Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk3.djvu/28

28, and as often ready to sink with faintness in my mind; but one day, after I had been many weeks oppressed and cast down therewith, as i was giving up the ghost of all my hopes of ever attaining life, that sentence fell with weight upon my spirit: Look at the generations; of old and see; did even any trust in the Lord and was confounded?

63. At which I greatly encouraged in my soul, for thus at that very instant it wee expounded to me: Begin at the beginning of Genesis, and read to the end of the Revelations, and see if you can find that there was ever any that trusted in the Lord and was confounded. So, coming home, I presently went to my Bible to see if I could find that saying, not doubting but to find it presently, for it was with such strength and comfort on my spirit that I was as if it talked with me.

64. Well, I looked, but I found it not, only it abode upon me; then I did ask first this good men, and then another,if they knew where it was, but they knew no such place. And this I wondered, that such a sentence should so suddenly, end with such comfort end strength, seize and abide upon my heart, and yet that none could find it (for I doubted not but that it was in the Holy Scripture).

65. Thus I continued above a, year, and could not find the place but at last, casting my eye upon the Apocrypha books, I found it in Ecclesiasticus, chap. ii. 10. This; at the first did somewhat daunt me, because it was not in those texts that we call holy and canonical; yet as thin sentence was the sum and substance of many of the promises, it was my duty to take the comfort of it. And I bless God for that word, for it was of good to me. That word doth still of times shine before my face.

66. After this that other doubt did come with strength upon me. But how if the day of grace should be past and gone? how if you have overstood the time of mercy? Now I remember that one day, as walking in the country,