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The Execution of Faithful, and the Escape of Christian.

the place from whence he came, and there to be put to the most cruel death that could be invented.

They therefore brought him out, to do with him according to their law; and first they scourged him, then they buffetted him, then they lanced his flesh with knives; after that they stoned him with stones; then pricked him with their swords; and last of all, they burnt him to ashes at the stake. Thus came

Faithful to his end.a

Now I saw, that there stood behind the multitude a chariot and a couple of horses waiting for Faithful, who (so soon as his adversaries had dispatched him) was taken up into it, and straightway was carried up through the clouds with sound of trumpet, the nearest way to the celestial gate. But as for Christian, he had some respite, and was remanded back to prison; so he there remained for as pace. But He that overrules all things having the power of their rage in his own hand, so brought it about, that Christian for that time escaped them, and went his way."

2 Below the Picture of the Martyrdom of Faithful:Brave Faithful, bravely done in word and deed' Judge, witnesses, and jury have, instead

Of overcoming thee, but shown their rage:

When they are dead, thou'lt live from age to age.

Comparing this allegorical account of the trial of the pilgrims at Vanity Fair, with the history which Mr. Bunyan has given of his own examination at the Quarter-Sessions for the county of Bedford, January, 1661, before a bench of country magistrates, consisting of Justice Keeling, (who appears to have been the chairman,) Justice Chester, Justice Blundale, Justice Beecher, Justice Snagg, &c. it is very evident that he intended the former to be representative of the latter. 1. From the enmity against him manifested by these gentlemen, the author was justified in calling the judge Lord Hate-good. 2. The bill of indictment presented against Mr. Bunyan, is in a similar style to that exhibited against Faithful, viz. "That John Bunyan, of the town of Bedford, labourer, hath devilishly and perniciously abstained from coming to church to hear divine service, and is a common upholder of several unlawful meetings and conventicles, to the great disturbance and distraction of the good subjects of the kingdom, contrary to the laws of our sovereign lord the king," &c. 3. Mr. Bunyan's reply to these fearful charges resembles what he has put into the mouth of Faithful;

Christian leaves the Town of Vacity

And as he went he sang, saying:

Well, Faithful, thou hast faithfully profest
Unto thy Lord, with whom thou shalt be blest,
When faithless ones, with all their vain delights,
Are crying out under their hellish plights:

"I said, that as to the first part of it, I was a commen frequenter of the church of God, and was also, by grace, a member with the people over whom Christ is the Head." And again; "I confess we have had many meetings together, both to pray to God, and to exhort one another, and have had the sweet comforting presence of the Lord among us for our encouragement, blessed be his name; therefore I confess myself guilty, and no otherwise." 4. As the witnesses sworn against Faithful were Envy, Superstition, and Pickthank; so Mr. Bunyan was sent to prison by persons of similar dispositions, without the observation of any of the legai forms. The first justice that was applied to on his behalf, Mr. Crompton of Elstow, refused to accept sureties; and Mr. Bunyan remarks respecting it, "Musing on the slender answer of the justice, this word dropt in upon my heart with some life, For he knew that for ENVY they had delivered him.'' 5. As to superstition, let the chairman Mr. Keeling be heard. "We know the common prayerbook hath been ever been since the apostles' time." 6. Another witness was Pickthank, which means, according to Johnson, "An officious fellow, who does what he is not desired; a whispering parasite." Mr. Bunyan hereby intimates, that his judges were exercising a rigour beyond the law, for the purpose of courting the favour of persons who had lately come into power and authority, and to whom they thought that, by preventing a sectary and layman from preaching, they should render an acceptable service. 7. The defence of Faithful contains the great principles of dissent; viz. the right of private judgment and liberty of conscience, in opposition to all human authority in matters of religion; the supremacy of Christ, as the only Head of the church; and the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures as the rule of faith and practice. These principles formed the basis of Mr. Bunyan's replies to the justices, as may be seen in that part of his Life, p. 130-136. 8. The excellent Mr. Scott calls the address of the judge in this sham trial, "a just, keen, satirical description of such legal iniquities." He adds, "Nor can any inpartial man deny, that the inference is fair which our author meant the reader to deduce, namely, that nominal protestants, enacting laws requiring "conformity to their own creeds and forms, and inflicting punishments upon such as peaceably dissent from them, are actually involved in the guilt of those heathen persecutors, and their antichristian successors; even if their doctrine and worship be allowed to be scriptural and spiritual. For these methods only serve to promote hypocrisy, and to expose the conscientious to the malice, envy, or avarice of the unprincipled." 9. The description of the jury to whom the case of

rejoicing in Tribulation.

Sing, Faithful, sing, and let thy name survive;
For though they kill'd thee, thou art yet alive

Faithful was referred, is a cutting sarcasm upon the ungodly characters of those justices who committed Mr. Bunyan to prison upon an obsolete law, the 35th of Elizabeth, (in opposition to the royal declaration of Charles II. at Breda, that "tender consciences should be respected," &c.) without attempting to call any witnesses to prove that he had distracted the good subjects of the kingdom, &c. &c. and without either judge or jury. 10. The numerous indig nities and privations which Mr. Bunyan suffered during an imprisonment of twelve years, will justify the allegorical description that is given of the manner in which Faithful was tormented and at length put to death. And though Mr. Bunyan was not actually brought to his end by persecution, yet he was sentenced to per petual banishment, if he did not attend the parish church and leave his preaching, and was threatened with hanging if he returned. This shows the malicious feelings of his merciless persecutors, and what they would have effected against him, had their power been equal to their cruelty. 11. The reward of a christian who is faithful unto death is here beautifully described, in his receiving immediately the end of his faith, even the salvation of his soul. By its being said that the companion of Faithful, Christian, was after a time brought out of prison, Mr. Bunyan intimates his own deliverance at the beginning of the year 1672, which he' ascribed to the protecting care and overruling providence of God.

In reviewing this scene, which is no exaggerated statement of what Mr. Bunyan and thousands besides suffered, for their nonconformity between the years 1660 and 1688, it is impossible not to feel a detestation of the cruel measures adopted by the rulers in church and state, to violate the operations of conscience, and to produce an uniformity in religion. Nor should we overlook the many instances in which christians preferred imprisonment, poverty, and death, to the abandonment of their religious principles; and also the remarkable providences by which, in many cases; their wants were supplied, and their lives preserved. Protestant dissenters of the present day ought to feel gratitude to God, that they live under the protection of the laws of the land; and that nonconformity is no longer considered as a crime, but as the exercise of a constitutional right. They have to be thankful also, that the government since the accession of the House of Brunswick to the throne, has always listened to the complaints of dissenters, and in several instances has removed their grievances, and enlarged their liberties.

We have seen Christian supported under his trials; and, now he is braught out of prison, we hear him "glory in tribulations." Rom. v. 3. The subject of his song is, the triumph of Christian faithfulness over the machinations of false and malignant persecutors; and the joy and peace of soul which a person, who has been

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Christian joined by Hopeful and By-ends.

Now I saw in my dream, that Christian went not forth alone; for there was one whose name was Hopeful, (being so made by the beholding of Christian and Faithful in their words and behaviour, in their sufferings at the fair,) who joined himself unto him, and entering into a brotherly covenant, told him that he would be his companion. Thus one died to bear testimony to the truth, and another rose out of his ashes to be a companion with Christian in his pilgrimage. This Hopeful also told Christian, that there were many more of the men in the fair that would take their time and follow after.d

So I saw, that quickly after they were got out of the fair they overtook one that was going before them, whose name was By-ends; so they said to him, "What countryman, Sir; and how far go you this way ?" He

"patient in tribulation," experiences after patience has had her "perfect work," while all his enemies are filled with vexation and disappointment, can only be conceived of by those who have been mercifully delivered from circumstances of perplexity and danger. So David sung; "Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we are escaped," Psalm cxxiv. 7.

The ingenious author has contrived to carry on the subject of of christian experience in the most scriptural and natural manner, by introducing the grace of Hope, as an allegorical personage, brought into the way as a pilgrim from witnessing the patient sufferings of Christian and Faithful at the fair, and engaging to become in future the constant companion of Christian. The christian who has borne a faithful testimony to the truth, by suffering in its defence, will find his mind so strengthened that he will rejoice in hope, saying, "He delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us," 2 Cor. i. 10. This scene is founded upon the statement of the apostle, Rom. v. 3, 4. "We glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience, and experi ence, HOPE." The sufferings of faithful Christians also may be expected to lead others to discover the truth and importance of real religion, thereby counteracting the infidelity which the temporizing conduct of worldly professors is sure to produce. It is a maxim rendered venerable by ancient use, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." Persecution failed in its object to exterminate the nonconformists. The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew " Exodus i. 19.

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By ends gives an Account of himself,

told them, that he came from the town of Fair-speech, and was going to the celestial city; but he told them not his name.

From Fair-speech, said Christian; is there any good that lives there? Prov. xxvi. 25.

By. Yes, said By-ends, I hope so.

CHR. Pray, Sir, what may I call you?

By. I am a stranger to you, and you to me: if you are going this way, I shall be glad of your company; if not, I must be content.

CHR. This town of Fair-speech, said Christian, I nave heard of; and, as I remember, they say it is a wealthy place.

By. Yes, I will assure you, that it is; and I have very many rich kindred there.

CHR. Pray who are your kindred there, if a man may be so bold?

BY. Almost the whole town; and in particular my Lord Turn-about, my Lord Time-server, my Lord Fair-speech, from whose ancestors the town first took its name; also Mr. Smooth-man, Mr. Facing-bothways, Mr. Any-thing; and the parson of our parish, Mr. Two-tongues, was my mother's own brother, by

d The character now introduced to our notice is to be considered as the representative of those professors, who, having fallen in with the change that had been introduced after the return of Charles II. from Presbytery to Prelacy, had become as zealous for the book of common-prayer as they had previously been for the solemn league and covenant. There was doubtless a considerable number of such persons, who wished to be thought religious, though they were determined to avoid every thing which might expose them to reproach or suffering on account of religion. Ashamed to avow their motives for shunning persecution, they urged many specious reasons for their prudent conduct; but their actions gave the lie to their professions. They were determined not to "take up the cross" to follow the Saviour; and therefore, nowever "fair" might be their "speech," they were strangers to self-denial, "and their hearts went after their covetousness.' passage of Scripture to which the author refers is, "When he speaketh fair, believe him not; for there are seven abominations in his heart." Persons of this character have existed in all ages of the church.

The

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