 |
| Bunyan understood the Slough of Despond. The fun part comes from the names of those who left Christian and went back. |
 |
| Bunyan loved Luther's Galatians, unlike the great and wise leaders of Lutherdom today. They teach against Luther's great book. |
Biography of John Bunyan
The origin of The
Pilgrim’s Progress defies logic. We would expect the greatest of English
classics, after the King James Bible, to come from someone with an excellent
bloodline, education, and scholarly surroundings. He was born in Bedfordshire,
England, in humble circumstances, around 1628. His father was a tinker, someone
who repaired and fashioned metal objects. His parents were very poor, but they
sent John to a free school, to improve his lot in life, but he was an
inattentive student.
His early behavior was
legendary, but for the wrong reasons:
John’s
ungodliness was as advanced as it was offensive. Few could equal him in
cursing, swearing, lying, and blaspheming. He was the ringleader of the village
immoralities – a great sin-breeder, infecting all the youth of the neighborhood
with all manner of youthful vanities. He cared nothing for Holy Scripture,
preferring a ballad or the local news.[1]
He was already a
soldier when he was 16 years old. Most likely he fought for the King, which is
ironic. The restoration of the monarchy led to his later imprisonments.
Meanwhile, he was tortured by his wanton behavior and feelings of doom. Friends
suggested marriage and he wed. We do not know the young woman’s name, but she
brought two books with her – The Practice of Piety, by Lewis Bayly and
Arthur Dent’s The Plain Man’s Pathway to Heaven. She helped him learn to
read again, but he remained fixed between some adherence and his bad habits.
This continued for some time.
Bunyan
came across a copy of Luther’s commentary on the book of Galatians. It was the
most well-suited thing imaginable for Bunyan at this time, for Luther was a man
who had similar passion and emotional contrasts. No other book was ever so
precious to him, except the Word of God. Bunyan’s turmoil continued, and it is
told in Grace Abounding.[2]
During this time Bunyan lost his first wife and also
moved gradually into serving as a church deacon, then pastor in 1657. His
church was Nonconformist, which meant they were independent of the Church of
England.
Bunyan’s change from his old days was so complete
that people gave credit to God’s powerful grace in this conversion, which was
aided by his first wife’s Christian faith, his learning to read Christian
books, and attendance in worship. Even so, he suffered great turmoil during
this transition.
Second Part, Restoration and Imprisonment
[1]
Bunyan,
John. Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (Updated, Illustrated): A
Brief Account of God’s Exceeding Mercy through Christ to His Poor Servant, John
Bunyan . Aneko Press. Kindle Edition.
[2]
Bunyan,
John. Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (Updated, Illustrated): A
Brief Account of God’s Exceeding Mercy through Christ to His Poor Servant, John
Bunyan . Aneko Press. Kindle Edition. Luther’s Galatians Lectures (also
called Commentary) is recommended by the Formula of Concord for
additional study of Justification by Faith.
 |
| LCMS seminary graduates say, "Really? Let's join Rome" |
