Also for this, thine

eye

is now upon,

The matter in this manner came from none

But the same heart, and head, fingers, and pen,

As did the others. Witness all good men :

For none in all the world, without a lie,
Can say that this is mine, excepting I.
I write not this of any ostentation,
Nor 'cause I seek of men their commendation;
I do it to keep them from such surmise,
As tempt them will my name to scandalize
Witness my name, if anagram'd to thee,
The letters make Nu hony in a B.

JOHN BUNYAN.

PREFACE

BY THE

EDITOR OF THIS WORK

MR. BUNYAN was a wonderful man. Called by divine grace out of a state of ignorance, vice, and obscurity, he became, without the aid of human culture, a most useful minister of the gospel, and a very eminent writer:-a writer so eminent, that, though he has been dead more than a century, his works still live, and are deservedly popular; particularly his allegorical works-the Pilgrim's Progress, and the Holy War. Few books have ever been so often printed, or so much admired as the former. In that charming work, the christian life is represented under the figure of a journey, and the pilgrim is conducted, through a thousand remarkable incidents, from his native city of Destruction, to Heaven the city of God. In the Holy War, the same subject is treated in a military manner. The fall and recovery of man are represented by two remarkable revolutions in the town of MAN

SOUL.

The human soul is figuratively considered as a beautiful and prosperous town, seduced from its obedience to Shaddai, its builder and governor, by the stratagems of Diabolus his inveterate enemy; but the town, after a tedious war, is again recovered by the victorious arms of Immanuel, the king's son. This military view of the subject is strictly consonant with the sacred scriptures, which represent the christian life as a warfare, Christ as a captain, the believer as a soldier of Jesus Christ, the preaching of the gospel as the weapons of the holy war, and the graces of the Spirit as so many parts of the heavenly armour. Mr. Bunyan was better qualified than most ministers to treat this subject with propriety, having himself been a soldier; and knowing, by experience, the arts and the hardships of war. Indeed, he has conducted the whole work with singular ingenuity and skill. He displays throughout, his accurate knowledge of the Bible and its distinguishing doctrines; his deep acquaintance with the heart, and its desperate wickedness; his knowledge of the devices of Satan, and of the prejudices of the carnal mind against the gospel. He proves himself to have had an extensive knowledge of christian experience, of the

1

power of conscience, of the excellency of faith, of the misery arising from doubts and fears, of the danger of carnal-security, and of the necessity of crucifying the flesh, with its affections and lusts. The grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ are sweetly delineated in the character of his Immanuel; and the powerful influences of the holy spirit are finely described in the character of the Secretary. A vast fund of experimental religion is treasured up in this book; while the instruction is conveyed in the form of entertainment and amusement; and occasionally, a smile excited by the singular propriety of the unu sual names assigned to the numerous characters introduced.

To render this edition of the Holy War more agreeable than any former one, the same method is pursued as in the Editor's edition of the Pilgrim's Progress. The work is divided into chapters of a moderate length, an improvement which this work certainly wanted. Proper pauses are necessary to relieve the attention of the reader, as well as to allow time for reflection, and to assist the memory. A considerable number of explanatory and practical notes are subjoined, intended to

render the author's design more conspicuous; to impress a useful hint which might otherwise be passed over too hastily; and to point out some of those latent beauties, which might else escape a cursory reader. In attempting this, the Editor has availed himself of the author's marginal key, with which he has endeavoured to unlock every division of the curious cabinet, and to expose the valuable contents. From the very favourable reception which his edition of the Pilgrim has obtained from the public, he entertains a hope that the present volume, printed uniformly with it, may prove equally acceptable and useful.

Coventry, Jan. 13, 1803.

GEO. BURDER.