Commentary
When you hear the name Bunyan, who comes to mind? Some immediately reply, ‘Paul Bunyan, of course’, the legendary fictional character. But that is not who we have in mind here. John Bunyan was a 17th century man in history, who became perhaps one of the most legendary Puritan writers of all time. He certainly wrote the most widely read book of all time, The Pilgrim’s Progress, which became the best-selling book in all English literature, second only to the Bible.
Though Bunyan became a Baptist pastor and suffered persecution, including twelve and a half years in jail as a non-conformist, my focus here is on his spiritual genius as a writer. I want to focus on Bunyan being one of the most prolific Puritans of the seventeenth century, and without doubt, one of the most popular Christian writers in all of church history. But before that, let’s think of his meager beginnings and his conversion.
John was born in November of 1628 near Bedford, England, about 46 miles north of Buckingham Palace in London. The son of a working mechanic in the village of Elstow, near Bedford, John grew into a wicked lifestyle of cursing, lying, carnality and blasphemy. His parents do not appear to have been able to counteract his wicked living. Finally, the Holy Spirit began a work of regeneration in his soul, which Bunyan later characterized as a ‘long, solemn, and awful work’, meaning there were tortuous years of conviction, marked by mental and spiritual agonies, deep doubts, and nightmares. John Ryland later gave a description of Bunyan’s character before his conversion: “A very worthless and wicked man, a sinner of the baser sort, a most abandoned swearer, a Sabbath breaker, and outrageous rebel against God and against all that was good in heaven and earth, a man who took more pains to be damned than most professors ever take to be saved.”
It took years to bring about his soul’s preparation by the Spirit’s work of bringing new life and a new heart within him. It came about in the most unexpected way. One day as he was about his daily work of selling his wares in the village, he overheard the conversation of two Christian women speaking of God’s work in their hearts. Bunyan later said, “When I had heard and considered what they said, I left them and went about my employment again, but their talk and discourse went with me.” This began at least two years of deep conviction and religious temptations for Bunyan until God, in his mercy, opened his eyes to see the true way of salvation.
Bunyan lived in times when it was a very costly reality to be a true follower of Christ. After 12 years of imprisonment, he wrote, “I have determined, the Almighty God being my help and shield, yet to suffer if frail life might continue so long, even until the moss shall grow upon my eyebrows rather than violate my faith and principles” (Fearless Pilgrim: The Life and Times of John Bunyan: Faith Cook, Evangelical Press, 2008, p. 15).
Bunyan’s preaching became renown far and wide. Even his friend, the great John Owen, would go to hear the tinker preach when possible, unashamedly saying later that he would trade all his intellectual prowess to preach like Bunyan. A young man, Charles Doe, had become burdened about his spiritual condition, and went to hear Bunyan preach. All fear and caution disappeared quickly: “Mr. Bunyan preached so New Testament-like that he made me admire and weep for joy; he was the first man I ever heard preach to my unenlightened understanding and experience, his being full of the love of God” (Fearless Pilgrim, Faith Cook, p. 19).
Although Bunyan became a pastor and shepherd to God’s people, it is his ministry of writing that is remembered more than anything else; it is that aspect of his life that I am addressing in this brief memoir of him. Bunyan wrote a total of 57 books, any of which Puritan readers will find wonderfully rich and edifying. I have told younger men many times that to read slowly and prayerfully all of Bunyan’s works would make anyone a true pastoral theologian and a deeper devotee to Jesus Christ. As someone once said, “Sell all your shoes if you have to in order to buy John Bunyan’s books.” It’s a different way of saying that investing in his writings will reap rich spiritual dividends and will be time very well spent.
Bunyan is most well-known for his famous allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Parts I and II, which have been translated into nearly 300 languages, second only to the Bible. While his books include a few great allegories (click here for our review his allegory The Holy War), the great majority of his works are evangelistic, pastoral, and doctrinal in nature.
For those who are unfamiliar with his writings, where does one begin to read Bunyan? One might say The Pilgrim’s Progress because of its fame and profound lessons on the Christian life and pilgrimage. But generally speaking, for the beginner, that would likely be a mistake. Perhaps a better approach would be such evangelistic works as Some Gospel Truths Opened, A Few Sighs from Hell, A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith, and Light for Them that sit in Darkness.
One can then move on to such treasures as The Pilgrim’s Progress, Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ, The Fear of God, The Greatness of the Soul, A Holy Life, the Beauty of Christianity, and Advice to Suffers.
It is remarkable that during 1687-88, Bunyan prolifically produced ten books over the two years, five of which were published in 1688* (Faith Cook—Fearless Pilgrim: The Life and Times of John Bunyan, p. 432-33). These ten books were not short pamphlets, but some were of considerable length. I chose just a sprinkling of titles here to recommend the reading of the master tinker/Puritan preacher and author, Mr. Bunyan.
The Water of Life, published in 1688, was a series of sermons based on Revelation 22:17 – “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” To Bunyan, this was a classic text of gospel invitation, offering the free grace of God through Christ’s mercy to sinners. It represents, as Faith Cook stated, “A life-theme of Bunyan, a river of grace abounding to even the chief of sinners.” Regarding the flowing stream of the water of life, Bunyan stated, “If thou canst swim, here you may do as the fishes in the sea do; no need for thou to fear drowning in this river; it will bear thee up and carry thee over the highest hills, as Noah’s water did carry the ark.” The sermons carry the timeless and urgent evangelistic call for all men to avail themselves freely of the free gospel of God’s grace available to all who will turn in repentance and faith to Jesus Christ as God’s only way of salvation.
The Acceptable Sacrifice (also known as The Excellency of a Broken Heart) is another Bunyan classic, published in 1689. It is based on Psalm 51, drawing from David’s repentant heart. This book has been considered one of Bunyan’s most moving among his lesser-known books, which is very pastoral: “Bunyan is anxious that Christians should remain sensitive to the Spirit of God, whose work it is to convict of sin; here Bunyan says, ‘Take heed that you choke not those convictions that at present do break your hearts’” (Fearless Pilgrim, p 439).
Of Justification by an Imputed Righteousness is one of the more important doctrinal treatises found among Bunyan’s papers that was published four years after his death in 1692. Bunyan saw as clearly as any reformed author in history the vital doctrine that salvation rests upon—that man has no righteousness of his own and therefore can only become right with God through the righteousness of another, Jesus Christ, who died in the place of sinners. Christ’s righteousness is indeed ‘an alien righteousness’, that is, it is outside of ourselves and comes to us from God Himself through Christ’s death and resurrection.
Sadly, multitudes vainly imagine that this can be attained by our partial obedience. But Bunyan was convinced that the sinner’s only hope was the imputation of Christ’s own righteousness being put to our account, which alone can justify us from all things, and without which we must perish. Bunyan’s clear and precise treatment of the means of justification can be a primary source of establishing any new or untaught Christian concerning what their assurance of salvation is based upon.
In a day of blogs, podcasts, and a multitude of resources, many of which are shallow and man-centered, the reading of John Bunyan slowly and prayerfully can prove to be a transformational means of Christian growth and theological solidity. So with all thy reading, please read Bunyan!
Recommended Bunyan Reading
* Below is the complete bibliography of John Bunyan’s books with dates of publication; this was originally Appendix IV in Faith Cook’s book, The Fearless Pilgrim: The Life and Times of John Bunyan) published by Evangelical Press, 2008. Those in bold are recommended essentials by Read the Puritans.
Some Gospel Truths Opened, 1656
Vindication of Some Gospel Truths Opened, 1657
A Few Sighs from Hell, 1658
The Doctrine of Law and Grace Unfolded, 1659
Profitable Meditations, 1661
A Discourse Touching Prayer, 1663
Christian Behaviour, 1663
A map showing the order of salvation, 1664
The Holy City, 1665
One Thing is Needful (poem), 1665
The Resurrection of the Dead, 1665
Ebal and Gerizim (poem), 1665
Prison Meditations (poem), 1665
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, 1666
A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith, 1672
A Confession of my Faith, 1672
Differences in Judgment no bar to Communion, 1673
The Barren Fig-tree, 1673
Peaceable Principles and True, 1674
Light for Them that sit in Darkness, 1674
Instruction for the Ignorant, 1675
The Strait Gate, 1676
Saved by Grace, 1676
The Pilgrim’s Progress Part 1, 1678
Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ, 1678
A Treatise on the Fear of God, 1679
The Life and Death of Mr. Badman, 1680
The Holy War, 1682
The Greatness of the Soul, 1683
A Case of Conscience Resolved, 1683
A Holy Life, the Beauty of Christianity, 1684
The Pilgrim’s Progress Part II, 1684
Advice to Suffers, 1684
Caution to Watch against Sin, 1684
The Pharisee and the Publican, 1685
Questions of the Seventh Day Sabbath, 1685
A Book for Boys and Girls (poem), 1686
Solomon’s Temple Spiritualized, 1688
The Water of Life, 1688
Discourse of the House of God, 1688
The Jerusalem Sinner Saved or Good News for the Vilest of Men, 1688
The Work of Jesus Christ as Advocate, 1688
The Acceptable Sacrifice or the Excellency of a Broken Heart, 1689
Last Sermon, 1689
The Desire of the Righteous Granted, 1692
The Saints’ Knowledge of Christ’s Love, 1692
Of Justification by Imputed Righteousness, 1692
Paul’s Departure and Crown, 1692
Israel’s Hope Encouraged, 1692
Of Antichrist and his Ruin, 1692
An Exposition of Genesis 1-10, 1692
The Saints’ Privilege and Profit, 1692
Christ a Complete Saviour, 1692
Discourse of the House of Forest of Lebanon, 1692
Of the Trinity, 1692
The Heavenly Footman, 1698
A Relation of the Imprisonment of Mr John Bunyan, 1765
Two books attributed to Bunyan in all likelihood were not actually written by him. An Exhortation to Peace and Unity was definitely not authored by the tinker and it is highly unlikely that Reprobation Asserted was written by him.
The Complete Works of John Bunyan are available through the Banner of Truth Trust Publishers.
