so momentous an influence on Bunyan's spiritual life, evidenced how
thoroughly they had drunk in their pastor's teaching. Bunyan himself was
at this time a "brisk talker in the matters of religion," such as he drew
from the life in his own Talkative. But the words of these poor women
were entirely beyond him. They opened a new and blessed land to which he
was a complete stranger. "They spoke of their own wretchedness of heart,
of their unbelief, of their miserable state by nature, of the new birth,
and the work of God in their souls, and how the Lord refreshed them, and
supported them against the temptations of the Devil by His words and
promises." But what seems to have struck Bunyan the most forcibly was
the happiness which their religion shed in the hearts of these poor
women. Religion up to this time had been to him a system of rules and
restrictions. Heaven was to be won by doing certain things and not doing
certain other things. Of religion as a Divine life kindled in the soul,
and flooding it with a joy which creates a heaven on earth, he had no
conception. Joy in believing was a new thing to him. "They spake as if
joy did make them speak; 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," a veritable "El Dorado,"
stored with the true riches. Bunyan, as he says, after he had listened
awhile and wondered at their words, left them and went about his work
again. But their words went with him. He could not get rid of them. He
saw that though he thought himself a godly man, and his neighbours
thought so too, he wanted the true tokens of godliness. He was convinced
that godliness was the only true happiness, and he could not rest till he
had attained it. So he made it his business to be going again and again
into the company of these good women. He could not stay away, and the
more he talked with them the more uneasy he became--"the more I
questioned my own condition." The salvation of his soul became all in
all to him. His mind "lay fixed on eternity like a horse-leech at the