Lessons from the life of John Bunyan and his contemporaries




Sallie Rochester Ford originally published her book, Mary Bunyan – The Blind Daughter of John Bunyan, in 1860. It was later reprinted by Reiner Publications in 1976 for the purpose of preparing the church today for the coming persecution. We may think we suffer from persecution even today, but when we read about the lives of John Bunyan, Mary Bunyan, William Dormer, Elizabeth Gaunt, and others, we see examples of actual persecution.

Of these, we most recognize the name of John Bunyan. He lived from 1628 to 1688 in Elstow, England. During his 60 years of life he wrote 60 works. Pilgrim’s Progress remains the most famous of all. Surprisingly, most of what we remember about him happened during his adult life. As an adult, he listened to women talking about the things of God. God used that, along with the books his wife brought to the marriage, to draw John to Himself. When he began to read the Bible and attend church, he stopped doing activities that led him away from God.

Within four years of his conversion, he had begun preaching in and around his church in Bedford. This happened during the reign of the impious Carlos II. Christians met secretly in the middle of the night due to harsh laws that restricted worship to “dissidents.” Those who did not follow the religion established by the state received severe penalties for violating the law of the land. When he was first incarcerated, his wife, Elizabeth, had just given birth to a baby who died. Elizabeth suffered greatly from all that the family endured during this time.

John Bunyan was incarcerated in Bedford jail for 12 years. Surprisingly, he found an understanding jailer who let him out of prison to spend time with his family and his church. One night, although the jailer had allowed him to be home, he knew that he had to come back. When he was late, the jailer complained until someone from the King came to verify that Bunyan was indeed in custody. Since the jailer realized that Bunyan knew best when he should be in jail and when he could get out, the jailer told him that he could come and go as he pleased.

In addition to being away from his family and church, Bunyan was distressed that his family was in dire need of food and other necessities. Church members helped the Bunyan family as much as they could, but they themselves had little. Bunyan realized that he could make shoelaces that his blind daughter could sell. His youngest child, Joseph, accompanied Mary to make these sales to help support the family. Some wouldn’t even buy them because Bunyan was considered a traitor to the state church.

After the persecution of Charles II ended, Bunyan was released, but later imprisoned for six months. He would have been released earlier if he had promised not to preach. This he failed to do, but during his imprisonment he began to write and readers of his have benefited from his writing ever since.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/musiciansartistsandwriters/john-bunyan.HTML

From Mary Bunyan’s biography of Ford, we can glean much. Although Mary always showed love for her father, often visiting him in jail and selling the shoelaces he made, God did not save her until she was a young adult. Mary showed signs of interest in a young man named William Dormer. On one occasion he had accompanied her out of courtesy since she needed someone to show her the way at all times. Later, she was in London for the purpose of appearing before the King to plead for her father’s release. While she was at Elizabeth Gaunt’s house, she expected to see him, but no one mentioned him and he didn’t show up. Elizabeth treated William like a son and proved Christ to this young man who did not trust Christ. Later, God worked in these two young adults to bring them to Christ.

In Mary’s case, she attended secret church meetings in London with Elizabeth Gaunt. During one of those meetings, God convicted her of her sin. She thought that she needed to return to her father for her salvation. Insisting that someone take her to see her father, she opened her heart to her father and trusted in Christ as Savior. This occurred during a time when John Bunyan could not leave her cell. On the day of Mary’s baptism, the church met by a river that Juan could see from his cell. Thus, he witnessed the baptism of Mary.

After God had also saved William Dormer, he would visit the Bunyan home. Just as God brought them together, he sovereignly caused Dormer to flee the country as a dissident. Time passed and the family finally heard from him, but he still could not return. Finally, when the Duke of Monmouth challenged Charles II for the crown, many lost their lives in battle and others, including William, were executed in the cause of religious liberty. Mary, although she recognized the hand of God in all of this, she never actually survived this tragedy. She died with her father by her side.

Finally, we learn of Elizabeth Gaunt. We know that she cared deeply for Mary and William, as well as for the entire Bunyan family. During the time that many were imprisoned in London for her faith, she went to the prison every day with broth and medical supplies. She cared for William Dormer and others. In addition, Elizabeth had provided security for a family that she said needed protection for religious freedom. Once they escaped when the police came looking for them. Later, they proved against her and she too was sentenced to death. John Bunyan had been released, and he and Mary followed the prisoners to the city where they were tried and sentenced to death. In each case, the prisoners refused to recant and bravely died for the cause of Christ.

In our day and in our country, we may think that we suffer for Christ’s sake, but knowing the lives of John Bunyan and his contemporaries, we know that:

· We may worship freely in public on the Lord’s Day and at other times when we feel it is necessary.

· We can speak His name as we testify of His saving grace when the opportunity arises.

We have food, shelter, work without discrimination because of our religion.

23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and firm, and do not depart from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I Paul was made a minister. 24 Now I rejoice in what I suffer for you, and fill up in my flesh what remains of Christ’s afflictions, for his body, which is the church, 25 of which I was made a minister according to God’s stewardship. which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, Colossians 1:23- (NIV)

May we exercise this rare gift of freedom of religion and expression for His glory! God uses persecution to purify the church. If the day comes that we suffer something like John Bunyan and his contemporaries, perhaps they will be found faithful!

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