第 34 节
作者:童舟      更新:2021-02-20 15:23      字数:4169
  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