Transcribed from the 1905 The Religious Tract Society edition
by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org

GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS

IN A FAITHFUL ACCOUNT OF
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF JOHN BUNYAN
OR
A BRIEF RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING
MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIM
NAMELY

IN HIS
TAKING HIM OUT OF THE DUNGHILL, AND
CONVERTING HIM TO THE FAITH OF HIS BLESSED
SON JESUS
CHRIST.  HERE IS ALSO PARTICULARLY
SHEWED, WHAT
SIGHT OF, AND WHAT TROUBLES HE HAD FOR
SIN; AND
ALSO, WHAT VARIOUS TEMPTATIONS HE HATH MET
WITH,
AND HOW GOD HATH CARRIED HIM THROUGH
THEM.

THOROUGHLY REVISED BY THE EIGHTH
EDITION

WITH
EIGHT COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS
BY HAROLD COPPING

London
THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOLCIETY
4 Bouverie Street and 65 St Paul’s Churchyard
1905

p. 6Come and hear all ye that
fear
God, and I will declare what He
hath
done for my soul.—Psalm lxvi.
16.

p.
7PREFATORY NOTE

The text in this edition is as
nearly as possible that of the eighth, which was corrected by
Bunyan himself a few weeks before his death.  The text of
‘A Relation’ is that of the first edition of
1765.  A few minor changes have been introduced for the
convenience of the reader.  The use of capital letters has
been considerably modified, and the orthography has been in
places modernized.  In some few instances the Scripture
references have been added to quotations where they did not
appear in the original.  It must be remembered that Bunyan
often quoted Scripture inexactly, and it has not been deemed
necessary to make all his quotations follow the text of the
Authorized Version.

The marginal summary is not part of the original, but has been
prepared for this edition in order that it may correspond with
the Society’s editions of the ‘Pilgrim’s
Progress.’ [7]

p. 8The
illustrations have been prepared for this work by Mr. Harold
Copping, whose illustrations to the ‘Pilgrim’s
Progress’ have justly attracted much attention.

p.
9CONTENTS

p. 11A
PREFACE

OR, BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PUBLISHING THIS
WORK.  WRITTEN BY THE AUTHOR THEREOF, AND DEDICATED TO THOSE
WHOM GOD HATH COUNTED HIM WORTHY TO BEGET TO FAITH, BY HIS
MINISTRY IN THE WORD

Children, Grace be with you. 
Amen.  I being taken from you in presence, and so
tied up that I cannot perform that duty, that from God doth lie
upon me to you-ward, for your farther edifying and building up in
faith and holiness, etc., yet that you may see my soul hath
fatherly care and desire after your spiritual and everlasting
welfare, I now once again, as before, from the top of
Shenir and Hermon, so now from the lions’
dens, from the mountains of the leopards (Song iv. 8),
do look yet after you all, greatly longing to see your safe
arrival into THE desired Haven.

I thank God upon every remembrance of you; and rejoice, even
while I stick between the teeth of the lion in the wilderness,
that the grace and mercy, and knowledge of Christ our Saviour,
which God hath bestowed upon you, with abundance of faith and
love; your hungerings and thirstings after farther acquaintance
with the Father, in the Son; your tenderness of heart, your
trembling at sin, your sober and holy deportment also, before
both God and men, is a great refreshment to me; For ye are our
glory and joy.  1 Thess. ii. 20.

I have sent you here enclosed, a drop of that honey that I
have taken out of the carcase of a lion.  Judg. xiv.
5–8.  I have eaten thereof myself, and am much
refreshed thereby.  (Temptations, when we meet them at
first, are as the lion that roared upon Samson; but if we
overcome them, the next time we see them, we shall find a nest of
honey within them.)  The Philistines understand me
not.  It is something of a relation of the work of God upon
my soul, even from the very first, till now, wherein you may
perceive my castings down, and risings up: for He woundeth, and
His hands make whole.  It is written in the Scripture, Isa.
xxxviii. 19, The father to the children shall make known Thy
truth.  Yea, it was for this reason I lay so long at
Sinai, Lev. iv. 10, 11, to see the fire, and the cloud, and the
darkness, that I might fear the Lord all the days of my life
upon earth, and tell of His wondrous works to my
children.  Psalm lxxviii. 3–5.

Moses, Numb. xxxiii. 1, 2, writ of the journeys of the
children of Israel, from Egypt to the land of
Canaan; and commanded also that they did remember their
forty years’ travel in the wilderness.  Thou shalt
remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty
years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to
prove thee, and to know what was in thine heart,
whether thou wouldst keep His commandments, or
no.  Deut. viii. 2.  Wherefore this I have
endeavoured to do; and not only so, but to publish it also; that,
if God will, others may be put in remembrance of what He hath
done for their souls, by reading His work upon me.

It is profitable for Christians to be often calling to mind
the very beginnings of grace with their souls.  It is a
night to be much observed unto the Lord, for bringing them
out from the land of Egypt.  This is that night of
the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their
generations.  Exod. xii. 42.  O my God
(saith David), Ps. xlii. 6, my soul is cast down within
me; therefore will I remember thee from the land of
Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill
Mizar.  He remembered also the lion and the bear, when
he went to fight with the giant of Gath.  1 Sam.
xvii. 36, 37.

It was Paul’s accustomed manner, Acts xxii., and
that, when tried for his life, Acts xxiv., even to open before
his judges the manner of his conversion: he would think of that
day, and that hour, in which he first did meet with grace; for he
found it supported him.  When God had brought the children
of Israel out of the Red Sea, far into the wilderness, yet they
must turn quite about thither again, to remember the drowning of
their enemies there, Numb. xiv. 25, for though they sang his
praise before, yet they soon forgat his works.  Psalm cvi.
11, 12.

In this discourse of mine, you may see much; much I say, of
the grace of God towards me: I thank God, I can count it much;
for it was above my sins and Satan’s temptations too. 
I can remember my fears and doubts, and sad months, with comfort;
they are as the head of Goliah in my hand: there was
nothing to David like Goliah’s sword, even
that sword that should have been sheathed in his bowels; for the
very sight and remembrance of that did preach forth God’s
deliverance to him.  Oh! the remembrance of my great sins,
of my great temptations, and of my great fear of perishing for
ever!  They bring afresh into my mind, the remembrance of my
great help, my great supports from heaven, and the great grace
that God extended to such a wretch as I.

My dear children, call to mind the former days, and years of
ancient times: remember also your songs in the night, and commune
with your own Hearts, Ps. lxxiii. 5–12.  Yea, look
diligently, and leave no corner therein unsearched for that
treasure hid, even the treasure of your first and second
experience of the grace of God towards you.  Remember, I
say, the word that first laid hold upon you: remember your
terrors of conscience, and fear of death and hell: remember also
your tears and prayers to God; yea, how you sighed under every
hedge for mercy.  Have you never a hill Mizar to
remember?  Have you forgot the close, the milk-house, the
stable, the barn, and the like, where God did visit your
souls?  Remember also the word, the word, I say, upon which
the Lord hath caused you to hope: if you have sinned against
light, if you are tempted to blaspheme, if you are drowned in
despair, if you think God fights against you, or if heaven is hid
from your eyes; remember it was thus with your father; but out
of them all the Lord delivered me.

I could have enlarged much in this my discourse, of my
temptations and troubles for sin; as also of the merciful
kindness and working of God with my soul: I could also have
stepped into a style much higher than this, in which I have here
discoursed, and could have adorned all things more than here I
have seemed to do, but I dare not: God did not play in tempting
of me; neither did I play, when I sunk as into the bottomless
pit, when the pangs of hell caught hold upon me; wherefore
I may not play in relating of them, but be plain and simple, and
lay down the thing as it was; he that liketh it, let him receive
it, and he that doth not, let him produce a better. 
Farewell.

My dear Children,

The milk and honey are beyond this wilderness. 
God be merciful to you, and grant that you be not
slothful to go in to possess the land.

JOHN BUNYAN.

p. 17GRACE
ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS
OR,
A BRIEF RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST, TO HIS
POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN

In this my relation of the merciful
working of God upon my soul, it will not be amiss, if in the
first place, I do in a few words give you a hint of my pedigree,
and manner of bringing up; that thereby the goodness and bounty
of God towards me, may be the more advanced and magnified before
the sons of men.

2.  For my descent then, it was, as is well known by
many, of a low and inconsiderable generation; my father’s
house being of that rank that is meanest, and most despised of
all the families in the land.  Wherefore, I have not here,
as others, to boast of noble blood, or of any high-born state,
according to the flesh; though, all things considered, I magnify
the heavenly Majesty, for that by this door He brought me into
the world, to partake of the grace and life that is in Christ by
the gospel.

3.  But yet, notwithstanding the meanness and
inconsiderableness of my parents, it pleased God to put it into
their hearts, to put me to school, to learn both to read and
write; the which I also attained, according to the rate of other
poor men’s children: though, to my shame, I confess, I did
soon lose that I had learned, even almost utterly, and that long
before the Lord did work His gracious work of conversion upon my
soul.

4.  As for my own natural life, for the time that I was
without God in the world, it was, indeed, according to the
course of this world and the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience.  Eph. ii. 2, 3.  It was
my delight to be ‘taken captive by the devil at his
will,’ 2 Tim. ii. 26; being filled with all
unrighteousness; the which did also so strongly work, and put
forth itself, both in my heart and life, and that from a child,
that I had but few equals (especially considering my years, which
were tender, being but few) both for cursing, swearing, lying,
and blaspheming the holy name of God.

5.  Yea, so settled and rooted was I in these things,
that they became as a second nature to me; the which, as I have
also with soberness considered since, did so offend the Lord,
that even in my childhood he did scare and affrighten me with
fearful dreams, and did terrify me with fearful visions. 
For often, after I have spent this and the other day in sin, I
have in my bed been greatly afflicted, while asleep, with the
apprehensions of devils and wicked spirits, who still, as I then
thought, laboured to draw me away with them, of which I could
never be rid.

6.  Also I should, at these years, be greatly afflicted
and troubled with the thoughts of the fearful torments of
hell-fire; still fearing, that it would be my lot to be found at
last among those devils and hellish fiends, who are there bound
down with the chains and bonds of darkness, unto the judgment of
the great day.

7.  These things, I say, when I was but a child, but nine
or ten years old, did so distress my soul, that then in the midst
of my many sports and childish vanities, amidst my vain
companions, I was often much cast down, and afflicted in my mind
therewith, yet could I not let go my sins: yea, I was also then
so overcome with despair of life and heaven, that I should often
wish, either that there had been no hell, or that I had been a
devil; supposing they were only tormentors; that if it must needs
be, that I went thither, I might be rather a tormentor, than be
tormented myself.

8. A while after those terrible dreams did leave me, which
also I soon forgot; for my pleasures did quickly cut off the
remembrance of them, as if they had never been: wherefore with
more greediness, according to the strength of nature, I did still
let loose the reins of my lust, and delighted in all
transgressions against the law of God: so that until I came to
the state of marriage, I was the very ringleader of all the youth
that kept me company, in all manner of vice and ungodliness.

9.  Yea, such prevalency had the lusts and fruits of the
flesh in this poor soul of mine, that had not a miracle of
precious grace prevented, I had not only perished by the stroke
of eternal justice, but had also laid myself open, even to the
stroke of those laws which bring some to disgrace and open shame
before the face of the world.

10.  In these days the thoughts of religion were very
grievous to me; I could neither endure it myself, nor that any
other should; so that when I have seen some read in those books
that concerned Christian piety, it would be as it were a prison
to me.  Then I said unto God, Depart from me,
for I desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.  Job xxi.
14, 15.  I was now void of all good consideration, heaven
and hell were both out of sight and mind; and as for saving and
damning, they were least in my thoughts.  O Lord,
Thou knowest my life, and my ways were not hid from
Thee!

11.  But this I well remember, that though I could myself
sin with the greatest delight and ease, and also take pleasure in
the vileness of my companions; yet, even then, if I had at any
time seen wicked things, by those who professed goodness, it
would make my spirit tremble.  As once above all the rest,
when I was in the height of vanity, yet hearing one to swear,
that was reckoned for a religious man, it had so great a stroke
upon my spirit, that it made my heart ache.

12.  But God did not utterly leave me, but followed me
still, not now with convictions, but judgments; yet such as were
mixed with mercy.  For once I fell into a creek of the sea,
and hardly escaped drowning.  Another time I fell out of a
boat into Bedford river, but, mercy yet preserved me
alive: besides, another time, being in a field, with one of my
companions, it chanced that an adder passed over the highway, so
I having a stick in my hand, struck her over the back; and having
stunned her, I forced open her mouth with my stick, and plucked
her sting out with my fingers; by which act had not God been
merciful unto me, I might by my desperateness, have brought
myself to my end.

13.  This also I have taken notice of, with thanksgiving:
When I was a soldier, I with others, were drawn out to go to such
a place to besiege it; but when I was just ready to go, one of
the company desired to go in my room: to which, when I had
consented, he took my place; and coming to the siege, as he stood
sentinel, he was shot in the head with a musket-bullet and
died.

14.  Here, as I said, were judgments and mercy, but
neither of them did awaken my soul to righteousness; wherefore I
sinned still, and grew more and more rebellious against God, and
careless of my own salvation.

15.  Presently after this, I changed my condition into a
married state, and my mercy was, to light upon a wife whose
father was counted godly: This woman and I, though we came
together as poor as poor might be (not having so much household
stuff as a dish or a spoon betwixt us both), yet this she had for
her part: The Plain Man’s Pathway to Heaven and
The Practice of Piety; which her father had left her when
he died.  In these two books I would sometimes read with
her, wherein I also found some things that were somewhat pleasing
to me (but all this while I met with no conviction).  She
also would be often telling of me what a godly man her father
was, and how he would reprove and correct vice, both in his
house, and among his neighbours; what a strict and holy life he
lived in his days, both in word and deed.

16.  Wherefore these books, with this relation, though
they did not reach my heart, to awaken it about my sad and sinful
state, yet they did beget within me some desires to religion: so
that because I knew no better, I fell in very eagerly with the
religion of the times; to wit, to go to church twice a day, and
that too with the foremost; and there should very devoutly, both
say and sing, as others did, yet retaining my wicked life; but
withal, I was so over-run with the spirit of superstition, that I
adored, and that with great devotion, even all things (both the
high-place, priest, clerk, vestment, service, and what else)
belonging to the church; counting all things holy that were
therein contained, and especially, the priest and clerk most
happy, and without doubt, greatly blessed, because they were the
servants, as I then thought, of God, and were principal in the
holy temple, to do His work therein.

17.  This conceit grew so strong in a little time upon my
spirit, that had I but seen a priest (though never so sordid and
debauched in his life), I should find my spirit fall under him,
reverence him, and knit unto him; yea, I thought, for the love I
did bear unto them (supposing them the ministers of God), I could
have laid down at their feet, and have been trampled upon by
them; their name, their garb, and work did so intoxicate and
bewitch me.

18.  After I had been thus for some considerable time,
another thought came in my mind; and that was, whether we were of
the Israelites or no?  For finding in the scripture
that they were once the peculiar people of God, thought I, if I
were one of this race, my soul must needs be happy.  Now
again, I found within me a great longing to be resolved about
this question, but could not tell how I should: at last I asked
my father of it; who told me, No, we were
not.  Wherefore then I fell in my spirit, as to the
hopes of that, and so remained.

19.  But all this while, I was not sensible of the danger
and evil of sin; I was kept from considering that sin would damn
me, what religion soever I followed, unless I was found in
Christ: nay, I never thought of Him, or whether there was such a
One, or no.  Thus man, while blind, doth
wander, but wearieth himself with vanity, for he
knoweth not the way to the city of God.  Eccles. x.
15.

20.  But one day (amongst all the sermons our parson
made) his subject was, to treat of the Sabbath day, and of the
evil of breaking that, either with labour, sports or
otherwise.  (Now, I was, notwithstanding my religion, one
that took much delight in all manner of vice, and especially that
was the day that I did solace myself therewith): wherefore I fell
in my conscience under his sermon, thinking and believing that he
made that sermon on purpose to show me my evil doing.  And
at that time I felt what guilt was, though never before, that I
can remember; but then I was, for the present, greatly loaden
therewith, and so went home when the sermon was ended, with a
great burthen upon my spirit.

21.  This, for that instant did benumb the sinews of my
best delights, and did imbitter my former pleasures to me; but
hold, it lasted not, for before I had well dined, the trouble
began to go off my mind, and my heart returned to its old course:
but oh! how glad was I, that this trouble was gone from me, and
that the fire was put out, that I might sin again without
control!  Wherefore, when I had satisfied nature with my
food, I shook the sermon out of my mind, and to my old custom of
sports and gaming, I returned with great delight.

22.  But the same day, as I was in the midst of a game of
Cat, and having struck it one blow from the hole, just as I was
about to strike it the second time, a voice did suddenly dart
from heaven into my soul, which said, Wilt thou leave thy sins
and go to heaven, or have thy sins and go to
hell?  At this I was put to an exceeding maze; wherefore
leaving my cat upon the ground, I looked up to heaven, and was,
as if I had, with the eyes of my understanding, seen the Lord
Jesus looking down upon me, as being very hotly displeased with
me, and as if He did severely threaten me with some grievous
punishment for these and other ungodly practices.

23.  I had no sooner thus conceived in my mind, but,
suddenly, this conclusion was fastened on my spirit (for the
former hint did set my sins again before my face), That I had
been a great and grievous sinner, and that it was now too
late for me to look after heaven; for Christ would not
forgive me, nor pardon my transgressions.  Then I
fell to musing on this also; and while I was thinking of it, and
fearing lest it should be so; I felt my heart sink in despair,
concluding it was too late; and therefore I resolved in my mind I
would go on in sin: for, thought I, if the case be thus, my state
is surely miserable; miserable if I leave my sins, and but
miserable if I follow them; I can but be damned, and if I must be
so, I had as good be damned for many sins, as be damned for
few.

24.  Thus I stood in the midst of my play, before all
that then were present: but yet I told them nothing: but I say;
having made this conclusion, I returned desperately to my sport
again; and I well remember, that presently this kind of despair
did so possess my soul, that I was persuaded I could never attain
to other comfort than what I should get in sin; for heaven was
gone already, so that on that I must not think; wherefore I found
within me great desire to take my fill of sin, still studying
what sin was yet to be committed, that I might taste the
sweetness of it; and I made as much haste as I could to fill my
belly with its delicates, lest I should die before I had my
desire; for that I feared greatly.  In these things, I
protest before God, I lye not, neither do I feign this form of
speech; these were really, strongly, and with all my heart, my
desires: The good Lord, Whose mercy is
unsearchable, forgive me my transgressions!

25.  And I am very confident, that this temptation of the
devil is more usual among poor creatures, than many are aware of,
even to over-run the spirits with a scurvy and seared frame of
heart, and benumbing of conscience, which frame he stilly and
slily supplieth with such despair, that, though not much guilt
attendeth souls, yet they continually have a secret conclusion
within them, that there is no hope for them; for they have
loved sins, therefore after them they will go. 
Jer. ii. 25, and xviii. 12.

26.  Now therefore I went on in sin with great greediness
of mind, still grudging that I could not be so satisfied with it,
as I would.  This did continue with me about a month, or
more; but one day, as I was standing at a neighbour’s shop
window, and there cursing and swearing, and playing the madman,
after my wonted manner, there sate within, the woman of the
house, and heard me; who, though she also was a very loose and
ungodly wretch, yet protested that I swore and cursed at that
most fearful rate, that she was made to tremble to hear me; and
told me further, that I was the ungodliest fellow for
swearing, that she ever heard in all her life; and
that I, by thus doing, was able to spoil all the
youth in the whole town, if they come but in my
company.

27.  At this reproof I was silenced, and put to secret
shame; and that too, as I thought, before the God of heaven;
wherefore, while I stood there, and hanging down my head, I
wished with all my heart that I might be a little child again,
that my father might learn me to speak without this wicked way of
swearing; for, thought I, I am so accustomed to it, that it is in
vain for me to think of a reformation; for I thought it could
never be.

28.  But how it came to pass, I know not; I did from this
time forward, so leave my swearing, that it was a great wonder to
myself to observe it; and whereas before I knew not how to speak
unless I put an oath before, and another behind, to make my words
have authority; now I could, without it, speak better, and with
more pleasantness than ever I could before.  All this while
I knew not Jesus Christ, neither did I leave my sports and
plays.

29.  But quickly after this, I fell into company with one
poor man that made profession of religion; who, as I then
thought, did talk pleasantly of the scriptures, and of the
matters of religion; wherefore falling into some love and liking
to what he said, I betook me to my Bible, and began to take great
pleasure in reading, but especially with the historical part
thereof; for as for Paul’s Epistles, and such like
scriptures, I could not away with them, being as yet ignorant,
either of the corruptions of my nature, or of the want and worth
of Jesus Christ to save me.

30.  Wherefore I fell to some outward reformation both in
my words and life, and did set the commandments before me for my
way to heaven; which commandments I also did strive to keep, and,
as I thought, did keep them pretty well sometimes, and then I
should have comfort; yet now and then should break one, and so
afflict my conscience; but then I should repent, and say, I was
sorry for it, and promise God to do better next time, and there
get help again; for then I thought I pleased God as well as any
man in England.

31.  Thus I continued about a year; all which time our
neighbours did take me to be a very godly man, a new and
religious man, and did marvel much to see such a great and famous
alteration in my life and manners; and indeed so it was, though
yet I knew not Christ, nor grace, nor faith, nor hope; for, as I
have well seen since, had I then died, my state had been most
fearful.

32.  But, I say, my neighbours were amazed at this my
great conversion, from prodigious profaneness, to something like
a moral life; and truly, so they well might; for this my
conversion was as great, as for Tom of Bethlehem to become a
sober man.  Now therefore they began to praise, to commend,
and to speak well of me, both to my face, and behind my
back.  Now I was, as they said, become godly; now I was
become a right honest man.  But oh! when I understood these
were their words and opinions of me, it pleased me mighty
well.  For, though as yet I was nothing but a poor painted
hypocrite, yet, I loved to be talked of as one that was truly
godly.  I was proud of my godliness, and indeed, I did all I
did, either to be seen of, or to be well spoken of, by men: and
thus I continued for about a twelvemonth, or more.

33.  Now you must know, that, before this, I had taken
much delight in ringing, but my conscience beginning to be
tender, I thought such practice was but vain, and
therefore forced myself to leave it; yet my mind hankered;
wherefore I would go to the steeple-house, and look on, though I
durst not ring: but I thought this did not become religion
neither; yet I forced myself, and would look on still, but
quickly after, I began to think, how if one of the bells
should fall?  Then I chose to stand under a main beam,
that lay overthwart the steeple, from side to side, thinking here
I might stand sure; but then I should think again, should the
bell fall with a swing, it might first hit the wall, and then,
rebounding upon me, might kill me for all this beam; this made me
stand in the steeple-door; and now, thought I, I am safe enough;
for if the bell should now fall, I can slip out behind these
thick walls, and so be preserved notwithstanding.

34.  So after this I would yet go to see them ring, but
would not go any farther than the steeple-door; but then it came
into my head, how if the steeple itself should fall?  And
this thought (it may for aught I know) when I stood and looked
on, did continually so shake my mind, that I durst not stand at
the steeple-door any longer, but was forced to flee, for fear the
steeple should fall upon my head.

35.  Another thing was, my dancing; I was a full year
before I could quite leave that; but all this while, when I
thought I kept this or that commandment, or did, by word or deed,
anything that I thought was good, I had great peace in my
conscience, and should think with myself, God cannot choose but
be now pleased with me; yea, to relate it in mine own way, I
thought no man in England could please God better than
I.

36.  But poor wretch as I was!  I was all this while
ignorant of Jesus Christ; and going about to establish my own
righteousness; and had perished therein, had not God in mercy
showed me more of my state by nature.

37.  But upon a day, the good providence of God called me
to Bedford, to work on my calling; and in one of the
streets of that town, I came where there were three or four poor
women sitting at a door, in the sun, talking about the things of
God; and being now willing to hear them discourse, I drew near to
hear what they said, for I was now a brisk talker also myself, in
the matters of religion; but I may say, I heard but understood
not; for they were far above, out of my reach.  Their
talk was about a new birth, the work of God on their hearts, also
how they were convinced of their miserable state by nature; they
talked how God had visited their souls with His love in the Lord
Jesus, and with what words and promises they had been refreshed,
comforted, and supported, against the temptations of the devil:
moreover, they reasoned of the suggestions and temptations of
Satan in particular; and told to each other, by which they had
been afflicted and how they were borne up under his
assaults.  They also discoursed of their own wretchedness of
heart, and of their unbelief; and did contemn, slight and abhor
their own righteousness, as filthy, and insufficient to do them
any good.

38.  And, methought, they spake as if joy did make them
speak; they spake with such pleasantness of scripture language,
and with such appearance of grace in all they said, that they
were to me, as if they had found a new world; as if they were
people that dwelt alone, and were not to be reckoned
among their neighbours.  Numb. xxiii. 9.

39.  At this I felt my own heart began to shake, and
mistrust my condition to be naught; for I saw that in all my
thoughts about religion and salvation, the new-birth did never
enter into my mind; neither knew I the comfort of the word and
promise, nor the deceitfulness and treachery of my own wicked
heart.  As for secret thoughts, I took no notice of them;
neither did I understand what Satan’s temptations were, nor
how they were to be withstood, and resisted, etc.

40.  Thus, therefore, when I had heard and considered
what they said, I left them, and went about my employment again,
but their talk and discourse went with me; also my heart would
tarry with them, for I was greatly affected with their words,
both because by them I was convinced that I wanted the true
tokens of a truly godly man, and also because by them I was
convinced of the happy and blessed condition of him that was such
a one.

41.  Therefore I should often make it my business to be
going again and again into the company of these poor people; for
I could not stay away; and the more I went amongst them, the more
I did question my condition; and as I still do remember,
presently I found two things within me, at which I did sometimes
marvel (especially considering what a blind, ignorant, sordid and
ungodly wretch but just before I was).  The one was a very
great softness and tenderness of heart, which caused me to fall
under the conviction of what by scripture they asserted, and the
other was a great bending in my mind, to a continual meditating
on it, and on all other good things, which at any time I heard or
read of.

42.  By these things my mind was now so turned, that it
lay like an horse-leech at the vein, still crying out,
Give, Give, Prov. xxx. 15; yea, it was so fixed on
eternity, and on the things about the kingdom of heaven (that is,
so far as I knew, though as yet, God knows, I knew but little),
that neither pleasures, nor profits, nor persuasions, nor
threats, could loose it, or make it let go its hold; and though I
may speak it with shame, yet it is in very deed, a certain truth,
it would then have been as difficult for me to have taken my mind
from heaven to earth, as I have found it often since, to get
again from earth to heaven.

43.  One thing I may not omit: There was a young man in
our town, to whom my heart before was knit, more than to any
other, but he being a most wicked creature for cursing, and
swearing, and whoreing, I now shook him off, and forsook his
company; but about a quarter of a year after I had left him, I
met him in a certain lane, and asked him how he did: he, after
his old swearing and mad way, answered, he was well.  But,
Harry, said I, why do you curse and swear thus? 
What will become of you, if you die in this
condition?  He answered me in a great chafe, What
would the devil do for company, if it were not for such as
I am?

44.  About this time I met with some Ranters’
books, that were put forth by some of our countrymen, which books
were also highly in esteem by several old professors; some of
these I read, but was not able to make any judgment about them;
wherefore as I read in them, and thought upon them (seeing myself
unable to judge), I would betake myself to hearty prayer in this
manner.  O Lord, I am a fool, and not able
to know the truth from error: Lord, leave me not to
my own blindness, either to approve of or condemn this
doctrine; if it be of God, let me not despise
it; if it be of the devil, let me not embrace
it.  Lord, I lay my soul in this matter only
at Thy foot, let me not be deceived, I humbly
beseech Thee.  I had one religious intimate companion
all this while, and that was the poor man I spoke of before; but
about this time, he also turned a most devilish Ranter, and gave
himself up to all manner of filthiness, especially uncleanness:
he would also deny that there was a God, angel, or spirit; and
would laugh at all exhortations to sobriety; when I laboured to
rebuke his wickedness he would laugh the more, and pretend that
he had gone through all religions, and could never light on the
right till now.  He told me also, that in a little time I
should see all professors turn to the ways of the Ranters. 
Wherefore, abominating those cursed principles, I left his
company forthwith, and became to him as great a stranger, as I
had been before a familiar.

45.  Neither was this man only a temptation to me, but my
calling lying in the country, I happened to light into several
people’s company, who though strict in religion formerly,
yet were also swept away by these Ranters.  These would also
talk with me of their ways, and condemn me as legal and dark;
pretending that they only had attained to perfection, that could
do what they would and not sin.  Oh! these temptations were
suitable to my flesh, I being but a young man and my nature in
its prime; but God, who had, as I hoped, designed me for better
things, kept me in the fear of His name, and did not suffer me to
accept such cursed principles.  And blessed be God, Who put
it into my heart to cry to Him to be kept and directed, still
distrusting my own wisdom; for I have since seen even the effects
of that prayer, in His preserving me, not only from Ranting
errors, but from those also that have sprung up since.  The
Bible was precious to me in those days.

46.  And now methought, I began to look into the Bible
with new eyes, and read as I never did before, and especially the
epistles of the apostle St Paul were sweet and pleasant to me;
and indeed I was then never out of the Bible, either by reading
or meditation; still crying out to God, that I might know the
truth, and way to heaven and glory.

47.  And as I went on and read, I lighted upon that
passage, To one is given, by the Spirit, the
word of wisdom; to another the word knowledge by the same
Spirit; and to another faith, etc.  1 Cor.
xii.  And though, as I have since seen, that by this
scripture the Holy Ghost intends, in special, things
extraordinary, yet on me it did then fasten with conviction, that
I did want things ordinary, even that understanding and wisdom
that other Christians had.  On this word I mused, and could
not tell what to do, especially this word ‘Faith’ put
me to it, for I could not help it, but sometimes must question,
whether I had any faith, or no; but I was loath to conclude, I
had no faith; for if I do so, thought I, then I shall count
myself a very cast-away indeed.

48.  No, said I, with myself, though I am convinced that
I am an ignorant sot, and that I want those blessed gifts of
knowledge and understanding that other people have; yet at a
venture I will conclude, I am not altogether faithless, though I
know not what faith is; for it was shewn me, and that too (as I
have seen since) by Satan, that those who conclude themselves in
a faithless state, have neither rest nor quiet in their souls;
and I was loath to fall quite into despair.

49.  Wherefore by this suggestion I was, for a while,
made afraid to see my want of faith; but God would not suffer me
thus to undo and destroy my soul, but did continually, against
this my sad and blind conclusion, create still within me such
suppositions, insomuch that I could not rest content, until I did
now come to some certain knowledge, whether I had faith or no,
this always running in my mind, But how if you want faith
indeed?  But how can you tell you have
faith?  And besides, I saw for certain, if I had not, I
was sure to perish for ever.

50.  So that though I endeavoured at the first to look
over the business of Faith, yet in a little time, I better
considering the matter, was willing to put myself upon the trial
whether I had faith or no.  But alas, poor wretch! so
ignorant and brutish was I, that I knew not to this day no more
how to do it, than I know how to begin and accomplish that rare
and curious piece of art, which I never yet saw or
considered.

51.  Wherefore while I was thus considering, and being
put to my plunge about it (for you must know, that as yet I had
in this matter broken my mind to no man, only did hear and
consider), the tempter came in with this delusion, That there
was no way for me to know I had faith, but by trying to
work some miracle; urging those scriptures that seem to look
that way, for the enforcing and strengthening his
temptation.  Nay, one day, as I was between Elstow
and Bedford, the temptation was hot upon me, to try if I
had faith, by doing some miracle; which miracle at this time was
this, I must say to the puddles that were in the
horsepads, Be dry; and to the dry places, Be you
puddles: and truly one time I was going to say so indeed; but
just as I was about to speak, this thought came into my mind;
But go under yonder hedge and pray first, that God
would make you able.  But when I had concluded to pray,
this came hot upon me; That if I prayed, and came again and tried
to do it, and yet did nothing notwithstanding, then to be sure I
had no faith, but was a cast-away, and lost; nay, thought I, if
it be so, I will not try yet, but will stay a little longer.

52.  So I continued at a great loss; for I thought, if
they only had faith, which could do so wonderful things, then I
concluded, that for the present I neither had it, nor yet for the
time to come, were ever like to have it.  Thus I was tossed
betwixt the devil and my own ignorance, and so perplexed,
especially at some times, that I could not tell what to do.

53.  About this time, the state and happiness of these
poor people at Bedford was thus, in a kind of a vision,
presented to me, I saw as if they were on the sunny side of some
high mountain, there refreshing themselves with the pleasant
beams of the sun, while I was shivering and shrinking in the
cold, afflicted with frost, snow and dark clouds: methought also,
betwixt me and them, I saw a wall that did compass about this
mountain, now through this wall my soul did greatly desire to
pass; concluding, that if I could, I would even go into the very
midst of them, and there also comfort myself with the heat of
their sun.

54.  About this wall I bethought myself, to go again and
again, still prying as I went, to see if I could find some way or
passage, by which I might enter therein: but none could I find
for some time: at the last, I saw, as it were, a narrow gap, like
a little door-way in the wall, through which I attempted to pass:
Now the passage being very strait and narrow, I made many offers
to get in, but all in vain, even until I was well-nigh quite beat
out, by striving to get in; at last, with great striving,
methought I at first did get in my head, and after that, by a
sideling striving, my shoulders, and my whole body; then I was
exceeding glad, went and sat down in the midst of them, and so
was comforted with the light and heat of their sun.

55.  Now this mountain, and wall, etc., was thus made out
to me: The mountain signified the church of the living God: the
sun that shone thereon, the comfortable shining of His merciful
face on them that were therein; the wall I thought was the word,
that did make separation between the Christians and the world;
and the gap which was in the wall, I thought, was Jesus Christ,
Who is the way to God the Father.  John xiv. 6; Matt. vii.
14.  But forasmuch as the passage was wonderful narrow, even
so narrow that I could not, but with great difficulty, enter in
thereat, it showed me, that none could enter into life, but those
that were in downright earnest, and unless also they left that
wicked world behind them; for here was only room for body and
soul, but not for body and soul and sin.

56.  This resemblance abode upon my spirit many days; all
which time I saw myself in a forlorn and sad condition, but yet
was provoked to a vehement hunger and desire to be one of that
number that did sit in the sunshine: Now also I should pray
wherever I was: whether at home or abroad; in house or field; and
would also often, with lifting up of heart, sing that of the
fifty-first Psalm, O Lord, consider my distress;
for as yet I knew not where I was.

57.  Neither as yet could I attain to any comfortable
persuasion that I had faith in Christ; but instead of having
satisfaction here, I began to find my soul to be assaulted with
fresh doubts about my future happiness; especially with such as
these, whether I was elected?  But how, if
the day of grace should now be past and gone?

58.  By these two temptations I was very much afflicted
and disquieted; sometimes by one, and sometimes by the other of
them.  And first, to speak of that about my questioning my
election, I found at this time, that though I was in a flame to
find the way to heaven and glory, and though nothing could beat
me off from this, yet this question did so offend and discourage
me, that I was, especially sometimes, as if the very strength of
my body also had been taken away by the force and power
thereof.  This scripture did also seem to me to trample upon
all my desires; It is not of him that willeth, nor of
him that runneth; but of God that showeth mercy. 
Rom. ix. 16.

59.  With this scripture I could not tell what to do: for
I evidently saw, unless that the great God, of His infinite grace
and bounty, had voluntarily chosen me to be a vessel of mercy,
though I should desire, and long, and labour until my heart did
break, no good could come of it.  Therefore this would stick
with me, How can you tell that you are elected? 
And what if you should not?  How then?

60.  O Lord, thought I, what if I should not
indeed?  It may be you are not, said the Tempter; it may be
so indeed, thought I.  Why then, said Satan, you had as good
leave off, and strive no farther; for if indeed, you should not
be elected and chosen of God, there is no talk of your being
saved; For it is not of him that willeth, nor of him
that runneth; but of God that showeth mercy.

61.  By these things I was driven to my wits’ end,
not knowing what to say, or how to answer these temptations:
(indeed, I little thought that Satan had thus assaulted me, but
that rather it was my own prudence thus to start the question):
for that the elect only attained eternal life; that, I without
scruple did heartily close withal; but that myself was one of
them, there lay the question.

62.  Thus therefore, for several days, I was greatly
assaulted and perplexed, and was often, when I have been walking,
ready to sink where I went, with faintness in my mind; but one
day, after I had been so many weeks oppressed and cast down
therewith as I was now quite giving up the ghost of all my hopes
of ever attaining life, that sentence fell with weight upon my
spirit, Look at the generations of old, and see;
did ever any trust in God, and were confounded?

63.  At which I was greatly lightened, and encouraged in
my soul; for thus, at that very instant, it was expounded to me:
Begin at the beginning of Genesis, and read to the end
of the Revelations, and see if you can find, that
there were ever any that trusted in the Lord, and were
confounded.  So coming home, I presently went to my
Bible, to see if I could find that saying, not doubting but to
find it presently; for it was so fresh, and with such strength
and comfort on my spirit, that it was as if it talked with
me.

64.  Well, I looked, but I found it not; only it abode
upon me: Then did I ask first this good man, and then another, if
they knew where it was, but they knew no such place.  At
this I wondered, that such a sentence should so suddenly, and
with such comfort and strength, seize, and abide upon my heart;
and yet that none could find it (for I doubted not but that it
was in holy scripture).

65.  Thus I continued above a year, and could not find
the place; but at last, casting my eye upon the Apocrypha
books, I found it in Ecclesiasticus, Eccles. ii. 10. 
This, at the first, did somewhat daunt me; but because by this
time I had got more experience of the love and kindness of God,
it troubled me the less, especially when I considered that though
it was not in those texts that we call holy and canonical; yet
forasmuch as this sentence was the sum and substance of many of
the promises, it was my duty to take the comfort of it; and I
bless God for that word, for it was of God to me: that word doth
still at times shine before my face.

66.  After this, that other doubt did come with strength
upon me, But how if the day of grace should be past and
gone?  How if you have overstood the time of
mercy?  Now I remember that one day, as I was walking in the
country, I was much in the thoughts of this, But how if the
day of grace is past?  And to aggravate my trouble, the
Tempter presented to my mind those good people of Bedford,
and suggested thus unto me, that these being converted already,
they were all that God would save in those parts; and that I came
too late, for these had got the blessing before I came.

67.  Now I was in great distress, thinking in very deed
that this might well be so; wherefore I went up and down,
bemoaning my sad condition; counting myself far worse than a
thousand fools for standing off thus long, and spending so many
years in sin as I had done; still crying out, Oh! that I had
turned sooner!  Oh! that I had turned seven years ago! 
It made me also angry with myself, to think that I should have no
more wit, but to trifle away my time, till my soul and heaven
were lost.

68.  But when I had been long vexed with this fear, and
was scarce able to take one step more, just about the same place
where I received my other encouragement, these words broke in
upon my mind, Compel them to come in, that my house may
be filled; and yet there is room.  Luke xiv. 22,
23.  These words, but especially those, And yet there is
room, were sweet words to me; for truly I thought that by
them I saw there was place enough in heaven for me; and moreover,
that when the Lord Jesus did speak these words, He then did think
of me: and that He knowing that the time would come, that I
should be afflicted with fear, that there was no place left for
me in His bosom, did before speak this word, and leave it upon
record, that I might find help thereby against this vile
temptation.  This I then verily believed.

69.  In the light and encouragement of this word I went a
pretty while; and the comfort was the more, when I thought that
the Lord Jesus should think on me so long ago, and that He should
speak those words on purpose for my sake; for I did think verily,
that He did on purpose speak them to encourage me withal.

70.  But I was not without my temptations to go back
again; temptations I say, both from Satan, mine own heart, and
carnal acquaintance; but I thank God these were outweighed by
that sound sense of death, and of the day of judgment, which
abode, as it were, continually in my view: I would often also
think on Nebuchadnezzar; of whom it is said, He had
given him all the kingdoms of the earth.  Dan. v. 18,
19.  Yet, thought I, if this great man had all his portion
in this world, one hour in hell-fire would make him forget
all.  Which consideration was a great help to me.

71.  I was also made, about this time, to see something
concerning the beasts that Moses counted clean and
unclean: I thought those beasts were types of men; the
clean, types of them that were the people of God; but the
unclean, types of such as were the children of the wicked
one.  Now I read, that the clean beasts chewed the
cud; that is, thought I, they show us, we must feed upon the
word of God: they also parted the hoof.  I thought
that signified, we must part, if we would be saved, with the ways
of ungodly men.  And also, in further reading about them, I
found, that though we did chew the cud, as the hare; yet
if we walked with claws, like a dog; or if we did part the hoof,
like the swine, yet if we did not chew the cud, as the
sheep, we were still, for all that, but unclean: for I thought
the hare to be a type of those that talk of the word, yet
walk in the ways of sin; and that the swine was like him
that parted with his outward pollutions, but still wanteth the
word of faith, without which there could be no way of salvation,
let a man be never so devout.  Deut. xiv.  After this,
I found by reading the word, that those that must be glorified
with Christ in another world must be called by Him here;
called to the partaking of a share in His word and righteousness,
and to the comforts and first-fruits of His Spirit; and to a
peculiar interest in all those heavenly things, which do indeed
prepare the soul for that rest, and house of glory, which is in
heaven above.

72.  Here again I was at a very I great stand, not
knowing what to do, fearing I was not called; for, thought I, if
I be not called, what then can do me good?  None but those
who are effectually called inherit the kingdom of heaven. 
But oh! how I now loved those words that spake of a
Christian’s calling! as when the Lord said to one,
Follow Me; and to another, Come after Me: and oh,
thought I, that He would say so to me too: how gladly would I run
after Him!

73.  I cannot now express with what longings and
breathings in my soul, I cried to Christ to call me.  Thus I
continued for a time, all on a flame to be converted to Jesus
Christ; and did also see at that day, such glory in a converted
state, that I could not be contented without a share
therein.  Gold! could it have been gotten for gold, what
would I have given for it?  Had I had a whole world, it had
all gone ten thousand times over for this, that my soul might
have been in a converted state.

74.  How lovely now was every one in my eyes, that I
thought to be converted men and women.  They shone, they
walked like a people that carried the broad seal of heaven about
them.  Oh! I saw the lot was fallen to them in pleasant
places, and they had a goodly heritage.  Psalm xvi. 
But that which made me sick, was that of Christ, in St Mark,
He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto Him whom
He would, and they came unto Him.  Mark iii.
13.

75.  This scripture made me faint and fear, yet it
kindled fire in my soul.  That which made me fear, was this;
lest Christ should have no liking to me, for He called whom He
would.  But oh! the glory that I saw in that condition,
did still so engage my heart, that I could seldom read of any
that Christ did call, but I presently wished, Would I had been
in their clothes, would I had been born Peter;
would I had been born John; or, would I had been
by and had heard Him when He called them, how would I have
cried, O Lord, call me also!  But,
oh!  I feared He would not call me.

76.  And truly, the Lord let me go thus many months
together, and shewed me nothing; either that I was already, or
should be called hereafter: but at last after much time spent,
and many groans to God, that I might be made partaker of the holy
and heavenly calling; that word came in upon me: I will
cleanse their blood, that I have not cleansed, for
the Lord dwelleth in Zion.  Joel iii. 21.  These
words I thought were sent to encourage me to wait still upon God;
and signified unto me, that if I were not already, yet time might
come, I might be in truth converted unto Christ.

77.  About this time I began to break my mind to those
poor people in Bedford, and to tell them my condition;
which when they had heard, they told Mr Gifford of me, who
himself also took occasion to talk with me, and was willing to be
well persuaded of me, though I think from little grounds: but he
invited me to his house, where I should hear him confer with
others, about the dealings of God with their souls; from all
which I still received more conviction, and from that time began
to see something of the vanity and inward wretchedness of my
wicked heart; for as yet I knew no great matter therein; but now
it began to be discovered unto me, and also to work at that rate
as it never did before.  Now I evidently found, that lusts
and corruptions put forth themselves within me, in wicked
thoughts and desires, which I did not regard before; my desires
also for heaven and life began to fail; I found also, that
whereas before my soul was full of longing after God, now it
began to hanker after every foolish vanity; yea, my heart would
not be moved to mind that which was good; it began to be
careless, both of my soul and heaven; it would now continually
hang back, both to, and in every duty; and was as a clog on the
leg of a bird, to hinder me from flying.

78.  Nay, thought I, now I grow worse and worse: now I am
farther from conversion than ever I was before.  Wherefore I
began to sink greatly in my soul, and began to entertain such
discouragement in my heart, as laid me as low as hell.  If
now I should have burned at the stake, I could not believe that
Christ had love for me: alas!  I could neither hear Him, nor
see Him, nor feel Him, nor favour any of His things; I was driven
as with a tempest, my heart would be unclean, and the
Canaanites would dwell in the land.

79.  Sometimes I would tell my condition to the people of
God; which, when they heard, they would pity me, and would tell
me of the promises; but they had as good have told me, that I
must reach the sun with my finger, as have bidden me receive or
rely upon the promises: and as soon I should have done it. 
All my sense and feeling were against me; and I saw I had an
heart that would sin, and that lay under a law that would
condemn.

80.  These things have often made me think of the child
which the father brought to Christ, who, while he was
yet coming to Him, was thrown down by the devil,
and also so rent and torn by him, that he lay down and
wallowed, foaming.  Luke ix. 42; Mark ix. 20.

81.  Further, in these days, I would find my heart to
shut itself up against the Lord, and against His holy word: I
have found my unbelief to set, as it were, the shoulder to the
door, to keep Him out; and that too even then, when I have with
many a bitter sigh, cried, Good Lord, break it open: Lord,
break these gates of brass, and cut these bars of iron
asunder.  Psalm cvii. 16.  Yet that word would
sometimes create in my heart a peaceable pause, I girded
thee, though thou hast not known Me.  Isaiah xlv.
5.

82.  But all this while, as to the act of sinning, I was
never more tender than now: my hinder parts were inward: I durst
not take a pin or stick, though but so big as a straw; for my
conscience now was sore, and would smart at every touch: I could
not now tell how to speak my words, for fear I should misplace
them.  Oh, how gingerly did I then go, in all I did or
said!  I found myself as on a miry bog, that shook if I did
but stir, and was, as there, left both of God and Christ, and the
Spirit, and all good things.

83.  But I observed, though I was such a great sinner
before conversion, yet God never much charged the guilt of the
sins of my ignorance upon me; only He showed me, I was lost if I
had not Christ, because I had been a sinner: I saw that I wanted
a perfect righteousness to present me without fault before God,
and this righteousness was no where to be found, but in the
Person of Jesus Christ.

84.  But my original and inward pollution; That, that was
my plague and affliction, that I saw at a dreadful rate, always
putting forth itself within me; that I had the guilt of, to
amazement; by reason of that, I was more loathsome in mine own
eyes than was a toad, and I thought I was so in God’s eyes
too: Sin and corruption, I said, would as naturally bubble out of
my heart, as water would bubble out of a fountain: I thought now,
that every one had a better heart than I had; I could have
changed heart with any body; I thought none but the devil himself
could equalise me for inward wickedness and pollution of
mind.  I fell therefore at the sight of my own vileness
deeply into despair; for I concluded, that this condition that I
was in, could not stand with a state of grace.  Sure,
thought I, I am forsaken of God; sure, I am given up to the
devil, and to a reprobate mind: and thus I continued a long
while, even for some years together.

85.  While I was thus afflicted with the fears of my own
damnation, there were two things would make me wonder; the one
was, when I saw old people hunting after the things of this life,
as if they should live here always: the other was, when I found
professors much distressed and cast down, when they met with
outward losses; as of husband, wife, child, etc.  Lord,
thought I, what a-do is here about such little things as
these!  What seeking after carnal things, by some, and what
grief in others for the loss of them! if they so much labour
after, and shed so many tears for the things of this present
life, how am I to be bemoaned, pitied, and prayed for!  My
soul is dying, my soul is damning.  Were my soul but in a
good condition, and were I but sure of it, ah! how rich should I
esteem myself, though blessed but with bread and water!  I
should count those but small afflictions, and should bear them as
little burthens.  A wounded spirit who can bear!

86. And though I was much troubled, and tossed, and afflicted,
with the sight and sense and terror of my own wickedness, yet I
was afraid to let this sight and sense go quite off my mind: that
unless guilt of conscience was taken off the right way, that is,
by the blood of Christ a man grew rather worse for the loss of
his trouble of mind, than better.  Wherefore, if my guilt
lay hard upon me, then I should cry that the blood of Christ
might take it off: and if it was going off without it (for the
sense of sin would be sometimes as if it would die, and go quite
away), then I would also strive to fetch it upon my heart again,
by bringing the punishment of sin in hell fire upon my spirit;
and should cry, Lord, let it not go off my heart,
but the right way, by the blood of Christ, and
the application of Thy mercy, through Him, to my
soul, for that scripture lay much upon me, without
shedding of blood is no remission.  Heb. ix. 22. 
And that which made me the more afraid of this, was, because I
had seen some, who though when they were under wounds of
conscience, would cry and pray; yet seeking rather present ease
from their trouble, than pardon for their sin, cared not how they
lost their guilt, so they got it out of their mind: now, having
got it off the wrong way, it was not sanctified unto them; but
they grew harder and blinder, and more wicked after their
trouble.  This made me afraid, and made me cry to God the
more, that it might not be so with me.

87.  And now I was sorry that God had made me man, for I
feared I was a reprobate; I counted man as unconverted, the most
doleful of all the creatures.  Thus being afflicted and
tossed about my sad condition, I counted myself alone, and above
the most of men unblessed.

88.  Yea, I thought it impossible that ever I should
attain to so much goodness of heart, as to thank God that He had
made me a man.  Man indeed is the most noble by creation, of
all creatures in the visible world; but by sin he has made
himself the most ignoble.  The beasts, birds, fishes,
etc.  I blessed their condition; for they had not a sinful
nature; they were not obnoxious to the wrath of God; they were
not to go to hell-fire after death; I could therefore have
rejoiced, had my condition been as any of theirs.

89.  In this condition I went a great while, but when
comforting time was come, I heard one preach a sermon on these
words in the song, Song iv. 1, Behold, thou art
fair, my love, behold, thou art
fair.  But at that time he made these two words, my
love, his chief and subject matter: from which, after he had
a little opened the text, he observed these several conclusions:
1. That the church, and so every saved soul, is
Christ’s love, when loveless.  2.
Christ’s love without a cause.  3.
Christ’s love, when hated of the world. 
4. Christ’s love, when under temptation and under
destruction.  5. Christ’s love, from
first to last.

90.  But I got nothing by what he said at present; only
when he came to the application of the fourth particular, this
was the word he said; If it be so, that the saved soul
is Christ’s love, when under temptation and
desertion; then poor tempted soul, when thou art
assaulted, and afflicted with temptations, and the
hidings of God’s face, yet think on these two
words, ‘My love,’ still.

91.  So as I was going home, these words came again into
my thoughts; and I well remember, as they came in, I said thus in
my heart, What shall I get by thinking on these two
words?  This thought had no sooner passed through my
heart, but these words began thus to kindle in my spirit, Thou
art My Love, thou art My Dove, twenty times together;
and still as they ran in my mind, they waxed stronger and warmer,
and began to make me look up; but being as yet, between hope and
fear, I still replied in my heart, But is it true, but
is it true?  At which that sentence fell upon me, He
wist not that it was true, which was done by the
Angel.  Acts xii. 9.

92.  Then I began to give place to the word which with
power, did over and over make this joyful sound within my soul,
‘Thou art my Love, thou art My Love, and
nothing shall separate thee from My Love.  And with that
my heart was filled full of comfort and hope, and now I could
believe that my sins should be forgiven me; yea, I was now so
taken with the love and mercy of God, that I remember I could not
tell how to contain till I got home: I thought I could have
spoken of His love, and have told of His mercy to me, even to the
very crows, that sat upon the ploughed lands before me, had they
been capable to have understood me: wherefore I said in my soul,
with much gladness, Well, I would I had a pen and ink
here, I would write this down before I go any farther;
for surely I will not forget this forty years hence. 
But, alas! within less than forty days I began to question all
again; which made me begin to question all still.

93.  Yet still at times I was helped to believe, that it
was a true manifestation of grace unto my soul, though I had lost
much of the life and favour of it.  Now about a week or a
fortnight after this I was much followed by this scripture,
Simon, Simon; behold, Satan hath desired
to have you, Luke xxii. 31, and sometimes it would sound so
loud within me, yea, and as it was, call so strongly after me,
that once, above all the rest, I turned my head over my shoulder,
thinking verily that some man had behind me, called me; being at
a great distance, methought he called so loud: it came, as I have
thought since, to have stirred me up to prayer, and to
watchfulness: it came to acquaint me, that a cloud and a storm
was coming down upon me: but I understood it not.

94.  Also, as I remember, that time that it called to me
so loud, was the last time that it sounded in mine ears; but me
thinks I hear still with what a loud voice these words,
Simon, Simon, sounded in mine ears.  I thought
verily, as I have told you, that somebody had called after me,
that was half a mile behind me: and although that was not my
name, yet it made me suddenly look behind me, believing that he
that called so loud, meant me.

95.  But so foolish was I, and ignorant, that I knew not
the reason of this sound; (which as I did both see and feel soon
after, was sent from heaven as an alarm, to awaken me to provide
for what was coming,) only I should muse and wonder in my mind,
to think what should be the reason of this scripture, and that at
this rate, so often and so loud, should still be sounding and
rattling in mine ears: but, as I said before, I soon after
perceived the end of God therein.

96.  For, about the space of a month after, a very great
storm came down upon me, which handled me twenty times worse than
all I had met with before; it came stealing upon me, now by one
piece, then by another: First, all my comfort was taken from me;
then darkness seized upon me; after which, whole floods of
blasphemies, both against God, Christ, and the scriptures, were
poured upon my spirit, to my great confusion and
astonishment.  These blasphemous thoughts were such as
stirred up questions in me against the very being of God, and of
His only beloved Son: As, whether there were in truth, a God or
Christ?  And whether the holy scriptures were not rather a
fable, and cunning story, than the holy and pure word of God?

97.  The tempter would also much assault me with this,
How can you tell but that the Turks had as good
scriptures to prove their Mahomet the Saviour, as
we have to prove our Jesus is?  And, could I
think, that so many ten thousands, in so many
countries and kingdoms, should be without the knowledge of
the right way to heaven, (if there were indeed a
heaven); and that we only, who live in a corner of
the earth, should alone be blessed therewith? 
Every one doth think his own religion rightest,
both Jews and Moors, and Pagans; and how
if all our faith, and Christ, and scriptures,
should be but a think so too?

98.  Sometimes I have endeavoured to argue against these
suggestions, and to set some of the sentences of blessed
Paul against them; but alas! I quickly felt, when I thus
did, such arguings as these would return again upon me, Though
we made so great a matter of Paul, and of his words,
yet how could I tell, but that in very deed, he
being a subtle and cunning man, might give himself up to
deceive with strong delusions: and also take the pains and
travel, to undo and destroy his fellows.

99.  These suggestions, (with many others which at this
time I may not, and dare not utter, neither by word or pen,) did
make such a seizure upon my spirit, and did so overweigh my
heart, both with their number, continuance, and fiery force, that
I felt as if there were nothing else but these from morning to
night within me; and as though indeed there could be room for
nothing else; and also concluded, that God had, in very wrath to
my soul, given me up to them, to be carried away with them, as
with a mighty whirlwind.

100.  Only by the distaste that they gave unto my spirit,
I felt there was something in me that refused to embrace
them.  But this consideration I then only had, when God
gave me leave to swallow my spittle; otherwise the noise, and
strength, and force of these temptations would drown and
overflow, and as it were, bury all such thoughts, or the
remembrance of any such thing.  While I was in this
temptation, I often found my mind suddenly put upon it to curse
and swear, or to speak some grievous thing against God, or Christ
His Son, and of the scriptures.

101.  Now I thought, surely I am possessed of the
devil: at other times, again, I thought I should be bereft of
my wits; for instead of lauding and magnifying God the Lord, with
others, if I have but heard Him spoken of, presently some most
horrible blasphemous thought or other would bolt out of my heart
against Him; so that whether I did think that God was, or again
did think there was no such thing, no love, nor peace, nor
gracious disposition could I feel within me.

102.  These things did sink me into very deep despair;
for I concluded that such things could not possibly be found
amongst them that loved God.  I often, when these
temptations had been with force upon me, did compare myself to
the case of such a child, whom some gipsy hath by force took up
in her arms, and is carrying from friend and country.  Kick
sometimes I did, and also shriek and cry; but yet I was bound in
the wings of the temptation, and the wind would carry me
away.  I thought also of Saul, and of the evil spirit that
did possess him: and did greatly fear that my condition was the
same with that of his.  1 Sam. x.

103.  In these days, when I have heard others talk of
what was the sin against the Holy Ghost, then would the tempter
so provoke me to desire to sin that against sin, that I was as if
I could not, must not, neither should be quiet until I had
committed it; now no sin would serve but that.  If it were
to be committed by speaking of such a word, then I have been as
if my mouth would have spoken that word, whether I would or no;
and in so strong a measure was this temptation upon me, that
often I have been ready to clap my hand under my chin, to hold my
mouth from opening; and to that end also, I have had thoughts at
other times, to leap with my head downward, into some
muckhill-hole or other, to keep my mouth from speaking.

104.  Now again I beheld the condition of the dog and
toad, and counted the estate of every thing that God had made,
far better than this dreadful state of mine, and such as my
companions were.  Yea, gladly would I have been in the
condition of a dog or horse: for I knew they had no souls to
perish under the everlasting weight of hell, or sin, as mine was
like to do.  Nay, and though I saw this, felt this, and was
broken to pieces with it; yet that which added to my sorrow was,
I could not find, that with all my soul I did desire
deliverance.  That scripture did also tear and rend my soul
in the midst of these distractions, The wicked are like the
troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters
cast up mire and dirt.  There is no peace,
saith my God, to the wicked.  Isa. lvii. 20,
21.

105.  And now my heart was, at times, exceeding hard; if
I would have given a thousand pounds for a tear, I could not shed
one: no nor sometimes scarce desire to shed one.  I was much
dejected, to think that this would be my lot.  I saw some
could mourn and lament their sin; and others again, could rejoice
and bless God for Christ; and others again, could quietly talk
of, and with gladness remember the word of God; while I only was
in the storm or tempest.  This much sunk me, I thought my
condition was alone, I should therefore much bewail my hard hap,
but get out of, or get rid of these things, I could not.

106.  While this temptation lasted, which was about a
year, I could attend upon none of the ordinances of God, but with
sore and great affliction.  Yea, then I was most distressed
with blasphemies.  If I had been hearing the word, then
uncleanness, blasphemies and despair would hold me a captive
there: if I have been reading, then sometimes I had sudden
thoughts to question all I read: sometimes again, my mind would
be so strangely snatched away, and possessed with other things,
that I have neither known, nor regarded, nor remembered so much
as the sentence that but now I have read.

107.  In prayer also I have been greatly troubled at this
time; sometimes I have thought I have felt him behind me pulling
my clothes: he would be also continually at me in time of prayer,
to have done, break off, make haste, you have prayed enough, and
stay no longer; still drawing my mind away.  Sometimes also
he would cast in such wicked thoughts as these; that I must pray
to him, or for him: I have thought sometimes of that, Fall
down; or, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 
Matt. iii. 9.

108.  Also, when because I have had wandering thoughts in
the time of this duty, I have laboured to compose my mind, and
fix it upon God; then with great force hath the tempter laboured
to distract me, and confound me, and to turn away my mind, by
presenting to my heart and fancy, the form of a bush, a bull, a
besom, or the like, as if I should pray to these: To these he
would also (at sometimes especially) so hold my mind, that I was
as if I could think of nothing else, or pray to nothing else but
to these, or such as they.

109.  Yet at times I should have some strong and
heart-affecting apprehensions of God, and the reality of the
truth of His gospel.  But, oh! how would my heart, at such
times, put forth itself with unexpressible groanings.  My
whole soul was then in every word; I should cry with pangs after
God, that He would be merciful unto me; but then I should be
daunted again with such conceits as these: I should think that
God did mock at these my prayers, saying, and that in the
audience of the holy angels, This poor simple wretch doth
hanker after Me, as if I had nothing to do with My
mercy, but to bestow it on such as he. 
Alas, poor soul! how art thou
deceived!  It is not for such as thee to have favour
with the Highest.

110.  Then hath the tempter come upon me, also, with such
discouragements as these: You are very hot for mercy,
but I will cool you; this frame shall not last
always: many have been as hot as you for a spurt,
but I have quenched their zeal (and with this, such and
such, who were fallen off, would be set before mine eyes). 
Then I should be afraid that I should do so too: But, thought I,
I am glad this comes into my mind: well, I will watch, and take
what care I can.  Though you do, said Satan, I
shall be too hard for you; I will cool you insensibly,
by degrees, by little and little.  What
care I, saith he, though I be seven years in chilling your
heart, if I can do it at last?  Continual
rocking will lull a crying child asleep: I will ply it
close, but I will have my end accomplished. 
Though you be burning hot at present, I can pull you
from this fire; I shall have you cold before it be
long.

111.  These things brought me into great straits; for as
I at present could not find myself fit for present death, so I
thought, to live long, would make me yet more unfit; for time
would make me forget all, and wear even the remembrance of the
evil of sin, the worth of heaven, and the need I had of the blood
of Christ to wash me, both out of mind and thought: but I thank
Christ Jesus, these things did not at present make me slack my
crying, but rather did put me more upon it (like her who met
with adulterer, Deut. xxii. 26), in which days that was a
good word to me, after I had suffered these things a
while:—I am persuaded that neither death, nor
life, etc., shall be able to separate us from the
love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Rom.
viii. 38, 39.  And now I hoped long life would not destroy
me, nor make me miss of heaven.

112.  Yet I had some supports in this temptation, though
they were then all questioned by me; that in Jer. iii. at
the first was something to me; and so was the consideration of
verse 5 of that chapter; that though we have spoken and done as
evil things as we could, yet we should cry unto God, My
Father, Thou art the Guide of my youth, and shall
return unto Him.

113.  I had, also, once a sweet glance from that in 2
Cor. v. 21: For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who
knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
God in Him.  I remember that one day, as I was sitting
in a neighbour’s house, and there very sad at the
consideration of my many blasphemies; and as I was saying in my
mind, What ground have I to say that, who have been so
vile and abominable, should ever inherit eternal
life?  That word came suddenly upon me, What shall we
say to these things?  If God be for us, who
can be against us? Rom. viii. 31.  That also was an help
unto me, Because I live, ye shall live also. 
John xiv. 19.  But these words were but hints, touches, and
short visits, though very sweet when present; only they lasted
not; but, like to Peter’s sheet, of a
sudden were caught up from me, to heaven again. 
Acts x. 16.

114.  But afterwards the Lord did more fully and
graciously discover Himself unto me, and indeed, did quite, not
only deliver me from the guilt that, by these things was laid
upon my conscience, but also from the very filth thereof; for the
temptation was removed, and I was put into my right mind again,
as other Christians were.

115.  I remember that one day, as I was travelling into
the country, and musing on the wickedness and blasphemy of my
heart, and considering the enmity that was in me to God, that
scripture came into my mind, Having made peace through the
blood of His cross.  Col. i. 20.  By which I was
made to see, both again and again, that God and my soul were
friends by His blood; yea, I saw that the justice of God, and my
sinful soul could embrace and kiss each other, through His
blood.  This was a good day to me; I hope I shall never
forget it.

116.  At another time, as I sat by the fire in my house,
and was musing on my wretchedness, the Lord made that also a
precious word unto me, Forasmuch then as the children are
partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise
took part of the same, that through death He might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is the devil;
and deliver those who through fear of death, were all
their lifetime subject to bondage.  Heb. ii. 14,
15.  I thought that the glory of these words was then so
weighty on me, that I was both once and twice ready to swoon as I
sate; yet not with grief and trouble, but with solid joy and
peace.

117.  At this time also I sate under of holy Mr
Gifford, whose doctrine, by God’s grace, was much
for my stability.  This man made it much his business to
deliver the people of God from all those false and unsound tests,
that by nature we are prone to.  He would bid us take
special heed, that we took not up any truth upon trust; as from
this, or that, or any other man or men; but to cry mightily to
God, that He would convince us of the reality thereof, and set us
down therein by His own Spirit in the holy word; For, said
he, if you do otherwise, when temptations come,
if strongly, you not having received them with evidence
from heaven, will find you want that help and strength now
to resist, that once you thought you had.

118.  This was as seasonable to my soul, as the former
and latter rains in their season (for I had found, and that by
sad experience, the truth of these his words: for I had felt
no man can say, especially when tempted by the devil,
that Jesus Christ is Lord, but by the Holy
Ghost).  Wherefore I found my soul, through grace, very
apt to drink in this doctrine, and to incline to pray to God,
that in nothing that pertained to God’s glory, and my own
eternal happiness, He would suffer me to be without the
confirmation thereof from heaven; for now I saw clearly, there
was an exceeding difference betwixt the notion of the flesh and
blood, and the revelations of God in heaven: also a great
difference betwixt that faith that is feigned, and according to
man’s wisdom, and that which comes by a man’s being
born thereto of God.  Matt. xvi. 15; 1 John v. 1.

119.  But, oh! now, how was my soul led from truth to
truth by God!  Even from the birth and cradle of the Son of
God, to His accession, and second coming from heaven to judge the
world!

120.  Truly, I then found, upon this account, the great
God was very good unto me; for, to my remembrance, there was not
any thing that I then cried unto God to make known, and reveal
unto me, but He was pleased to do it for me; I mean, not one part
of the gospel of the Lord Jesus, but I was orderly led into it:
methought I saw with great evidence, from the relation of the
four evangelists, the wonderful work of God, in giving Jesus
Christ to save us, from His conception and birth, even to His
second coming to judgment: methought I was as if I had seen Him
born, as if I had seen Him grow up; as if I had seen Him walk
through this world, from the cradle to the cross; to which also,
when He came, I saw how gently He gave Himself to be hanged, and
nailed on it for my sins and wicked doings.  Also as I was
musing on this His progress, that dropped on my spirit, He was
ordained for the slaughter.  1 Peter i. 12, 20.

121.  When I have considered also the truth of His
resurrection, and have remembered that word, Touch Me not,
Mary, etc., I have seen as if He had leaped out of the
grave’s mouth, for joy that He was risen again, and had got
the conquest over our dreadful foes.  John xx. 17.  I
have also in the spirit, seen Him a man, on the right hand of God
the Father for me; and have seen the manner of His coming from
heaven, to judge the world with glory, and have been confirmed in
these things by these scriptures following, Acts i. 9, 10, and
vii. 56, and x. 42; Heb. vii. 24 and ix. 28; Rev. i. 18; 1 Thess.
iv. 17, 18.

112.  Once I was troubled to know whether the Lord Jesus
was man as well as God, and God as well as man: and truly, in
those days, let men say what they would, unless I had it with
evidence from heaven, all was nothing to me; I counted myself not
set down in any truth of God.  Well, I was much troubled
about this point, and could not tell how to be resolved; at last,
that in Rev. v. 6 came into my mind: And I beheld,
and, to, in the midst of the throne, and
of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders,
stood a Lamb, as it had been slain.  In the
midst of the throne, thought I, there is the Godhead; in the
midst of the elders, there is His manhood; but, oh! methought
this did glister!  It was a goodly touch, and gave me sweet
satisfaction.  That other scripture also did help me much in
this, For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is
given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder:
and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the
Prince of Peace, etc.  Isa. ix. 6.

123.  Also besides these teachings of God in His word,
the Lord made use of two things to confirm me in this truth; the
one was the errors of the Quakers and the other was the guilt of
sin; for as the Quakers did oppose this truth, so God did the
more confirm me in it, by leading me into the scripture that did
wonderfully maintain it.

124. The errors that this people then maintained,
were:—

‘1.  That the holy scriptures were not the word of
God.

‘2.  That every man in the world had the spirit of
Christ, grace, faith, etc.

‘3.  That Christ Jesus, as crucified, and dying
sixteen hundred years ago, did not satisfy divine justice for the
sins of the people.

‘4.  That Christ’s flesh and blood were
within the saints.

‘5.  That the bodies of the good and bad that are
buried in the church-yard, shall not arise again.

‘6.  That the resurrection is past with good men
already.

‘7.  That that man Jesus, that was crucified
between two thieves, on mount Calvary, in the land of
Canaan, by Jerusalem, was not ascended above the
starry heavens.

‘8.  That He should not, even the same Jesus that
died by the hands of the Jews, come again at the last day; and as
man, judge all nations,’ etc.

125.  Many more vile and abominable things were in those
days fomented by them, by which I was driven to a more narrow
search of the scriptures, and was through their light and
testimony, not only enlightened, but greatly confirmed and
comforted in the truth: And, as I said, the guilt of sin did help
me much; for still as that would come upon me, the blood of
Christ did take it off again, and again, and again; and that too
sweetly, according to the scripture.  O friends!
cry to God to reveal Jesus Christ unto you; there is
none teacheth like Him.

126.  It would be too long here to stay, to tell you in
particular, how God did set me down in all the things of Christ,
and how He did, that He might so do, lead me into His words; yea,
and also how He did open them unto me, and make them shine before
me, and cause them to dwell with me, talk with me, and comfort me
over and over, both of His own being, and the being of His Son,
and Spirit, and word, and gospel.

127.  Only this, as I said before, I will say unto you
again, that in general, He was pleased to take this course with
me; first, to suffer me to be afflicted with temptations
concerning them, and then reveal them unto me; as sometimes I
should lie under great guilt for sin, even crushed to the ground
therewith; and then the Lord would show me the death of Christ;
yea, so sprinkle my conscience with His blood, that I should
find, and that before I was aware, that in that conscience, where
but just now did reign and rage the law, even there would rest
and abide the peace and love of God, through Christ.

128.  Now I had an evidence, as I thought, of my
salvation, from heaven, with many golden seals thereon, all
hanging in my sight.  Now could I remember this
manifestation, and the other discovery of grace, with comfort;
and should often long and desire that the last day were come,
that I might be for ever inflamed with the sight, and joy, and
communion of Him, Whose head was crowned with thorns, Whose face
was spit upon, and body broken, and soul made an offering for my
sins.  For whereas before I lay continually trembling at the
mouth of hell, now methought I was got so far therefrom, that I
could not, when I looked back, scarce discern it!  And oh!
thought I, that I were fourscore years old now, that I might die
quickly, that my soul might be gone to rest.

129.  But before I had got thus far out of these my
temptations, I did greatly long to see some ancient godly
man’s experience, who had writ some hundreds of years
before I was born; for those who had writ in our days, I thought
(but I desire them now to pardon me) that they had writ only that
which others felt; or else had, through the strength of their
wits and parts, studied to answer such objections as they
perceived others were perplexed with, without going down
themselves into the deep.  Well, after many such longings in
my mind, the God, in Whose hands are all our days and ways, did
cast into my hand (one day) a book of Martin
Luther’s; it was his Comment on the Galatians;
it also was so old, that it was ready to fall piece from piece if
I did but turn it over.  Now I was pleased much that such an
old book had fallen into my hand, the which when I had but a
little way perused, I found my condition in his experience so
largely and profoundly handled, as if his book had been written
out of my heart.  This made me marvel: for thus thought I,
This man could not know any thing of the state of Christians
now, but must needs write and speak the experience of
former days.

130.  Besides, he doth most gravely also in that book,
debate of the rise of these temptations, namely, blasphemy,
desperation, and the like; showing that the law of Moses,
as well as the devil, death, and hell, hath a very great hand
therein: the which, at first, was very strange to me; but
considering and watching, I found it so indeed.  But of
particulars here, I intend nothing; only this methinks I must let
fall before all men—I do prefer this book of Martin
Luther upon the Galatians (excepting the Holy Bible)
before all the books that ever I had seen, as most fit for a
wounded conscience.

131.  And now I found, as I thought, that I loved Christ
dearly: Oh! methought my soul cleaved unto Him, my affections
cleaved unto Him; I felt love to Him as hot as fire; and now, as
Job said, I thought I should die in my nest; but I
did quickly find, that my great love was but little; and that I,
who had, as I thought, such burning love to Jesus Christ, could
let Him go again for a very trifle,—God can tell how to
abase us, and can hide pride from man.  Quickly after this
my love was tried to purpose.

132.  For after the Lord had, in this manner, thus
graciously delivered me from this great and sore temptation, and
had set me down so sweetly in the faith of His holy gospel, and
had given me such strong consolation and blessed evidence from
heaven, touching my interest in His love through Christ; the
tempter came upon me again, and that with a more grievous and
dreadful temptation than before.

133. And that was, To sell and part with this most blessed
Christ, to exchange Him for the things of this life,
for any thing.  The temptation lay upon me for the
space of a year, and did follow me so continually, that I was not
rid of it one day in a month: no, not sometimes one hour in many
days together, unless when I was asleep.

134.  And though, in my judgment, I was persuaded, that
those who were once effectually in Christ (as I hoped, through
His grace, I had seen myself) could never lose Him for ever;
The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is
mine, saith God.  Lev. xxv. 23.  Yet it was a
continual vexation to me, to think that I should have so much as
one such thought within me against a Christ, a Jesus, that had
done for me as He had done; and yet then I had almost none
others, but such blasphemous ones.

135.  But it was neither my dislike of the thought, nor
yet any desire and endeavour to resist, that in the least did
shake or abate the continuation or force and strength thereof;
for it did always, in almost whatever I thought, intermix itself
therewith, in such sort, that I could neither eat my food, stoop
for a pin, chop a stick, or cast mine eye to look on this or
that, but still the temptation would come, Sell Christ for
this, or sell Christ for that; sell Him,
sell Him.

136.  Sometimes it would run in my thoughts, not so
little as a hundred times together, Sell Him, sell
Him, sell Him: against which, I may say, for whole
hours together, I have been forced to stand as continually
leaning and forcing my spirit against it, lest haply, before I
were aware, some wicked thought might arise in my heart, that
might consent thereto; and sometimes the tempter would make me
believe I had consented to it; but then I should be, as tortured
upon a rack for whole days together.

137.  This temptation did put me to such scares, lest I
should at some times, I say, consent thereto, and be overcome
therewith, that by the very force of my mind, in labouring to
gainsay and resist this wickedness, my very body would be put
into action or motion, by way of pushing or thrusting with my
hands or elbows; still answering, as fast as the destroyer said,
Sell Him; I will not, I will not, I will
not, I will not; no, not for thousands,
thousands, thousands of worlds: thus reckoning,
lest I should, in the midst of these assaults, set too low a
value on Him; even until I scarce well knew where I was, or how
to be composed again.

138.  At these seasons he would not let me eat my food at
quiet; but, forsooth, when I was set at the table at my meat, I
must go hence to pray; I must leave my food now, just now, so
counterfeit holy also would this devil be.  When I was thus
tempted, I would say in myself, Now I am at meat; let
me make an end.  No, said he, you must do it now,
or you will displease God, and despise
Christ.  Wherefore I was much afflicted with these
things; and because of the sinfulness of my nature (imagining
that these were impulses from God), I should deny to do it, as if
I denied God, and then should I be as guilty, because I did not
obey a temptation of the devil, as if I had broken the law of God
indeed.

139.  But to be brief: one morning as I did lie in my
bed, I was, as at other times, most fiercely assaulted with this
temptation, To sell and part with Christ; the wicked
suggestion still running in my mind, Sell Him, sell
Him, sell Him, sell Him, sell Him, as
fast as a man could speak: against which also, in my mind, as at
other times, I answered, No, no, not for
thousands, thousands, thousands, at least
twenty times together: but at last, after much striving, even
until I was almost out of breath, I felt this thought pass
through my heart, Let Him go, if He will; and I
thought also, that I felt my heart freely consent thereto. 
Oh! the diligence of Satan!  Oh! the desperateness of
man’s heart!

140.  Now was the battle won, and down fell I as a bird
that is shot from the top of a tree, into great guilt, and
fearful despair.  Thus getting out of my bed, I went moping
into the field; but God knows, with as heavy a heart as mortal
man, I think, could bear; where for the space of two hours, I was
like a man bereft of life; and, as now, past all recovery, and
bound over to eternal punishment.

141.  And withal, that scripture did seize upon my soul:
Or profane persons as Esau, who for one morsel of
meat, sold his birthright: for ye know, how
that afterward, when he would have inherited the
blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of
repentance, though he sought it carefully with
tears.  Heb. xii. 16, 17.

142.  Now was I as one bound, I felt myself shut up unto
the judgment to come; nothing now, for two years together, would
abide with me, but damnation, and an expectation of damnation: I
say, nothing now would abide with me but this, save some few
moments for relief, as in the sequel you will see.

143.  These words were to my soul, like fetters of brass
to my legs, in the continual sound of which I went for several
months together.  But about ten or eleven o’clock on
that day, as I was walking under an hedge (full of sorrow and
guilt, God knows), and bemoaning myself for this hard hap, that
such a thought should arise within me, suddenly this sentence
rushed in upon me, The blood of Christ remits all
guilt.  At this I made a stand in my spirit: with that
this word took hold upon me, The blood of Jesus Christ His
Son, cleanseth us from all sin.  1 John i. 7.

144.  Now I began to conceive peace in my soul, and
methought I saw, as if the tempter did leer and steal away from
me, as being ashamed of what he had done.  At the same time
also I had my sin, and the blood of Christ, thus represented to
me, That my sin, when compared to the blood of Christ, was no
more to it, than this little clod or stone before me, is to this
vast and wide field that here I see.  This gave me good
encouragement for the space of two or three hours; in which time
also, methought, I saw, by faith, the Son of God, as suffering
for my sins: but because it tarried not, I therefore sunk in my
spirit, under exceeding guilt again.

145.  But chiefly by the aforementioned scripture
concerning Esau’s selling of his birthright; for
that scripture would lie all day long, all the week long, yea,
all the year long in my mind, and hold me down, so that I could
by no means lift up myself; for when I would strive to turn to
this scripture or that, for relief, still that sentence would be
sounding in me; For ye know, how that afterwards,
when he would have inherited the blessing, he found no
place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with
tears.

146.  Sometimes, indeed, I should have a touch from that
in Luke xxii. 31, I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail
not; but it would not abide upon me; neither could I, indeed,
when I considered my state, find ground to conceive in the least,
that there should be the root of that grace in me, having sinned
as I had done.  Now was I tore and rent in an heavy case for
many days together.

147.  Then began I with sad and careful heart to consider
of the nature and largeness of my sin, and to search into the
word of God, if I could in any place espy a word of promise, or
any encouraging sentence, by which I might take relief. 
Wherefore I began to consider that of Mark iii. 28: All sins
shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies
wherewith soever they shall blaspheme.  Which place,
methought at a blush, did contain a large and glorious promise
for the pardon of high offences; but considering the place more
fully, I thought it was rather to be understood, as relating more
chiefly to those who had, while in a natural estate, committed
such things as there are mentioned; but not to me, who had not
only received light and mercy, but that had both after, and also
contrary to that, so slighted Christ as I had done.

148.  I feared, therefore, that this wicked sin of mine,
might be that sin unpardonable, of which He there thus
speaketh.  But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy
Ghost, hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of
eternal damnation.  Mark iii. 29.  And I did the
rather give credit to this, because of that sentence in the
Hebrews: For you know how that afterwards, when he
would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected;
for he found no place of repentance, though he sought
it carefully with tears.  And this stuck always with
me.

149.  And now was I both a burthen and a terror to
myself; nor did I ever so know, as now, what it was to be weary
of my life, and yet afraid to die.  Oh! how gladly now would
I have been anybody but myself! anything but a man, and in any
condition but my own!  For there was nothing did pass more
frequently over my mind, than that it was impossible for me to be
forgiven my transgression, and to be saved from the wrath to
come.

150.  And now I began to call again time that was spent;
wishing a thousand times twice told, that the day was yet to come
when I should be tempted to such a sin; concluding with great
indignation, both against my heart, and all assaults, how I would
rather have been torn in pieces, than be found a consenter
thereto.  But alas! these thoughts, and wishings, and
resolvings were now too late to help me; this thought had passed
my heart, God hath let me go, and I am fallen.  Oh! thought
I, that it were with me as in months past, as in the
days when God preserved me!  Job xxix. 2.

151.  Then again, being loth and unwilling to perish, I
began to compare my sin with others to see if I could find that
any of those that were saved, had done as I had done.  So I
considered David’s adultery, and murder, and found
them most heinous crimes; and those too committed after light and
grace received: but yet by considering that his transgressions
were only such as were against the law of Moses, from
which the Lord Christ could, with the consent of His word,
deliver him: but mine was against the gospel; yea, against the
Mediator thereof; I had sold my Saviour.

152.  Now again should I be as if racked upon the wheel,
when I considered, that, besides the guilt that possessed me, I
should be so void of grace, so bewitched.  What, thought I,
must it be no sin but this?  Must it needs be the great
transgression?  Ps. xix. 13.  Must that wicked
one touch my soul?  1 John v. 18.  Oh! what sting
did I find in all these sentences?

153.  What, thought I, is there but one sin that
is unpardonable? but one sin that layeth the soul without
the reach of God’s mercy; and must I be guilty of
that? must it needs be that?  Is there but one
sin among so many millions of sins, for which there
is no forgiveness; and must I commit this?  Oh! unhappy
sin!  Oh! unhappy man!  These things
would so break and confound my spirit, that I could not tell what
to do; I thought at times, they would have broke my wits; and
still, to aggravate my misery, that would run in my mind, You
know, how, that afterwards, when he would
have inherited the blessing, he was rejected. 
Oh! no one knows the terrors of those days but
myself.

154.  After this I began to consider of
Peter’s sin, which he committed in denying his
Master: and indeed, this came nighest to mine of any that I could
find, for he had denied his Saviour, as I, after light and mercy
received; yea, and that too, after warning given him.  I
also considered, that he did it both once and twice; and that,
after time to consider betwixt.  But though I put all these
circumstances together, that, if possible I might find help, yet
I considered again, that his was but a denial of his
Master, but mine was, a selling of my Saviour. 
Wherefore I thought with myself, that I came nearer to
Judas, than either to David or Peter.

155.  Here again my torment would flame out and afflict
me; yea, it would grind me, as it were to powder, to consider the
preservation of God towards others, while I fell into the snare;
for in my thus considering of other men’s sins, and
comparing them with mine own, I could evidently see, God
preserved them, notwithstanding their wickedness, and would not
let them, as He had let me, become a son of perdition.

156.  But oh! how did my soul at this time prize the
preservation that God did set about His people!  Ah, how
safely did I see them walk, whom God had hedged in!  They
were within His care, protection, and special providence: though
they were full as bad as I by nature; yet because He loved them,
He would not suffer them to fall without the range of mercy: but
as for me, I was gone, I had done it: He would not preserve me,
nor keep me; but suffered me, because I was a reprobate, to fall
as I had done.  Now did those blessed places that speak of
God’s keeping His people, shine like the sun before me,
though not to comfort me, yet to show me the blessed state and
heritage of those whom the Lord had blessed.

157.  Now I saw, that as God had His hand in all the
providences and dispensations that overtook His elect; so He had
His hand in all the temptations that they had to sin against Him;
not to animate them to wickedness, but to choose their
temptations and troubles for them; and also to leave them for a
time, to such sins only that might not destroy, but humble them;
as might not put them beyond, but lay them in the way of the
renewing His mercy.  But oh! what love, what care, what
kindness and mercy did I now see, mixing itself with the most
severe and dreadful of all God’s ways to His people! 
He would let David, Hezekiah, Solomon,
Peter, and others, fall; but He would not let them fall
into sin unpardonable, nor into hell for sin.  Oh! thought
I, these be the men that God hath loved; these be the men that
God, though He chastiseth them, keeps them in safety by Him; and
them whom He makes to abide under the shadow of the
Almighty.  But all these thoughts added sorrow, grief, and
horror to me, as whatever I now thought on, it was killing to
me.  If I thought how God kept His own, that was killing to
me; if I thought of how I was fallen myself, that was killing to
me.  As all things wrought together for the best, and to do
good to them that were the called, according to His purpose, so I
thought that all things wrought for my damage, and for my eternal
overthrow.

158.  Then again I began to compare my sin with the sin
of Judas, that, if possible, I might find if mine differed
from that, which in truth is unpardonable: and oh! thought I, if
it should differ from it, though but the breadth of an hair, what
a happy condition is my soul in!  And by considering, I
found that Judas did this intentionally, but mine was
against my prayer and strivings: besides, his was committed with
much deliberation, but mine in a fearful hurry, on a sudden: all
this while I was tossed to and fro like the locusts, and driven
from trouble to sorrow; hearing always the sound of
Esau’s fall in mine ears, and the dreadful
consequences thereof.

159.  Yet this consideration about Judas’s
sin was, for awhile, some little relief to me; for I saw I had
not, as to the circumstances, transgressed so fully as he. 
But this was quickly gone again, for I thought with myself, there
might be more ways than one to commit this unpardonable sin; also
I thought there might be degrees of that, as well as of other
transgressions; wherefore, for aught I yet could perceive, this
iniquity of mine might be such, as might never be passed by.

160.  I was often now ashamed that I should be like such
an ugly man as Judas: I thought also how loathsome I should be
unto all the saints at the day of judgment: insomuch that now I
could scarce see a good man, that I believed had a good
conscience, but I should feel my heart tremble at him, while I
was in his presence.  Oh! now I saw a glory in walking with
God, and what a mercy it was to have a good conscience before
Him.

161.  I was much about that time tempted to content
myself by receiving some false opinion; as, that there should be
no such thing as a day of judgment; that we should not rise
again; and that sin was no such grievous thing: the tempter
suggesting thus: For if these things should indeed be
true, yet to believe otherwise would yield you ease for
the present.  If you must perish, never
torment yourself so much beforehand: drive the thoughts of
damning out of your mind, by possessing your mind with
some such conclusions that Atheists and Ranters use
to help themselves withal.

162.  But oh! when such thoughts have led through my
heart, how, as it were, within a step, hath death and judgment
been in my view! methought the judge stood at the door; I was as
if it was come already; so that such things could have no
entertainment.  But methinks, I see by this, that Satan will
use any means to keep the soul from Christ; he loveth not an
awakened frame of spirit; security, blindness, darkness, and
error, is the very kingdom and habitation of the wicked one.

163.  I found it a hard work now to pray to God, because
despair was swallowing me up; I thought I was as with a tempest
driven away from God; for always when I cried to God for mercy,
this would come in, ’Tis too late, I am lost,
God hath let me fall; not to my correction, but
condemnation: my sin is unpardonable; and I
know, concerning Esau, how that after he had sold
his birthright, he would have received the blessing,
but was rejected.  About this time I did light on
that dreadful story of that miserable mortal Francis Spira; a
book that was to my troubled spirit, as salt, when rubbed into a
fresh wound: every sentence in that book, every groan of that
man, with all the rest of his actions in his dolours, as his
tears, his prayers, his gnashing of teeth, his wringing of hands,
his twining and twisting, and languishing, and pining away under
that mighty hand of God that was upon him, were as knives and
daggers in my soul; especially that sentence of his was frightful
to me, Man knows the beginning of sin? but who bounds
the issues thereof?  Then would the former sentence, as
the conclusion of all, fall like an hot thunderbolt again upon my
conscience; For you know how that afterwards, when he
would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected;
for he found no place of repentance, though he sought
it carefully with tears.

164.  Then should I be struck into a very great
trembling, insomuch that at sometimes I could, for whole days
together, feel my very body, as well as my mind, to shake and
totter under the sense of this dreadful judgment of God, that
should fall on those that have sinned that most fearful and
unpardonable sin.  I felt also such a clogging and heat at
my stomach, by reason of this my terror, that I was, especially
at some times, as if my breast-bone would split asunder; then I
thought of that concerning Judas, who by falling headlong,
he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels
gushed out.  Acts i. 18.

165.  I feared also that this was the mark that the Lord
did set on Cain, even continual fear and trembling, under
the heavy load of guilt that he had charged on him for the blood
of his brother Abel.  Thus did I wind, and twine, and
shrink under the burthen that was upon me; which burthen also did
so oppress me, that I could neither stand, nor go, nor lie,
either at rest or quiet.

166.  Yet that saying would sometimes come into my mind,
He hath received gifts for the rebellious.  Psalm
lxviii. 18.  The rebellious, thought I! why surely
they are such as once were under subjection to their Prince; even
those who after they have sworn subjection to His government,
have taken up arms against Him; and this, thought I, is my very
condition: I once loved Him, feared Him, served Him; but now I am
a rebel; I have sold Him, I have said, Let Him go, if
He will; but yet He has gifts for rebels; and then why not
for me?

167.  This sometimes I thought on, and should labour to
take hold thereof, that some, though small refreshment, might
have been conceived by me; but in this also I missed of my
desire; I was driven with force beyond it; I was like a man going
to execution, even by that place where he would fain creep
in and hide himself, but may not.

168.  Again, after I had thus considered the sins of the
saints in particular, and found mine went beyond
them, then I began to think with myself, Set the case I should
put all theirs together, and mine alone against
them, might I not then find some encouragement? for if
mine, though bigger than any one, yet should be but equal
to all, then there is hopes; for that blood that hath virtue
enough in it to wash away all theirs, had virtue enough in it to
do away mine, though this one be full as big, if not bigger than
all theirs.  Here again, I should consider the sin of
David, of Solomon, of Manasseh, of
Peter, and the rest of the great offenders; and should
also labour, what I might with fairness, to aggravate and
heighten their sins by several circumstances.

169.  I should think with myself that David shed
blood to cover his adultery, and that by the sword of the
children of Ammon; a work that could not be done, but by
continuance, deliberate contrivance, which was a great
aggravation to his sin.  But then this would turn upon me:
Ah! but these were but sins against the law, from which there was
a Jesus sent to save them; but yours is a sin against the
Saviour, and who shall save you from that?

170.  Then I thought on Solomon, and how he sinned
in loving strange women, falling away to their idols, in building
them temples, in doing this after light, in his old age, after
great mercy received: but the same conclusion that cut me off in
the former consideration, cut me off as to this; namely, that all
those were but sins against the law, for which God had provided a
remedy; but I had sold my Saviour, and there remained no
more sacrifice for sin.

171.  I would then add to these men’s sins, the
sins of Manasseh; how that he built altars for idols in
the house of the Lord; he also observed times, used enchantments,
had to do with wizards, was a wizard, had his familiar spirits,
burned his children in the fire in sacrifice to devils, and made
the streets of Jerusalem run down with the blood of
innocents.  These, thought I, are great sins, sins of a
bloody colour, but yet it would turn again upon me, They are
none of them of the nature of yours; you have parted with
Jesus, you have sold your Saviour.

172.  This one consideration would always kill my heart,
my sin was point blank against my Saviour; and that too,
at that height, that I had in my heart said of Him, Let Him
go, if He will.  Oh! methought this sin was
bigger than the sins of a country, of a kingdom, or of the whole
world, no one pardonable; nor all of them together,
was able to equal mine; mine out-went them every one.

173.  Now I should find my mind to flee from God, as from
the face of a dreadful judge, yet this was my torment, I could
not escape His hand: (It is a fearful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God.  Hebrew x.)  But, blessed
be His grace, that scripture, in these flying fits, would call,
as running after me, I have blotted out, as a thick
cloud, thy transgressions; and as a cloud,
thy sins: return unto Me, for I have redeemed
thee.  Isaiah xliv. 22.  This, I say, would come in
upon my mind, when I was fleeing from the face of God; for I did
flee from His face; that is, my mind and spirit fled before Him;
by reason of His highness, I could not endure: then would the
text cry, Return unto Me; it would cry aloud with a very
great voice, Return unto Me, for I have redeemed
thee.  Indeed, this would make me make a little stop,
and, as it were, look over my shoulder behind me, to see if I
could discern that the God of grace did follow me with a pardon
in His hand; but I could no sooner do that, but all would be
clouded and darkened again by that sentence, For you know,
how that afterwards, when he would have inherited the
blessing, he found no place of repentance, though
he sought it carefully with tears.  Wherefore I could
not refrain, but fled, though at some times it cried,
Return, return, as if it did hollow after me: but I
feared to close in therewith, lest it should not come from God;
for that other, as I said, was still sounding in my conscience,
For you know that afterwards, when he would have
inherited the blessing, he was rejected,
etc.

174.  Once as I was walking to and fro in a good
man’s shop, bemoaning of myself in my sad and doleful
state, afflicting myself with self-abhorrence for this wicked and
ungodly thought; lamenting also this hard hap of mine for that I
should commit so great a sin, greatly fearing that I should not
be pardoned; praying also in my heart, that if this sin of mine
did differ from that against the Holy Ghost, the Lord would show
it me.  And being now ready to sink with fear, suddenly
there was, as if there had rushed in at the window, the noise of
wind upon me, but very pleasant, and as if I heard a voice
speaking, Did’st thou ever refuse to be justified by the
blood of Christ? and withal, my whole life of profession
past, was in a moment opened to me, wherein I was made to see,
that designedly I had not: so my heart answered groaningly,
No.  Then fell, with power, that word of God upon me,
See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh.  Hebrew
xii. 25.  This made a strange seizure upon my spirit; it
brought light with it, and commanded a silence in my heart, of
all those tumultuous thoughts, that did before use, like
masterless hell-hounds, to roar and bellow, and make an hideous
noise within me.  It showed me also that Jesus Christ had
yet a word of grace and mercy for me, that He had not, as I had
feared, quite forsaken and cast off my soul; yea, this was a kind
of chide for my proneness to desperation; a kind of threatening
of me, if I did not, notwithstanding my sins, and the heinousness
of them, venture my salvation upon the Son of God.  But as
to my determining about this strange dispensation, what it was, I
know not; or from whence it came, I know not; I have not yet in
twenty years’ time been able to make a judgment of it; I
thought then what here I should be loth to speak.  But
verily that sudden rushing wind was, as if an angel had come upon
me; but both it, and the salutation, I will leave until the day
of judgment: only this I say, it commanded a great calm in my
soul; it persuaded me there might be hope: it showed me, as I
thought, what the sin unpardonable was, and that my soul had yet
the blessed privilege to flee to Jesus Christ for mercy. 
But I say, concerning this dispensation; I know not yet what to
say unto it; which was also, in truth, the cause, that at first I
did not speak of it in the book; I do now also leave it to be
thought on by men of sound judgment.  I lay not the stress
of my salvation thereupon, but upon the Lord Jesus, in the
promise; yet seeing I am here unfolding of my secret things, I
thought it might not be altogether inexpedient to let this also
show itself, though I cannot now relate the matter as there I did
experience it.  This lasted in the savour of it for about
three or four days, and then I began to mistrust, and to despair
again.

175.  Wherefore still my life hung in doubt before me,
not knowing which way I should tip; only this I found my soul
desire, even to cast itself at the foot of grace, by prayer and
supplication.  But oh! ’twas hard for me now, to have
the face to pray to this Christ for mercy, against Whom I had
thus most vilely sinned: ’twas hard work, I say, to offer
to look Him in the face, against Whom I had so vilely sinned; and
indeed, I have found it as difficult to come to God by prayer,
after backsliding from Him, as to do any other thing.  Oh!
the shame that did now attend me! especially when I thought, I am
now a-going to pray to Him for mercy, that I had so lightly
esteemed but a while before!  I was ashamed; yea, even
confounded, because this villany had been committed by me: but I
saw that there was but one way with me; I must go to Him, and
humble myself unto Him, and beg that He, of His wonderful mercy,
would show pity to me, and have mercy upon my wretched sinful
soul.

176.  Which, when the tempter perceived, he strongly
suggested to me, That I ought not to pray to God, for
prayer was not for any in my case; neither could it do me
good, because I had rejected the Mediator, by Whom
all prayers came with acceptance to God the Father; and
without Whom, no prayer could come into His presence:
wherefore now to pray, is but to add sin to sin;
yea, now to pray, seeing God has cast you
off, is the next way to anger and offend Him more than you
ever did before.

177.  For God (saith he) hath been weary of you
for these several years already, because you are none of
His; your bawlings in His ears, hath been no
pleasant voice to Him; and therefore He let you sin this
sin, that you might be quite cut off; and will you
pray still?  This the devil urged, and set forth that in
Numbers, when Moses said to the children of
Israel, That because they would not go up to possess the
land, when God would have them, therefore for ever
after He did bar them out from thence, though they prayed
they might with tears.  Numbers xiv. 36, 37, etc.

178.  As it is said in another place, Exodus xxi. 14,
The man that sins presumptuously shall be taken from
God’s altar, that he may die; even as
Joab was by King Solomon, when he thought to find
shelter there.  1 Kings ii. 27, 28, etc.  These places
did pinch me very sore; yet my case being desperate, I thought
with myself, I can but die; and if it must be so, it shall once
be said, That such an one died at the foot of Christ in
prayer.  This I did, but with great difficulty, God doth
know; and that because, together with this, still that saying
about Esau would be set at my heart, even like a flaming
sword, to keep the way of the tree of life, lest I should take
thereof and live.  Oh! who knows how hard a thing I found
it, to come to God in prayer!

179.  I did also desire the prayers of the people of God
for me, but I feared that God would give them no heart to do it;
yea I trembled in my soul to think, that some or other of them
would shortly tell me, that God hath said those words to them,
that He once did say to the prophet concerning the children of
Israel, Pray not for this people, for I have rejected
them.  Jeremiah xi. 14.  So, Pray not for
him, for I have rejected him, yea, I thought that He
had whispered this to some of them already, only they durst not
tell me so; neither durst I ask them of it, for fear if it should
be so, it would make me quite beside myself: Man knows the
beginning of sin (said Spira), but who bounds the issues
thereof?

180.  About this time I took an opportunity to break my
mind to an ancient Christian, and told him all my case: I told
him also, that I was afraid that I had sinned the sin against the
Holy Ghost; and he told me, He thought so too.  Here
therefore I had but cold comfort; but talking a little more with
him, I found him, though a good man, a stranger to much combat
with the devil.  Wherefore I went to God again, as well as I
could, for mercy still.

181.  Now also did the tempter begin to mock me in my
misery, saying, That seeing I had thus parted with the Lord
Jesus, and provoked Him to displeasure, Who would
have stood between my soul and the flame of devouring fire,
there was now but one way; and that was, to pray
that God the Father would be a Mediator betwixt His Son and me;
that we might be reconciled again, and that I might
have that blessed benefit in Him, that His blessed saints
enjoyed.

182.  Then did that scripture seize upon my soul, He
is of one mind, and who can turn Him!  Oh! I saw,
it was as easy to persuade Him to make a new world, a new
covenant, or a new Bible, besides that we have already, as to
pray for such a thing.  This was to persuade Him, that what
He had done already was mere folly, and persuade Him to alter,
yea, to disannul the whole way of salvation.  And then would
that saying rend my soul asunder; Neither is there salvation
in any other; for there is none other name under heaven
given among men whereby we must be saved.  Acts iv.
12.

183.  Now the most free, and full and gracious words of
the gospel, were the greatest torment to me; yea, nothing so
afflicted me, as the thoughts of Jesus Christ, the remembrance of
a Saviour; because I had cast Him off, brought forth the villany
of my sin, and my loss by it, to mind; nothing did twinge my
conscience like this: every time that I thought of the Lord
Jesus, of His grace, love, goodness, kindness, gentleness,
meekness, death, blood, promises, and blessed exhortations,
comforts, and consolations, it went to my soul like a sword; for
still unto these my considerations of the Lord Jesus, these
thoughts would make place for themselves in my heart: Aye,
this is the Jesus, the loving Saviour, the Son
of God, Whom you have parted with, Whom you have
slighted, despised, and abused.  This
is the only Saviour, the only Redeemer, the only
One that could so love sinners, as to wash them from their
sins in His own most precious blood; but you have no part
nor lot in this Jesus: you have put Him from you;
you have said in your heart, Let Him go, if He will. 
Now, therefore, you are severed from Him;
you have severed yourself from Him: behold then His
goodness, but yourself to be no partaker of it. 
Oh! thought I, what have I lost, what have I parted with! 
What has disinherited my poor soul!  Oh! ’tis sad to
be destroyed by the grace and mercy of God; to have the Lamb, the
Saviour, turn lion and destroyer.  Rev. vi.  I also
trembled, as I have said, at the sight of the saints of God,
especially at those that greatly loved Him, and that made it
their business to walk continually with Him in this world; for
they did, both in their words, their carriages, and all their
expressions of tenderness and fear to sin against their precious
Saviour, condemn, lay guilt upon, and also add continual
affliction and shame upon my soul.  The dread of them was
upon me, and I trembled at God’s Samuels. 
1 Sam. xvi. 4.

184.  Now also the tempter began afresh to mock my soul
another way, saying, That Christ indeed did pity my case,
and was sorry for my loss; but forasmuch as I had
sinned and transgressed as I had done, He could by no
means help me, nor save me from what I feared: for
my sin was not of the nature of theirs, for Whom He bled
and died; neither was it counted with those that were laid
to His charge, when He hanged on a tree:
therefore, unless He should come down from heaven,
and die anew for this sin, though indeed He did greatly
pity me, yet I could have no benefit of Him. 
These things may seem ridiculous to others, even as ridiculous as
they were in themselves, but to me they were most tormenting
cogitations: every one of them augmented my misery, that Jesus
Christ should have so much love as to pity me, when yet He could
not help me; nor did I think that the reason why He could not
help me, was, because His merits were weak, or His grace and
salvation spent on others already, but because His faithfulness
to His threatening, would not let Him extend His mercy to
me.  Besides, I thought, as I have already hinted, that my
sin was not within the bounds of that pardon, that was wrapped up
in a promise; and if not, then I knew assuredly, that it was more
easy for heaven and earth to pass away, than for me to have
eternal life.  So that the ground of all these fears of mine
did arise from a steadfast belief I had of the stability of the
holy word of God, and also from my being misinformed of the
nature of my sin.

185.  But oh! how this would add to my affliction, to
conceit that I should be guilty of such a sin, for which He did
not die.  These thoughts would so confound me, and imprison
me, and tie me up from faith, that I knew not what to do. 
But oh! thought I, that He would come down again!  Oh! that
the work of man’s redemption was yet to be done by Christ!
how would I pray Him and entreat Him to count and reckon this sin
among the rest for which He died!  But this scripture would
strike me down as dead; Christ being raised from the dead,
dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over
Him.  Rom. vi. 9.

186.  Thus, by the strange and unusual assaults of the
tempter, my soul was like a broken vessel, driven as with the
winds, and tossed sometimes headlong into despair; sometimes upon
the covenant of works, and sometimes to wish that the new
covenant, and the conditions thereof, might so far forth, as I
thought myself concerned, be turned another way, and changed,
But in all these, I was as those that jostle against
the rocks; more broken, scattered and
rent.  Oh! the un-thought-of imaginations, frights,
fears, and terrors, that are affected by a thorough application
of guilt yielding to desperation!  This is the man that
hath his dwelling among the tombs with the dead; that is
always crying out, and cutting himself with
stones.  Mark v. 1, 2, 3.  But, I say, all in vain;
desperation will not comfort him, the old covenant will not save
him: nay, heaven and earth shall pass away, before one jot or
tittle of the word and law of grace will fail or be
removed.  This I saw, this I felt, and under this I groaned;
yet this advantage I got thereby, namely, a farther confirmation
of the certainty of the way of salvation; and that the scriptures
were the word of God.  Oh! I cannot now express what then I
saw and felt of the steadiness of Jesus Christ, the rock of
man’s salvation: What was done, could not be undone, added
to, nor altered.  I saw, indeed, that sin might drive the
soul beyond Christ, even the sin which is unpardonable; but woe
to him that was so driven, for the word would shut him out.

187.  Thus I was always sinking, whatever I did think or
do.  So one day I walked to a neighbouring town, and sate
down upon a settle in the street, and fell into a very deep pause
about the most fearful state my sin had brought me to; and after
long musing, I lifted up I sat my head, but methought I saw, as
if the sun that shineth in the heavens did grudge to give light;
and as if the very stones in the street, and tiles upon the
houses, did bend themselves against me.  Methought that they
all combined together to banish me out of the world.  I was
abhorred of them, and unfit to dwell among them, or be partaker
of their benefits, because I had sinned against the
Saviour.  O how happy now was every creature over I
was!  For they stood fast, and kept their station, but I was
gone and lost.

188.  Then breaking out in the bitterness of my soul, I
said to myself with a grievous sigh, How can God comfort such
a wretch!  I had no sooner said it, but this returned
upon me, as an echo doth answer a voice: This sin is not unto
death.  At which I was, as if I had been raised out of
the grave, and cried out again, Lord, how couldst Thou
find out such a word as this!  For I was filled with
admiration at the fitness, and at the unexpectedness of the
sentence; the fitness of the word, the rightness of the timing of
it; the power, and sweetness, and light, and glory that came with
it also, were marvellous to me to find: I was now, for the time,
out of doubt, as to that about which I was so much in doubt
before; my fears before were, that my sin was not
pardonable, and so that I had no right to pray, to repent, etc.,
or that, if I did, it would be of no advantage or profit to
me.  But now, thought I, if this sin is not unto
death, then it is pardonable; therefore from this I have
encouragement to come to God by Christ for mercy, to consider the
promise of forgiveness, as that which stands with open arms to
receive me as well as others.  This therefore was a great
easement to my mind, to wit, that my sin was pardonable, that it
was not the sin unto death (1 John v. 16, 17).  None but
those that know what my trouble (by their own experience) was,
can tell what relief came to my soul by this consideration: it
was a release to me from my former bonds, and a shelter from the
former storm: I seemed now to stand upon the same ground with
other sinners, and to have as good right to the word and prayer
as any of they.

189.  Now I say, I was in hopes that my sin was not
unpardonable, but that there might be hopes for me to obtain
forgiveness.  But oh! how Satan did now lay about him for to
bring me down again!  But he could by no means do it,
neither this day, nor the most part of the next, for this good
sentence stood like a mill-post at my back: yet towards the
evening of the next day, I felt this word begin to leave me, and
to withdraw its supportation from me, and so I returned to my old
fears again, but with a great deal of grudging and peevishness,
for I feared the sorrow of despair; nor could my faith now long
retain this word.

190.  But the next day at evening, being under many
fears, I went to seek the Lord, and as I prayed, I cried, and my
soul cried to Him in these words, with strong cries: O
Lord, I beseech Thee, show me that Thou hast loved
me with everlasting love.  Jer. xxxi. 3.  I had no
sooner said it, but with sweetness this returned upon me, as an
echo, or sounding again, I have loved thee with an everlasting
love.  Now I went to bed in quiet; also when I awakened
the next morning, it was fresh upon my soul; and I believed
it.

191.  But yet the tempter left me not; for it could not
be so little as an hundred times, that he that day did labour to
then break my peace.  Oh! the combats and conflicts that I
did then meet with; as I strove to hold by this word, that of
Esau would fly in my face like lightning: I should be
sometimes up and down twenty times in an hour; yet God did bear
me up, and keep my heart upon this word; from which I had also,
for several days together, very much sweetness, and comfortable
hopes of pardon: for thus it was made out unto me, I loved
thee whilst thou wast committing this sin, I loved thee
before, I love thee still, and I will love thee for
ever.

192.  Yet I saw my sin most barbarous, and a filthy
crime, and could not but conclude, and that with great shame and
astonishment, that I had horribly abused the holy Son of God:
wherefore I felt my soul greatly to love and pity Him, and my
bowels to yearn towards Him; for I saw He was still my friend,
and did reward me good for evil; yea, the love and affection that
then did burn within to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, did
work at this time such a strong and hot desire of revengement
upon myself for the abuse I had done unto Him, that to speak as I
then thought, had I had a thousand gallons of blood within my
veins, I could freely then have spilt it all, at the command and
feet of this my Lord and Saviour.

193.  And as I was thus in musing, and in my studies,
considering how to love the Lord, and to express my love to Him,
that saying came in upon me, If Thou, Lord,
shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who should
stand?  But there is forgiveness with Thee,
that Thou mayest be feared.  Psalm cxxx. 3, 4. 
These were good words to me, especially the latter part thereof;
to wit, that there is forgiveness with the Lord, that He might be
feared; that is, as then I understood it, that He might be loved,
and had in reverence; for it was thus made out to me, That the
great God did set so high an esteem upon the love of His poor
creatures, that rather than He would go without their
love, He would pardon their transgressions.

194.  And now was that word fulfilled on me, and I was
also refreshed by it; That thou mayest remember and be
confounded, and never open thy mouth any more,
because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee
for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God. 
Ezek. xvi. 63.  Thus was my soul at this time (and as I then
did think for ever) set at liberty from being afflicted with my
former guilt and amazement.

195.  But before many weeks were gone, I began to despond
again, fearing, lest, notwithstanding all that I had enjoyed,
that I might be deceived and destroyed at the last; for this
consideration came strong into my mind, That whatever comfort
and peace I thought I might have from the word of the promise of
life, yet unless there could be found in my
refreshment, a concurrence and agreement in the
scriptures, let me think what I will thereof, and
hold it never so fast, I should find no such thing at the
end; And the scripture cannot be broken.  John x.
35.

196.  Now began my heart again to ache, and fear I might
meet with a disappointment at last.  Wherefore I began with
all seriousness to examine my former comfort, and to consider
whether one that had sinned as I had done, might with confidence
trust upon the faithfulness of God, laid down in those words, by
which I had been comforted, and on which I had leaned myself: but
now were brought those sayings to my mind.  For it is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of
the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God,
and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall
away, to renew them again unto repentance.  Heb.
vi. 4–6.  For, if we sin wilfully,
after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remains no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain
fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery
indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 
Heb. x. 26, 27.  As Esau, who for one morsel of
meat, sold his birthright.  For ye know how
that afterward, when he would have inherited the
blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of
repentance, though he sought it carefully with
tears.  Heb. xii. 16, 17.

197.  Now was the word of the gospel forced from my soul;
so that no promise or encouragement was to be found in the Bible
for me: and now would that saying work upon my spirit to afflict
me, Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as
other people.  Hos. ix. 1.  For I saw indeed, there
was cause of rejoicing for those that held to Jesus; but for me,
I had cut myself off by my transgressions, and left myself
neither foot-hold, or hand-hold, among all the stays and props in
the precious word of life.

198.  And truly, I did now feel myself to sink into a
gulph, as an house whose foundation is destroyed; I did liken
myself in this condition, unto the case of some child that was
fallen into a mill-pit, who though it could make some shift to
scramble and sprawl in the water, yet because it could find
neither hold for hand nor foot, therefore at last it must die in
that condition.  So soon as this fresh assault had fastened
on my soul, that scripture came into my heart, This for many
days.  Dan. x. 14.  And indeed I found it was so;
for I could not be delivered, nor brought to peace again, until
well nigh two years and a half were completely finished. 
Wherefore these words, though in themselves, they tended to
discouragement, yet to me, who feared this condition would be
eternal, they were at some times as an help and refreshment to
me.

199.  For, thought I, many days are not for ever,
many days will have an end; therefore seeing I was to be
afflicted not a few but many days, yet I was glad it was
but for many days.  Thus, I say, I would recall
myself sometimes, and give myself an help, for as soon as ever
the words came into my mind, at first, I knew my trouble would be
long, yet this would be but sometimes; for I could not always
think on this, nor ever be helped by it, though I did.

200.  Now while the scriptures lay before me, and laid
sin anew at my door, that saying, in Luke xviii. 1, with others,
did encourage me to prayer: then the tempter laid again at me
very sore, suggesting, That neither the mercy of God,
nor yet the blood of Christ, did at all concern me,
nor could they help me for my sin; therefore it was but
in vain to pray.  Yet, thought I, I will
pray.  But, said the tempter, your sin is
unpardonable.  Well, said I, I will pray. 
’Tis to no boot, said he.  Yet said I, I will
pray.  So I went to prayer to God; and while I was at
prayer, I uttered words to this effect: Lord, Satan
tells me, that neither Thy mercy, nor
Christ’s blood, is sufficient to save my soul:
Lord, shall I honour Thee most, by believing
Thou wilt, and canst? or him, by believing
Thou neither wilt not nor canst?  Lord, I
would fain honour Thee, by believing Thou wilt and
canst.

201.  And as I was thus before the Lord, that scripture
fastened on my heart (O man, great is thy faith), Matt. xv. 28,
even as if one had clapped me on the back, as I was on my knees
before God: yet I was not able to believe this, that this was a
prayer of faith, till almost six months after; for I could not
think that I had faith, or that there should be a word for me to
act faith on; therefore I should still be, as sticking in the
jaws of desperation, and went mourning up and down in a sad
condition.

202.  There was nothing now that I longed for more than
to be put out of doubt, as to this thing in question, and as I
was vehemently desiring to know, if there was indeed hope for me,
these words came rolling into my mind, Will the Lord cast off
for ever? and will He be favourable no more? 
Is His mercy clean gone for ever?  Doth His
promise fail for evermore?  Hath God forgotten to be
gracious?  Hath He in anger shut up His tender
mercies?  Ps. lxxvii. 7–9.  And all the while
they run in my mind, methought I had still this as the answer,
’Tis a question whether He hath or no: it may be
He hath not.  Yea, the interrogatory seemed to me to
carry in it a sure affirmation that indeed He had not, nor would
so cast off, but would be favourable: that His promise doth not
fail, and that He had not forgotten to be gracious, nor would in
anger shut up tender mercy.  Something also there was upon
my heart at the same time, which I cannot now call to mind,
which, with this text, did sweeten my heart, and make me
conclude, that His mercy might not be quite gone, nor clean gone
for ever.

203.  At another time I remembered, I was again much
under this question, Whether the blood of Christ was
sufficient to save my soul? in which doubt I continued from
morning, till about seven or eight at night: and at last, when I
was, as it were, quite worn out with fear, lest it should not lay
hold on me, these words did sound suddenly within my heart: He
is able.  But methought, this word able, was
spoke loud unto me; it showed a great word, it seemed to
be writ in great letters, and gave such a jostle to my
fear and doubt (I mean for the time it tarried with me, which was
about a day) as I never had from that, all my life, either before
or after.  Heb. vii. 25.

204.  But one morning as I was again at prayer, and
trembling under the fear of this, That no word of God could
help me, that piece of a sentence darted in upon me, My
grace is sufficient.  At this, methought I felt some
stay, as if there might be hopes.  But, oh! how good a thing
it is for God to send His word! for, about a fortnight before, I
was looking on this very place, and then I thought it could not
come near my soul with comfort, therefore I threw down my book in
a pet: then I thought it was not large enough for me; no, not
large enough; but now it was as if it had arms of grace so wide,
that it could not only enclose me, but many more such as I
besides.

205.  By these words I was sustained, yet not without
exceeding conflicts, for the space of seven or eight weeks; for
my peace would be in it, and out, sometimes twenty times a day;
comfort now, and trouble presently; peace now, and before I could
go a furlong, as full of fear and guilt as ever heart could
hold.  And this was not only now and then, but my whole
seven weeks’ experience: for this about the sufficiency
of grace, and that of Esau’s parting with
his birthright, would be like a pair of scales within my mind;
sometimes one end would be uppermost, and sometimes again the
other; according to which would be my peace or trouble.

206.  Therefore I did still pray to God, that He would
come in with this scripture more fully on my heart; to wit, that
He would help me to apply the whole sentence, for as yet I could
not: that He gave, that I gathered; but farther I could not go,
for as yet it only helped me to hope there might be mercy for me;
My grace is sufficient: And though it came no farther, it
answered my former question, to wit, That there was hope; yet
because for thee was left out, I was not contented, but
prayed to God for that also.  Wherefore, one day, when I was
in a meeting of God’s people, full of sadness and terror;
for my fears again were strong upon me; and, as I was now
thinking, my soul was never the better, but my case most sad and
fearful, these words did with great power suddenly break in upon
me; My grace is sufficient for thee, My grace is
sufficient for thee, My grace is sufficient for thee,
three times together: And oh! methought that every word was a
mighty word unto me; as My, and grace, and
sufficient, and for thee; they were then, and
sometimes are still, far bigger than others be.

207.  At which time my understanding was so enlightened,
that I was as though I had seen the Lord Jesus look down from
heaven, through the tiles upon me, and direct these words unto
me.  This sent me mourning home; it broke my heart, and
filled me full of joy, and laid me low as the dust; only it
stayed not long with me, I mean in this glory and refreshing
comfort; yet it continued with me for several weeks, and did
encourage me to hope: but as soon as that powerful operation of
it was taken from my heart, that other, about Esau,
returned upon me as before: so my soul did hang as in a pair of
scales again, sometimes up, and sometimes down; now in peace, and
anon again in terror.

208.  Thus I went on for many weeks, sometimes comforted,
and sometimes tormented; and especially at sometimes my torment
would be very sore, for all those scriptures forenamed in the
Hebrews, would be set before me, as the only sentences
that would keep me out of heaven.  Then again I would begin
to repent that ever that thought went through me; I would also
think thus with myself: Why, how many scriptures are
there against me?  There are but three or four;
And cannot God miss them, and save me for all
them?  Sometimes again I would think, Oh! if
it were not for these three or four words, now how might I
be comforted!  And I could hardly forbear at some times,
to wish them out of the book.

209.  Then methought I should see as if both Peter
and Paul, and John, and all the writers, did look
with scorn upon me, and hold me in derision; and as if they had
said unto me, All our words are truth, one of as much
force as another: it is not we that have cut you of,
but you have cast away yourself.  There is none of
our sentences that you must take hold upon, but these and
such as these; it is impossible, Heb. vi.; there
remains no more sacrifice for sin, Heb. x.  And it
had been better for them not to have known the will of God,
than after they had known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them, 2 Peter ii. 21.  For
the Scriptures cannot be broken.  John x. 35.

210.  These, as the elders of the city of refuge, I saw,
were to be judges both of my case and me, while I stood with the
avenger of blood at my heels, trembling at their gate for
deliverance; also with a thousand fears and mistrusts, I doubted
that they would shut me out for ever.  Joshua xx. 3. 4.

211.  Thus I was confounded, not knowing what to do, or
how to be satisfied in this question, Whether the scriptures
could agree in the salvation of my soul?  I quaked at
the apostles; I knew their words were true, and that they must
stand for ever.

212.  And I remember one day, as I was in divers frames
of spirit, and considering that these frames were according to
the nature of several scriptures that came in upon my mind; if
this of grace, then was I quiet; but of that of Esau, then
tormented.  Lord, thought I, if both these scriptures
should meet in my heart at once, I wonder which of them
would get the better of me.  So methought I had a
longing mind that they might come both together upon me; yea, I
desired of God they might.

213.  Well, about two or three days after, so they did
indeed; they bolted both upon me at a time, and did work and
struggle strangely in me for a while; at last that about
Esau’s birthright began to wax weak, and withdraw,
and vanish; and this, about the sufficiency of grace prevailed
with peace and joy.  And as I was in a muse about this
thing, that scripture came in upon me, Mercy rejoiceth against
judgment.  James ii. 13.

214.  This was a wonderment to me; yet truly, I am apt to
think it was of God; for the word of the law and wrath, must give
place to the word of life and grace; because, though the word of
condemnation be glorious, yet the word of life and salvation doth
far exceed in glory.  2 Cor. iii. 8–11. 
Mark ix. 5–7.  John vi. 37.  Also
that Moses and Elias must both vanish, and leave
Christ and His saints alone.

215.  This scripture also did now most sweetly visit my
soul; And him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast
out.  Oh! the comfort that I had from this word, in
no wise!  As who should say, By no means, for
nothing whatever he hath done.  But Satan would greatly
labour to pull this promise from me, telling of me, That
Christ did not mean me and such as I, but sinners of a
lower rank, that had not done as I had done.  But
I would answer him again, Satan, here is in these words
no such exception; but him that comes, him,
any him: him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast
out.  And this I well remember still, that of all the
slights that Satan used to take this scripture from me, yet he
never did so much as put this question, But do you come
aright?  And I have thought the reason was, because he
thought I knew full well what coming aright was; for I saw that
to come aright, was to come as I was, a vile and ungodly sinner,
and to cast myself at the feet of mercy, condemning myself for
sin.  If ever Satan and I did strive for any word of God in
all my life, it was for this good word of Christ; he at one end,
and I at the other: Oh! what work did we make!  It was for
this in John, I say, that we did so tug and strive, he
pulled, and I pulled; but God be praised, I got the better of
him; I got some sweetness from it.

216.  But notwithstanding all these helps, and blessed
words of grace, yet that of Esau’s selling of his
birthright, would still at times distress my conscience: for
though I had been most sweetly comforted, and that but just
before, yet when that came into my mind, ’twould make me
fear again: I could not be quite rid thereof, ’twould every
day be with me: wherefore now I went another way to work, even to
consider the nature of this blasphemous thought, I mean, if I
should take the words at the largest, and give them their own
natural force and scope, even every word therein: so when I had
thus considered, I found, that if they were fairly taken, they
would amount to this; That I had freely left the Lord Jesus
Christ to His choice, whether He would be my Saviour or
no; for the wicked words were these, Let Him go, if
He will.  Then that scripture gave me hope, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  Heb. xiii.
5.  ‘O Lord,’ said I, but I have left
Thee.  Then it answered again, But I will not leave
thee.  For this I thanked God also.

217.  Yet I was grievous afraid He should, and found it
exceeding hard to trust Him, seeing I had so offended Him: I
could have been exceeding glad that this thought had never
befallen; for then I thought I could with more ease and freedom
in abundance, have leaned on His grace.  I saw it was with
me, as it was with Joseph’s brethren; the guilt of
their own wickedness did often fill them with fears that their
brother would at last despise them.  Gen. l. 15, 16,
etc.

218.  Yet above all the scriptures that I yet did meet
with that in Joshua xx. was the greatest comfort to me,
which speaks of the slayer that was to flee for refuge: And if
the avenger of blood pursue the slayer, then saith
Moses, they that are the elders of the city of refuge
shall not deliver him into his hands, because he smote his
neighbour unwittingly and hated him not aforetime.  Oh!
blessed be God for this word: I was convinced that I was the
slayer; and that the avenger of blood pursued me, I felt with
great terror; only now it remained that I inquire whether I have
right to enter the city of refuge: so I found, that he must not,
who lay in wait to shed blood: It was not the wilful
murderer, but he who unwittingly did it, he who did
it unawares; not out of spite, or grudge, or malice, he that shed
it unwittingly: even he who did not hate his neighbour
before.  Wherefore,

219.  I thought verily I was the man that must enter,
because I had smitten my neighbour unwittingly, and
hated Him not aforetime.  I hated Him not aforetime; no,
I prayed unto Him, was tender of sinning against Him; yea, and
against this wicked temptation I had strove for a twelvemonth
before; yea, and also when it did pass through my heart, it did
in spite of my teeth: wherefore I thought I had a right to enter
this city, and the elders, which are the apostles, were
not to deliver me up.  This therefore was great comfort to
me, and gave me much ground of hope.

220.  Yet being very critical, for my smart had made me
that I knew not what ground was sure enough to bear me, I had one
question that my soul did much desire to be resolved about; and
that was, Whether it be possible for any soul that hath sinned
the unpardonable sin, yet after that to receive,
though but the least, true spiritual comfort from God
though Christ?  The which after I had much considered, I
found the answer was, No, they could not; and that for these
reasons:—

221.  First, Because those that have sinned that
sin, they are debarred a share in the blood of Christ; and being
shut out of that, they must needs be void of the least ground of
hope, and so of spiritual comfort; For to such there remains
no more sacrifice for sin.  Heb. x. 26, 27. 
Secondly, Because they are denied a share in the promise
of life: It shall never be forgiven him neither in this
world, neither in the world to come.  Matt. xii.
32.  Thirdly, The Son of God excludes them also from
a share in His blessed intercession, being for ever ashamed to
own them, both before His holy Father, and the blessed angels in
heaven.  Mark viii.

222.  When I had with much deliberation considered of
this matter, and could not but conclude that the Lord had
comforted me, and that too after this my wicked sin: then
methought I durst venture to come nigh unto those most fearful
and terrible scriptures, with which all this while I had been so
greatly affrighted, and on which indeed, before I durst scarce
cast mine eye (yea, had much ado an hundred times, to forbear
wishing them out of the Bible), for I thought they would destroy
me; but now, I say, I began to take some measure of
encouragement, to come close to them to read them, and consider
them, and to weigh their scope and tendency.

223.  The which when I began to do, I found their visage
changed: for they looked not so grimly, as before I thought they
did: and first I came to the sixth of the Hebrews, yet
trembling for fear it should strike me; which when I had
considered, I found that the falling there intended, was a
falling quite away; that is as I conceived, a falling from
and absolute denying of the gospel, of remission of sins by Jesus
Christ; for, from them the apostle begins his argument, verses 1,
2, 3, 4.  Secondly, I found that this falling away,
must be openly, even in the view of the world, even so as to
put Christ to an open shame.  Thirdly, I found
those he there intended, were for ever shut up of God, both in
blindness, hardness, and impenitency: It is impossible they
should be renewed again unto repentance.  By all these
particulars, I found to God’s everlasting praise, my sin
was not the sin in this place intended.

First, I confessed I was fallen, but not fallen away;
that is, from the profession of faith in Jesus unto eternal
life.

Secondly, I confessed that I had put Jesus Christ to
shame by my sin, but not to open shame; I did not
deny Him before men, nor condemn Him as a fruitless One before
the world.

Thirdly, Nor did I find that God had shut me up, or
denied me to come (though I found it hard work indeed to come) to
Him by sorrow and repentance: blessed be God for unsearchable
grace!

224.  Then I considered that in the 10th chapter of the
Hebrews, and found that the wilful sin there
mentioned, is not every wilful sin, but that which doth throw off
Christ, and then His commandments too.  Secondly,
That must be done also openly, before two or three witnesses, to
answer that of the law, verse 28.  Thirdly,
This sin cannot be committed, but with great despite done to the
Spirit of Grace; despising both the dissuasions from that sin,
and the persuasions to the contrary.  But the Lord knows,
though this my sin was devilish, yet it did not amount to
these.

225.  And as touching that in the 12th of the
Hebrews, about Esau’s selling of his
birthright; though this was that which killed me, and stood like
a spear against me, yet now I did consider, First, that
his was not a hasty thought against the continual labour of his
mind, but a thought consented to, and put in practice likewise,
and that after some deliberation, Gen. xxv. 
Secondly, It was a public and open action, even before his
brother, if not before many more; this made his sin of a far more
heinous nature than otherwise it would have been. 
Thirdly, He continued to slight his birthright: He did
eat and drink, and went his way: thus Esau despised
his birthright, yea, twenty years after he was found to
despise it still.  And Esau said, I have enough,
my brother, keep that thou hast unto thyself. 
Gen. xxxiii. 9.

226.  Now as touching this, that Esau sought a
place of repentance; thus I thought: First, This was
not for the birthright, but the blessing: this is
clear from the apostle, and is distinguished by Esau himself;
He took away my birthright (that is, formerly); and
behold now he hath taken away my blessing.  Gen. xxvii.
36.  Secondly, Now, this being thus considered, I
came again to the apostle, to see what might be the mind of God,
in a New-Testament style and sense concerning Esau’s
sin; and so far as I could conceive, this was the mind of God,
that the birthright signified regeneration, and the
blessing, the eternal inheritance; for so the
apostle seems to hint.  Lest there be any profane
person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold
his birthright; as if he should say, That shall cast off all
those blessed beginnings of God, that at present are upon him, in
order to a new-birth; lest they become as Esau, even be
rejected afterwards, when they would inherit the
blessing.

227.  For many there are, who, in the day of grace and
mercy, despise those things which are indeed the birthright to
heaven, who yet when the deciding day appears, will cry as lord
as Esau, Lord, Lord, open to us; but
then, as Isaac would not repent, no more will God the
Father, but will say, I have blessed these, yea,
and they shall be blessed; but as for you, Depart,
you are the workers of iniquity.  Gen. xxvii. 32;
Luke xiii. 25–27.

228.  When I had thus considered these scriptures, and
found that thus to understand them, was not against, but
according to other scriptures; this still added further to my
encouragement and comfort, and also gave a great blow to that
objection, to wit, That the scriptures could not agree in the
salvation of my soul.  And now remained only the hinder
part of the tempest, for the thunder was gone beyond me, only
some drops did still remain, that now and then would fall upon
me; but because my former frights and anguish were very sore and
deep, therefore it oft befall me still, as it befalleth those
that have been scared with fire.  I thought every voice was,
Fire! fire!  Every little touch would hurt my
tender conscience.

229.  But one day, as I was passing in the field, and
that too with some dashes on my conscience, fearing lest yet all
was not right, suddenly this sentence fell upon my soul, Thy
righteousness is in heaven; and methought withal, I saw with
the eyes of my soul, Jesus Christ at God’s right hand:
there, I say, was my righteousness; so that wherever I was, or
whatever I was doing, God could not say of me, He wants My
righteousness; for that was just before Him.  I also saw
moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my
righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my
righteousness worse; for my righteousness was Jesus Christ
Himself, The same yesterday, to-day, and for
ever.  Heb. xiii. 8.

230.  Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed; I was
loosed from my afflictions and irons; my temptations also fled
away; so that from that time those dreadful scriptures of God
left off to trouble me: now went I also home rejoicing, for the
grace and love of God; so when I came home, I looked to see if I
could find that sentence; Thy righteousness is in heaven,
but could not find such a saying; wherefore my heart began to
sink again, only that was brought to my remembrance, 1 Cor. i.
30, Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification,
and redemption; by this word I saw the other sentence
true.

231.  For by this scripture I saw that the Man Christ
Jesus, as He is distinct from us, as touching His bodily
presence, so He is our righteousness and sanctification before
God.  Here therefore I lived, for some time, very sweetly at
peace with God through Christ; Oh! methought, Christ! Christ!
there was nothing but Christ that was before my eyes: I was not
now (only) for looking upon this and the other benefits of Christ
apart, as of His blood, burial, or resurrection, but considering
Him as a whole Christ! as He in whom all these, and all His other
virtues, relations, offices and operations met together, and that
He sat on the right hand of God in heaven.

232.  ’Twas glorious to me to see His exaltation,
and the worth and prevalency of all His benefits, and that
because now I could look from myself to Him and should reckon,
that all those graces of God that now were green on me, were yet
but like those cracked groats and fourpence-halfpennies that rich
men carry in their purses, when their gold is in their trunks at
home: Oh! I saw my gold was in my trunk at home!  In Christ
my Lord and Saviour.  Now Christ was all; all my wisdom, all
my righteousness, all my sanctification, and all my
redemption.

233.  Further, the Lord did also lead me into the mystery
of union with the Son of God; that I was joined to Him, that I
was flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bone; and now was that
word sweet to me in Eph. v. 30.  By this also was my faith
in Him, as my righteousness, the more confirmed in me; for if He
and I were one, then His righteousness was mine, His merits mine,
His victory also mine.  Now could I see myself in heaven and
earth at once: in heaven by my Christ, by my head, by my
righteousness and life, though on earth by my body or person.

234.  Now I saw Christ Jesus was looked upon of God; and
should also be looked upon by us, as that common or public
person, in whom all the whole body of His elect are always to be
considered and reckoned; that we fulfilled the law by Him, died
by Him, rose from the dead by Him, got the victory over sin,
death, the devil, and hell, by Him; when He died, we died, and so
of His resurrection.  Thy dead men shall live,
together with My dead body shall they arise, saith
He.  Isa. xxvi. 19.  And again, after two days He
will revive us, and the third day He will raise us up,
and we shall live in His sight.  Hosea vi. 2. 
Which is now fulfilled by the sitting down of the Son of Man on
the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens; according to that
to the Ephesians, And hath raised us up together,
and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus.  Eph. ii. 6.

235.  Ah! these blessed considerations and scriptures,
with many others of like nature, were in those days made to
spangle in mine eyes; so that I have cause to say, Praise ye
the Lord.  Praise God in His sanctuary, praise
Him in the firmament of His power; praise Him for His
mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent
greatness.  Psalm cl. 1, 2.

236.  Having thus in a few words given you a taste of the
sorrow and affliction that my soul went under, by the guilt and
terror that this my wicked thought did lay me under; and having
given you also a touch of my deliverance therefrom, and of the
sweet and blessed comfort that I met with afterwards, which
comfort dwelt about a twelvemonth with my heart, to my
unspeakable admiration: I will now (God willing), before I
proceed any farther, give you in a word or two, what, as I
conceive, was the cause of this temptation; and also after that,
what advantage, at the last, it became unto my soul.

237.  For the causes, I conceived they were principally
two: of which two also I was deeply convinced all the time this
trouble lay upon me.  The first was, for that I did not,
when I was delivered from the temptation that went before, still
pray to God to to keep me from the temptations that were to come;
for though, as I can say in truth, my soul was much in prayer
before this trial seized me, yet then I prayed only, or at the
most principally, for the removal of present troubles, and for
fresh discoveries of His love in Christ, which I saw afterwards
was not enough to do; I also should have prayed that the great
God would keep me from the evil that was to come.

238.  Of this I was made deeply sensible by the prayer of
holy David, who when he was under present mercy, yet
prayed that God would hold him back from sin and temptation to
come; Then, saith he, shall I be upright, and I
shall be innocent from the great transgression.  Psalm
xix. 13.  By this very word was I galled and condemned quite
through this long temptation.

239.  That was also another word that did much condemn me
for my folly, in the neglect of this duty.  Heb. iv. 16:
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need.  This I had not done, and therefore was
thus suffered to sin and fall, according to what is written,
Pray that ye enter not into temptation.  And truly
this very thing is to this day of such weight and awe upon me,
that I dare not, when I come before the Lord, go of my knees,
until I intreat Him for help and mercy against the temptations
that are to come; and I do beseech thee, reader, that thou learn
to beware of my negligence, by the afflictions, that for this
thing I did for days, and months, and years, with sorrow
undergo.

240.  Another cause of this temptation was, that I had
tempted God; and on this manner did I do it: Upon a time my wife
was great with child, and before her full time was come, her
pangs, as of a woman in travail, were fierce and strong upon her,
even as if she would have fallen immediately in labour, and been
delivered of an untimely birth: now at this very time it was,
that I had been so strongly tempted to question the being of God;
wherefore, as my wife lay crying by me, I said, but with all
secrecy imaginable, even thinking in my heart, Lord, if
Thou wilt now remove this sad affliction from my wife, and
cause that she be troubled no more therewith this night (and
now were her pangs just upon her), then I shall know that Thou
canst discern the most secret thoughts of the heart.

241.  I had no sooner said it in my heart, but her pangs
were taken from her, and she was cast into a deep sleep, and so
continued till morning; at this I greatly marvelled, not knowing
what to think; but after I had been awake a good while, and heard
her cry no more, I fell asleep also; so when I awaked in the
morning, it came upon me again, even what I had said in my heart
the last night, and how the Lord had showed me, that He knew my
secret thoughts, which was a great astonishment unto me for
several weeks after.

242.  Well, about a year and a half afterwards, that
wicked sinful thought, of which I have spoken before, went
through my wicked heart, even this thought, Let Christ go,
if He will: so when I was fallen under the guilt for this,
the remembrance of my other thought, and of the effect thereof,
would also come upon me with this retort, which also carried
rebuke along with it, Now you may see that God doth know the
most secret thoughts of the heart.

243.  And with this, that of the passages that were
betwixt the Lord, and His servant Gideon, fell upon my
spirit; how because that Gideon tempted God with his
fleece, both wet and dry, when he should have believed and
ventured upon His word; therefore the Lord did afterwards so try
him, as to send him against an innumerable company of enemies,
and that too, as to outward appearance, without any strength or
help.  Judges vi. 7.  Thus He served me, and that
justly, for I should have believed His word, and not have put an
if upon the all-seeingness of God.

244.  And now to show you something of the advantages
that I also have gained by this temptation: and first, by this I
was made continually to possess in my soul a very wonderful sense
both of the blessing and glory of God, and of His beloved Son; in
the temptation that went before, my soul was perplexed with
unbelief, blasphemy, hardness of heart, questions about the being
of God, Christ, the truth of the word, and certainty of the world
to come: I say, then I was greatly assaulted and tormented with
atheism, but now the case was otherwise; now was God and Christ
continually before my face, though not in a way of comfort, but
in a way of exceeding dread and terror.  The glory of the
holiness of God, did at this time break me to pieces; and the
bowels and compassion of Christ did break me as on the wheel; for
I could not consider Him but as a lost and rejected Christ, the
remembrance of which, was as the continual breaking of my
bones.

245.  The scriptures also were wonderful things unto me;
I saw that the truth and verity of them were the keys of the
kingdom of heaven; those that the scriptures favour,
they must inherit bliss; but those that they oppose
and condemn, must perish for evermore: Oh! this word,
For the scriptures cannot be broken, would rend the caul
of my heart: and so would that other, Whose sins ye remit,
they are remitted; but whose sins ye retain,
they are retained.  Now I saw the apostles to be the
elders of the city of refuge.  Joshua xx. 4.  Those
that they were to receive in, were received to life; but those
that they shut out, were to be slain by the avenger of blood.

246.  Oh! one sentence of the scripture did more afflict
and terrify my mind, I mean those sentences that stood against me
(as sometimes I thought they every one did) more, I say, than an
army of forty thousand men that might have come against me. 
Woe be to him against whom the scriptures bend themselves!

247.  By this temptation I was made to see more into the
nature of the promises than ever I was before; for I lying now
trembling under the mighty hand of God, continually torn and rent
by the thundering of His justice: this made me with careful
heart, and watchful eye, with great fearfulness to turn over
every leaf, and with much diligence, mixed with trembling, to
consider every sentence, together with its natural force and
latitude.

248.  By this temptation also I was greatly holden off
from my former foolish practice of putting by the word of promise
when saw it came into my mind; for now, though I could not suck
that comfort and sweetness from the promise, as I had done at
other times; yet, like to a man sinking, I would catch at all I
saw: formerly I thought I might not meddle with the promise,
unless I felt its comfort, but now ’twas no time thus to
do; the avenger of blood too hardly did pursue me.

249.  Now therefore I was glad to catch at that
word which yet I feared I had no ground or right to own; and even
to leap into the bosom of that promise that yet I feared did shut
its heart against me.  Now also I should labour to take the
word as God hath laid it down, without restraining the natural
force of one syllable thereof: O! what did I now see in that
blessed sixth of John: And him that cometh to me, I
will in no wise cast out.  John vi. 37.  Now I
began to consider with myself, that God hath a bigger mouth to
speak with, than I had a heart to conceive with; I thought also
with myself, that He spake not His words in haste, or in an
unadvised heat, but with infinite wisdom and judgment, and in
very truth and faithfulness.  2 Sam. iii. 28.

250.  I should in these days, often in my greatest
agonies, even flounce towards the promise (as the horses do
towards sound ground, that yet stick in the mire); concluding
(though as one almost bereft of his wits through fear) on this I
will rest and stay, and leave the fulfilling of it to the God of
heaven that made it.  Oh! many a pull hath my heart had with
Satan, for that blessed sixth of John: I did not now, as at other
times, look principally for comfort (though, O how welcome would
it have been unto me!).  But now a word, a word to lean a
weary soul upon, that it might not sink for ever! ’twas
that I hunted for.

251.  Yea, often when I have been making to the promise,
I have seen as if the Lord would refuse my soul for ever; I was
often as if I had run upon the pikes, and as if the Lord had
thrust at me, to keep me from Him, as with a flaming sword. 
Then I should think of Esther, who went to petition the
king contrary to the law.  Esther iv. 16.  I thought
also of Benhadad’s servants, who went with ropes upon their
heads to their enemies for mercy.  1 Kings xx. 31,
etc.  The woman of Canaan also, that would not be daunted,
though called dog by Christ, Matt. xv., 22, etc., and the man
that went to borrow bread at midnight, Luke xi. 5–8, etc.,
were great encouragements unto me.

252.  I never saw those heights and depths in grace, and
love, and mercy, as I saw after this temptation; great sins to
draw out great grace; and where guilt is most terrible and
fierce, there the mercy of God in Christ, when showed to the
soul, appears most high and mighty.  When Job had
passed through his captivity, he had twice as much as he had
before.  Job xlii. 10.  Blessed be God for Jesus
Christ our Lord.  Many other things I might here make
observation of, but I would be brief, and therefore shall at this
time omit them; and do pray God that my harms may make others
fear to offend, lest they also be made to bear the iron yoke as I
did.

I had two or three times, at or about my deliverance from this
temptation, such strange apprehensions of the grace of God, that
I could hardly bear up under it: it was so out of measure
amazing, when I thought it could reach me, that I do think if
that sense of it had abode long upon me, it would have made me
incapable for business.

253.  Now I shall go forward to give you a relation of
other of the Lord’s dealings with me at sundry other
seasons, and of the temptations I then did meet withal.  I
shall begin with what I met with when first I did join in
fellowship with the people of God in Bedford.  After
I had propounded to the church, that my desire was to walk in the
order and ordinances of Christ with them, and was also admitted
by them: while I thought of that blessed ordinance of Christ,
which was His last supper with His disciples before His death,
that scripture, Do this in remembrance of Me, Luke xxii.
19, was made a very precious word unto me; for by it the Lord did
come down upon my conscience with the discovery of His death for
my sins; and as I then felt, did as if He plunged me in the
virtue of the same.  But behold, I had not been long a
partaker at that ordinance, but such fierce and sad temptations
did attend me at all times therein, both to blaspheme the
ordinance, and to wish some deadly thing to those that then did
eat thereof: that lest I should at any time be guilty of
consenting to these wicked and fearful thoughts, I was forced to
bend myself all the while, to pray to God to keep me from such
blasphemies: and also to cry to God to bless the bread and cup to
them, as it went from mouth to mouth.  The reason of this
temptation, I have thought since, was, because I did not with
that reverence that became me at first, approach to partake
thereof.

254.  Thus I continued for three quarters of a year, and
could never have rest nor ease: but at the last the Lord came in
upon my soul with that same scripture, by which my soul was
visited before: and after that, I have been usually very well and
comfortable in the partaking of that blessed ordinance; and have,
I trust, therein discerned the Lord’s body, as broken for
my sins, and that His precious blood hath been shed for my
transgressions.

255.  Upon a time I was something inclining to a
consumption, wherewith about the spring I was suddenly and
violently seized, with much weakness in my outward man; insomuch
that I thought I could not live.  Now began I afresh to give
myself up to a serious examination after my state and condition
for the future, and of my evidences for that blessed world to
come: for it hath, I bless the name of God, been my usual course,
as always, so especially in the day of affliction, to endeavour
to keep my interest in the life to come, clear before mine
eyes.

256.  But I had no sooner began to recall to mind my
former experience of the goodness of God to my soul, but there
came flocking into my mind an innumerable company of my sins and
transgressions; amongst which these were at this time most to my
affliction; namely, my deadness, dulness, and coldness in holy
duties; my wanderings of heart, of my wearisomeness in all good
things, my want of love to God, His ways and people, with this at
the end of all, Are these the fruits of
Christianity?  Are these tokens of a blessed
man?

257.  At the apprehensions of these things my sickness
was doubled upon me; for now I was sick in my inward man, my soul
was clogged with guilt; now also was my former experience of
God’s goodness to me, quite taken out of my mind, and hid
as if they had never been, or seen: now was my soul greatly
pinched between these two considerations, Live I must not,
die I dare not.  Now I sunk and fell in my spirit,
and was giving up all for lost; but as I was walking up and down
in the house as a man in a most woeful state, that word of God
took hold of my heart, Ye are justified freely by His
grace, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus.  Rom. iii. 24.  But oh! what a turn it made
upon me!

258.  Now was I as one awaked out of some troublesome
sleep and dream; and listening to this heavenly sentence, I was
as if I had heard it thus expounded to me: Sinner, thou
thinkest, that because thy sins and infirmities, I
cannot save thy soul; but behold My Son is by me,
and upon Him I look, and not on thee, and shall
deal with thee according as I am pleased with Him.  At
this I was greatly lightened in my mind, and made to understand,
that God could justify a sinner at any time; it was but His
looking upon Christ, and imputing His benefits to us, and the
work was forthwith done.

259.  And as I was thus in a muse, that scripture also
came with great power upon my spirit, Not by works of
righteousness that we have done, but according to His
mercy He hath saved us, etc.  2 Tim. i. 9; Tit.
iii. 5.  Now was I got on high, I saw myself within the arms
of grace and mercy; and though I was before afraid to think of a
dying hour, yet, now I cried, Let me die: Now death was
lovely and beautiful in my sight, for I saw We shall never
live indeed, till we be gone to the other world. 
Oh! methought this life is but a slumber, in comparison with that
above.  At this time also I saw more in these words,
Heirs of God, Rom. viii. 17, than ever I shall be able to
express while I live in this world: Heirs of God! 
God Himself is the portion of the saints.  This I saw and
wondered at, but cannot tell you what I saw.

260.  Again, as I was at another time very ill and weak,
all that time also the tempter did beset me strongly (for I find
he is much for assaulting the soul; when it begins to approach
towards the grave, then is his opportunity), labouring to hide
from me my former experience of God’s goodness: also
setting before me the terrors of death, and the judgment of God,
insomuch that at this time, through my fear of miscarrying for
ever (should I now die), I was as one dead before death came, and
was as if I had felt myself already descending into the pit;
methought I said, There were no way, but to hell I must: but
behold, just as I was in the midst of those fears, these words of
the angel’s carrying Lazarus into
Abraham’s bosom darted in upon me, as who should
say, So it shall be with thee when thou dost leave this
world.  This did sweetly revive my spirit, and help me
to hope in God; which when I had with comfort mused on a while,
that word fell with great weight upon my mind, O death,
where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy
victory?  1 Cor. xv. 55.  At this I became both
well in body and mind at once, for my sickness did presently
vanish, and I walked comfortably in my work for God again.

261.  At another time, though just before I was pretty
well and savoury in my spirit, yet suddenly there fell upon me a
great cloud of darkness, which did so hide from me the things of
God and Christ, that I was as if I had never seen or known them
in my life: I was also so over-run in my soul with a senseless
heartless frame of spirit, that I could not feel my soul to move
or stir after grace and life by Christ; I
was as if my loins were broken, or as if my hands and feet had
been tied or bound with chains.  At this time also I felt
some weakness to seize upon my outward man, which made still the
other affliction the more heavy and uncomfortable to me.

262.  After I had been in this condition some three or
four days, as I was sitting by the fire, I suddenly felt this
word to sound in my heart, I must go to Jesus.  At
this my former darkness and atheism fled away, and the blessed
things of heaven were set in my view.  While I was on this
sudden thus overtaken with surprise, Wife (said I), is there ever
such a scripture, I must go to Jesus?  She said, she
could not tell; therefore I sat musing still, to see if I could
remember such a place: I had not sat above two or three minutes,
but that came bolting in upon me, And to an innumerable
company of angels; and withal, Hebrews twelfth, about the
mount Sion, was set before mine eyes.  Heb. xii.
22–24.

263.  Then with joy I told my wife, O! now I
know, I know!  But that night was a good night to
me, I never had but few better; I longed for the company of some
of God’s people, that I might have imparted unto them what
God had showed me.  Christ was a precious Christ to my soul
that night; I could scarce lie in my bed for joy, and peace, and
triumph, through Christ.  This great glory did not continue
upon me until morning, yet the twelfth of the Author to the
Hebrews, Heb. xii. 22, 23, was a blessed scripture to me for many
days together after this.

p.
147264.  The words are these: Ye are come to mount
Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of
angels, to the general assembly and church of the
first-born, which are written in heaven; and to God
the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made
perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the New
Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that
speaketh better things than that of Abel.  Through this
blessed sentence the Lord led me over and over, first to this
word, and then to that; and showed me wonderful glory in every
one of them.  These words also have oft since that time,
been great refreshment to my spirit.  Blessed be God for
having mercy on me.

A brief Account of the Author’s Call to the Work of
the Ministry

265.  And now I am speaking my
experience, I will in this place thrust in a word or two
concerning my preaching the word, and of God’s dealing with
me in that particular also.  For after I had been about five
or six years awakened, and helped myself to see both the want and
worth of Jesus Christ our Lord, and also enabled to venture my
soul upon Him; some of the most able among the saints with us, I
say, the most able for judgment and holiness of life, as they
conceived, did perceive that God had counted me worth to
understand something of His will in His holy and blessed word,
and had given me utterance in some measure, to express what I saw
to others, for edification; therefore they desired me, and that
with much earnestness, that I would be willing, at sometimes to
take in hand, in one of the meetings, to speak a word of
exhortation unto them.

266.  The which, though at the first it did much dash and
abash my spirit, yet being still by them desired and entreated, I
consented to their request, and did twice at two several
assemblies (but in private), though with much weakness and
infirmity, discover my gift amongst them; at which they not only
seemed to be, but did solemnly protest, as in the sight of the
great God, they were both affected and comforted; and gave thanks
to the Father of mercies, for the grace bestowed on me.

267.  After this, sometimes, when some of them did go
into the country to teach, they would also that I should go with
them; where, though as yet, I did not nor durst not, make use of
my gift in an open way, yet more privately, still, as I came
amongst the good people in those places, I did sometimes speak a
word of admonition unto them also; the which they, as the other,
received with rejoicing at the mercy of God to me-ward,
professing their souls were edified thereby.

268.  Wherefore, to be brief; at last, being still
desired by the church, after some solemn prayer to the Lord, with
fasting, I was more particularly called forth, and appointed to a
more ordinary and public preaching of the word, not only to and
amongst them that believed, but also to offer the gospel to those
who had not yet received the faith thereof; about which time I
did evidently find in my mind a secret pricking forward thereto;
though I bless God, not for desire of vain-glory; for at that
time I was most sorely afflicted with the fiery darts of the
devil, concerning my eternal state.

269.  But yet could not be content, unless I was found in
the exercise of my gift, unto which also I was greatly animated,
not only by the continual desires of the godly, but also by that
saying of Paul to the Corinthians: I beseech
you, brethren (ye know the household of
Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia,
and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the
saints) that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to
every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.  1
Cor. xvi. 15, 16.

270.   By this text I was made to see that the Holy
Ghost never intended that men who have gifts and abilities,
should bury them in the earth, but rather did command and stir up
such to the exercise of their gift, and also did commend those
that were apt and ready so to do.  They have addicted
themselves to the ministry of the saints.  This
scripture, in these days, did continually run in my mind, to
encourage me, and strengthen me in this my work for God; I have
also been encouraged from several other scriptures and examples
of the godly, both specified in the word, and other ancient
histories: Acts viii. 4 and xviii. 24, 25, etc.; 1
Pet. iv. 10; Rom. xii. 6; Fox’s Acts
and Mon.

271.  Wherefore, though of myself of all the saints the
most unworthy; yet I, but with great fear and trembling at the
sight of my own weakness, did set upon the work, and did
according to my gift, and the proportion of my faith, preach that
blessed gospel that God had showed me in the holy word of truth:
which when the country understood, they came in to hear the word
by hundreds, and that from all parts, though upon sundry and
divers accounts.

272.  And I thank God, He gave unto me some measure of
bowels and pity for their souls, which also did put me forward to
labour, with great diligence and earnestness, to find out such a
word as might, if God would bless, lay hold of, and awaken the
conscience; in which also the good Lord had respect to the desire
of His servant; for I had not preached long, before some began to
be touched, and be greatly afflicted in their minds at the
apprehension of the greatness of their sin, and of their need of
Jesus Christ.

273.  But I first could not believe that God should speak
by me to the heart of any man, still counting myself unworthy;
yet those who thus were touched, would love me and have a
particular respect for me; and though I did put it from me, that
they should be awakened by me, still they would confess it, and
affirm it before the saints of God: they would also bless God for
me (unworthy wretch that I am!) and count me God’s
instrument that showed to them the way of salvation.

274.  Wherefore seeing them in both their words and deeds
to be so constant, and also in their hearts so earnestly pressing
after the knowledge of Jesus Christ, rejoicing that ever God did
send me where they were; then I began to conclude it might be so,
that God had owned in His work such a foolish one as I; and then
came that word of God to my heart, with much sweet refreshment,
The blessing of him that was ready to perish, is come
upon me; and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for
joy.  Job xxix. 13.

275.  At this therefore I rejoiced; yea, the tears of
those whom God did awaken by my preaching, would be both solace
and encouragement to me: for I thought on those sayings, Who
is He then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made
sorry by Me?  2 Cor. ii. 2.  And again, If I be
not an Apostle to others, yet doubtless, I am unto
you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the
Lord.  1 Cor. ix. 2.  These things, therefore, were
as another argument unto me, that God had called me to, and stood
by me in this work.

276.  In my preaching of the word, I took special notice
of this one thing, namely, that the Lord did lead me to begin
where His word begins with sinners; that is, to condemn all
flesh, and to open and allege, that the curse of God by the law,
doth belong to, and lay hold on all men as they come into the
world, because of sin.  Now this part of my work I fulfilled
with great sense; for the terrors of the law, and guilt for my
transgressions, lay heavy on my conscience: I preached what I
felt, what I smartingly did feel; even that under which my poor
soul did groan and tremble to astonishment.

277.  Indeed, I have been as one sent to them from the
dead; I went myself in chains, to preach to them in chains; and
carried that fire in my own conscience, that I persuaded them to
be aware of.  I can truly say, and that without dissembling,
that when I have been to preach, I have gone full of guilt and
terror, even to the pulpit door, and there it hath been taken
off, and I have been at liberty in my mind until I have done my
work; and then immediately, even before I could get down the
pulpit stairs, I have been as bad as I was before; yet God
carried me on, but surely with a strong hand, for neither guilt
nor hell could take me off my work.

278.  Thus I went on for the space of two years, crying
out against men’s sins, and their fearful state because of
them.  After which, the Lord came in upon my own soul, with
some staid peace and comfort through Christ; for He did give me
many sweet discoveries of His blessed grace through Him;
wherefore now I altered in my preaching (for still I preached
what I saw and felt); now therefore I did much labour to hold
forth Jesus Christ in all His offices, relations, and benefits
unto the world; and did strive also to discover, to condemn, and
remove those false supports and props on which the world doth
both lean, and by them fall and perish.  On these things
also I staid as long as on the other.

279.  After this, God led me into something of the
mystery of the union of Christ; wherefore that I discovered and
showed to them also.  And, when I had travelled through
these three chief points of the word of God, about the space of
five years or more, I was caught in my present practice, and cast
into prison, where I have lain above as long again to confirm the
truth by way of suffering, as I was before in testifying of it
according to the scriptures, in a way of preaching.

280.  When I have been in preaching, I thank God my heart
hath often all the time of this and the other exercise, with
great earnestness cried to God that He would make the word
effectual to the salvation of the soul; still being grieved lest
the enemy should take the word away from the conscience, and so
it should become unfruitful: wherefore I should labour to speak
the word, as that thereby, if it were possible, the sin and
person guilty might be particularized by it.

281.  And when I have done the exercise, it hath gone to
my heart, to think the word should now fall as rain on stony
places; still wishing from my heart, Oh! that they who have heard
me speak this day, did but see as I do, what sin, death, hell,
and the curse of God is; and also what the grace, and love, and
mercy of God is, through Christ, to men in such a case as they
are, who are yet estranged from Him.  And indeed, I did
often say in my heart before the Lord, That if to be hanged up
presently before their eyes, would be a means to awaken
them, and confirm them in the truth, I gladly
should be contented.

282.  For I have been in my preaching, especially when I
have been engaged in the doctrine of life by Christ, without
works, as if an angel of God had stood by at my back to encourage
me: Oh! it hath been with such power and heavenly evidence upon
my own soul, while I have been labouring to unfold it, to
demonstrate it, and to fasten it upon the conscience of others;
that I could not be contented with saying, I believe,
and am sure; methought I was more than sure (if it be
lawful to express myself) that those things which then I
asserted, were true.

283.  When I first went to preach the word abroad, the
doctors and priests of the country did open wide against
me.  But I was persuaded of this, not to render railing for
railing; but to see how many of their carnal professors I could
convince of their miserable state by the law, and of the want and
worth of Christ: for, thought I, This shall answer for me in
time to come, when they shall be for my hire before their
face.  Gen. xxx. 33.

284.  I never cared to meddle with things that were
controverted, and in dispute among the saints, especially things
of the lowest nature; yet it pleased me much to contend with
great earnestness for the word of faith, and the remission of
sins by the death and sufferings of Jesus: but I say, as to other
things, I should let them alone, because I saw they engendered
strife; and because that they neither in doing, nor in leaving
undone, did commend us to God to be His: besides, I saw my work
before me did run into another channel, even to carry an
awakening word; to that therefore did I stick and adhere.

285.  I never endeavoured to, nor durst make use of other
men’s lines, Rom. xv. 18 (though I condemn not all that
do), for I verily thought, and found by experience, that what was
taught me by the word and Spirit of Christ, could be spoken,
maintained, and stood to, by the soundest and best established
conscience; and though I will not now speak all that I know in
this matter, yet my experience hath more interest in that text of
scripture, Gal. i. 11, 12, than many amongst men are aware.

286.  If any of those who were awakened by my ministry,
did after that fall back (as sometimes too many did), I can truly
say, their loss hath been more to me, than if one of my own
children, begotten of my own body, had been going to its grave: I
think verily, I may speak it without any offence to the Lord,
nothing has gone so near me as that; unless it was the fear of
the loss of the salvation of my own soul.  I have counted as
if I had goodly buildings and lordships in those places where my
children were born; my heart hath been so wrapped up in the glory
of this excellent work, that I counted myself more blessed and
honoured of God by this, than if He had made me the emperor of
the Christian world, or the lord of all the glory of the earth
without it!  Oh these words!  He which converteth
the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul
from death.  James v. 20.  The fruit of the
righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is
wise.  Prov. xi. 30.  They that be wise shall
shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that
turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and
ever.  Dan. xii. 3.  For what is our hope,
or joy, or crown of rejoicing?  Are not
even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His
coming?  For ye are our glory and joy.  1
Thes. ii. 19, 20.  These, I say, with many others of a like
nature, have been great refreshments to me.

287.  I have observed, that where I have had a work to do
for God, I have had first, as it were, the going of God upon my
spirit, to desire I might preach there: I have also observed,
that such and such souls in particular, have been strongly set
upon my heart, and I stirred up to wish for their salvation; and
that these very souls have, after this, been given in as the
fruits of my ministry.  I have observed, that a word cast
in, by-the-bye, hath done more execution in a sermon, than all
that was spoken besides: sometimes also, when I have thought I
did no good, then I did the most of all; and at other times, when
I thought I should catch them, I have fished for nothing.

288.  I have also observed, that where there has been a
work to do upon sinners, there the devil hath begun to roar in
the hearts and by the mouths of his servants: yea, oftentimes,
when the wicked world hath raged most, there hath been souls
awakened by the word: I could instance particulars, but I
forbear.

289.  My great desire in my fulfilling my ministry was to
get into the darkest places of the country, even amongst those
people that were farthest off of profession; yet not because I
could not endure the light (for I feared not to show my gospel to
any) but because I found my spirit did lean most after awakening
and converting work, and the word that I carried did lean itself
most that way also; Yea, so have I strived to preach
the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I
should build upon another man’s foundation.  Rom.
xv. 20.

290.  In my preaching I have really been in pain, and
have, as it were, travailed to bring forth children to God;
neither could I be satisfied unless some fruits did appear in my
work.  If I were fruitless, it mattered not who commanded
me: but if I were fruitful, I cared not who did condemn.  I
have thought of that: Lo! children are an heritage of
the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is His
reward.—As arrows are in the hand of a mighty
man, so are children of the youth.  Happy is
the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not
be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the
gate.  Psalm cxxvii. 3–5.

291.  It pleased me nothing to see people drink in
opinions, if they seemed ignorant of Jesus Christ, and the worth
of their own salvation, sound conviction for sin, especially for
unbelief, and a heart set on fire to be saved by Christ, with
strong breathings after a truly sanctified soul: that it was that
delighted me; those were the souls I counted blessed.

292.  But in this work, as in all other, I had my
temptations attending me, and that of divers kinds; as sometimes
I should be assaulted with great discouragement therein, fearing
that I should not be able to speak a word at all to edification;
nay, that I should not be able to speak sense unto the people; at
which times I should have such a strange faintness and
strengthlessness seize upon my body, that my legs have scarce
been able to carry me to the place of exercise.

293.  Sometimes again when I have been preaching, I have
been violently assaulted with thoughts of blasphemy, and strongly
tempted to speak the words with my mouth before the
congregation.  I have also at some times, even when I have
begun to speak the word with much clearness, evidence, and
liberty of speech, yet been, before the ending of that
opportunity, so blinded and so estranged from the things I have
been speaking, and have been also so straightened in my speech,
as to utterance before the people, that I have been as if I had
not known, or remembered what I have been about; or as if my head
had been in a bag all the time of my exercise.

294.  Again, when as sometimes I have been about to
preach upon some smart and searching portion of the word, I have
found the tempter suggest, What! will you preach
this!  This condemns yourself; of this your
own soul is guilty; wherefore preach not of it at all;
or if you do, yet so mince it, as to make way
for your own escape; lest instead of awakening others,
you lay that guilt upon your own soul, that you will
never get from under.

295.  But I thank the Lord, I have been kept from
consenting to these so horrid suggestions, and have rather, as
Sampson, bowed myself with all my might, to condemn sin and
transgression, wherever I found it; yea, though therein also I
did bring guilt upon my own conscience: Let me die
(thought I), with the Philistines, Judges xvi. 29, 30,
rather than deal corruptly with the blessed word of God. 
Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not
thyself?  It is far better that thou do judge thyself,
even by preaching plainly unto others, than that thou, to save
thyself, imprison the truth in righteousness.  Blessed be
God for His help also in this.

296.  I have also, while found in this blessed work of
Christ, been often tempted to pride and liftings up of heart: and
though I dare not say, I have not been affected with this, yet
truly the Lord of His precious mercy, hath so carried it towards
me, that for the most part I have had but small joy to give way
to such a thing: for it hath been my every day’s portion to
be let into the evil of my own heart, and still made to see such
a multitude of corruptions and infirmities therein, that it hath
caused hanging down of the head under all my gifts and
attainments; I have felt this thorn in the flesh, 2 Cor. xii. 8,
9, the very mercy of God to me.

297.  I have also had, together with this, some notable
place or other of the word presented before me, which word hath
contained in it some sharp and piercing sentence concerning the
perishing of the soul, notwithstanding gifts and parts: as, for
instance, that hath been of great use to me: Though I speak
with the tongues of men and angels, and have not
charity, I am become as sounding brass, and a
tinkling cymbal.  1 Cor. xiii. 1, 2.

298.  A tinkling cymbal is an instrument of music, with
which a skilful player can make such melodious and
heart-inflaming music, that all who hear him play, can scarcely
hold from dancing; and yet behold the cymbal hath not life,
neither comes the music from it, but because of the art of him
that plays therewith; so then the instrument at last may come to
nought and perish, though in times past such music hath been made
upon it.

299.  Just thus I saw it was, and will be, with them who
have gifts, but want saving grace; they are in the hand of
Christ, as the cymbal in the hand of David: and as
David could with the cymbal make that mirth in the service
of God, as to elevate the hearts of the worshippers, so Christ
can use these gifted men, as with them to affect the souls of His
people in His church; yet when He hath done all, hang them by, as
lifeless, though sounding cymbals.

300.  This consideration therefore, together with some
others, were for the most part, as a maul on the head of pride,
and desire of vain-glory.  What, thought I, shall I be proud
because I am a sounding brass?  Is it so much to be a
fiddle? hath not the least creature that hath life, more of God
in it than these?  Besides, I knew ’twas love should
never die, but these must cease and vanish: so I concluded, a
little grace, a little love, a little of the true fear of God, is
better than all the gifts: yea, and I am fully convinced of it,
that it is possible for souls that can scarce give a man an
answer, but with great confusion as to method; I say, it is
possible for them to have a thousand times more grace, and so to
be more in the love and favour of the Lord, than some who by the
virtue of the gift of knowledge, can deliver themselves like
angels.

301.  Thus therefore I came to perceive that, though
gifts in themselves were good, to the thing for which they are
designed, to wit, the edification of others; yet empty, and
without power to save the soul of him that hath them, if they be
alone: neither are they, as so, any sign of a man’s
state to be happy, being only a dispensation of God to some, of
whose improvement, or non-improvement, they must when a little
love more is over, give an account to Him that is ready to judge
the quick and the dead.

302.  This showed me too, that gifts being alone, were
dangerous, not in themselves, but because of those evils that
attend them that have them, to wit, pride, desire of vain glory,
self-conceit, etc., all which were easily blown up at the
applause and commendation of every unadvised Christian, to the
endangering of a poor creature to fall into the condemnation of
the devil.

303.  I saw therefore that he that hath gifts, had need
be let into a sight of the nature of them, to wit, that they come
short of making of him to be in a truly saved condition, lest he
rest in them, and so fall short of the grace of God.

304.  He hath cause also to walk humbly with God and be
little in his own eyes, and to remember withal, that his gifts
are not his own, but the churches; and that by them he is made a
servant to the church; and he must also give at last an account
of his stewardship unto the Lord Jesus, and to give a good
account will be a blessed thing.

305.  Let all men therefore prize a little with the fear
of the Lord (gifts indeed are desirable), but yet great grace and
small gifts are better than great gifts and no grace.  It
doth not say, the Lord gives gifts and glory, but the Lord gives
grace and glory; and blessed is such an one, to whom the Lord
gives grace, true grace; for that is a certain forerunner of
glory.

306.  But when Satan perceived that his thus tempting and
assaulting of me, would not answer his design; to wit, to
overthrow the ministry, and make it ineffectual, as to the ends
thereof: then he tried another way, which was, to stir up the
minds of the ignorant and malicious to load me with slanders and
reproaches: now therefore I may say, that what the devil could
devise, and his instruments invent, was whirled up and down the
country against me, thinking, as I said, that by that means they
should make my ministry to be abandoned.

307.  It began therefore to be rumoured up and down among
the people, that I was a witch, a Jesuit, a highwayman, and the
like.

308.  To all which, I shall only say, God knows that I am
innocent.  But as for mine accusers, let them provide
themselves to meet me before the tribunal of the Son of God,
there to answer for all these things (with all the rest of their
iniquities) unless God shall give them repentance for them, for
the which I pray with all my heart.

309.  But that which was reported with the boldest
confidence, was, that I had my misses, my whores,
my bastards; yea, two wives at once, and the
like.   Now these slanders (with the others) I glory
in, because but slanders, foolish or knavish lies, and falsehoods
cast upon me by the devil and his seed; and, should I not be
dealt with thus wickedly by the world, I should want one sign of
a saint, and a child of God.  Blessed are ye (said
the Lord Jesus) when men shall revile you and persecute
you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely
for My sake; rejoice and be exceeding glad, for
great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the
prophets which were before you.  Matt. iv. 11.

310.  These things therefore, upon mine own account,
trouble me not; no, though they were twenty times more than they
are.  I have a good conscience, and whereas they speak evil
of me, as an evil-doer, they shall be ashamed that falsely accuse
my good conversation in Christ.

311.  So then, what shall I say to those who have thus
bespattered me?  Shall I threaten them?  Shall I chide
them?  Shall I flatter them?  Shall I entreat them to
hold their tongues?  No, not I.  Were it not for that
these things make them ripe for damnation, that are the authors
and abettors, I would say unto them, Report it, because
’twill increase my glory.

312.  Therefore I bind these lies and slanders to me as
an ornament; it belongs to my Christian profession to be
vilified, slandered, reproached and reviled; and since all this
is nothing else, as my God and my conscience do bear me witness,
I rejoice in reproaches for Christ’s sake.

313.  I also call all these fools or knaves, that have
thus made it any thing of their business to affirm any of the
things afore-named of me; namely, That I have been naught with
other women, or the like.  When they have used the utmost of
their endeavours, and made the fullest inquiry that they can, to
prove against me truly, that there is any woman in heaven, or
earth, or hell, that can say, I have at any time, in any place,
by day or night, so much as attempted to be naught with them; and
speak I thus to beg my enemies into a good esteem of me? 
No, not I: I will in this beg belief of no man: believe or
disbelieve me in this, all is a-case to me.

314.  My foes have missed their mark in this shooting at
me: I am not the man: I wish that they themselves be
guiltless.  If all the fornicators and adulterers in
England were hanged up by the neck till they be dead,
John Bunyan, the object of their envy, would be still
alive and well.  I know not whether there be such a thing as
a woman breathing under the copes of the whole heaven, but by
their apparel, their children, or by common fame, except my
wife.

315.  And in this I admire the wisdom of God, that He
made me shy of women from my first conversion until now. 
Those shy of women know, and can also bear me witness, with whom
I have been most intimately concerned, that it is a rare thing to
see me carry it pleasant towards a woman: the common salutation
of women I abhor; ’tis odious to me in whomsoever I see
it.  Their company alone, I cannot away with; I seldom so
much as touch a woman’s hand; for I think these things are
not so becoming me.  When I have seen good men salute those
women that they have visited, or that have visited them, I have
at times made my objection against it; and when they have
answered, that it was but a piece of civility, I have told them,
it is not a comely sight.  Some indeed have urged the holy
kiss; but then I have asked why they made baulks? why they did
salute the most handsome, and let the ill-favoured go? 
Thus, how laudable soever such things have been in the eyes of
others, they have been unseemly in my sight.

316.  And now for a wind-up in this matter, I calling not
only men, but angels, to prove me guilty of having carnally to do
with any woman save my wife: nor am I afraid to do it a second
time; knowing that it cannot offend the Lord in such a case, to
call God for a record upon my soul, that in these things I am
innocent.  Not that I have been thus kept, because of any
goodness in me, more than any other; but God has been merciful to
me, and has kept me; to whom I pray that He will keep me still,
not only p.
169from this, but every evil way and work, and preserve me
to His heavenly kingdom.  Amen.

317.  Now as Satan laboured by reproaches and slanders,
to make me vile among my countrymen; that, if possible, my
preaching might be made of none effect; so there was added
hereto, a long and tedious imprisonment, that thereby I might be
frightened from my service for Christ, and the world terrified,
and made afraid to hear me preach; of which I shall in the next
place give you a brief account.

A Brief Account of the Author’s
Imprisonment

318.  Having made profession of the glorious gospel of
Christ a long time, and preached the same about five years, I was
apprehended at a meeting of good people in the country (among
whom, had they let me alone, I should have preached that day, but
they took me away from amongst them), and had me before a
justice; who, after I had offered security for my appearing at
the next sessions, yet committed me, because my sureties would
not consent to be bound that I should preach no more to the
people.

319.  At the sessions after I was indicted for an
upholder and maintainer of unlawful assemblies and conventicles,
and for not conforming to the national worship of the church of
England; and after some conference there with the
justices, they taking my plain dealing with them for a
confession, as they termed it, of the indictment, did
sentence me to a perpetual banishment, because I refused
to conform.  So being again delivered up to the
jailer’s hands, I was had home to prison, and there have
lain now complete twelve years, waiting to see what God would
suffer these men to do with me.

320.  In which condition I have continued with much
content, through grace, but have met with many turnings and
goings upon my heart, both from the Lord, Satan, and my own
corruptions; by all which (glory be to Jesus Christ) I have also
received among many things, much conviction, instruction, and
understanding, of which at large I shall not here discourse; only
give you a hint or two, a word that may stir up the godly to
bless God, and to pray for me; and also to take encouragement,
should the case be their own—not to fear what man can do
unto them.

321.  I never had in all my life so great an inlet into
the word of God as now: those scriptures that I saw nothing in
before, are made in this place and state to shine upon me; Jesus
Christ also was never more real and apparent than now; here I
have seen and felt Him indeed: Oh! that word, We have not
preached unto you cunningly devised fables, 2 Pet. i. 16, and
that, God raised Christ from the dead, and gave Him
glory, that our faith and hope might be in God 1 Pet.
i. 21, were blessed words unto me in this my imprisoned
condition.

322.  These three or four scriptures also have been great
refreshments in this condition to me: John xiv. 1–4; John
xvi. 33; Col. iii. 3, 4; Heb. xii. 22–24.  So that
sometimes when I have been in the savour of them, I have been
able to laugh at destruction, and to fear neither the horse
nor his rider.  I have had sweet sights of the
forgiveness of my sins in this place, and of my being with Jesus
in another world: Oh! the mount Sion, the
heavenly Jerusalem, the innumerable company of angels,
and God the Judge of all, and the spirits of just men
made perfect, and Jesus, have been sweet unto me in
this place: I have seen that here, that I am persuaded I shall
never, while in this world, be able to express: I have seen a
truth in this scripture, Whom having not seen, ye
love; in whom, though now you see Him not,
yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable,
and full of glory.  1 Pet. i. 8.

323.  I never knew what it was for God to stand by me at
all turns, and at every offer of Satan to afflict me, etc., as I
have found Him since I came in hither: for look how fears have
presented themselves, so have supports and encouragements; yea,
when I have started, even as it were, at nothing else but my
shadow, yet God, as being very tender of me, hath not suffered me
to be molested, but would with one scripture or another,
strengthen me against all; insomuch that I have often said,
were it lawful, I could pray for greater trouble,
for the greater comfort’s sake.  Eccl. vii. 14;
2 Cor. i. 5.

324.  Before I came to prison, I saw what was coming, and
had especially two considerations warm upon my heart; the first
was, how to be able to encounter death, should that be here my
portion.  For the first of these, that scripture, Col. i.
11, was great information to me, namely, to pray to God to be
strengthened with all might, according to His glorious
power, unto all patience and long-suffering with
joyfulness.  I could seldom go to prayer before I was
imprisoned; but for not so little as a year together, this
sentence, or sweet petition would, as it were, thrust itself into
my mind, and persuade me, that if ever I would go through
long-suffering, I must have all patience, especially if I would
endure it joyfully.

325.  As to the second consideration, that saying (2 Cor.
i. 9) was of great use to me, But we had the sentence of death
in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves,
but in God, which raiseth the dead.  By this
scripture I was made to see, That if ever I would suffer rightly,
I must first pass a sentence of death upon every thing that can
properly be called a thing of this life, even to reckon myself,
my wife, my children, my health, my enjoyments, and all as dead
to me, and myself as dead to them.

326.  The second was to live upon God that is invisible,
as Paul said in another place; the way not to faint is, To
look not on the things that are seen, but at the things
that are not seen; for the things that are seen are
temporal, but the things that are not seen are
eternal.  And thus I reasoned with myself, if I provide
only for a prison, then the whip comes at unawares; and so doth
also the pillory: Again, if I only provide for these, then I am
not fit for banishment.  Further, if I conclude that
banishment is the worst, then if death comes, I am surprised: so
that I see, the best way to go through sufferings, is to trust in
God through Christ, as touching the world to come; and as
touching this world, to count the grave my house, to
make my bed in darkness; to say to corruption, Thou
art my father, and to the worm, Thou art my mother
and sister: that is, to familiarize these things to me.

327.  But notwithstanding these helps, I found myself a
man and compassed with infirmities; the parting with my wife and
poor children, hath often been to me in this place, as the
pulling the flesh from the bones, and that not only because I am
somewhat too fond of these great mercies, but also because I
should have often brought to my mind the many hardships,
miseries, and wants that my poor family was like to meet with,
should I be taken from them, especially my poor blind child, who
lay nearer my heart than all besides: Oh! the thoughts of the
hardship I thought my poor blind one might go under, would break
my heart to pieces.

328.  Poor child! thought I, what sorrow art thou like to
have for thy portion in this world!  Thou must be beaten,
must beg, suffer hunger, cold, nakedness, and a thousand
calamities, though I cannot now endure the wind should blow upon
thee.  But yet recalling myself, thought I, I must venture
you all with God, though it goeth to the quick to leave you: Oh!
I saw in this condition I was as a man who was pulling down his
house upon the head of his wife and children; yet, thought I, I
must do it, I must do it: and now I thought on those two milch
kine that were to carry the ark of God into another country,
and to leave their calves behind them.  1 Sam. vi.
10–12.

329.  But that which helped me in this temptation, was
divers considerations, of which, three in special here I will
name, the first was the consideration of these two scriptures,
Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them
alive, and let thy widows trust in me: and again,
The Lord said, Verily it shall be well with thy
remnant, verily, I will cause the enemy to entreat
thee well in the time of evil, and in time of
affliction.  Jer. xlix. 11; xv. 11.

330.  I had also this consideration, that if I should not
venture all for God, I engaged God to take care of my
concernments: but if I forsook Him and His ways, for fear of any
trouble that should come to me or mine, then I should not only
falsify my profession, but should count also that my concernments
were not so sure, if left at God’s feet, whilst I stood to
and for His name, as they would be if they were under my own
care, though with the denial of the way of God.  This was a
smarting consideration, and as spurs unto my flesh.  That
scripture also greatly helped it to fasten the more upon me,
where Christ prays against Judas, that God would disappoint him
in his selfish thoughts, which moved him to sell his
Master.  Pray read it soberly: Psalm cix. 6–8,
etc.

331.  I had also another consideration, and that was, the
dread of the torments of hell, which I was sure they must partake
of that for fear of the cross, do shrink from their profession of
Christ, His words and laws before the sons of men: I thought also
of the glory that He had prepared for those that in faith, and
love, and patience, stood to His ways before them.  These
things, I say, have helped me, when the thoughts of the misery
that both myself and mine, might for the sake of my profession be
exposed to, hath lain pinching on my mind.

332.  When I have indeed conceited that I might be
banished for my profession, then I have thought of that
scripture: They were stoned, they were sawn
asunder, were tempted, were slain with the
sword, they wandered about in sheep-skins, and
goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted,
tormented, of whom the world was not worthy; for
all they thought they were too bad to dwell and abide amongst
them.  I have also thought of that saying, the Holy Ghost
witnesseth in every city, that bonds and afflictions abide
me.  I have verily thought that my soul and
it have sometimes reasoned about the sore and sad estate
of a banished and exiled condition, how they were exposed to
hunger, to cold, to perils, to nakedness, to enemies, and a
thousand calamities; and at last, it may be, to die in a ditch,
like a poor and desolate sheep.  But I thank God, hitherto I
have not been moved by these most delicate reasonings, but
have rather, by them, more approved my heart to God.

333.  I will tell you a pretty business:—I was once
above all the rest, in a very sad and low condition for many
weeks; at which time also, I being but a young prisoner, and not
acquainted with the laws, had this lying much upon my spirits,
that my imprisonment might end at the gallows for ought that I
could tell.  Now therefore Satan laid hard at me, to
beat me out of heart, by suggesting thus unto me: But how
if, when you come indeed to die, you should be in
this condition; that is, as not to savour the
things of God, nor to have any evidence upon your soul for
a better state hereafter? (for indeed at that time all the
things of God were hid from my soul).

334.  Wherefore, when I at first began to think of this,
it was a great trouble to me; for I thought with myself, that in
the condition I now was in, I was not fit to die, neither indeed
did I think I could, if I should be called to it; besides, I
thought with myself, if I should make a scrambling shift to
clamber up the ladder, yet I should either with quaking, or other
symptoms of fainting, give occasion to the enemy to reproach the
way of God and His people for their timorousness.  This,
therefore, lay with great trouble upon me, for methought I was
ashamed to die with a pale face, and tottering knees, in such a
cause as this.

335.  Wherefore I prayed to God that He would comfort me,
and give me strength to do and suffer me what He should call me
to; yet no comfort appeared, but all continued hid: I was also at
this time, so really possessed with the thought of death, that
oft I was as if I was on a ladder with the rope about my neck;
only this was some encouragement to me; I thought I might now
have an opportunity to speak my last words to a multitude, which
I thought would come to see me die; and, thought I, if it must be
so, if God will but convert one soul by my very last words, I
shall not count my life thrown away, nor lost.

336.  But yet all the things of God were kept out of my
sight, and still the tempter followed me with, But whither
must you go when you die? what will become of you?
where will you be found in another world? what evidence
have you for heaven and glory, and an inheritance among
them that are sanctified?  Thus was I tossed for many
weeks, and knew not what to do; at last this consideration fell
with weight upon me, that it was for the word and way of God
that I was in this condition, Wherefore I was engaged not
to flinch an hair’s breadth from it.

337.  I thought also, that God might choose whether He
would give me comfort now, or at the hour of death; but I might
not therefore choose whether I would hold my profession or no: I
was bound, but He was free; yea, ’twas my duty to stand to
His word, whether He would ever look upon me or save me at the
last: wherefore, thought I, save the point being thus, I am for
going on, and venturing my eternal state with Christ, whether I
have comfort here or no; if God doth not come in, thought I, I
will leap off the ladder even blindfold into eternity,
sink or swim, come heaven, come hell,
Lord Jesus, if Thou wilt catch me, do; if
not, I will venture for Thy name.

338.  I was no sooner fixed in this resolution, but the
word dropped upon me, Doth Job serve God for nought? 
As if the accuser had said, Lord, Job is no upright
man, he serves Thee for bye-respects: hast Thou not
made an hedge about him, etc.  But put forth
now Thine hand, and touch all that he hath,
and, he will curse Thee to Thy face.  How now!
thought I, is this the sign of an upright soul, to desire to
serve God, when all is taken from him?  p. 180Is he a
godly man that will serve God for nothing, rather than give
out!  Blessed be God! then I hope I have an upright heart,
for I am resolved (God giving me strength) never to deny my
profession, though I have nothing at all for my pains: and as I
was thus considering, that scripture was set before me: Psalm
xliv. 12, etc.

339.  Now was my heart full of comfort; for I hoped it
was sincere: I would not have been without this trial for much; I
am comforted every time I think of it, and I hope I shall bless
God for ever, for the teaching I have had by it.  Many more
of the dealings towards me I might relate, But these out of
the spoils won in battle I have dedicated to maintain the house
of God.  1 Chron. xxvi. 27.

The Conclusion

1.  Of 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 the worst to be borne;
when this temptation comes, it takes away my girdle from me, and
removeth the foundation from under me: Oh! I have often thought
of that word, Have your loins 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 chastisement 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 myself 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 wondered 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,
than 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 refreshment, though I have looked it all
over.

5.  Of all fears, they are best that are made by the
blood of Christ; and of all joy, that is the sweetest that is
mixed with mourning over Christ: Oh! it is 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.
Inclining to unbelief; 2. Suddenly to forget the love and mercy
that Christ manifesteth; 3. A leaning to the works of the law; 4.
Wanderings 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 myself; 2. They keep me
from trusting my heart; 3. They convince me of the insufficiency
of all inherent righteousness; 4. They show me the necessity of
flying to Jesus; 5. They press me to pray unto God; 6. They show
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.

p.
183A 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 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 man’s
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 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 meantime to keep a very strong
watch about the house where the meeting should be kept, as if we
that were 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 were
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: [184] but the constable coming in prevented
us.  So 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 prison (for he knew
better than I what spirit they were of, living by them): to whom
I said, No, by no means, I will not stir, neither will I have the
meeting dismissed for this.  Come, be of good cheer; let us
not be daunted; our cause is good, we need not be ashamed of it;
to preach God’s Word, is so good a work, that we shall be
well rewarded, if we suffer for that; or to this
purpose—(But as for my friend, I think he was more afraid
of me, than of himself.)  After this I walked into the
close, where I somewhat seriously considering the matter, this
came into my mind, That I had showed myself hearty and courageous
in my preaching, and had, blessed be grace, made it my business
to encourage others; therefore thought I, if I should now run,
and make an escape, it will be of a very ill savour in the
country.  For what will my weak and newly-converted brethren
think of it, but that I was not so strong in deed as I was in
word?  Also I feared that if I should run now there was a
warrant out for me, I might by so doing make them afraid to
stand, when great words only should be spoken to them. 
Besides I thought, that seeing God of His mercy should choose me
to go upon the forlorn hope in this country; that is, to be the
first, that should be opposed, for the gospel; if I should fly,
it might be a discouragement to the whole body that might follow
after.  And further, I thought the world thereby would take
occasion at my cowardliness, to have blasphemed the gospel, and
to have had some ground to suspect worse of me and my profession,
than I deserved.  These things with others considered by me,
I came in again to the house, with a full resolution to keep the
meeting, and not to go away, though I could have been gone about
an hour before the officer apprehended me; but I would not; for I
was resolved to see the utmost of what they could say or do unto
me.  For blessed be the Lord, I knew of no evil that I had
said or done.  And so, as aforesaid, I begun the
meeting.  But being prevented by the constable’s
coming in with his warrant to take me, I could not proceed. 
But before I went away, I spake some few words of counsel and
encouragement to the people, declaring to them, that they saw we
were prevented of our opportunity to speak and hear the Word of
God, and were like to suffer for the same; desiring them that
they would not be discouraged, for it was a mercy to suffer upon
so good account.  For we might have been apprehended as
thieves or murderers, or for other wickedness; but blessed be God
it was not so, but we suffer as Christians for well doing: and we
had better be the persecuted, than the persecutors, etc. 
But the constable and the justice’s man waiting on us,
would not be at quiet till they had me away and that we departed
the house.  But because the justice was not at home that
day, there was a friend of mine engaged for me to bring me to the
constable on the morrow morning.  Otherwise the constable
must have charged a watch with me, or have secured me some other
way, my crime was so great.  So on the next morning we went
to the constable, and so to the justice. [187a]  He asked the constable what we
did, where we was met together, and what we had with us?  I
trow, he meant whether we had armour or not; but when the
constable told him that there were only met a few of us together
to preach and hear the Word, and no sign of anything else, he
could not well tell what to say: yet because he had sent for me,
he did adventure to put out a few proposals to me, which were to
this effect, namely, What I did there?  And why I did not
content myself with following my calling? for it was against the
law, that such as I should be admitted to do as I did.

John Bunyan.  To which I answered, That the intent
of my coming thither, and to other places, was to instruct, and
counsel people to forsake their sins, and close in with Christ,
lest they did miserably perish; and that I could do both these
without confusion (to wit), follow my calling, and preach the
Word also.

At which words, he [187b] was in a chafe,
as it appeared; for he said that he would break the neck of our
meetings.

Bun.  I said, It may be so.  Then he wished
me to get sureties to be bound for me, or else he would send me
to the jail.

My sureties being ready, I called them in, and when the bond
for my appearance was made, he told them, that they was bound to
keep me from preaching; and that if I did preach, their bonds
would be forfeited.  To which I answered, that then I should
break them; for I should not leave speaking the Word of God: even
to counsel, comfort, exhort, and teach the people among whom I
came; and I thought this to be a work that had no hurt in it: but
was rather worthy of commendation, than blame.

Wingate.  Whereat he told me, that if they would
not be so bound, my mittimus must be made, and I sent to the
jail, there to lie to the quarter sessions.

Now while my mittimus was making, the justice was withdrawn;
and in comes an old enemy to the truth, Dr Lindale, who, when he
was come in, fell to taunting at me with many reviling terms.

Bun.  To whom I answered, that I did not come
thither to talk with him, but with the justice.  Whereat he
supposed that I had nothing to say for myself, and triumphed as
if he had got the victory; charging and condemning me for
meddling with that for which I could show no warrant; and asked
me, if I had taken the oaths? and if I had not, it was pity but
that I should be sent to prison, etc.

I told him, that if I was minded, I could answer to any sober
question that he should put to me.  He then urged me again,
how I could prove it lawful for me to preach, with a great deal
of confidence of the victory.

But at last, because he should see that I could answer him if
I listed, I cited to him that verse in Peter, which saith,
every man hath received the gift, even so let him
minister the same, etc.

Lind.  Aye, saith he, to whom is that spoken?

Bun.  To whom, said I, why to every man that hath
received a gift from God.  Mark, saith the apostle, As
every man that hath received a gift from God, etc.; and
again, You may all prophesy one by one.  Whereat the
man was a little stopt, and went a softlier pace: but not being
willing to lose the day, he began again, and said:—

Lind.  Indeed, I do remember that I have read of
one Alexander a coppersmith, who did much oppose, and disturb the
apostles;—(aiming it is like at me, because I was a
tinker).

Bun.  To which I answered, that I also had read of
very many priests and pharisees, that had their hands in the
blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lind.  Aye, saith he, and you are one of those
scribes and pharisees: for you, with a pretence, make long
prayers to devour widows’ houses.

Bun.  I answered, that if he had got no more by
preaching and praying than I had done, he would not be so rich as
now he was.  But that scripture coming into my mind,
Answer not a fool according to his folly, I was as sparing
of my speech as I could, without prejudice to truth.

Now by this time my mittimus was made, and I committed to the
constable, to be sent to the jail in Bedford, etc.

But as I was going, two of my brethren met with me by the way,
and desired the constable to stay, supposing that they should
prevail with the justice, through the favour of a pretended
friend, to let me go at liberty.  So we did stay, while they
went to the justice; and after much discourse with him, it came
to this: that if I would come to him again, and say some certain
words to him, I should be released.  Which when they told
me, I said if the words was such that might be said with a good
conscience, I should or else I should not.  So through their
importunity went back again, but not believing that I should be
delivered: for I feared their spirit was too full of opposition
to the truth to let me go, unless I should, in something or
other, dishonour my God and wound my conscience.  Wherefore,
as I went, I lifted up my heart to God, for light and strength to
be kept, that I might not do any thing that might either
dishonour Him, or wrong my own soul, or be a grief or
discouragement to any that was inclining after the Lord Jesus
Christ.

Well, when I came to the justice again, there was Mr
Foster of Bedford, who, coming out of another room, and
seeing me by the light of the candle (for it was dark night when
I went thither), he said unto me, Who is there? John
Bunyan? with such seeming affection, as if he would have
leaped on my neck and kissed [191a] me, which made
me somewhat wonder, that such a man as he, with whom I had so
little acquaintance, and, besides, that had ever been a close
opposer of the ways of God, should carry himself so full of love
to me; but, afterwards, when I saw what he did, it caused me to
remember those sayings, Their tongues are smoother than
oil, but their words are drawn swords.   And
again, Beware of men, etc.  When I [191b] had answered him, that blessed be
God, I was well; he said, What is the occasion of your being
here? or to that purpose.  To whom I answered, that I was at
a meeting of people a little way off, intending to speak a word
of exhortation to them; the justice hearing thereof, said I, was
pleased to send his warrant to fetch me before him, etc.

Fost.  So (said he), I understand: but well, if
you will promise to call the people no more together, you shall
have your liberty to go home; for my brother is very loath to
send you to prison, if you will be but ruled.

Bun.  Sir (said I), pray what do you mean by
calling the people together? my business is not anything among
them, when they are come together, but to exhort them to look
after the salvation of their souls, that they may be saved,
etc.

Fost.  Saith he, We must not enter into
explication, or dispute now; but if you will say you will call
the people no more together, you may have your liberty; if not,
you must be sent away to prison.

Bun.  Sir, said I, I shall not force or compel any
man to hear me; but yet, if I come into any place where there is
a people met together, I should, according to the best of my
skill and wisdom, exhort and counsel them to seek out after the
Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of their souls.

Fost.  He said, That was none of my work; I must
follow my calling; and if I would but leave off preaching, and
follow my calling, I should have the justice’s favour, and
be acquitted presently.

Bun.  To whom I said, that I could follow my
calling, and that too, namely, preaching the Word: and I did look
upon it as my duty to do them both, as I had an opportunity.

Fost.  He said, To have any such meetings was
against the law; and, therefore, he would have me leave off, and
say, I would call the people no more together.

Bun.  To whom I said, that I durst not make any
further promise; for my conscience would not suffer me to do
it.  And again, I did look upon it as my duty to do as much
good as I could, not only in my trade, but also in communicating
to all people wheresoever I came the best knowledge I had in the
Word.

Fost.  He told me that I was the nearest the
Papists of any, and that he would convince me of immediately.

Bun.  I asked him, Wherein?

Fost.  He said, In that we understood the
Scriptures literally.

Bun.  I told him that those that were to be
understood literally, we understood them so; but for those that
was to be understood otherwise, we endeavoured so to understand
them.

Fost.  He said, Which of the Scriptures do you
understand literally?

Bun.  I said this, He that believes shall be
saved.  This was to be understood just as it is spoken;
that whosoever believeth in Christ shall, according to the plain
and simple words of the text, be saved.

Fost.  He said that I was ignorant, and did not
understand the Scriptures; for how, said he, can you understand
them when you know not the original Greek? etc.

Bun.  To whom I said, that if that was his
opinion, that none could understand the Scriptures but those that
had the original Greek, etc., then but a very few of the poorest
sort should be saved (this is harsh); yet the Scripture saith,
That God hides these things from the wise and prudent
(that is, from the learned of the world), and reveals them to
babes and sucklings.

Fost.  He said there were none that heard me but a
company of foolish people.

Bun.  I told him that there was the wise as well
as the foolish that do hear me; and again, those that were most
commonly counted foolish by the world are the wisest before God;
also, that God had rejected the wise, and mighty, and noble, and
chosen the foolish, and the base.

Fost.  He told me that I made people neglect their
calling; and that God had commanded people to work six days, and
serve Him on the seventh.

Bun.  I told him that it was the duty of people,
(both rich and poor), to look out for their souls on them days as
well as for their bodies; and that God would have His people
exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day.

Fost.  He said again that there were none but a
company of poor, simple, ignorant people that come to hear
me.

Bun.  I told him that the foolish and the ignorant
had most need of teaching and information; and, therefore, it
would be profitable for me to go on in that work.

Fost.  Well, said he, to conclude, but will you
promise that you will not call the people together any more? and
then you may be released and go home.

Bun.  I told him that I durst say no more than I
had said; for I durst not leave off that work which God had
called me to.

So he withdrew from me, and then came several of the
justice’s servants to me, and told me that I stood so much
upon a nicety.  Their master, they said, was willing to let
me go; and if I would but say I would call the people no more
together, I might have my liberty, etc.

Bun.  I told them there were more ways than one in
which a man might be said to call the people together.  As
for instance, if a man get upon the market-place, and there read
a book, or the like, though he do not say to the people, Sirs,
come hither and hear; yet if they come to him because he reads,
he, by his very reading, may be said to call them together;
because they would not have been there to hear if he had not been
there to read.  And seeing this might be termed a calling
the people together; I durst not say, I would not call them
together; for then, by the same argument, my preaching might be
said to call them together.

Wing. and Fost.  Then came the justice and Mr
Foster to me again; (we had a little more discourse about
preaching, but because the method of it is out of my mind, I pass
it); and when they saw that I was at a point, and would not be
moved nor persuaded, Mr Foster, the man that did at first express
so much love to me, told the justice that then he must send me
away to prison.  And that he would do well, also, if he
would present all those that were the cause of my coming among
them to meetings.  Thus we parted.

And, verily, as I was going forth of the doors, I had much ado
to forbear saying to them that I carried the peace of God along
with me; but I held my peace, and, blessed be the Lord, went away
to prison, with God’s comfort in my poor soul.

After I had lain in the jail five or six days, the brethren
sought means, again, to get me out by bondsmen; (for so ran my
mittimus, that I should lie there till I could find
sureties).  They went to a justice at Elstow, one Mr
Crumpton, to desire him to take bond for my appearing at the
quarter sessions.  At the first he told them he would; but
afterwards he made a demur at the business, and desired first to
see my mittimus, which ran to this purpose: That I went about to
several conventicles in the county, to the great disparagement of
the government of the church of England, etc.  When he had
seen it, he said that there might be something more against me
than was expressed in my mittimus; and that he was but a young
man, therefore he durst not do it.  This my jailor told me;
and, whereat I was not at all daunted but rather glad, and saw
evidently that the Lord had heard me; for before I went down to
the justice, I begged of God that if I might do more good by
being at liberty than in prison, that then I might be set at
liberty; but if not, His will be done; for I was not altogether
without hopes but that my imprisonment might be an awakening to
the saints in the country, therefore I could not tell well which
to choose; only I, in that manner, did commit the thing to
God.  And verily, at my return, I did meet my God sweetly in
the prison again, comforting of me and satisfying of me that it
was His will and mind that I should be there.

When I came back again to prison, as I was musing at the
slender answer of the justice, this word dropt in upon my heart
with some life, For He knew that for envy they had delivered
Him.

Thus have I, in short, declared the manner and occasion of my
being in prison; where I lie waiting the good will of God, to do
with me as He pleaseth; knowing that not one hair of my head can
fall to the ground without the will of my Father, which is in
heaven.  Let the rage and malice of men be never so great,
they can do no more, nor go any further, than God permits them;
but when they have done their worst, We know all things shall
work together for good to them that love God.

Farewell.

Here is the Sum of my Examination before Justice Keelin, Justice Chester, Justice Blundale, Justice Beecher, Justice Snagg, etc.

After I had lain in prison above
seven weeks, the quarter-sessions were to be kept in Bedford, for
the county thereof, unto which I was to be brought; and when my
jailor had set me before those justices, there was a bill of
indictment preferred against me.  The extent thereof was as
followeth: That John Bunyan, of the town of Bedford, labourer,
being a person of such and such conditions, he hath (since such a
time) devilishly and perniciously abstained from coming to church
to hear Divine service, and is a common upholder of several
unlawful meetings and conventicles, to the great disturbance and
distraction of the good subjects of this kingdom, contrary to the
laws of our sovereign lord the King, etc.

The Clerk.  When this was read, the clerk of the
sessions said unto me, What say you to this?

Bun.  I said, that as to the first part of it, I
was a common frequenter of the Church of God.  And was also,
by grace, a member with the people, over whom Christ is the
Head.

Keelin.  But, saith Justice Keelin (who was
the judge in that court), do you come to church (you know what I
mean); to the parish church, to hear Divine service?

Bun.  I answered, No, I did not.

Keel.  He asked me, Why?

Bun.  I said, Because I did not find it commanded
in the Word of God.

Keel.  He said, We were commanded to pray.

Bun.  I said, But not by the Common
Prayer-Book.

Keel.  He said, How then?

Bun.  I said, With the Spirit.  As the
apostle saith, I will pray with the Spirit, and with
the understanding.  1 Cor. xiv. 15.

Keel.  He said, We might pray with the Spirit, and
with the understanding, and with the Common Prayer-Book also.

Bun.  I said, that the prayers in the Common
Prayer-Book were such as was made by other men, and not by the
motions of the Holy Ghost, within our hearts; and as I said, the
apostle saith, he will pray with the Spirit, and with the
understanding; not with the Spirit and the Common
Prayer-Book.

Another Justice.  What do you count prayer? 
Do you think it is to say a few words over before or among a
people?

Bun.  I said, No, not so; for men might have many
elegant, or excellent words, and yet not pray at all; but when a
man prayeth, he doth, through a sense of those things which he
wants (which sense is begotten by the Spirit), pour out his heart
before God through Christ; though his words be not so many and so
excellent as others are.

Justices.  They said, That was true.

Bun.  I said, This might be done without the
Common Prayer-Book.

Another.  One of them said (I think it was Justice
Blundale, or Justice Snagg), How should we know
that you do not write out your prayers first, and then read them
afterwards to the people?  This he spake in a laughing
way.

Bun.  I said, it is not our use, to take a pen and
paper, and write a few words thereon, and then go and read it
over to a company of people.

But how should we know it, said he?

Bun.  Sir, it is none of our custom, said I.

Keel.  But said Justice Keelin, It is
lawful to use the Common Prayer, and such like forms: for Christ
taught His disciples to pray, as John also taught his
disciples.  And further, said he, Cannot one man teach
another to pray?  Faith comes by hearing; and one man may
convince another of sin, and therefore prayers made by men, and
read over, are good to teach, and help men to pray.

While he was speaking these words, God brought that word into
my mind, in the eighth of the Romans, at the 26th verse.  I
say, God brought it, for I thought not on it before: but as he
was speaking, it came so fresh into my mind, and was set so
evidently before me, as if the scripture had said, Take me, take
me; so when he had done speaking,

Bun.  I said, Sir, the scripture saith, that it
is the spirit that helpeth our infirmities; for we know not
what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us, with sighs and groanings which cannot be
uttered.  Mark, said I, it doth not say the Common
Prayer-Book teacheth us how to pray, but the Spirit.  And it
is the Spirit that helpeth our infirmities, saith the
apostle; he doth not say it is the Common Prayer-Book.

And as to the Lord’s prayer, although it be an easy
thing to say, Our Father, etc., with the mouth; yet there
is very few that can, in the Spirit, say the two first words in
that prayer; that is, that can call God their Father, as knowing
what it is to be born again, and as having experience, that they
are begotten of the Spirit of God: which if they do not, all is
but babbling, etc.

Keel.  Justice Keelin said that that was a
truth.

Bun.  And I say further, as to your saying that
one man may convince another of sin, and that faith comes by
hearing, and that one man may tell another how he should pray,
etc., I say men may tell each other of their sins, but it is the
Spirit that must convince them.

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.

Bun.  I said, If it was lawful to do good to some,
it was lawful to do good to more.  If it was a good duty to
exhort our families, it was good to exhort others; but if they
held it a sin to meet together to seek the face of God, and
exhort one another to follow Christ, I should sin still; for so
we should do.

Keel.  He said he was not so well versed in
Scripture as to dispute, or words to that purpose.  And
said, moreover, that they could not wait upon me any longer; but
said to me, Then you confess the indictment, do you not? 
Now, and not till now, I saw I was indicted.

Bun.  I said, This I confess, we have had many
meetings together, both to pray to God, and to exhort one
another, and that we had the sweet comforting presence of the
Lord among us for our encouragement; blessed be His name
therefore.  I confessed myself guilty no otherwise.

Keel.  Then, said he, bear your judgment. 
You must be had back again to prison, and there lie for three
months following; and at three months’ end, if you do not
submit to go to church to hear Divine service, and leave your
preaching, you must be banished the realm: and if, after such a
day as shall be appointed you to be gone, you shall be found in
this realm, etc., or be found to come over again without special
licence from the king, etc., you must stretch by the neck for it,
I tell you plainly: and so he bid my jailor have me away.

Bun.  I told him, as to this matter, I was at a
point with him; for if I were out of prison to-day, I would
preach the Gospel again to-morrow, by the help of God.

Another.  To which one made me some answer: but my
jailor pulling me away to be gone, I could not tell what he
said.

Thus I departed from them; and I can truly say, I bless the
Lord Jesus Christ for it, that my heart was sweetly
refreshed in the time of my examination, and also afterwards, at
my returning to the prison.  So that I found Christ’s
words more than bare trifles, where He saith, I will give you
a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not
be able to gainsay, nor resist.  Luke xxi.
15.  And that His peace no man can take from us.

Thus have I given you the substance of my examination. 
The Lord make this profitable to all that shall read or hear
it.  Farewell.

The Substance of some Discourse had between the Clerk of
the Peace and myself; when he came to admonish me,
according to the tenor of that Law, by which I was in
prison.

When I had lain in prison other
twelve weeks, and now not knowing what they intended to do with
me, upon the third of April 1661, comes Mr Cobb unto me (as he
told me), being sent by the justices to admonish me; and demand
of me submittance to the church of England, etc.  The extent
of our discourse was as followeth.

Cobb.  When he was come into the house he sent for
me out of my chamber; who, when I was come unto him, he said,
Neighbour Bunyan, how do you do?

Bun.  I thank you, Sir, said I, very well, blessed
be the Lord.

Cobb.  Saith he, I come to tell you, that it is
desired you would submit yourself to the laws of the land, or
else at the next sessions it will go worse with you, even to be
sent away out of the nation, or else worse than that.

Bun.  I said that I did desire to demean myself in
the world, both as becometh a man and a Christian.

Cobb.  But, saith he, you must submit to the laws
of the land, and leave off those meetings which you was wont to
have; for the statute-law is directly against it; and I am sent
to you by the justices to tell you that they do intend to
prosecute the law against you if you submit not.

Bun.  I said, Sir, I conceive that that law by
which I am in prison at this time, doth not reach or condemn
either me, or the meetings which I do frequent; that law was made
against those, that being designed to do evil in their meetings,
making the exercise of religion their pretence, to cover their
wickedness.  It doth not forbid the private meetings of
those that plainly and simply make it their only end to worship
the Lord, and to exhort one another to edification.  My end
in meeting with others is simply to do as much good as I can, by
exhortation and counsel, according to that small measure of light
which God hath given me, and not to disturb the peace of the
nation.

Cobb.  Every one will say the same, said he; you
see the late insurrection [210] at London,
under what glorious pretences they went; and yet, indeed, they
intended no less than the ruin of the kingdom and
commonwealth.

Bun.  That practice of theirs, I abhor, said I;
yet it doth not follow that, because they did so, therefore all
others will do so.  I look upon it as my duty to behave
myself under the King’s government, both as becomes a man
and a Christian, and if an occasion were offered me, I should
willingly manifest my loyalty to my Prince, both by word and
deed.

Cobb.  Well, said he, I do not profess myself to
be a man that can dispute; but this I say, truly, neighbour
Bunyan, I would have you consider this matter seriously,
and submit yourself; you may have your liberty to exhort your
neighbour in private discourse, so be you do not call together an
assembly of people; and, truly, you may do much good to the
church of Christ, if you would go this way; and this you may do,
and the law not abridge you of it.  It is your private
meetings that the law is against.

Bun.  Sir, said I, if I may do good to one by my
discourse? why may I not do good to two?  And if to two, why
not to four, and so to eight? etc.

Cobb.  Ay, saith he, and to a hundred, I warrant
you.

Bun.  Yes, Sir, said I, I think I should not be
forbid to do as much good as I can.

Cobb.  But, saith he, you may but pretend to do
good, and instead, notwithstanding, do harm, by seducing the
people; you are, therefore, denied your meeting so many together,
lest you should do harm.

Bun.  And yet, said I, you say the law tolerates
me to discourse with my neighbour; surely there is no law
tolerates me seduce any one; therefore if I may by the law
discourse with one, surely it is to do him good; and if I by
discoursing may do good to one, surely, by the same law, I may do
good to many.

Cobb.  The law, saith he, doth expressly forbid
your private meetings; therefore they are not to be
tolerated.

Bun.  I told him that I would not entertain so
much uncharitableness of that Parliament in the 35th of
Elizabeth, or of the Queen herself, as to think they did,
by that law, intend the oppressing of any of God’s
ordinances, or the interrupting any in way of God; but men may,
in the wresting of it, turn it against the way of God; but take
the law in itself, and it only fighteth against those that drive
at mischief in their hearts and meeting, making religion only
their cloak, colour, or pretence; for so are the words of the
statute: If any meetings, under colour or pretence of
religion, etc.

Cobb.  Very good; therefore the king, seeing that
pretences are usually in and among people, so as to make religion
their pretence only; therefore he, and the law before him, doth
forbid such private meetings, and tolerates only public; you may
meet in public.

Bun.  Sir, said I, let me answer you in a
similitude: Set the case that, at such a wood corner, there did
usually come forth thieves, to do mischief; must there therefore
a law be made, that every one that cometh out there shall be
killed?  May not there come out true men as well as thieves
out from thence?  Just thus is it in this case; I do think
there may be many that may design the destruction of the
commonwealth; but it doth not follow therefore that all private
meetings are unlawful; those that transgress, let them be
punished.  And if at any time I myself should do any act in
my conversation as doth not become a man and Christian, let me
bear the punishment.  And as for your saying I may meet in
public, if I may be suffered, I would gladly do it.  Let me
have but meeting enough in public, and I shall care the less to
have them in private.  I do not meet in private because I am
afraid to have meetings in public.  I bless the Lord that my
heart is at that point, that if any man can lay any thing to my
charge, either in doctrine or in practice, in this particular,
that can be proved error or heresy, I am willing to disown it,
even in the very market-place; but if it be truth, then to stand
to it to the last drop of my blood.  And, Sir, said I, you
ought to commend me for so doing.  To err and to be a
heretic are two things; I am no heretic, because I will not stand
refractorily to defend any one thing that is contrary to the
Word.  Prove any thing which I hold to be an error, and I
will recant it.

Cobb.  But, goodman Bunyan, said he,
methinks you need not stand so strictly upon this one thing, as
to have meetings of such public assemblies.  Cannot you
submit, and, notwithstanding, do as much good as you can, in a
neighbourly way, without having such meetings?

Bun.  Truly, Sir, said I, I do not desire to
commend myself, but to think meanly of myself; yet when I do most
despise myself, taking notice of that small measure of light
which God hath given me, also that the people of the Lord (by
their own saying), are edified thereby.  Besides, when I see
that the Lord, through grace, hath in some measure blessed my
labour, I dare not but exercise that gift which God hath given me
for the good of the people.  And I said further, that I
would willingly speak in public if I might.

Cobb.  He said, that I might come to the public
assemblies and hear.  What though you do not preach? you may
hear.  Do not think yourself so well enlightened, and that
you have received a gift so far above others, but that you may
hear other men preach.  Or to that purpose.

Bun.  I told him, I was as willing to be taught as
to give instruction, and I looked upon it as my duty to do both;
for, said I, a man that is a teacher, he himself may learn also
from another that teacheth, as the apostle saith, We may all
prophesy one by one, that all may learn.  1 Cor.
xiv. 31.  That is, every man that hath received a gift from
God, he may dispense it, that others may be comforted; and when
he hath done, he may hear and learn, and be comforted himself of
others.

Cobb.  But, said he, what if you should forbear
awhile, and sit still, till you see further how things will
go?

Bun.  Sir, said I, Wickliffe saith, that he
which leaveth off preaching and hearing of the Word of God for
fear of excommunication of men, he is already excommunicated of
God, and shall in the day of judgment be counted a traitor to
Christ. [214]

Cobb.  Ay, saith he, they that do not hear shall
be so counted indeed; do you, therefore, hear?

Bun.  But, Sir, said I, he saith, he that shall
leave off either preaching or hearing, etc.  That is, if he
hath received a gift for edification, it is his sin, if he doth
not lay it out in a way of exhortation and counsel, according to
the proportion of his gift; as well as to spend his time
altogether in hearing others preach.

Cobb.  But, said he, how shall we know that you
have received a gift?

Bun.  Said I, Let any man hear and search, and
prove the doctrine by the Bible.

Cobb.  But will you be willing, said he, that two
indifferent persons shall determine the case; and will you stand
by their judgment?

Bun.  I said, Are they infallible?

Cobb.  He said, No.

Bun.  Then, said I, it is possible my judgment may
be as good as theirs.  But yet I will pass by either, and in
this matter be judged by the Scriptures; I am sure that is
infallible, and cannot err.

Cobb.  But, said he, who shall be judge between
you, for you take the Scriptures one way, and they another?

Bun.  I said the Scripture should: and that by
comparing one Scripture with another; for that will open itself,
if it be rightly compared.  As for instance, if under the
different apprehensions of the word Mediator, you would
know the truth of it, the Scriptures open it, and tell us that he
that is a mediator must take up the business between two, and a
mediator is not a mediator of one,—but God is one,
and there is one Mediator between God and men, even the
man Christ Jesus.  Gal. iii. 20; 1 Tim. ii. 5.  So
likewise the Scripture calleth Christ a complete, or
perfect, or able high priest.  That is opened in that
He is called man, and also God.  His blood also is
discovered to be effectually efficacious by the same
things.  So the Scripture, as touching the matter of meeting
together, etc., doth likewise sufficiently open itself and
discover its meaning.

Cobb.  But are you willing, said he, to stand to
the judgment of the church?

Bun.  Yes, Sir, said I, to the approbation of the
church of God; (the church’s judgment is best expressed in
Scripture).  We had much other discourse which I cannot well
remember, about the laws of the nation, and submission to
governments; to which I did tell him, that I did look upon myself
as bound in conscience to walk according to all righteous laws,
and that, whether there was a king or no; and if I did any thing
that was contrary, I did hold it my duty to bear patiently the
penalty of the law, that was provided against such offenders;
with many more words to the like effect.  And said,
moreover, that to cut off all occasions of suspicion from any, as
touching the harmlessness of my doctrine in private, I would
willingly take the pains to give any one the notes of all my
sermons; for I do sincerely desire to live quietly in my country,
and to submit to the present authority.

Cobb.  Well, neighbour Bunyan, said he, but
indeed I would wish you seriously to consider of these things,
between this and the quarter-sessions, and to submit
yourself.  You may do much good if you continue still in the
land; but alas, what benefit will it be to your friends, or what
good can you do to them, if you should be sent away beyond the
seas into Spain, or Constantinople, or some other
remote part of the world?  Pray be ruled.

Jailor.  Indeed, Sir, I hope he will be ruled.

Bun.  I shall desire, said I, in all honesty to
behave myself in the nation, whilst I am in it.  And if I
must be so dealt withal, as you say, I hope God will help me to
bear what they shall lay upon me.  I know no evil that I
have done in this matter, to be so used.  I speak as in the
presence of God.

Cobb.  You know, saith he, that the Scripture
saith, the powers that be, are ordained of God.

Bun.  I said, Yes, and that I was to submit to the
King as supreme, and also to the governors, as to them who are
sent by Him.

Cobb.  Well then, said he, the King then commands
you, that you should not have any private meetings; because it is
against his law, and he is ordained of God, therefore you should
not have any.

Bun.  I told him that Paul did own the
powers that were in his day, to be of God; and yet he was often
in prison under them for all that.  And also, though
Jesus Christ told Pilate, that He had no power
against him, but of God, yet He died under the same
Pilate; and yet, said I, I hope you will not say that
either Paul, or Christ, were such as did deny magistracy,
and so sinned against God in slighting the ordinance.  Sir,
said I, the law hath provided two ways of obeying: the one to do
that which I, in my conscience, do believe that I am bound to do,
actively; and where I cannot obey actively, there I am willing to
lie down, and to suffer what they shall do unto me.  At this
he sat still, and said no more; which when he had done, I did
thank him for his civil and meek discoursing with me; and so we
parted.

O! that we might meet in heaven!

Farewell.  J. B.

Here followeth a discourse between my Wife and the
Judges, with others, touching my Deliverance at the
Assizes following; the which I took from her own
Mouth.

After that I had received this
sentence of banishing, or hanging, from them, and after the
former admonition, touching the determination of the justices if
I did not recant; just when the time drew nigh, in which I should
have abjured, or have done worse (as Mr Cobb told me), came the
time in which the King was to be crowned. [219]  Now, at the coronation of kings,
there is usually a releasement of divers prisoners, by virtue of
his coronation; in which privilege also I should have had my
share; but that they took me for a convicted person, and
therefore, unless I sued out a pardon (as they called it), I
could have no benefit thereby, notwithstanding, yet, forasmuch as
the coronation proclamation did give liberty, from the day the
King was crowned, to that day twelvemonth, to sue them out;
therefore, though they would not let me out of prison, as they
let out thousands, yet they could not meddle with me, as touching
the execution of their sentence; because of the liberty offered
for the suing out of pardons.  Whereupon I continued in
prison till the next assizes, which are called Midsummer
assizes, being then kept in August, 1661.

Now, at that assizes, because I would not leave any possible
means unattempted that might be lawful, I did, by my wife,
present a petition to the judges three times, that I might be
heard, and that they would impartially take my case into
consideration.

The first time my wife went, she presented it to Judge
Hale, who very mildly received it at her hand, telling her
that he would do her and me the best good he could; but he
feared, he said, he could do none.  The next day, again,
lest they should, through the multitude of business, forget me,
we did throw another petition into the coach to Judge
Twisdon; who, when he had seen it, snapt her up, and
angrily told her that I was a convicted person, and could not be
released, unless I would promise to preach no more, etc.

Well, after this, she yet again presented another to judge
Hale, as he sat on the bench, who, as it seemed, was willing to
give her audience.  Only Justice Chester being
present, stept up and said, that I was convicted in the court,
and that I was a hot-spirited fellow (or words to that purpose),
whereat he waived it, and did not meddle therewith.  But
yet, my wife being encouraged by the high-sheriff, did venture
once more into their presence (as the poor widow did before the
unjust judge) to try what she could do with them for my liberty,
before they went forth of the town.  The place where she
went to them, was to the Swan-chamber, where the two
judges, and many justices and gentry of the country, was in
company together.  She then coming into the chamber with a
bashed face, and a trembling heart, began her errand to them in
this manner:—

Woman.  My lord (directing herself to judge Hale),
I make bold to come once again to your Lordship, to know what may
be done with my husband.

Judge Hale.  To whom he said, Woman, I told thee
before I could do thee no good; because they have taken that for
a conviction which thy husband spoke at the sessions: and unless
there be something done to undo that, I can do thee no good.

Woman.  My lord, said she, he is kept unlawfully
in prison; they clapped him up before there was any proclamation
against the meetings; the indictment also is false. 
Besides, they never asked him whether he was guilty or no;
neither did he confess the indictment.

One of the Justices.  Then one of the justices
that stood by, whom she knew not, said, My Lord, he was lawfully
convicted.

Wom.  It is false, said she; for when they said to
him, Do you confess the indictment? he said only this, that he
had been at several meetings, both where there were preaching the
Word, and prayer, and that they had God’s presence among
them.

Judge Twisdon.  Whereat Judge Twisdon
answered very angrily, saying, What, you think we can do what we
list; your husband is a breaker of the peace, and is convicted by
the law, etc.  Whereupon Judge Hale called for the
Statute Book.

Wom.  But, said she, my lord, he was not lawfully
convicted.

Chester.  Then Justice Chester said, My
lord, he was lawfully convicted.

Wom.  It is false, said she; it was but a word of
discourse that they took for a conviction (as you heard
before).

Chest.  But it is recorded, woman; it is recorded,
said Justice Chester; as if it must be of necessity true,
because it was recorded.  With which words he often
endeavoured to stop her mouth, having no other argument to
convince her, but it is recorded, it is recorded.

Wom.  My Lord, said she, I was a while since at
London, to see if I could get my husband’s liberty;
and there I spoke with my lord Barkwood, one of the House
of Lords, to whom I delivered a petition, who took it of me and
presented it to some of the rest of the House of Lords, for my
husband’s releasement; who, when they had seen it, they
said, that they could not release him, but had committed his
releasement to the judges, at the next assizes.  This he
told me; and now I am come to you to see if any thing may be done
in this business, and you give neither releasement nor
relief.  To which they gave her no answer, but made as if
they heard her not.

Chest.  Only Justice Chester was often up
with this,—He is convicted, and it is recorded.

Wom.  If it be, it is false, said she.

Chest.  My lord, said Justice Chester, he
is a pestilent fellow, there is not such a fellow in the country
again.

Twis.  What, will your husband leave
preaching?  If he will do so, then send for him.

Wom.  My lord, said she, he dares not leave
preaching as long as he can speak.

Twis.  See here, what should we talk any more
about such a fellow?  Must he do what he lists?  He is
a breaker of the peace.

Wom.  She told him again, that he desired to live
peaceably, and to follow his calling, that his family might be
maintained; and moreover, said, My Lord, I have four small
children, that cannot help themselves, one of which is blind, and
have nothing to live upon, but the charity of good people.

Hale.  Hast thou four children? said Judge Hale;
thou art but a young woman to have four children.

Wom.  My lord, said she, I am but mother-in-law to
them, having not been married to him yet full two years. 
Indeed, I was with child when my husband was first apprehended;
but being young, and unaccustomed to such things, said she, I
being smayed [224] at the news, fell into labour, and so
continued for eight days, and then was delivered, but my child
died.

Hale.  Whereat, he looking very soberly on the
matter, said, Alas, poor woman!

Twis.  But Judge Twisdon told her, that she
made poverty her cloak; and said, moreover, that he understood I
was maintained better by running up and down a preaching, than by
following my calling.

Hale.  What is his calling? said Judge Hale.

Answer.  Then some of the company that stood by,
said, A tinker, my lord.

Wom.  Yes, said she; and because he is a tinker,
and a poor man, therefore he is despised, and cannot have
justice.

Hale.  Then Judge Hale answered very
mildly, saying, I tell thee, woman, seeing it is so, that they
have taken what thy husband spake for a conviction; thou must
either apply thyself to the King, or sue out his pardon, or get a
writ of error.

Chest.  But when Justice Chester heard him
give her this counsel; and especially (as she supposed) because
he spoke of a writ of error, he chafed, and seemed to be very
much offended; saying, My lord, he will preach and do what he
lists.

Wom.  He preacheth nothing but the Word of God,
said she.

Twis.  He preach the Word of God! said Twisdon;
and withal, she thought he would have struck her; he runneth up
and down, and doth harm.

Wom.  No, my lord, said she, it is not so; God
hath owned him, and done much good by him.

Twis.  God! said he, his doctrine is the doctrine
of the devil.

Wom.  My lord, said she, when the righteous Judge
shall appear, it will be known that his doctrine is not the
doctrine of the devil.

Twis.  My lord, said he, to Judge Hale, do not
mind her, but send her away.

Hale.  Then said Judge Hale, I am sorry, woman,
that I can do thee no good; thou must do one of those three
things aforesaid, namely, either to apply thyself to the King, or
sue out his pardon, or get a writ of error; but a writ of error
will be cheapest.

Wom.  At which Chester again seemed to be in a
chafe, and put off his hat, and as she thought, scratched his
head for anger: but when I saw, said she, that there was no
prevailing to have my husband sent for, though I often desired
them that they would send for him, that he might speak for
himself; telling them, that he could give them better
satisfaction than I could, in what they demanded of him, with
several other things, which now I forget; only this I remember,
that though I was somewhat timorous at my first entrance into the
chamber, yet before I went out, I could not but break forth into
tears, not so much because they were so hard-hearted against me,
and my husband, but to think what a sad account such poor
creatures will have to give at the coming of the Lord, when they
shall there answer for all things whatsoever they have done in
the body, whether it be good, or whether it be bad.

So, when I departed from them, the book of statutes was
brought, but what they said of it I know nothing at all, neither
did I hear any more from them.

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.

I 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 p. 229for 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.

A Continuation of Mr Bunyan’s Life; beginning where he
left off, and concluding with the Time and Manner of his
Death and Burial: together with his true Character,
etc.

Reader, the painful and industrious
author of this book, has already given you a faithful and very
moving relation of the beginning and middle of the days of his
pilgrimage on earth; and since there yet remains somewhat worthy
of notice and regard, which occurred in the last scene of his
life, the which, for want of time, or fear, some over-censorious
people should impute it to him as an earnest coveting of praise
from men, he has not left behind him in writing.  Wherefore,
as a true friend, and long acquaintance of Mr
Bunyan’s that his good end may be known, as well as
his evil beginning, I have taken upon me, from my knowledge, and
the best account given by other of his friends, to piece this to
the thread too soon broke off, and so lengthen it out to his
entering upon eternity.

He has told you at large, of his birth and education; the evil
habits and corruptions of his youth; the temptations he struggled
and conflicted so frequently with, the mercies, comforts, and
deliverances he found, how he came to take upon him the preaching
of the Gospel; the slanders, reproaches and imprisonments that
attended him, and the progress he notwithstanding made (by the
assistance of God’s grace) no doubt to the saving of many
souls: therefore take these things, as he himself hath
methodically laid them down in the words of verity; and so I pass
on to what remains.

After his being freed from his twelve years’
imprisonment and upwards, for nonconformity, wherein he had time
to furnish the world with sundry good books, etc., and by his
patience, to move Dr Barlow, the then Bishop of
Lincoln, and other church-men, to pity his hard and
unreasonable sufferings, so far as to stand very much his
friends, in procuring his enlargement, or there perhaps he had
died, by the noisomeness and ill usage of the place.  Being
now, I say, again at liberty, and having through mercy shaken off
his bodily fetters,—for those upon his soul were broken
before by the abounding grace that filled his heart,—he
went to visit those that had been a comfort to him in his
tribulation, with a Christian-like acknowledgment of their
kindness and enlargement of charity; giving encouragement by his
example, if it happened to be their hard haps to fall into
affliction or trouble, then to suffer patiently for the sake of a
good conscience, and for the love of God in Jesus Christ towards
their souls, and by many cordial persuasions, supported some
whose spirits began to sink low, through the fear of danger that
threatened their worldly concernment, so that the people found a
wonderful consolation in his discourse and admonitions.

As often as opportunity would admit, he gathered them together
(though the law was then in force against meetings) in convenient
places, and fed them with the sincere milk of the Word, that they
might grow up in grace thereby.  To such as were anywhere
taken and imprisoned upon these accounts, he made it another part
of his business to extend his charity, and gather relief for such
of them as wanted.

He took great care to visit the sick, and strengthen them
against the suggestions of the tempter, which at such times are
very prevalent; so that they had cause for ever to bless God, Who
had put it into his heart, at such a time, to rescue them from
the power of the roaring lion, who sought to devour them; nor did
he spare any pains or labour in travel, though to remote
counties, where he knew or imagined any people might stand in
need of his assistance; insomuch that some, by these visitations
that he made, which was two or three every year (some, though in
a jeering manner no doubt, gave him the epithet of Bishop
Bunyan) whilst others envied him for his so earnestly
labouring in Christ’s vineyard; yet the seed of the Word he
(all this while) sowed in the hearts of his congregation, watered
with the grace of God, brought forth in abundance, in bringing in
disciples to the church of Christ.

Another part of his time is spent in reconciling differences,
by which he hindered many mischiefs, and saved some families from
ruin, and in such fallings-out he was uneasy, till he found a
means to labour a reconciliation, and become a peace-maker, on
whom a blessing is promised in holy writ; and indeed in doing
this good office, he may be said to sum up his days, it being the
last undertaking of his life, as will appear in the close of this
paper.

When in the late reign, liberty of conscience was unexpectedly
given and indulged to dissenters of all persuasions, his piercing
wit penetrated the veil, and found that it was not for the
dissenters’ sakes they were so suddenly freed from the hard
prosecutions that had long lain heavy upon them, and set in a
manner, on an equal foot with the Church of England, which
the papists were undermining, and about to subvert: he foresaw
all the advantages that could have redounded to the dissenters
would have been no more than what Polyphemus, the
monstrous giant of Sicily, would have allowed
Ulysses, viz.: That he would eat his men first, and
do him the favour of being eaten last: for although Mr
Bunyan, following the examples of others, did lay hold of
this liberty, as an acceptable thing in itself, knowing God is
the only Lord of conscience, and that it is good at all times to
do according to the dictates of a good conscience, and that the
preaching the glad tidings of the Gospel is beautiful in the
preacher; yet in all this he moved with caution and a holy fear,
earnestly praying for the averting impending judgments, which he
saw, like a black tempest, hanging over our heads for our sins,
and ready to break in upon us, and that the
Ninevites’ remedy was now highly necessary: hereupon
he gathered his congregation at Bedford, where he mostly
lived, and had lived and spent the greatest part of his life; and
there being no convenient place to be had for the entertainment
of so great a confluence of people as followed him upon the
account of his teaching, he consulted with them for the building
of a meeting-house, to which they made their voluntary
contributions with all cheerfulness and alacrity; and the first
time he appeared there to edify, the place was so thronged, that
many was constrained to stay without, though the house was very
spacious, every one striving to partake of his instructions, that
were of his persuasion, and show their good-will towards him, by
being present at the opening of the place; and here he lived in
much peace and quiet of mind, contenting himself with that little
God had bestowed upon him, and sequestering himself from all
secular employments, to follow that of his call to the ministry;
for as God said to Moses, He that made the lips and heart,
can give eloquence and wisdom, without extraordinary acquirements
in an university.

During these things, there were regulators sent into all
cities and towns corporate, to new model the government in the
magistracy, etc., by turning out some, and putting in others:
against this Mr Bunyan expressed his zeal with some
weariness, as foreseeing the bad consequence that would attend
it, and laboured with his congregation to prevent their being
imposed on in this kind; and when a great man in those days,
coming to Bedford upon some such errand, sent for him, as
’tis supposed, to give him a place of public trust, he
would by no means come at him, but sent his excuse.

When he was at leisure from writing and teaching, he often
came up to London, and there went among the congregations
of the non-conformists, and used his talent to the great
good-liking of the hearers; and even some to whom he had been
mis-represented, upon the account of his education, were
convinced of his worth and knowledge in sacred things, as
perceiving him to be a man of round judgment, delivering himself
plainly and powerfully; insomuch that many, who came mere
spectators for novelty sake rather than to edify and be improved,
went away well satisfied with what they heard, and wondered, as
the Jews did at the Apostles, viz.: Whence this man should
have these things; perhaps not considering that God more
immediately assists those that make it their business
industriously and cheerfully to labour in His vineyard.

Thus he spent his latter years in imitation of his great Lord
and Master, the ever-blessed Jesus; he went about doing good, so
that the most prying critic, or even Malice herself, is defied to
find, even upon the narrowest search or observation, any sully or
stain upon his reputation, with which he may be justly charged;
and this we note, as a challenge to those that have the least
regard for him, or them of his persuasion, and have one way or
other appeared in the front of those that oppressed him; and for
the turning whose hearts, in obedience to the commission and
commandment given him of God, he frequently prayed, and sometimes
sought a blessing for them, even with tears, the effects of
which, they may, peradventure, though undeservedly, have found in
their persons, friends, relations, or estates; for God will hear
the prayer of the faithful, and answer them, even for them that
vex them, as it happened in the case of Job’s
praying for the three persons that had been grievous in their
reproach against him, even in the day of his sorrow.

But yet let me come a little nearer to particulars and periods
of time, for the better refreshing the memories of those that
knew his labour and suffering, and for the satisfaction of all
that shall read this book.

After he was sensibly convicted of the wicked state of his
life, and converted, he was baptized into the congregation, and
admitted a member thereof, viz., in the year 1655, and
became speedily a very zealous professor; but upon the return of
King Charles to the crown in 1660, he was the 12th of
November taken, as he was edifying some good people that
were got together to hear the word, and confined in
Bedford jail for the space of six years, till the act of
Indulgence to dissenters being allowed, he obtained his freedom,
by the intercession of some in trust and power, that took pity on
his sufferings; but within six years afterwards he was again
taken up, viz., in the year 1666, and was then confined
for six years more, when even the jailor took such pity of his
rigorous sufferings, that he did as the Egyptian jailor did to
Joseph, put all the care and trust in his hand: When he
was taken this last time, he was preaching on these words, viz.:
Dost thou believe the Son of God?  And this
imprisonment continued six years, and when this was over, another
short affliction, which was an imprisonment of half a year, fell
to his share.  During these confinements he wrote the
following books, viz.: Of Prayer by the Spirit: The
Holy City’s Resurrection: Grace Abounding:
Pilgrim’s Progress, the first part.

In the last year of his twelve years’ imprisonment, the
pastor of the congregation at Bedford died, and he was
chosen to that care of souls, on the 12th of December
1671.  And in this his charge, he often had disputes with
scholars that came to oppose him, as supposing him an ignorant
person, and though he argued plainly, and by Scripture, without
phrases and logical expressions, yet he nonplussed one who came
to oppose him in his congregation, by demanding, Whether or no we
had the true copies of the original Scriptures; and another, when
he was preaching, accused him of uncharitableness, for saying,
It was very hard for most to be saved; saying, by that he
went about to exclude most of his congregation; but he confuted
him, and put him to silence with the parable of the stony ground,
and other texts out of the 13th chapter of St Matthew, in
our Saviour’s sermon out of a ship; all his methods being
to keep close to the Scriptures, and what he found not warranted
there, himself would not warrant nor determine, unless in such
cases as were plain, wherein no doubts or scruples did arise.

But not to make any further mention of this kind, it is well
known that this person managed all his affairs with such
exactness, as if he had made it his study, above all other
things, not to give occasion of offence, but rather suffer many
inconveniences, to avoid being never heard to reproach or revile
any, what injury soever he received, but rather to rebuke those
that did; and as it was in his conversation, so it is manifested
in those books he has caused to be published to the world; where
like the archangel disputing with Satan about the body of
Moses, as we find it in the epistle of St Jude,
brings no railing accusation (but leaves the rebukers, those that
persecuted him) to the Lord.

In his family he kept up a very strict discipline in prayer
and exhortation; being in this like Joshua, as the good
man expresses it, viz., Whatsoever others did, as for
me and my house, we will serve the Lord: and indeed a
blessing waited on his labours and endeavours, so that his wife,
as the Psalmist says, was like a pleasant vine upon the walls
of his house, and his children like olive branches round
his table; for so shall it be with the man that fears the
Lord, and though by reason of the many losses he sustained by
imprisonment and spoil, of his chargeable sickness, etc., his
earthly treasure swelled not to excess; he always had sufficient
to live decently and creditably, and with that he had the
greatest of all treasures, which is content; for as the wise man
says, That is a continual feast.

But where content dwells, even a poor cottage is a kingly
palace, and this happiness he had all his life long; not so much
minding this world, as knowing he was here as a pilgrim and
stranger, and had no tarrying city, but looked for one made with
hands eternal in the highest heavens: but at length was worn out
with sufferings, age, and often teaching, the day of his
dissolution drew near, and death, that unlocks the prison of the
soul, to enlarge it for a more glorious mansion, put a stop to
his acting his part on the stage of mortality; heaven, like
earthly princes, when it threatens war, being always so kind as
to call home its ambassadors before it be denounced, and even the
last act or undertaking of his, was a labour of love and charity;
for it so falling out that a young gentleman, a neighbour of Mr
Bunyan’s, happening into the displeasure of his
father, and being much troubled in mind upon that account, and
also for that he heard his father purposed to disinherit him, or
otherwise deprive him of what he had to leave; he pitched upon Mr
Bunyan as a fit man to make way for his submission, and
prepare his father’s mind to receive him; and he, as
willing to do any good office, as it could be requested, as
readily undertook it; and so riding to Reading in
Berkshire, he then there used such pressing arguments and
reasons against anger and passion, as also for love and
reconciliation, that the father was mollified, and his bowels
yearned to his returning son.

But Mr Bunyan, after he had disposed all things to the
best for accommodation, returning to London, and being
overtaken with excessive rains, coming to his lodgings extremely
wet, fell sick of a violent fever, which he bore with much
constancy and patience, and expressed himself as if he desired
nothing more than to be dissolved, and be with Christ, in that
case esteeming death as gain, and life only a tedious delaying
felicity expected; and finding his vital strength decay, having
settled his mind and affairs, as well as the shortness of time,
and the violence of his disease would permit, with a constant and
christian patience, he resigned his soul into the hands of his
most merciful Redeemer, following his pilgrim from the City of
Destruction, to the New Jerusalem; his better part having
been all along p.
241there, in holy contemplation, pantings and breathings
after the hidden manna and water of life, as by many holy and
humble consolations expressed in his letters to several persons
in prison, and out of prison, too many to be inserted at
present.  He died at the house of one Mr Struddock, a
grocer, at the Star on Snow Hill, in the parish of St
Sepulchre’s, London, on the 12th of
August 1688, and in the sixtieth year of his age, [241] after ten days’ sickness; and
was buried in the new burying place near the Artillery Ground;
where he sleeps to the morning of the resurrection, in hopes of a
glorious rising to an incorruptible immortality of joy and
happiness; where no more trouble and sorrow shall afflict him,
but all tears be wiped away; when the just shall be incorporated
as members of Christ their head, and reign with Him as kings and
priests for ever.

A brief Character of Mr John
Bunyan

He appeared in countenance to be of
a stern and rough temper, but in his conversation mild and
affable; not given to loquacity or much discourse in company,
unless some urgent occasion required it; observing never to boast
of himself or his parts, but rather seem low in his own eyes, and
submit himself to the judgment of others, abhorring lying and
swearing, being just in all that lay in his power to his word,
not seeming to revenge injuries, loving to reconcile differences,
and make friendship with all; he had a sharp quick eye,
accompanied with an excellent discerning of persons, being of
good judgment and quick wit.  As for his person, he was tall
of stature, strong boned, though not corpulent, somewhat of a
ruddy face, with sparkling eyes, wearing his hair on his upper
lip, after the old British fashion; his hair reddish, but in his
latter days, time had sprinkled it with grey; his nose well set,
but not declining or bending, and his mouth moderate large; his
forehead somewhat high, and his habit always plain and
modest.  And thus have we impartially described the internal
and external parts of a person, whose death hath been much
regretted; a person who had tried the smiles and frowns of time;
not puffed up in prosperity, nor shaken in adversity; always
holding the golden mean.

In him at once did three great worthies shine,
Historian, poet, and a choice divine:
Then let him rest in undisturbed dust,
Until the resurrection of the just.

p.
243POSTSCRIPT

In this his pilgrimage, God blessed
him with four children, one of which, named Mary, was
blind, and died some years before; his other children were
Thomas, Joseph, and Sarah; his wife
Elizabeth having lived to see him overcome his labour and
sorrow, and pass from this life to receive the reward of his
work, long survived him not; but in 1692 she died, to follow her
faithful pilgrim from this world to the other, whither he was
gone before her; whilst his works, which consist of sixty books,
remain for the edifying of the reader, and praise of the
author.

Vale.

FINIS

FOOTNOTES

[184]  The text from which he intended
to preach was, Doth thou believe on the Son of God? 
Jn. ix. 35.  See Preface to his Confession of
Faith.

[187a]  Justice Wingate.

[187b]  Ibid.

[191a]  A right Judas.

[191b]  Bunyan.

[210]  The Venner insurrection is here
referred to.

[214]  Bunyan here refers to a
translation of Wickliffe’s doctrine in John Foxe’s
Martyrology, a favourite book of his.

[219]  April 23, 1661.

[224]  ‘Smayed,’ an
obsolete contraction of ‘dismayed,’

[241]  It is an established fact that
John Bunyan died on Friday, August 31, 1688.  He is recorded
to have preached his last sermon on August 19.