bribe was indignantly rejected. Bunyan even refused to see the
government agent who offered it,--"he would, by no means come to him, but
sent his excuse." Behind the treacherous sunshine he saw a black cloud,
ready to break. The Ninevites' remedy he felt was now called for. So he
gathered his congregation together and appointed a day of fasting and
prayer to avert the danger that, under a specious pretext, again menaced
their civil and religious liberties. A true, sturdy Englishman, Bunyan,
with Baxter and Howe, "refused an indulgence which could only be
purchased by the violent overthrow of the law."

Bunyan did not live to see the Revolution. Four months after he had
witnessed the delirious joy which hailed the acquittal of the seven
bishops, the Pilgrim's earthly Progress ended, and he was bidden to cross
the dark river which has no bridge. The summons came to him in the very
midst of his religious activity, both as a preacher and as a writer. His
pen had never been more busy than when he was bidden to lay it down
finally. Early in 1688, after a two years' silence, attributable perhaps
to the political troubles of the times, his "Jerusalem Sinner Saved, or a
Help to Despairing Souls," one of the best known and most powerfully
characteristic of his works, had issued from the press, and had been
followed by four others between March and August, the month of his death.
These books were, "The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate;" a poetical
composition entitled "The Building, Nature, and Excellency of the House
of God," a discourse on the constitution and government of the Christian
Church; the "Water of Life," and "Solomon's Temple Spiritualized." At
the time of his death he was occupied in seeing through the press a sixth
book, "The Acceptable Sacrifice," which was published after his funeral.
In addition to these, Bunyan left behind him no fewer than fourteen works
in manuscript, written at this time, as the fruit of his fertile
imagination and untiring pen. Ten of these were given to the world soon