Elizabeth Bunyan was an incredible woman of God. She was the second wife of John Bunyan, a well known pastor from the 1600’s. She married John after his first wife died. Unfortunately, just a couple of years after Elizabeth’s marriage to John, he was put in jail for preaching the gospel. This left her–an English peasant woman–all alone to care for John’s four children from his previous marriage, one of which was blind, while she was pregnant! To make things worse, the stress that she was under contributed to the miscarriage of her child. Heartbreaking circumstances.
Yet, in the midst of her difficulties, she repeatedly went to the authorities to fight for her husband’s release. Here is one interaction that gives you a glimpse into what kind of an incredible woman she was. Hope it inspires you.
The official asked her: “[If we released him], would he stop preaching?”
She replies: “My lord, he dares not leave off preaching as long as he can speak.”
Official: “What is the need of talking?”
She replies: “There is need for this, my lord, for I have four small children that cannot help themselves, of which one is blind, and we have nothing to live upon but the charity of good people.”
After an official asks if she really has four children so young, she says: “My lord, I am but mother-in-law [stepmother] to them, having not been married to him yet full two years. Indeed, I was with child when my husband was first apprehended; but being young and unaccustomed to such things, I being smayed at the news, fell into labor, and so continued for eight days, and then was delivered; but my child died.”
Some of the other officials spoke up against John, saying: “He is a mere tinker!”
She replies: “Yes, and because he is a tinker and a poor man, therefore he is despised and cannot have justice.”
One official angrily replies: “Bunyan will preach and do as he wishes…”
She replies: “He preacheth nothing but the word of God!”
Another official replies: “He runneth up and down and doeth harm.”
She replies: “No, my lord, it is not so; God hath owned him and done much good by him.”
The official continues: “His doctrine is the doctrine of the devil!”
She replies: “My lord, when the righteous Judge shall appear, it will be known that his doctrine is not the doctrine of the devil.”
May God grant all of us the courage, strength, and conviction of Elizabeth Bunyan!
Thanks to John Piper’s The Hidden Smile of God for pointing me to this interaction (p. 55).
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