16911 1 A fragment found too late to be inserted in regular order in the volume. 7 d. 2 m. [April.] 1691. This Day, was with mee, a Day of singular Distress. My Father was now on board a Ketch, which attended him, to meet the ship, wherein hee was to take his Voyage for England. This Day the Ship was to sett sail; and I understood that my Father's Enemies, with other Vessels, which had armed Men in them, were to accompany that Ship, till clear of the Coast, that so hee might have no Opportunitie to gett on board. All the Time, of my Father's Absence, in this Difficulty and Obscuritie, I had kept wrestling with God, for his Preservation. Many Psalms had I pray'd and sang, with a particular Application to this Affayr. Especially, the 27th, the 56th, the 57th, the 59th, the 64th, the 121st, the 140th, and the 142d. But this Day, I sett apart for Prayer, with Fasting, before the Lord. I humbled and loathed myself before God, for my former Iniquities, and my present Infirmities. I confessed my Unworthiness of all Mercies; and especially such a Mercy, as the Enjoyment of such a Father, as mine. I Implored of the Lord once and again, that He would this Day, deliver my Father from his Adversaries. The fresh Accounts, which were in the midst of the Day, brought mee, about the Perils now surrounding of my Father, produced in mee such a Distress, that I cast myself prostrate on my Study-floor, and there, with my Mouth in the Dust, I begg'd for my Father's Deliverance; promising that I would within a few Dayes, keep a Day of Thanksgiving unto God, if I might obtain it. My Spirit was, after this, at some Ease, about this perplexing Affair. But I thought myself concerned, further to entreat, that since my Father had now left mee, alone, in a great Place and in a great Work, yett that I might not be alone; or bee destitute of those Assistances from God, without which, I must needs Dishonour Him; which was to mee, the dreadfullest Thought in the World: And the Lord assured mee, that Hee would bee with mee. [xxvii] Well; at Night, the Gentlemen (my Father Philips, the Principal) who had undertaken, for the Safety of my Father, arrived home, and came to tell mee, that my Father, was, beyond the Reach of all Ill men, putt aboard, the Ship intended; thro' the Wonderful Providence of God, causing the same Wind, both to help him, and hurt his pursuers. Thus the Lord heard mee, in the Day that I cried unto Him; I will love the Lord! This Week, dream'd, that being left alone, I was putt upon preaching a Sermon publickly, for which I had no Time to prepare aforehand. I dream'd, that being driven to this extemporaneous Extremity, I preached a Sermon upon those Words, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. The Thoughts, which I had upon this Text, in my Sleep, were so proper and so lively, and I could, after I awoke, remember so many of them, that indeed, I preached the Lords-Day following upon that very Text. And the Week following, I kept a Day of secret Thanksgiving unto the Lord, as I had promised. |