About this Time, thro' the Largeness of my Family, and the Negligence of those that should have been concerned for me, and perhaps from some other Causes, I fell into some Wants and Straits. I had not Cloathes fitt to be worn; I was cloathed with Rags; (which, O Lord, I acknowledge, that such a Sluggard as I am, deserve to be!) And one or two of my Children are no better accommodated. This Poverty thus pinching and humbling of me, had some very grievous Temptations in it. But the Lord presently helped me, not only to bear my Poverty with Patience, but even to rejoice in it; sweetly to rejoice in these Considerations.

First. Oh! my Conformity to my Glorious Lord JESUS CHRIST, it is, how agreeable! how desirable! Poverty was one special and signal Article of His Condition in the World. And particularly, He was robb'd of His Garments. Why, why then should I complain of the Want of Garments! Any thing that makes my Condition resemble His, tis acceptable to me!

Secondly. Tho' I am cloth'd with Rags, yett I am Owner of the most splendid and glorious Robe in the World. My Saviour has invested me with the matchless Robe of His Righteousness; wherein I stand before the Holy God. O Priviledge, enough to swallow up all Uneasiness at the meannest Habit, that ever any Person was abased withal!

Thirdly. Tho' I can gett no better Clothes than Rags for myself, yett the Lord honours me, by making me the happy Instrument of cloathing other people. The Poor have numberless Releefs, out of my Purse, and by my Means from others, and the Naked are cloathed.

Such Considerations brought me, not only to Submission but even to Cheerfulness, under my Humiliations. I resolved, I would bear my Trials, with the Frames of true, vital, joyful, Christianity; and wait on the Lord with a

h

Beleef of the sixth Chapter of Matthew, and be any Thing that God will have me to be.

The Work of Repentance in me, and a Resolution to be Rich in good Works, was quickened on this Occasion.

24 d. 1 m. Thursday. A public Fast; in which I enjoy'd merciful Assistences of God.

1 d. 2 m. [April.] Friday. I sett apart this Day, for Prayer with Fasting, in Secret; on such Occasions as use to employ me this way.

Nothing very remarkable occurred in either of these Dayes.

The Evening before the latter of them, I could not but observe, that if I had not had a very earthly Heart, I might lead an heavenly Life.

I counted, from the Beginning of the Evening, to the Time of my going to Rest, (the Occasions for the Sick, and for Marriages, &c. were so many,) I had been called to pray no less than ten Times; to make no less than ten several Prayers.

This Month has rolled away, with little remarkable in it. Special Services, attempted or purposed, are hinted in my Book of daily Memorials.

After my Lecture, on 21 d. 2 m. I was taken ill; and by Illness confined, from the Services of the Lord's-Day. But in the next Week, I recovered.1

29 d. 2 m. Friday. I enjoy'd more of Heaven, than at some Times, in the Prayers of this Day; which Day I sett apart, as usually. My Faith in the glorious Jesus, as both my Sacrifice and Advocate, was lively. And I was assured, that my great Saviour would own me, as one of His people.

4 d. 3 m. [May.] Wednesday. This Day, the Lord employ'd me in a special Service for Himself, and for His People, and beyond my Expectation. I was to carry on

1 April 26. "Visited Cotton Mather, who has been indisposed." Sewall,. Diary, II. 253.

the Exercises of a Day of Prayer at Malden.1 In the Morning when I arrived there, the principal People gave me to understand, that the Church (both the male and female Part of it,) had been together, and proposed this Day, solemnly to renew their Covenant with God, and one another; and to confess their Sins, particularly their late, long sinful Contentions, and forgive one another, and ask Forgiveness of God and of one another; and bring themselves most explicitly under other Engagements for further Instances of Piety, which the Declensions of the Time invited them to take more particular Notice of. They desired me to furnish them, with an Instrument expressive of these holy Purposes; which I did that Morning. It was also their Desire that I would manage the Action, which was to be done this Day, with all possible Solemnity. Having at Noon, between the Meetings, further prepared the Church, for what was anon to be done; anon, in the Close of the Afternoon, I went thro' the solemn Action; in which, and in the several Speeches, which I made upon the several Parts of it, I enjoy'd most precious Assistences from the Lord. There was a most gracious and powerful Presence of God, in the Assembly; and this Day, will be a Day much remembred among the People, who were concerned in it, or Spectators of what was transacted on it.

Oh! sovereign Grace! How wonderfully doest thou continue, to employ the Chief of Sinners!

II d. 3 m. Wednesday. My dear Son Samuel, was last Friday, taken very sick, of a Feavour, which proves very grievous and mortal, to our Children. The Sickness of the Child growes upon him so far, that the Physicians, begin to conclude he will dye, to despair of his Life.

Beholding the Angel of Death with a drawn Sword thus

1 In 1708 David Parsons was called to the church at Malden, but does not appear to have come before April, 1709, or been ordained till summer. Corey, History of Malden, 470. See p. 9, infra. Mather's text is given on p. 30, infra.

over my Family, I sett apart this Day (tho' myself also much Indisposed,) for Prayer with Fasting before the Lord.

I bewayled the Sins, by which the Life of my Children, and of this desireable Child, has been forfeited. I besought the Pardon of them, thro' the Blood of the Lamb of God; and I pleaded that Blood, as a Family-Sacrifice. I resigned the Child unto the Lord; submitted unto whatever Disposal, the infinite Sovereignty and Faithfulness of God, should make of the Child. I was first and most of all concerned, that the Soul of the Child might be bound up in the Bundle of Life, and that I and mine, might reap spiritual Benefits and improve in Piety, from what befalls the Child. I declared, that I did not ask, that the Child might live, and be a Rebel and a Traitor to God; no, I had rather have him dy in his Infancy, than live in cursed and lothsome Wickedness. And then, I presented my Petition for the Life of the Child. This Petition, with the Child himself, I putt into the Hands of the glorious Advocate, whom I by Faith saw in the Heavens concerned for me; when this Faith came into Exercise, I found my Mind strangely quieted about the Child, and about the Issue of the Danger now upon him.

That my Prayers might be the more effectual, I was willing to have Alms accompany them.

Both my Prayers and my Alms, I putt into the Hands of my Advocate, that He sprinkling of them with His Blood, they may be my, acceptable Præparations for the Mercies of the Lord.

So, I sent unto the Press, an Essay to advance Knowledge and Goodness among Children, and resolved that I would have a considerable Share in the Expence of the Impression. And thus also, from the Evil that befalls, and afflicts my Child, there will arise much good, unto many other Children.

On this Day, the Child gave some Hopes of Revival.

But the Day following his Feavour growes to an Extremity. Wherefore on

13 d. 3 m. Friday. I kept another Day, of Prayer with Fasting, in my Study, for the Life of my Son, and for the Compassion of Heaven to all my Family.

I had also some other Errands unto Heaven. One was, that I might obtain the Presence of the Lord with me, in the Services of the next Week.

Another was, that I might be sheltered from the Malice of our Governour, and Council, and Clergy, who suspect me, to have an hand, in a Book newly come over, which does expose and chastise their criminal Mismanagements.

A great Expedition that is now forming, from Great Britain, and all these Colonies, against our French Neighbours, was another Matter which I had to spread before the Lord. And the sick Families in my next Vicinity, do likewise bespeak my Supplications for them, as well as my own. Among other Considerations with me this Day, one was, that my Saviour has Healing in His Wings. Now, His good Angels are His Wings. I relied on Him then, to send one of His good Angels, to do good, and bring some Help and Health, to my dying Child.

On this Day, the Child began to revive.

The Essay, which I published on this Occasion, has in it, several Instruments of Piety, besides the Abridgment of the Assemblies Catechism. Especially, The Desires of the Repenting Beleever on the Ten Commandments. It is entituled, THE SUMM OF THE MATTER.

16 d. 3 m. Monday. My Wife watch'd last Night, (as she had done every other Night) with the languishing Child.

In the Morning between six and seven a clock, she suddenly fell into her Travail, and quickly, (in a few Minutes

1 1 April 30, as Sewall records, the "Queens Letter is read in Council about the Canada Expedition, and Col. Vetch's Instructions, to which exact Obedience is commanded."