John Bunyan
1628-1688
John Bunyan became one of the most influential authors of the seventeenth century. Few writers in history have left such a wealth of Christ-centered writings.
1628 John Bunyan was born at Elstow, England, about a mile from Bedford.
1644 Drafted into the Parlimentary army
1649 Marries first wife
1651 Bunyan comes under ministry of John Gifford
1651-1653 Conversion: His first lasting conviction of sin was produced by a sermon denouncing the violation of the Lord’s Day by labor, sports, or otherwise–because his greatest enjoyment came from sports on the Lord’s Day. Some time later while passing through the streets of Bedford, Bunyan heard “three or four poor women” sitting at a door, “talking about the new birth, the work of God in their hearts, and the way by which they were convinced of their miserable state by nature. They told how God had visited their souls with His love in Christ Jesus, and with what words and promises they had been refreshed, comforted, and supported against the temptations of the devil.” From these pious women Bunyan learned to despise sin and to hunger for the Savior. Later, while passing into the fields, he recounts, “This sentence fell upon my soul, ‘Thy righteousness is in heaven’…for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Then “his chains fell off,” and he went home rejoicing.
1653 Bunyan was baptized by immersion by Pastor John Gifford of Bedford and called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
1656 First preaches in public
1656 Publishes Some Gospel Truths Opened
1658 First wife dies; left with four children
1659 Marries Elizabeth
1660 Bunyan was arrested November 12, 1660, for preaching without the approval of the Anglican Church. He was charged with “teaching men to worship God contrary to the law” and was in jail until 1672 (more than twelve years).
1666 Bunyan’s moving testimony of his conversion is published in his Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.
1672 Called as pastor of Bedford church (Jan. 21)
1672 Released from prison
1672 Licensed as Congregational preacher (May 9)
1675 Warrant issued for Bunyan’s arrest
1677 Imprisoned for six months for not attending parish church
1678 Pilgrim’s Progress: Part 1, published. Bunyan’s most well-known work was written while in the Bedford jail. During Bunyan’s lifetime there were 100,000 copies circulated in the British isles, besides several editions in North America. It has been continuously in print since its first printing. Bunyan’s remarkable imagery was firmly rooted in the Reformation doctrines of man’s fallen nature, grace, imputation, justification, and the atonement–all of which Bunyan seems to have derived directly from Scripture.
1682 Holy War published
1684 Pilgrim’s Progress: Part 2, Christiana, published
1688 Bunyan dies
1692 Elizabeth dies
The Collected Works of John Bunyan was carefully edited by George Offor, first published in 1853 and revised in 1862 and 1875. These files are from those later Offor editions.
“Mr. Offor gave himself as enthusiastically to the work of editing his favorite author” as any before him, and “with more complete success…He must always receive grateful mention among the lovers of Bunyan for the immense pains he bestowed upon his work.”
– John Brown, 1885.
John Bunyan’s Works
Some say that Bunyan’s famous allegory about Pilgrim’s journey to the Celestial City has been second only to the Bible itself in the number of copies sold worldwide over the three and a half centuries since it was first published. Sadly, much of what Bunyan wrote has been forgotten. Included here are all Bunyan’s Works as edited by George Offor.
