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A By J O H N.B U N Y A N. Published in conjunction with a later version of Grace Abounding. Unpublished until 1765. |
Chapter 5
SOME CARRIAGES OF THE ADVERSARIES OF GOD'S TRUTH WITH ME AT THE NEXT ASSIZES,
WHICH WAS ON THE 19TH OF THE FIRST MONTH, 1662.
SHALL pass by what befell between these two assizes, how I had,
by my jailor, some liberty granted me, more than at the first, and how I followed
my wonted course of preaching, taking all occasions that were put into my hand to
visit the people of God; exhorting them to be steadfast in the faith of Jesus Christ,
and to take heed that they touched not the Common Prayer, etc., but to mind the Word
of God, which giveth direction to Christians in every point, being able to 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.
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