a withered tree, another by reading the lives and deaths of the
antediluvian fathers, one by hearing of heaven, another of hell, one by
reading of the love or wrath of God, another of the sufferings of Christ,
may find himself, as it were, melted into penitence all of a sudden. It
may be granted also that the greatest sinner may in a moment be converted
to God, and may feel himself wounded in such a degree as perhaps those
never were who have been turning to God all their lives. But, then, it
is to be observed that this suddenness of change or flash of conviction
is by no means of the essence of true conversion. This stroke of
conversion is not to be considered as signifying our high state of a new
birth in Christ, or a proof that we are on a sudden made new creatures,
but that we are thus suddenly called upon and stirred up to look after a
newness of nature. The renewal of our first birth and state is something
entirely distinct from our first sudden conversion and call to
repentance. That is not a thing done in an instant, but is a certain
process, a gradual release from our captivity and disorder, consisting of
several stages and degrees, both of life and death, which the soul must
go through before it can have thoroughly put off the old man. It is well
worth observing that our Saviour's greatest trials were near the end of
His life. This might sufficiently show us that our first awakenings have
carried us but a little way; that we should not then begin to be self-
assured of our own salvation, but should remember that we stand at a
great distance from, and are in great ignorance of, our severest trials."
Such was the way that Christian in his experience and in his wisdom
talked to his young companion till his outward trials and the consequent
discoveries he made of his own weakness and corruption made even Hopeful
himself a sober-minded and a thoughtful man. "Where pain ends, gain ends
too."

Then, again, no one can read Hopeful's remarkable history without