the life of john bunyan-第8部分

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for　to　bring　me　down　again。　　But　he　could　by　no　means　do　it；　for

this　sentence　stood　like　a　millpost　at　my　back。〃　　But　after　two

days　the　old　despairing　thoughts　returned；　〃nor　could　his　faith

retain　the　word。〃　　A　few　hours；　however；　saw　the　return　of　his

hopes。　　As　he　was　on　his　knees　before　going　to　bed；　〃seeking　the

Lord　with　strong　cries；〃　a　voice　echoed　his　prayer；　〃I　have　loved

Thee　with　an　everlasting　love。〃　　〃Now　I　went　to　bed　at　quiet；　and

when　I　awaked　the　next　morning　it　was　fresh　upon　my　soul　and　I

believed　it。〃



These　voices　from　heaven　…　whether　real　or　not　he　could　not　tell；

nor　did　he　much　care；　for　they　were　real　to　him　…　were　continually

sounding　in　his　ears　to　help　him　out　of　the　fresh　crises　of　his

spiritual　disorder。　　At　one　time　〃O　man；　great　is　thy　faith；〃

〃fastened　on　his　heart　as　if　one　had　clapped　him　on　the　back。〃　　At

another；　〃He　is　able；〃　spoke　suddenly　and　loudly　within　his　heart；

at　another；　that　〃piece　of　a　sentence；〃　〃My　grace　is　sufficient；〃

darted　in　upon　him　〃three　times　together；〃　and　he　was　〃as　though　he

had　seen　the　Lord　Jesus　look　down　through　the　tiles　upon　him；〃　and

was　sent　mourning　but　rejoicing　home。　　But　it　was　still　with　him

like　an　April　sky。　　At　one　time　bright　sunshine；　at　another

lowering　clouds。　　The　terrible　words　about　Esau　〃returned　on　him　as

before；〃　and　plunged　him　in　darkness；　and　then　again　some　good

words；　〃as　it　seemed　writ　in　great　letters；〃　brought　back　the　light

of　day。　　But　the　sunshine　began　to　last　longer　than　before；　and　the

clouds　were　less　heavy。　　The　〃visage〃　of　the　threatening　texts　was

changed；　〃they　looked　not　on　him　so　grimly　as　before；〃　〃that　about

Esau's　birthright　began　to　wax　weak　and　withdraw　and　vanish。〃　　〃Now

remained　only　the　hinder　part　of　the　tempest。　　The　thunder　was

gone；　only　a　few　drops　fell　on　him　now　and　then。〃



The　long…expected　deliverance　was　at　hand。　　As　he　was　walking　in

the　fields；　still　with　some　fears　in　his　heart；　the　sentence　fell

upon　his　soul；　〃Thy　righteousness　is　in　heaven。〃　　He　looked　up　and

〃saw　with　the　eyes　of　his　soul　our　Saviour　at　God's　right　hand。〃

〃There；　I　say；　was　my　righteousness；　so　that　wherever　I　was；　or

whatever　I　was　a…doing；　God　could　not　say　of　me；　'He　wants　my

righteousness；'　for　that　was　just　before　Him。　　Now　did　the　chains

fall　off　from　my　legs。　　I　was　loosed　from　my　affliction　and　irons。

My　temptations　also　fled　away；　so　that　from　that　time　those

dreadful　Scriptures　left　off　to　trouble　me。　　Oh　methought　Christ；

Christ；　there　was　nothing　but　Christ　that　was　before　mine　eyes。　　I

could　look　from　myself　to　Him；　and　should　reckon　that　all　those

graces　of　God　that　now　were　green　upon　me；　were　yet　but　like　those

crack…groats；　and　fourpence…halfpennies　that　rich　men　carry　in

their　purses；　while　their　gold　is　in　their　trunks　at　home。　　Oh；　I

saw　my　gold　was　in　my　trunk　at　home。　　In　Christ　my　Lord　and

Saviour。　　Further　the　Lord　did　lead　me　into　the　mystery　of　union

with　the　Son　of　God。　　His　righteousness　was　mine；　His　merits　mine；

His　victory　also　mine。　　Now　I　could　see　myself　in　heaven　and　earth

at　once；　in　heaven　by　my　Christ；　by　my　Head；　by　my　Righteousness

and　Life；　though　on　earth　by　my　body　or　person。　　These　blessed

considerations　were　made　to　spangle　in　mine　eyes。　　Christ　was　my

all；　all　my　Wisdom；　all　my　Righteousness；　all　my　Sanctification；

and　all　my　Redemption。〃







CHAPTER　III。







The　Pilgrim；　having　now　floundered　through　the　Slough　of　Despond；

passed　through　the　Wicket　Gate；　climbed　the　Hill　Difficulty；　and

got　safe　by　the　Lions；　entered　the　Palace　Beautiful；　and　was　〃had

in　to　the　family。〃　　In　plain　words；　Bunyan　united　himself　to　the

little　Christian　brotherhood　at　Bedford；　of　which　the　former　loose…

living　royalist　major；　Mr。　Gifford；　was　the　pastor；　and　was

formally　admitted　into　their　society。　　In　Gifford　we　recognize　the

prototype　of　the　Evangelist　of　〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress；〃　while　the

Prudence；　Piety；　and　Charity　of　Bunyan's　immortal　narrative　had

their　human　representatives　in　devout　female　members　of　the

congregation；　known　in　their　little　Bedford　world　as　Sister

Bosworth；　Sister　Munnes；　and　Sister　Fenne；　three　of　the　poor　women

whose　pleasant　words　on　the　things　of　God；　as　they　sat　at　a　doorway

in　the　sun；　〃as　if　joy　did　make　them　speak；〃　had　first　opened

Bunyan's　eyes　to　his　spiritual　ignorance。　　He　was　received　into　the

church　by　baptism；　which；　according　to　his　earliest　biographer；

Charles　Doe　〃the　Struggler；〃　was　performed　publicly　by　Mr。　Gifford；

in　the　river　Ouse；　the　〃Bedford　river〃　into　which　Bunyan　tells　us

he　once　fell　out　of　a　boat；　and　barely　escaped　drowning。　　This　was

about　the　year　1653。　　The　exact　date　is　uncertain。　　Bunyan　never

mentions　his　baptism　himself；　and　the　church　books　of　Gifford's

congregation　do　not　commence　till　May；　1656；　the　year　after

Gifford's　death。　　He　was　also　admitted　to　the　Holy　Communion；　which

for　want；　as　he　deemed；　of　due　reverence　in　his　first　approach　to

it；　became　the　occasion　of　a　temporary　revival　of　his　old

temptations。　　While　actually　at　the　Lord's　Table　he　was　〃forced　to

bend　himself　to　pray〃　to　be　kept　from　uttering　blasphemies　against

the　ordinance　itself；　and　cursing　his　fellow　communicants。　　For

three…quarters　of　a　year　he　could　〃never　have　rest　or　ease〃　from

this　shocking　perversity。　　The　constant　strain　of　beating　off　this

persistent　temptation　seriously　affected　his　health。　　〃Captain

Consumption；〃　who　carried　off　his　own　〃Mr。　Badman；〃　threatened　his

life。　　But　his　naturally　robust　constitution　〃routed　his　forces；〃

and　brought　him　through　what　at　one　time　he　anticipated　would　prove

a　fatal　illness。　　Again　and　again；　during　his　period　of

indisposition；　the　Tempter　took　advantage　of　his　bodily　weakness　to

ply　him　with　his　former　despairing　questionings　as　to　his　spiritual

state。　　That　seemed　as　bad　as　bad　could　be。　　〃Live　he　must　not；　die

he　dare　not。〃　　He　was　repeatedly　near　giving　up　all　for　lost。　　But

a　few　words　of　Scripture　brought　to　his　mind　would　revive　his

drooping　spirits；　with　a　natural　reaction　on　his　physical　health；

and　he　became　〃well　both　in　body　and　mind　at　once。〃　　〃My　sickness

did　presently　vanish；　and　I　walked　comfortably　in　my　work　for　God

again。〃　　At　another　time；　after　three　or　four　days　of　deep

dejection；　some　words　from　the　Epistle　to　the　Hebrews　〃came　bolting

in　upon　him；〃　and　sealed　his　sense　of　acceptance　with　an　assurance

he　never　afterwards　entirely　lost。　　〃Then　with　joy　I　told　my　wife；

'Now　I　know；　I　know。'　　That　night　was　a　good　night　to　me；　I　never

had　but　few　better。　　I　could　scarce　lie　in　my　bed　for　joy　and　peace

and　triumph　through　Christ。〃



During　this　time　Bunyan；　though　a　member　of　the　Bedford

congregation；　continued　to　reside　at　Elstow；　in　the　little　thatched

wayside　tenement；　with　its　lean…to　forge　at　one　end；　already

mentioned；　which　is　still　pointed　out　as　〃Bunyan's　Cottage。〃　　There

his　two　children；　Mary；　his　passionately　loved　blind　daughter；　and

Elizabeth　were　born；　the　one　in　1650；　and　the　other　in　1654。　　It

was　probably　in　the　next　year；　1655；　that　he　finally　quitted　his

native　village　and　took　up　his　residence　in　Bedford；　and　became　a

deacon　of　the　congregation。　　About　this　time　also　he　must　have　lost

the　wife　to　whom　he　owed　so　much。　　Bunyan　does　not　mention　the

event；　and　our　only　knowledge　of　it　is　from　the　conversation　of　his

second　wife；　Elizabeth；　with　Sir　Matthew　Hale。　　He　sustained　also

an　even　greater　loss　in　the　death　of　his　friend　and　comrade；　Mr。

Gifford；　who　died　in　September；　1655。　　The　latter　was　succeeded　by

a　young　man　named　John　Burton；　of　very　delicate　health；　who　was

taken　by　death　from　his　congregation；　by　whom　he　was　much　beloved；

in　September；　1660；　four　months　after　the　restoration　of　the

Monarchy　and　the　Church。　　Burton　thoroughly　appreciated　Bunyan's

gifts；　and　stood　sponsor　for　him　on　the　publication　of　his　first

printed　work。　　This　was　a　momentous　year　for　Bunyan；　for　in　it　Dr。

Brown　has　shown；　by　a　〃comparison　of　dates；〃　that　we　may　probably

place　the　beginning　of　Bunyan's　ministerial　life。　　Bunyan　was　now

in　his　twenty…seventh　year；　in　the　prime　of　his　manly　vigour；　with

a　vivid　imagination；　ready　speech；　minute　textual　knowledge　of　the

Bible；　and　an　experience　of　temptation　and　the　wiles　of　the　evil

one；　such　as　few　Christians　of　double　his　years　have　ever　reached。

〃His　gifts　could　not　long　be　hid。〃　　The　beginnings　of　that　which

was　to　prove　the　great　work　of　his　life　were　slender　enough。　　As

Mr。　Froude　says；　〃he　was　modest；　humble；　shrinking。〃　　The　members

of　his　congregation；　recognizing　that　he　had　〃the　gift　of

utterance〃　asked　him　to　speak　〃a　word　of　exhortation〃　to　them。　　The

request　scared　him。　　The　most　truly　gifted　are　usually　the　least

conscious　of　their　gifts。　　At　first　it　did　much　〃dash　and　abash　his

spirit。〃　　But　after　earnest　entreaty　he　gave　way；　and　made　one　or

two　trials　of　his　gift　in　private　meetings；　〃though　with　much

weakness　and　infirmity。〃　　The　result　proved　the　correctness　of　his

brethren's　estimate。　　The　young　tinker　showed　himself　no　common

preacher。　　His　words　came　home　with　power　to　the　souls　of　his

hearers；　who　〃protested　solemnly；　as　in　the　sight　of　God；　that　they

were　both　affected　and　comforted　by　them；　and　gave　thanks　to　the

Father　of　mercies　for　the　grace　bestowed　on　him。〃　　After　this；　as

the　brethren　went　out　on　their　itinerating　rounds　to　the　villages

about；　they　began　to　ask　Bunyan　to　accompany　them；　and　though　he

〃durst　not　make　use　of　his　gift　in　an　open　way；〃　he　would

sometimes；　〃yet　more　privately　still；　speak　a　word　of　admonition；

with　which　his　hearers　professed　their　souls　edified。〃　　That　he　had

a　real　Divine　call　to　the　ministry　became　increasingly　evident；

both　to　himself　and　to　others。　　His　engagements　of　this　kind

multiplied。　　An　entry　in　the　Church　book　records　〃that　Brother

Bunyan　being　taken　off　by　the　preaching　of　the　gospel〃　from　his

duties