John Bunyan had been married for several years, and that dear lady gave him four children, including one blind little girl. Three years after his wife’s death, he married Elizabeth. She willingly took on the responsibility of loving and caring for the Bunyan children, but sadly she lost her own baby after an eight-day childbirth ordeal.
After three years of marriage, on this day in 1660, John Bunyan was arrested for preaching the gospel of Christ without the authorization of the Church of England. Elizabeth, with great difficulty, took the children to London, following her husband, where she appeared before his earthly judges on several occasions. John Bunyan recorded one of those meetings (which I will condense just a bit).
Elizabeth: “My lord, I make bold to come again to your lordship to know what may be done with my husband.” Judge: “Woman, I told thee before I could do thee no good…” Elizabeth: “My Lord, he is kept unlawfully in prison…” Another judge: “Will your husband leave preaching? If he will do so, then send for him.” Elizabeth: “My Lord, he dares not leave preaching so long as he can speak…” Judge: “… I understand that your husband is maintained… by running up and own a-preaching than by following his calling… What is his calling? Some of the crowd, “A tinker, my lord.” Elizabeth: “Yes, and because he is a tinker and a poor man, therefore he is despised and cannot have justice… As for preaching, he preacheth nothing but the Word of God… God hath owned him, and done much good by him.” Judge: “God! Your husband’s doctrine is the doctrine of the devil.” Elizabeth: “My lord, when the righteous Judge shall appear, it will be known that his doctrine is not the doctrine of the devil.” Judge: “I am sorry, woman, that I can do thee no good.” With this Elizabeth broke into tears, not too much because they were so hardhearted against me, but to think what a sad account such poor creatures will have to give at the coming of the Lord, when they shall there answer for all things whatsoever they have done, whether it be good or bad.