The Life of John Bunyan by Edmund Venables
page 146 of 149 (97%)
page 146 of 149 (97%)
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He seems to permit "His work to be spoilt, His power defied, and even His
victories when won made useless," it is but seeming,--that the triumph of evil is but temporary, and that these apparent failures and contradictions, are slowly but surely working out and helping forward "The one unseen divine event To which the whole creation moves." "The mysteries and contradictions which the Christian revelation leaves unsolved are made tolerable by Hope." To adopt Bunyan's figurative language in the closing paragraph of his allegory, the day is certainly coming when the famous town of Mansoul shall be taken down and transported "every stick and stone" to Emmanuel's land, and there set up for the Father's habitation in such strength and glory as it never saw before. No Diabolonian shall be able to creep into its streets, burrow in its walls, or be seen in its borders. No evil tidings shall trouble its inhabitants, nor sound of Diabolian drum be heard there. Sorrow and grief shall be ended, and life, always sweet, always new, shall last longer than they could even desire it, even all the days of eternity. Meanwhile let those who have such a glorious hope set before them keep clean and white the liveries their Lord has given them, and wash often in the open fountain. Let them believe in His love, live upon His word; watch, fight, and pray, and hold fast till He come. One more work of Bunyan's still remains to be briefly noticed, as bearing the characteristic stamp of his genius, "The Life and Death of Mr. Badman." The original idea of this book was to furnish a contrast to "The Pilgrim's Progress." As in that work he had described the course of a man setting out on his course heavenwards, struggling onwards through temptation, trials, and difficulties, and entering at last through the |
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