HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

gorist has ever been able to touch the heart, and to make- abstractions objects of terror, of pity, and of love.*

It may be doubted whether any English Dissenter hadsuffered more severely under the jpenal laws than JohnBunyan. Of the twenty-seven years which had elapsed sincethe Restoration, he had passed twelve in confinement. Hestill persisted in preaching; but, that he might preach, hewas under the necessity of disguising himself like a carter.He was often introduced into meetings through back doors,with a smock frock on his back, and a whip in his hand. Ifhe had thought only of his own ease and safety, he wouldhave hailed the Indulgence with delight. He was now, atlength, free to pray and exhort in open day. His congrega-tion rapidly increased: thousands hung upon his words; andat Bedford, where he ordinarily resided, money was plenti-fully contributed to build a meeting house for him.. His in-fluence among the common people was such that the govern-ment would willingly have bestowed on him some municipaloffice: but his vigorous understanding and his stout Englishheart were proof against all delusion and all temptation. Hefelt assured that the proffered toleration was merely a baitintended to lure the Puritan party to destruction; nor wouldhe, by accepting a place for which he was not legally quali-fied, recognise the validity of the dispensing power. Oneof the last acts of his virtuous life was to decline an interviewto which he was invited by an agent of the government.**Great as was the authority of Bunyan with the Baptists,that of William Kiffin was still greater. Kiffin was the firstman among them in wealth and station. He was in the habitof exercising his spiritual gifts at their meetings: but he did

* Young classes Bunyan’s prose with Durfey’s poetry. The peopleof fashion in the Spiritual Quixote rank the Pilgrim’s Progress with Jackthe Gianlkiller. Late in the eighteenth century Cowper did not ventureto do more than allude to the great allegorist:

“1 name thee not, lest so despis’d a nameShould move a sneer at thy deserved fame.”

* The continuation of Bunyan’s Life appended to his Grace Abound-ing.