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17 the root of an unrepenerated nature still remained. With much difficulty, and by slow degrees, he refrained from his accustomed diversions of dancing and ringing ; from the latter, by the apprehension that one of the bells, or even the steeple, might fall, and crush him to death. But hitherto he remained ignorant of Christ, and was " going about to establish his own righteousness." He was yet of that generation who are pure in their own eyes, and yet not wasbed from their filthiness."

Not long after, the providence of God so ordered it, that he went to work at Bedford, and happening to hear some women, who were sitting at a door, talk about the things of God, his curiosity induced him to listen to them ; but he soon found this conversation above his reach. They were speaking at the new birth, and the work of God in their hearts-how they were convinced of their miserable state by nature-how God had visited their souls with his love in Christ Jesus-with what promises they had been refreshed, comforted, and supported, under affliction and the temptations of the enemy. They also talked of the wretchedness of their own hearts, and of their unbelief-of renouncing their own works and righteousness, as insufficient to justify them before God. All this appeared to be spoken in such spiritual language, in such a gracious manner, and with such an air of Christian joy and cheerfulness, that he seemed like one who had found a new world. This conversation was of great service to him. He now saw that his case was not so good as he had fondly imagined-that among all his thoughts of religion, that