grace abounding to the chief of sinners-第32节

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make　the　man　of　God　perfect　in　all　things　through　faith　in　　Jesus　Christ；　and　thoroughly　to　furnish　him　unto　all　good　works。　　2　　Tim。　iii。　17。　　Also　how　I　having；　I　say；　somewhat　more　liberty；　did　　go　to　see　the　Christians　at　LONDON；　which　my　enemies　hearing　of；　　were　so　angry；　that　they　had　almost　cast　my　jailor　out　of　his　　place；　threatening　to　indict　him；　and　to　do　what　they　could　against　　him。　　They　charged　me　also；　that　I　went　thither　to　plot　and　raise　　division；　and　make　insurrection；　which；　God　knows；　was　a　slander；　　whereupon　my　liberty　was　more　straitened　than　it　was　before；　so　　that　I　must　not　now　look　out　of　the　door。　　Well；　when　the　next　　sessions　came；　which　was　about　the　10th　of　the　11th　month　（1661）；　I　　did　expect　to　have　been　very　roundly　dealt　withal；　but　they　passed　　me　by；　and　would　not　call　me；　so　that　I　rested　till　the　assizes；　　which　was　held　the　19th　of　the　first　month　（1662）　following；　and　　when　they　came；　because　I　had　a　desire　to　come　before　the　judge；　I　　desired　my　jailor　to　put　my　name　into　the　calendar　among　the　　felons；　and　made　friends　of　the　judge　and　high…sheriff；　who　　promised　that　I　should　be　called：　　so　that　I　thought　what　I　had　　done　might　have　been　effectual　for　the　obtaining　of　my　desire：　　but　　all　was　in　vain；　for　when　the　assizes　came；　though　my　name　was　in　　the　calendar；　and　also　though　both　the　judge　and　sheriff　had　　promised　that　I　should　appear　before　them；　yet　the　justices　and　the　　clerk　of　the　peace；　did　so　work　it　about；　that　I；　notwithstanding；　　was　deferred；　and　was　not　suffered　to　appear：　　and　although　I　say；　　I　do　not　know　of　all　their　carriages　towards　me；　yet　this　I　know；　　that　the　clerk　of　the　peace　（Mr　Cobb）　did　discover　himself　to　be　　one　of　my　greatest　opposers：　　for；　first　he　came　to　my　jailor　and　　told　him　that　I　must　not　go　down　before　the　judge；　and　therefore　　must　not　be　put　into　the　calendar；　to　whom　my　jailor　said；　that　my　　name　was　in　already。　　He　bid　him　put　it　out　again；　my　jailor　told　　him　that　he　could　not：　　for　he　had　given　the　judge　a　calendar　with　　my　name　in　it；　and　also　the　sheriff　another。　　At　which　he　was　very　　much　displeased；　and　desired　to　see　that　calendar　that　was　yet　in　　my　jailor's　hand；　who；　when　he　had　given　it　him；　he　looked　on　it；　　and　said　it　was　a　false　calendar；　he　also　took　the　calendar　and　　blotted　out　my　accusation；　as　my　jailor　had　written　it　（which　　accusation　I　cannot　tell　what　it　was；　because　it　was　so　blotted　　out）；　and　he　himself　put　in　words　to　this　purpose：　　That　John　　Bunyan　was　committed　to　prison；　being　lawfully　convicted　for　　upholding　of　unlawful　meetings　and　conventicles；　etc。　　But　yet　for　　all　this；　fearing　that　what　he　had　done；　unless　he　added　thereto；　　it　would　not　do；　he　first　ran　to　the　clerk　of　the　assizes；　then　to　　the　justices；　and　afterwards；　because　he　would　not　leave　any　means　　unattempted　to　hinder　me；　he　came　again　to　my　jailor；　and　told　him；　　that　if　I　did　go　down　before　the　judge；　and　was　released；　he　would　　make　him　pay　my　fees；　which　he　said　was　due　to　him；　and　further；　　told　him；　that　he　would　complain　of　him　at　the　next　quarter　　sessions　for　making　of　false　calendars；　though　my　jailor　himself；　　as　I　afterwards　learned；　had　put　in　my　accusation　worse　than　in　　itself　it　was　by　far。　　And　thus　was　I　hindered　and　prevented　at　　that　time　also　from　appearing　before　the　judge：　　and　left　in　　prison。

Farewell。

JOHN　BUNYAN。


A　CONTINUATION　OF　Mr　BUNYAN'S　LIFE；　BEGINNING　WHERE　HE　LEFT　OFF；　　AND　CONCLUDING　WITH　THE　TIME　AND　MANNER　OF　HIS　DEATH　AND　BURIAL：　　　TOGETHER　WITH　HIS　TRUE　CHARACTER；　ETC。


READER；　the　painful　and　industrious　author　of　this　book；　has　　already　given　you　a　faithful　and　very　moving　relation　of　the　　beginning　and　middle　of　the　days　of　his　pilgrimage　on　earth；　and　　since　there　yet　remains　somewhat　worthy　of　notice　and　regard；　which　　occurred　in　the　last　scene　of　his　life；　the　which；　for　want　of　　time；　or　fear；　some　over…censorious　people　should　impute　it　to　him　　as　an　earnest　coveting　of　praise　from　men；　he　has　not　left　behind　　him　in　writing。　　Wherefore；　as　a　true　friend；　and　long　acquaintance　　of　Mr　BUNYAN'S　that　his　good　end　may　be　known；　as　well　as　his　evil　　beginning；　I　have　taken　upon　me；　from　my　knowledge；　and　the　best　　account　given　by　other　of　his　friends；　to　piece　this　to　the　thread　　too　soon　broke　off；　and　so　lengthen　it　out　to　his　entering　upon　　eternity。

He　has　told　you　at　large；　of　his　birth　and　education；　the　evil　　habits　and　corruptions　of　his　youth；　the　temptations　he　struggled　　and　conflicted　so　frequently　with；　the　mercies；　comforts；　and　　deliverances　he　found；　how　he　came　to　take　upon　him　the　preaching　　of　the　Gospel；　the　slanders；　reproaches　and　imprisonments　that　　attended　him；　and　the　progress　he　notwithstanding　made　（by　the　　assistance　of　God's　grace）　no　doubt　to　the　saving　of　many　souls：　　　therefore　take　these　things；　as　he　himself　hath　methodically　laid　　them　down　in　the　words　of　verity；　and　so　I　pass　on　to　what　remains。

After　his　being　freed　from　his　twelve　years'　imprisonment　and　　upwards；　for　nonconformity；　wherein　he　had　time　to　furnish　the　　world　with　sundry　good　books；　etc。；　and　by　his　patience；　to　move　DR　　BARLOW；　the　then　Bishop　of　LINCOLN；　and　other　church…men；　to　pity　　his　hard　and　unreasonable　sufferings；　so　far　as　to　stand　very　much　　his　friends；　in　procuring　his　enlargement；　or　there　perhaps　he　had　　died；　by　the　noisomeness　and　ill　usage　of　the　place。　　Being　now；　I　　say；　again　at　liberty；　and　having　through　mercy　shaken　off　his　　bodily　fetters；　…　for　those　upon　his　soul　were　broken　before　by　the　　abounding　grace　that　filled　his　heart；　…　he　went　to　visit　those　　that　had　been　a　comfort　to　him　in　his　tribulation；　with　a　　Christian…like　acknowledgment　of　their　kindness　and　enlargement　of　　charity；　giving　encouragement　by　his　example；　if　it　happened　to　be　　their　hard　haps　to　fall　into　affliction　or　trouble；　then　to　suffer　　patiently　for　the　sake　of　a　good　conscience；　and　for　the　love　of　　God　in　Jesus　Christ　towards　their　souls；　and　by　many　cordial　　persuasions；　supported　some　whose　spirits　began　to　sink　low；　　through　the　fear　of　danger　that　threatened　their　worldly　　concernment；　so　that　the　people　found　a　wonderful　consolation　in　　his　discourse　and　admonitions。

As　often　as　opportunity　would　admit；　he　gathered　them　together　　（though　the　law　was　then　in　force　against　meetings）　in　convenient　　places；　and　fed　them　with　the　sincere　milk　of　the　Word；　that　they　　might　grow　up　in　grace　thereby。　　To　such　as　were　anywhere　taken　and　　imprisoned　upon　these　accounts；　he　made　it　another　part　of　his　　business　to　extend　his　charity；　and　gather　relief　for　such　of　them　　as　wanted。

He　took　great　care　to　visit　the　sick；　and　strengthen　them　against　　the　suggestions　of　the　tempter；　which　at　such　times　are　very　　prevalent；　so　that　they　had　cause　for　ever　to　bless　God；　Who　had　　put　it　into　his　heart；　at　such　a　time；　to　rescue　them　from　the　　power　of　the　roaring　lion；　who　sought　to　devour　them；　nor　did　he　　spare　any　pains　or　labour　in　travel；　though　to　remote　counties；　　where　he　knew　or　imagined　any　people　might　stand　in　need　of　his　　assistance；　insomuch　that　some；　by　these　visitations　that　he　made；　　which　was　two　or　three　every　year　（some；　though　in　a　jeering　manner　　no　doubt；　gave　him　the　epithet　of　Bishop　BUNYAN）　whilst　others　　envied　him　for　his　so　earnestly　labouring　in　Christ's　vineyard；　yet　　the　seed　of　the　Word　he　（all　this　while）　sowed　in　the　hearts　of　his　　congregation；　watered　with　the　grace　of　God；　brought　forth　in　　abundance；　in　bringing　in　disciples　to　the　church　of　Christ。

Another　part　of　his　time　is　spent　in　reconciling　differences；　by　　which　he　hindered　many　mischiefs；　and　saved　some　families　from　　ruin；　and　in　such　fallings…out　he　was　uneasy；　till　he　found　a　means　　to　labour　a　reconciliation；　and　become　a　peace…maker；　on　whom　a　　blessing　is　promised　in　holy　writ；　and　indeed　in　doing　this　good　　office；　he　may　be　said　to　sum　up　his　days；　it　being　the　last　　undertaking　of　his　life；　as　will　appear　in　the　close　of　this　paper。

When　in　the　late　reign；　liberty　of　conscience　was　unexpectedly　　given　and　indulged　to　dissenters　of　all　persuasions；　his　piercing　　wit　penetrated　the　veil；　and　found　that　it　was　not　for　the　　dissenters'　sakes　they　were　so　suddenly　freed　from　the　hard　　prosecutions　that　had　long　lain　heavy　upon　them；　and　set　in　a　　manner；　on　an　equal　foot　with　the　Church　of　ENGLAND；　which　the　　papists　were　undermining；　and　about　to　subvert：　　he　foresaw　all　the　　advantages　that　could　have　redounded　to　the　dissenters　would　have　　been　no　more　than　what　POLYPHEMUS；　the　monstrous　giant　of　SICILY；　　would　have　allowed　ULYSSES；　VIZ。：　　That　he　would　eat　his　men　first；　　and　do　him　the　favour　of　being　eaten　last：　　for　although　Mr　BUNYAN；　　following　the　examples　of　others；　did　lay　hold　of　this　liberty；　as　　an　acceptable　thing　in　itself；　knowing　God　is　the　only　Lord　of　　conscience；　and　that　it　is　good　at　all　times　to　do　according　to　the　　dictates　of　a　good　conscience；　and　that　the　preaching　the　glad　　tidings　of　the　Gospel　is　beautiful　in　the　preacher；　yet　in　all　this　　he　moved　with　caution　and　a　holy　fear；　earnestly　praying　for　the　　averting　impending　judgments；　which　he　saw；　like　a　black　tempest；　　hanging　over　our　heads　for　our　sins；　and　ready　to　break　in　upon　us