Pilgrim’s Progress, The Holy War & Other Works – Bunyan (1859)

S$192.00

Pilgrim’s Progress, The Holy War & Other Works – Bunyan (1859)

S$192.00

Title: The Pilgrim’s Progress; The Holy War; and other Selected Works, with the Life of the Author Written by Himself
Author: John Bunyan, Rev R Maguire (expository lectures)
Publisher: The London Printing and Publishing Company Limited, exact date unkn

SKU: pilgrims-progress-holy-war-bunyan Categories: ,

Title: The Pilgrim’s Progress; The Holy War; and other Selected Works, with the Life of the Author Written by Himself (2 volumes, complete)
Author: John Bunyan, Rev R Maguire (expository lectures)
Publisher: The London Printing and Publishing Company Limited, exact date unknown. Research reveals it to be no later than 1859.
Condition: Hardcover, leather spine with rebound cloth boards. In good condition for its age: firmly bound, yellowing throughout. With some truly fantastic illustrations. Tall and heavy books.

About the Author (from wikipedia):

John Bunyan (1628 – 1688) was an English Christian writer and preacher. He is the author of The Pilgrim’s Progress, arguably the most famous published Christian allegory. In addition to The Pilgrim’s Progress, Bunyan wrote nearly sixty titles, many of them expanded sermons.

Bunyan faced legal challenges to fulfilling his calling but did not make any concessions to the authorities. As a dissenter who was not ordained in the Church of England he was unlicensed to preach. He preferred to face and endure twelve years of imprisonment at great sacrifice to himself and his family, rather than resign himself to giving up preaching. Although he has been described both as a Baptist and as a Puritan, he himself preferred to be described simply as a Christian.

He is remembered in the Church of England with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the United States Episcopal Church on 29 August. Some other Churches of the Anglican Communion, such as the Anglican Church of Australia, honour him on the day of his death (31 August) together with Aidan of Lindisfarne.

About Pilgrim’s Progress:

The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come is a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan and published in February, 1678. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of religious English literature,has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been out of print.Bunyan began his work while in the Bedfordshire county gaol for violations of the Conventicle Act, which prohibited the holding of religious services outside the auspices of the established Church of England. Early Bunyan scholars like John Brown believed The Pilgrim’s Progress was begun in Bunyan’s second shorter imprisonment for six months in 1675,but more recent scholars like Roger Sharrock believe that it was begun during Bunyan’s initial, more lengthy imprisonment from 1660–72 right after he had written his spiritual autobiography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.

The English text comprises 108,260 words and is divided into two parts, each reading as a continuous narrative with no chapter divisions. The first part was completed in 1677 and entered into the stationers’ register on 22 December 1677. It was licensed and entered in the “Term Catalogue” on 18 February 1678, which is looked upon as the date of first publication. After the first edition of the first part in 1678, an expanded edition, with additions written after Bunyan was freed, appeared in 1679. The Second Part appeared in 1684. There were eleven editions of the first part in John Bunyan’s lifetime, published in successive years from 1678 to 1685 and in 1688, and there were two editions of the second part, published in 1684 and 1686.

About The Holy War:

The Holy War Made by King Shaddai Upon Diabolus, to Regain the Metropolis of the World, Or, The Losing and Taking Again of the Town of Mansoul is a 1682 novel by John Bunyan. This novel, written in the form of an allegory, tells the story of the town “Mansoul”. Though this town is perfect and bears the image of Shaddai (Almighty), it is deceived to rebel and throw off his gracious rule, replacing it instead with the rule of Diabolus. Though Mansoul has rejected the Kingship of Shaddai, he sends his son Emmanuel to reclaim it.

Now there were three esteemed men, who, by admitting Diabolus to the city, lost their previous authority. The eyes of “Understanding”, the mayor, are hidden from the light. “Conscience”, the recorder, has become a madman, at times sinning, and at other times condemning the sin of the city. But worst of all is Lord Willbewill, whose desire has been completely changed from serving his true Lord, to serving Diabolus. With the fall of these three, for Mansoul to turn back to Shaddai of their own will, is impossible. Salvation can come only by the victory of Emmanuel.

The entire story is a masterpiece of Christian literature, describing vividly the process of the fall, conversion, fellowship with Emmanuel, and many more intricate doctrines.

First paragraph of The Pilgrim’s Progress:

As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a Den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep: and, as I slept, I dreamed a dream. I dreamed, and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certainplace, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back. I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and, as he read, he wept, and trembled; and, not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, What shall I do?