Bradstreet, Anne, 1612?-1672. Meditations divine and morall : manuscript, [not before 1672]. MS Am 1007. Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

so a faithfull friend in time of adversity, is of all other most comfortable.

48

There is nothing admits of more admiration then Gods various dispensations of his gifts among the sons of men, betwixt whom he hath put so vast a disproportion that they scarcely seem made of the same lump, or sprung out of the loyns of one Adam, some set in the higest dignity that mor-tality is capable off, and some again so base, that they are viler then the earth, some so wise and learned, that they seem like Angels among men, and some again

so ignorant and sottish that they are more like beasts then men; some pious Saints; some incarnate Devils, some exceedingly beautyfull and some extreamly deformed, some so strong and healthfull that their bones are full of marrow and their breast's of milk, and some again so weak and feeble, that while they live, they are accounted among the dead, and no other reason can be given of all this, but so it pleased him, whose will is the perfect rul of Righteousness. –

49

The treasures of this world may well be compared to husks, for they have no kernel in them, and they that

feed upon them, may soon stuff their throats, but cannot fill their bellys, they may be choaked by them, but cannot be satisfied with them.

50

Sometimes the Sun is only shadowed by a cloud, that we cannot see his lusture, although we may walk by his light, but when he is set, we are in darkness till he arise again; so God doth sometimes vail his face but for a moment that we cannot behold the light of his countenance, as at some other times, yet he affords so much light as may direct our way, that we may go forwards to the city of habitation, but when he seems to set and be quite

gone out of sight, then must we needs walk in darkness and se no light, yet, then must we trust in the lord and stay upon our God, and when the morning which is the appointed time is come, the Son of Righteousness will arise with healing in his Wings.

51

The eyes and the ears are the inlets or doors of the soul, through which innumerable objects enter, yet is not that spacious room filled, neither doth it ever say it is enough, but like the Daughters of the Horse-leach crys, give, give, and what is most strange, the more it receives, the more empty it finds it-self, and sees an impossibility, ever to be filled, but by him in whom all fullness dwells.

52

Had not the wisest of men, taught us this lession, that all is vanity and vexation of spirit, yet our own experience would soon have spelt it out, for what do we obtain of all these things, but it is with labour and sorrow; when we injoy them it is with vanity and vexation, and if we loose them they are less then vanity, and more then vexation, so that we have good cause, often to repeat that sentance, vanity of vanityes - vanity of vanityes all is vanity. –

53

He that is to saile into a farre Counry, although the Ship, Cabbin and