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granted to Bunyan, the house of Josiah Roughed, | It was soon after the discovery of the Popish Bedford, was licensed by his Majesty's command, plot, when this letter was carried to the bishop, for the use of such as do not conform to the who having read it, desired "a little time to conChurch of England. In this John Bunyan was sider of it, and if I can do it, you may be assured authorised to teach, or in any other licensed place.1 of my readiness." He was waited upon again These were among the first licenses that were in about a fortnight, and his answer was, "I granted. The present highly-respected pastor of would desire you to move the Lord Chancellor the church considers that this license does not refer in the case, and, upon his order, I will do it." to Roughed's private dwelling, but rather to 'an edi- To which it was replied, "this method would be fice or a barn, purchased of Robert Crompton, Esq., chargeable, and the man was poor, not able to with a piece of ground adjoining it,' in the parishes expend so much money; and, being satisfied he of St. Paul and Cuthbert, for £50, in 1672, by could do it legally, it was hoped his Lordship Roughed, Bunyan, Fenn, and others, and which was would remember his promise, there being no strainreleased by Fenn to Bunyan and others, November ing a point in the case. But he would do it upon 10, 1681, two days before Fenn's death. This no other terms, which at last was done, and the building having been properly fitted up by volun- poor man released." And for this we are told tary contribution, became permanently occupied by that "Mr Bunyan returned him his unfeigned the church as its place of meeting, until the old thanks, and often remembered him in his prayers, chapel was erected in 1707. From this we may as, next to God, his deliverer." The whole of conclude that Bunyan was engaged in his worldly this story, so far as it relates to Bunyan, is not occupation as a brazier, in the year that he ob- only improbable, but utterly impossible. tained his release from prison, and to 1681. yan was never excommunicated, and he was cerHow utterly contemptible does any Government tainly released from prison two or three years become when they tamper with spiritual worship. previous to Dr. Barlow becoming a bishop. The At one period they punished Dissenters with im- critical times to which he alludes, refer doubtprisonment, transportation, and, to use Judge less to the Popish plot, which took place in 1678, Keeling's elegant expression in his sentence on Bunyan having been released in 1672. The Bunyan, to stretch by the neck for it;' and anon, probability is, that Dr. Owen did about 1678 the very same Government, under the same king, apply to the bishop of Lincoln for the release of gives them license to dissent! Human laws affect- some poor prisoner under sentence of excommuniing religion can never be the standard of morality; cation, it being his province to release such prito read the Bible is considered to be sin in Tus- soners upon their making peace with the Church. cany, and righteousness in Britain. The release If this person was a friend of Bunyan's, his prayers of this great and pious man from his tedious im- for the bishop, and acknowledgments for this act prisonment, has been hitherto involved in a cloud of kindness, are readily accounted for. That of mystery, which it will be our happiness to Barlow had nothing to do with Bunyan's release disperse, while we record that event in a clear, is now perfectly clear; because all, even the miindisputable narrativo of facts. His earlier bio-nutest particulars relative to it, have been discographer, Mr. Doe, not having access to archives vered. This is a very romantic history, and neceswhich the lapse of time has now rendered avail-sarily leads us back to the battle of Worcester. able, attributed his release to the influence of Bishop Barlow, by the interference of Dr. Owen. It is narrated in the life of Dr. Owen, published in 1721 : The doctor had some friends also among the bishops, Dr. Barlow, formerly his tutor, then bishop of Lincoln, who yet upon a special occasion failed him, when he might have expected the service of his professed friendship. The case was this, Mr. John Bunyan had been confined to a jail twelve years, upon an excommunication for Nonconformity. Now there was a law, that if any two persons will go to the bishop of the diocese, and offer a cautionary bond, that the prisoner shall conform in half a year, the bishop may release him upon that bond; whereupon a friend of this poor man desired Dr. Owen to give him his letter to the bishop in his behalf, which he readily granted.

▲ For a copy of these licenses, sce vol. iii., p. 24.

At this battle, the republicans were numerous, well disciplined, and led by experienced officers; the royal army was completely routed, and its leaders, who survived the battle, were subject to the scverest privations. Charles found refuge at Boscobel House, and, disguised as a woodcutter, was hid in an oak. His adventures and hair-breadth escapes fill a volume:—the parliament offered one thousand pounds reward for his apprehension. At length, after wandering in various disguises forty days, he arrived at Brighton, then a small fishing town, and here his friends succeeded in hiring a fishing boat to take him to France. Numerous histories of this extraordinary escape were published, but no two of them agree, excepting that, to please the king, all the credit was given to Roman Catholics. Of these narratives, that by Dr. Lingard has the strangest blunder. When they left Shore

tion naturally arises why so debauched and dis- | event reflects no ordinary degree of honour upon solute a king should prefer such tight-laced Chris- the Society of Friends, at whose sole charge, and tians to be the peculiar objects of his mercy. The entirely by their own exertions, this great deed reason is perfectly obvious, he owed his life to one of benevolence was begun, carried on, and comof their members, who, however poor as to this pleted. It is difficult to ascertain the exact duraworld, possessed those riches of piety which pre- tion of this sad imprisonment, because we canvented his taking any personal reward for an act not discover any record of the day of his release. of duty. Shade of the noble sailor, thy name, His imprisonment commenced November 13, 1660, Richard Carver, is worthy of all honour! And the and his pardon under the great seal is dated Sepmore so, because thy gallant bearing has been tember 13, 1672. As the pardon included nearly studiously concealed in all the histories of these 500 sufferers, it occupied some time to obtain offiimportant transactions. Had he been a mischief- cial duplicates to be exhibited at the assizes and making Jesuit, like Father Huddleston, his noble sessions for the various counties. A letter from deed would have been trumpeted forth for the ad- E. Hooks to Mrs. Fox intimates that none were miration of the world in all ages. His name was released on the 1st November 1672. Another left to perish in oblivion, because he was of a de- letter shows that the Bedfordshire prisoners were spised sect. It is an honour to Christianity that discharged before January 10, 1673;2 confirma labouring man preferred the duty of saving the ing Bunyan's own account, published by him in life of a human being, and that of an enemy, to the Grace Abounding, 1680, that his imprisonment gaining so easily heaps of glittering gold. And lasted complete twelve years.3 when all the resources of royalty were ready munificently to reward him, he, like Moses, preferred the rescue of his suffering friends to personal honours or emoluments-even to all the riches of England! The efforts of Carver and Moore were followed by most earnest appeals for mercy by George Whitehead, who with Moore appeared before the king in council several times, until at length the royal word sanctioned this act of mercy. The Quakers were then appealed to by sufferers of other denominations, and advised them to obtain the permission of the king in council, that their names might be inserted in the deed; rendering them all the assistance that was in their power. Great difficulties were encountered in passing the cumbrous deed through the various offices, and then in pleading it in all parts of the country. The number of Quakers thus released from imprisonment was 471, being about the same number as those who had perished in the jails. The rest of the prisoners liberated by this deed were Baptists and Independents, and among the former was JOHN BUNYAN.

A very circumstantial narrative of these proceedings, copies of the minutes of the privy council, and other documents, will be found in the introduction to The Pilgrim's Progress.1 One of these official papers affords an interesting subject of study to an occasional conformist. It is the return of the sheriff of Bedfordshire, stating that ALL the sufferings of Bunyan-his privation of liberty, sacrifice of wife, children, and temporal comforts, with the fear of an ignominious death were for refusing to attend his parish church and hear the Common Prayer service.

When it is considered that Bunyan was very severe in his remarks upon the Quakers, the 1 Vol. iii., pp. 21–29.

During the latter period of his imprisonment, probably from the time of his receiving the royal license to preach, May 15, 1672, he enjoyed extraordinary liberty-visiting those who had been kind to his family, and preaching in the surrounding counties. An entry in the records of the city of Leicester proves that he was there, and claimed the liberty of preaching-John Bunyan's license bears date the 15th of May 1672, to teach as a Congregational person, being of that persuasion, in the house of Josias Roughed, Bedford, or in any other place, room, or house, licensed by his Majestie's memorand. The said Bunyan shewed his license to Mr. Mayor, Mr. Overinge, Mr. Freeman, and Mr. Browne, being then present, the 6th day of October, 1672, that being about two months before his final release from jail.'*

His first object, upon recovering his liberty, appears to have been the proper arrangement of his worldly business, that he might provide for the wants of his family, a matter of little difficulty with their frugal habits. He, at the same time, entered with all his soul into his beloved work of

preaching and writing, to set forth the glories of Immanuel. The testimony of one who was his

true friend and long acquaintance,' is, that one of the first fruits of his liberation was to visit those who had assisted him and comforted his family during his incarceration, encouraging those who were in fear of a prison, and collecting means of assistance to those who still remained prisoners; travelling even to remote counties to effect these merciful objects.5

While the premises occupied by Mr. Roughed were being converted into a capacious meeting* Vol. iii., p. 27. 3 Vol. i., p. 47; No. 313. Jukes' History of Bunyan's Church, p. 24. Continuation of Life to Grace Abounding.

house, the pastor was indefatigable in visiting the sick, and preaching from house to house, settling churches in the villages, reconciling differences, and extending the sacred influences of the gospel, so that in a very short time he attained the appellation of Bishop Bunyan-a title much better merited by him than by the downy prelates who sent him to jail for preaching that which they ought to have preached.

He formed branch churches at Gamlingay, Hawnes, Cotton-end, and Kempston, in connection with that at Bedford. When he opened the new meeting-house, it was so thronged that many were constrained to stay without, though it was very spacious, every one striving to partake of Lis instructions. Here he lived, in much peace

1

duties, and his benevolent pursuits. His peaceful course was interrupted by a severe controversy with the Christian world upon the subject of communion at the Lord's Table, which had commenced while he was in prison. He would admit none but those who, by a godly conversation, brought forth fruits meet for repentance, nor dared he to refuse any who were admitted to spiritual communion with the Redeemer. Every sect which celebrated the Lord's Supper, fenced the table round with ritual observances, except the Baptist church at Bedford, which stood preeminent for non-sectarianism. A singular proof of this is, that the catechism called Instruction for the Ignorant, written and published by Bunyan, is admirably adapted for the use, not only of his own church, but of Christians of all denominations.

His spirit was greatly refreshed by finding that his precept and example had been blessed to his son Thomas. On the 6th of the 11th month, 1673, he passed the lions, and was welcomed into the house called Beautiful, uniting in full communion with his father's church. There doubtless was, as Mercy expresses it, music in the house, music in the heart, and music also in heaven, for joy that he was here.'2 wards became a village preacher.

He after

Bunyan was by no means a latitudinarian. No one felt greater decision than he did for the truths of our holy faith. When his Lord's desigu in Christianity was, as he thought, perverted by a beneficed clergyman, then he sent forth from his prison an answer as from a son of thunder, even at the risk of his life. His love for the and quiet of mind, contenting himself with that little God had bestowed upon him, and sequester- his aversion to sectarian titles. pure doctrines of the gospel was as decided as As for those ing himself from all secular employments to follow factious titles of Anabaptists, Independents, Presthat of his call to the ministry. The word 'seques-byterians, or the like, I conclude that they came tering' would lead us to conclude, that his busi- neither from Jerusalem, nor from Antioch, but ness was continued by his family, under his care, rather from hell and Babylon, for they naturally but so as to allow him much time for his Christian tend to divisions.' The only title that he loved was that of Christian. It is strange to see how men are wedded to their own opinions, beyond what the law of grace and love will admit. Here is a Presbyter-here an Independent and a Baptist, so joined each man to his own opinions, that they cannot have that communion one with another as by the testament of the Lord Jesus they are commanded and enjoined.'* The meaning which he attached to the word 'sectarian' is very striking-Pharisees are sectarians, they who in Divine worship turn aside from the rule of the written Word, and in their manner do it to be seen of men-these are sectaries." Bunyan was most decided as to the importance of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Do you think that love

1 It is generally believed at Bedford, that, after Bunyan was imprisoned, his family removed from Elstow to Bedford, in order that they might have more frequent access to him; and ing was much like that of his father at Elstow, most unassuming; just such a cottage as a poor wounded sinner would feel at home in when visiting his pastor for advice. The late Rev. J. Geard, of Hitchin, in his Diary, says July 17, 1774. I preached, for the first time, at Bedford, to the successors of good Mr. Bunyan's congregation, and the next day called at the house where he used to live, and went into the room that tradition reported was his study. This house, though it had been the habitation of so truly great a man, was now let for about 40s. per annum.' Allowing for the difference in the value of money, Bunyan would have now paid 16s. a-year rent for his humble abode. It will be always matter of regret, that it was not purchased and preserved by the members of the 'Old Meeting,' when it was offered them before its destruction; we procured, however, a drawing of it, which is here engraved. The cottage was in the parish of St. Cuthbert, in the street opposite the meeting-house, and here Bunyan lived, while he was pastor, from 1681 to 1688.

that, on his release, he made his abode there. His humble dwell