moral, and enlightened of her citizens. A century of misery to the
professors of religions had passed, in which the persecutions of
Papists and Puritans, hanging, transporting, murdering by frightful
imprisonments all those who dared to dissent from the church of
England. All this must have produced a debasing effect upon public
morals. Even among professors Bunyan discovered pride, covetousness,
impiety and uncleanness.[172]

Bunyan's religious impressions did not, as Southey states, arise
from his ignorance, brutal manners, low station, nor from the
fanaticism of the age in which he lived. Did the similar feeling of
Job or David spring from these polluted fountains? He is a stranger
to Christ's school that confounds its discipline with mental
drunkenness, or with the other depraved sources alluded to by
Southey. The luxurious imagination which ruled over him, must be
curbed and brought into subjection to Christ. He must be weaned
from a reliance upon sudden impulses to rely upon Divine truth.
The discovery of errors by scriptural investigation was putting
on armour of proof. Self-confidence was gradually swallowed up
by dependence upon the word--the result of the severest spiritual
training. Those painful exercises produced a life of holiness and
usefulness. Can the thistle produce grapes, or the noxious weeds
corn? Never! His experience came from heaven, in mercy to his
soul, and to make him a blessing to millions of his race. By this
he was made truly wise, civilized, enlightened, and elevated.
Every painful feeling was measured by Divine rule--weighed in the
sanctuary balance--not one iota too much or too little to form
his noble character. He has been compared with Lord Byron, one of
our most impassioned thinkers and writers; but the noble poet's
heart-griefs were on the wrong side. Judging of his own feelings