se myself with new thoughts; I daily read the
word of God, and applied all the comforts of it to my present state. One
morning, being very sad, I opened the Bible upon these words, "I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee:" immediately it occurred that these
words were to me; why else should they be directed in such a manner,
just at the moment when I was mourning over my condition, as one
forsaken of God and man? "Well then," said I, "if God does not forsake
me, of what ill consequence can it be, or what matters it, though the
world should forsake me; seeing on the other hand, if I had all the
world, and should lose the favour and blessing of God, there would be no
comparison in the loss?"

From this moment I began to conclude in my mind, that it was possible
for me to be more happy in this forsaken, solitary condition, than it
was probable I should ever have been in any other particular state in
the world; and with this thought I was going to give thanks to God for
bringing me to this place. I know not what it was, but something shocked
my mind at that thought and I durst not speak the words. "How canst thou
be such a hypocrite," said I, even audibly, "to pretend to be thankful
for a condition, which, however thou mayest endeavour to be contented
with, thou wouldest rather pray heartily to be delivered from?" Here I
stopped: but though I could not say I thanked God for being here, yet I
sincerely gave thanks to God for opening my eyes, by whatever afflicting
providences, to see the former condition of my life, and to mourn for my
wickedness, and repent. I never opened the Bible, or shut it, but my
very soul within me blessed God for directing my friend in England,
without any order of mine, to pack it up among my goods; and for
assisting me afterwards to save it out of the wreck of the ship.

Thus, and in this disposition of mind, I began my third year; and though
I have not given the reader the trouble of so particular an account of
my works this year as the first, yet in general it may be observed, that
I was very seldom idle; but having regularly divided my time, according
to the several daily employments that were before me; such as, first, My
duty to God, and the reading the Scriptures, which I constantly set
apart some time for, thrice every day: secondly, Going abroad with my
gun for food, which generally took me up three hours every morning, when
it did not rain: thirdly, Ordering, curing, preserving, and co