the life of john bunyan-第12部分

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Parliament　which　was　its　mouthpiece；　might　set　his　promise　aside。

And　if　he　knew　anything　of　the　temper　of　the　people　he　was

returning　to　govern；　he　must　have　felt　assured　that　any　scheme　of

comprehension　was　certain　to　be　rejected　by　them。　　As　Mr。　Froude

has　said；　〃before　toleration　is　possible；　men　must　have　learnt　to

tolerate　toleration；〃　and　this　was　a　lesson　the　English　nation　was

very　far　from　having　learnt；　at　no　time；　perhaps；　were　they　further

from　it。　　Puritanism　had　had　its　day；　and　had　made　itself　generally

detested。　　Deeply　enshrined　as　it　was　in　many　earnest　and　devout

hearts；　such　as　Bunyan's；　it　was　necessarily　the　religion　not　of

the　many；　but　of　the　few；　it　was　the　religion　not　of　the　common

herd；　but　of　a　spiritual　aristocracy。　　Its　stern　condemnation　of

all　mirth　and　pastime；　as　things　in　their　nature　sinful；　of　which

we　have　so　many　evidences　in　Bunyan's　own　writings；　its　repression

of　all　that　makes　life　brighter　and　more　joyous；　and　the　sour

sanctimoniousness　which　frowned　upon　innocent　relaxation；　had

rendered　its　yoke　unbearable　to　ordinary　human　nature；　and　men　took

the　earliest　opportunity　of　throwing　the　yoke　off　and　trampling　it

under　foot。　　They　hailed　with　rude　and　boisterous　rejoicings　the

restoration　of　the　Monarchy　which　they　felt；　with　a　true　instinct；

involved　the　restoration　of　the　old　Church　of　England；　the　church

of　their　fathers　and　of　the　older　among　themselves；　with　its　larger

indulgence　for　the　instincts　of　humanity；　its　wider

comprehensiveness；　and　its　more　dignified　and　decorous　ritual。



The　reaction　from　Puritanism　pervaded　all　ranks。　　In　no　class；

however；　was　its　influence　more　powerful　than　among　the　country

gentry。　　Most　of　them　had　been　severe　sufferers　both　in　purse　and

person　during　the　Protectorate。　　Fines　and　sequestrations　had

fallen　heavily　upon　them；　and　they　were　eager　to　retaliate　on　their

oppressors。　　Their　turn　had　come；　can　we　wonder　that　they　were

eager　to　use　it？　　As　Mr。　J。　R。　Green　has　said：　　〃The　Puritan；　the

Presbyterian；　the　Commonwealthsman；　all　were　at　their　feet。　。　。

Their　whole　policy　appeared　to　be　dictated　by　a　passionate　spirit

of　reaction。　。　。　The　oppressors　of　the　parson　had　been　the

oppressors　of　the　squire。　　The　sequestrator　who　had　driven　the　one

from　his　parsonage　had　driven　the　other　from　his　manor…house。　　Both

had　been　branded　with　the　same　charge　of　malignity。　　Both　had

suffered　together；　and　the　new　Parliament　was　resolved　that　both

should　triumph　together。〃



The　feeling　thus　eloquently　expressed　goes　far　to　explain　the

harshness　which　Bunyan　experienced　at　the　hands　of　the

administrators　of　justice　at　the　crisis　of　his　life　at　which　we

have　now　arrived。　　Those　before　whom　he　was　successively　arraigned

belonged　to　this　very　class；　which；　having　suffered　most　severely

during　the　Puritan　usurpation；　was　least　likely　to　show

consideration　to　a　leading　teacher　of　the　Puritan　body。　　Nor　were

reasons　wanting　to　justify　their　severity。　　The　circumstances　of

the　times　were　critical。　　The　public　mind　was　still　in　an　excitable

state；　agitated　by　the　wild　schemes　of　political　and　religious

enthusiasts　plotting　to　destroy　the　whole　existing　framework　both

of　Church　and　State；　and　set　up　their　own　chimerical　fabric。　　We

cannot　be　surprised　that；　as　Southey　has　said；　after　all　the　nation

had　suffered　from　fanatical　zeal；　〃The　government；　rendered

suspicious　by　the　constant　sense　of　danger；　was　led　as　much　by　fear

as　by　resentment　to　seventies　which　are　explained　by　the

necessities　of　self…defence；〃　and　which　the　nervous　apprehensions

of　the　nation　not　only　condoned；　but　incited。　　Already　Churchmen　in

Wales　had　been　taking　the　law　into　their　own　hands；　and　manifesting

their　orthodoxy　by　harrying　Quakers　and　Nonconformists。　　In　the　May

and　June　of　this　year；　we　hear　of　sectaries　being　taken　from　their

beds　and　haled　to　prison；　and　brought　manacled　to　the　Quarter

Sessions　and　committed　to　loathsome　dungeons。　　Matters　had　advanced

since　then。　　The　Church　had　returned　in　its　full　power　and

privileges　together　with　the　monarchy；　and　everything　went　back

into　its　old　groove。　　Every　Act　passed　for　the　disestablishment　and

disendowment　of　the　Church　was　declared　a　dead　letter。　　Those　of

the　ejected　incumbents　who　remained　alive　entered　again　into　their

parsonages；　and　occupied　their　pulpits　as　of　old；　the　surviving

bishops　returned　to　their　sees；　and　the　whole　existing　statute　law

regarding　the　Church　revived　from　its　suspended　animation。　　No　new

enactment　was　required　to　punish　Nonconformists　and　to　silence

their　ministers；　though；　to　the　disgrace　of　the　nation　and　its

parliament；　many　new　ones　were　subsequently　passed；　with　ever…

increasing　disabilities。　　The　various　Acts　of　Elizabeth　supplied

all　that　was　needed。　　Under　these　Acts　all　who　refused　to　attend

public　worship　in　their　parish　churches　were　subject　to　fines；

while　those　who　resorted　to　conventicles　were　to　be　imprisoned　till

they　made　their　submissions；　if　at　the　end　of　three　months　they

refused　to　submit　they　were　to　be　banished　the　realm；　and　if　they

returned　from　banishment；　without　permission　of　the　Crown；　they

were　liable　to　execution　as　felons。　　This　long…disused　sword　was

now　drawn　from　its　rusty　sheath　to　strike　terror　into　the　hearts　of

Nonconformists。　　It　did　not　prove　very　effectual。　　All　the　true…

hearted　men　preferred　to　suffer　rather　than　yield　in　so　sacred　a

cause。　　Bunyan　was　one　of　the　earliest　of　these；　as　he　proved　one

of　the　staunchest。



Early　in　October；　1660；　the　country　magistrates　meeting　in　Bedford

issued　an　order　for　the　public　reading　of　the　Liturgy　of　the　Church

of　England。　　Such　an　order　Bunyan　would　not　regard　as　concerning

him。　　Anyhow　he　would　not　give　obeying　it　a　thought。　　One　of　the

things　we　least　like　in　Bunyan　is　the　feeling　he　exhibits　towards

the　Book　of　Common　Prayer。　　To　him　it　was　an　accursed　thing；　the

badge　and　token　of　a　persecuting　party；　a　relic　of　popery　which　he

exhorted　his　adherents　to　〃take　heed　that　they　touched　not〃　if　they

would　be　〃steadfast　in　the　faith　of　Jesus　Christ。〃　　Nothing　could

be　further　from　his　thoughts　than　to　give　any　heed　to　the

magistrates'　order　to　go　to　church　and　pray　〃after　the　form　of

men's　inventions。〃



The　time　for　testing　Bunyan's　resolution　was　now　near　at　hand。

Within　six　months　of　the　king's　landing；　within　little　more　than　a

month　of　the　issue　of　the　magistrate's　order　for　the　use　of　the

Common　Prayer　Book；　his　sturdy　determination　to　yield　obedience　to

no　authority　in　spiritual　matters　but　that　of　his　own　conscience

was　put　to　the　proof。　　Bunyan　may　safely　be　regarded　as　at　that

time　the　most　conspicuous　of　the　Nonconformists　of　the

neighbourhood。　　He　had　now　preached　for　five　or　six　years　with

ever…growing　popularity。　　No　name　was　so　rife　in　men's　mouths　as

his。　　At　him；　therefore；　as　the　representative　of　his　brother

sectaries；　the　first　blow　was　levelled。　　It　is　no　cause　of　surprise

that　in　the　measures　taken　against　him　he　recognized　the　direct

agency　of　Satan　to　stop　the　course　of　the　truth：　　〃That　old　enemy

of　man's　salvation；〃　he　says；　〃took　his　opportunity　to　inflame　the

hearts　of　his　vassals　against　me；　insomuch　that　at　the　last　I　was

laid　out　for　the　warrant　of　a　justice。〃　　The　circumstances　were

these；　on　November　12；　1660；　Bunyan　had　engaged　to　go　to　the　little

hamlet　of　Lower　Samsell　near　Harlington；　to　hold　a　religious

service。　　His　purpose　becoming　known；　a　neighbouring　magistrate；

Mr。　Francis　Wingate；　of　Harlington　House；　was　instructed　to　issue　a

warrant　for　his　apprehension　under　the　Act　of　Elizabeth。　　The

meeting　being　represented　to　him　as　one　of　seditious　persons

bringing　arms；　with　a　view　to　the　disturbance　of　the　public　peace；

he　ordered　that　a　strong　watch　should　be　kept　about　the　house；　〃as

if；〃　Bunyan　says；　〃we　did　intend　to　do　some　fearful　business　to　the

destruction　of　the　country。〃　　The　intention　to　arrest　him　oozed

out；　and　on　Bunyan's　arrival　the　whisperings　of　his　friends　warned

him　of　his　danger。　　He　might　have　easily　escaped　if　he　〃had　been

minded　to　play　the　coward。〃　　Some　advised　it；　especially　the

brother　at　whose　house　the　meeting　was　to　take　place。　　He；　〃living

by　them；〃　knew　〃what　spirit〃　the　magistrates　〃were　of；〃　before　whom

Bunyan　would　be　taken　if　arrested；　and　the　small　hope　there　would

be　of　his　avoiding　being　committed　to　gaol。　　The　man　himself；　as　a

〃harbourer　of　a　conventicle；〃　would　also　run　no　small　danger　of　the

same　fate；　but　Bunyan　generously　acquits　him　of　any　selfish　object

in　his　warning：　　〃he　was；　I　think；　more　afraid　of　（for）　me；　than　of

（for）　himself。〃　　The　matter　was　clear　enough　to　Bunyan。　　At　the

same　time　it　was　not　to　be　decided　in　a　hurry。　　The　time　fixed　for

the　service　not　being　yet　come；　Bunyan　went　into　the　meadow　by　the

house；　and　pacing　up　and　down　thought　the　question　well　out。　　〃If

he　who　had　up　to　this　time　showed　himself　hearty　and　courageous　in

his　preaching；　and　had　made　it　his　business　to　encourage　others；

were　now　to　run　and　make　an　escape；　it　would　be　of　an　ill　savour　in

the　country。　　If　he　were　now　to　flee　because　there　was　a　warrant

out　for　him；　would　not　the　weak　and　newly…converted　brethren　be

afraid　to　stand　when　great　words　only　were　spoken　to　them。　　God

had；　in　His　mercy；　chosen　him　to　go　on　the　forlorn　hope；　to　be　the

first　to　be　opposed　for　the　gospel；　what　a　discouragement　it　must

be　to　the　whole　body　if　he　were　to　fly。　　No；　he　would　never　by　any

cowardliness　of　his　give　occasion　to　the　enemy　to　blaspheme　the

gospel。〃　　So　back　to　the　house　he　came　with　his　mind　made　up。　　He

had　come　to　hold　the　meeting；　and　hold　the　meeting　he　would。　　He

was　not　conscious　of　saying　or　doing　any　evil。　　If　he　had　to　suffer

it　was　the　Lord's　will；　and　he　was　prepared　for　it。　　He　had　a　full

hour　before　him　to　escape　if　he　had　been　so　minded；　but　he　was

resolved　〃not　to　go　away。〃　　He　calmly　waited　for