grace abounding to the chief of sinners-第34节

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as　willing　to　do　any　good　office；　as　it　could　be　requested；　as　　readily　undertook　it；　and　so　riding　to　READING　in　BERKSHIRE；　he　　then　there　used　such　pressing　arguments　and　reasons　against　anger　　and　passion；　as　also　for　love　and　reconciliation；　that　the　father　　was　mollified；　and　his　bowels　yearned　to　his　returning　son。

But　Mr　BUNYAN；　after　he　had　disposed　all　things　to　the　best　for　　accommodation；　returning　to　LONDON；　and　being　overtaken　with　　excessive　rains；　coming　to　his　lodgings　extremely　wet；　fell　sick　of　　a　violent　fever；　which　he　bore　with　much　constancy　and　patience；　　and　expressed　himself　as　if　he　desired　nothing　more　than　to　be　　dissolved；　and　be　with　Christ；　in　that　case　esteeming　death　as　　gain；　and　life　only　a　tedious　delaying　felicity　expected；　and　　finding　his　vital　strength　decay；　having　settled　his　mind　and　　affairs；　as　well　as　the　shortness　of　time；　and　the　violence　of　his　　disease　would　permit；　with　a　constant　and　christian　patience；　he　　resigned　his　soul　into　the　hands　of　his　most　merciful　Redeemer；　　following　his　pilgrim　from　the　City　of　Destruction；　to　the　New　　JERUSALEM；　his　better　part　having　been　all　along　there；　in　holy　　contemplation；　pantings　and　breathings　after　the　hidden　manna　and　　water　of　life；　as　by　many　holy　and　humble　consolations　expressed　in　　his　letters　to　several　persons　in　prison；　and　out　of　prison；　too　　many　to　be　inserted　at　present。　　He　died　at　the　house　of　one　Mr　　STRUDDOCK；　a　grocer；　at　the　Star　on　SNOW　HILL；　in　the　parish　of　ST　　SEPULCHRE'S；　LONDON；　on　the　12th　of　AUGUST　1688；　and　in　the　　sixtieth　year　of　his　age；　after　ten　days'　sickness；　and　was　buried　　in　the　new　burying　place　near　the　Artillery　Ground；　where　he　sleeps　　to　the　morning　of　the　resurrection；　in　hopes　of　a　glorious　rising　　to　an　incorruptible　immortality　of　joy　and　happiness；　where　no　more　　trouble　and　sorrow　shall　afflict　him；　but　all　tears　be　wiped　away；　　when　the　just　shall　be　incorporated　as　members　of　Christ　their　　head；　and　reign　with　Him　as　kings　and　priests　for　ever。


A　brief　Character　of　MR　JOHN　BUNYAN


HE　appeared　in　countenance　to　be　of　a　stern　and　rough　temper；　but　　in　his　conversation　mild　and　affable；　not　given　to　loquacity　or　　much　discourse　in　company；　unless　some　urgent　occasion　required　it；　　observing　never　to　boast　of　himself　or　his　parts；　but　rather　seem　　low　in　his　own　eyes；　and　submit　himself　to　the　judgment　of　others；　　abhorring　lying　and　swearing；　being　just　in　all　that　lay　in　his　　power　to　his　word；　not　seeming　to　revenge　injuries；　loving　to　　reconcile　differences；　and　make　friendship　with　all；　he　had　a　sharp　　quick　eye；　accompanied　with　an　excellent　discerning　of　persons；　　being　of　good　judgment　and　quick　wit。　　As　for　his　person；　he　was　　tall　of　stature；　strong　boned；　though　not　corpulent；　somewhat　of　a　　ruddy　face；　with　sparkling　eyes；　wearing　his　hair　on　his　upper　lip；　　after　the　old　British　fashion；　his　hair　reddish；　but　in　his　latter　　days；　time　had　sprinkled　it　with　grey；　his　nose　well　set；　but　not　　declining　or　bending；　and　his　mouth　moderate　large；　his　forehead　　somewhat　high；　and　his　habit　always　plain　and　modest。　　And　thus　　have　we　impartially　described　the　internal　and　external　parts　of　a　　person；　whose　death　hath　been　much　regretted；　a　person　who　had　　tried　the　smiles　and　frowns　of　time；　not　puffed　up　in　prosperity；　　nor　shaken　in　adversity；　always　holding　the　golden　mean。


In　him　at　once　did　three　great　worthies　shine；　Historian；　poet；　and　a　choice　divine：　Then　let　him　rest　in　undisturbed　dust；　Until　the　resurrection　of　the　just。


POSTSCRIPT


IN　this　his　pilgrimage；　God　blessed　him　with　four　children；　one　of　　which；　named　MARY；　was　blind；　and　died　some　years　before；　his　other　　children　were　THOMAS；　JOSEPH；　and　SARAH；　his　wife　ELIZABETH　having　　lived　to　see　him　overcome　his　labour　and　sorrow；　and　pass　from　this　　life　to　receive　the　reward　of　his　work；　long　survived　him　not；　but　　in　1692　she　died；　to　follow　her　faithful　pilgrim　from　this　world　to　　the　other；　whither　he　was　gone　before　her；　whilst　his　works；　which　　consist　of　sixty　books；　remain　for　the　edifying　of　the　reader；　and　　praise　of　the　author。




End