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, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every Son
whom he receiveth" (Hebrews 12.6). 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 anything, 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 showed 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 smaller matters begin to arise in me, I have something
at hand to check myself 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 Moses said, "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord" (Exodus
14.13).

Finis.

End of Project Gutenberg's Captivity and Restoration, by Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

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