the neck till they be dead, John Bunyan, the object of their envy,
would be still alive and well. I know not whether there be such
a thing as a woman breathing under the copes of the whole heaven,
but by their apparel, their children, or by common fame, except my
wife.

'And in this I admire the wisdom of God, that he made me shy of
women from my first conversion until now. When I have seen good men
salute those women that they have visited, I have made my objection
against it; and when they have answered, that it was but a piece of
civility, I have told them, it is not a comely sight. Some indeed
have urged the holy kiss; but then I have asked why they made baulks,
why they did salute the most handsome, and let the ill-favoured
go. Not that I have been thus kept, because of any goodness in me,
more than any other, but God has been merciful to me, and has kept
me, to whom I pray that he will keep me still, not only from this,
but every evil way and work, and preserve me to his heavenly kingdom.
Amen.'[199]

Notwithstanding all Mr. Bunyan's care to avoid the slightest
appearance of evil, yet being over-persuaded to an act of humanity
and civility to one of his female members, he was most unjustly
calumniated. The circumstances which gave rise to this slander
are narrated in James's Abstract of God's dealings with Mrs. Agnes
Beaumont, of which an abridged account will be found in a note to
the Grace Abounding.[200] It exhibits in a remarkable manner how
easily such reports are raised against the holiest men.

Another still more extraordinary and unnatural charge was made
against Bunyan. He lived at a period when witchcraft, witches,