Gifford, a Baptist at Bedford. Before Bunyan had got out of his temptations, he did greatly long to see some ancient godly man's experience; for he thought that those who had writ in his own days, had writ only that which others felt, and "God, in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hands one day a book of Martin Luther: it was his comment on the Galatians. It was so old it was ready to fall piece from piece, if I did but turn it over. When I had but a little way perused, I found my condition in his experience so largely and profoundly handled, as if his book had been written out of my heart. I prefer this book of Martin Luther on the Galatians (excepting the Holy Bible) before all the books that ever I have seen, as most fit for a wounded conscience." Bunyan was immersed about 1655: the traditional place of his immersion is in a small stream near Bedford Bridge. After he had been about five or six years awakened, and helped to see both the want and worth of Jesus Christ his Lord, some of his friends desired him to speak a word of exhortation at some of their meetings. His hearers were affected and comforted. He was thus led on to speak at some of the country meetings, and at last, being desired by the Baptist worshippers at Bedford, he was, after prayer with fasting, particularly called to the ordinary preaching of the word at Bedford, and he was diligent in going round the neighbouring villages, so as by some, in a jeering way, to be called Bishop Bunyan; he resting his conscience on the desires of the people to hear him, and on 1 Cor. xvi. 15, 16. He had been a preacher about five years when he was arrested (Nov. 12, 1660) at a meeting in the country, and subsequently tried as an upholder of conventicles. He was sentenced to perpetual banishment because he refused to conform to the Church, and he was confined in Bedford Gaol more than twelve years. His petition for release is recorded on the Minutes of the Privy Council, May 8, 1672, but it took several months before the deed of pardon was pleaded at the assizes. He says, "I never had in all my life so great an inlet into the word of God as now. He found special comfort in John xiv. 1-3; xvi. 33; Col. iii. 3, 4; Heb. xii. 22, 24; and I Pet. i. 8. But, notwithstanding these helps, I found myself a man incompassed with infirmities. The parting with my wife and poor children hath often been to me in this place as the pulling the flesh from my bones; and that not only because I am somewhat too too fond of these great mercies, but also because I often brought to mind the many hardships, miseries, and wants that my poor family was like to meet with; especially my poor blind child, who lay nearer to my heart than all I had beside. Jer. xlix. II, and xv. II. In prison he made many hundred gross of long tagged laces. His library there was the Bible and Fox's Book of Martyrs. The Bishop of Lincoln, Dr. Thomas Barlow (consecrated 1675, died 1691), and other churchmen, moved by Bunyan's sufferings and patience, so stood his friends as to procure his enlargement. Bunyan was very unwilling in his preaching to meddle with things that were controverted. He contended with earnestness for the word of faith, and the remission of sins by the death and sufferings of Jesus. He borrowed not his doctrine from libraries, he depended on the sayings of no man. He preached what he found in the Scriptures of truth, among the true sayings of God. He could not be satisfied unless some fruits did appear in his work. It pleased him nothing to see men drink in opinions, if they seemed ignorant of Jesus Christ, and of the worth of their own salvation. "Sound convic BUNYAN'S VESTRY CHAIR, tion for sin, especially for unbelief, and a heart set on fire to be saved by Christ, with strong breathings after a truly sanctified soul-that it was that delighted me; those were the souls I counted blessed." Bunyan's licence to preach, as a congregational person, being of that persuasion, in the house of Josias Roughed, Bedford, or in any other place, room, or house, licensed by his Majesty's memorand, dated May 15, 1672, was shown to the Mayor of Bedford, Oct. 6, 1672. His last sermon was on John i. 13, July 1688. Bunyan was desirous that adult baptism should not be considered a necessary requisite to admission into church fellowship-very little on the subject of adult baptism is to be found in his writings. His popularity was great; when he preached in London about 1,200 attended a morning lecture on a week day in the winter, at seven o'clock, and on the Lord's day about 3,000, so that he was almost pulled over people to get into the pulpit. He took great care to visit the Used by every pastor of the Church to the present day. sick, and he spent part of his time in reconciling differences, his last undertaking being a labour of love; for it so falling out that a young gentleman, a neighbour, had displeased his father, who threatened to disinherit him, he persuaded Bunyan to attempt to reconcile them. Bunyan rode to Reading, in Berkshire, to see the father, and succeeded in the wished-for reconciliation; but returning to London, being overtaken with excessive rains, and extremely wet, he fell sick of a violent fever at the house of a friend, Mr. Strudwick (or Straddock), a grocer, at the Star, on Snow-hill, in the parish of St. Sepulchre, London, where, after ten days' illness, he died, August 12; or, according to another account, August 31, 1688, and was buried in Bunhill Fields. He appeared in countenance to be of a stern and rough temper, but in his conversation mild and affable; not given to much discourse in company unless some urgent occasion required it. He was free from boasting. He abhorred lying and swearing. He was righteous and charitable. He had a sharp quick eye, was an excellent discerner of persons, of good judgment and quick wit. He was tall of stature, strong boned, though not corpulent, somewhat of a ruddy face, with sparkling eyes; wearing his hair on his upper lip, after the old British fashion; his hair reddish, and, in his latter days, sprinkled with grey; his nose well set, but not declining or bending his mouth moderate large, his forehead something high, his dress plain. God blessed him with four children: Mary, blind, died early, Thomas, Joseph, and Sarah. His second wife, Elizabeth, died 1692. NOTE.-Through the kindness of Mr. G. Offor, the illustrations collected by him are permitted here to appear. The life, as compiled by him, has also continually been under my eye in writing the foregoing memoir. JOHN ALLEN, PREES VICARAGE, SHREWSBURY. |