The Illustrious Providences in New England, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
An Account of some Remarkables at Norwich in New-England: Special Answers of Prayer made in that place. That People marvelously preserved. The scandalous miscarriage of one so over-ruled by Providence, as to be an occasion of the Conversion of several others. A further account of some personal Deliverances in Norwich. Concerning sudden Deaths which have hapned in New-England.
THere is lately come to my hand an account of some Remarkables, which have hapned at Norwich in New-England; drawn up by Mr. Fitch, the Judicious and eminently Faithful Pastor of the Church in that place; which that others may be incouraged to follow his Example, in observing, and recording the special Works of Divine Providence, I shall here insert, as I received it, and so hasten to finish this Essay. it is that which follows.
Remarkable Providences at Norwich.
1. Many times the Heavens have been shut up but God hath answered our Prayers in sending Rain, and sometimes so speedily and so plentifully after our seeking the Lord by Fasting and Prayer, that the Heathen, now for more than twenty years upon occasion of want of Rain, will speak to us to call upon the Name of the Lord our God; one especial Instance of this kind I have already given, and its upon Record, in the History of the War with the Indians in New-England.
2. Many among us have been in more than ordinary hazard by Rattle-Snakes, some have set their feet upon them, some have been bitten by them upon the skin, and one as he was stooping down to drink at a Spring of Water, spied a Rattle-Snake within two foot of his head rising up against him; thus manifold wayes in danger by this Venimous Creature, and yet none of us have suffered any harm, but only one was bitten in the finger, and in a short time perfectly healed.
3. In the time of the Wars with the Indians, we were not only preserved from the Heathen in the midst of the Heathen, but by the Lords making some of them to be a Wall of Defence unto us. And thus we were saved by a Destroying means.
And at this time the Providence of God was very remarkable in preserving many of our People, in one of our Garrisons, who were driven to Garrison several Houses, and the House of which now I speak, did contain about sixty persons; and in this House one of the Souldiers taking a Gun Loaden with Bullets into his hand, as he stood in a lower Room, the Lock being half bent, and he holding the Gun right upwards, the Gun was Discharged, though many People were in the Chamber, yet none of them suffered any harm, because Providence did guid the Shot into the Summer, that piece of Timber which is the support of the Chamber.
Also one in the same House, looking with a Candle under a Bed for something he wanted, fired some Flax, which filled the Room with Flame and Smoke, and two small Children lay sleeping in this peril, but were preserved from the fire, or any harm by the throng of People in the Room, at length one of the Children was taken up by one of the Men with a purpose of throwing it out of the Chamber Window, but at that very moment thers was such an abatement of the Flame, and hope that the worst of the danger was past, that he held the Child in his Arms; and yet presently after the fire brake out again in the uppermost Room in the House, nigh to a Barrel of Gun-powder: but some were guided, strengthened and succeeded in their endeavour, to the extinguishing the fire; so that the Lives, and Limbs, and Goods of all these was preserved by the good hand of God, who doth wonderfully when we know not what to do.
4. One of the Children of the Church grown up, (though not in full Communion) was left to fall into a most notorious abominable practice, which did occasion the Church to meet and humble their Souls by Fasting and Prayer, and at this time in the Sermon and Prayer, It was Declared, that the Lord had determined either to bring our Children nearer to him, & not to suffer them to live out of full communion with his Church, or else he would in his Anger leave them to such Abominations as shall cut them off from his Church; And since this time, many young People have by the grace of the Lord been prepared for full Communion, and have taken hold of the Covenant, confessing, that they have felt the impression of that Word upon that abashing occasion spoken: And thus the fall of one hath been the rising of many. Where sin abounds, the Lord can make Grace to superabound.
Concerning some Personal Deliverances.
There was a Young-man endeavouring to subdue a young Horse; and a Rope at one end of it was fastned about the Horses neck, but the Horse running with great speed, the other end of the Rope caught the Foot of this Young Man, as in a snare, and was so entangled therein, that he was drawn ten Rods upon his back in a very rough and uneven place of Land, he being utterly unable to free himself, and none at hand that could help him; and thus it being come to this Extremity, the Horse of himself stood still, so long, and no longer time, than that the Young Man did clear his foot out of the Rope; and thus was Delivered out of the Danger, and suffered not a broken Bone, nor any considerable bruise or harm. there was another Young, Man, who sat upon a plough-Beam, and suddenly his Cattle moving his Plough turned, and one of his Legs was entangled within the Plough, and the Plough-Irons pressing hard against some part of his Body, but could not free himself; and the more he called to the Cattle, the more speedily they moved, and thus was in danger of being torn in pieces; but in this extremity it was not long before the Cattle of themselves stood still.
There was another Young Man, who did fall about ten foot from some part of the Mill Timber into deep Waters, and a place of many Rocks, a Stream very violent, and he was carried about eleven Rod down the Stream, where there was a great piece of Ice, and while he was in this confounded and amazed Posture, his hand was guided to take hold of that Ice, and there to hold until one who saw him fall, did adventure upon that Ice, and drew him out of the Waters, and thus they were both delivered.
There was a very aged Man among us, who riding in his Cart over a River, and when the Cattle were coming out of the River, he endeavoured to come out of the Cart, but he did fall down so nigh to the Wheel, that it began to press hard against his Breast, and he only speaking to the Cattle they stood still, and ceased moving till he was removed out of the danger, otherwise, if they had moved a few Inches more, he had been prest to death.
Thus far is Mr. Fitch's Narrative. Had all others been as diligent in observing the Works of God, as this Worthy Person has, the account of New-Englands Remarkabl…s would have been more full and compleat. But other things must be left for another attempt of this kind. I shall only add at present, That there have been many sudden Deaths in this Countrey, which should not pass without some Remark. For when such Strokes are multiplied, there is undoubtedly a speaking voice of Providence therein. And so it hath been with us in New-England this last year, and most of all the last Summer. To my observation in August last, within the space of three or four weeks, there were twelve sudden Deaths (and it may be others have observed more than I did) some of them being in respect of sundry Circumstances exceeding awful. Let me only add here, that sudden Death is not alwayes a Judgement unto those who are taken out of an evil World: It may be a mercy to them, and a warning unto others, as the sudden Death of the Prophet Ezekiels Wife was. Many of whom the World was not worthy, have been so removed out of it. Moses died suddenly. And so have some excellent persons in this Countrey done. Governour Eaton at New-Haven, and Governour Haines at Hartford Died in their sleep without being sick. That Excellent Man of God Mr. Norton, as he was walking in his House in this Boston, was taken with a Syncope, fell down Dead and never spake more. The like has hapned to other Servants of God in other parts of the World. Famous Mr. V…nes, on a Lords Day after he had Preached and Administred the Sacrament, went to Bed well, and went to Heaven that night. Nor is there any rule or reason for Christians to pray absolutely against sudden Death. Some Holy Men have with submission to the Will of the most High, desired and prayed for such a Death. So did Mr. Capel, and God gave him his desire; for on September 21. 1656. having Preached twice that Day, and performed Religious Duties with his Family, he went to Bed and Died immediately. The like is reported by Dr. Euller, in his Church History, concerning that Angelical Man Mr. Brightman, who would often pray, (if God saw fit) that he might die rather a sudden than a lingring Death, and so it came to pass. For as he was Travelling in the Coach with Sr. Iohn Osborne, and reading of a Book (for he would lose no time) he was taken with a Fainting Fit, and though instantly taken out in the Arms of one there present, and all means possible used for his Recovery, he there Died, August 24. 1607. The Learned & Pious Wolfius (not the Divine who has written Commentaries on several parts of the Scriptures; but he that published Lectionum Memorabilium & Reconditarum Centenarios) On May 23. 1600. being in usual Health, was, after he had Dined, surprised with a sudden illness, whereof he Died within a few hours. That Holy Man Iacobus Faber, who did and suffered great things for the Name of Christ, went suddenly into the silent Grave: On a Day when some Friends came to visit him, after he had courteously entertained them, he laid himself down upon his Bed to take some Repose; and no sooner shut his Eyes, but his Heaven-born Soul took its flight into the World of Souls.
The Man who being in Christ, shall alwayes be doing something for God, may bid Death welcome when ever it shall come, be it never so soon, never so suddenly.
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ERRATA.
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