 much better than I; though I have reason to
hope, and bless God for it, that we were equally penitent, and comforted
restor'd 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 apply'd my self in Reading the Scripture, to let him know, as well
as I could, the Meaning of what I read; and he again, by his serious Enquiries,
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 private meer
Reading. Another thing I cannot refrain from observing here also from
Experience, in this retir'd 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 receiv'd 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 Instructer; I mean, humane; so
the same plain Instruction sufficiently serv'd to the enlightning 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, Wranglings, Strife and Contention, which has
happen'd in the World about Religion, whether Niceties in Doctrines, or Schemes
of Church Government, they were all perfectly useless to us; as for ought I can
yet see, they have been to all the rest of the World: We had the sure Guide to
Heaven, viz. The Word of God; and we had, blessed be God, comfortable Views of
the Spirit of God teaching and instructing us by his Word, leading us into all
Truth, and making us both willing and obedient to the Instruction of his Word,
and I cannot see the least Use that the greatest Knowledge of the disputed
Points in Religion which have made such Confusions in the World would have been
to us, if we could have obtain'd it; but I must go on with the Historical Part
of Things, and take every Part in its order.
    After Friday and I became more intimately acquainted,
