forward, so leave my swearing, that it was a great wonder to myself
to observe it; and whereas before I knew not how to speak unless I
put an oath before, and another behind, to make my words have
authority; now I could, without it, speak better, and with more
pleasantness than ever I could before. All this while I knew not
Jesus Christ, neither did I leave my sports and plays.

29. But quickly after this, I fell into company with one poor man
that made profession of religion; who, as I then thought, did talk
pleasantly of the scriptures, and of the matters of religion;
wherefore falling into some love and liking to what he said, I
betook me to my Bible, and began to take great pleasure in reading,
but especially with the historical part thereof; for as for Paul's
Epistles, and such like scriptures, I could not away with them,
being as yet ignorant, either of the corruptions of my nature, or
of the want and worth of Jesus Christ to save me.

30. Wherefore I fell to some outward reformation both in my words
and life, and did set the commandments before me for my way to
heaven; which commandments I also did strive to keep, and, as I
thought, did keep them pretty well sometimes, and then I should
have comfort; yet now and then should break one, and so afflict my
conscience; but then I should repent, and say, I was sorry for it,
and promise God to do better next time, and there get help again;
for then I thought I pleased God as well as any man in England.

31. Thus I continued about a year; all which time our neighbours
did take me to be a very godly man, a new and religious man, and
did marvel much to see such a great and famous alteration in my
life and manners; and indeed so it was, though yet I knew not