upon the island, and it happened to be just when I was going to visit
the Englishmen's colony at the farthest part of the island; I say, he
came to me, and told me with a very grave countenance, that he had for
two or three days desired an opportunity of some discourse with me,
which he hoped would not be displeasing to me, because he thought it
might in some measure correspond with my general design, which was the
prosperity of my new colony, and perhaps might put it at least more than
he yet thought it was in the way of God's blessing.

I looked a little surprised at the last part of his discourse, and
turning a little short, "How, Sir," said I, "can it be said, that we are
not in the way of God's blessing, after such visible assistances and
wonderful deliverances as we have seen here, and of which I have given
you a large account?"

"If you had pleased, Sir," said he, with a world of modesty, and yet
with great readiness, "to have heard me, you would have found no room to
have been displeased, much less to think so hard of me, that I should
suggest, that you have not had wonderful assistances and deliverances;
and I hope, on your behalf, that you are in the way of God's blessing,
and your design is exceeding good, and will prosper. But, Sir," said he,
"though it were more so than is even possible to you, yet there may be
some among you that are not equally right in their actions; and you know
that in the story of Israel, one Achan, in the camp, removed God's
blessing from them, and turned his hand so against them, that thirty-six
of them, though not concerned in the crime, were the objects of divine
vengeance, and bore the weight of that punishment."

I was sensibly touched with this discourse, and told him his inference
was so just, and the whole design seemed so sincere, and was really so
religious in its own nature, that I was very sorry I had interrupted
him, and begged him to go on; and in the meantime, because it seemed
that what we had both to say might take up some time, I told him I was
going to the Englishmens' plantation, and asked him to go with me, and
we might discourse of it by the way. He told me he would more willingly
wait on me thither, because there, partly, the thing was acted which he
desired to speak to me about. So we walked on, and I pressed him to be
free and plain with me in what he had to say.

"Why then, Sir," says he, "be pleased to give me leave to lay down a few
propositions as th