Charity for the covering and preventing of incident offences that way And lastly your intended course of Civil Community will minister continuall occasion of offence and will be as fewel for that fire except you diligently quench it with brotherly forbearance and if taking of offence causlesly or easily at mens doings be so carefully to be avoided how much more heed is to be taken that we take not offence at God himself which yet we certainly do so oft as we do murmure at his Providence in our crosses or bear impatiently such afflictions as wherewith he is pleased to visit us Store up therefore Patience against the evil day without which we take offence at the Lord himself in his holy and just works A fourth thing there is carefully to be provided for viz. That with your common Imployments you joyn conmon Affections truely bent upon the generall Good avoiding as a deadly Plague of your both Common and Special Comforts all retiredness of minde for proper advantage and all singularly affected every manner of way let every man repress in himself and the whole Body in each person as so many Rebels against the Common Good all private respects of mens selves not sorting with the general Convenience And as men are careful not to have a new House shaken with any violence before it be well setled and the parts firmly knit so be you I beseech you Brethren much more carefull that the House of God which you are and are to be be not shaken with unnecessary Novelties or other Oppositions at the first setling thereof Lastly Whereas you are to become a Body Politick using amongst your selves Civil Government and are not furnished with persons of special Eminency above the rest to be chosen by you into Office of Government Let your wisdome and godliness appear not onely in choosing such persons as do intirely love and will promote the Common Good but also in yielding unto them all due Honour and Obedience in their lawful Administrations not beholding in them the ordinariness of their persons but Gods Ordinance for your good not being like the foolish multitude who more honour the gay Coat then either the virtuous minde of the man or the glorious Ordinance of the Lord But you know better things and that the Image of the Lords Power and Authority which the Magistrate beareth is honourable in how mean persons soever and this duty you may the more willingly and ought the more conscionably to perform because you are at least for the present to have them for your ordinary Governours which your selves shall make choice of for that Work Sundry other things of Importance I could put you in minde of and of those before-mentioned in more words but I will not so far wrong your godly mindes as to think you heedless of these things there being also divers amongst you so well able both to admonish themselves and others of what concerneth them These few things therefore and the same in few words I do earnestly commend unto your Care and Conscience joyning therewith my daily and incessant Prayers unto the Lord That He who hath made the Heavens Vpon the receipt of this letter the company was called together and it was publickly read amongst them which had good acceptation with all and after fruit with many and the Earth and Sea and all Rivers of Waters and whose Providence is over all his Works especially over all his dear Children for good would so guide and guard you in your wayes as inwardly by his Spirit so outwardly by the hand of his power as that both you and we also for and with you may have after-matter of praising his Name all the dayes of your and our lives Fare you well in Him in whom you trust and in whom I rest An unfeigned well-willer of your happy success in this hopefull Voyage JOHN ROBINSON Of the Troubles that befell the first Planters upon the Coast of England and in their Voyage in coming over into New England and their arrival at Cape Cod aliàs Cape James ALl things being got ready and every business dispatched they ordered and distributed their Company for either Ship as they conceived for the best and chose a Governour and two or three Assistants for each Ship to order the people by the way and to see to the disposing of the Provision and such like affairs all which was not only with the liking of the Masters of the Ships but according to their desires which being done they set Sail from Southampton the fifth of August 1620. But alas the best Enterprizes meet oftentimes with many discouragements for they had not sailed farre before Mr. Reynolds the Master of the lesser Ship complained that he found his 〈◊〉 so leak as he durst not put further to Sea on which they were forced to put in at Dartmouth Mr. Jones the Master of the biggest Ship likewise putting in there with him and the said lesser Ship was searched and mended and judged sufficient for the Voyage by the Workmen that mended her On which both the said Ships put to Sea the second time but they had not sailed above an hundred Leagues ere the said Reynolds again complained of his Ship being so leak as that he feared he should founder in the Sea if he held on and then both Ships bore up again and went in at Plimouth but being there searched again no great matter appeared but it was judged to be the general weakness of the Ship But the true reason of the retarding and delaying of matters was not as yet discerned the one of them respecting the Ship as afterwards was found was that she was over-Masted which when she came to her trim in that respect she did well and made divers profitable and successful Voyages But secondly and more especially by the deceit of the Master and his Company who were hired to stay a whole year in the Country but now fancying dislike and fearing want of Victuals they plotted this stratagem to free themselves as afterwards was known and by some of them confessed for they apprehended that the greater Ship being of force and in whom most of the Provisions were bestowed that she would retain enough for her self whatsoever became of them and the Passengers But so strong was self-love and deceit in this man as he forgot all duty and former kindness and dealt thus falsly with them These things thus falling out it was resolved by the whole to dismiss the lesser Ship and part of the Company with her and that the other part of the Company should proceed in the bigger Ship which when they had ordered matters in reference thereunto they made another sad parting the one Ship viz. the lesser going back for London and the other viz. The May-flower Mr. Jones being Master proceeding on in the intended Voyage These troubles being blown over and now all being compact together in one Ship they put to Sea again with a prosperous wind but after
in the City of London yet he accomplished his business so as he left things in a fair way for future Composition betwixt the said Merchant-Adventurers and the Plantation and he spake also with some of the Honourable Council afore-named who promised all helpfulness to the Plantation that lay in them About this time it pleased the Lord likewise to give them peace health and good success on their endeavours his holy Name be praised 1626. ABout the beginning of April they heard of Captain Standish his arrival and sent a boat to fetch him home welcome he was but the news he brought was sad in many regards not only in regard of the forementioned losses which their friends had suffered and some of them dead of the Plague but also that Mr. John Robinson their Pastor was dead Mr. John Robinson's death which struck them with much sorrow and sadness as they had great cause his and their adversaries had been long and continually plotting how they might hinder his coming into New-England but now the Lord had appointed him to go a greater journey at less charge to a better place But before I pass things concerning this Worthy Servant of Christ Mr. John Robinson I shall here insert the honourable testimony that Mr. William Bradford senior hath left behinde him concerning him being greatly acquainted with his worth and excellency Saith he such was the mutual love and reciprocal respect that this worthy man had to his flock and his flock to him that it might be said of them as it was once of that famous Emperour Marcus Aurelius and the people of Rome That it was hard to judge whether he delighted more in having such a People or they in having such a Pastor But to return Captain Standish likewise brought the sad news of the death of Mr. Robert Cushman their ancient friend The death of Mr. Robert Cushman whom the Lord took away also this year about the same time who was as their right hand with their friends the Adventurers and for divers years had done and agitated all their business with them to their great advantage of whom occasionally there hath been honourable mention formerly 〈◊〉 in this Book About this time they received divers Letters from their friends at Leyden in Holland full of sad lamentation for their heavy loss by the death of their Pastor Mr. Robinson above-named and although their wills were good to come over to their brethren in New-England yet they saw no probability of means how it might be effected but concluded as it were that all their hopes was cut off and many being aged began to drop away by death All which things before related being well weighed and laid together it could not but strike them with great perplexity and to look humanely on the state of things as they presented themselves at this time it is a marvel it did not wholly discourage and sink them but they gathered up their spirits and the Lord so helped them whose work they had in hand as now when they were very low they began to rise again and being stripped in a manner of all humane helps and hopes he brought things about otherwise in his divine Providence so as they were not only upheld and sustained but their proceedings both honoured and imitated by others as by the sequel will appear 1627. THis Year they sent Mr. Isaac Allerton for England and gave him order to make a Composition with the Adventurers in reference unto some particulars betwixt the Plantation and them which Captain Standish had begun as is before hinted and at the ordinary season of the year for the expectation of ships he returned with some success in the business he was imployed in Likewise this Year they began to make some distribution of Lands having had hitherto but to every person one Acre allowed him as to propriety besides their Home-steads or Garden-plots the reason was that they might keep together both for more safety and defence and the better Improvement of the general Imployments which condition of theirs brings to minde that which may be read in Pliny of the Romans first beginnings in Romulus time Pliny lib. 18. Chap. 2. how every man contented himself with two Acres of Land and had no more assigned them and Chap. 3. It was thought a great Reward to receive at the hands of the People of Rome a Pinte of Corn and long after the greatest Present given to a Captain that had got a Victory over their Enemies was as much ground as he could Till in one day and he was not accounted a good but a dangerous man that would not content himself with seven Acres of Land as also how they did pound their Corn in Mortars as these people were forced to do many years before they could get a Mill. Notwithstanding as abovesaid so small a portion of Land served them at the first yet afterwards for divers Reasons moving thereunto they were necessitated to lay out some larger Proportions to each person yet resolving to keep such a mean in distribution of Lands as should not hinder their growth by others coming to them and therefore accordingly allotted to every one in each Family Twenty Acres to be laid out five Acres in breadth by the Water-side and four Acres in length I may not omit the inserting of a particular that fell out this year in reference unto a Ship with many Passengers in her and some considerable goods which was bound for Virginia who had lost themselves at Sea either by the insufficiency of the Master or his illness for he was sick and lame of the Scurvy so as he could but lye in the Cabbin-door and give direction and it should seem was badly assisted either with Mate or Marriners or else the fear of and the unruliness of the Passengers was such as they made them steer a Course between the Southwest and Northwest that they might fall with some Land whatever it was they cared not for they had been six weeks at Sea and had no Beer nor Water nor Wood left but had burnt up all their empty Cask onely one of the Company had a Hogshead of Wine or two which was also almost spent so as they feared they should be starved at Sea or consumed with Diseases which made them run this desperate Course But it pleased God that although they came so near the Sholes of Cape Cod or else ran stumbling over them in the night they knew not how they came before a small Harbour that lieth about the middle of Mannamoiet Bay to the Southward of Cape Cod and with a small gale of wind and about a high water touched upon a Barre of Sand that lieth before it but had no hurt the Sea being smooth so they laid out an Anchor but towards Evening the wind sprang up at Sea and was so rough as brake their Cable and beat them over the Barre into the Harbour where they saved their Lives and Goods
godly Gentleman and Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth and attended him on his Embassage into Holland and was imployed by him in matters of greatest trust as in keeping of the Keys of the Cautionary Towns delivered up to him for her Majesty and things of the like nature his Master would alwayes in private confer with him as a friend or equal he afterwards lived in good esteem in his own Country and did much good until the troubles of those times enforced his remove into Holland and so into New-England and was in both places of singular use and benefit to the Church and People of Plimouth whereof he was being eminently qualified for such work as the Lord had appointed him unto of which should I speak particularly as I might I should prove tedious I shall content my self therefore only to have made honorable mention in general of so worthy a man And here I might take occasion to mention with admiration the marvellous providence of God that notwithstanding the many changes and hardships that this people viz. the first Planters at New-Plimouth went through and the many Enemies they had and difficulties they met withal that so many of them should live until very old age It was not only this Reverend mans condition but many more of them did the like some dying before and about this time and some living who attained to sixty years of age and to sixty five divers to seventy and some to more then eighty as he did It must needs be more then ordinary and above natural reason that so it should be for it is found in experience that changing of Air Famine and unwholsome Food much drinking of Water Sorrows and Troubles c. all of them are enemies to health causes of much diseases consumers of natural vigor and the bodies of men and shortners of life and yet of all these things they had a large and long part and suffered deeply in the same they went from England to Holland where they found both worse Air Diet then that they came from from thence enduring a long imprisonment in the ships at Sea into New-England how it hath been with them here hath already been shewn what crosses troubles fears wants and sorrows they have been liable unto is easily to be discerned so as in some sort they may say with the Apostle they were in Journeys often 1 Cor. 11.26.27 in perils of Waters in perils of Robbers in perils of their own Nation in perils amongst the Heathen in perils in the Wilderness in perils in the Sea in perils amongst false Brethren in weariness in painfulness in watching often in hunger thirst in fasting often in cold and nakedness What was it then that upheld them It was Gods visitation that preserved their spirits Job 10.12 he that upheld the Apostle upheld them They were persecuted but not forsaken 2 Cor. 4 9. 2 Cor. 9 6. cast down but perished not as unknown and yet known as dying and behold we live as chastened and yet not killed God it seems would have all men behold such works of his Providence as these are towards his people that they in like cases might be incouraged to depend upon him in their trials and also bless his Name when they see his goodness towards others Man lives not by bread only Deut. 8.3 It is not by dainty fare peace rest and hearts ease in enjoying contentments and good things of this World only that preserves health and prolongs life God in such examples would have the World take notice that he can do it without them and if the World will shut their eyes and take no notice thereof yet he would have his people to see and consider it Daniel could be in better liking with â—ulse then with the Kings dainties Jacob though he went from one Nation to another People and passed through Famine Fears and many afflictions yet he lived until old age and died sweetly and rested in the Lord as many others of Gods servants have done and still do through Gods goodness notwithstanding all the malice of their enemies Job 15.32 Psal 55.23 When the branch of the wicked shall be cut off before his day and the bloody and deceitful man shall not live out half his dayes By reason of the plotting of the Narrhagansets ever since the Pequot War the Indians were drawn into a general conspiracy against the English in all parts as was in part discovered the year before and now made more plain and evident by many discoveries and free confessions of sundry Indians upon several occasions from divers places concurring in one with such other concurring circumstances as gave the English sufficiently to understand the truth thereof and to think of means how to prevent the same In which respect together with divers other and more weighty reasons the four Colonies viz. the Massachusets Plimouth Conecticot and New-Haven entred into a more near Union and Confederation the nineteenth day of May 1643. and the Articles of the said confederation were signed by the Commissioners of the said Jurisdictions respectively by which were Authorized thereunto viz. John Winthrop Governour of the Massachusets Thomas Dudley Edward Winslow William Collier Edward Hopkins Thomas Grigson Theophilus Eaton George Fenwick The said Articles at large with sundry other particulars appertaining thereunto together with the particulars concerning the plotting contrivements menacings and insolencies of the Narrhagansets against the English together with the provision and preparation made by the English for an expedition against them See Acts of the Commissioners for the United Colonies of N.E. Aâ— 1644. and 1645. with the yieldings and compliance of the said Narrhagansets to the English and the Composition and Articles of agreement made with them c. these are all to be seen as they are at large extant in the Records of the Commissioners for the United Colonies of New-England whereunto I refer the Reader 1644. THis Year Mr. Edward Winslow was Elected Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were Elected his Assistants in Government Mr. William Bradford Mr. Thomas Prince Mr. William Collier Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Brown Mr. William Thomas Mr. Edmond Freeman This Year Mr. John Atwood died he was a godly man singularly endowed with the grace of Patience and having a large estate became a useful benefactor to the Colonie of New-Plimouth he departed this life expressing great Faith in Christ and a cheerful expectation of the restoration of his body at the general Resurrection in Glory This Year many of the Town of Plimouth by reason of some straights that were upon them took up thoughts of removing to some other place for their better accommodation and for that end made a more exact and particular discovery of a place called by the Indians Namset which place being purchased by them of the Indians divers of the considerablest of the Church and Town removed thither and erected a Town which is now called by
Law I made Bridl ' SEe how God honoured hath this Worthy's Name To make it spell his Virtue and proclame His rare Endowments us'd for God and Us Now such as honour God hee 'll honour thus Both Just and Gentle Merciful and Just And yet a Man and yet compos'd of Dust Yes God within these slender walls can finde A Noble Virtuous Studious Active Minde God was the Guider of his Childhood Youth God did preserve him ever in the Truth And gave him grace to own Him when but yong Whom afterward he made a Champion strong For to defend his People and his Cause By Wisdome Justice Prudence and by Laws And most of all by his own good Example A Patern fit to imitate most ample If we should trace him from the first we finde He flies his Country leaves his Friends behinde To follow God and to profess his Wayes And here encounters Hardships many dayes He is content with Moses if God please Renouncing Honour Profit Pleasure Ease To suffer Tossings and Unsettlements And if their Rage doth rise to Banishments He weighs it not so he may still preserve His Conscience clear and with Gods People serve Him freely ' cording to his minde and will If not in one place hee 'll go forward still If God have Work for him i' th' Ends of th' Earth Safe Danger Hunger Colds nor any Dearth A howling Wilderness nor Salvage men Discourage him hee 'll follow God agen And how God hath made him an Instrument To us of quiet Peace and Settlement I need not speak the eldest youngest know God honour'd him with greater Work then so To sum up all in this still he went hence This man was wholly God's His Recompence Remains beyond expression and he is Gone to possess it in Eternall Bliss Hee 's happy happy thrice unhappy we That still remain more Changes here to see Let 's not lament that God hath taken him From Troubles hence in Seas of Joyes to swim Let 's not lament his gracious Life is ended And he to Life of Glory is attended Nor let us grieve that now Gods Work is done In making him a happy blessed one But let 's bewail that we have so neglected Duty to God or men have disrespected With earnest Lamentations let 's lament And whiles we may let 's seriously Repent That we have not improved as we might For God and for our selves this worthy wight And now that God hath Moses ta'ne away Let 's pray that he would give us Joshua To go before the Camp and to subdue God's and his People's foes whatever Crew Oppose our Journeys to that Land of Rest Which till obtain'd we 're never truely blest And for our better progress in this course Let now our great Necessity enforce Each man to study Peace and to improve His greatest strength to re-unite in Love The Hearts and the Affections of us all Lest by our fault Gods Work to th'ground should fall W hy mourns the People thus for me since I I n Heavens dwell shall to Eternity L et not so many Tears fall from my Friends L ive holy happy God will recompense I nto your bosomes all your love again A nd your affections whiles I did remain M ongst you but now you must refrain B Ear up your hearts dear hearts when thoughts of me R un in your mindes with this The time will be A nd every hower brings it on apace D ear friends when we for ever shall imbrace F arewell but for a season then farewell O ur next Embraces shall the rest excell R est happy Children Friends and Tender Wife D eath but begins the godly's happy Life A few Verses more added by one that was well acquainted with the Worth of the said Mr. William Bradford THe Ninth of May about Nine of the Clock A precious one God out of Plimouth took Governour Bradford then expir'd his breath Was call'd away by force of cruel Death A man approv'd in Town in Church in Court Who so behav'd himself in godly sort For the full space of Thirty seven years As he was means of turning many fears Away from thee poor Plimouth where he spent The better part of time that God him lent Well skill'd he was in Regulating Laws So as by Law he could defend the Cause Of poor distressed Plaintiff when he brought His Case before him and for help besought Above all other men he loved those Who Gospel-truths most faithfully unclose Who were with Grace and Learning fully fraught Such as laboriously the Gospel taught Willing also to own in his due place The meanest Saint expressing gifts of grace Sweet Brewster he is gone some time before Wise Winslow whose death we lament so sore And faithful Standish freed from horrid pain To be with Christ in truth the greatest gain Now blessed holy Bradford a Successor Of blessed holy Bradford the Confessor Is gone to place of Rest with many more Of precious ones whom I might name great store And Commendation of each one have given But what needs that their Names are writ in Heaven And now dear Lord let us our time improve To be with thee in Prayer much above Oh save thy People help in time of need When all means fails be thou in room and stead Of other helps who fail when needed most When greatest need they then give up the ghost And let thy Servants their time still imploy That in the end they may attain such joy As may a fruit of true Believing bee That we with Christ may reign Eternallie This Worthy Gentleman was interred with the greatest solemnities that the Jurisdiction to which he belonged was in a capacity to perform many deep sighs as well as loud volleys of shot declaring that the People were no less sensible of their own loss who were surviving then mindful of the worth and honour of him that was deceased you might now easily discern a heavy heart in the mournful countenance of every sober minded and considerate man for as you have heard in the three or four Years last past God was pleased greatly to weaken this poor tottering Colony of Plimouth by taking away several of the most usefull Props thereof both in Church and Civil State some others who had been of singular use now stooping under the infirmities of old age could not be so serviceable as in times past and others removed so far from the center of the Government that they could not without great difficulties attend their publick concerns nor could possibly so constantly as our necessities required which did greatly aggravate our troubles we were become weak when we had need of greatest strength had lost many of our Chieftains when we stood in need of the best conduct and guidance for besides the troubles and changes that then attended our Native Country and might call for great circumspection in our walking in relation unto them we had also at this very time some amongst us that growing weary of
the long peace and concord that we had enjoyed and hoping to fish better in troubled waters when their bait might be taken in and the hook not easily discerned would willingly have been ringing the Changes in this Jurisdiction also pretending a great zeal for liberty of Conscience but endeavouring to introduce such a liberty of Will as would have proved prejudicial if not destructive to Civil and Church societies and at the same time there arrived in the said Colony many of that pernicious sect called Quakers whose Opinion are a composition of many errors and whose practices tend greatly to the disturbance both of Church and State many unstable people amongst us were leavened with their errors and proved very troublesome to this as well as other Colonies in New-England But the Lord many times delighteth to appear in the Mount of his Peoples miseries distresses and troubles that his power and wisdom may appear when they are weakest and that they may know that their salvation is from him At such a time when the condition of this Colony was such as hath been declared God was pleased to minde it even in its low estate and when he had taken to himself not only our Moses but many of the Elders and Worthies of our Israel he hath not hitherto left us without a Joshua to lead us in the remaining part of our pilgrimage When the usual time for the renewing of our Election of such as should govern us came Mr. Thomas Prince was by unanimous vote chosen Governour and although mens spirits were so distempered as I have related and it might have been expected that they would have been much divided in their choice yet God who disposeth the lot that is cast into the lap so disposed that all their votes centered there a good demonstration that he was chosen of God for us and by his blessing made an Instrument of much peace and settlement in this place and to this people in these times of trouble and confusion The Lord also directing the Freemen of this Jurisdiction at the same time in their Election to the choice of a discreet and able Council to be assistant unto our said honoured Governor in this so weighty Work divers of them being descended of several of the honour'd Magistrates deceased not only bearing their Names but having a large measure of their Spirit bestowed on them befitting them for such Work so as through the goodness of God those storms that seem'd to threaten the subversion of our All and did at first prevaile to the disturbing and shaking of many Towns and Churches and to the great discouragement of the Ministers in divers places do seem to be pretty well blown over such uncomfortable jarrs as have been sometimes thought uncureable seem to be throughly reconciled and healed our Towns for the most part supplied with godly and able Ministers and we sit under our Vines and Figtrees in peace enjoying both Civil and Religious Liberties For which goodness of the Lord let his holy Name be praised and may he grant us so to improve our present opportunities as he may have some suitable returns and we may have cause to hope in his grace for the continuance of such favours This Year that much honoured and worthy Gentleman Mr. Theophilus Eaton Governour of New-Haven deceased who was very Eminent both on a Religious and Civil account His death proved a great blow to that Jurisdiction and was seconded not long after with the loss of another precious man amongst them viz. Mr. Francis Newman In this year 1657 in the moneth of November Mr. Garret set sail on a Voyage for England from Boston in whose Ship amongst many considerable Passengers there went Mr. Thomas Mayhew junior The loss of Mr. Garrets Ship of Martins-Vineyard who was a very precious man he was well skill'd and had attained to a great proficiency in the Indian Language and had a great propensity upon his Spirit to promote Gods glory in their Conversion whose Labours God blessed for the doing of much good amongst them in which respect he was very much missed amongst them and bewailed by them as also in reference unto the Preaching of Gods Word amongst the English there The loss of him was very great Many other sad losses befell sundry others in the Country by the loss of that Ship both in their Estates and dear Relations to the great grief and sadning of the hearts of many 1658. THis year Mr. Thomas Prince was Elected Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth Were Elected his Assistants in Government Mr. VVilliam Collier Mr. John Alden Captain Thomas VVillet Capt. Josias VVinslow Lieut. Tho Southworth Mr. William Bradford Mr. Thomas Hinkley This Year there was a very great Earthquake in New-England Also Mr. Ralph Partridge died in a good old Age having for the space of fourty years dispensed the Word of God with very little impediment by sickness His pious and blameless life became very advantagious to his Doctrine he was much honoured and loved by all that conversed with him He was of a sound and solid judgement in the main Truths of Jesus Christ and very able in Disputation to defend them he was very singular in this That notwithstanding the pausity and poverty of his Flock he continued in his Work amongst them to the end of his life He went to his grave in peace as a shock of Corn fully ripe and was honourably buried at Duxbury In whose Remembrance one who was a true Admirer of his worth presented these at his Funerall NOt Rage but Age not Age but Gods Decree Did call me hence my Saviour Christ to see And to embrace and from his hand receive My Crown of Glory Oh who would not leave A flattering World nay Friends or what 's most dear The Saints Communion that 's enjoyed here At once to have God Christ Saints Angels all To make compleat and sum our Joyes totall Now I behold Gods Glory face to face Now I sit down with Christ who 've run my Race Now I sing praise to God and to the Lamb Now I Companion to the Angels am Now I behold with greatest joy my Sons And Daughters all I mean Converted ones Which I was instrumentall in my place To bring to God but all of his Free-grace How am I Changed that of late was weak Above the force of Satan now to break How am I Changed Son of sorrow late But now triumphing in my heavenly state How was I vex'd with pains with griefs molested How in a moment am I now Invested With Royal Robes with Crowns with Diadems With Gods Eternall Loves Such precious Gems He hath in store for them his Saints that are For such indeed he counts his Jewels rare Oh Brethren Sisters Neighbours Country Friends I 'me now above you Hark to them God sends As yet surviving in their worthy Charge Whose work it is Gods Vineyard to enlarge God and my Conscience your experience knows Whiles I was