grace abounding to the chief of sinners-第26部分

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ANOTHER。　　One　of　them　said；　Where　do　you　find　it　commanded　in　the　　Scripture；　that　you　should　go　to　ELSTOW；　or　BEDFORD；　and　yet　it　is　　lawful　to　go　to　either　of　them；　is　it　not？

BUN。　　I　said；　To　go　to　ELSTOW；　or　BEDFORD；　was　a　civil　thing；　and　　not　material；　though　not　commanded；　and　yet　God's　Word　allowed　me　　to　go　about　my　calling；　and　therefore　if　it　lay　there；　then　to　go　　thither；　etc。　　But　to　pray；　was　a　great　part　of　the　Divine　worship　　of　God；　and　therefore　it　ought　to　be　done　according　to　the　rule　of　　God's　Word。

　ANOTHER。　　One　of　them　said；　He　will　do　harm；　let　him　speak　no　　further。

KEEL。　　Justice　KEELIN　said；　No；　no；　never　fear　him；　we　are　better　　established　than　so；　he　can　do　no　harm；　we　know　the　Common　Prayer…　Book　hath　been　ever　since　the　apostles'　time；　and　it　is　lawful　for　　it　to　be　used　in　the　church。

BUN。　　I　said；　Show　me　the　place　in　the　epistles；　where　the　Common　　Prayer…Book　is　written；　or　one　text　of　Scripture；　that　commands　me　　to　read　it；　and　I　will　use　it。　　But　yet；　notwithstanding；　said　I；　　they　that　have　a　mind　to　use　it；　they　have　their　liberty；　that　is；　　I　would　not　keep　them　from　it；　but　for　our　parts；　we　can　pray　to　　God　without　it。　　Blessed　be　His　name！

With　that；　one　of　them　said；　Who　is　your　God？　　Beelzebub？　　　Moreover；　they　often　said；　that　I　was　possessed　with　the　spirit　of　　delusion；　and　of　the　devil。　　All　which　sayings　I　passed　over；　the　　Lord　forgive　them！　　And　further；　I　said；　Blessed　be　the　Lord　for　　it；　we　are　encouraged　to　meet　together；　and　to　pray；　and　exhort　one　　another；　for；　we　have　had　the　comfortable　presence　of　God　among　us。　　　For　ever　blessed　be　His　holy　name！

KEEL。　　Justice　KEELIN　called　this　pedler's　French；　saying；　that　I　　must　leave　off　my　canting。　　The　Lord　open　his　eyes！

BUN。　　I　said　that　we　ought　to　exhort　one　another　daily；　while　it　is　　called　to…day；　etc。

KEEL。　　Justice　KEELIN　said　that　I　ought　not　to　preach；　and　asked　me　　where　I　had　my　authority？　with　other　such　like　words。

BUN。　　I　said　that　I　would　prove　that　it　was　lawful　for　me；　and　such　　as　I　am；　to　preach　the　Word　of　God。

KEEL。　　He　said　unto　me；　By　what　Scripture？

BUN。　　I　said；　By　that　in　the　first　epistle　of　Peter；　chap。　iv。　10；　　11；　and　Acts　xviii。；　with　other　Scriptures；　which　he　would　not　　suffer　me　to　mention。　　But　said；　Hold；　not　so　many；　which　is　the　　first？

BUN。　　I　said　this：　　AS　EVERY　MAN　HATH　RECEIVED　THE　GIFT；　EVEN　SO　　LET　HIM　MINISTER　THE　SAME　UNTO　ANOTHER；　AS　GOOD　STEWARDS　OF　THE　　MANIFOLD　GRACE　OF　GOD。　　IF　ANY　MAN　SPEAK；　LET　HIM　SPEAK　AS　THE　　ORACLES　OF　GOD；　ETC。

KEEL。　　He　said；　Let　me　a　little　open　that　Scripture　to　you：　　AS　　EVERY　MAN　HATH　RECEIVED　THE　GIFT；　that　is；　said　he；　as　every　one　　hath　received　a　trade；　so　let　him　follow　it。　　If　any　man　have　　received　a　gift　of　tinkering；　as　thou　hast　done；　let　him　follow　his　　tinkering。　　And　so　other　men　their　trades。　　And　the　divine　his　　calling；　etc。

BUN。　　Nay；　sir；　said　I；　but　it　is　most　clear；　that　the　apostle　　speaks　here　of　preaching　the　Word；　if　you　do　but　compare　both　the　　verses　together；　the　next　verse　explains　this　gift　what　it　is；　　saying；　IF　ANY　MAN　SPEAK；　LET　HIM　SPEAK　AS　THE　ORACLES　OF　GOD。　　So　　that　it　is　plain；　that　the　Holy　Ghost　doth　not　so　much　in　this　　place　exhort　to　civil　callings；　as　to　the　exercising　of　those　gifts　　that　we　have　received　from　God。　　I　would　have　gone　on；　but　he　would　　not　give　me　leave。

KEEL。　　He　said；　We　might　do　it　in　our　families；　but　not　otherways。

BUN。　　I　said；　If　it　was　lawful　to　do　good　to　some；　it　was　lawful　to　　do　good　to　more。　　If　it　was　a　good　duty　to　exhort　our　families；　it　　was　good　to　exhort　others；　but　if　they　held　it　a　sin　to　meet　　together　to　seek　the　face　of　God；　and　exhort　one　another　to　follow　　Christ；　I　should　sin　still；　for　so　we　should　do。

KEEL。　　He　said　he　was　not　so　well　versed　in　Scripture　as　to　　dispute；　or　words　to　that　purpose。　　And　said；　moreover；　that　they　　could　not　wait　upon　me　any　longer；　but　said　to　me；　Then　you　confess　　the　indictment；　do　you　not？　　Now；　and　not　till　now；　I　saw　I　was　　indicted。

BUN。　　I　said；　This　I　confess；　we　have　had　many　meetings　together；　　both　to　pray　to　God；　and　to　exhort　one　another；　and　that　we　had　the　　sweet　comforting　presence　of　the　Lord　among　us　for　our　　encouragement；　blessed　be　His　name　therefore。　　I　confessed　myself　　guilty　no　otherwise。

KEEL。　　Then；　said　he；　bear　your　judgment。　　You　must　be　had　back　　again　to　prison；　and　there　lie　for　three　months　following；　and　at　　three　months'　end；　if　you　do　not　submit　to　go　to　church　to　hear　　Divine　service；　and　leave　your　preaching；　you　must　be　banished　the　　realm：　　and　if；　after　such　a　day　as　shall　be　appointed　you　to　be　　gone；　you　shall　be　found　in　this　realm；　etc。；　or　be　found　to　come　　over　again　without　special　licence　from　the　king；　etc。；　you　must　　stretch　by　the　neck　for　it；　I　tell　you　plainly：　　and　so　he　bid　my　　jailor　have　me　away。

BUN。　　I　told　him；　as　to　this　matter；　I　was　at　a　point　with　him；　for　　if　I　were　out　of　prison　to…day；　I　would　preach　the　Gospel　again　to…　morrow；　by　the　help　of　God。

ANOTHER。　　To　which　one　made　me　some　answer：　　but　my　jailor　pulling　　me　away　to　be　gone；　I　could　not　tell　what　he　said。

Thus　I　departed　from　them；　and　I　can　truly　say；　I　bless　the　Lord　　JESUS　CHRIST　for　it；　that　my　heart　was　sweetly　refreshed　in　the　　time　of　my　examination；　and　also　afterwards；　at　my　returning　to　the　　prison。　　So　that　I　found　Christ's　words　more　than　bare　trifles；　　where　He　saith；　I　WILL　GIVE　YOU　A　MOUTH　AND　WISDOM；　WHICH　ALL　YOUR　　ADVERSARIES　SHALL　NOT　BE　ABLE　TO　GAINSAY；　NOR　RESIST。　　Luke　xxi。　　15。　　And　that　His　peace　no　man　can　take　from　us。

Thus　have　I　given　you　the　substance　of　my　examination。　　The　Lord　　make　this　profitable　to　all　that　shall　read　or　hear　it。　　Farewell。


THE　SUBSTANCE　OF　SOME　DISCOURSE　HAD　BETWEEN　THE　CLERK　OF　THE　PEACE　　AND　MYSELF；　WHEN　HE　CAME　TO　ADMONISH　ME；　ACCORDING　TO　THE　TENOR　OF　　THAT　LAW；　BY　WHICH　I　WAS　IN　PRISON。


WHEN　I　had　lain　in　prison　other　twelve　weeks；　and　now　not　knowing　　what　they　intended　to　do　with　me；　upon　the　third　of　April　1661；　　comes　Mr　Cobb　unto　me　（as　he　told　me）；　being　sent　by　the　justices　　to　admonish　me；　and　demand　of　me　submittance　to　the　church　of　　England；　etc。　　The　extent　of　our　discourse　was　as　followeth。

COBB。　　When　he　was　come　into　the　house　he　sent　for　me　out　of　my　　chamber；　who；　when　I　was　come　unto　him；　he　said；　Neighbour　BUNYAN；　　how　do　you　do？

BUN。　　I　thank　you；　Sir；　said　I；　very　well；　blessed　be　the　Lord。

COBB。　　Saith　he；　I　come　to　tell　you；　that　it　is　desired　you　would　　submit　yourself　to　the　laws　of　the　land；　or　else　at　the　next　　sessions　it　will　go　worse　with　you；　even　to　be　sent　away　out　of　the　　nation；　or　else　worse　than　that。

BUN。　　I　said　that　I　did　desire　to　demean　myself　in　the　world；　both　　as　becometh　a　man　and　a　Christian。

COBB。　　But；　saith　he；　you　must　submit　to　the　laws　of　the　land；　and　　leave　off　those　meetings　which　you　was　wont　to　have；　for　the　　statute…law　is　directly　against　it；　and　I　am　sent　to　you　by　the　　justices　to　tell　you　that　they　do　intend　to　prosecute　the　law　　against　you　if　you　submit　not。

BUN。　　I　said；　Sir；　I　conceive　that　that　law　by　which　I　am　in　prison　　at　this　time；　doth　not　reach　or　condemn　either　me；　or　the　meetings　　which　I　do　frequent；　that　law　was　made　against　those；　that　being　　designed　to　do　evil　in　their　meetings；　making　the　exercise　of　　religion　their　pretence；　to　cover　their　wickedness。　　It　doth　not　　forbid　the　private　meetings　of　those　that　plainly　and　simply　make　　it　their　only　end　to　worship　the　Lord；　and　to　exhort　one　another　to　　edification。　　My　end　in　meeting　with　others　is　simply　to　do　as　much　　good　as　I　can；　by　exhortation　and　counsel；　according　to　that　small　　measure　of　light　which　God　hath　given　me；　and　not　to　disturb　the　　peace　of　the　nation。

COBB。　　Every　one　will　say　the　same；　said　he；　you　see　the　late　　insurrection　at　LONDON；　under　what　glorious　pretences　they　went；　　and　yet；　indeed；　they　intended　no　less　than　the　ruin　of　the　kingdom　　and　commonwealth。

BUN。　　That　practice　of　theirs；　I　abhor；　said　I；　yet　it　doth　not　　follow　that；　because　they　did　so；　therefore　all　others　will　do　so。　　　I　look　upon　it　as　my　duty　to　behave　myself　under　the　King's　　government；　both　as　becomes　a　man　and　a　Christian；　and　if　an　　occasion　were　offered　me；　I　should　willingly　manifest　my　loyalty　to　　my　Prince；　both　by　word　and　deed。

COBB。　　Well；　said　he；　I　do　not　profess　myself　to　be　a　man　that　can　　dispute；　but　this　I　say；　truly；　neighbour　BUNYAN；　I　would　have　you　　consider　this　matter　seriously；　and　submit　yourself；　you　may　have　　your　liberty　to　exhort　your　neighbour　in　private　discourse；　so　be　　you　do　not　call　together　an　assembly　of　people；　and；　truly；　you　may　　do　much　good　to　the　church　of　Christ；　if　you　would　go　this　way；　and　　this　you　may　do；　and　the　law　not　abridge　you　of　it。　　It　is　your　　private　meetings　that　the　law　is　against。

BUN。　　Sir；　said　I；　if　I　may　do　good　to　one　by　my　discourse？　why　may　　I　not　do　good　to　two？　　And　if　to　two；　why　not　to　four；　and　so　to　　eight？　etc。

COBB。　　Ay；　saith　he；　and　to　a　hundred；　I　warrant　you。

BUN。　　Yes；　Sir；　said　I；　I　think　I　should　not　be　forbid　to　do　as　　much　good　as　I　can。

COBB。　　But；　saith　he；　you　may　but　pretend　to　do　good；　and　instead；　　notwithstanding；　do　harm；　by　seducing　the　people；　you　are；　　therefore；　denied　your　meeting　so　many　together；　lest　you　should　do　　harm。

BUN。　　And　yet；　said　I；　you　say　the　law　tolerates　me　to　discourse　　with　my　neighbour；　surely　there　is　no　law　tolerates　me　seduce　any　　one；　therefore　if　I　may　by　the　law　discourse　with　one；　surely　it　is　　to　do　him　good；　and　if　I　by　discoursing　may　do　good　to　one；　surely；　　by　the　same　law；　I　may　do　good　to　many。

COBB。　　The　law；　saith　he；　doth　expressly　forbid　your　private　　meetings；　therefore　they　are　not　to　be　tolerated。

BUN。　　I　told　him　that　I　would　not　entertain　so　much　　uncharitableness　of　that　Parliament　in　the　35th　of　ELIZABETH；　or　of　　the　Queen　herself；　as　to　think　they　did；　by　that　law；　intend　the　　oppressing　of　any　of　God's　ordinances；　or　the　interrupting　any　in　　way　of　God；　but　men　may；　in　the　wresting　of　it；　turn　it　against　the　　way　of　God；　but　take　the　law　in　itself；　and　it　only　fighteth　　against　those　that　drive　at　mischief　in　their　hearts　and　meeting；　　making　religion