I was exceedingly pleas’d with this information of my master’s, because it corresponded so well with my own opinion; I thought now if I could but get home, I should be wiser than all my country-folks, my grandfather, or father, or mother, or any of them—­But though I was somewhat enlighten’d by this information of my master’s, yet, I had no other knowledge of God but that He was a Good Spirit, and created every body, and every thing—­I never was sensible in myself, nor had any one ever told me, that He would punish the wicked, and love the just.  I was only glad that I had been told there was a God because I had always thought so.

My dear kind master grew very fond of me, as was his Lady; she put me to School, but I was uneasy at that, and did not like to go; but my master and mistress requested me to learn in the gentlest terms, and persuaded me to attend my school without any anger at all; that, at last, I came to like it better, and learnt to read pretty well.  My schoolmaster was a good man, his name was Vanosdore, and very indulgent to me.—­I was in this state when, one Sunday, I heard my master preach from these words out of the Revelations, chap. i. v. 7. "Behold, He cometh in the clouds and every eye shall see him and they that pierc’d Him." These words affected me excessively; I was in great agonies because I thought my master directed them to me only; and, I fancied, that he observ’d me with unusual earnestness—­I was farther confirm’d in this belief as I look’d round the church, and could see no one person beside myself in such grief and distress as I was; I began to think that my master hated me, and was very desirous to go home, to my own country; for I thought that if God did come (as he said) He would be sure to be most angry with me, as I did not know what He was, nor had ever heard of him before.

I went home in great trouble, but said nothing to any body.—­I was somewhat afraid of my master; I thought he disliked me.—­The next text I heard him preach from was, Heb. xii. 14. "follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD." he preached the law so severely, that it made me tremble.—­he said, that GOD would judge the whole world; Ethiopia, Asia, and Africa, and every where.—­I was now excessively perplexed, and undetermined what to do; as I had now reason to believe my situation would be equally bad to go, as to stay.—­I kept these thoughts to myself, and said nothing to any person whatever.

I should have complained to my good mistress of this great trouble of mind, but she had been a little strange to me for several days before this happened, occasioned by a story told of me by one of the maids.  The servants were all jealous, and envied me the regard, and favour shewn me by my master and mistress; and the Devil being always ready, and diligent in wickedness, had influenced this girl, to make a lye on me.—­This happened about hay-harvest, and one day when I was