alone to reflect on his
condition; his first thought was that he should die, and his horror
was inconceivable. Alas! said he, what will become of my poor soul?
I am cut off in the very commission of three great sins: I was
drunk, I was in a horrible passion, and I had oaths and blasphemies
in my mouth. He tried to pray, but he could not; his mind was all
distraction, and he thought he was so very wicked that God would not
forgive him; because, said he, I have sinned against light and
knowledge; I have had a sober education, and good examples; I was
bred in the fear of God, and the knowledge of Christ, and I deserve
nothing but punishment. At length he grew light-headed, and there
was little hope of his life. Whenever he came to his senses for a
few minutes, he cried out, O! that my old companions could now see
me, surely they would take warning by my sad fate, and repent before
it is too late.

By the blessing of God on the skill of the surgeon, and the care of
the nurses, he however grew better in a few days. And here let me
stop to remark, what a mercy it is that we live in a Christian
country, where the poor, when sick, or lame, or wounded, are taken
as much care of as any gentry: nay, in some respects more, because
in hospitals and infirmaries there are more doctors and surgeons to
attend, than most private gentlefolks can afford to have at their
own houses, whereas _there never was a hospital in the whole heathen
world_. Blessed be God for this, among the thousand other excellent
fruits of the Christian religion! A religion which, like its Divine
founder, while its grand object is the salvation of men's souls,
teaches us also to relieve their bodily wants. It directs us never
to forget that He who forgave sins, healed diseases, and while He
preached the Gospel, fed the multitude.

It was eight weeks before Tom could be taken out of bed. This was a
happy affliction; for by the grace of God, this long sickness and
solitude gave him time to reflect on his past life. He began
seriously to hate those darling sins which had brought him to the
brink of ruin. He could now pray heartily; he confessed and lamented
his iniquities, with many tears, and began to hope that the mercies
of God, through the merits of a Redeemer, might yet be extended to
him on his sincere repentance. He resolved never more to return to
the same evil courses, but he did not trust in his own strength, but
prayed that God would give him grace for