the Roman Catholics, and conciliate the Dissenters, he issued a
declaration in favour of liberty of conscience, the seal to which
he afterwards broke with his own hands,[273] but he could not
prevent a considerable degree of religious liberty arising from
such vacillating conduct.

Bunyan, who had secured the confidence and esteem of his jailer,
now found his prison more like a lodging-house, and enjoyed great
privileges. He frequently, if not regularly, attended the church
meetings, and preached with some degree of publicity. The church at
Bedford was at this time in want of a pastor, and their eyes were
naturally fixed upon Bunyan to succeed to that important office.
There were two weighty considerations that required Divine guidance
in coming to a conclusion. One was, whether it might injuriously
affect the prisoner's comforts, and the other was, the propriety
of making choice of a Christian brother to be their ministering
elder, while incarcerated in a jail. Feeling these difficulties,
the church held several meetings on the subject, the minutes of
which are very interesting. The first was held at Hawnes, on the
24th of the eighth month (October) 1671, when 'the improvement of
the gifts of the church, and their disposal in an orderly way, were
proposed to consideration, that God might be sought for direction
therein; and a time further to consider and debate thereof, was
appointed this day seven-night, at evening, at Bedford, where the
principal brethren were desired for that purpose to come together,
at brother John Fenn's; and a church-meeting was appointed to be
there that day week. The church was also minded to seek God about
the choice of brother, Bunyan to the office of elder, that their
way in that respect may be cleared up to them.' At a meeting held
at Bedford, on the last day of the ninth month (November), there