" With that he went away,
saying with an ill-natured wince: "You made to honour and me to
dishonour! Dirty bow-kail thing that thou be'st!"
"I will have the old rascal on the hip for this, if I live," thought I.
So I went and asked my mother if John was a righteous man. She
could not tell, but supposed he was, and therefore I got no
encouragement from her. I went next to my reverend father, and
inquired his opinion, expecting as little from that quarter. He
knew the elect as it were by instinct, and could have told you of
all those in his own, and some neighbouring parishes, who were
born within the boundaries of the covenant of promise, and who
were not.
"I keep a good deal in company with your servant, old Barnet,
father," said I.
"You do, boy, you do, I see," said he.
"I wish I may not keep too much in his company," said I, "not
knowing what kind of society I am in. Is John a good man,
father?"
"Why, boy, he is but so so. A morally good man John is, but very
little of the leaven of true righteousness, which is faith, within. I
am afraid old Barnet, with all his stock of morality, will be a
castaway.
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