And though it be said that _faith comes by hearing_: yet it is the Spirit that worketh faith in the heart through hearing, or else _they are not profited by hearing_. Heb. iv. 12.
And that though one man may tell another how he should pray: yet, as I said before, he cannot pray, nor make his condition known to God, except the Spirit help. It is not the Common Prayer-Book that can do this. It is the _Spirit that showeth us our sins_, and the _Spirit that showeth us a Saviour_, Jn. xvi. 16, and the Spirit that stirreth up in our hearts desires to come to God, for such things as we stand in need of, Matt. xi. 27, even sighing out our souls unto Him for them with _groans which cannot be uttered_. With other words to the same purpose. At this they were set.
_Keel._ But says Justice _Keelin_, What have you against the Common Prayer-Book?
_Bun._ I said, Sir, if you will hear me, I shall lay down my reasons against it.
_Keel._ He said I should have liberty; but first, said he, let me give you one caution; take heed of speaking irreverently of the Common Prayer-Book; for if you do so, you will bring great damage upon yourself.
_Bun._ So I proceeded, and said, My first reason was, because it was not commanded in the Word of God, and therefore I could not use it.
_Another_. One of them said, Where do you find it commanded in the Scripture, that you should go to _Elstow_, or _Bedford_, and yet it is lawful to go to either of them, is it not?
_Bun._ I said, To go to _Elstow_, or _Bedford_, was a civil thing, and not material, though not commanded, and yet God’s Word allowed me to go about my calling, and therefore if it lay there, then to go thither, etc. But to pray, was a great part of the Divine worship of God, and therefore it ought to be done according to the rule of God’s Word.
_Another_. One of them said, He will do harm; let him speak no further.
_Keel._ Justice _Keelin_ said, No, no, never fear him, we are better established than so; he can do no harm; we know the Common Prayer-Book hath been ever since the apostles’ time, and it is lawful for it to be used in the church.
_Bun._ I said, Show me the place in the epistles, where the Common Prayer-Book is written, or one text of Scripture, that commands me to read it, and I will use it. But yet, notwithstanding, said I, they that have a mind to use it, they have their liberty; that is, I would not keep them from it; but for our parts, we can pray to God without it. Blessed be His name!
With that, one of them said, Who is your God? Beelzebub? Moreover, they often said, that I was possessed with the spirit of delusion, and of the devil. All which sayings I passed over; the Lord forgive them! And further, I said, Blessed be the Lord for it; we are encouraged to meet together, and to pray, and exhort one another; for, we have had the comfortable presence of God among us. For ever blessed be His holy name!
_Keel._ Justice _Keelin_ called this pedler’s French, saying, that I must leave off my canting. The Lord open his eyes!
_Bun._ I said that we ought to exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day, etc.
_Keel._ Justice _Keelin_ said that I ought not to preach; and asked me where I had my authority? with other such like words.
_Bun._ I said that I would prove that it was lawful for me, and such as I am, to preach the Word of God.
_Keel._ He said unto me, By what Scripture?
_Bun._ I said, By that in the first epistle of Peter, chap. iv. 10, 11, and Acts xviii., with other Scriptures, which he would not suffer me to mention. But said, Hold; not so many, which is the first?
_Bun._ I said this: _As every man hath received the gift_, _even so let him minister the same unto another_, _as good stewards of the manifold grace of God_. _If any man speak_, _let him speak as the oracles of God_, _etc._
_Keel._ He said, Let me a little open that Scripture to you: _As every man hath received the gift_; that is, said he, as every one hath received a trade, so let him follow it. If any man have received a gift of tinkering, as thou hast done, let him follow his tinkering. And so other men their trades. And the divine his calling, etc.
_Bun._ Nay, sir, said I, but it is most clear, that the apostle speaks here of preaching the Word; if you do but compare both the verses together, the next verse explains this gift what it is, saying, _if any man speak_, _let him speak as the oracles of God_. So that it is plain, that the Holy Ghost doth not so much in this place exhort to civil callings, as to the exercising of those gifts that we have received from God. I would have gone on, but he would not give me leave.
_Keel._ He said, We might do it in our families, but not otherways.