Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk3.djvu/99

Rh with a strong hand, for neither guilt nor hell could take me off my work.

278. Thus I went on for the space of two years, crying-out against men's sins, and their fearful state because of them; after which the Lord came in upon my own soul, with some sure peace and comfort through Christ, for he did give me many sweet discoveries of his blessed grace through him. Wherefore now I altered in my preaching, for still I preached what I saw and felt; now therefore I did much labour to hold with Jesus Christ in all his offices, relations, and benefits unto the world, and did strive also to discover, to condemn, and remove those false supports and props on which the world doth both lean and by them fall and perish. On these things also I stayed as long as on the other.

279. After this, God let me into something of the mystery of the union of Christ; wherefore that I discovered and showed to them also. And when I had travelled through these three chief points of the Word of God about the space of five years or more, I was caught in my present practice, and cast into prison, where I have lain above as long again to confirm the truth by way of suffering as I was before in testifying of it according to the Scriptures, in a way of preaching.

280. When I have been preaching, I thank God my heart hath often, all the time of this and the other exercise, with great earnestness cried to God that he would make the work effectual to the salvation of the soul; still being grieved lest the enemy should take the word away from the conscience, and, so it should become unfruitful. Wherefore I shall labour tospeak the word as that thereby, if it were possible, the sin and person guilty might be particularized by, it.

281. Also when I have done the exercise it hath gone to my heart to think the word should new fall as rain on stony places; still wishing from my heart, Oh that they who have heard me speak this day did but see as I do what sin, death,