of God to me-ward, professing their souls were edified thereby.

'Wherefore at last, being still desired by the church, after some
solemn prayer to the Lord, with fasting, I was more particularly
called forth, and appointed to a more ordinary and public preaching
of the word, not only to and amongst them that believed, but also
to offer the gospel to those who had not yet received the faith
thereof.'[173]

The ministry of Bunyan's pastor, whom he affectionately called
holy Mr. Gifford, must have been wonderfully blessed. In 1650 only
twelve pious men and women were formed into a Christian church,
and, although subject to fierce persecution, they had so increased
that in 1672 ten members had been solemnly set apart for the work
of the ministry, and they became a blessing to the country round
Bedford. The benighted state of the villages was a cause of earnest
prayer that men might be sent out, apt to teach, and willing to
sacrifice liberty, and even life, to promote the peaceful reign of
the Redeemer. The names of the men who were thus set apart were--John
Bunyan, Samuel Fenn, Joseph Whiteman, John Fenn, Oliver Scott, Luke
Ashwood, Thomas Cooper, Edward Dent, Edward Isaac, and Nehemiah
Coxe.[174] Four of these were permitted to fulfil their course
without notoriety; the others were severely persecuted, fined and
imprisoned, but not forsaken.

Encouraged by the opinion of the church which had been so prayerfully
formed, that it was his duty to proclaim the glad tidings of
salvation, Bunyan entered upon his important work, and was soon
encouraged by a hope that his labours were useful to his fellow-men.
'About this time,' he narrates, 'I did evidently find in my mind