A Preface

OR, BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PUBLISHING THIS WORK. WRITTEN BY THE AUTHOR THEREOF, AND DEDICATED TO THOSE WHOM GOD HATH COUNTED HIM WORTHY TO BEGET TO FAITH, BY HIS MINISTRY IN THE WORD

OR, A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PUBLICATION OF THIS WORK. WRITTEN BY THE AUTHOR AND DEDICATED TO THOSE WHOM GOD HAS COUNTED HIM WORTHY TO BRING TO FAITH THROUGH HIS MINISTRY OF THE WORD.

Children, Grace be with you. Amen. I being taken from you in presence, and so tied up that I cannot perform that duty, that from God doth lie upon me to you-ward, for your farther edifying and building up in faith and holiness, etc., yet that you may see my soul hath fatherly care and desire after your spiritual and everlasting welfare, I now once again, as before, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, so now from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards (Song iv. 8), do look yet after you all, greatly longing to see your safe arrival into THE desired Haven.

Children, grace be with you. Amen. I have been taken away from you and am confined. So I cannot fulfill the duty God has given me toward you, to help you grow in faith and holiness. Yet I want you to see my fatherly care and desire for your spiritual and eternal welfare. Once before, I watched over you from the top of Shenir and Hermon. Now, once again, I watch over you all from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards (Song iv. 8). I long to see you all arrive safely at THE desired Haven.

I thank God upon every remembrance of you; and rejoice, even while I stick between the teeth of the lion in the wilderness, that the grace and mercy, and knowledge of Christ our Saviour, which God hath bestowed upon you, with abundance of faith and love; your hungerings and thirstings after farther acquaintance with the Father, in the Son; your tenderness of heart, your trembling at sin, your sober and holy deportment also, before both God and men, is a great refreshment to me; For ye are our glory and joy. 1 Thess. ii. 20.

I thank God whenever I remember you. Even while I am caught between the lion’s teeth in the wilderness, I rejoice. God has given you grace, mercy, and knowledge of Christ our Saviour, along with abundant faith and love. Your hunger and thirst to know the Father more deeply through the Son are a great comfort to me. So are your tender hearts, your trembling at sin, and your serious and holy conduct before God and others. For you are our glory and joy. 1 Thess. ii. 20.

I have sent you here enclosed, a drop of that honey that I have taken out of the carcase of a lion. Judg. xiv. 5–8. I have eaten thereof myself, and am much refreshed thereby. (Temptations, when we meet them at first, are as the lion that roared upon Samson; but if we overcome them, the next time we see them, we shall find a nest of honey within them.) The Philistines understand me not. It is something of a relation of the work of God upon my soul, even from the very first, till now, wherein you may perceive my castings down, and risings up: for He woundeth, and His hands make whole. It is written in the Scripture, Isa. xxxviii. 19, The father to the children shall make known Thy truth. Yea, it was for this reason I lay so long at Sinai, Lev. iv. 10, 11, to see the fire, and the cloud, and the darkness, that I might fear the Lord all the days of my life upon earth, and tell of His wondrous works to my children. Psalm lxxviii. 3–5.

I have enclosed a drop of honey that I took from the carcass of a lion. Judges 14:5–8. I have eaten some myself, and it has greatly refreshed me. (When we first meet temptations, they are like the lion that roared at Samson. But if we overcome them, the next time we see them, we will find a nest of honey inside them.) The Philistines do not understand me. This is an account of some of God’s work in my soul, from the very beginning until now. In it you can see how I was cast down and raised up again. For he wounds, and his hands heal. Scripture says, in Isaiah 38:19, The father shall make your truth known to his children. Yes, this is why I stayed so long at Sinai, Leviticus 4:10–11, to see the fire, the cloud, and the darkness. I stayed there so that I might fear the Lord all the days of my life on earth and tell my children of his wonderful works. Psalm 78:3–5.

Moses, Numb. xxxiii. 1, 2, writ of the journeys of the children of Israel, from Egypt to the land of Canaan; and commanded also that they did remember their forty years’ travel in the wilderness. Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, and to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldst keep His commandments, or no. Deut. viii. 2. Wherefore this I have endeavoured to do; and not only so, but to publish it also; that, if God will, others may be put in remembrance of what He hath done for their souls, by reading His work upon me.

Moses wrote about the journeys of the children of Israel from Egypt to the land of Canaan (Numbers 33:1, 2). He also commanded them to remember their forty years of travel in the wilderness. Remember all the way the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, to humble you and test you, and to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Deuteronomy 8:2. So I have tried to remember my own journey. And I have also tried to publish it, so that, if God wills, others may remember what he has done for their souls as they read about his work in me.

It is profitable for Christians to be often calling to mind the very beginnings of grace with their souls. It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord, for bringing them out from the land of Egypt. This is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations. Exod. xii. 42. O my God (saith David), Ps. xlii. 6, my soul is cast down within me; therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. He remembered also the lion and the bear, when he went to fight with the giant of Gath. 1 Sam. xvii. 36, 37.

It is good for Christians to remember often how grace first began to work in their souls. It is a night to be remembered before the Lord, because he brought them out of the land of Egypt. This is the Lord's night, to be remembered by all the children of Israel throughout their generations. Exod. xii. 42. O my God, says David in Ps. xlii. 6, my soul is cast down within me. Therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. David also remembered the lion and the bear when he went to fight the giant of Gath. 1 Sam. xvii. 36, 37.

It was Paul’s accustomed manner, Acts xxii., and that, when tried for his life, Acts xxiv., even to open before his judges the manner of his conversion: he would think of that day, and that hour, in which he first did meet with grace; for he found it supported him. When God had brought the children of Israel out of the Red Sea, far into the wilderness, yet they must turn quite about thither again, to remember the drowning of their enemies there, Numb. xiv. 25, for though they sang his praise before, yet they soon forgat his works. Psalm cvi. 11, 12.

Paul often told his judges how he had been converted, even when he was on trial for his life (Acts xxii., Acts xxiv.). He would think of the day and hour when he first met with grace, because he found that the memory sustained him. After God had brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea and far into the wilderness, they had to turn back toward the sea to remember how their enemies had drowned there (Numb. xiv. 25). For although they had sung his praise before, they soon forgot his works (Psalm cvi. 11, 12).

In this discourse of mine, you may see much; much I say, of the grace of God towards me: I thank God, I can count it much; for it was above my sins and Satan’s temptations too. I can remember my fears and doubts, and sad months, with comfort; they are as the head of Goliah in my hand: there was nothing to David like Goliah’s sword, even that sword that should have been sheathed in his bowels; for the very sight and remembrance of that did preach forth God’s deliverance to him. Oh! the remembrance of my great sins, of my great temptations, and of my great fear of perishing for ever! They bring afresh into my mind, the remembrance of my great help, my great supports from heaven, and the great grace that God extended to such a wretch as I.

In this account, you may see much, indeed, much of God's grace toward me. I thank God that I can call it much, for it was greater than my sins and Satan's temptations too. I can remember my fears, doubts, and months of sadness with comfort. They are like the head of Goliah in my hand. Nothing was like Goliah’s sword to David, the very sword that was meant to be plunged into his body. For the sight and memory of that sword proclaimed God's deliverance to him. Oh, the memory of my great sins, my great temptations, and my great fear of perishing forever! These bring back to mind the great help and support I received from heaven. They remind me of the great grace God extended to such a wretch as I.

My dear children, call to mind the former days, and years of ancient times: remember also your songs in the night, and commune with your own Hearts, Ps. lxxiii. 5–12. Yea, look diligently, and leave no corner therein unsearched for that treasure hid, even the treasure of your first and second experience of the grace of God towards you. Remember, I say, the word that first laid hold upon you: remember your terrors of conscience, and fear of death and hell: remember also your tears and prayers to God; yea, how you sighed under every hedge for mercy. Have you never a hill Mizar to remember? Have you forgot the close, the milk-house, the stable, the barn, and the like, where God did visit your souls? Remember also the word, the word, I say, upon which the Lord hath caused you to hope: if you have sinned against light, if you are tempted to blaspheme, if you are drowned in despair, if you think God fights against you, or if heaven is hid from your eyes; remember it was thus with your father; but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

My dear children, remember the days and years of long ago. Remember your songs in the night, and search your own hearts, Ps. lxxiii. 5–12. Search carefully, and leave no corner unexplored for the treasure hidden there. That treasure is your first and second experiences of God’s grace toward you. Remember, I say, the word that first took hold of you. Remember your guilty fears, and your fear of death and hell. Remember, too, your tears and prayers to God, and how you sighed for mercy under every hedge. Do you have no hill Mizar to remember? Have you forgotten the field, the milk-house, the stable, the barn, and places like these, where God visited your souls? Remember also the word, the very word, on which the Lord has given you hope. You may have sinned against the light, or be tempted to blaspheme, or be drowned in despair. You may think God is fighting against you, or that heaven is hidden from your eyes. If so, remember that your father went through the same things. But the Lord delivered me from them all.

I could have enlarged much in this my discourse, of my temptations and troubles for sin; as also of the merciful kindness and working of God with my soul: I could also have stepped into a style much higher than this, in which I have here discoursed, and could have adorned all things more than here I have seemed to do, but I dare not: God did not play in tempting of me; neither did I play, when I sunk as into the bottomless pit, when the pangs of hell caught hold upon me; wherefore I may not play in relating of them, but be plain and simple, and lay down the thing as it was; he that liketh it, let him receive it, and he that doth not, let him produce a better. Farewell.

I could have said much more about my temptations and troubles over sin. I could also have said more about God’s merciful kindness and his work in my soul. I could have written in a much grander style than I have used here. I could have embellished everything more than I have, but I dare not. God was not playing when he tested me. Nor was I playing when I sank as if into the bottomless pit, when the pangs of hell caught hold of me. So I must not play when I tell of these things. I must be plain and simple and tell them as they were. Whoever likes this account, let him accept it. Whoever does not, let him produce a better one. Farewell.

My dear Children,

My dear children,

The milk and honey are beyond this wilderness. God be merciful to you, and grant that you be not slothful to go in to possess the land.

The milk and honey are beyond this wilderness. May God be merciful to you, and may he keep you from being too lazy to enter and possess the land.

JOHN BUNYAN.

JOHN BUNYAN.