“Thy words were found, and I did eat them.”—JER. xv. 16.
AUGUSTINE (BORN 354, DIED 430).
I WAS saying these things, and weeping in the most bitter contrition of my heart, when, lo! I heard the voice as of a boy or girl, I know not which, coming from a neighbouring house, chanting, and oft repeating, “Take up and read, take up and read.” Immediately my countenance was changed, and I began most earnestly to consider whether it was usual for children in any kind of game to say such words; nor could I remember ever to have heard the like. So, restraining the torrent of my tears, I rose up, interpreting it no other way than as a command to me from heaven to open the book, and to read the first chapter I should light upon. For I have heard of Antony that, accidentally coming in whilst the Gospel was being read, he received the admonition as if what was read were addressed to him, “Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me.” And by such oracle was he forthwith converted unto Thee. So, quickly, I returned to the place where Alypius was sitting; for there had I put down the volume of the Apostles when I rose thence. I grasped, opened, and in silence read that paragraph on which my eye first fell,—”Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” No further would I read, nor did I need; for instantly, as the sentence ended—by a light, as it were, of security infused into my heart—all the gloom of doubt vanished away. (Confessions, book viii., chap. xii).
THOMAS BILNEY (MARTYRED 1531).
I ALSO, miserable sinner, before I would come unto Christ, had spent all that I had upon ignorant physicians, that is to say, unlearned hearers of confession; so that there was but small force of strength left in me (who of nature was but weak), small store of money, and very little wit or understanding; for they appointed me fastings, watchings, buying of pardons and masses; in all which things (as I now understand), they sought rather their own gain than the salvation of my sick and languishing soul. But at last I heard speak of Jesus, even then when the New Testament was first set forth by Erasmus (this was the Greek-Latin edition of 1516); which, when I understood to be eloquently done by him, being allured rather by the Latin than by the Word of God (for at that time I knew not what it meant), I bought it, even by the providence of God—as I do now well understand and perceive—and, at the first reading, as I well remember, I chanced upon this sentence of St. Paul (Oh, most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul!) in 1 Tim. i.—”It is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be embraced, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief and principal.” This one sentence, through God’s instruction and inward working, which I did not then perceive, did so exhilarate my heart, being before wounded with the guilt of my sins, and being almost in despair, that immediately I felt a marvellous comfort and quietness, inasmuch that my bruised bones leaped for joy. (Bilney’s letters to Tunstal. Foxe’s Acts and Monuments, vol. iv., p. 635).
A WISE man looks upon men as he does upon horses; and considers their caparisons of title, wealth and place, but as harness.
—John Newton.