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John Bunyan ( 1628 – 1688) A Christian preacher and author

John Bunyan was born, on November 30, 1628, at Harrowden in the rural village of Elstow, only a mile south of Bedford, England. There is a plaque on the site where there was once a lowly cottage, it is here that it is thought John Bunyan was born. It is near two fields called “Further Bunyans” and “Bunyans”.

John followed in his father footsteps and became a tinker’s or brazier trade (a metal worker). His father was very poor and when he died he left John with only one shilling. As a child he loved to play “tip-cat”, a game played on the village green in Elstow. John had very little education and was a very crude and vulgar young man, with a very irreverent and disrespectful mouth. It is said even wicked men were shocked at what came out of his it.

His mother passed away in 1644 and his father (for the third time) quickly remarried one month later. John was not pleased with his father’s remarriage and found himself estranged from his father.

During England’s civil war, in 1644 young John joined the army and served in Cromwell’s Parliament at Newport Pagnell. At one time he was called to be in the siege and another young man asked if he could take John’s place. The young man was killed and John felt this was a sign that God saved his life from death and felt that the Lord had something for him to do. John was released from the military in 1647.

In 1649, he returned to Elstow and married a local woman whose name was probably Mary, and the two of them lived in Elstow. Mary was born in 1625, she came from a godly home and was very influenal in sharing the gospel with John. They had three children, including a daughter Mary who was blind from birth. They also had another daughter named Elizabeth and two sons John, and Thomas.

He and his wife were both very poor and it is said that neither had silverware or a dish to eat out of. One day as he was reading from two Christian books (here he was being influenced by Gospel truth) “The Plain Man’s Pathway to Heaven” by Arthur Dent and “The Practice of Piety” by Lewis Bayly, which were given to the young couple as a dowry gift from his father in-law, he heard a voice. “Will you leave your sins and go to Heaven, or have your sins and go to Hell?” Of course between reading the book, which was convicting to him and hearing the voice, he was very disturbed. All of a sudden he began to question his rebellious and unruly lifestyle and began to search for a deeper sense of significance. John felt himself such a sinner that he thought God would not forgive him, yet with much struggle he put away his dirty mouth and spent much time reading his Bible, however, with little peace of mind. Yet he felt he was making points with God by his reading and cleaning up his mouth and actions.

John continued to struggle with the lack of peace until one day he overheard two women speaking about their faith and he decided to leave his church and started attending the ladies congregation meeting at St. John’s Church, Bedford. Here he became very good friends with the pastor, John Gifford. However all of this did not change him until around 1650 when he read Luther’s commentary on Galatians and then he realized that salvation was by faith alone and not of works. Here he finally found the peace he was searching for. As all Christians from time to time, have struggles along the way in our Christian walk in Christ, John too had struggles and yet God used him greatly. He became a preacher with a great following, who would arrive before dawn just to hear him preach. John was also preaching now at John Gifford’s church along with openly in the streets and country side. Anywhere there were people, John would be found preaching. There was one problem with John Bunyan preaching and that was he needed a license from the State to preach.

He had a ruddy complexion, sparkling eyes, was tall of stature, strong-boned, he also had a high forehead and wore his reddish hair like men of his day. As he aged his hair became more salt and pepper. His nose was strong and his mouth was on the large size. He was not wealthy, nor traumatized with hardship.

John’s countenance was stern and seemly to have a rough temper; however he never boasted of himself; in conversation he was mild and easygoing. He was plain and modest and was not given too many words when in the company of others, unless the circumstances were necessary. He abhorred lying and swearing, never revenged injuries, but would reconcile differences with love. Because of this trait he made many friends from those who were his enemy. He also had an excellent ability to discern people and their motives. Bunyan’s best godly character was his deep, heartfelt humility.

John’s dear godly wife, Mary died in 1655; this little union was to have lasted only 6 years. Then in 1659 he remarried a sweet lovely lady named Elizabeth. John and Elizabeth had two more children Sarah and Joseph. Elizabeth was a very godly and courageous woman and loyal to John, even during all the years of imprisonment for his convictions of his faith.

In 1660 when the monarchy was restored and in the attempt to restrain the growth of Independent Congregations it once again started going after the non-conformist preachers and they went after them with vigor, they made preaching without a license illegal. Bunyan became a deacon in his church and began preaching where ever he felt like it. But of course it was against the law, since John was not a licensed minister of the state church. He would preach out in the open which was highly illegal and since he didn’t have a license he was arrested. He was threatened if he preached in homes or on the street or out in the country he would be arrested. But boldly he did it anyway. He was promptly arrested and given three months in prison. During this time his wife Elizabeth had a miscarriage which greatly bothered John.

No matter what the authorities said and what laws they passed, John believed in what he was preaching, to the point that he could not cease sharing the Gospel with others, for he know it was the power of God unto Salvation. In 1660 while preaching near a farmhouse in the village of Samsell, he was arrested again, and taken to Bedford where he was tried at Bedford Assizes and ordered held in the County jail for his crime of not conforming to the laws of preaching. He was told if he promised not to preach he could be released however, he refused their offer by saying “That such a promise was not possible.” So he was incarcerated for twelve years. He was most lonely for his wife and family but determined he was standing for the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. While in prison he had time to read his Bible, write and even preach to the prisoners. It was in jail he wrote his sixty books, one of which was Pilgrim’s Progress and Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.

His wife pleaded with the authorities to release her husband but with no avail. She told them “My lord, I have four small children that cannot help themselves, of which one is blind, and have nothing to live upon but the charity of good people.’ But it made no difference to the authorities, that she was really destitute.

(Picture of John saying goodbye to his wife and children in prison)

His wife pleaded with the authorities to release her husband but with no avail. She told them “My lord, I have four small children that cannot help themselves, of which one is blind, and have nothing to live upon but the charity of good people.’ But it made no difference to the authorities, that she was really destitute.

Prison was a dirty grungy place, where they were forced to share the private areas. Many people died in prison because of the unfit conditions. While John was in prison he made shoelaces to help support his wife and children. The church also helped with her support. John did not waste his time, but read his Bible, wrote poems, books, essays sermons, witnessed to the inmates, and preached to them along with making hundreds his shoelaces to sell. So he could supply his house with bare necessaries to meet the expenses of a wife and four children must have filled him with anxiety.”

In George Offor’s memoir in his edition of The Works of John Bunyan he comments: “Bunyan was thus left in a dreary and hopeless state of imprisonment, in which he continued for somewhat more than twelve years, and it becomes an interesting inquiry how he spent his time and managed to employ his great talent in his Master’s service. The first object of his solicitude would be to provide for his family.

While in prison John wrote an article called Some Gospel Truths Opened against the Quakers – yet the Quakers helped to get him released from prison. At long last, King Charles II set free most of the non-conformers which included John Bunyan. He was enjoying his wife and children but was not home long tell he was arrested again shortly after being released for you guessed it preaching. Then Charles II recanted on his word and had all the non-conformers arrested.

While John was out preaching a warrant had been issued for his arrest. This time he spent six more months in jail. This is when he began to write the his book “Pilgrim’s Progress.”

John had expected to be incarcerated again and was greatly filled with anguish of heart with regard to his families’ welfare. Several things went through his mind but everything led him to the Scriptures and the Lord strengthen him in his anguished heart.

On May 15, 1672 he received his license to preach. Upon being set free he set out first to care for his family and then to the preaching and writing to share the blessed Gospel with other. Also during this time he visited those who stood by him and his family while he was in prison.

When Pastor John Gifford died, John took his place as head of St. John’s Church, he would travel all over the district preaching and sharing the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and that salvation was by grace alone through faith and not according to man’s works.

He preached vigorously as usual and was very well thought of and his services were of demand all over the country of England

He shared with a Mr. Cockayn, who considered John the most distinguished man, that spiritual pride was his easily besetting sin, and that he needed the thorn in the flesh, lest he should be exalted above measure. A sense of this weakness probably led him to peculiar watchfulness against it. His humbleness was genuine and not with the pride. Having preached with great vigor, one of his friends took him by the hand and could not help observing what a sweet sermon he had delivered; ‘Ay,’ said he, ‘you need not remind me of that, for the devil told me of it before I was out of the pulpit!’

His humbleness was from his spiritual union with the Lord Himself, daily he was taught deeper humility from his time in prayer with the Lord and his reading in God’s Word. He knew with all his heart that God was the High and Lofty One, who inhabited eternity! And, he felt that any man who knew this should creep into a mouse-hole and hid himself from such Majesty. John wrote: “There is room in this man’s heart for God to dwell.’’ ‘‘I find it one of the hardest things that I can put my soul upon, even to come to God, when warmly sensible that I am a sinner, for a share in grace and mercy. I cannot but with a thousand tears say, ‘‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’’

John became ill with a sweating sickness which was often fatal. In 1688 though weakened he traveled to Reading, London and on his way home he encountered bad weather of chilling cold and torrential rains – he caught a terrible cold and fever and was able to stop at a Christian friends home, there he was overcome by a great fever, after of which he had a stroke. He died on August 31, 1688 and was buried in the Bunhill Fields in London. This lovely couple was married for a sort 29 years, with much of it being separated by John’s imprisonment. It is not known if Elizabeth was with him when he passed from this life and into the arms of his Lord and Master.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did researching John Bunyan’s life.
Lynn

My notes were gleaned with much appreciation and with permission –I would like to thank both “SermonAudio.com” on their John Bunyan bio. as well as Barry E. Horner’s “Bunyan Ministries” from his writings on “John Bunyan as a Husband, Father and Family Man” a very in-depth biography by Dr. Horner may be seen at: http://www.bunyanministries.org/articles/John%20Bunyan%20as%20a%20Father%20and%20Family%20Man.pdf

Also with permission from SermonAudio.com http://www.sermonaudio.com/main.asp