John Bunyan (1628-1688) was a Baptist preacher, a pious
man, and a man well-beloved by all who knew him. John Bunyan was
incarcerated in the Bedford jail in England. The following account is taken
directly from a transcript of the trial on October 3, 1660, that led to his
imprisonment at Bedford:
Judge Wingate: "Mr. Bunyan, you stand before this Court accused of
persistent and willful transgression of the Conventicle Act, which prohibits
all British subjects from absenting themselves from worship in the Church of
England, and from conducting worship services apart from our Church. You
come, presumably, with no legal training, and yet without counsel. I must
warn you, sir, of the gravity of the charge, the harshness of the penalty,
in the event of your conviction, and the foolhardiness of acting as your own
counsel in so serious a matter. I hold in my hand the depositions of the
witnesses against you. In each case, they have testified that, to their
knowledge, you have never, in your adult life, attended services in the
Church of this parish. Each further testifies that he has observed you, on
numerous occasions, conducting religious exercises in and near Bedford."
John Bunyan: "The depositions speak the truth. I have never attended
services in the Church of England, nor do I intend ever to do so. Secondly,
it is no secret that I preach the Word of God whenever, wherever, and to
whomever He pleases to grant me opportunity to do so. I have no choice but
to acknowledge my awareness of the law which I am accused of transgressing.
Likewise, I have no choice but to confess my guilt in my transgression of
it. As true as these things are, I must affirm that I neither regret
breaking the law, nor repent of having broken it. Further, I must warn you
that I have no intention in the future of conforming to it."
Judge Wingate: "It is obvious, sir, that you are a victim of deranged
thinking. If my ears deceive me not, I must infer from your words that you
believe the State to have no interest in the religious life of its
subjects."
John Bunyan: "The State, M lord, may have an interest in anything in
which it wishes to have an interest. But the State has no right whatever to
interfere in the religious life of its citizens."
Judge Wingate: "The evidence I hold in my hand, even apart from your
own admission of guilt, is sufficient to convict you, and the Court is
within its rights to have you committed to prison for a considerably long
time. I do not wish to send you to prison, Mr. Bunyan. I am aware of the
poverty of your family, and I believe you have a little daughter who,
unfortunately, was born blind. Is this not so?"
John Bunyan: "It is, M'lord."
Judge Wingate: "Very well. The decision of the Court is this: In as
much as the accused has confessed his guilt, we shall follow a merciful and
compassionate course of action. We shall release him on the condition that
he swear solemnly to discontinue the convening of religious meetings, and
that he affix his signature to such an oath prior to quitting the Courtroom.
That will be all, Mr. Bunyan. I hope not to see you here again. May we hear
the next case?"
John Bunyan: "M'lord, if I may have another moment of the Court's
time?"
Judge Wingate: "Yes, but you must be quick about it. We have other
matters to attend to. What is it?"
John Bunyan: "I cannot do what you ask of me, M'lord. I cannot place
my signature upon any document in which I promise henceforth not to preach.
My calling to preach the Gospel is from God, and He alone can make me
discontinue what He has appointed me to do. As I have had no word from Him
to that effect, I must continue to preach, and I shall continue to preach."
Judge Wingate: "I warn you, sir, the Court has gone the second mile
to be lenient with you, out of concern for your family's difficult straits.
Truth to tell, it would appear that the Court's concern for your family far
exceeds your own. Do you wish to go to prison?"
John Bunyan: "No, M'lord. Few things there are that I would wish
less."
Judge Wingate: "Very well, then, Mr. Bunyan. This Court will make one
further attempt in good faith to accommodate what appears to be strongly
held convictions on your part. In his compassion and beneficence, our
Sovereign, Charles II, has made provision for dissenting preachers to hold
some limited meetings. All that is required is that such ministers procure
licenses (author's note: Please re-read the explanation on license versus
liberty found on page 79 of this book.) authorizing them to convene these
gatherings. "You will not find the procedure burdensome (author's note: It
is always less burdensome to comply and compromise than it is take a
stand.), and even you, Mr. Bunyan, must surely grant the legitimacy of the
State's interest in ensuring that any fool with a Bible does not simply
gather a group of people together and begin to preach to them. Imagine the
implications were that to happen! (author's note: Yeah, people might even
begin to get saved and get right with God!) Can you comply with this
condition, Mr. Bunyan? Before you answer, mark you this: should you refuse,
the Court will have no alternative but to sentence you to a prison term.
Think, sir, of your poor wife. Think of your children, and particularly of
your pitiful, sightless little girl. Think of your flock, who can hear you
to their hearts' content when you have secured your licenses. Think on these
things, and give us your answer, sir!"
John Bunyan: "M'lord, I appreciate the Court's efforts to be as you
have put it - accommodating. But again, I must refuse your terms. I must
repeat that it is God who constrains me to preach, and no man or company of
men may grant or deny me leave to preach. These licenses of which you speak,
M'lord, are symbols not of a right, but of a privilege. Implied therein is
the principle that a mere man can extend or withhold them according to his
whim. I speak not of privileges, but of rights. Privileges (licenses)
granted by men may be denied by men. Rights are granted by God, and can be
legitimately denied by no man. I must therefore, refuse to comply."
Judge Wingate: "Very well, Mr. Bunyan. Since you persist in your
intractability, and since you reject this Court's honest effort at
compromise, you leave us no choice but to commit you to Bedford jail for a
period of six years (author's note: which ultimately proved to cost Bunyan
twelve years of his life behind bars). "If you manage to survive, I should
think that your experience will correct your thinking. If you fail to
survive, that will be unfortunate. In any event, I strongly suspect that we
have heard the last we shall ever hear from Mr. John Bunyan. Now, may we
hear the next case?"
Of course, neither Judge Wingate nor the world had heard the last of John
Bunyan, for during his lengthy incarceration in the old Bedford jail, with
his Bible as his constant companion and guide, Bunyan gave to the world the
epic Pilgrim's Progress, arguably the greatest literary work in the history
of the world next to the Bible. Bunyan was denied pen and paper, and
Pilgrim's Progress was written with pieces of charcoal from the fire that
kept his body warm on the paper wads used as stoppers in the milk bottles
from which he drank.
SOURCE: “Purified Seven Times,” by Evangelist Bill Bradley,
pp. 89-92.
