John Bunyan

[baron]

I read some where on the net that John Bunyan only had 3 books in his library not including his bible.

The Practice of Piety by Bishop Lewis Bayly
The Plain Man’s Pathway to Heaven by Arthur Dent
Commentary On Galatians by Martin Luther

The first two book's belonged to his first wife Mary.

Can some one please provide me a link if this is true?

Thanks.

 

[christiana]

In his autobio he states that the two books you mentioned were left to his wife when her father died and were all she brought to their marraige.
Grace Abounding ch2, pg 9
I'd not read that he owned Luthers commentary on Galatians at marraige. I thought he obtained it later on.

 

[Mushroom]

Can't answer, John, but any thread about John Bunyan requires that express my affection for that dear saint, so here it is. Bunyan has been an immense blessing to me.

 

[baron]

I'd not read that he owned Luthers commentary on Galatians at marraige. I thought he obtained it later on.

No he did not own it at marriage but it was supposed to be his favorite according to one web site I was on. The problem was I did not add the sites to my favorites so I could find them again.

Also one site said the third book he owned was the Bible and not Luther Commentary

The reason I'm asking is diffrent web sites had diffrent information on his life. One site I was on said he passed away before his second wife Elizabeth. But he died before her.

What I find amazing is how well he knew the Bible. But then if you only had such a small amount of book's to read I guess one would know them well.

---------- Post added at 11:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:18 PM ----------

Bunyan has been an immense blessing to me.

I also have been blessed by his writtings.

 

[PhilA]

John

A biographer around 1662 (I think) commented, “ I surveyed his Library, the least and yet the best I ever saw, consisting of two Books, a Bible and the Book of Martyrs.”
Biographer Frank Mott Harrison records, “When Elizabeth Bunyan gets Letters of Administration of her husband’s effects there is but little with which to make provision for herself and dependants. Whoever has secured profit from the sale of his books, it is certainly not John Bunyan; for, all told, the value of his estate reaches a very meagre sum.”
Either way, John Bunyan knew his Bible. C H Spurgeon once said that you can "prick Bunyan anywhere and he will bleed Bible."

 

[nnatew24]

I recently read a biography on Bunyan (Faith Cook), as well as his autobiography (Grace Abounding), and from it we learn that the first two books you mentioned were obtained through his union with Mary, and were instrumental in his conversion. The Galatians commentary and the Book of Martyrs came later on, and were two of his favorites. He had access to other books later in life, but since he did the majority of his writing while in prison, his library was very limited.