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TES TIMONY OF RE V. JOHN CL O WES. 1 5

thought he had no need to trouble or concern him-self with questions of a speculative nature, which he did not thinkcould add either to his sanctity or in-ward peace.

"Alas!" says he, "I was not aware, at the time, either of the pearls of wisdom which I was over-looking, or of my own want of them, both for orna-ment and for use. I was deceiving myself (as is the case, it is to be feared, with many Christians) by supposing that I had attained the highest point of Christian purification and perfection, and was already in full possession of the supreme good and the su-preme truth, without considering that the Christian life is a continually progressive life, and that to stand still, therefore, under any present attainments, whether of goodness or wisdom, is to change its character from progressive to stagnant."

HIS CONVERSION TO THE NEW CHRISTIANITY.

At length a remarkable circumstance occurred which induced him to take up and read with care and without prejudice, the hitherto neglected volume. The following is the account of it as written by himself: —

" In the month of October, immediately succeeding

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