e, had
made a blessed election; he was fixed secure in eternal hope, and
depended on Him who so builds his church that the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it. But alas! the very wife of his bosom, whose
heart was hardened against the truth, and whose mind was influenced by
the teachers of false doctrine, became his accuser. Brokenbery, a
creature of the pope, and parson of the parish, received the information
of this wedded Delilah, in consequence of which the poor man was
apprehended. But here the awful judgment of an ever-righteous God, "who
is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity," fell upon this stone-hearted
and perfidious woman; for no sooner was the injured husband captured by
her wicked contriving, than she also was suddenly seized with madness,
and exhibited an awful and awakening instance of God's power to punish
the evil doer. This dreadful circumstance had some effect upon the
hearts of the ungodly hunters who had eagerly grasped their prey; but,
in a relenting moment, they suffered him to remain with his unworthy
wife, to return her good for evil, and to comfort two children, who, on
his being sent to prison, would have been left without a protector, or
have become a burden to the parish. As bad men act from little motives,
we may place the indulgence shown him to the latter account.

We have noticed in the former part of our narratives of the martyrs,
some whose affection would have led them even to sacrifice their own
lives, to preserve their husbands; but here, agreeable to Scripture
language, a mother proves, indeed, a monster in nature! Neither conjugal
nor maternal affection could impress the heart of this disgraceful
woman.

Although our afflicted Christian had experienced so much cruelty and
falsehood from the woman who was bound to him by every tie, both human
and divine, yet, with a mild and forbearing spirit, he overlooked her
misdeeds, during her calamity endeavouring all he could to procure
relief for her malady, and soothing her by every possible expression of
tenderness: thus she became in a few weeks nearly restored to her
senses. But, alas! she returned again to her sin, "as the dog returneth
to his vomit." Malice against the saints of the Most High was seated in
her heart too firmly to be removed; and as her strength returned, her
inclination to work wickedness returned with it. Her heart was hardened
by the prince of darkness; and to her may be applied these afflicting
and soul