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 their discourse, I drew near to hear what they said, for I was now a brisk talker of 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 in their hearts, as 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 what means 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 un belief; and did contemn, slight, and abhor their own right eousness, as filthy, and insufficient to do them any good.

"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.'

"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, &c.

"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.

"Therefore I would 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 among 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."*

John Bunyan is one of the most vigorous Christian characters enrolled in history. He lived in and for both worlds; the things of time and sense, and the things of eternity and faith, obtained proportionate measures of his * "Grace Abounding,” ch. ii.

sympathy, thought, and care. As a neighbour, friend, counsellor, preacher, teacher, administrator, and author, he shone, without any other effort than the unwearying desire to serve Christ and glorify God.

Very rarely, in the nature of things, can we obtain a glimpse of that fellowship of the Spirit which yet to a large extent, pervades the Church in all ages;-the sympathy which is enkindled by common resources in heaven above, and kept up by common liabilities in the world below. In the MS. records of a small church gathered at Cockermouth in 1676, we read, that on April 14th the congregation met, and spent some hours in prayer for the Church of Christ in New England, on account of troubles by the Indians. So again on the 9th of June: and on the 22nd of September they kept a day of thanksgiving for "God's appearing for his people in New England: Blessed be God, who is a God hearing prayer.'"

A pleasant instance do we get of religious friendship from an entry in the diary of Ralph Thoresby, the historian of Leeds, in the year 1692 :

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"September 10th, afternoon. Had a letter recommendatory from Lord Wharton, for the eminent Mr. Howe of London; whose excellent company, with the Rev. Mr. Todd's, I enjoyed rest of day; and evening, his assistance in family duty.

"12th, morning.-Enjoyed Mr. Howe's assistance in family prayer; then accompanied him to Pontefract. Lord, preserve him from the danger of his journey, and convey him safe to his own habitation, that he may be continued as a blessing to his nation !"

A more touching one occurred six years afterwards, when Howe thus writes to his venerable friend Spilsbury, the aged Baptist minister, then drawing near his end :-" If I tell thee I love thee, thou knowest it before as to the quod sit; but for the quid sit, no words can express it; therefore the offer at it is vain. When— when shall we meet above? That will make us pure good company when dulness and sluggishness are shaken off and gone, and we shall be all spirit and life. Cordial salutations from me and mine, to thee and thine. Farewell in our dear Lord and still remember thy entirely affectionate J. Howe."

:

Piety was, however, by no means confined to the illustrious sufferers for conscience' sake who differed from the dominant party. Let it not be supposed that there were not bright lights and loving hearts amongst those who saw not and felt not the necessity for separation.

Let us contemplate the work of Mr. Thomas Gouge, the old vicar of St. Sepulchre's in London. For twentyfour years he preached the Gospel there faithfully, catechized in the church every morning,-instituted industrial reformatory operations, by purchasing a stock of flax and hemp, setting the poor to work, and reclaiming them from poverty and vice. He diligently taught all the children, gave a Bible to every person of age to read it, and required from them an account of their progress. In order to promote education and Biblereading in Wales, he made an annual journey thither. He established between three and four hundred schools in the Principality, published a large translation into Welsh of

the Bible and Liturgy, and distributed them either gratuitously or at a low rate. The house of the Bible Society in Earl-street, and the Ragged School and Reformatory in Field-lane, have appropriately sprung up within sound of the bells of St. Sepulchre.

In fact, the essential identity of Christian doctrine in all ages is paralleled by the close correspondence of Christian action in all time.

In the middle of this seventeenth century, there was a young man of burning zeal and fair abilities passing through the halls of Cambridge,-Thomas Wadsworth. He there formed religious classes among the under-graduates. He became rector of Newington in Southwark by election, and distinguished himself there by carrying out alone many enterprises of mercy in the then scattered suburb, similar to those which have made it renowned in modern times. He preached faithfully and constantly, taught the people from house to house, gave Bibles to the poor, expended his estate and time in works of charity among his parishioners. He was a man of singular ability in work, of good judgment and healthy piety; mighty in prayer, diligent in doing good. After he was ejected by the Bartholomew Act, he still went among the people preaching. Similar testimony might be given concerning hundreds of other good men who pursued the practice of piety and evangelical virtue under difficulties and worldly disfavour.

This similarity of religious action in all times may be discerned in the first formation of Young Men's Christian Associations. In 1632, a number of London apprentices,