the very first \time/ he came to her she was much revived; when he had
expounded the 28 chapter of Isai towards the end of it, which as I take it was
to this effect; that God doth not alwayes afflict his: nor suffer the rod of
the wicked to rest upon the back of the rightous but whereas the wicked is
broken, his chosen seed is beaten and tried and made as fitt ground to receve
his word: after this he prevaled with her to goe foo\r/th out of her chamber:
all the house rejoyced at it. I could hardly*
believe my selfe supposeing
it might a dreame (for it was in the evening) and because she had keept her
Chamber long. \and/ now my affections was carried with hers to sorrow and
rejoyce for her in part as she did; at this time Mr Dod
apointed my selfe
sister and brother
to read 2 chapters a day. the one in the Old
Testament in the morning and the other in the New at night, calling us to
account what wee coud remember, and so somtimes \he/ expouned upon it; he left
in charge that
which since I have continued
save that my being at
London
cast me a litle behin[d]
thus wee should doe throughout the yeere
my father or mother
hearing what wee could remember, my sister had the
florishingest memory and was now strong and livly.
to read thus and one
paslme a day when wee come to it. wilbe 3 yeeres a reading the
old Testem[ent] and thus one may read the New twise in the yeere,
but my
bro=ther goeing to scoole
besides could not say so much:
this differance of disposition was betwexts us. my
brother
naturally loved his Booke learning rising sooner to goe to scoole then many
times some would have him; likewise I naturally followed to learn my worke,
till many times my mother would wish me to give over;
my sister willingly would
not lerne her worke. for the onely trad of her way was in reading her booke.
for which she was much commended and for her memorie I was somthing cast downe
that my selfe was no better
or esteemed of regarded.
for which cause I praied to thee Lord
which heard mee. Now my mother was not yet perfetly
well but mended by
degrees, being much better then before, her Neighbour
Mrs Nicolls coming to
visite her desired that she would goe home with her; to which my
father
consented: she very Neighbourly used what helpe she could for her, having
many ministers of her acquantance to be with her, keeping her a fortnight
or thereabouts with her; now my father heard us
say our*
prayers and
a the 20 [or 10] yeere this
candlem. 1618
repete what wee could remember of our Chapters
till my mother returned home
againe. whom he receved with joye and feasting those with whom she was:
I perceving*
the cause of my mothers sadnes would picke out places
fitt for
her. when she called mee to read to her besides some nots which I would put
in her mind of as James 2.12. the 4.7. 1 pet.5.8. psal. 27.14. these when I
had mentioned to her. she would call often to mee to say them in her eare; by
this meanes I had gotten the better hand of my sister
who now was cast downe
as much as my selfe: but she found a good frind of my
Aunt Isham. who was
witnes for her at her Baptisme. they would sitt together privetly takeing and
reading. and though my
Religious and Aunt Isham
was