"
BUNYAN'S CONVERSION
I speak by experience: I was one of these verminous ones, one of
these great sin-breeders; I infected all the youth of the town where
I was born with all manner of youthful vanities. The neighbors
counted me so; my practice proved me so: wherefore Christ Jesus took
me first, and taking me first, the contagion was much allayed all
the town over. When God made me sigh, they would hearken, and
inquiringly say, "What is the matter with John?" They also gave
their various opinions of me; but, as I said, sin cooled, and failed
as to his full career. When I went out to seek the bread of life,
some of them would follow, and the rest be put into a muse at home.
When it pleased the Lord to begin to instruct my soul, he found me
one of the black sinners of the world; he found me making a sport of
oaths, and also of lies; and many a soul-poisoning meal did I make
out of divers lusts, as drinking, dancing, etc., with the wicked
ones of the world. The Lord finding me in this condition, opened the
glass of his law unto me, showing me so clearly my sins--both the
greatness of them, and also how abominable they were in his
sight--that I thought the very clouds were charged with the wrath of
God, and ready to let fall the fire of his jealousy upon me; yet for
all this I was so wedded to my sins, that I thought with myself, "I
will have them, though I lose my soul," wretch that I was.
Pages:
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235