e Christian doctrine, that he might know Christ
Jesus, in whom is life eternal; I say, when I reflected upon all these
things, a secret joy ran through every part of my soul, and I frequently
rejoiced that ever I was brought to this place, which I had so often
thought the most dreadful of all afflictions that could possibly have
befallen me.

I continued in this thankful frame all the remainder of my time; and the
conversation which employed the hours between Friday and me was such,
as made the three years which we lived there together perfectly and
completely happy, if any such thing as complete happiness can he formed
in a sublunary state. This savage was now a good Christian, a much
better than I; though I have reason to hope, and bless God for it, that
we were equally penitent, and comforted, restored penitents. We had here
the word of God to read, and no farther off from his Spirit to instruct,
than if we had been in England. I always applied myself, in reading the
Scriptures, to let him know, as well as I could, the meaning of what I
read; and he again, by his serious inquiries and questionings, made me,
as I said before, a much better scholar in the Scripture-knowledge than
I should ever have been by my own mere private reading. Another thing I
cannot refrain from observing here also, from experience in this retired
part of my life, viz. how infinite and inexpressible a blessing it is
that the knowledge of God; and of the doctrine of salvation by Christ
Jesus, is so plainly laid down in the word of God, so easy to be
received and understood, that, as the bare reading the Scripture made me
capable of understanding enough of my duty to carry me directly on to
the great work of sincere repentance for my sins, and laying hold of a
Saviour for life and salvation, to a stated reformation in practice, and
obedience to all God's commands, and this without any teacher or
instructor, I mean human; so the same plain instruction sufficiently
served to the enlightening this savage creature, and bringing him to be
such a Christian, as I have known few equal to him in my life.

As to all the disputes, wrangling, strife, and contention which have
happened in the world about religion, whether niceties in doctrines, or
schemes of church-government, they were all perfectly useless to us,
and, for aught I can yet see, they have been so to the rest of the
world. We had the sure guide to heaven, viz. the word of God; and we
had, bles