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and comforted in the truth. It would be too 'long,' says he, here to stay, to tell you in par'ticular how God did lead me into the words of Christ, and how he did open them unto me, and 'make them shine before me, and cause them to 'dwell with me, and comfort me over and over; so that I had impressive views of the being of God, and the being of his Son, and Spirit, and word, ' and gospel.' Such are nearly his own words. then speaks of the advantages he derived from Martin Luther's book above-mentioned, of the love and the joys which he experienced. But his trials were not yet finished. He fell into a more grievous and dreadful temptation now, than he had ever before experienced. It troubled him for the space of a year, and followed him so continually, that he says he was not rid of it one day in a month; no not, sometimes, one hour in many days together, unless he was asleep. His temptation was this To sell and part with Christ and it haunted him in almost every thing. After much contest, he felt this thought pass through his heart : Let him go if he will, and he thought also that he felt his heart freely consent thereto. The trouble which he experienced from hence was unspeakably great, as well as long-continued; and was increased by a variety of circumstances which he details, and which must have been like vinegar poured into his wounds. We mean not to enter into all the particulars of his sore distress, or of his deliverance from it. Suffice it to say, that after many struggles with despair, and many suitable instances of relief, and after having mentioned the overwhelming sense of the love of God which he experienced upon his deliverance, he gives the following account of the reasons and uses of this temptation. The causes of it he conceived to be principally these two, that when he had been delivered from any previous

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temptation, he did not pray to God to be kept from the temptations that were to come; the second was, that in an instance which he mentions, he had been guilty of tempting God. The advantages he gained by his temptations, he reckons to be the following. That he was made to possess continually in his soul a very wonderful sense of the value of the blessing, and of the greatness of the glory of God, and of his beloved Son; that he saw the scriptures were truth indeed, most awful in their threatenings, and consoling in their promises, and that he learned more of the nature of the promises, and of the evil of putting by the word of promise. He mentions particularly how he sought to upon those most gracious words of Jesus : Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out," and that he would make to the promise, even though he felt as if it were like running upon the pikes, or as if he had seen that it were as if the Lord would refuse his soul for ever. He says, 'I never saw those heights and depths in grace a d 'love, and mercy, as I saw after this temptation; great sins do draw out great grace; and where 'guilt is most terrible and fierce, there the mercy of God, when shewed to the soul, appears most high and mighty.' He almost immediately after adds, I 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.'

About the year 1655, Mr. Bunyan being a Ba tist in principle, though a friend to mixed commi nion, declared to the Baptist church at Bedford. his desire to walk in the order and ordinances of Christ with them. Mr. Gifford, who has been repeatedly mentioned, was the pastor of this church. Mr. Bunyan's desire was complied with, and he of course_communicated with them in the Lord's sup per But he again mentions his temptations soon

after he had been a partaker of that ordinance. Here the enemy followed him with blasphemous and cruel suggestions. However, after various trials of this kind for the space of three quarters of a year, his mind was graciously delivered from them, and he says, that he was then usually comfortable in partaking of that blessed ordinance, and had, he trusted, therein discerned the Lord's body broken for his sins, and that his precious blood had been shed for his transgressions. Though it be manifest from his conduct, that he considered it as the duty of believers to partake of this ordinance, (and certainly it is) yet he thinks that he did not at first partake of it with due reverence.

He next mentions repeated illnesses which he experienced, and temptations connected with them: but from both the Lord delivered him, having the gracious design, not only to render him an eminent Christian, but also to make him the teacher of others. About five or six years after his conversion, some serious and judicious members of the church, thought from his gifts and experience, he was qualified to exhort others. The proposal of such a thing almost confounded him; but at their earnest request and intreaty, he consented, and in private, though with much weakness and infirmity, taught among them. Sometimes, also, he went with some other of his brethren into the country, and gave a word of admonition to serious people. In fine, when his brethren had testified their approbation of his labours, being desired by the church publicly to preach the word, he was, after solemn prayer and fasting, appointed to that work. His own views and desires corresponded with these circumstances, though he still laboured with fear and trembling, under a consciousness of his unworthiness.

When it was known that the profane Bunyan

had become a preacher, some hundreds of nearers flocked around him from all parts. He preached with great success. The simple account which he gives, both of his preaching and success, shews lis how humble he was, under circumstances, which, without caution, have so great a tendency to make men think highly of themselves. I thank God,' he says, ' he gave unto me some measure and bowels of pity for their souls, which did also put me 'forward to labour with great diligence and ear'nestness, to find out such a word, as might, if God would bless it, lay hold of, and awaken the conscience, in which also the good Lord had respect 'unto the desire of his servant; for 1 had not preached long, before some began to be touched, and to be greatly afflicted in their minds, at the apprehension of the greatness of their sin, and of their need of Jesus Christ. 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 were thus 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 shewed to them

the way of salvation.' Thus his usefulness and popularity were connected with the deepest humility; and though his success greatly encouraged him, he was not suffered to fall by the delusions of pride

A remarkable instance of the usefulness of Mr. Bunyan's preaching, is thus given us by a writer who had often held discourse with the person to whom the following anecdote relates. 'Mr. BunIyan being to preach in a country village, (before the restoration of king Charles,) in Cambridge'shire, and the people being gathered together in

'the church-yard, a Cambridge scholar, and none or the soberest of them neither, inquired what 'the meaning of that concourse of people was, (it 'being upon a week-day) and being told, that one Bunyan, a tinker, was to preach there, he gave a boy two pence to hold his horse, saying, he was resolved to hear the tinker prate. And so he 'went into the church to hear him. But God met

him there by his ministry, so that he came out 'much changed, and would (by his good will) hear none but the tinker for a long time after, he him'self becoming a very eminent preacher in that county afterwards.' Mr. Bunyan, in his preaching, differed essentially from those who aim principally at being ingenious, learned, or polite preachers. He spoke with honesty and solemnity. He says, he began with his hearers where the word of God begins, that is, in condemning all flesh; that he was as one sent to them from the dead, going as it were, in chains, to preach to them in chains; that when he had attained greater comfort himself, he altered in his preaching, labouring to hold forth Jesus Christ, in all his offices, relations, and benefits unto the world; and that when he was led into a knowledge of the mystery of the union of Christ, that he discovered also to his hearers. He had an earnest desire for their salvation; avoided lesser points of controversy; felt the greatest pain if the awakened fell back into the service of sin; wished to get into the darkest parts of the country, and labour among the people that were furthest off from profession; was not pleased with persons when they received mere opinions concerning truth, without its impressive and sanctifying influence; was afraid of dealing corruptly with the word of God, and not stating it faithfully; distinguished clearly between the possession of the gifts and grace, and acted as one who was supremely desirous not to be