ll title is The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come.
The Pilgrim's Progress is arguably the most widely known allegories ever written, and has been extensively translated. Protestant missionaries commonly translated it as the first thing after the Bible.
The above works have appeared in numerous editions. There are several noteworthy collections of editions of The Pilgrim's Progress, e.g., in the British Museum and in the New York Public Library, collected by the late James Lenox.
Bunyan became a popular preacher as well as a prolific author, though most of his works consist of expanded sermons.
Though a Baptist preacher, in theology he was a Puritan.
The portrait his friend Robert White drew, which has often been reproduced, shows the attractiveness of his true character. He was tall, had reddish hair, prominent nose, a rather large mouth, and sparkling eyes.
He was no scholar, except of the English Bible, but he knew scripture thoroughly.
He was also influenced by Martin Luther's Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, in the translation of 1575.
Some time before his final release from prison Bunyan became involved in a controversy with Kiffin, Danvers, Deune, Paul, and others. In 1673 he published his "Differences in Judgement about Water-Baptism no Bar to Communion."
Kiffin and Paul published a response in Serious Reflections (London, 1673), in which they argued in favour of the restriction of the Lord's Supper to baptised believers, and received the approval of Henry Danvers in his Treatise of Baptism (London, 1673 or 1674).
The controversy resulted in the Particular (Calvinistic) Baptists leaving the question of communion with the unbaptised open. Bunyan's church admitted paedobaptists (those who baptized infants) to fellowship and finally became paedobaptist (Congregationalist).
John Bunyan: Wide Acceptance of "Pilgrim's Progress";
At one time, The Pilgrim's Progress was considered the most widely read and translated book in the English language apart from the Bible.
However, in the post-modern post AD-2000 era, it seems to raely be read, though some traditionalist ministers mention it now and then.
The charm of the work, which gives it wide appeal among old and young, learned and ignorant, readers of all possible schools of thought and theology, lies in the interest of a story:
The images Bunyan uses in Pilgrim's Progress are but reflections of images from his own world;
Bunyan wrote about 60 books and tracts, of which The Holy War ranks next to The Pilgrim's Progress in popularity. A passage from Part Two of The Pilgrim's Progress beginning "Who would true Valour see" has been used in the hymn "To be a Pilgrim".
The Scottish philosopher David Hume used Bunyan to illustrate the idea of a "standard of taste" in aesthetic matters:
John Bunyan, Joseph Smith and Modern Mormons:
Some modern scholars are convinced there is a connection between John Bunyan and Joseph Smith - the Founder of the Mormon Movement in 1830 - about 140 years after the death of John Bunyan.
Joseph Smith claimed to have "been visited by an Angel, who told him where to dig up Gold Plates, with new Scripture and revelation from God as to the Christian Life!
Joseph Smith was a man of many words, and some modern researchers are convinced many of them were at first, John Bnyan's.
John Bunyan: Some Works
A Few Sighs from Hell, or the Groans of a Damned Soul, 1658
A Discourse Upon the Pharisee and the Publican, 1685
A Holy Life
Christ a Complete Saviour (The Intercession of Christ And Who Are Privileged in It), 1692
Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ, 1678
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, 1666
Light for Them that Sit in Darkness
Praying with the Spirit and with Understanding too, 1663
Of Antichrist and His Ruin, 1692
Reprobation Asserted, 1674
Saved by Grace, 1675
Seasonal Counsel or Suffering Saints in the Furnace – Advice to Persecuted Christians in Their Trials & Tribulations, 1684
Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
Some Gospel Truths Opened, 1656
The Acceptable Sacrifice
The Desire of the Righteous Granted
The Doctrine