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 with the purpose of preparing today’s church for the persecution to come. We may think that 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 actual 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 is still the most famous of all. Surprisingly, most of what we remember him happened during his adult life. As an adult, he listened to women talk 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 to read the Bible and attend church, he stopped doing activities that alienated him from God.

Within four years of his conversion, he had begun preaching in his church in Bedford and the surrounding areas. This happened during the reign of the impious Carlos II. Christians keep it a secret in the middle of the night due to harsh laws restricting the worship of “dissenters.” 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 who died. Elizabeth suffered greatly for all that the family endured during this time.

John Bunyan was incarcerated in Bedford Jail for 12 years. Surprisingly, he found a sympathetic jailer who allowed him to leave prison to spend time with his family and the 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 check that Bunyan was indeed in custody. Since the jailer realized that Bunyan knew better when to be in jail and when he could leave, the jailer told him that he could come and go as he pleased.

Aside from 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 she could make shoelaces that her blind daughter could sell. Their youngest son, José, would go with María to make these sales to help support the family. Some would not even buy them because Bunyan was considered a traitor to the state church.

After the persecution of Charles II ended, Bunyan was released, but then imprisoned for six months. They would have released him earlier if he had promised not to preach. This he was unable to 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

We can glean a lot from Mary Bunyan’s biography of Ford. While Maria always showed love for her father, visiting him often in jail and selling the shoelaces she 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 as a courtesy since he needed someone at all times to show him the way. Later, he was in London for the purpose of appearing before the King to plead for his father’s release. While at Elizabeth Gaunt’s house she expected to see him, but no one mentioned him and he did not show up. Elizabeth treated William like a son and testified of Christ to this young man who did not trust Christ. Later, God worked on 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. He thought that he needed to return to his father for his salvation. By 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 his 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 caused Dormer to flee the country sovereignly as a dissident. Time passed and the family finally found out about him, but he still couldn’t go back. Finally, when the Duke of Monmouth challenged Charles II for the crown, many lost their lives in battle and others, including William, were executed for the cause of religious freedom. Although Mary recognized the hand of God in all of this, she never really survived this tragedy. He died with his father by his side.

Finally, we learn from Elizabeth Gaunt. We know that you cared deeply for Mary and William, as well as the entire Bunyan family. During the time when many were imprisoned in London for their 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 claimed needed protection for religious freedom. They once escaped when the police came looking for them. They later testified 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 are suffering for the love of Christ, but learning about the life of John Bunyan and his contemporaries, we know that:

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

We can pronounce His name by testifying of His saving grace when the opportunity arises.

· We have food, shelter, jobs without discrimination with respect to our religion.

23 if in truth you remain in the faith, rooted and firm, and do not turn away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, because of his body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of God. that was given to me by you, to fulfill the word of God, Colossians 1: 23- (NKJV)

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, let’s be faithful!