Derek Thomas

His mother dies, and then within months, his sister dies. And within three months of the death of his mother, his father remarries. Very quickly, on whatever consideration you look at that, that was very quick. And Bunyan left home. and didn't have a great relationship, I think, with the new stepmother.

And he lies, I think, about his age, and he joins the parliamentary forces and becomes a soldier. He's just 16. I don't think Bunyan ever saw battle. He might have witnessed the results of battle. He certainly didn't fight in any of the great battles of the Civil War. And he's disbanded in 1646. He's been maybe as much as two years, probably more like 18 months involved then in this Civil War.

And he lies, I think, about his age, and he joins the parliamentary forces and becomes a soldier. He's just 16. I don't think Bunyan ever saw battle. He might have witnessed the results of battle. He certainly didn't fight in any of the great battles of the Civil War. And he's disbanded in 1646. He's been maybe as much as two years, probably more like 18 months involved then in this Civil War.

He would have been 17 or 18 when he was disbanded. Now he tells us that until he got married, which would be in about three years from now, he describes his life as stained with crimson sins. Now he insists with great passion later that he wasn't a drunkard and he wasn't sexually promiscuous in any way.

He would have been 17 or 18 when he was disbanded. Now he tells us that until he got married, which would be in about three years from now, he describes his life as stained with crimson sins. Now he insists with great passion later that he wasn't a drunkard and he wasn't sexually promiscuous in any way.

But like Newton, Bonin would say, I had few equals for cursing, swearing, lying, and blaspheming the holy name of God. Heaven and hell were both out of sight and out of mind. And as far as saving and damning, they were least in my thoughts. In 1649, he's 21 years of age. He marries. This lady would bear four children. We do not know her name. It's one of the astonishing things.

But like Newton, Bonin would say, I had few equals for cursing, swearing, lying, and blaspheming the holy name of God. Heaven and hell were both out of sight and out of mind. And as far as saving and damning, they were least in my thoughts. In 1649, he's 21 years of age. He marries. This lady would bear four children. We do not know her name. It's one of the astonishing things.

It was a wonderful marriage. Bunyan loved her dearly. She bore him four children, but we do not know her name. She brought into the marriage two religious books, Arthur Dent's Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven and then Bishop Bailey's The Practice of Piety.

It was a wonderful marriage. Bunyan loved her dearly. She bore him four children, but we do not know her name. She brought into the marriage two religious books, Arthur Dent's Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven and then Bishop Bailey's The Practice of Piety.

Well, a few years into this marriage, Bunyan, whose life was far from Christian, and he is caught one day playing a game of tip cat on the Sabbath day. This is the 17th century. Part of the Civil War in the 1640s was over something called the Book of Sports, and That was to the forefront of religious debate in the 1640s.

Well, a few years into this marriage, Bunyan, whose life was far from Christian, and he is caught one day playing a game of tip cat on the Sabbath day. This is the 17th century. Part of the Civil War in the 1640s was over something called the Book of Sports, and That was to the forefront of religious debate in the 1640s.

And he is chastised, chastised fairly severely for being caught playing tip-cut on the Sabbath day. Somebody says to him, Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven, or wilt thou have thy sins and go to hell? And Bunyan says, My state is surely miserable. Miserable if I leave my sins, but miserable if I follow them.

And he is chastised, chastised fairly severely for being caught playing tip-cut on the Sabbath day. Somebody says to him, Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven, or wilt thou have thy sins and go to hell? And Bunyan says, My state is surely miserable. Miserable if I leave my sins, but miserable if I follow them.

I cannot but be damned, and if I must be so, I had as good be damned for many sins as to be damned for few. But he couldn't get rid of conscience that easily. And a month later, he's standing outside a shop window swearing and cursing. And a woman of ill repute, who happens to be there, chastises him for his language. And he falls silent and he hangs his head in shame.

I cannot but be damned, and if I must be so, I had as good be damned for many sins as to be damned for few. But he couldn't get rid of conscience that easily. And a month later, he's standing outside a shop window swearing and cursing. And a woman of ill repute, who happens to be there, chastises him for his language. And he falls silent and he hangs his head in shame.

And he will be under this conviction of sin for 18 months. He's on his way to salvation. He's on his way to the cross, but he will be under this burden, this conviction of sin for 18 months. That's very important to understand Pilgrim's Progress because one of the questions that has often been asked of Pilgrim's Progress is why does Bunyan take so long for Christian to get saved?

And he will be under this conviction of sin for 18 months. He's on his way to salvation. He's on his way to the cross, but he will be under this burden, this conviction of sin for 18 months. That's very important to understand Pilgrim's Progress because one of the questions that has often been asked of Pilgrim's Progress is why does Bunyan take so long for Christian to get saved?

Why is he sent by evangelists to the wicked gate, the straight gate? evangelist, this stereotypical evangelist, who's probably depicted after the manner of the Baptist minister in Bedford, who was Bunyan's mentor and discipler, and John Gifford. And that's probably the template for evangelist. And evangelist says to him, do you see the sepulcher? Do you see the cross?

Why is he sent by evangelists to the wicked gate, the straight gate? evangelist, this stereotypical evangelist, who's probably depicted after the manner of the Baptist minister in Bedford, who was Bunyan's mentor and discipler, and John Gifford. And that's probably the template for evangelist. And evangelist says to him, do you see the sepulcher? Do you see the cross?

And Christian says, no, he doesn't see it. But then instead, Evangelist says, well, do you see yon wicked gate, the straight gate? Straight is the gate that enters into everlasting life, and broad is the gate that leads to hell. Do you see that straight gate? And that's been a question that's been asked.