This consideration, hath induced me to preface the present large and elegant edition of the Reverend Mr. _John Bunyan_’s works; which, with the unparalleled commentary of the good Mr. _Matthew Henry_, the pious and practical writings of the excellent Mr. _Flavel_, and the critical and judicious commentaries and tracts of the accurate Doctor _Owen_, I hear are enquired after, and bought up, more and more every day. The last forementioned worthy, though himself so great a scholar; and for some time chancellor of one of our most famous universities, as I have been credibly informed, attended on the sermons, and countenanced the ministerial labours of our Reverend author; when, by reason of his being unskilled in the learned languages, and a few differences in lesser matters (as will always be the case in this mixed state of things) he was lightly esteemed by some of less enlarged sentiments. But this, I must own, more particularly endears Mr. _Bunyan_ to my heart; he was of a catholic spirit, the want of _water adult baptism_ with this man of GOD, was no bar to outward christian communion. And I am persuaded, that if, like him, we were more deeply and experimentally baptized into the benign and gracious influences of the blessed Spirit, we should be less baptized into the waters of strife, about circumstantials and non-essentials. For being thereby rooted and grounded in the love of GOD, we should necessarily be constrained to think, and let think, bear with and forbear one another in love; and without saying “I am of _Paul_, _Apollos_, or _Cephas_,” have but one grand, laudable, disinterested strife, namely, who should live, preach and exalt the ever-loving, altogether lovely JESUS most. That these volumes may be blest to beget, promote and increase such divine fruits of real and undefiled religion in the hearts, lips and lives of readers, of all ranks and denominations, is the earnest prayer of,
Christian reader, Thy soul’s well-wisher in our common LORD,