第 28 节
作者:童舟      更新:2021-02-20 15:23      字数:9322
  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 occasion of my being  in prison; where I lie waiting the good will of God; to do with me  as He pleaseth; knowing that not one hair of 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 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。  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 distraction 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 of God。  And was also; by grace; a member  with the people; over whom 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 saith; I WILL PRAY  WITH THE SPIRIT; AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING。  1 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 motions of the Holy Ghost;  within 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; 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 thereon; and then go and read it over to 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 26th 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 IT 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  sighs and groanings which cannot be uttered。  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 one man may  convince another of sin; and that faith comes by hearing; and 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 HEARING:  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; except the Spirit help。  It is not the Common Prayer…Book that  can do this。  It is the SPIRIT THAT SHOWETH 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 me; I shall lay down my reasons  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 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 Pet