Section 18

*\ We endeavoured
them so; but for those that was to to understand
, , j i_ • the Scriptures
be understood otherwise, we en- literally and deavoured so to understand them.
'93
GRACE ABOUNDING
Post. He said, Which of the Scriptures do you understand literally ?
Bun. I said this, He that believes shall be saved. This was to be understood just as it is spoken ; that whosoever believeth in Christ shall, according to the plain and simple words of the text, be saved.
Post. He said that I was ignorant, and did not understand the Scriptures ; for how, said he, can you understand them when you know not the original Greek? etc.
Bun. To whom I said, that if that was his opinion, that none could understand the Scriptures but those that had the original Greek, etc., then but a very few of the poorest sort should be saved (this is harsh) ; yet the Scripture saith, That God hides these things from the wise and prudent (that is, from the learned of the world), and reveals them to babes and sucklings.
Post. He said there were none that heard me but a company of foolish people.
Bun. I told him that there was the wise as well
I said the wise aS t^1G f°°^s^ ^at ^° ^ear me 5 anc*
and foolish heard again, those that were most commonly counted foolish by the world are the wisest before God ; also, that God had rejected the wise, and mighty, and noble, and chosen the foolish, and the base.
Post. He told me that I made people neglect 194
CONDITIONAL LIBERTY
their calling ; and that God had commanded people to work six days, and serve Him on the seventh.
Bun. I told him that it was the duty of people, (both rich and poor), to look out for
V . , i j 11 I told him
their souls on them days as well as (Foster) that it for their bodies ; and that God would 33? *£*£*£
have His people exhort one another look out after
. their souls
daily, while it is called to-day.
Post. He said again that there were none but a company of poor, simple, ignorant people that come to hear me.
Bun. I told him that the foolish and the ignorant had most need of teaching and information; and, therefore, it would be profitable for me to go on in that work.
Fost. Well, said he, to conclude, but will you promise that you will not call the people together any more ? and then you may be released and go home.
Bun. I told him that I durst say no more than I had said ; for I durst not leave off that work which God had called me to.
So he withdrew from me, and then came several of the justice's servants to me, and The justice's
told me that I Stood SO much upon servants said to
,_.. . , . . me I stood so
a nicety. Their master, they said, much upon a
was willing to let me go ; and if I mcety would but say I would call the people no more to- gether, I might have my liberty, etc.
Bun. I told them there were more ways than one in which a man might be said to call the people
195
GRACE ABOUNDING
together. As for instance, if a man get upon the market-place, and there read a book, or the like, though he do not say to the people, Sirs, come hither and hear ; yet if they come to him because he reads, he, by his very reading, may be said to call them together; because they would not have been there to hear if he had not been there to read. And seeing this might be termed a calling the people together ; I durst not say, I would not call them together; for then, by the same argument, my preaching might be said to call them together. Wing, and Post. Then came the justice and Mr
We had a little F°Ster tO mG *&™ » (W6 had a Httle more discourse more discourse about preaching, but about preaching jDecause ^Q method of it is out of my
mind, I pass it) ; and when they saw that I was at a point, and would not be moved nor persuaded,
Mr Foster, the man that did at first express so much love to me, told the justice that then he must send me away to prison. And that he would do well, also, if he would present all those that were the cause of my coming among them to meetings. Thus we parted.
And, verily, as I was going forth of the doors, I
had much ado to forbear saying to I earned the , 'T£
peace of God them that I carried the peace or God
along with me ; but I held my peace, and, blessed be the Lord, went away to prison, with God's comfort in my poor soul.
After I had lain in the jail five or six days, the 196
BACK AGAIN TO PRISON
brethren sought means, again, to get me out by bondsmen ; (for so ran my mittimus, wag that I should lie there till I could find daunted, but sureties). They went to a justice at Elstow, one Mr Crumpton, to desire him to take bond for my appearing at the quarter sessions. At the first he told them he would ; but afterwards he made a demur at the business, and desired first to see my mittimus, which ran to this purpose : That I went about to several conventicles in the county, to the great disparagement of the government of the church of England, etc. When he had seen it, he said that there might be something more against me than was expressed in my mittimus; and that he was but a young man, therefore he durst not do it. This my jailor told me ; and, whereat I was not at all daunted but rather glad, and saw evidently that the Lord had heard me ; for before I went down to the justice, I begged of God that if I might do more good by being at liberty than in prison, that then I might be set at liberty; but if not, His will be done; for I was not altogether with- out hopes but that my imprisonment might be an awakening to the saints in the country, therefore
I could not tell well which to choose ;
.'.... ,. , . I met my God
only 1, in that manner, did commit sweetly in the
the thing to God. And verily, at my prii return, I did meet my God sweetly in the prison again, comforting of me and satisfying of me
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GRACE ABOUNDING
that it was His will and mind that I should be there.
When I came back again to prison, as I was musing at the slender answer of the justice, this word dropt in upon my heart with some life, For He knew that for envy they had delivered Him.
Thus have I, in short, declared the manner and I have declared occasion of my being in prison;
the manner of my where I lie waiting the good will of being in prison . °
where I fie God, to do with me as He pleaseth ;
waiting the , . , , . r
good will of knowing that not one hair or my
head can fall to the ground without the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Let the rage and malice of men be never so great, they can do no more, nor go any further, than God permits them ; but when they have done their worst, We know all things shall work together for good to them that love God. Farewell.
Here is the Sum of my Examination before Justice KEELIN, Justice CHESTER, Justice BLUNDALE, Justice BEECHER, Justice SNAGG, etc.
AFTER I had lain in prison above seven weeks,
the quarter-sessions were to be kept A bill of indict- . _ ;., 5
ment preferred in Bedford, for the county thereof,
unto which I was to be brought ; and when my jailor had set me before those justices, there was a bill of indictment preferred against me.
198
EXAMINED BY THE JUSTICES
The extent thereof was as followeth : That John Bunyan, of the town of Bedford, labourer, being a person of such and such conditions, he hath (since such a time) devilishly and perniciously abstained from coming to church to hear Divine service, and is a common upholder of several unlawful meetings and conventicles, to the great disturbance and dis- traction of the good subjects of this kingdom, contrary to the laws of our sovereign lord the King, etc.
The Clerk. When this was read, the clerk of the sessions said unto me, What say you to this ?
Bun. I said, that as to the first part of it, I was
a common frequenter of the Church
r /-* j A j ii I was a common
or God. And was also, by grace, a frequenter of the
member with the people, over whom Church of God Christ is the Head.
Keelin. But, saith Justice Keelin (who was the judge in that court), do you come to church (you know what I mean) ; to the parish church, to hear Divine service ?
Bun. I answered, No, I did not.
Keel He asked me, Why?
Bun. I said, Because I did not find it commanded in the Word of God.
Keel. He said, We were commanded to pray.
Bun. I said, But not by the Common Prayer-Book.
Keel He said, How then ?
Bun. I said, With the Spirit. As the apostle 199
GRACE ABOUNDING
saith, / will pray with the Spirit, and with the understanding, i Cor. xiv. 15.
Keel. He said, We might pray with the Spirit, and with the understanding, and with the Common Prayer-Book also.
Bun. I said, that the prayers in the Common Prayer-Book were such as was made by other men, and not by the
pray with the motions of the Holy Ghost, within Spirit, etc. J , '
our hearts ; and as I said, the apostle
saith, he will pray with the Spirit, and with the understanding ; not with the Spirit and the Common Prayer-Book.
Another Justice. What do you count prayer? Do you think it is to say a few words over before or among a people ?
Bun. I said, No, not so ; for men might have many elegant, or excellent words, and yet not pray at all ; but when a man prayeth, he doth, through a sense of those things which he wants (which sense is begotten by the Spirit), pour out his heart before God through Christ ; though his words be not so many and so excellent as others are.
Justices. They said, That was true.
Bun. I said, This might be done without the Common Prayer-Book.
Another. One of them said (I think it was Justice Blundale, or Justice Snagg), How should we know that you do not write out your prayers first,
200
A DISCUSSION ON PRAYER
and then read them afterwards to the people? This he spake in a laughing way.
Bun. I said, it is not our use, to take a pen and
paper, and write a few words there-
' . . . It is not our use,
on, and then go and read it over to I said, to write
a company of people.
But how should we know it, said he?
Bun. Sir, it is none of our custom, said I.
Keel. But said Justice Keelin, It is lawful to use the Common Prayer, and such like forms : for Christ taught His disciples to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And further, said he, Cannot one man teach another to pray ? Faith comes by hearing ; and one man may convince another of sin, and therefore prayers made by men, and read over, are good to teach, and help men to pray.
While he was speaking these words, God brought that word into my mind, in the eighth of the Romans, at the 2oth verse. I say, God brought it, for I thought not on it before : but as he was speaking, it came so fresh into my mind, and was set so evidently before me, as if the scripture had said, Take me, take me ; so when he had done speaking,
Bun. I said, Sir, the scripture saith, that // is the spirit that helpeth our infirmities • for we know not what we should pray for as we ought : but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with
is and groanings which cannot be uttered. 201
GRACE ABOUNDING
Mark, said I, it doth not say the Common Prayer- Book teacheth us how to pray, but the Spirit. And it is the Spirit that helpeth our infirmities, saith the apostle ; he doth not say it is the Common Prayer-Book.
And as to the Lord's prayer, although it be an easy thing to say, Our Father, etc., with the mouth; yet there is very few that can, in the Spirit, say the two first words in that prayer ; that is, that can call God their Father, as knowing what it is to be born again, and as having experience, that they are begotten of the Spirit of God : which if they do not, all is but babbling, etc.
Keel. Justice Keelin said that that was a truth.
Bun. And I say further, as to your saying that
I say men may one man ma7 convmce another of sin, tell each other and that faith comes by hearing, and of their sins, but . •/ i
the spirit must that one man may tell another how he should pray, etc., I say men may tell each other of their sins, but it is the Spirit that must convince them.
And though it be said that faith comes by hear- ing : yet it is the Spirit that worketh faith in the heart through hearing, or else they are not profited by hearing. Heb. iv. 12.
And that though one man may tell another how he should pray : yet, as I said before, he cannot pray, nor make his condition known to God,
202
THE DISCUSSION CONTINUED
except the Spirit help. It is not the Common Prayer-Book that can do this. It is the Spirit that shoiveth us our sins, and the Spirit that showeth us a Saviour, Jn. xvi. 16, and the Spirit that stirreth up in our hearts desires to come to God, for such things as we stand in need of, Matt. xi. 27, even sighing out our souls unto Him for them with groans which cannot be uttered. With other words to the same purpose. At this they were set. Keel. But says Justice Keelin, What have you against the Common Prayer-Book ?
Bun. I said. Sir. if you will hear
1 I shall lay down
me. I shall lay down my reasons my reasons
\ . against it
against it.
Keel. He said I should have liberty; but first, said he, let me give you one caution ; take heed of speaking irreverently of the Common Prayer-Book ; for if you do so, you will bring great damage upon yourself.
Bun. So I proceeded, and said, My first reason was, because it was not commanded in the Word of God, and therefore I could not use it.
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
203
GRACE ABOUNDING
calling, and therefore if it lay there, then to go
thither, etc. But to pray, was a I said, God's r , ~. . J ,.
word allowed great part or the Divine worship
Syc°alUngbOUt 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 j 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 ? They often said Beelzebub? Moreover, they often I was possessed said, that I was possessed with the
with the spirit of . I "
delusion, and of spirit or delusion, and or 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 to- gether, and to pray, and exhort one another; for
204
JUSTICE KEELIN VERY RUDE
we have had the comfortable presence of God among us. For ever blessed be His holy name !