I receiued your louing letter which was most wellcom to me, and doe blese god that you and mrs. winthrope are yet aliue, and in health and prosperitye: Jacob was not more Joyfull of Josephe I thinke: I wish it might haue beeine my portion: that you might see my eyes closed as he did his fathers: but the lord hath apoynted me other worke: by reason of my sonnes condition that he is in: I pray God sanctifie it vnto me, and not only helpe me well through that but fit me for greater tryalls: I know not what I may liue to see, the dayes are dangerous and we haue not yet resisted to bloud: I humbly thanke you and mrs. winthrope for all your abundant loue to me and mine euer since I knew you: and especiallye now in sutch a time of abundance of businesse you would be pleased to take the paynes to wright to me: that is vnworthye of so great loue from you, that you shoulde so louingly condole with me, euer in myne afflictions: and haue sutch a simpathy and fellow felling of the distressed condition of one so vnworthye and now so far from you: The lord reward your loue into your bosome seuenfolde and giue me a thankfull hart for his great mercies and loue in christ jesus which is the ground of all comfort: I neuer had more need of good counsell and incouragement then now: for I am often in a conflicting condition: I cannot yet attayne to full asurance of my salluation, but still am doubting: I still find sutch a corupt hart, and strong inclinations to sinne, and weaknesse to resist temptation that vpon euery new asault I haue new fears: I cannot yet atayne to selfe denyall, nor get an hart trulye humbled for these things in these sad times which make me feare I shall not hould out, because I feele my fayth so weake. yet I haue had abundant experience of gods mercyes to me, in all my necessties, which makes me abhore my selfe for my vnthankfullnes and deadnesse of hart and vnbelefe: for in my greatest tryalls he hath sent some moderation and mixed some comfort to allaye the bitternesse of it we ought to prise small fauors they come from the same loue of god that great ons doe if I weare not blind I might see his great goodnesse to me: therefore I besech you helpe me by your prayers that my hart might be like a spirituall echoe answering the lord agayne with cherfullnesse in thanksgiuing and holy obedince for the lord loue no blind sacrifice I be­236sech you plead hard with the lord for me and mine and for our church for wee neuer had more need wee want our moses in our towne to helpe our aron our whole countrey want phyneas. the lord turne all our harts vnto him by true and vnfeined repentance and thus with my dutifull and best respect remembred to your selfe and good mrs. winthrop I commit you and all yours to the protection of allmightie god and euer rest your louing frend to my power