arrested, and, with eleven of his comrades, was doomed to die. The
night before the day fixed for his execution his sister came to visit
him. She found the guard asleep, and, with her assistance, the
prisoner effected his escape. For three days he was hid in a field,
in the bottom of a deep ditch; but at last he contrived to get away
to a place of safety in the neighbourhood of Bedford. Being there a
perfect stranger, he ventured on the practice of physic; but he was
still abandoned to reckless habits and outrageous vice. One evening
he lost a large sum of money at the gaming-table, and in the
fierceness of his chagrin his mind was filled with the most desperate
thoughts of the providence of God. In his vexation he snatched up a
book. It was a volume of Bolton, a solemn and forceful writer then
well known. A sentence in this book so fixed on his conscience that
for many weeks he could get no rest in his spirit. When at last he
found forgiveness through the blood of Christ, his joy was extreme,
and, except for two days before his death, he never lost the
comfortable persuasion of God's love. For some time the few pious
individuals in that neighbourhood would not believe that such a
reprobate was really converted; but, nothing daunted by their
distrust, like his prototype of Tarsus, he began to preach the Word
with boldness, and, endowed with a vigorous mind and a fervent
spirit, remarkable success attended his ministry. A little church
was formed, and he was invited to become its pastor; and there he
continued till he died. {2} It was to this Mr Gifford that Bunyan
was at this time introduced; and though the conversations of this
"Evangelist" brought him no immediate comfort, it was well for him to
enjoy the friendship and sympathy of one whose own views were so
clear and happy.

It is instructive to find, that, amid all the depression of these