hadnotdoneformanyayear；presentlyadeliciousfeelingstoleoverme。Iwasbeginningtoenjoyexistence。Ishallneverforgetthathour。Iflungmyselfonthesoil，andkissedit；then，springingupwithasuddenimpulse，Irushedintothedepthsofaneighbouringwood，and，fallinguponmyknees，didwhatIhadnotdoneforalong，longtime-prayedtoGod。
　　’Achange，anentirechange，seemedtohavecomeoverme。Iwasnolongergloomyanddespairing，butgayandhappy。Myslumberswerelightandeasy；notdisturbed，asbefore，byfrightfuldreams。I
　　arosewiththelark，andlikehimutteredacheerfulsongofpraisetoGod，frequentlyandearnestly，andwasparticularlycautiousnottodoanythingwhichIconsideredmightcauseHisdispleasure。
　　’AtchurchIwasconstant，andwhentherelistenedwithdeepestattentiontoeverywordwhichproceededfromthemouthoftheminister。InalittletimeitappearedtomethatIhadbecomeagood，verygood，youngman。Attimestherecollectionofthesinwouldreturn，andIwouldfeelamomentarychill；butthethoughtquicklyvanished，andIagainfelthappyandsecure。
　　’OneSundaymorning，afterIhadsaidmyprayers，Ifeltparticularlyjoyous。IthoughtoftheinnocentandvirtuouslifeI
　　wasleading；andwhentherecollectionofthesinintrudedforamoment，said，“IamsureGodwillneverutterlycastawaysogoodacreatureasmyself。“Iwenttochurch，andwasasusualattentive。
　　ThesubjectofthesermonwasonthedutyofsearchingtheScriptures：allIknewofthemwasfromtheliturgy。Inow，however，determinedtoreadthem，andperfectthegoodworkwhichI
　　hadbegun。Myfather’sBiblewasupontheshelf，andonthateveningItookitwithmetomychamber。Iplaceditonthetable，andsatdown。Myheartwasfilledwithpleasinganticipation。I
　　openedthebookatrandom，andbegantoread；thefirstpassageonwhichmyeyeslightedwasthefollowing：-
　　’“HewhocommitteththesinagainsttheHolyGhostshallnotbeforgiven，eitherinthisworldorthenext。“’
　　HerePeterwasseizedwithconvulsivetremors。Winifredsobbedviolently。Igotup，andwentaway。Returninginaboutaquarterofanhour，Ifoundhimmorecalm；hemotionedmetositdown；and，afterashortpause，continuedhisnarration。
　　CHAPTERLXXVI
　　Hastyfarewell-Loftyrock-WrestlingsofJacob-Norest-WaysofProvidence-Twofemales-FootoftheCross-Enemyofsouls-
　　Perplexed-Luckyhour-Valetudinarian-Methodists-Ferventinprayer-YouSaxons-Weakcreatures-Veryagreeable-Almosthappy-Kindnessandsolicitude。
　　’WHEREwasI，youngman？Oh，Iremember，atthefatalpassagewhichremovedallhope。IwillnotdwellonwhatIfelt。Iclosedmyeyes，andwishedthatImightbedreaming；butitwasnodream，butaterrificreality：Iwillnotdwellonthatperiod，Ishouldonlyshockyou。Icouldnotbearmyfeelings；so，biddingmyfriendsahastyfarewell，Iabandonedmyselftohorroranddespair，andranwildthroughWales，climbingmountainsandwadingstreams。
　　’Climbingmountainsandwadingstreams，Iranwildabout，Iwasburntbythesun，drenchedbytherain，andhadfrequentlyatnightnoothercoveringthanthesky，orthehumidroofofsomecave；butnothingseemedtoaffectmyconstitution；probablythefirewhichburnedwithinmecounteractedwhatIsufferedfromwithout。DuringthespaceofthreeyearsIscarcelyknewwhatbefellme；mylifewasadream-awild，horribledream；morethanonceIbelieveI
　　wasinthehandsofrobbers，andonceinthehandsofgypsies。I
　　likedthelastdescriptionofpeopleleastofall；Icouldnotabidetheiryellowfaces，ortheirceaselessclabber。Escapingfromthesebeings，whosecountenancesandgodlessdiscoursebroughttomymindthedemonsofthedeepUnknown，IstillranwildthroughWales，Iknownothowlong。Ononeoccasion，cominginsomedegreetomyrecollection，Ifeltmyselfquiteunabletobearthehorrorsofmysituation；lookingroundIfoundmyselfnearthesea；
　　instantlytheideacameintomyheadthatIwouldcastmyselfintoit，andthusanticipatemyfinaldoom。Ihesitatedamoment，butavoicewithinmeseemedtotellmethatIcoulddonobetter；theseawasnear，andIcouldnotswim，soIdeterminedtoflingmyselfintothesea。AsIwasrunningalongatgreatspeed，inthedirectionofaloftyrock，whichbeetledoverthewaters，I
　　suddenlyfeltmyselfseizedbythecoat。Istrovetotearmyselfaway，butinvain；lookinground，Iperceivedavenerablehaleoldman，whohadholdofme。“Letmego!“saidI，fiercely。“Iwillnotlettheego，“saidtheoldman，andnow，insteadofwithone，hegrappledmewithbothhands。“Inwhosenamedostthoudetainme？“saidI，scarcelyknowingwhatIsaid。“InthenameofmyMaster，whomadetheeandyondersea；andhassaidtothesea，Sofarshaltthoucome，andnofarther，andtothee，Thoushaltdonomurder。““Hasnotamanarighttodowhathepleaseswithhisown？“saidI。“Hehas，“saidtheoldman，“butthylifeisnotthyown；thouartaccountableforittothyGod。Nay，Iwillnotlettheego，“hecontinued，asIagainstruggled；“ifthoustrugglewithmethewholedayIwillnotlettheego，asCharlesWesleysays，inhis’WrestlingsofJacob’；andsee，itisofnousestruggling，forIam，inthestrengthofmyMaster，strongerthanthou“；andindeed，allofasuddenIhadbecomeveryweakandexhausted；whereupontheoldman，beholdingmysituation，tookmebythearmandledmegentlytoaneighbouringtown，whichstoodbehindahill，andwhichIhadnotbeforeobserved；presentlyheopenedthedoorofarespectable-lookinghouse，whichstoodbesidealargebuildinghavingtheappearanceofachapel，andconductedmeintoasmallroom，withagreatmanybooksinit。Havingcausedmetositdown，hestoodlookingatmeforsometime，occasionallyheavingasigh。Iwas，indeed，haggardandforlorn。“Whoartthou？“hesaidatlast。“Amiserableman，“Ireplied。“Whatmakestheemiserable？“saidtheoldman。“Ahideouscrime，“Ireplied。
　　“Icanfindnorest；likeCainIwanderhereandthere。“Theoldmanturnedpale。“Hastthoutakenanother’slife？“saidhe；“ifso，Iadvisetheetosurrenderthyselftothemagistrate；thoucanstdonobetter；thydoingsowillbethebestproofofthyrepentance；andthoughtherebenohopefortheeinthisworldtheremaybemuchinthenext。““No，“saidI，“Ihavenevertakenanother’slife。““Whatthen，another’sgoods？Ifso，restorethemsevenfold，ifpossible：or，ifitbenotinthypower，andthyconscienceaccusethee，surrenderthyselftothemagistrate，andmaketheonlysatisfactionthouartable。““Ihavetakennoone’sgoods，“saidI。“Ofwhatartthouguilty，then？“saidhe。“Artthouadrunkard？aprofligate？““Alas，no，“saidI；“Iamneitherofthese；wouldthatIwerenoworse。“
　　’Thereupontheoldmanlookedsteadfastlyatmeforsometime；
　　then，afterappearingtoreflect，hesaid，“Youngman，Ihaveagreatdesiretoknowyourname。““Whatmattersittoyouwhatismyname？“saidI；“youknownothingofme。““Perhapsyouaremistaken，“saidtheoldman，lookingkindlyatme；“butatalleventstellmeyourname。“Ihesitatedamoment，andthentoldhimwhoIwas，whereuponheexclaimedwithmuchemotion，“Ithoughtso；
　　howwonderfularethewaysofProvidence。Ihaveheardofthee，youngman，andknowthymotherwell。Onlyamonthago，whenuponajourney，Iexperiencedmuchkindnessfromher。Shewasspeakingtomeofherlostchild，withtears；shetoldmethatyouwereoneofthebestofsons，butthatsomestrangeideaappearedtohaveoccupiedyourmind。Despairnot，myson。Ifthouhastbeenafflicted，Idoubtnotbutthatthyafflictionwilleventuallyturnouttothybenefit；Idoubtnotbutthatthouwiltbepreserved，asanexampleofthegreatmercyofGod。Iwillnowkneeldownandprayforthee，myson。“
　　’Hekneltdown，andprayedlongandfervently。Iremainedstandingforsometime；atlengthIkneltdownlikewise。Iscarcelyknewwhathewassaying，butwhenheconcludedIsaid“Amen。“
　　’Andwhenwehadrisenfromourknees，theoldmanleftmeforashorttime，andonhisreturnledmeintoanotherroom，whereweretwofemales；onewasanelderlyperson，thewifeoftheoldman，-
　　theotherwasayoungwomanofveryprepossessingappearancehangnotdownthyhead，Winifred，whoIsoonfoundwasadistantrelationoftheoldman，-bothreceivedmewithgreatkindness，theoldmanhavingdoubtlesspreviouslytoldthemwhoIwas。
　　’Istayedseveraldaysinthegoodman’shouse。IhadstillthegreaterportionofasmallsumwhichIhappenedtohaveaboutmewhenIdepartedonmydolorouswandering，andwiththisIpurchasedclothes，andalteredmyappearanceconsiderably。Ontheeveningoftheseconddaymyfriendsaid，“Iamgoingtopreach，perhapsyouwillcomeandhearme。“Iconsented，andweallwent，nottoachurch，buttothelargebuildingnextthehouse；fortheoldman，thoughaclergyman，wasnotoftheestablishedpersuasion，andtheretheoldmanmountedapulpit，andbegantopreach。“Comeuntome，allyethatlabourandareheavyladen，“etc。etc。，washistext。Hissermonwaslong，butIstillbearthegreaterportionofitinmymind。
　　’ThesubstanceofitwasthatJesuswasatalltimesreadytotakeuponHimselftheburdenofoursins，providedwecametoHimwithahumbleandcontritespirit，andbeggedHishelp。Thisdoctrinewasnewtome；Ihadoftenbeenatchurch，buthadneverhearditpreachedbefore，atleastsodistinctly。Whenhesaidthatallmenmightbesaved，Ishook，forIexpectedhewouldadd，allexceptthosewhohadcommittedthemysterioussin；butno，allmenweretobesavedwhowithahumbleandcontritespiritwouldcometoJesus，castthemselvesatthefootofHiscross，andacceptpardonthroughthemeritsofHisblood-sheddingalone。“Therefore，myfriends，“
　　saidhe，inconclusion，“despairnot-howeverguiltyyoumaybe，despairnot-howeverdesperateyourconditionmayseem，“saidhe，fixinghiseyesuponme，“despairnot。Thereisnothingmorefoolishandmorewickedthandespair；over-weeningconfidenceisnotmorefoolishthandespair；botharethefavouriteweaponsoftheenemyofsouls。“
　　’Thisdiscoursegaveriseinmymindtonoslightperplexity。I
　　hadreadintheScripturesthathewhocommittethacertainsinshallneverbeforgiven，andthatthereisnohopeforhimeitherinthisworldorthenext。Andherewasaman，agoodmancertainly，andonewho，ofnecessity，wasthoroughlyacquaintedwiththeScriptures，whotoldmethatanyonemightbeforgiven，howeverwicked，whowouldonlytrustinChristandinthemeritsofHisblood-shedding。DidIbelieveinChrist？Ay，truly。WasI
　　willingtobesavedbyChrist？Ay，truly。DidItrustinChrist？
　　ItrustedthatChristwouldsaveeveryonebutmyself。Andwhynotmyself？simplybecausetheScriptureshadtoldmethathewhohascommittedthesinagainsttheHolyGhostcanneverbesaved，andI
　　hadcommittedthesinagainsttheHolyGhost，-perhapstheonlyonewhoeverhadcommittedit。HowcouldIhope？TheScripturescouldnotlie，andyetherewasthisgoodoldman，profoundlyversedintheScriptures，whobademehope；wouldhelie？No。Butdidtheoldmanknowmycase？Ah，no，hedidnotknowmycase!butyethehadbidmehope，whateverIhaddone，providedIwouldgotoJesus。ButhowcouldIthinkofgoingtoJesus，whentheScripturestoldmeplainlythatallwouldbeuseless？Iwasperplexed，andyetarayofhopebegantodawninmysoul。I
　　thoughtofconsultingthegoodman，butIwasafraidhewoulddriveawaythesmallglimmer。Iwasafraidhewouldsay，“Ohyes，everyoneistobesaved，exceptawretchlikeyou；Iwasnotawarebeforethattherewasanythingsohorrible，-begone!“Onceortwicetheoldmanquestionedmeonthesubjectofmymisery，butI
　　evadedhim；once，indeed，whenhelookedparticularlybenevolent，I
　　thinkIshouldhaveunbosomedmyselftohim，butwewereinterrupted。Heneverpressedmemuch；perhapshewasdelicateinprobingmymind，aswewerethenofdifferentpersuasions。Henceheadvisedmetoseektheadviceofsomepowerfulministerinmyownchurch；thereweremanysuchinit，hesaid。
　　’Istayedseveraldaysinthefamily，duringwhichtimeImorethanonceheardmyvenerablefriendpreach；eachtimehepreached，heexhortedhishearersnottodespair。Thewholefamilywerekindtome；hiswifefrequentlydiscoursedwithme，andalsotheyoungpersontowhomIhavealreadyalluded。Itappearedtomethatthelattertookapeculiarinterestinmyfate。