grace abounding to the chief of sinners-第33节

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ch　he　saw；　like　a　black　tempest；　　hanging　over　our　heads　for　our　sins；　and　ready　to　break　in　upon　us；　　and　that　the　NINEVITES'　remedy　was　now　highly　necessary：　　hereupon　　he　gathered　his　congregation　at　BEDFORD；　where　he　mostly　lived；　and　　had　lived　and　spent　the　greatest　part　of　his　life；　and　there　being　　no　convenient　place　to　be　had　for　the　entertainment　of　so　great　a　　confluence　of　people　as　followed　him　upon　the　account　of　his　　teaching；　he　consulted　with　them　for　the　building　of　a　meeting…　house；　to　which　they　made　their　voluntary　contributions　with　all　　cheerfulness　and　alacrity；　and　the　first　time　he　appeared　there　to　　edify；　the　place　was　so　thronged；　that　many　was　constrained　to　stay　　without；　though　the　house　was　very　spacious；　every　one　striving　to　　partake　of　his　instructions；　that　were　of　his　persuasion；　and　show　　their　good…will　towards　him；　by　being　present　at　the　opening　of　the　　place；　and　here　he　lived　in　much　peace　and　quiet　of　mind；　　contenting　himself　with　that　little　God　had　bestowed　upon　him；　and　　sequestering　himself　from　all　secular　employments；　to　follow　that　　of　his　call　to　the　ministry；　for　as　God　said　to　MOSES；　He　that　made　　the　lips　and　heart；　can　give　eloquence　and　wisdom；　without　　extraordinary　acquirements　in　an　university。

During　these　things；　there　were　regulators　sent　into　all　cities　and　　towns　corporate；　to　new　model　the　government　in　the　magistracy；　　etc。；　by　turning　out　some；　and　putting　in　others：　　against　this　Mr　　BUNYAN　expressed　his　zeal　with　some　weariness；　as　foreseeing　the　　bad　consequence　that　would　attend　it；　and　laboured　with　his　　congregation　to　prevent　their　being　imposed　on　in　this　kind；　and　　when　a　great　man　in　those　days；　coming　to　BEDFORD　upon　some　such　　errand；　sent　for　him；　as　'tis　supposed；　to　give　him　a　place　of　　public　trust；　he　would　by　no　means　come　at　him；　but　sent　his　　excuse。

When　he　was　at　leisure　from　writing　and　teaching；　he　often　came　up　　to　LONDON；　and　there　went　among　the　congregations　of　the　non…　conformists；　and　used　his　talent　to　the　great　good…liking　of　the　　hearers；　and　even　some　to　whom　he　had　been　mis…represented；　upon　　the　account　of　his　education；　were　convinced　of　his　worth　and　　knowledge　in　sacred　things；　as　perceiving　him　to　be　a　man　of　round　　judgment；　delivering　himself　plainly　and　powerfully；　insomuch　that　　many；　who　came　mere　spectators　for　novelty　sake　rather　than　to　　edify　and　be　improved；　went　away　well　satisfied　with　what　they　　heard；　and　wondered；　as　the　Jews　did　at　the　Apostles；　VIZ。：　　Whence　　this　man　should　have　these　things；　perhaps　not　considering　that　God　　more　immediately　assists　those　that　make　it　their　business　　industriously　and　cheerfully　to　labour　in　His　vineyard。

Thus　he　spent　his　latter　years　in　imitation　of　his　great　Lord　and　　Master；　the　ever…blessed　Jesus；　he　went　about　doing　good；　so　that　　the　most　prying　critic；　or　even　Malice　herself；　is　defied　to　find；　　even　upon　the　narrowest　search　or　observation；　any　sully　or　stain　　upon　his　reputation；　with　which　he　may　be　justly　charged；　and　this　　we　note；　as　a　challenge　to　those　that　have　the　least　regard　for　　him；　or　them　of　his　persuasion；　and　have　one　way　or　other　appeared　　in　the　front　of　those　that　oppressed　him；　and　for　the　turning　whose　　hearts；　in　obedience　to　the　commission　and　commandment　given　him　of　　God；　he　frequently　prayed；　and　sometimes　sought　a　blessing　for　　them；　even　with　tears；　the　effects　of　which；　they　may；　　peradventure；　though　undeservedly；　have　found　in　their　persons；　　friends；　relations；　or　estates；　for　God　will　hear　the　prayer　of　the　　faithful；　and　answer　them；　even　for　them　that　vex　them；　as　it　　happened　in　the　case　of　JOB'S　praying　for　the　three　persons　that　　had　been　grievous　in　their　reproach　against　him；　even　in　the　day　of　　his　sorrow。

But　yet　let　me　come　a　little　nearer　to　particulars　and　periods　of　　time；　for　the　better　refreshing　the　memories　of　those　that　knew　his　　labour　and　suffering；　and　for　the　satisfaction　of　all　that　shall　　read　this　book。

After　he　was　sensibly　convicted　of　the　wicked　state　of　his　life；　　and　converted；　he　was　baptized　into　the　congregation；　and　admitted　　a　member　thereof；　VIZ。；　in　the　year　1655；　and　became　speedily　a　　very　zealous　professor；　but　upon　the　return　of　King　CHARLES　to　the　　crown　in　1660；　he　was　the　12th　of　NOVEMBER　taken；　as　he　was　　edifying　some　good　people　that　were　got　together　to　hear　the　word；　　and　confined　in　BEDFORD　jail　for　the　space　of　six　years；　till　the　　act　of　Indulgence　to　dissenters　being　allowed；　he　obtained　his　　freedom；　by　the　intercession　of　some　in　trust　and　power；　that　took　　pity　on　his　sufferings；　but　within　six　years　afterwards　he　was　　again　taken　up；　VIZ。；　in　the　year　1666；　and　was　then　confined　for　　six　years　more；　when　even　the　jailor　took　such　pity　of　his　rigorous　　sufferings；　that　he　did　as　the　Egyptian　jailor　did　to　JOSEPH；　put　　all　the　care　and　trust　in　his　hand：　　When　he　was　taken　this　last　　time；　he　was　preaching　on　these　words；　viz。：　　DOST　THOU　BELIEVE　THE　　SON　OF　GOD？　　And　this　imprisonment　continued　six　years；　and　when　　this　was　over；　another　short　affliction；　which　was　an　imprisonment　　of　half　a　year；　fell　to　his　share。　　During　these　confinements　he　　wrote　the　following　books；　viz。：　　OF　PRAYER　BY　THE　SPIRIT：　　THE　　HOLY　CITY'S　RESURRECTION：　　GRACE　ABOUNDING：　　PILGRIM'S　PROGRESS；　　the　first　part。

In　the　last　year　of　his　twelve　years'　imprisonment；　the　pastor　of　　the　congregation　at　BEDFORD　died；　and　he　was　chosen　to　that　care　of　　souls；　on　the　12th　of　DECEMBER　1671。　　And　in　this　his　charge；　he　　often　had　disputes　with　scholars　that　came　to　oppose　him；　as　　supposing　him　an　ignorant　person；　and　though　he　argued　plainly；　and　　by　Scripture；　without　phrases　and　logical　expressions；　yet　he　　nonplussed　one　who　came　to　oppose　him　in　his　congregation；　by　　demanding；　Whether　or　no　we　had　the　true　copies　of　the　original　　Scriptures；　and　another；　when　he　was　preaching；　accused　him　of　　uncharitableness；　for　saying；　IT　WAS　VERY　HARD　FOR　MOST　TO　BE　　SAVED；　saying；　by　that　he　went　about　to　exclude　most　of　his　　congregation；　but　he　confuted　him；　and　put　him　to　silence　with　the　　parable　of　the　stony　ground；　and　other　texts　out　of　the　13th　　chapter　of　ST　MATTHEW；　in　our　Saviour's　sermon　out　of　a　ship；　all　　his　methods　being　to　keep　close　to　the　Scriptures；　and　what　he　　found　not　warranted　there；　himself　would　not　warrant　nor　determine；　　unless　in　such　cases　as　were　plain；　wherein　no　doubts　or　scruples　　did　arise。

But　not　to　make　any　further　mention　of　this　kind；　it　is　well　known　　that　this　person　managed　all　his　affairs　with　such　exactness；　as　if　　he　had　made　it　his　study；　above　all　other　things；　not　to　give　　occasion　of　offence；　but　rather　suffer　many　inconveniences；　to　　avoid　being　never　heard　to　reproach　or　revile　any；　what　injury　　soever　he　received；　but　rather　to　rebuke　those　that　did；　and　as　it　　was　in　his　conversation；　so　it　is　manifested　in　those　books　he　has　　caused　to　be　published　to　the　world；　where　like　the　archangel　　disputing　with　Satan　about　the　body　of　MOSES；　as　we　find　it　in　the　　epistle　of　ST　JUDE；　brings　no　railing　accusation　（but　leaves　the　　rebukers；　those　that　persecuted　him）　to　the　Lord。

In　his　family　he　kept　up　a　very　strict　discipline　in　prayer　and　　exhortation；　being　in　this　like　JOSHUA；　as　the　good　man　expresses　　it；　viz。；　WHATSOEVER　OTHERS　DID；　AS　FOR　ME　AND　MY　HOUSE；　WE　WILL　　SERVE　THE　LORD：　　and　indeed　a　blessing　waited　on　his　labours　and　　endeavours；　so　that　his　wife；　as　the　Psalmist　says；　WAS　LIKE　A　　PLEASANT　VINE　UPON　THE　WALLS　OF　HIS　HOUSE；　AND　HIS　CHILDREN　LIKE　　OLIVE　BRANCHES　ROUND　HIS　TABLE；　FOR　SO　SHALL　IT　BE　WITH　THE　MAN　　THAT　FEARS　THE　LORD；　and　though　by　reason　of　the　many　losses　he　　sustained　by　imprisonment　and　spoil；　of　his　chargeable　sickness；　　etc。；　his　earthly　treasure　swelled　not　to　excess；　he　always　had　　sufficient　to　live　decently　and　creditably；　and　with　that　he　had　　the　greatest　of　all　treasures；　which　is　content；　for　as　the　wise　　man　says；　THAT　IS　A　CONTINUAL　FEAST。

But　where　content　dwells；　even　a　poor　cottage　is　a　kingly　palace；　　and　this　happiness　he　had　all　his　life　long；　not　so　much　minding　　this　world；　as　knowing　he　was　here　as　a　pilgrim　and　stranger；　and　　had　no　tarrying　city；　but　looked　for　one　made　with　hands　eternal　in　　the　highest　heavens：　　but　at　length　was　worn　out　with　sufferings；　　age；　and　often　teaching；　the　day　of　his　dissolution　drew　near；　and　　death；　that　unlocks　the　prison　of　the　soul；　to　enlarge　it　for　a　　more　glorious　mansion；　put　a　stop　to　his　acting　his　part　on　the　　stage　of　mortality；　heaven；　like　earthly　princes；　when　it　threatens　　war；　being　always　so　kind　as　to　call　home　its　ambassadors　before　it　　be　denounced；　and　even　the　last　act　or　undertaking　of　his；　was　a　　labour　of　love　and　charity；　for　it　so　falling　out　that　a　young　　gentleman；　a　neighbour　of　Mr　BUNYAN'S；　happening　into　the　　displeasure　of　his　father；　and　being　much　troubled　in　mind　upon　　that　account；　and　also　for　that　he　heard　his　father　purposed　to　　disinherit　him；　or　otherwise　deprive　him　of　what　he　had　to　leave；　　he　pitched　upon　Mr　BUNYAN　as　a　fit　man　to　make　way　for　his　　submission；　and　prepare　his　father's　mind　to　receive　him；　and　he；　　as　willing　to　do　any　good　office；　as　it　could　be　requested；　as　　readily　undertook　it；　and　so　riding