34

THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN.

ported and carried through it, which shall be given alsó chiefly in his own words, written (as it should seem) while he was yet in prison.

"I never had in all my life so great an inlet into the word of God as now. Those scriptures that I saw nothing in before, are made in this place and state to shine upon me. So that sometimes, when I have been in the savour of them, I have been able to laugh at destruction, and to fear neither the horse nor his rider.' I have had sweet sights of the forgiveness of my sins in this place, and of my being with Jesus in another world. O the mount Sion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the innumerable company of angels, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect,' and Jesus, have been sweet unto me in this place! I have seen that here, that I am persuaded I shall never, while in this world, be able to express. I have seen a truth in this scripture, 'Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." "(a)

For more than a year before his imprisonment, he had strong forebodings of this event, and even to a more fatal issue, for he feared his sufferings might terminate in the gibbet, and he was at this much harassed with the apprehension that in such circumstances he might be left to himself, to encounter the temptations of the enemy; and not only suffer distress himself, but dishonour also the cause of God: in this expectation he was led to apply" to the strong for strength," and it was part of his daily petition that he might be "strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness."(b) That scripture was also a great use to him, "We had the sentence of death in our

THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN.

35

selves, that we might not trust in ourselves, but in God that raiseth the dead."(a)" By this scripture (says he) I was made to see, that if ever I would suffer rightly, I must first pass a sentence of death upon every thing properly of this life; even to reckon myself, my wife, my children, my health, my enjoyments, and all, as dead to me, and myself as dead to them."

Another consideration of great weight upon his mind was, how to support himself without fainting, under approaching trials, of which he could not see the issue; and he rightly judged, there was no method like that recommended by St. Paul, to "look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal!" And thus our author reasoned with himself:

"If I provide only for a prison, then the whip comes at unawares; and so doth also the pillory. Again, if I only provide for these, then I am not fit for banishment. Further, if I conclude that banishment is the worst, then if death come, I am surprised. So that I see the best way to go through sufferings, is to trust in God. through Jesus Christ, as touching the world to come: and as touching this world, to count the grave my house, to make my bed in darkness, and to say to corruption, 'Thou art my father,' and to the worm, Thou art my mother and sister:' that is, to familiarize these things to me.

"But notwithstanding these helps, I found myself a man encompassed with infirmities. The parting with my wife and poor children hath often been to me, in this place, as the pulling my flesh from my bones; and that not only because I am somewhat too fond of these great mercies, but also because I should have often brought to my mind the many hardships, miseries, and wants, that my poor family was like to meet with ;

(a) 2 Cor. i. 9.

36

THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN.

especially my poor blind child, who lay nearer my heart than all I had beside. Oh! the thoughts of the hardships I thought my blind one might go under, would break my heart to pieces. But yet recalling myself, thought I, I must venture you all with God, though it goeth to the quick to leave you. But that which helped me in this temptation, was, Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me:' and again, The Lord said, Verily it shall go well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil,' &c.(a)

"I had also this consideration, that if I should now venture all for God, I engaged God to take care of my concernments; but if I forsook him and his ways, for fear of any trouble that should come to me or mine, then I should not only falsify my profession, but should count also that my concernments were not so sure, if left at God's feet, whilst I stood to and for his name, as they would be, if they were under my own care, though with the denial of the way of God. This was a smarting consideration, and as spurs to my flesh.

"I had also the dread of the torments of hell, which I was sure they must partake of, that, for fear of the cross, do shrink from their profession of Christ, his words and laws, before the sons of men. I thought also of the glory that he had prepared for those that in faith, and love, and patience, stood to his ways before them. These things, I say, have helped me, when the thoughts of the misery that both myself and mine might, for the sake of my profession, be exposed to, hath lain pinching on my mind.

"When I have indeed conceited, that I might be banished for my profession, then I have thought of that scripture, They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wan

(a) Jer, xlix. 11.

THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN.

37

dered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy :'(a) for all they thought they were too bad to dwell, and abide amongst them. I have sometimes reasoned about the sore and sad estate of a banished and exiled condition, how such are exposed to hunger, to cold, to perils, to nakedness, to enemies, and a thousand calamities; and at last, it may be, to die in a ditch like a poor forlorn and desolate sheep. But I thank God, hitherto I have not been moved by these most delicate reasonings, but have rather by them more approved my heart to God."

It seems wonderful, indeed, that such a man should have been suffered to languish so long, and so unjustly, in a prison, and that with little effort for his enlargement. His wife indeed once applied to the judges at the assizes on his behalf, but was opposed by the magistrates, who did all in their power to prejudice the judges against him. The great and good Sir Matthew Hale, who was present, appeared desirous of relieving him, if the matter had been brought judicially before him, and for this end advised his wife to procure a writ of error; but whether they were too poor and friendless to do this, or whether they were ignorant how to proceed, or intimidated by the power of their enemies, or the iniquity of the times, no steps appear to have been taken of this nature. At length Bishop Barlow, and some other churchmen, rather, as should seem, from motives of compassion than of equity, interested themselves on his behalf, and procured his enlargement: after which he travelled in various parts of the kingdom, visiting and encouraging the brethren, insomuch that he was called Bishop Bunyan; and the reader will doubtless agree with me, that

(a) Heb. xi. 37.

38

THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN.

he better merited the title than those downy prelates who suffered him to languish twelve years in a jail, for preaching that Gospel which they ought to have preached themselves.

In the following reign, when king James II. declared for liberty of conscience, Bunyan was enabled, by the voluntary contributions of his hearers, to build a meeting-house, where he preached to large congregations, as he did also when he visited the metropolis, where he was sometimes honoured with the attendance, and decided approbation, of the great Dr. OWEN. And so popular was he, that if but one day's notice was' given, the meeting-house in Southwark, where he generally preached, would not hold half the people who attended. Three thousand have been gathered together for this purpose in a remote part of the town; and not less than twelve hundred at seven o'clock on a dark winter's morning, even in the week-days.

Amidst all this popularity he was kept humble and modest in his conversation, and exemplary in his behaviour. Slanders, indeed, were invented by his enemies, but soon died away; and his biographers are all agreed, that in the latter part of his life, from his conversion, his "moral character was unexceptionable." (a)

His valuable life, worn out with labour, and with sufferings, closed at the age of threescore, with a memorable act of Christian charity. His conduct in his own neighbourhood had procured him the blessed character of a peace-maker: he was therefore sent to, while on a visit at London, by a young gentleman at Bedford, to mediate with his offended father, who lived at Reading in Berkshire. He succeeded; but on his return to the metropolis, being overtaken with excessive rains, came very wet to his friend's (Mr. Straddock, grocer,) at the Star on Snow-hill, which produced a fatal fever. He bore this, as he had done his other suf

(a) Biog. Brit.