Works of John Bunyan — Complete — Reading Companion

Offor's Biographical Framing

Offor's memoir of Bunyan occupies the opening pages of this first volume and sets a distinctive tone. He describes Bunyan as descending from 'ignoble parents' and born in poverty, following his father's trade as a brazier. The editor repeatedly contrasts Bunyan's humble beginnings with his later influence, using scriptural epigraphs from 2 Corinthians, Isaiah, and Psalm 68 to underscore the theme of divine power manifesting through weak vessels. Offor also recounts an anecdote about a 'loose and ungodly wretch' who rebuked the young Bunyan for his cursing, a moment that Offor claims made 'that indelible impression' leading to Bunyan's conversion. This biographical approach treats Bunyan's life as a moral exemplar, with Offor's notes often amplifying the spiritual lessons.

The Pharisee and the Publican: A Central Tension

One of the treatises included in this volume, likely The Pharisee and the Publican, reveals Bunyan's characteristic rhetorical strategy: he dismantles the self-righteousness of the Pharisee by arguing that his entire righteousness is 'sinful' and 'abominable' because it is 'imperfect, scanty, and short of the rule.' Bunyan insists that the profane sinner is more easily persuaded to accept Christ's righteousness than the self-righteous man, who 'fretteth, and fumeth, and chafeth' when his own works are dismissed as 'menstruous rags' and 'dung.' The passage uses stark, visceral language to contrast two kinds of sinners, and Bunyan refuses to distinguish between the 'matter and manner' of the Pharisee's righteousness, declaring the whole of it sinful. This uncompromising stance is typical of Bunyan's doctrinal writing.

Rhetorical Patterns in Bunyan's Prose

Bunyan's expository style in this volume relies heavily on scriptural citation, rhetorical questions, and vivid metaphors drawn from everyday life. In the excerpt on the Pharisee, he uses the image of a garment made of 'menstruous rags' to illustrate the inadequacy of human righteousness before God. He also employs direct address ('Poor Pharisee, what a loss art thou at?') and abrupt shifts between theological argument and pastoral application. The prose is dense with biblical references—Isaiah 64:6, Luke 16:15, Philippians 3:6-8—woven into the argument rather than set apart. Bunyan's sentences are often long and accumulative, piling up clauses to drive home a point, as when he lists the reasons why the Pharisee's righteousness is sinful 'in itself' and 'in its effects.' This combination of learned citation and plain speech marks his distinctive voice.

Readers approaching this edition should note that Offor's editorial apparatus—the memoir, introductions, and footnotes—shapes how Bunyan's works are presented. The volume collects treatises that range from doctrinal exposition to allegory, and Offor's annotations often highlight connections between Bunyan's life and his writings. For those interested in Bunyan's development as a writer, the early memoir provides essential context, while the treatises themselves reward attention to Bunyan's use of scripture and his recurring contrasts between outward morality and inward grace.

Reading Offor’s memoir of Bunyan, I kept thinking how his journey from ragged tinker to writer felt less like a straight line and more like a quiet, winding path. It reminded me of the intimate, tangled lives in The book of the ladies Illustrious Dames: The Reign and Amours of the Bourbon Régime — Themes and Context—how grace and vanity often wear the same face, and linger long after the page is closed.