OF ROBINSON . CRUSOE. 879

general design, which was the prosperity of my new colony, and per-
haps 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 turn-
ing 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 won-
derful 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 Englishmen’s 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 thithér, 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 the foundation of what I have to say, that we may
not differ in the general principles, though we may be of some differing
opinions in the practice of particulars. First, sir, though we differ in
some of the doctrinal articles of religion (and it is very unhappy that
it is so, especially in the case before us, as I shall show afterwards),
yet there are some general principles in which we both agree, nainely,
first, that there is a God, and that this God, having given us some
stated general rules for our service and obedience, we ought not
willingly and knowingly to offend him, either by neglecting to do what
he has commanded, or by doing what he has expressly forbidden ; and