ELIZABETH BZTNYAN, was doubly helpless,-was in a terrible situation. She had either no means of earning a subsistence for herself and her dependent infants, or was too much occupied in keeping her little household in order to pursue any trade, for she found herself utterly destitute. The neighbours, however, loved John Bunyan as much as they honoured and admired him ; so there was no lack of substantial offers of assistance in her bitter need. When he had been imprisoned a few days, John Bunyan began to re- consider his brave decision ; perhaps visions of the extremity to which his dear ones would be driven overcame his resolution ; and he offered, through his friends, to give bond for his appearance at the sessions. The magistrates were afraid to take it, " Whereat," he says, " I was not at all daunted, but rather glad, and saw evidence that the Lord had heard me. For before I went down to the Justice, I begged of God, that if I might do more good by being at liberty than in prison, that then I might be set at liberty ; but if not-His will be done for I was not altogether without hopes but that my imprisonment might be an awakening to the saints in the country: therefore I could not tell which to choose ; only I did in that manner commit the thing to God. And verily at my return I did meet my God sweetly in the prison again, comforting of me, and satisfying of me that it was His will and mind that I should be there." Some seven weeks after this the sessions were 16
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