Section 22

GRACE ABOUNDING
account, and also for that he heard his father purposed to disinherit him, or otherwise deprive him of what he had to leave ; he pitched upon Mr Bunyan as a fit man to make way for his submission, and prepare his father's mind to receive him ; and he, 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, re- His last illness . r . , . .
turning to London, and being over- taken with excessive rains, coming to his lodgings extremely wet, fell sick of a violent fever, which he bore with much constancy and patience, and ex- pressed 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
240
SAFELY "ACROSS THE RIVER"
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 groce*, at the Star on Snow Hill, in the parish of St Sepulchre's, London, on the 1 2th of August 1688, and in the sixtieth year of his age,1 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
1 It is an established fact that John Bunyan died on Friday, August 31, 1688. He is recorded to have preached his last sermon on August 19.
24I
GRACE ABOUNDING
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 judg- ment 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 juste
24*
HUSBAND AND WIFE REUNITED
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.
Vale.
FINK
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