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This treatise is one of those ten distinct works, which the authorhad prepared for the press, when he was so suddenly summoned tothe Celestial City. Well did his friends in the ministry, EbenezerChandler and John Wilson, call it "an excellent manuscript,calculated to assist the Christian that would grow in grace, andto win others over to Jesus Christ."
It was first published, with a selection of Bunyan's Works in afolio volume, in 1692, about four years after the author's decease;and although it is a treatise exhibiting very deep research andcalculated for extensive usefulness, it does not appear ever tohave been published as a separate volume. Like all other of hisworks, it is original; no one before him treated this subjectwith such profound depth of thought, nor with such clear Christianphilosophy.
The revered John Bunyan proves in this, as in all other of hisworks, that he was a real and not a pretended descendant from theapostles,—he breathes their spirit—he knew his Master's work, andfaithfully discharged his solemn requirements. His object was aspure as it was apparent; to preach not himself, but Christ Jesushis Lord. One desire appears to have influenced him in writingall his works—that of shrinking back and hiding himself behindhis Master, while exhibiting the unsearchable, Divine, eternalriches of His grace.
This treatise is admirably adapted to warn the thoughtless—breakthe stony heart—convince the wavering—cherish the younginquirer—strengthen the saint in his pilgrimage, and arm himfor the good fight of faith—and comfort the dejected, doubting,despairing Christian. It abounds with ardent sympathy for thebroken-hearted, a cordial suited to every wounded conscience;while, at the same time, it thunders in awful judgment upon theimpenitent and the hypocritical professor: wonders of grace toGod belong, for all these blessings form but a small part of theunsearchable riches.
The reader should keep in his recollection, that this treatise wasoriginally conceived for the pulpit; and afterwards, probably withgreat additions, written for the press. This will account for thedivisions and sub-divisions, intended to assist a hearer's memory;or to enable a ready writer, by taking notes of each part, to digestprayerfully in private, what he had heard in the public ministryof the word,—a practice productive of great good to individuals,and by which families may be much profited while conversing uponthe truths publicly taught in the church; instead of what Bunyanwould have justly called, frothy conversation about the dress orappearances of their fellow-worshippers.
This discourse has been published in every edition of the works ofour great author, but, most strangely, the references to Scriptureare omitted in all the editions since that of 1737. Bunyan's anxietyat every step of this momentous inquiry is to shew a "thus saiththe Lord," in proof of every assertion. In this