Anne Bradstreet Meditations

Select meditations by the English-American Puritan poet, Anne Bradstreet:

Meditation 14:

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

Meditation 50:

Sometimes the sun is only shadowed by a cloud that we cannot see his luster, although we may walk by his light. But when he is set, we are in darkness till he arise again. So God doth sometimes veil his face but for a moment, that we cannot behold the light of His countenance as at some other time; 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 see 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 Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings.

Meditation 53:

He that is to sail into a far country, although the ship, cabin, and provisions be all convenient and comfortable for him, yet he hath no desire to make that his place of residence, but longs to put in at that port where his business lies. A Christian is sailing through this world unto his heavenly country, and here he hath many conveniences and comforts, but he must beware of desiring to make this his place of abode, lest he should meet with such tossings that may cause him to long for shore before he sees land. We must, therefore, be here as strangers and pilgrims, that we may plainly declare that we seek a city above, and wait all the days of our appointed time till our change shall come.

Meditation 77:

God hath by His providence so ordered that no one country hath all commodities within itself, but what it wants another shall supply, that so there may be a mutual commerce through the world. As it is with countries, so it is with men: there was never yet any one man that had all excellences. Let his parts, natural and acquired, spiritual and moral, be never so large, yet he stands in need of something which another man hath -- perhaps meaner than himself: which shows us perfection is not below, as also that God will have us beholden to one another.