t of a few which present the most instruction and interest.

The first I will mention is that of one of the curates of the church in
which I was asked to preach. At this time he was preparing for
confession, and his self-examination had brought him to see and feel
that he was a sinner. Under this course of preparation, the preaching of
the Gospel had much effect upon him, and he came to tell me of his
state. I was able to show him from the Word of God that he was in a
worse condition than he supposed--that actually, by nature, we are lost
sinners now. Under the operation of the Holy Spirit he was brought to
feel this also, and was very miserable.

One day, while officiating at a funeral, the Lord spoke peace to his
soul; so great was his joy, that, he said, he could scarcely refrain
from shouting aloud in the middle of the service. After it was over he
went about everywhere, telling of his conversion, and the Lord's
dealings with his soul.

The result of this was that his fellow-curate (who was also preparing
for confession) was awakened, and came to me in great distress of mind,
declaring he "could not say he was converted," and that he was very
unhappy. He acknowledged that he should not like to die as he was, and
therefore knew he ought not to be satisfied to live in that state.
However, when I got to close dealing with him about his soul, he said
that though he could not say he was saved, he certainly thought that he
was being saved by continual absolution and the sacrament. Upon this, I
was enabled to show him that he did not go to the means of grace, or
even to the Lord's table, because he was saved, but in order to be
saved; and that he was working for life, and not from life. He gave up
disputing, and was not long before he too found peace in believing.

The time was approaching for these two curates to go, as usual, to
confession. They came together to ask me about it. I counselled them to
go, by all means, to the reverend doctor, who usually received their
confession, and to tell him in their own words how the Lord had
convicted and converted them. I said that Bilney, one of the first
martyrs of the Reformation, when he was converted, went immediately to
make confession to Latimer, and by doing so he became the means of his
conversion. "Go, by all means; you do not know what use the Lord may
make of your testimony."

They went accordingly, but did not meet with the happy success of
Bilney, for they were s