NEEDLESS SPECULATIONS. 268

receiving good, that he has given to us; and that when he pleases
to offer to them occasions of exerting these, they are as ready, nay,
more ready, to apply them to the right uses for which they were
bestowed than we are. And this made me very melancholy
sometimes, in reflecting, as the several occasions presented, how
mean a use we make of all these, even though we have these
powers enlightened by the great Lamp of instruction, the Spirit of
God, and by the knowledge of his Word, added to our understand-
ing; and why it has pleased God to hide the like saving know-
ledge from so many millions of souls, who, if I might judge by
this poor savage, would make a much better use of it than we did.

From hence I sometimes was led too far, to invade the sovereignty
of Providence, and, as it were, arraign the justice of so arbitrary a
disposition of things, that should hide that light from some, and
reveal it to others, and yet expect a like duty from both. But I
shut it up, and checked my thoughts with this conclusion: first,
That we did not know by what light and law these should be con-
demned; but that as God was necessarily, and by the nature of
his being, infinitely holy and just, so it could not be but that if
these creatures were all sentenced to absence from himself, it was
on account of sinning against that light which, as the Scripture
says, was a law to themselves; and by such rules as their con-
sciences would acknowledge to be just, though the foundation was
not discovered to us. And, second, That still as we are all the clay
in the hand of the Potter, no vessel could say to him, Why hast
thou formed me thus?

But to return to my new companion. I was greatly delighted
with him, and made it my business to teach him everything that
was proper to make him useful, handy, and helpful; but especially
to make him speak, and understand me when I spoke: and he was
the aptest scholar that ever was, and particularly was so merry, 80
constantly diligent, and so pleased, when he could but understand
me, or make me understand him, that it was very pleasant to me
to talk to him. And now my life began to be so easy, that I began
vo say to myself, that could I but have been safe from more

savages, I cared not if I was never to remove from the place while
I lived.