The Sovereignty and Goodness of God, Part 20
The twentieth Remove.
It was their uſual manner to remove, when they bad done any miſchief, leſt they ſhould be found out: and ſo they did at this time. We went about three or four miles, and there they built a great Wigwam, big enough to hold an hundred Indians, which they did in preparation to a great day of Dancing. They would ſay now amongſt themſelves, that the Governour would be ſo angry for his loſs at Sudbury, that he would ſend no more about the Captives, which made me grieve and tremble. My Siſter being not ſar from the place where we now were: and hearing that I was here, deſired her maſter to let her come and ſee me, and he was willing to it, and would go with her: but ſhe being ready before him, told him ſhe wonld go before, and was come within a Mile or two of the place; Then he overtook her, and began to rant as if he had been mad; and made her go back again in the Rain; ſo that I never ſaw her till j ſaw her in Charlestown. But the Lord requited many of their ill doings, for this Indian her Maſter, was hanged afterward at Boſton. The Indians now began to come from all quarters, againſt their merry dancing day. Among ſome of them came one Good wife Kettle: I told her my heart was ſo heavy that it was ready to break: ſo is mine too ſaid ſhe, but yet ſaid, I hope we ſhall hear ſome good news ſhortly. I could hear how earneſtly my Siſter deſired to ſee me, & I as earneſtly deſired to ſee her: and yet neither of us could get an opportunity. My Daughter was alſo now about a mile off, and I had not ſeen her in nine or ten weeks, as I had not ſeen my Siſter ſince our firſt taking. I earneſtly deſired them to let me go and ſee them: yea, I intreated, begged, and perſwaded them, but to let me ſee my Daughter; and yet ſo hard hearred were they, that they would not ſuffer it. They made uſe of their tyrannical power whilſt they had it: but through the Lords wonderfull mercy, their time was now but ſhort.
On a Sabbath day, the Sun being about an hour high in the afternoon; came Mr. John Hoar (the Council permitting him, and his own foreward ſpirit inclining him) together with the two forementioned Indians, Tom and Peter with their third Letter from the Council When they came near, I was abroad. though I ſaw them not, they preſently called me in, and bade me ſit down and not ſtir. Then they catched up their Guns, and away they ran, as if an Enemy had been at hand; and the Guns went off apace I manifeſted ſome great trouble, and they asked me what was the matter? I told them, I thought they had killed the Engliſh-man (for they had in the mean time informed me that an Engliſh-man was come) they ſaid, No; They ſhot over his Horſe and under, and before his Horſe; and they puſht him this way and that way, at their pleaſure: ſhewing what they conld do: Then they let them come to their Wigwams. I begged of them to let me ſee the Engliſh man, but they would not. But there was I fain to ſit their pleaſure. When they had talked their fill with him, they ſuffered me to go to him. We asked each other of our welfare, and how my Husband did, and all my Friends? He told me they were all well, and would be glad to ſee me. Amongſt other things which my Husband ſent me, there came a pound of Tobacco: which I ſold for nine ſhillings in Money: for many of the Indians for want of Tobacco, ſmoaked Hemlock, and Ground-Ivy. it was a great miſtake in any, who thought I ſent for Tobacco: for through the ſavour of God, that deſire was overcome. I now asked them, whither I ſhould go home with Mr. Hoar? They anſwered No, one and another of them: and it being night, we lay down with that anſwer; in the morning, Mr Hoar invited the Saggamores to Dinner; but when we went to get it ready, we fond that they had ſtollen the greateſt part of the Proviſion Mr. Hoar had brought, our of his Bags, in the night: And we may ſee the wonderfull power of God, in that one paſſage, in that when there was ſuch a great number of the Indians together, and ſo greedy of a little good food; and no Engliſh there, but Mr. Hoar and my ſelf: that there they did not knock us in the bead, and take what we had: there being not only ſome Proviſion, but alſo Trading-cloth, a part of the twenty pounds agreed upon: But inſtead of doing us any miſchief, they ſeemed to be aſhamed of the fact, and ſaid, it were ſome Matchit Indian that did it. Oh, that we could believe that there is no thing too hard for God! God ſhewed his Power over the Heathen in this, as he did ever the hungry Lyons when Daniel was caſt into the Den. Mr. Hoar called them betime to Dinner, but they are very little, they being ſo buſie in dreſſing themſelves, and getting ready for their Dance: which was carried one by eight of them; four Men and four Squaws: My maſter and miſtriſs being two. He was dreſſed in his Holland ſhirt, with great Laces ſewed at the cail of it, he had his ſilver Buttons, his white Stockins, his Garters were hung round with Shillings, and he had Girdles of Wampom upon his head and ſhoulders. She had a Kerſey Coat, and covered with Girdles of Wampom from the Loins upward: her armes from her elbows to her hands were covered with Bracelets; there were handfulls of Neck-laces about her neck, and ſeverall ſorts of Jewels in her ears. She had fine red Stokins, and white Shoos, her hair powdered and face painted Red, that was alwayes before Black. And all the Dancers were after the ſame manner. There were two other ſinging and knocking on a Kettle for their muſick. They keept hopping up and down one after another, with a Kettle of water in the midſt, ſtanding warm upon ſome Embers, to drink of when they were dry. They held on till it was almoſt night, throwing out Wampom to the ſtanders by. At night I asked them again, if I ſhould go home? They all as one ſaid No, except my Husband would come for me. When we were lain down, my Maſter went out of the Wigwam, and by and by ſent in an Indian called James the Printer, who told Mr. Hoar, that my Maſter would let me go home to morrow, if he would let him have one pint of Liquors. Then Mr. Hoar called his own Indians, Tom and Peter, and bid the & go and ſee whither he would promiſe it before them three: and if he would, he ſhould have it; which he did, and he had it. Then Philip ſmeling the buſineſs cal'd me to him, and asked me what I would give him, to tell me ſome good news, and ſpeak a good word for me, J told him, I could not tell what to give him, I would anothing I had, and asked him what he would have? He ſaid, two Coats and twenty ſhillings in Mony, and half a buſhel of ſeed Corn, and ſome Tobacco. I thanked him for his love: but I knew the good news as well as the crafty Fox. My Maſter after he had had his drink, quickly came ranting into the Wigwam again, and called for Mr. Hoar, drinking to him, and ſaying, He was a good man: and then again he would ſay, Hang him Rogue: Being almoſt drunk, he would drink to him, and yet preſently ſay he ſhould be hanged. Then he called for me, I trembled to hear him, yet I was ſain to go to him, and he drank to me, ſhewing no incivility. He was the firſt Indian I ſaw drunk all the while that I was amongſt them. At laſt his Squaw ran out, and he after her, round the Wigwam, with his mony jingling at his knees: But ſhe eſcaped him: But having an old Squaw he ran to her: and ſo throngh the Lords mercy, we were no more troubled that night. Yet I had not a comfortable nights reſt: for I think J can ſay, j did not ſleep for three nights together. The night before the Letter came from the Council, J could not reſt. J was ſo full of feares and troubles, God many times leaving us moſt in the dark, when deliverance is neareſt: yea, at this time I could not reſt, night nor day. The next night I was overjoyed, Mr. Hoar being come, and that with ſuch good tidings. The third night I was even ſwallowed up with the thoughts of things, viz. that ever I ſhould go home again; and that I muſt go, leaving my Children behind me in the Wilderneſs; ſo that …eep was now almoſt departed from mine eyes.
On Tueſday morning they called their General Court (as they call it) to conſult and determine, whether I ſhould go home or no: And they all as one man did ſeemingly conſent to it, that I ſhould go home; except Philip, …ho would not come among them.
But before I go any further, I would take leave to mention a few remarkable paſſages of providence, which I took ſpecial notice of in my afflicted time.
1. Of the fair opportunity loſt in the long March, a little after the Fort-fight, when our Engliſh Army was ſo numerous, and in purſuit of the Enemy, and ſo near as to take ſeveral and deſtroy them: and the Enemy in ſuch diſtriſs for food, that our men might track them by their rooting in the earth for Groundnuts, whileſt they were …ying for their lives. I ſay, that then our Army ſhould want Proviſion, and be forced to leave their purſuit and return homeward: and the very next week the Enemy came upon our Town, like Bears bereft of their whelps, or ſo many ravenous Wolves, rending us and our Lambs to death. But what ſhall I ſay? God ſeemed to leave his People to themſelves, and order all things for his own holy ends. Shal there be evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it? They are not grieved for the affliction of Joſeph, therefore ſhal they go Captive, with the firſt that go Captive. It is the Lords doing, and it ſhould be marvelous in our eyes.
2. I cannot but remember how the Indians derided the ſlowneſs, and dulneſs of the Engliſh Army, in its ſetting out. For after the deſolations at Lancaſter and Medfield, as I went along with them, they asked me when I thought the Engliſh Army would come after them? I told them I could not tell: It may be they will come in May, ſaid they. Thus did they ſcoffe at us, as if the Engliſh would be a quatter of a year getting ready
3. Which alſo I have hinted before, when the Engliſh Army with new ſupplies were ſent forth to purſue after the enemy, & they underſtanding it: fled before them till they came to Baquaug River, where they forthwith went over ſafely: that that River ſhould be impaſſable to the Engliſh. I can but admire to ſee the wonderfull providence of God in preſerving the heathen for farther affliction to our poor Countrey. They could go in great numbers over, but the Engliſh muſt ſtop: God had an over-ruling hand in all thoſe things.
4. It was thought, if their Corn were cut down, they would ſtarve and dy with hunger: and all their Corn that could be found, was deſtroyed, and they driven from that little they had in ſtore, into the Woods in the midſt of Winter; and yet how to admiration did the Lord preſerve them for his holy ends, and the deſtruction of many ſtill amongſt the Engliſh! ſtrangely did the Lord provide for them; that I did not ſee (all the time I was among them) one Man, Woman, or Child, die with hunger.
Though many times they would eat that, that a Hog or a Dog would hardly touch; yet by that God ſtrengthned them to be a ſecurge to his People.
The chief and commoneſt food was Ground-nuts: They eat alſo Nuts and Acorns, Harty choaks, Lilly roots, Ground beans, and ſeveral other weeds and roots, that I know nor.
They would pick up old bones, and cut them to pieces at the joynts, and if they were full of wormes and magots, they would ſcald them over the fire to make the vermine come out, and then boile them, and drink up the Liquor, and then beat the great end, of them in a Morter, and ſo eat them. They would eat Horſes guts, and ears, and all ſorts of wild Birds which they could catch: alſo Bear, Venmſon, Beaver, Tortois, Frogs, Squirrels, Dogs, Skunks, Rattle-ſnakes; yea, the very Bark of Trecs; beſides all ſorts of creatures, and proviſion which they plundered from the Engliſh. I can but ſtand in admiration to ſee the wonderful power of God, in providing for ſuch a vaſt number of our Enemies in the Wilderneſs, where there was nothing to be ſeen, but from hand to mouth. Many times in a morning, the generality of them, would eat up all they had, and yet have ſome further ſupply againſt they wanted. It is ſaid, Pſal. 81.13, 14. Oh, that my People bad hearkned to me, and Iſrael had walked in my wayes, I ſhould ſoon have ſubdued their Enemies, and turned my hand against their Adverſaries. But now our perverſe and evil carriages in the ſight of the Lord, have ſo offended him, that inſtead of turning his hand againſt them, the Lord feeds & nouriſhes them up to be a ſcourge to the whole Land.
5. Another thing that I would obſerve is, the ſtrange providence of God in turning things about when the Indians was at the higheſt, and the Engliſh at the loweſt. I was with the Enemy eleven weeks and five dayes, and not one Week paſſed without the fury of the Enemy, and ſome deſolation by fire and ſword upon one place or other. They mourned (with their black faces) for their own loſſes: yet triumphed and rejoyced in their inhumane, and many times deviliſh eruelty to the Engliſh. They would boaſt much of their Victories; ſaying, that in two hours time they had deſtroyed ſuch a Captain, and his Company at ſuch a place; and ſuch a Captain and his Company in ſuch a place; and ſuch a Captain and his Company in ſuch a place: and boaſt how many Towns they had deſtroyed, and then ſcoffe, and ſay, They had done them a good turn, to ſend them to Heaven ſo ſoon. Again, they would ſay, This Summer that they would knock all the Rogues in the head, or drive them into the Sea, or make them flie the Countrey: thinking ſurely, Agag-like, The bitterneſs of Death is paſt. Now the Heathen begins to think all is their own, & the poor Chriſtians hopes to fail (as to man) and now their eyes are more to God, and their hearts ſigh heaven-ward: and to ſay in good earneſt, Help Lord, or we periſh: When the Lord had brought his people to this, that they ſaw no help in any thing but himſelf; then be takes the quarrel into his own hand: and though they had made a pit, in their own imaginations, as deep as hell for the Chriſtians that Summer, yet the Lord hurll'd them ſelves into it. And the Lord had not ſo many wayes before to preſerve them, but now he hath as many to deſtroy them.
But to return again to my going home, where we may ſee a remarkable change of Providence: At firſt they were all againſt it, except my Hu band would come for me; but afterwards they aſſented to it, and ſeemed much to rejoyce in it; ſome askt me to ſend them ſome Bread, others ſome Tobacco, others ſhaking me by the hand, offering me a Hood and Scarfe to ride in; not one moving hand or tongue againſt it. Thus hath the Lord anſwered my poor deſire, and the many earneſt requeſts of others put up unto God for me. In my travels an Indian came to me, and told me, if I were willing, he and his Squaw would run away, and go home along with me: I told him No: I was not willing to run away, but deſired to wait Gods time, that I might go home quietly, and without fear. And now God hath granted me my deſire. O the wonderfull power of God that I have ſeen, and the experience that I have had: I have been in the midſt of thoſe roaring Lyons, and Salvage Bears, that feared neither God, nor Man, nor the Devil, by night and day, alone and in company: ſleeping all ſorts together, and yet not one of them ever offered me the leaſt abuſe of unchaſtity to me, in word or action. Though ſome are ready to ſay, J ſpeak it for my own credit; But I ſpeak it in the preſence of God, and to his Glory. Gods Power is as great now, and as ſufficient to ſave, as when he preſerved Daniel in the Lions Den; or the three Children …u the fiery Furnace. I may well ſay as his Pſal. 107.12 Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the Redeemed of the Lord ſay ſo, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the Enemy, eſpecially that I ſhould come away in the midſt of ſo many hundreds of Enemies quietly and peacably, and not a Dog moving hi: tougue. So I took my leave of them, and in coming along my heart melted into tears, more then all the while I was with them, and I was almoſt ſwallowed up with the thoughts that ever I ſhould go home again. About the Sun going down, Mr. Hoar, and my ſelf, and the two Indians came to Lancaſter, and a ſolemn ſight it was to me. There had I lived many comfortable years amongſt my Relations and Neighbours, and now not one Chriſtian to be ſeen, nor one houſe leſt ſtanding. We went on to a Farm houſe that was yet ſtanding, where we lay all night: and a comfortable lodging we had, though nothing but ſtraw to ly on The Lord preſerved us in ſafety that night, and raiſed us up again in the morning, and carried us along, that before noon, we came to Concord. Now was I full of joy, and yet not without ſorrow: joy to ſee ſuch a lovely ſight, ſo many Chriſtians together, and ſome of them my Neighbours: There I met with my Brother, and my Brother in Law, who asked me, if I knew where his Wife was? Poor heart! he had helped to bury her, and knew it not; ſhe being ſhot down by the houſe was partly burnt: ſo that thoſe who were at Boſton at the deſolation of the Town, and came back afterward, and buried the dead, did not know her. Yet I ws not without ſorrow, to think how many were looking and longing, and my own Chilren amongſt the reſt, to enioy that deliverance that I had now received: and I did not know whither ever I ſhould ſee them again. Being recruited with food and raiment, we went to Boſton that day, where I met with my dear Husband, but the thoughts of our dear Children, one being dead, and the other we could not …ll where, abated our comfort each to other. I was not before ſo much hem'd in with the mercileſs and cruel Heathen, but now as much with pittiful, sender-hearted, and compſſionate Chriſtians. In that poor, and deſtreſſed, and beggerly condition I was received in, I was kindly entertained in ſeverall Houſes: ſo much love I received from ſeveral (ſome of whom I knew, and others I knew not] that I am not capable to declare it. But the Lord knows them all by name: The Lord reward them ſeven fold into their boſoms of his ſpirituals, for their temporals. The twenty pounds the price of my redemption was raiſed by ſome Boſton Gentlemen, and Ms. Ʋſher, whoſe bounty and religious charity, I would not forget to make mention of. Then Mr. Thomas Shepard of Charlstown received us into his Houſe, where we continued eleven weeks; and a Father and Mother they were to us. And many more tender-hearted Friends we met with in that place. We were now in the midſt of love, yet not without much and frequent heavineſs of heart for our poor Children, and other Relations, who were ſtill in affliction. The week following, after my coming in, the Governour and Gouncil ſent forth to the Indians again; and that not without ſacceſs; for they brought in my Siſter, and Good-wife Kectle: Their not knowing where our Children were, was a ſore tryal to us ſtill, and yet we were not without ſecret hopes that we ſhould ſee them again. That which was dead lay heavier upon my ſpirit, than thoſe which were alive and amongſt the Heathen; thinking how it ſuffered with its wounds, and I was no way able to relieve it; and how it was buried by the Heathen in the Wilderneſs from among all Chriſtians. We were hurried up and down in our thoughts, ſometime we ſhould hear a report that they were gone this way, and ſometimes that; and that they were come in, in this place or that: We kept enquiring and liſtning to hear concerning them, but no certain news as yet. About this time the Council had ordered a day of publick Thanks-giving: though I thought I had ſtill cauſe of mourning, and being unſettled in our minds, we thought we would ride toward the Eaſtward, to ſee if we could hear any thing concerning our Children. And as we were riding along [God is the wiſe diſpoſer of all things] between Ipſwich and Rowly we met with Mr. William Hubbard, who told us that our Son Joſeph was come in to Major Waldrens, and another with him, which was my Siſters Son. I asked him how he knew it? He ſaid, the Major himſelf told him ſo. So along we went till we came to Newbury; and their Miniſter being abſent, they deſired my Husband to Preach the Thanks giving for them; but he was not willing to ſtay there that night, but would go over to Salisbury, to hear further, and come again in the morning; which he did, and Preached there that day. At night, when he had done, one came and told him that his Daughter was come in at Providence: Here was mercy on both hands. Now hath God fulſiled that precious Scripture which was ſuch a comfort to me in my diſtreſſed condition, When my heart was ready to ſink into the Earth [my Children being gone I could not tell whither] and my knees trembled under me, And I was walking thorough the valley of the ſhadow of Death: Then the Lord brought, and now has fulſilled that reviving word unto me: Thus ſaith the Lord, Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears. for thy Work ſhall be rewarded, ſaith the Lord, and they ſhall come again from the Land of the Enemy. Now we were between them, the one on the Eaſt, and the other on the Weſt: Our Son being neareſt, we went to him firſt, to Portſmouth, where we met with him, and with the Major alſo: who told us he had done what he could, but could not redeem him under ſiven ponnds; which the good People thereabouts were pleaſed to pay. The Lord reward the Major, and all the reſt, though unknown ſo me, for their labour of Love. My Sitters Son was redeemed for four pounds, which the Council gave order for the payment of Having now received one of our Children, we haſtened toward the other: going back through Newbury, my Husband Preached there on the Sabbath-day: for which they rewarded him many fold.
On Mund ay we came to Charlſtown, where we heard that the Governour of Road-Iſland had ſent over for our Daughter, to take care of her, being now within his Jurisdiction: which ſhould not paſs without our acknowledgments. But ſhe being nearer Rehoboth than Road-Iſland, Mr. Newman went over, and took care of her, and brought her to his own Houſe. And the goodneſs of God was admirable to us in our low eſtate, in that he raiſed up paſſionate Friends on every ſide to us, when we had nothing to recompance any for their love. The Indians were now gone that way, that it was apprehended dangerous to go to her: But the Carts which carried Proviſion to the Engliſh Army, being guarded, brought her with them to Dorcheſter, where we received her ſafe: bleſſed be the Lord ſor it, For great is his Power, and he can do whatſoever ſeemeth him good. Her coming in was aſter this manner: She was travelling one day with the Indians, with her basket at her back; the company of Indians were got before her, and gone out of ſight, all except one Squaw; ſhe followed the Squaw till night, and then both of them lay down, having nothing over them but the heavens, and under them but the earth. Thus ſhe travelled three dayes together, not knowing whither ſhe was going: having nothing to eat or drink but water, and green Hirtle-berries. At laſt they came into Providence, where ſhe was kindly entertained by ſeveral of that Town. The Indians often ſaid, that I ſhould never have her under twenty pounds: But now the Lord hath brought her in upon free-coſt, and given her to me the ſecond time. The Lord make us a bleſſing indeed, each to others. Now have I ſeen that Scripture alſo fulfilled, Deut. 30: 4, 7. If any of thine be driven out to the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee. And the Lord thy God will put all theſe curſes upon thine enemies, and on them which hate thee, which perſecuted thee. Thus hath the Lord brought me and mine out of that horrible pit, and hath ſet us in the midſt of tender-hearted and compaſſionate Chriſtians. It is the deſire of my ſoul, that we may walk worthy of the mercies received, and which we are receiving.
Our Family being now gathered together (thoſe of us that were living) the South Church in Boſton hired an Houſe for us: Then were moved from Mr. Shepards, thoſe cordial Friends, and went to Boſton, where we continued about three quarters of a year: Still the Lord went along with us, and provided graciouſly for us. I thought it ſomewhat ſtrange to fet up Houſe keeping with bare walls; but as Solomon ſayes, Mony anſwers all things; and that we had through the benevolence of Chriſtianfriends, ſome in this Town, and ſome in that, and others: And ſome from England, that in a little time we might look, and ſee the Houſe furniſhed with love. The Lord hath been exceeding good …o us in our low eſtate, in that when we had neither houſe nor home, nor other neceſſaries; the Lord ſo moved the hearts of theſe and thoſe to wards us, that we wanted neither food, nor raiment for our ſelves or ours, Prov. 18.24. There is a Friend which ſticketh cloſer than a Brother. And how many ſuch Friends have we found, and now living amongſt? And truly ſuch a Friend have we found him to be unto us, in whoſe houſe we lived, viz. Mr. James Whitcomb, a Friend unto us near hand, and afar off.
I can remember the time, when I uſed to ſleep quietly without workings in my thoughts, whole nights together, but now it is other wayes with me. When all are faſt about me, and no eye open, but his who ever waketh, my thoughts are upon things paſt, upon the awfull diſpenſation of the Lord towards us; upon his wonderfull power and might, in carrying of us through ſo many difficulties, in returning us in ſafety, and ſuffering none to hurt us. I remember in the night ſeaſon, how the other day I was in the midſt of thouſands of enemies, & nothing but death before me: It … then hard work to perſwade my ſelf, that ever I ſhould be ſatisfied with bread again. But now we are fed with the fineſt of the Wheat, and, as I may ſay, With honey out of the rcok: In ſtead of the Husk, we have the fatted Calf: The thoughts of theſe things in the particulars of them, and of the love and goodneſs of God towards us, make it true of me, what David ſaid of himſelf, Pſal. 6.6. I watered my Couch with my tears. Oh! the wonderfull power of God that mine eyes have ſeen, affording matter enough for my thoughts to run in, that when others are ſleeping mine eyes are weeping.
I have ſeen the extrem vanity of this World: One hour I have been in health, and wealth, wanting nothing: But the next hour in ſickneſs and wounds, and death, having nothing but ſorrow and affliction.
Before I knew what affliction meant, I was ready ſometimes to wiſh for it. When I lived in proſperity; having the comforts of the World about me, my relations by me, my Heart chearfull: and taking little care for any thing; and yet ſeeing many, whom I preferred before my ſelf, under many tryals and afflictions, in ſickneſs, weakneſs, poverty, loſſes, croſſes, and cares of the World, I ſhould be ſometimes jealous leaſt I ſhould have my portion in this life, and that Scripture would come to my mind, Heb. 12.6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and ſcourgeth every Son whom he receiveth. But now I ſee the Lord had his time to ſcourge and chaſten me. The portion of ſome is to have their afflictions by drops, now one drop and then another; but the dregs of the Cup, the Wine of aſtoniſhment: like a ſweeping rain that leaveth no food, did the Lord prepare to be my portion Affliction I wanted, and affliction I had, full meaſure (I thought) preſſed down and running over: yet I ſee, when God calls a Perſon to any thing, and through never ſo many difficulties yet he is fully able to carry them through and make them ſee, and ſay they have been gainers thereby. And I hope I can ſay in ſome meaſure, As David did, It is good for me that I have been afflicted: The Lord hath ſhewed me the vanity of theſe outward things. That they are the Vanity of vanities, and vexation of ſpirit; that they are but a ſhadow, a blaſt, a bubble, and things of no continuance. That we muſt rely on God himſelf, and our whole dependance muſt be upon him. If trouble from ſmallar matters begin to ariſe in me, I have ſomething at hand to check my ſelf with, and ſay, why am I troubled? It was but the other day that if I had had the world, I would have given it for my freedom, or to have been a Servant to a Chriſtian. I have learned to look beyond preſent and ſmaller troubles, and to be quieted under them, as Moſis ſaid, Exod. 14.13. Stand ſtill and ſes the ſalvation of the Lord.
FINIS.
End of the text · Mary Rowlandson, The Sovereignty and Goodness of God (1682)