AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
I was born of Godly Parents, that feared yᵉ Lord greatly, even from their youth, but in an ungodly Place, where yᵉ generality of yᵉ people rather derided than imitated their piety; in a place where, to my knowledge, their children had Learnt wickedness betimes; in a place that was consumed with fire in a great part of it, after God had brought them out of it. These godly parents of mine meeting with opposition and persecution for Religion, because they went from their own Parish church to hear yᵉ word and Receiv yᵉ Lords supper &c, took up resolutions to pluck up their stakes and remove themselves to New England: and accordingly they did so, Leaving dear Relations, friends and acquaintance, their native Land, a new built house, a flourishing Trade, to expose themselves to yᵉ hazzard of yᵉ seas, and to yᵉ Distressing difficulties of a howling wilderness, that they might enjoy Liberty of Conscience and Christ in his ordinances. And the Lord brought them hither and Landed them at Charlstown, after many difficulties and hazzards, and me along with them, being then a child not full seven years old. After about 7 weeks stay at Charlstown, my parents removed again by sea to New Haven in yᵉ month of October. In our passage thither we were in great Danger by a storm which drove us upon a Beach of sand where we lay beating til another Tide fetcht us off; but God carried us to our port in safety. Winter approaching we dwelt in a cellar partly under ground covered with earth the first winter. But I remember that one great rain brake in upon us and drencht me so in my bed, being asleep, that I fell sick upon it; but yᵉ Lord in mercy spar'd my life and restored my health. When yᵉ next summer was come I was sent to school to Mr. Ezekiel Cheever, who at that time taught school in his own house, and under him in a year or two I profited so much through yᵉ blessing of God, that I began to make Latin and to get forward apace. But God who is infinitely wise and absolutely soverain, and gives no account concerning any of his proceedings, was pleased about this time to visit my father with Lameness which grew upon him more and more to his dying Day, though he liv'd under it 13 years. He wanting help was fain to take me off from school to follow other employments for yᵉ space of 3 or 4 years, until I had lost all that I had gained in the Latin Tongue. But when I was now in my fourteenth year, my Father, who I suppose was not wel satisfied in keeping me from Learning whereto I had been designed from my infancy, and not judging me fit for husbandry, sent me to school again, though at that time I had little or no disposition to it, but I was willing to submit to his authority therein and accordingly I went to school under no small disadvantage and discouragement, seing those that were far inferior to me, by my discontinuance now gotten far before me. But in a little time it appeared to be of God, who was pleased to facilitate my work and bless my studies that I soon recovered what I had lost, and gained a great deal more, so that in 2 years and 3 quarters I was judged fit for yᵉ Colledge and thither I was sent far from my parents and acquaintance among strangers. But when father and mother both forsook me then yᵉ Lord took care of me. It was an act of great self denial in my father that notwithstanding his own lameness and great weakness of Body which required yᵉ service and helpfulness of a son, and having but one son to be yᵉ staff of his age and supporter of his weakness, he would yet for my good, be content to deny himself of that comfort and Assistance I might have Lent him. It was also an evident proof of a strong Faith in him, in that he durst adventure to send me to yᵉ Colledge, though his estate was but small and little enough to maintain himself and small family left at home. And God let him Live to see how acceptable to himself this service was in giving up his only son to yᵉ Lord and bringing him up to Learning; especially yᵉ Lively actings of his faith and self denial herein. For first, notwithstanding his great weakness of body, yet he Lived til I was so far brought up as that I was called to be a fellow of yᵉ Colledge and improved in Publick service there, and until I had preached several Times; yea and more than so, he Lived to see and hear what God had done for my soul in turning me from Darkness to light and from yᵉ power of Sathan unto God, which filled his heart full of joy and thankfulness beyond what can be expressed. And for his outward estate, that was so far from being sunk by what he spent from year to year upon my education, that in 6 years time it was plainly doubled, which himself took great notice of, and spake of it to myself and others, to yᵉ praise of God, with Admiration and thankfulness. And after he had lived under great and sore affliction for yᵉ space of 13 years a pattern of faith, patience, humility, and heavenly mindedness, having done his work in my education and receiv'd an answer to his prayers, God took him to his Heavenly Rest, where he is now reaping yᵉ fruits of his Labors. When I came first to yᵉ Colledge, I had indeed enjoyed yᵉ benefit of Religious and strict education, and God in his mercy and pitty kept me from scandalous sins before I came thither and after I came there, but alas I had a naughty vile heart and was acted by corrupt nature, therefore could propound no Right and noble ends, but acted from self and for self. I was indeed studious and strove to outdoe my compeers, but it was for honour and applause and preferment and such poor Beggarly ends. Thus I had my Ends and God had his Ends far differing from mine, yet it pleased him to Bless my studies, and to make me grow in Knowledge both in yᵉ tongues and inferior Arts and also in Divinity. But when I had been there about three years and a half; God in his Love and Pitty to my soul wrought a great change in me, both in heart and Life, and from that time forward I learnt to study with God and for God. And whereas before that, I had thoughts of applying myself to yᵉ study and Practice of Physick, I wholy laid aside those thoughts, and did chuse to serve Christ in yᵉ work of yᵉ ministry if he would please to fit me for it and to accept of my service in that great work.
Note.—In the foregoing Autobiography the original spelling is retained. In the following poems the spelling is modernized. The use of the acute accent (´) to indicate the former pronunciation of the final ed as a separate syllable will be obvious; in other exceptional cases the old apostrophe is retained. In a few instances the termination tion is divided by a hyphen, to indicate its pronunciation as two syllables (she-on). The modern double commas are also used to mark quotations.
W. H. B.