I. O THE CONCLUSION. F all the Temptations that ever I met with in my Life, to question the Being of God and Truth of his Gospel, is the worst, and worst to be borne; when this Temptation comes, it takes away my Girdle from me, and removeth the Foundation from under me: O, I have often thought of that word, Have your Loyns girt about with Truth; and of that, When the Foundations are destroyed, what can the Righteous do? 2. Sometimes, when after sin committed, I have looked for sore Chastizement from the Hand of God, the very next that I have had from him hath been the discovery of his Grace. Sometimes, when I have been comforted, I have called my self a Fool for my so sinking under trouble. And then again when I have been cast down, I thought I was not wise to give such way to comfort. With such strength and weight have both these been upon me. 3. I have wondred much at this one thing, that though God doth visit my Soul with never so blessed a discovery of himself, yet I have found again, that such hours have attended me afterwards, that I have been in my Spirit so filled with darkness, that I could not so much as once conceive, what that God and that Comfort was with which I have been refreshed. 4. I have sometimes seen more in a line of the Bible, then I could well tell how to stand under, and yet at another time the whole Bible hath been to me as dry as a stick; or rather my Heart hath been so dead and dry unto it, that I could not conceive the least dram of Refreshment, tho' I have look't it all over. 5. Of all tears, they are best that are made by the Blood of Christ; and of all Joy, that is the sweetest that is mixt with mourning over Christ: Oh! 'tis a goodly thing to be on our knees with Christ in our Arms, before God. I hope I know something of these things. 6. I find to this day seven Abominations in my Heart; 1. Inclinings to Unbelief. 2. Suddenly to forget the Love and Mercy that Christ manifesteth. 3. A leaning to the Works of the Law. 4. Wandrings and coldness in Prayer. 5. To forget to watch for that I pray for. 6. Apt to murmur because I have no more, and yet ready to abuse what I have. 7. I can do none of those things which God commands me, but my Corruptions will thrust in themselves. When I would do good, evil is present with me. 7. These things I continually see and feel, and am afflicted and oppressed with, yet the Wisdom of God doth order them for my good. 1. They make me abhor my self. 2. They keep me from trusting my Heart. 3. They convince: me of the Insufficiency of all inherent Righteousness. 4. They shew me the Necessity of fleeing to Jesus. 5. They press me to pray unto God. 6. They shew me the need I have to watch and be sober. 7. And provoke me to pray unto God through Christ to help me, and carry me through this World. FINIS. A RELATION OF THE IMPRISONMENT OF Mr. JOHN BUNYAN, Minister of the Gospel at BEDFORD, In NOVEMBER, 1660. His Examination before the Justices, his Conference with the Clerk of the Peace, what passed between the Judges and his Wife, when she presented a Petition for his Deliverance, &c. Written by himself, and never before published. Blessed are ye which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my name's sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you. MAT. v. 10, II, 12. LONDON: Printed for JAMES BUCKLAND, at the Buck, MDCCLXV. The Relation of my Imprisonment in the month of November, 1660, when, by the good hand of my God, I had for five or six years together, without any great interruption, freely preached the blessed Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; and had also, through his blessed Grace, some encouragement by his blessing thereupon: The Devil, that old enemy of mans salvation, took his opportunity to inflame the hearts of his vassals against me, insomuch that at the last, I was laid out for by the warrant of a justice, and was taken and committed to prison. The relation thereof is as followeth : UPON PON the 12th of this instant November, 1660, I was desired by some of the friends in the country to come to teach at Samsell, by Harlington, in Bedfordshire. To whom I made a promise, if the Lord permitted, to be with them on the time aforesaid. The justice hearing thereof, (whose name is Mr. Francis Wingate) forthwith issued out his warrant to take me, and bring me before him, and in the mean time to keep a very strong watch about the house where the meeting should be kept, as if we that was to meet together in that place did intend to do some fearful business, to the destruction of the country; when alas, the constable, when he came in, found us only with our Bibles in our hands, ready to speak and hear the word of God; for we was just about to begin our exercise. Nay, we had begun in prayer for the blessing of God upon our opportunity, intending to have preached the Word of the Lord unto them there present: But the constable coming in prevented us. So that I was taken and forced to depart the room. But had I been minded to have played the coward, I could have escaped, and kept out of his hands. For when I was come to my friend's house, there was whispering that that day I should be taken, for there was a warrant out to take me; which when my friend heard, he being somewhat timorous, questioned whether we had best have our meeting or not: And whether it might not be better for me to depart, lest they should take me and have me before the Justice, and after that send me to |