17. This conceit grew so strong in a little time upon my spirit,
that had I but seen a priest (though never so sordid and debauched
in his life), I should find my spirit fall under him, reverence
him, and knit unto him; yea, I thought, for the love I did bear
unto them (supposing them the ministers of God), I could have laid
down at their feet, and have been trampled upon by them; their
name, their garb, and work did so intoxicate and bewitch me.

18. After I had been thus for some considerable time, another
thought came in my mind; and that was, whether we were of the
Israelites or no? For finding in the scripture that they were once
the peculiar people of God, thought I, if I were one of this race,
my soul must needs be happy. Now again, I found within me a great
longing to be resolved about this question, but could not tell how
I should: at last I asked my father of it; who told me, No, we
were not. Wherefore then I fell in my spirit, as to the hopes of
that, and so remained.

19. But all this while, I was not sensible of the danger and evil
of sin; I was kept from considering that sin would damn me, what
religion soever I followed, unless I was found in Christ: nay, I
never thought of Him, or whether there was such a One, or no. Thus
man, while blind, doth wander, but wearieth himself with vanity,
for he knoweth not the way to the city of God. Eccles. x. 15.

20. But one day (amongst all the sermons our parson made) his
subject was, to treat of the Sabbath day, and of the evil of
breaking that, either with labour, sports or otherwise. (Now, I
was, notwithstanding my religion, one that took much delight in all