I sat under the ministry of holy Mr. Gifford, whose doctrine, by God's grace, was much for my stability. 30 This man made it much his business to deliver the people of God from all those false and unsound ...read more

9.) Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners - Part 4
      [ENTERS INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT BEDFORD, IN WHICH HE AFTERWARDS BECAME A MINISTERING ELDER.] 253. Now I shall go forward to give you a relation of other of the Lord's dealings with me, of his dealings with me at sundry other seasons, and of the temptations I then did meet withal. I shall begin with what I met with when I first ...read more

10.) Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners - Part 5
      [A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR'S IMPRISONMENT] 318. Having made profession of the glorious gospel of Christ a long time, and preached the same about five years, I was apprehended at a meeting of good people in the country, among whom, had they let me alone, I should have preached that day, but they took me away from amongst them, and had me before ...read more

11.) Light
      "And God said, Let there be light" (Gen. 1:3). This is the first thing with which God began the order of the creation; to wit, light, 'Let there be light:' From which many profitable notes may be gathered, as to the order of God in the salvation of the soul. As, . . . When the Holy Ghost worketh upon us, and in us, in order to a new creat ...read more

12.) Mr. John Bunyan's Dying Sayings - OF AFFLICTION
      Nothing can render affliction so insupportable as the load of sin; would you, therefore, be fitted for afflictions, be sure to get the burden of your sins laid aside, and then what afflictions soever you may meet with will be very easy to you. If thou canst hear and bear the rod of affliction which God shall lay upon thee, remember this lesson ...read more

13.) Mr. John Bunyan's Dying Sayings - OF DEATH AND JUDGMENT.
      As the devil labours by all means to keep out other things that are good, so to keep out of the heart as much as in him lies, the thoughts of passing from this life into another world; for he knows if he can but keep them from the serious thoughts of death, he shall the more easily keep them in their sins. Nothing will make us more earnest in ...read more

14.) Mr. John Bunyan's Dying Sayings - OF PRAYER.
      Before you enter into prayer, ask thy soul these questions--1. To what end, O my soul, art thou retired into this place? Art thou not come to discourse the Lord in prayer? Is he present; will he hear thee? Is he merciful; will he help thee? Is thy business slight; is it not concerning the welfare of thy soul? What words wilt thou use to move him to ...read more

15.) Mr. John Bunyan's Dying Sayings - OF REPENTANCE AND COMING TO CHRIST
      The end of affliction is the discovery of sin, and of that to bring us to a Saviour. Let us therefore. with the prodigal, return unto him, and we shall find ease and rest. A repenting penitent, though formerly as bad as the worst of men, may, by grace, become as good as the best. To be truly sensible of sin is to sorrow for displeasing of ...read more

16.) Mr. John Bunyan's Dying Sayings - OF SIN
      Sin is the great block and bar to our happiness, the Procurer of all miseries to man, both here and hereafter. Take away sin, and nothing can hurt us; for death, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, is the wages of it. Sin, and man for sin, is the object of the wrath of God. How dreadful, therefore, must his case be who continues in sin! For who ca ...read more

17.) Mr. John Bunyan's Dying Sayings - OF SUFFERING.
      It is not every suffering that makes a martyr, but suffering for the word of God after a right manner; that is, not only for righteousness, but for righteousness' sake; not only for truth, but out of love to truth; not only for God's word, but according to it; to wit, in that holy, humble, meek manner, as the word of God requireth. It is a rar ...read more

18.) Mr. John Bunyan's Dying Sayings - OF THE JOYS OF HEAVEN.
      There is no good in this life but what is mingled with some evil; honours perplex, riches disquiet, and pleasures ruin health. But in heaven we shall find blessings in their purity, without any ingredient to embitter, with everything to sweeten them. O! who is able to conceive the inexpressible, inconceivable joys that are there? None but they ...read more

19.) Mr. John Bunyan's Dying Sayings - OF THE LORD'S DAY, SERMONS, AND WEEK DAYS.
      Have a special care to sanctify the Lord's day; for as thou keepest it, so it will be with thee all the week long. Make the Lord s day the market for thy soul; let the whole day be spent in prayer, repetitions, or meditations; lay aside the affairs of the other part of the week; let thy sermon thou hast heard be converted into prayer. Shall Go ...read more