"No man could have been better qualified to give advice to sufferers for righteousness' sake, than John Bunyan: and this work is exclusively devoted to that object. Shut up in a noisome jail, under the iron hand of persecution, for nearly thirteen years, in the constant fear of being hanged as a malefactor, for refusing conformity to the national liturgy, he well knew what sufferings were, and equally well did he know the sources of consolation."
“Why, affliction is better than sin, and if God sends the one to cleanse us from the other, let us thank him, and be also content to pay the messenger.” (Volume 2, Page 693)
“Conclusion Fifth, Another conclusion that followeth from these words is this, That a man, when he is a sufferer, is not able to secure his own soul from the hand of hell by any other means, but by the committing of the keeping thereof to God.” (Volume 2, Page 697)
“I see that I still have need of these trials; and if God will by these judge me as he judges his saints, that I may not be condemned with the world, I will cry, Grace, grace for ever.” (Volume 2, Page 693)
“Conclusion Third, Another conclusion that followeth upon this exhortation, is this: That persecution doth, sometimes, so hotly follow God’s people, as to leave them nothing but a soul to care for. They have had no house, no land, no money, no goods, no life, no liberty, left them to care for. ALL IS GONE BUT THE SOUL. Goods have been confiscated, liberty has been in irons, the life condemned, the neck in a halter, or the body in the fire. So then all, to such, has been gone, and they have had nothing left them to care for, but their soul.” (Volume 2, Page 697)
“Conclusion First, That when persecution is raised against a people, there is a design laid for the ruin of those people’s souls. This, I say, doth naturally follow from the exhortation. Why else, need they to commit the keeping of their souls to God.” (Volume 2, Page 695)
Bunyan has always been one of the most popular of the Puritans—no doubt because, while possessing the Word-centeredness as well as the depth of doctrine and experience of other Puritans, he also possessed a warm simplicity of style.
—Reformation and Revival Ministries, Reformation and Revival Volume 5, 2003
Bunyan is best known for his ageless classic, The Pilgrim's Progress. His literary genius in this work [is such] that people are prone to forget that this tinker from Bedford was first and foremost a Pastor and preacher...
—Thomas K. Ascol, The Founders Journal
For over 150 years the accepted edition of The Works of John Bunyan has been that edited by George Offor... This scholarly labor has contributed much toward a better appreciation of Bunyan's gospel motivated writings...
—From Bunyan Ministries