Lessons from the life of John Bunyan and his contemporaries

Sallie Rochester Ford originally published her book, Mary Bunyan – John Bunyan’s Blind Daughter, in 1860. It was later reprinted by Reiner Publications in 1976 for the purpose of preparing today’s church for the coming persecution. We may think we suffer 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 real persecution.

Of these, we recognize the name of John Bunyan the most. 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 into the marriage, to draw John to Himself. When he began reading the Bible and attending church, he stopped doing activities that took him away from God.

Within four years of his conversion, he had begun preaching in and around his church in Bedford. This occurred during the reign of the impious Carlos II. Christians met secretly in the middle of the night due to harsh laws restricting 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 imprisoned, his wife, Elizabeth, had just given birth to a baby boy who died. Elizabeth suffered greatly from all that the family endured during this time.

John Bunyan was incarcerated in Bedford Gaol for 12 years. Amazingly, he found a sympathetic jailer who allowed him to get out of prison to spend time with his family and his church. One night, even though the jailer had allowed him to be home, he knew he had to go back. When he was late, the jailer complained until someone from the King came to verify that Bunyan was really in custody. Because the jailer realized that Bunyan knew better 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.

Aside from being away from his family and church, Bunyan was distraught 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 had little themselves. Bunyan realized that he could make shoelaces that his blind daughter could sell. His youngest son, 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 sooner if he had promised not to preach. This he could not do, but during his imprisonment he began to write and his readers 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 a lot. 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 the release of her father. 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 Guillermo like a son and proved Christ to this young man who did not trust in Christ. Later, God worked on these two young adults to lead 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 Christ as Savior. This occurred during a time when John Bunyan was unable to leave her cell. On the day of Mary’s baptism, the church gathered 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. 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 couldn’t 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, never actually survived this tragedy. She died with her father by her side.

Finally, we learn from Elizabeth Gaunt. We know that she cared deeply for Mary and William, as well as the entire Bunyan family. During the time when 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. Additionally, Elizabeth had provided security for a family she said needed protection for religious freedom. Once they escaped when the police came looking for them. Later, they tried against her and she too was sentenced to death. John Bunyan had been released, and he and Mary followed the prisoners into 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 by learning about the lives of John Bunyan and his contemporaries, we know that:

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

· We can speak His name in testifying of His saving grace when the opportunity arises.

We have food, shelter, work without discrimination based on 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 has been 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 I fulfill in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for his body, which is the church, 25 of which I was made a minister according to the stewardship of God. 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 when we suffer something like John Bunyan and his contemporaries, they may be found faithful!