CHAPTER I--THE BOOK.
'-- the book of the wars of the Lord.'-- _Moses_.
John Bunyan's _Holy War_ was first published in 1682, six years before its illustrious author's death.

Bunyan wrote this great book when he was still in all the fulness of his intellectual power and in all the ripeness of his spiritual experience.

The _Holy War_ is not the _Pilgrim's Progress_--there is only one _Pilgrim's Progress_.

At the same time, we have Lord Macaulay's word for it that if the _Pilgrim's Progress_ did not exist the _Holy War_ would be the best allegory that ever was written: and even Mr.Froude admits that the _Holy War_ alone would have entitled its author to rank high up among the acknowledged masters of English literature.

The intellectual rank of the _Holy War_ has been fixed before that tribunal over which our accomplished and competent critics preside; but for a full appreciation of its religious rank and value we would need to hear the glad testimonies of tens of thousands of God's saints, whose hard-beset faith and obedience have been kindled and sustained by the study of this noble book.