church, from small livings to greater, and from lower dignities to higher; Bunyan's relation of the disputes between Bye-ends and Christian on this subject, gave offence. Bye-ends had thought, that a man seeking preferment, implied a desire of greater usefulness, for it enlarged his sphere of action; filled his pockets, that he might be more charitable; and though he might, for the accomplishment of those laudable purposes, accommodate himself to the times, and not to be so strict in point of doctrines; yet they would only shew that he was of a very self-denying temper, and of a sweet winning disposition. Christian, on the other hand, contended, that such a conduct was condemned by the Lord, who told those Jews that followed him into the wilderness, they did it only to eat of the loaves. John vi. 26; and that it was making religion a stalking-horse for gain; and such, according to scripture, as none but heathens and pharisees; and the like were distinguished for. And he made instance of the same, by referring to Hamor. Gen. xxxiv. and to the pharisees in our Lord's days, who made long prayers, and wished to be thought very holy, but whose real object was to devour widow's houses. Luke xx. He also remarked the case of Judas, Jolin xiii. 29, and Simon Magus, Acts viii. 18, 19. But it doth not seem probable, that Bunyan's imprisonment could be extended for what was parabolical.

The close of Bunyan's lifeis said to have been truly blessed. As he lived, so he died; triumphant in the faith; on the 12th of August, 1688, at the house of a friend, in London, being in his 60th year. He was buried in Bunhill Fields burying-ground, made memorable as the cemetery of many of the saints of God.

THE

FOR

HIS BOOK.

WHEN 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 1, 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 shew 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 1;
I did it my ownself 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 pull'd, it came; and so I penn'd
It down; until at last it came to be,

For length and breadth, the bigness which you see,

Well, when I bad thus put my ends together, I shew'd them others, that 1 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 I was in a strait, and did not see
Which was the best thing to be done by me:
At last I thought, since ye 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 them who advised for the best, Thus I thought fit to put it to the test.

I farther 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 h;
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 a bone.
Yea, that I might them better moderate,
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 their 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 blessing 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 does the fowler seek to catch his game
By divers means? all which one cannot name!
His gun, his net, 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 on 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.