Preaching the Gospel wherever he came, and exhotting all not to be afraid of afhamed of taking

of theuffelves together, though the Laws were against it, as knowing that God ought to be ob yed before Man. And for fuch as were under Suif rings upon that Score, he made it his particular Care to get and fend Relief to them. He alfo took great Care to vifit the Sick, and to fupport them both externally and internally, accord ing to their Wants, and his Ability. And God fo bleffed his Miniftry, and accompanied it with his fpecial Prefence, that many Souls were brought to the Acknowledgment of the Truth as it is in Jefus.

Cross of Chrift, or to forface the Affem

He was alfo very ready and fuccessful in recon ciling the Differences that were among God's People, wherever he found them; and by that Means often faved many Families from Ruin being an Ambaffador of Peace in every Respect.

He would frequently look back upon toimer Deliverances, and bleffed God; of which tome were exceeding remarkable, and none more fo, than that which I am now going to relater is Be ing a Soldier in the Parliament's Army, at the Siege of Leicefter, in 1645, he was drawn out to ftand Centinel, but another Soldier voluntarily defied to go in his Room; which Mr. Bunyan confenting to, he went; and, as he food Centinel there, was fhot into the Head with a MusketBullet, and died. This was a Deliverance that Mr. Bun an would often mention,, but never without Thanksgiving to God.

He

He was a Man of a piercing Judgment, and had a great Infight into Things as appeared in the late Reign, when Liberty of Confcience was fo unexpectedly given by King James II. to Diffenters of all Perfuafions. He faw it was not out of Kindness to Diffenters that they were fo fuddenly fet at Liberty, and freed from the hard Perfecutions that had fo long lain fo heavily upon them. He acknowledged, That Liberty of Confcience was good, and was every Man's Birthright, by a Divine Charter; but he could not believe it was then. given out of a good End: And that thr bright Sunthine of the prefent Liberty, was but to introduce a tlack Cloud of Slavery upon us, when once the Defigns then laying were ripe for Execution; and therefore exhorted his Congregation at Bedford, and others alfo, to make Ufe of the Ninevites Remedy, to avert the impending Storm.

It was his conftant Practice, when he had his Liberty, to come up once a Year to London, and to preach in feveral Places there; but more particularly in Southwark, near the Faulcon; and his Labours met with a general Acceptance from all his Auditors. And from London he used to ride his Crcuit in the Country, vifiting the Saints, and ftrengthening their Hands in the Ways of God..

In his Family he kept up a daily and conftant Courfe of Prayer, Reading, and Exhortation; inftructing

Aurfe his Children, and exhorting them to

walk in the Ways of God. He had the Bleffing that Agar prayed for, "Neither Poverty nor "Riches;" but God always gave him Food convenient. I once told him of a Gentleman

in

in London, a wealthy Citizen, that would take his Sen Jofeph Apprentice without Money, which might be a great Means to aevance him; but he replied to me, God did not fend him to advance his Family, but to preach the Gospel.

was

The lat Act of his Life was a Labour of Love and Charity: For a young Gentleman, who Mr. Bunyan's Neighbour, having fallen into the Difpleasure of his Father, he defired Mr. Bunyan to be the Inftrument of making up the Breach, which he both undertook, and happily effected. But in his Return to London, being overtaken with exceffive Rains, and coming to his Lodgings very wet, (which was at Mr. Straddock's, Grocer, at the Star upon Snow-Hill) he fell fick of a violent Fever, which he bore with much Conftancy and Patience, refigning himself up to the Will of God, and defiring to be diffolved, that he might be with Chrift, looking upon Life as a Delay of that Bleffednefs which his Soul was afpiring to, and thirfting after: And in this holy Jonging Frame of Spirit, after a Sicknefs of Ten Days, he breathed out his Soul into the Hands of his bleffed Redeemer, following his happy Pilgrim, from the City of Deftruction to the Heavenly Jerufalem. AW

Mr. JOHN BUNYAN,

Who departed this Life, Auguft 17th. 1688, and in the 59th. Year of his Age.,

Written by a Friend of his, &c.

THE Pilgrim travelling the World's vaft Stage,
At laft does end his weary Pilgrimage

He now in pleafant Vallies does fit down,
And for his Toil receives a glorious Groun
The Storms are paft, the Terrors vanish all
Which in his Way did fo affrighting fall.
He grieves not, fighs no more, his Race is run
Successfully, that was fo well begun.

You'll fay be's dead: Alas, he cannot die,
He's only chang'd to Immortality.

Weep not for him who has no Caufe of Tears:

Hufh then your Sighs, and calm your needlefs Fears,

If any Thing in Love to him is meant,
Tread his laft Steps, and your own Sins repent.
If Knowledge of Things here at all remains
Beyond the Grave to pleafe him for his Pains,
And Sufferings in this World, live then upright,
And that will be to him a grateful Sight.
Run fuch a Race, as you again may meet,
And find your Converfation far more fweet;
purg'd

When om Drofs, you shall unmixt poffefs

The purest Effence of Eternal Blifs.