t to
depreciate unduly the sacrifice of the Death of Christ as an expiation
for man's guilt, and to lay too great a stress on the moral faculties
remaining in the soul after the Fall, Bunyan errs still more widely on
the other side in asserting the absolute, irredeemable corruption of
human nature, leaving nothing for grace to work upon, but demanding an
absolutely fresh creation, not a revivification of the Divine nature
grievously marred but not annihilated by Adam's sin.

A reply to Bunyan's severe strictures was not slow to appear. The book
bears the title, characteristic of the tone and language of its contents,
of "_Dirt wip't off_; or, a manifest discovery of the Gross Ignorance,
Erroneousness, and most Unchristian and Wicked Spirit of one John Bunyan,
Lay-preacher in Bedford." It professes to be written by a friend of
Fowler's, but Fowler was generally accredited with it. Its violent
tirades against one who, he says, had been "near these twenty years or
longer very infamous in the Town and County of Bedford as a very
Pestilent Schismatick," and whom he suggests the authorities have done
wrong in letting out of prison, and had better clap in gaol again as "an
impudent and malicious Firebrand," have long since been consigned to a
merciful oblivion, where we may safely leave them.

CHAPTER VIII.

Bunyan's protracted imprisonment came to an end in 1672. The exact date
of his actual liberation is uncertain. His pardon under the Great Seal
bears date September 13th. But we find from the church books that he had
been appointed pastor of the congregation to which he belonged as early
as the 21st of January of that year, and on the 9th of May his
ministerial position was duly recognized by the Government, and a license
was granted to him to act "as preacher in the house of Josias Roughead,"
for those "of the Persuasion commonly called Congregational." His
release would therefore seem to have anticipated the formal issue of his
pardon by four months. Bunyan was now half way through his forty-fourth
year. Sixteen years still remained to him before his career of
indefatigable service in the Master's work was brought to a close. Of
these sixteen years, as has already been remarked, we have only a very
general knowledge. Details are entirely wanting; nor is there any known
source from which they can be recovered. If he kept any diary it has not
been preserved. If he wrote letters--and one who was looked