Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk3.djvu/38

38 storm came down upon me, which handled me twenty times worse than all I had met with before; it came stealing upon me, now by one piece then by another. First, all my comfort was taken from me; then darkness seized upon me; after which whole floods of blasphemies, both against God, Christ, and the Scriptures, were poured upon my spirit, to my great confusion and astonishment. These blasphemous thoughts were such as stirred up questions in me against the very being of a God and his only beloved Son—as, whether there were in truth a God or Christ, and whether the Holy Scriptures were not rather a fable and cunning story than the holy and pure Word of God.

97. The tempter would also much assault me with this, How can you tell but that the Turks have as good Scriptures to prove their Mahomet the Saviour as we have to prove our Jesus? And could I think that so many ten thousands, in so imany countries and kingdoms, should be without the know— ledge of the right way to heaven (if there were indeed a heaven); and that we only, who live in a corner of the earth, should alone be blessed therewich Every one doth think his Own religion rightest, both Jews, and Moors, and Pagans; and how if all our faith, and Christ, and Scriptures should be but a thinking so too?

98. Sometimes I endeavoured to argue against these suggestions, and to set some of the sentences of blessed Paul against them; but, alas, I quickly felt such arguings as these would return again upon me. Though we made so great a matter of Paul and of his words, yet how could I tell but that in very deed he, being a subtle and cunning man, might give himself up, to deceive with strong delusions, and also take the pains and travail to undo and destroy his fellows.

99. These suggestions, with many others which at this time I may not, nor dare not utter, neither by word or pen, did make such a seizure upon my spirit, both with their number, continuance, and fiery force, that I felt nothing