to each other by what means they had been afflicted, and how they were borne up under his assaults. They also discoursed of their own wretchedness of heart, and of their unbelief, and did contemn, slight, and abhor their own righteousness as filthy, "and insufficient to do them any good.
88. And methought they spake with such pleasantness of Scripture language, and with such appearance of grace in all they said, that they were to me as if they had found a new world was if they were people that dwelt alone, and were not to be reckoned among their neighbours. (Num. xxiii. 9.)
39. At this I felt my own heart begin to shake, for I saw that in all my thoughts about religion and Salvation the new birth did never enter into my mind; neither knew I the comfort of the word and promise, nor the deceitfulness and treachery of my own wicked heart. As for secret thoughts, I tool: no notice of them; neither did I understand what Satan's temptations were, nor how they were to be withstood and resisted, etc.
40. Thus, therefore, when I had heard and considered what they said, I left them, and went about my employment again. But my heart would tarry with them; for I was greatly affected with their words, because by them I was convinced that I wanted the true token of a truly godly man, and also because I was convinced of the happy and blessed condition of him that was such a one.
41. Therefore I would often make it my business to be going again and again into the company of these poor people, for I could not stay away; and the more I went among them the more I did question my condition. And, as I still do remember, presently I found two things within me at which I did sometimes marvel, especially considering what a blind, ignorant, sordid, and ungodly wretch but just before I was. The one was a very great softness and tenderness of heart, which caused me to fall under the conviction of what by Scripture they asserted; and the other was a bending in my
