The life of the very Reverend and learned Cotton Mather, D.D. & F.R.S. late Pastor of the North Church in Boston. Who died, Feb. 13. 1727,8. / By Samuel Mather, M.A. ; [Three lines of quotations]

THE LIFE OF The Reverend & Learned Dr. Cotton Mather.

CHAP. I. The Subject of the History; his Birth, Education, Early Religion, Marriages and Children, with his Methods of Education, and Rules of private Conduct.

SECT. 1. The Subject of this History, with an Account of his Descent and Family.

1. DR. COTTON MATHER — He was born Thursday Feb. 12. 1662, 3. at Boston in New-England.

I have no great Disposition to en∣quire into the remote Antiquities of his Family; nor indeed is it matter of much Conse∣quence that in our Coat of Arms, we bear Ermine, Or, A Fess, Wavy, Azure, three Lions rampant; or, for a Crest, on a wreath of our Colours a Lion Sedant, or on a Trunk of a Tree vert; — The Religion and Learning found in the Family was the most agreeable Pleasure to my Father, and yields the most satisfactory Reflection to me.

2. Dr. INCREASE MATHER — whose Relation, as Pastor to the North Church in Boston, as President of Harvard College, whose printed

Composures both Latin & English, and whose Agency in the Courts of three Monarchs for his afflicted Country have rendred him universally known — was his Father.

3. HIS Mother was MARIA, the Daughter of the Renowned Mr. JOHN COTTON; who was a Man of very exalted Piety and uncommon Learning: Out of Respect to this excellent Man, He was called COTTON.

SECT. 2. His Education, his Eagerness and Progress in Learning; and early Favours confer'd on him.

1. HIS Education was at the free School in Boston under the Care, first of Mr. BENJA. THOMP∣SON, a Man of great Learning and Wit, who was well acquainted with Roman and Greek Writers, and a good Poet last under the famous Mr. EZEKIEL CHEEVER, who was a very learned, pious Man, and an excellent School-master. Under these two Masters he made a laudable Proficiency.

2. BY twelve years of Age, he had composed many Latin Exercises, had conversed with TULLY, TE∣RENCE, OVID and VIRGIL, had gone thro' his Greek Testament, and entred upon ISOCRATES, HOMER and his Hebrew Grammar; and at that Age was admitted into College. The pious Dr. HOAR, who was then President, according to Custom, gave him this prophe∣tical Head for his initial Declamation,

Telemacho veniet, vivat modo, fortior Aetas.

3. AFTER his entrance into College, he made as quick a ••••spatch as before; Mastering Hebrew per∣fectly digesting ALEXAN••. RICHARDSON'S Tables, which he transcribed; composing Systems of Logic and P••••s••••, which were afterwards used by others; and, in a Word, describing the Circle of all the Aca∣demical Studies. Many are the Books which he then

read with ingenious Remarks, of which he kept an Account in his Diary.

4. WHEN he took his first Degree, which was at the Age of Sixteen, Mr. OAKES the Praesident, in his Oration at the Commencement which I have read, thus expressed himself concerning this hopeful Youth,

— Alter vero COTTONUS MATHERUS nuncupatur. Quantum Nomen! Erravi, fa••eor Au dit••res, di∣issem etenim, quanta Nomina! Nihil Ego de Rever∣endo PATRE, Academiae Curatore vigilanti••simo, mu∣nicipii A••ademici socio primario, dicam; quoniam co∣ram & in Os laudare nolim: sed ••i Pietatem, Eruditi∣onem, Ingenium elegans, Judicium Solidum, Pruden∣tiam & Gravitatem AVORUM Reverendissimorum JOANNIS COTTONI et RICHARDE MATHERI, re∣ferat et representet, omne tulisse Punctum dici poterit nec despero futurum, ut in hoc Juvene COTTONUS' at{que} MATHERUS tam re quam Nomine coalescant et reviviscant. —

YOU will find in the Course of this History, that this great Mans Sentiments were just, and his Expecta∣tions answered: So that I may now insert the true Character of him, when he made some Figure in the World; which I chuse to bring in here, because it has some Relation to Praesident OAKS'S Prophecy.

A Friend thus writes of him;

"For Grace and Art and an illustrious Fame, "Who would not look from such an om'nous Name; "Where two great Names their Sanctuary take, "And in a Third combin'd a greater make?

5. WHEN he was half a Year short of Nineteen, he proceeded Master of Arts, and received his Degree at the Hand of his Father who was then Prae••dent. The Thesis which he then maintained was, Puncta He∣braica sunt Originis Divinae: But he afterwards saw cause to change his Mind, and held the contrary Opi∣nion

to the last. He tho't, with the great PRID••AUX and some others, that the Points were an Invention of the Mas••rites; and, because he could read and per∣fectly understand Hebrew without them; he imagined there was no need of them, unless for the Ignorant, as the Jews without Question were, after the Baby∣lonish Captivity, when the Points were contrived for their Instruction.

6. HE might well make a considerable Progress i•• Learning, being in his earliest Years pretty healthy, having withal a great Capacity for Learning, and being blessed with that first step to Knowledge, a modest Inquisitiveness.

7. AND, as it is observed there are very few who prove great Men unless they begin betimes, he was very desirous of following SENECA'S Advice, that is, to hasten and learn betimes, lest when old, he should be obliged to it † 1.1: And indeed he betimes laid up a good Stock of Knowledge; like the busy Ant that adds to its heap, not ignorant or unaware of the future ‖ 1.2.

8. AND, if what some great Men have hinted be true Nemo Vir magnus sine Afflatu * 1.3, while he was yet young he bid fair to be great; for he believed he should be ••o▪ he expected it; and therefore (multa tuli•• feci••••••, &c.) he bore and did many things and disregarded all the Difficulties that would encompass him.

Sect. 3. His Early Religion.

1. IT is an excellent Maxim, That the best Gifts are vain unless Piety adorn them: And of this Mind was he, of whom I am writing, from his very Child∣hood.

AND, altho' his Desire of Learning was very great and strong, and his Attainments were truly consider∣able, he was not more noted for these Gifts than for his early Piety and Religion.

FROM his earliest Days there were several good things found in him. When he began to speak almost, he began to pray, and practised this Duty constantly while he was a School-Boy; and, altho' he used no Forms in Secret, he composed some for his School-Fellows & obliged them to pray. Before he could write notes of Sermons in public Assemblies, he commonly wrote what he remembred when he came home. — He read the Scriptures with so much Ardor and Assi∣duity, that fifteen Chapters a Day divided into three Exercises, and nothing less, would suffice him. — He would moreover reprove his Play-mates for their wicked Words and Practices.

2. As he grew Elder, he joined himself to a Society of Young Men that met on the Sabbath Evening for Religious Ends and Purposes; and unto these Meet∣ings he ascribed his first Rise and Improvement in the Art of Speaking, of Praying, &c.

3. BY Reason of some Miscarriages into which he was surprizingly bro't, he was very Young put upon enquiring into his Estate; whether he were not an Hypocrite, if not a Cast-away? He found very frequent Returns of Doubts and Fears; and therefore resolute∣ly and frequently renewed his Closure with JESUS CHRIST, as his only Relief against them. During this time, when he was languishing under the Sense of his Vileness, and thinking with himself, Will the LORD a••••••p•• of one that has done and ••in as I have? I say during this time, he tho't it proper to open his Bos•••• to his Father: Upon so doing his Father told him, There was no Sinner repenting and returning but CHRIST will accept of him: For (said he) observe it even among Men; there is a vile Sinner; a good Man beholds and abhors him: Yet if this Man ever

becomes a new Creature, the same good Person, not∣withstanding his former Vileness, will embrace him and take him to his Bosom; and this (continued he) is an Emblem and Effect of the Spirit of JESUS. — Wonderful was the Quickning these Words gave him: They influenced his Addresses to Heaven, in which he then had sweet and strong Intimations of the Di∣vine Favour.

4. WHEN he was fifteen, he was much affected by reading Dr. HALL'S Treatise of Meditation, with his Proposals of proceeding Methodically in this great Duty of Christianity. Upon this, He read several other Books upon that Subject, and made many Essays at a Logical and regular Method for daily Me∣ditation, and proceeded so far that he wrote a Discourse upon that Subject, which at this tender Age found a good Consideration among several ingenious Friends. The Result of all was, that he finally pitched upon this Method. The Meditation consisted of two Parts: In the first, He proceeded more doctrinally, to instruct himself either with answering a Question, or with explaining a Scripture, or with considering the Causes, the Effects, the Adjuncts, the Opposites and Resem∣blances of the Thing that was his Theme. — In the second Part, he proceeded more practically to affect himself in three Steps; first, an Examination of him∣self; next, an Expostulation with himself and last, a Resolution in the Strength of Grace offered in the new Covenant. This happy way of preaching with and unto himself he was acquainted with betimes.

5. AND before this, even at fourteen Years of Age, he began to keep Days of Fasting and Prayer alone in his Study, and in those Duties he made at first SCUDDER'S Christian's Daily Walk his Directory; & But of his Fasts (together with his Thanksgiving) and his Devotions & Methods in them, I treat largely in Chap. 6. whither I refer my Reader.

6. HAVING past his first Sixteen Years, he was tho't of Age eno' to join to a particular Church: He did so then accordingly, and renewed his Baptismal Vows and Covenant. By approaching to the LORD'S Table, he tho't himself obliged to be very particular in Self Examination. I will here transcribe one Instance of his Self-Examination, which he wrote when short of Seventeen.

Setting my self upon the Work of Self-Exami∣nation, I find;

1. Concerning my Faith.

I am convinced of the utter Insufficiency in my own Righteousness to procure my Salvation. I see my own Righteousness to be nothing in point of Acceptance with GOD. I see a woful Hypocrisy has acted me, Sluggishness and Selfishness hath at∣tended me, in the very best of all my Services.

I perceive now no other way for my Salvation, but only by the Lord JESUS CHRIST; Refuge sails elsewhere on every Hand.

I behold a Fulness & a Beauty in JESUS CHRIST; HE is worth loving, worth prizing, worth follow∣ing.

Such is my Desire to obtain an Interest in HIM, and make HIM the only Portion and Support of my Soul, that it is one of my greatest Griefs, to find my Heart so dull in going forth after HIM.

2. Concerning my Repentance.

I abhor Sin, because it is abhorred by GOD and contrary to HIM.

SIN is my heavy Burden: Death it self would be welcome to me to free me from such a Burden.

I am heartily troubled for the Sin in my Heart, and that fountain of Corruption, the Plague of my Heart afflicts me.

3. Concerning my Love.

I long to see and know the Favour of GOD unto me; the sight of That would make all my Afflictions light.

I desire to be as active as may be in promoting the Honour of GOD; and I seldome come into any

Company, without contriving, Whether I may not act or speak something for That in it, before I leave it.

I am sorry, that I love GOD no more.

The Saints, that have the Image of GOD, are those whom I value most.

A Mean Person with Grace is more amiable to me than another who is otherwise never so well qualified, but Graceless — There are some other of his Examinations, when in Younger Years and in advanced, which you will find in the 6th Chapter of this Book: I brought this one in here, as a Specimen of his early Sense of Religion.

7. ANOTHER Thing, in which he demonstrated his early Piety, was his incessant Aspirations after Usefulness. He was always of MELANCTHON'S Mind, who said, Let who will abound and encrease in Riches, they may for all me; I look upon my Works as my Treasure † 1.4: He therefore sought all Occasions for doing Good.

THE Maxim he went upon was this, that a Power and Opportunity to do Good not only gives a Right to the Doing of it, but also makes the Doing of it a Duty: A Maxim truly noble and divine both in it self, and in its Effects! And it is built upon those Words of our blessed Apostles, As we have Opportu∣nity, let us do Good unto all Men * 1.5.

HAVING a Principle of Good-Will to Man deeply rooted in his Soul, he was very soon and very strongly desirous that it might grow and flourish, and that others might be the better for it.

HE first set himself to contrive what Good he might be able to do in his Father's Family, by instructing his Brethren and Sisters, and by exhorting the Ser∣vants.

HE anon proceeded to impose it as a Rule upon himself, never to come into any Company where it

might be proper for him to discourse, but he would, if possible, so order it that it might be serviceable to the Company; and, he saw the Fulfilment of that Promise, To him that has shall be given: For, upon his faithful Improvement of his Talents, He found his LORD and Master went on and multiplied his Op∣portunities, untill he came to serve whole Churches, Towns and Countries.

FROM his own happy Experience therefore, when he was advanced in Age, he would often advise Young Men, to contrive and study as early as possible to do Good, to love it and to account it a noble Thing. While We and our Opportunities are but small, he would have us invent as many ways as we can to be serviceable: He would not have us impertinent, im∣modest or ostentatious in our Essays; but would have us with humility, and yet with Readiness, begin be∣times with our small Stock, and expect that, before we have done, GOD will do great things for us as well as by us. I have made some Digression; but the Usefulness of it will make Amends for it. I shall have Occasion hereafter more particularly to mention his great Usefulness and extensive Labors.

8. HE very young tho't it his Duty to give unto the LORD of all, some part of small substance which was afforded him. Even from 14 he devoted a Tenth to our Melchizedek; and from his Childhood was very good, manly and generous.

I will mention but two Instances here of his good Spirit and Charity; (having Occasion e're long to give you some more) you will take them in his own Words;

It may not be amiss now and then to mention a Remarkable Providence, and make some Remarks on the retaliating Dispensations of Heaven towards me. One thing, that I will observe, is what I met with in the twenty first Year of my Life. I can tell that the LORD has most notably, in many Instances

retaliated my Dutifulness unto my Father. Some of the Instances which I have taken Notice of may seem trivial, but yet the Retaliation I saw in 'em gave them a Relish.

As now, I was Owner of a Watch, which I was fond of for the Variety of Motions in it. I saw my Father took a Fancy to it, and I made a Present of it unto him, with some Tho'ts that as it was but a peice of due Gratitude unto such a Parent, so I should not go without a Recompence. Quickly after this there came to me a Gentlewoman, from whom I had no Reason to expect so much as a Visit: But in her Visit, she, to my Surprize pray'd me to accept, as a Present from Her, a Watch, which was indeed preferible to that, with which I had parted. I resolved hereupon to stir up Duti∣fulness unto Parents in my self and others more than ever.

At another Time; I bought a Spanish Indian Servant, and bestowed him upon my Father. Some Years after this a Knight, whom I had laid under many Obligations, bestowed a Spanish Indian Ser∣vant upon me. Many more such Things I might mention; but I give these for a Taste.

SECT. 4. His Marriages and Children, with his Methods of Educating them.

1. BECAUSE I chuse to finish what I have to write concerning him (inter privatos Parietes) in his private Capacity, I encline now to bring in this Section, and a following one.

2. MR. MATHER tho't it adviseable in his 24th Year to Marry. He first looked up to Heaven for Direction, and heard the Counsel of his Friends — The Person he first pitch'd upon was Mrs. ABIGAIL, the Daughter of the Honourable Col PHILLIPS of Charlestown, to whom he was married. She was a comely ingenious Woman and an agreable Consort. She died in the Year 1702.

3. UPON her Death his Family was in great Dark∣ness & Disorder; which made him continually look to HIM from whom descends every good Gift, to heal the Breach GOD had made on his Family. His Petitio•••• were abundantly granted. GOD showed him a Gen∣tlewoman a near Neighbour; whose Character I shall give as I have it from those who intimately knew her: — She was one, of finished Piety and Probity, and of an unspotted Reputation; one of good sense, and bless'd with a compleat Discretion in ordering an Household; one of singular good-Humour and incom∣parable Sweetness of Temper; one, with a very hand∣some engaging Countenance; and one honourably des∣cended & related; 'Twas Mrs. ELIZABETH HUBBARD; who was the Daughter of Dr. JOHN CLARK. She had been a Widow four Years, when Dr. MATHER married her, which was Aug. 18. 1703. He rejoiced in her as having great spoil, and in finding her found great Favour of the LORD. They lived together in perfect Concent and Harmony ten Years: She died Nov, 8. 1713. with Willingness; the Fear of Death was extinguished in her; She committed her self into the Hands of her SAVIOUR, and in the same gracious Hands She left her children —She was much beloved and greatly lamented.

4. IN his fifty third Year, July 5. 1715. he was married to his third Wife. She is the Daughter of the renowned and very learned Mr. SAMUEL LEE: She was the Widow of Mr. GEORGE, a worthy Mer∣chant, when Dr. MATHER pay'd his Respects unto her in order to be Marry'd. She is a Lady of many and great Accomplishments, and is the Doctor's discon∣solate Widow.

5. BY this last Gentlewoman, he had no Issue: by the two former Wives he had fifteen, only two of which are living; one a Daughter by the first Wife; the other, a SON by the second; he is the Writer.

BY his first Wife he had nine Children, of which but four arrived to Man's or Womans Estate. — The

first was named KATHARIN; a young Woman of good Wit, who understood Latin and read Hebrew fluently. She died of a Consumption. Nuptiarum ••••pers & adhuc protervo — Cruda Marito.

THE next was ABIGAIL: She was of a very ami∣able Countenance and loving Disposition. She was Married and had four Children, two of which are living: She died with Composure and Joy, in Child-Birth.

THE third was INCREASE; a young Man well beloved by all who knew him, for his Superiour good Nature and Manners, his elegant Wit and ready Ex∣pressions, He went to Sea, and in his Passage from Barbados to Newfoundland, was lost in the Atlantic.

BY his second Wife, two Children only liv'd to grow up, out of six.

HIS dear Daughter ELIZABETH was one, who was married, and in two Years after died. She very much resembled her Mother in her various Vertues.

6. I must here mention it for the Glory of GOD, as well as the Honour of his Servant, that altho' He met with so many Bereavements in his Family, (as well as Sorrows on other Accounts) yet He never fainted in the Day of Adversity: He tho't his Sor∣rows should rather animate, than hinder, his nume∣rous Essays to do Good: And therefore when the Desires of his Eyes were taken away, and when He was deprived of his Children, none of these Things mov'd him so far as to hinder him from his Duty. No! He ever preach'd after their Deaths, every one of their Deaths, and printed the Sermons, that so others might be the better for his Griefs.— And indeed He always counted, it was in very Faithful∣ness that He was afflicted; for under every Calamity, He considered how his CHRIST might be glorified both by his Example and by useful Writings; and, in short, under the repeated Rains of Adversity, He grew more and more fruitful in every good Work.

7. I will conclude Sect. 4. with reciting some spe∣cial Rules, which He observed in the Education of his Children.

• 1. HE pour'd out continual Prayers to the GOD of all Grace for them, That HE would be a Father to them, bestow HIS Son & Grace upon them, guide them by his Counsel and bring them to Glory. And in this Action, He mention'd them distinctly, every one by Name, to the LORD.
• 2. HE began betimes to entertain them with de∣lightful Stories, especially Scriptural ones: And he would ever conclude with some Lesson of Piety; bidding them to learn that Lesson from the Story.

  AND thus every Day at the Table, He used him∣self to tell some entertaining Tale before he rose; and endeavor to make it useful to the Olive-Plants about the Table.

• 3. WHEN his Children accidentally at any Time came in his way, it was his Custom to let fall some Sentence or other, that might be monitory or profitable to them.

  THIS Matter occasioned Labor, Study and Con∣trivance.

• 4. HE betimes try'd to engage his Children in Ex∣ercises of Piety; and especially secret Prayer: For which he gave them very plain and brief Directions, and would suggest unto them the Petitions which he would have them make before the LORD, and which he would therefore explain to their Apprehen∣sion and Capacity. And he would often call upon Them; Child, Don't you forget every Day to go alone and pray as I have directed you.
• 5. HE betimes endeavored to form in his Children a Temper of Benignity. He would put them upon doing Services & Kindnesses for one another, and for other Children. He would applaud them when he saw them delight in it. He would upbraid all Aver∣sion

• to it. He would Caution them exquisitely against all Revenges of Injuries, and would instruct them to return good Offices for Evil ones. He would show them, how they would by this Goodness become like the Good GOD and the blessed JESUS. He would let them discern he was not satisfied, except when they had a Sweetness of Temper shining in them.
• 6. AS soon as possible, he would make the Children learn to Write: And when they had the Use of the Pen, he would employ them in Writing out the most instructive and profitable Things he could invent for them. In this way 〈◊〉〈◊〉 proposed to fill their Minds with excellent Things, which he hop'd would make a deep Impression upon their Minds.
• 7. HE incessantly endeavoured, that his Children might betimes be acted by Principles of Reason and Honour.

HE would first beget in them an high Opinion of their Father's Love to them, and of his being best able to judge, what shall be good for them.

THEN he would make them sensible, it was Folly for them to pretend to any W•••• or Will of their own: They must resign all to Him, who would be sure to do what is best; his Word must be their Law.

HE would cause them to understand, that it is an hurtful and shameful Thing to do amiss. He would aggravate this on all Occasions; and let them see how amiable they will render themselves by well-doing.

THE first Chastisement which he would inflict for any ordinary Fault, was to let the Child see and hear him in an Astonishment, and hardly able to believe that the Child could do so b••se a Thing, but believing that they would never do it again.

HE would never come to give a Child a Blow, except in case of Obstinacy, or something that is very criminal.

TO be chased for a while out of his Presence, he would make to be look'd upon as the sorest Punishment in his Family.

HE would with all possible Insinuations come upon them to gain this Point, That to learn all great Things, was the noblest Thing in the World. He was not fond of proposing Play to them as a Reward of any diligent Application, to learn what is good; lest they should think Diversion to be a better and nobler thing than Diligence. He would have them to pro∣pound and expect at this rate, I have done well; and now I will go to my Father, who will teach me some thing curious for it. He would have his Children account it a Privilege to be taught; and would some∣times manage the matter so, that Refusing to teach them something should be looked upon as a Punish∣ment. The Strain of his Threatnings therefore was; You shall not be allowed to read, or to write, or to learn such a thing, if you do not as I have bidden you.

THE Slavish way of Education, carried on with Raving & Kicking & Scourging (in Schools as well as Families) he looked upon as a dreadful Judgment of GOD on the World; he tho't the Practice abomi∣nable, and express'd a mortal Aversion to it.

8. THO' he found a vast, a wonderful Advantage in having his Children strongly byassed by the Prin∣ciples of Reason & Honour; (which he observed that Children will feel and understand sooner than is com∣monly tho't for;) yet he would not neglect any Means and Endeavours to have higher Principles infused into them.

HE would therefore betimes awe them with the sense of the Eye of GOD upon them in the Ways which they take.

HE would show them how they must love our Lord JESUS CHRIST; and how they must demonstrate it, by doing what their Parents require of them.

HE would often tell them of the good Angels, who love them, help them, guard them from Evil and do many good Offices for them; who likewise take a very diligent Notice of them, and ought not in any measure to be disobliged.

HE would not say much to them of the evil Angels, because he would not have them entertain any fright∣ful Fancies about the Apparitions of Devils: But yet, he would briefly let them know, that there are Devils, who tempt them to Wickedness, who are glad when they do wickedly, and who may get leave of GOD to kill them for it.

HEAVEN and Hell he set before them clearly and faithfully, as the Consequences of their good or bad Behaviour here.

9. WHEN the Children were capable of it, he would take them alone one by one; and after many affectionate, loving, strong Charges unto them, to fear GOD, to serve CHRIST and shun Sin; he would pray with them in his Study, and make them the Witnesses of the Agonies and Strong Cries, with which he, on their behalf, addressed the Throne of Grace.

10. HE found much Benefit, by a particular Me∣thod as of Catechising the Children, so of carrying on the Repetition of the public Sermons unto them.

THE Answers of the Cathechism he would explain, with Abundance of brief Questions which make them to take in the whole meaning; and he found by this Way that they did so.

AND when the Sermons were to be repeated, he chose to put every Truth into a Question, to be An∣swered with Yes or No. In this way he would awaken the Attention as well as enlighten the Understand∣ing of his Children. And in this way he would take the Opportunity to ask, Do you desire such or such a Grace of God? And the like: And in this way, he had Opportunity to demand, and perhaps to obtain their early and frequent (and why not sincere?) Con∣sent unto the glorious Articles of the New-Covenant. He tho't the Spirit of Grace might fall upon them in this Action, and they might be seiz'd by HIM and held as HIS Temples thro' Eternal Ages. Blessed be GOD it was so with several of them.

THUS I have recited the usual Methods, which Mr. MATHER observed in bringing up his Children: There are several other Things which were very praise worthy in his Carriage towards Them, but not of that Consequence with those I have written; and therefore I shall omit them.

SECT. 5. Miscellaneous Heads of private Conduct.

1. IT is a saying of GERSON'S, Qui bene vivit semper orat, He that lives well, prays without Cea∣sing. Mr. MATHER was one of those good Livers. He prayed always, at least, Six times a Day every Day.

2. HE was a Gentleman of uncommon Dispatch and Activity, and yet was ever upon good Devices; so that, tho' he was constantly doing Service, he was ever enquiring * 1.6 How he might do more Good?

UPON DAVID'S Arm being able to break a Bow of Steel, AUSTIN'S Gloss is, that his Intention of good Works was indefatigable † 1.7. Altho' the literal was not; the Gloss was, fulfilled or found in Mr. MA∣THER.

3. HIS Conversation he endeavour'd to render ex∣tremely entertaining, and it was so; for he produced such a variety of useful Discourse as made him welcome wherever there was any Relish for Learning, Polite∣ness and Ingenuity. He had the Je ne scay qu••i of Conversation in Perfection. As for his Friends when in Company with him, when his Speech dropped up∣on them, after his Words; they spake not again; they wa••••ed for him, as for the Rain, and they opened their Mouth wide as for the latter Rain: If he laughed on them, they believed it not. — And as for his Enemies,— even they confess'd his Excellent and

profitably pleasing Conversation, and in Society with him they were filled with silent Wonder. Happy the Conversation, and happy the sharers in it ‖ 1.8!

I shall here give you the Rules he observed in Conversing: They may be ranked under three Heads.

First, HE would not affect Loquacity in his Dis∣courses, but, on the contrary, much Deliberation. The Gravity and Discretion, accompanying such a Caution, he beheld as of greater Consequence to one in all Companies, than the Reputation of Wit; which by a greater Volubility of Tongue might easily be ac∣quired: And besides he r••membred in many Words there wants not Sin.

Secondly, HE would studiously decline to utter any thing, that he foresaw might be useless; and much more, every Thing that might be hurtful and sinful to be uttered. It was his Ambition every where to speak usefully, and say only those Things that one or other might be the wiser or better for.

Thirdly, HE would, with all the nice Contrivance imaginable, improve Opportunities to say something or other, that might particularly set off some Glories of his LORD: He would every where contrive, if it were possible, to let fall some Sentence or other, by which high Tho'ts of CHRIST might be raised in those that heard Him.

4. THINKING his Charitable Disbursements may most suitably be reserved for the next Chapter; I shall only here give you his private Sentiments of Chari∣tableness in his own Words;

I am not unable with a little Study to write in seven Languages: I feast my self with the Sweets

of all the Sciences which the more polite Part of Mankind ordinarily pretend unto. I am entertained with all kinds of Histories ancient and modern. I am no stranger to the Curiosities, which by all sorts of Learning are brought unto the curious. These Intellectual Pleasures are far beyond any Sensual ones.— Nevertheless, all this affords me not so much Delight as it does, to relieve the Dis∣tresses of any one poor mean miserable Neighbour; and much more, to do any extensive Service for the Redress of those Epidemical Miseries under which Mankind in general is languishing, and to advance the Kingdom of GOD in the World.

— His pri∣vate Conduct was consonant with his Sentiments.

5. IT was his watchful Desire and Study, never to maintain a personal Quarrel with any Man breath∣ing; but rather deny himself of his Humor, his Esteem, — or any Thing in the World. His Reason was, because no Man can manage a personal Quarrel without losing abundance of precious Time, which may be laid out infinitely better in the Service of CHRIST and his Church; besides a deal of inevitable Sin, which will insinuate it self into every personal Quarrel, by which one's internal Peace is broken. And further, since we have but a short Time to live in the World, He tho't it foolish to throw away any of it in Squabbles.

6. CONSIDERING that for Men, even good Men to speak Evil one of another, is a very evil Thing—He tho't it would be a considerable Service to seek the Suppression of that Vice or any Vergencies to it in himself. Wherefore, after Flights to his JESUS for Strength to Will and Perform, he made these Reso∣lutions.

THAT he would never speak falsely of any Man; and that if he spake Evil of any Man, it should be un∣der these Limitations and Regulations.

First, THAT He would keep a Charity for the Per∣son of whom he spoke, wishing most heartily that all Good might be spoken of him; and he would from Charity speak to those when with them; — always thinking, Whether what he said might be for the Benefit of the Hearers?

Secondly, IF He spoke what was Evil of any Per∣son, he would carefully watch over his Heart, that he did not utter it with Delight: He would manage it with Brevity and Aversion, as a very ungrateful Subject.

Thirdly, WHEN he must, or was obliged to speak what is Evil of any Man, if he knew of any Good that could be spoken of him, he would besure to balance the Evil with the mention of the Good.

Fourthly, BEFORE he would speak Evil of a Man, he would consider whether he should not first speak to him; and, be it how it will, he would ordinarily, speak nothing, but what he should chearfully and contentedly say in the Hearing of the Man of whom he is talking.

AND, Fifthly, HE would aggravate nothing; and when he spoke of an Evil would not make it worse than it was.

THESE Rules he conscientiously observed.—Would to GOD, others were so careful as to take a due No∣tice of them!

7. BECAUSE he did not love to be disturbed with tedious & impertinent Visiters, and because his Friends (Amici Temporis Fures) might sometimes unseaso∣nably interrupt him, he wrote over his Study Door in Capitals, BE SHORT. And yet, let him be ever so busy when a Friend came to see him, he threw all by, He was perfectly easy, with pleasure communi∣cated the Observations he had lately met with, and was so very obliging that, altho' his Friends knew his hurry and great Business, they knew not how to leave Him.

8. HE would rarely see a torn Leaf of a Bible in the Street, but would take it up with some particular Mark of Respect; not knowing but he might find some special Admonition. This he found a very pro∣fitable Practice.

9. WHEN he rode abroad, He would most commonly take some young Gentleman with him, with whom he us'd to pray in private at their Lodging in Inns and Gentlemen's Houses, and unto whom he would endea∣vour in all possible ways to recommend Religion with the sweet and easy, but strong Charms of it.

10. WHEN he went into any considerable Towns, he would for the most part beg Play-Days for the Boys; and, as a Condition for their being excused from School, he would enjoyn some Religious Task upon them.

11. IF he heard that any Person had done him wrong in Word or Deed, he would seldom let him know that he had any Knowlege of it. The best Way he tho't was to forgive the wrong and bury it in Silence. For besides the Consideration due to the internal Advan∣tage reaped by such Christianity, there is this to be considered; Such is the Malignity in the most of Men, that they will hate you only because they know they have wronged you. They will, as far as they can, justify the wrong they have done you; and because they imagine you owe them a like wrong, they will bear a confirmed Spite to you. But he found the best way was Patience & Silence; the Consequence of which has been, those who wronged him became his best Friends afterwards.

12. I was going to relate some other Rules of Prac∣tice, of Prudence, and also to tell the Methods which he kept to, to preserve Health. But I remember he has described his Practice in those Rules and Me∣thods which he has mentioned at the End of his MA∣NU••••••TIO A•• MINITSERIUM, to which I refer you

13. I will conclude this Section and Chapter with an Account of two Books in which he was writing constantly.

THE first was his Quotidiana (as he call'd it) or Common-Place Book; in which he wrote along the remarkable Passages in any Author as he read him; but for fear he should be at a loss in finding any Pas∣sage, entred as he found it, he therefore number'd every Quotation, and at the End of his Book had an Index of Names, Things, &c. so that he could presently have Recourse to the Sentences he wanted.

THE other Book was his Diary; in which he kept an Account of the most considerable Articles in which he had done his Duty, as well as those in which He had been deficient.

THERE was a German one SEBASTIAN HEINRIC, who, not many Years ago, published for the Course of one Year whatever he did, read or saw for that Year.

MR. MATHER'S Diary was not such a Medley: No! There was none but important Matters entred into it. I will only take Notice of what I have col∣lected in observing one Day, and one Year of it.

I find in one of his Diaries an Account of the Trans∣actions of one Day as follows.

This Day I per∣formed the Duties of my general Calling, instructed the Scholars under my Charge, underwent the Di∣version of Meals and Company, with whom I was a considerable while; I made a long Sermon and preached it; I spent more than a little Time at the private Meeting, where I preached, and read over KNOX'S Historical Relation of the Island of Ceylon.

IN the Observation of one whole Year of his Diary I took Notice of it,—

THAT he had preached above seventy two publick Sermons, and many private ones; perhaps near half as many.

THAT not one Day passed without some Contri∣vance to do Good invented and registred; besides, I suppose, many never entred his Memorials.

THAT no one Day had passed without being able to say at Night, that some of his Revenues, tho' small, had been dealt out to pious Uses.

THAT he had prepared and published about four∣teen Books.

THAT he had kept sixty Fasts and twenty two Vigils.

A vast Variety of other Things I find recorded, which I shall omit: I bring this only as a Specimen of his Diary, how it was replenished and what Pains he took not to spend his Life in vain.

BUT notwithstanding He took such Care of spending his Time; yet, I often in his Books find him complaining of his Deficiencies, &c. His first Years, He calls, Time so mispent as to render it un∣worthy to be called a Life; after he was grown in Years, he chose rather to say, such a Year of his Age than his Life: On one of his Books I read, such a Year of a forfeited Life; on another Year, of "my sinning against my precious REDEEMER": On ano∣ther, "Alas of my Unfruitfulness"! On a fourth, "A Year sweel'd away in Sin and Sloth". So that it might be said of Him, as was said of one that was very exact in his Walk, that his Life was perpe∣tua Censura, a continual Censure of himself.

ALTHO' he thus complains of himself: it would be happy for the greatest Part of the World, if they could give so good an Account of their Time and their Talents. Blessed is such a wise and faithful Servant, who when his LORD cometh, is found so doing.

I might under this Chapter have given you a large Account of his Fasts, &c. (which belong to this pri∣vate Character and Conduct) but I had rather re∣serve them, until the 6th Chapter obliges me to pro∣duce them.

CHAP. II. His public Appearances and signal Services; in the Ministry, and in Concerns abstracted from. it.

SECT. 1. His Ministry, Preparation for it, Hin∣drances of it, Introduction into it, and Methods in it, &c.

1. THERE was one Thing, which, from his Cra∣dle, seem'd to have a dark and sad Aspect upon his Usefulness, and that was an uncommon Im∣pediment in his Speech. Several great Men were Stammerers before him, as a MOSES, a PAUL, a VIR∣GIL, and a BOYLE; and perhaps such great and good Companions in Adversity might render it less tedious and more tolerable.

2. WHILE he was full of Concern for Relief from this troublesome Infirmity, that good old School-master Mr. CORLET gave him a Visit on purpose to advise Him; Sir, said he, I should be glad if you would oblige your self to a dilated Deliberation in speaking; for as in Singing there is no one who Stam∣mers, so by prolonging your Pronunciation you will get an Habit of speaking without Haesitation.

3. HERE I must inform my Reader, that because of his Stammering, he had almost, for some Time, laid aside the Tho'ts of being a Minister, and had with great Application studied Physic: But, upon prosecuting Mr. CORLET'S Advice, and having pro∣cured with Divine Help an happy Delivery, he was perswaded by his Friends to desert the Calling of a Phy∣sician; He did so: And after having studied Theology rationally and without Prejudice, he prepared for public Appearance: And because of the Calling he had relinquished, he did in his first Sermon consider our blessed SAVIOUR as the glorious Physician of

Souls; chusing those words for his first Text in Luke IV. 18. He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted.

4. SERRARIUS thought, that none were called Rabbins, but such as were advanced in Years and had received Imposition of Hands and taught some Scholars. But altho' he was well read in this Sub∣ject, Mr. BASNA••E says, he was mistaken; for NACHMANIDES was stiled Rabbi at eighteen Years old, because he distinguished himself at this green Age, and began to teach.

Mr. MATHER deserved the Title of Rabbi at the the same Age; for he then distinguished himself and began to teach: For on Aug. 22. 1680. He first preached for his Grand-father at Dorchester, the Sab∣bath after for his Father at Boston, and the Sabbath succeeding was in his other Grand-father's Desk at Boston.

5. THE NORTH CHURCH at Boston having Time after Time taken notice of his great Gifts & Abilities, on February 23d. 1680. gave an unanimous Invitation to him, to be an Assistant to his Father, and made him encouraging Offers for his Support.

6. AFTER this, they had further Experience of his Ministerial Qualifications, and on Jan. 8. 1682. una∣nimously chose him for their Pastor, and desired his Ordination as such over them. He for some Time de••••i••ed any Compliance with their repeated Calls, partly because they were not in extreme Want, ha∣ving his Father with them, who was hearty & strong; and partly from a modest Opinion, and low Appre∣hension of himself and his Talents. CHRYSOSTOM says, that when he read that Text, Heb. XIII. 17. They watch for your Souls, as they that must give Account — the words caused an Earthquake within him, and produced an holy Trembling in his Soul. — The same words, with continued Reflections on them, made him fear and quake exceedingly, about entring into sacred Orders.

7. NEVERTHELESS, at last, he was prevailed with to accept the sacred Burden; (Onus Angelicis Hum••∣••is formidandum!) and he was ordained May 13th 1684; when Mr. ALLEN, Mr. WILLARD and his FATHER imposed Hands on him; with the good Apostolical ELIOT, who gave him the Right Ha•••• of Fellowship.—A truly primitive Ordination! which he never once in his Life scrupled the Validity of! After a curious Examination of most of the Fathers in the three first Centuries, he was verily perswaded that every one of them had been perverted and abu∣sed by designing Men to serve their own Ends, espe∣cially in the Instance of Ordination: And yet grant∣ing that not one of them had been debauched, and all of them were unanimous for Episcopal (or Diocesan) Ordination; I say granting this; yet he firmly be∣lieved that the scriptural Ordination (excepting the extraordinary Part) were such as his own; and ever looked upon the Choice of the People as agreable to the Rights of Mankind in general, of a Church in particular, consonant with the sacred Scriptures, and tho't no Ordination regular, unless Election of the People preceded it. I write not here my own Senti∣ments (I dare not pretend to write them,) but the Doctor's.

8. I shall here transcribe some Passages I find in his Diary, relating to the Cure of Pride, a Sin, which all are subject unto, and more especially Ministers, and which ought with Care and all Dili∣gence to be avoided.

THE apprehension of the cursed PRIDE (the Sin of young Ministers) working in my Heart, fill'd me with inexpressible Bitterness and Confu∣sion before the LORD. In my early Youth, even when others of my Age are playing in the Streets, I preached unto very great Assemblies, and found strange Respects among the People of GOD. I fear'd (and Thanks be to GOD, that He ever struck me with such a Fear!) lest a Snare, and a Pit were by Satan prepared for such a Novice.

I resolved therefore that I would set apart a Day, to humble my self before GOD for the PRIDE of my own Heart, and entreat that by HIS Grace I may be delivered from that Sin and from all the dreadful Wrath, to which I may be by that Sin exposed. I did so; And on this Day I examined my self by the Discoveries of Pride, which I found given in some judicious Discourses on that Subject. But I found especially two Respects, in which I fear'd I was guilty before GOD.

First, MY Applauding of my self in my Tho'ts, when I have done any thing at all significant; pray'd or preach'd with Enlargements; answered a Question readily, presently, suitably. Proud Thot's I saw fly-blow'd my best Performances.

Next, MY ambitious Affectation of Pre-eminence far above what could belong to my Age or worth, and above others that were far more deserving than my self.

FOR my Humiliation I then wrote these Consi∣derations:

• 1. WHAT is Pride but the very Image of Satan on the Soul? The more any Man has of CHRIST in him, the more humble will he be, more low and vile in his own Eyes and more empty of himself. When GOD renews HIS Image in us, He pulls down our proud Thot's. 'Tis true, Pride is a most natural Sin; but Grace would overcome that in a most special Manner and Measure. And then how little Grace have I? How unlike HIM, that could say, I am lowly? Let me for this Cause, ab∣hor my self in Dust and Ashes!
• 2. DO I not by Pride offend GOD? it is a Breach of HIS holy Command and He often de∣clares HIS Abhorrence of it. HIS holy SPIRIT is grieved by it: And how vehemently does the Scripture caution against all Tendencies unto it? Shall I bear to think of offending that GOD who

• has been a Father to me, and whom I have chosen and vow'd to love and serve as my GOD and Fa∣ther? Or that SPIRIT, upon the sweet Influences of which my Soul does live, Sealed unto the Day of Redemption.
• 3. IS not Pride a most unreasonable Folly and Madness in me? Have I any just Occasion for glorying in my self? Do I any Thing singular? Am not I in most Attainments exceeded by most of my Calling and Standing? But, Oh, let this be a Dagger to my Heart! Have I not a cursed Na∣ture in me? And hath not the LORD heretofore left me unto some Follies, the sense of which should make me walk softly and my Days? LORD, I am viler than a Beast before Thee! Or, why should I seek Honor. 'Tis not seemly for such a Fool. Am I fit for Service? Or am I not rather unsavory Salt fit for Nothing but the Dunghil? What am I bet∣ter than the least of all Saints? If in any external Grandeurs I get above any of them, I am by them the more obnoxious to Temptation and Sin an Wrath▪ Ly then in the Dust, O my Soul, before GOD.
• 4. HOW dangerous, how destructive an Evil is this Pride? I provoke the GOD of Heaven, to take away every one of those Idols, which in my fond Pride, I dote upon; and if the LORD should now deprive me of my Capacities & Opportunities, where am I but in an horrible Pit of Sorrows and Miseries? And let me remember, Pride will sooner than any Thing drive away the good SPI∣RIT of GOD from the Heart of a poor Creature. And if that should be my Fate, — LORD, Have Mercy on me!— What a Monument shall I be of thy direful Vengeance? O that the LORD would set home these Tho'ts for my Humiliation!

BUT what shall I do for the Cure of this Di∣sease?

IN the first and chief place, I would carry my distemper'd Heart unto the LORD JESUS, and put it into the Hands of that alsufficient Physician for HIM to ture it.

Secondly, I would be daily watchful against my Pride, & continually keep an Eye upon my Heart, and check the least Beginnings and first Motions of this Corruption.

Thirdly, I would study much the Nature, the Work and Aggravations of this Evil, and the Excel∣lency of the Grace contrary unto it.

IN one of my Supplications this Day, I thus ex∣press'd my self;

LORD, What shall I do for the Cure of this Disease my Pride? Blessed be thy Name, Thou hast shewed me a Way, and bid me walk in it. Have I not heard Thee saying to my sinful, stung and swoln Soul, Look unto ME and be saved! And therefore by thy Grace I will do it. I have done it and have found, and to this Day find, the Benefit of it. Why is it that I am not insensibly and incureably forever carried away Captive by the Lust with which I am now warring? 'Tis because I had put my Heart into the Hands of the faithful JESUS, and He it is that hath not suffered me to go on unconcerned about the Distemper of my Soul, but hath awakened me to seek Relief at HIS Hands, as I do this Day.—And now LORD, I come to HIM. He sees how I am labouring and heavy laden, but He has bid me come. Does He not call for my Heart? But what kind of Heart? It is not mention'd; but I am sure it is my Heart that is called for. Hence tho' my Heart be a proud Heart, yet as long as 'tis mine, I am to bring it. And, O LORD, I bring it because it is proud. But wherefore doth He call for it? Is it not that He may set up His Kingdom in it, fill it with His Graces, and manifest the power of His rich Goodness in it forever? Then let Him take my Heart and make it humble! It is easy with Him

to do it. Tho' I cannot overcome this Pride, He can: Oh, Let Him do it, I wait upon Him for it; I believe and am satisfied that He will do it; I have not sought THY Face in vain.

THESE Passages were wrote presenty aftr Mr. MATHER was setled in the Ministry, and therefore I bring them in here. The Section is indeed long; but, as I bless GOD, it has been very profitable to Me, I hope it will be acceptable to the pious Readers, espe∣cially of the sacred Order.

9. I forgot to inform my Reader, That Mr. MA∣THER before He was Setled, kept many Days of Fasting and Prayer in order to it. And in one of those Days, having declared unto GOD, That not expecting any temporal Advantage, but rather Sor∣row and Sickness, Obloquy and many Persecutions, he would out of Love to HIM, undertake the Work before Him, feed a precious and numerous Flock of His: He then promised these Things to his LORD;

THAT He would endeavour to be a faithful Pas∣tor unto those over whom he should be placed.

THAT He would endeavour to be humble under whatever Enlargements should be vouchsafed unto him.

THAT if GOD should give him to build up HIS Church with an unspotted Reputation, he would endeavor to be contented with whatever State should be ordered for him in the World, tho' never so Poor and many other ways afflicted.

10. He was constant and unwearied in his public Ministry, when he was entred into it.—Sometimes he has preached a Sermon for eleven Days successively. I need not at large write the Subjects of his Discour∣ses, his Method of Studying & Preaching, since he has given so true a Description of them in his Manu∣ductio ad Ministerium. Pago 90, to 98 & 102, to 105.

11. BUT however I will give my Reader his Rules of Preaching, since they are short, since they were tho't upon when he was Young, others may be the better for them, and since this Book may come into their Hands who have not seen the Doctor's Manu∣ductio.

First, WHEN he was at a loss for a Text, he would make a Prayer to the Holy SPIRIT if CHRIST for HIS Direction and Assistance, as well to find a Text for him, as to handle it.

Secondly, BEFORE he would undertake to go over any larger Portion or Doctrine of the Bible, which might require many Sermon, he would with more Solemn Supplications address Heaven for necessary Succours.

Thirdly, HE would weigh well the Original Tongues, as well as the usual and needful Commenta∣ries, for a Scripture before he would preach upon it.

Fourthy, IN pitching on Subjects to be discoursed in his public Ministry, especially more occasional ones, (for which he would reserve himself a Liberty in what Course soever he was) He would ever have some Design of suiting and serving the Edification of the Hearers;—ever—preach upon Design.

Fifthly, HE would not stand long upon one Text ordinarily, but study an acceptable Variety: Nor would he use one way of treating every Text, but be various in his Methods.

Sixthly, HE would be Scriptural in all his Exer∣cises; and ordinarily dismiss no Head, without some place of Scripture well adjusted to it.

Seventhly, HE would always endeavour to fill ••is Hour well (and he did so) and ••roud every Sermon as full of Matter as possible without Obscurity.

Eighthly, IN uttering his Sermons he was not for beginning too fast or too loud.

Ninthly, HE did not make his Sentences or Periods too extended for the Writers to take them readily, or for the Hearers readily and easily to have the sence of them.

Tenthly, BEFORE he preach'd any Sermon he was desirous in a devout Meditation to work every Head of it upon his Heart, until he turned it into a proper Supplication.

Eleventhly, HE would have and use Notes in Preaching; but yet would not so read his Notes, as in the least to take off the Vivacity of his Eye, his Voice, his whole Action.

Twelfthly, HE would have much of CHRIST in his Ministry; (CHRIST who is All!) As knowing that the Holy SPIRIT loves to glorify CHRIST; and if he did so too, he should have much of the HOLY SPIRIT with him in his Ministry.

Thirteenthly, AND he was resolved to have great Care in his Ministry, lest at all he should confound the Methods of GRACE; upon a due Stating and Owning of which the Success of the Ministry does ex∣ceedingly depend.

Fourteenthly, HE ordinarily would conclude his Sermons with some agreeable Text of Scripture, left with Life and Pungency to the Consideration of the Hearers; He tho't the Practice edifying.

12. IN this Section I shall produce several Designs of Christianity, which he formed after his Investiture in the Sacred Calling.

First, THE Apostle's Advice to a Young Minister, Exercise thy self to Godliness; he would think much upon it, read over some Discourses on the Subject, and as he went along, employ his particular Ejaculations upon every Article.

Secondly, HAVING met with on Observation, That the want of Mortification in a Minister, procures a sad Unsuccessfulness to his Ministry; and that he might not be a deplorable Instance of it, he resolved imme∣diately to read over Dr. OWEN'S Treatise of Mortifica∣tion, (with others on the same Subject) and endea∣vour to follow and apply the Direction in it.

Thirdly, HE took a Catalogue of all the Commu∣nicants belonging to his Church; and in his Secret Prayers he resolved that he would go over the Cata∣logue

by Parcels at a Time upon his Kness and Pray for the most suitable Blessings, he could think of, to be bestowed upon each Person by Name distinctly mentioned.

Fourthly, IN perusing his Sermons before he Preach∣ed them, he resolved to make even that an Exercise of Devotion by endeavouring to fetch an agreeable Ejaculation but of every Head and every Text pro∣duced in them.

Fifthly, HE had one Design which I will express in his own Words;

IT will cost me very bitter Toyls and Pains; yet perhaps I may be serviceable in it: If I procure to my self an exact Account of those evil Humours, of which the place were I live at any time in under the observable Dominion; and whereas those Devils may be cast out by Fasting and Prayer set apart a Day still of secret Prayer with Fasting for each of them; to deprecate my own Guiltiness in them, and supplicate for such Effusions of the SPIRIT from on high, as my redress, remove and banish such Distempers from the place.

13. BUT he did not think these Things sufficient. He tho't it his Duty to visit the Families belonging to his Church; taking one, and sometimes two After∣noons in a Week for that Purpose.

HE sent befire-hand to the Families, that he in∣tended at such a time to visit them: And when he came, with as pungent and handsome Addresses, as possible, he would treat every Person particularly about their Eternal Interests.

First, HE discoursed with the Elder People upon such Points as he tho't most proper for them.

AND especially charged them to maintain Family Prayer, obtain'd their Promises for it if they had neglected it, and prayed with them that he might show them how to pray, as well as to obtain their purposes for it.

HE likewise pressed upon them the Care of instruct∣ing their Children and Servants in the Holy Religion we profess, and bringing them up for CHRIST.

IT any that he should have spoke with, were absent, he frequently lest a Solemn Text or two of the Sacred Scripture, which he tho't most agreable for them; de∣siring some present would remember him to them, and from him recommend unto them that Oracle of GOD.

AND by the way at his Farewel to his Christian Friends and as a Conclusion of his Visit, he would contrive to commend unto them, some•• suitable Text of Scripture of which they might think when he was gone from them.

BUT I return; He having done with the Parents, then called for the Children and Servants; and put∣ting to them such Questions of the Catechism as he tho't fit, he would from the Answers make as lively Applications to them, as could be, for engaging them to the Fear of GOD.

HE frequently got Promises from them relating to Secret Prayer, Reading the Scriptures & Obedience to their Parents and Masters.

HE would often set before them the Proposals of the NewCovenant, after he had first laboured for their Conviction and Awakening: So they have full of Tears expressly declared their Consenting to, and Ac∣cepting of, the Proposals of the Covenant of Grace, which he distinctly set before them.

SOME of the lesser Folks' he would order to bring their Bibles to him, and read unto him from thence three or four Verses, to which he turned them: He would charm them to think on such Things, as he thence observed for their Admonition, and never for∣get those faithful sayings of GOD.

HE would sometimes leave some awful Questions with them, which, he told them, they should not A••swer to him, but to themselves; As, What have I been doi••g ever since I came into the World about the grea•• Errand upon which GOD sent me into the World? And If GOD should now call me out of the World, wh••t would become of me throughout Eternal Ages? And Have I ever yet by Faith carried a pe••∣i••••••ng Soul unto the LORD JESUS for b••th 〈…〉〈…〉 Salvation.

MANY other such Methods he took for the Win∣ning of Souls in this Discharge of his Ministry: And he enjoy'd a most wonderful Presence of GOD with him in this undertaking; and seldom left a Family without Tears dropt by several in it.

HE could seldom dispatch more than four or five Families in an Afternoon, and look'd on this Work as laborious as any in all his Ministry. He sat a great Value upon his Pastoral Visits; he not only did, but got Good in his Conversation with all sorts of Persons and tho't he never walk'd more in the SPIRIT than thus walking to his Flock to serve and seek their best Interest. I need not say any more about his Visits; his Memorial for Pastoral Visits is published, which will give you some Account of his Conduct in them.

14. HIS Love to his Church and Congrega••ion was very flaming. To Exercise this Love — he was very desirous: and therefore he resolved to take the Bills, that are put up in our Congregation, for Prayer or Praise, and present the particular Cases there exhibited before the LORD in his Study, where he did more particularly implore the Grace of GOD for each of th••m than he did or could in the Publick.

AND in pursuance of this Intention, (that is the Exercise of Love) he would ask himself before his Evening Prayers, Who hath in the foregoing Day shown me any Kindness? And he would then par∣ticularly supplicate the GOD of Heaven that he would bestow Spiritual and Eternal Favours on each of them that had particularly obliged him.

15. HE would never let any of his Flock (or in∣deed any other) fairly come in his way, but he would let fall some Word or other, that he design'd and hop'd might prove serviceable some way to them.

16. HE was continually scattering Books of Piety into their Hands; and often did it with this ••••vice Remember I am speaking to you all the 〈…〉〈…〉

have this Book before you! And so there was not a Day in the Year in which he was not preaching to many of them. It is scarce imaginable how many good Books he disposed of: He has given away above a Thousand in a Year.

17. IT was a Rule with him (and he beg'd of GOD to give him this Goodness, Patience & Condescention) rather to suffer and bury in filence any manner of In∣juries & Abuses from Absurd People, than to manage any Contention with any of them on any Occasion. Let the Matter and Issue of the Controversy be what it will, he tho't he should gain more in regard of his greatest Interest by remitting his Right, than vigo∣rously pursuing it.

AND in the Services of Christianity, If he made any Difference between those that abused him, and those that valued him; it was in being more ready to serve the former than the latter.

AND it was admirable to see how this Conduct would conquer the Follies & Humors of unreasonable People.

18. HE was ever desirous of entertaining an high Opinion of the personal Worth, Wisdom, Goodness and Accomplishments of many in the Flock, and the unspeakable Worth of the Souls of all of them, and by this Opinion to be quickned in his Studies for his Sermons, that they might be as able, and yet as use∣ful Composures as he could render them: And in∣deed they never had cause to complain of his Discour∣ses as jejun•• and unstudied.

19. HE endeavoured with explicit Considerations that all the temporal Benefits he enjoy'd by the Salary which his People allow'd him, might be answered and vastly exceeded in the Spiritual Benefits of which his Ministry might make them the Partakers. Their Salary fed him: he would therefore prepare rich and heavenly and Angels Food for their Minds. It clothed

him; he would therefore do his best in showing them how to put on CHRIST, how to defend and adorn themselves with the Garments of Salvation. It warm∣ed him; and therefore he would endeavour to speak things unto them, that should make their Hearts burn within them and keep alive the Flame of Piety among them.

20. I mentioned a little while ago his concern for his Church, in his Prayers — I must add this one Instance of his Love to them; That he would ever now and then set apart an whole Day, to supplicate the Favor of Heaven for them with strict Fasting. And on each such Fast, altho' near Four Hundred be∣longed unto his Church, he would pray for each of them by Name and be••eech the most suitable Blessings for them.

21. A Lord Chancellor of England, who was also Arch-Bishop of York said in his latter days,

That in his Time he had passed thro' more Posts of Office and Honour than most Men in the World; but if he were sure that any one Soul had been by his Means converted unto GOD and CHRIST & Holiness, it would give him unspeakable more Satisfac∣tion than all the Dignities that had been confer'd upon him.

How happy then was Dr. MATHER, and how astonishing his Satisfaction! For, as ••e had not been a Year a Minister before he had thirty Seals of his Ministry h. e. thirty who declared unto the Church He was the Cause under GOD of their Awake∣ning and Conversion; Many, Many, (GOD knows how many) have been by his Addresses to them either by Tongue or Pen since bro••t home to GOD. — Many excellent Persons on their Death-Beds have often spoken unto him of what GOD had by his Ministry done to them: He has often seen them with Rapture triumphing over the Sting and Fear of Death, owning him as the Instrumental Saviour of their Souls from Death, confessing their Love to him & assuring him of the Wondrous Glory waiting for him as well as them.

22. I know not how to leave this Section without inserting the Words I met with in the private Papers of his pious Mother, which she wrote on 4 d. 2 m. 1714. (on which Day she died.)

I went thro' many Deaths in bearing Children, but those Deaths have proved the Spiritual Life of many a Soul. GOD particularly so blessed my Elder Son, that I have often blessed the LORD, that made me the Mother of such an eminent Ser∣vant of GOD.

SECT. 2. His being concerned in Affairs abstracted from the Ministry; in Instruction of Scholars, in public Affairs of Government, &c. with Accounts of his extensive serviceableness.

1. IT may as well be bor't in, in this Place as any, That from Seventeen Years old he had for more than Seven Years together the Charge of Scholars, and some under his Tuition older than himself. These his Pupils he carried thro' the Parts of Academic Learning; and by instructing them confirmed himself in many Points of Literature. The Methods how he taught them the Hebrew Tongue; How he heard their daily Recitation from the Originals of both Testaments; how he composed Catechisms of the Several Arts for them; how he directed their Decla∣mations and Disputes — might be related for some∣what of Curiosity in them. But I will hint one thing which may be grateful to those who have the Employ∣ment of Tutors. 'Tis this; He had many Contrivan∣ces that he might save the Souls of the Young Men who were committed to his Charge. He therefore, ••••••des his Cares to check all Ebullitions of Sin in any of their Conversations, did successively use to send for them, one by one, into his Study, and there in the most moving, soft, obliging, & yet most solemn & lively manner discourse with them about their own everlast∣ing

Interests; and he would then bestow some good Books on them to further the Work of GOD and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Grace upon their Spirits: And moreover, he made it his Custom, that in every Recitation he would, from something or other occuring in it, make an Occas•••••• to let fall some Sentence, which might have a tendency to promote the Fear of GOD in their Souls, which Practice did sometimes cause him to exert his Wit and Readiness; but it left a good Effect upon the Youths.

AND at length GOD gave him to see the Harvest of these his Labors; for several of these Young Men have proved able and holy Preachers, and among the most hopeful of the rising Generation. Mr. MATHER would often say, He would give all he was worth in the World for those Measures of Grace and sence which he saw in some that were once his Pupils.

2. I am here to mention his being concern'd in State Affairs (a difficult Section!) and I must assure my Reader that I am more at a loss what to do about it than any one in the whole Book; for should I omit the Section I must be a faulty Historian, to leave out what is so considerable; and if I should insert it at length, write the ill Managements of others and the Warmth with which the Doctor ever appeared for Truth and Honour as well as for his People & Coun∣trey; I say, should I record these Things in all their Circumstances, it might provoke the Anger of a few Gentlemen and others. Now because it is my desire that this History may be very unexceptionable, I shall treat of one or two Things only, and write of the Rest in such a General Way as to give no one any Offence.

I find my self obliged to mention one or two Affairs, particularly in which Mr. MATHER was con∣sidered and distinguished himself.

MY Country is very sensible that in the Year 1688. (when one of the most wicked of Kings was on the

British Throne) ANDROS and his Crew were very violent, illegal and arbitary in their Proceedings: I need not give any Narrative of their Managements here, because there has been an Account of them al∣ready given to the World.

WHILE these Roaring Lions and Ranging Bears were in the midst of their Ravages; It was in the Month of April when we had News by the Edges concerning a Descent made upon England by the Prince of Orange for the Rescue of the Nations from Slavery and Popery; — Then a Strange Disposition entred in the Body of our People to assert our Liberties against the Arbitrary Rulers that were fleecing them: But it was much feared by the more sensible Gentlemen at Boston, that an unruly Company of Soldiers, who had newly deserted the Service in which they had bin employed for the Eastern War, by the gathering of their Friends to them to protect them from the Go∣vernor, who, they tho't, intended nothing but Ruine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them, would make a great Stir & produce a bloody Revol••tion.

AND therefore the principal Gentlemen in Boston 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with Mr. MATHER to consult what was best to be done; and they all agreed, if possible, that they would extinguish all Essays in our People to an In∣surrection; but that if the Country People to the Northward by any violent Motions push'd on the Matter so far as to make a Revolution unavoidable, Then to prevent the Shedding of Blood by an ungo∣verned Multitude, some of the Gentlemen present would appear in the Head of what Action should be done; and a Declaration was prepared accordingly.

ON April 18. the People were so driving & furious, that unheaded they began to seize our public Op∣pressors: upon which the Gentlemen aforesaid ••ound it necessary to appear, that by their Authority among the People the unhappy Tumults might 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a little regulated. And thro' the Goodness of GOD, altho'

the whole Country were now in a most prodigious Ferment and Thousands of exasperated People in Arms were come into Boston, yet there was no manner of Outrage committed; only the public Robbers that had lorded it over Us were confined. 'Twas then Mr. MATHER appeared — He was the Instrument of preventing the Excesses into which the Wrath of Man is too ready to run; He came and like a NESTOR or ULISSES reasoned down the Passions of the Populace: had he lisped a Syllable for it, perhaps the People would by a sudden Council of War have try'd, judg'd and hang'd those ill Men, who would have treated him otherwise. Nevertheless he set himself both pub∣lickly & privately to hinder the Peoples proceeding any further than to reserve the Criminals for the Justice of the English Parliament.

NOW the Persecution which was intended for Mr. MATHER was diverted; for on that very Day that he was to be committed to half a Years Imprisonment, those that would have wrong'd him were justly taken into Custody: And yet so generous was he as not only to expose his Name but even his Life unto the Rage of the Multitude for the saving of some that would have hurt him: Tho' he had no Thanks for his Ingenuity.

THE Spirit which acted him in these Matters is expressed in a Sermon he preach'd to the Convention of the Colony from 2 Chron. XV. 2. It was printed under the Title of, The Way to Prosperity.

A few Days before this, the Inhabitants of Boston assembling together to chuse Representatives for that Convention & vote Instructions for them, it was appre∣hended, that the different Persuasions of the People a∣bout the next Steps to be taken for our Settlement would have produced a Fury near to Bloodshed; and therefore Mr. MATHER was desired to be at their Meeting. The Meeting began with dangerous and horrible Paroxysms, which when he saw, he upon it made an affectionate and moving Speech to them, at which many fell into

Tears and the whole Body of the People present im∣mediately united in the Methods of Peace Mr. MATHER proposed unto them.

UPON, Discoursing with him of these Affairs he has told me, that he always pressed Peace and Love and Submission unto a legal Government, tho' he suffered from some tumultuous People, by doing so; and upon the whole, has asserted unto me his Innocency and Freedom from all known Iniquity in that Time, but declared his Resolution, from the View he had of the fickle Humors of the Populace that he would chuse to be concern'd with them as little as possible for the future. And so I dismiss this Head of the Re∣volution.

3. MY Country is also acquainted with the Confu∣sions which they suffered by the Witchcrafts in it. I shall here say a little of that Time of Temptation; and write Mr. MATHER'S Sentiments, & Actions.

THE Summer of the Year 1692. was a very dole∣ful Time unto the whole Country. — The Devils after a most pra••ternatural Manner by the dreadful Judgments of Heaven took a Bodily Possession of many People in our Salem, and Places adjacent; where the Houses of the poor People began to be filled with the Cries of Persons tormented by Evil Spirits. There ••••em'd to be an execrable Witchcraft in the Founda∣tion of this Wondrous Affliction; many Persons of diverse Characters being accused, apprehended, pro∣secuted upon the Visions of the Afflicted.

Mr. MATHER, for his Part, was always affraid of proceding to convict and condemn any. Person as a Confederate with afflicting D••mons upon so feeble an Evidence as a Spectral Representation. Accordingly he ever testified against it both publickly & privately, and particularly, in his Letter to the Judges, he be∣sought them that they would by no means admit it; and when a considerable Assembly of Ministers gave

in their Advice about that Matter, he not only con∣cur'd with the Advice but He drew it up.

NEVERTHELESS, on the other side, he saw in most of the Judges a charming Instance of Prudence and Patience; and as he knew their exemplary Piety, so he observed the Agony of Soul with which they sought the Direction of Heaven, above most other of our People who were enchanted into a raging, railing and un••easonable Disposition. For this Cause, tho' Mr. MATHER could not allow the Principles some of the Judges had espoused; he could not however but speak honourably of their Persons on all Occasions; and his Compassion upon the sight of their Difficulties, which Compassion was raised by his Journeys to Salem the chief Seat of these Diabolical Vexations, caused him still to go to the Place. And merely for this Reason, some mad People in the Country (from whom one o•• two credulous Foreigners have dared to published the abusive Story) under a Fascination of their Spirits equal to what our Evergumens had upon their Bodies, reviled Mr. MATHER, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 if he had bin the Doer of the hard Things that were done in the Prosecution of the Witchcraft.

IN this evil Time Mr. MATHER offered at the Be∣ginning that if the possessed People might be scattered far asunder, he would singly provide for Six of them; and he with some others would see whether without more bitter Methods, Prayer with Fasting would not put an end unto these heavy Trials: But his Offer was not accepted.

HOWEVER for a great Part of the Summer he did almost every Week spend a Day by Himself in the Ex∣ercises of a secret FAST before the LORD. On these Days He cried unto GOD not only for his own Pre∣servation from the Malice and Power of the Evil An∣gels, but also for a good Issue of the Calamities in which he had permitted the Evil Angels to ensnare the miserable Country. He also besought the LORD

that he would enable him, prosper, direct and accept him in publishing such Testimonies for HIM as were proper, and would be serviceable unto HIS Interests on that Occasion.

AND that a right Use might be made of the pro∣digious Things which had been happening among us, he now composed & published his Book entituled, The Wonders of the invisible World; which was re∣printed several Times in London: In the Preface he speaks of, "the heart-breaking Excercises." He went thro' in writing it.— There was a certain Dis∣believer of Witchcraft who wrote against this Book; but as the Man is dead, his Book died long before him.

BUT having spoken ••no' of the more publick Witch∣craft; I think I will hale in here an Account of a Witchcraft happening in one private Family at Boston two or three Years before the general one.

'TWAS, I think, in the Year 1689. in the Winter, that several Children belonging to a pious Family at the South End of Boston were horribly bewitch'd and possess'd.

MR. MATHAR tho't it would be for the Glory of GOD, if he not only pray'd with as well as for the tortured Children; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ook an Account of the extraordinary Sympt•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••ch attended them, with sufficient Attestations to confound the Sadducism and Atheism of a debauched Age.

HE therefore did these Things; and that He might more effectually do them, took one of the Sufferers to his own House. With a thousand strange Passages he found himself entertain'd; the chief of which he afterwards compiled into a just History which is pub∣lished under the Title of, Memorable Providences re∣lating to Witchcrafts and Possessions. The Things referring to Himself in these Papers, he reports as of a third Persons; and with the Story He also printed

some Sermons preach'd on that Occasion.—Mr. BAX∣TER BAX∣TER often mentions this Book in his Book of the World of Spirits; and once in a Lecture at Pinners-Hall quoted it, with an Invitation unto People to purchase it; unto which end Mr. BAXTER procured the Reprinting of it at London with a kind Preface of his own to it.— This Book also has been flouted at and written against as well as the former; to men∣tion the Author's Names would be to show them too much respect; their Writings never had Credit eno' among any Men of Sense to deserve an Answer.

BUT I have now done with any Account of the Witchcraft, and Mr. MATHER'S Serviceableness in the Time of it.

I shall not come lower down, and show what a share the Doctor had in the Management of Civil Affairs, for fear of writing amiss. But Si Chart•• s••••∣a••t quod bene feceris — Mercedem tuleris.

4. BUT however I may observe that, all along, wherever he saw our Governors and Commanders ta∣king any steps that he tho't might be hurtful, he would freely either by Word of Mouth or Writing tell them his Sentiments; and whenever he was apprehen∣sive of any Step that might be for our Benefit, he would speak his Tho'ts to our Rulers, and give them his best Advice.

5. AND not only to our Rulers here; but unto those beyond Sea, who were concerned for our Wel∣fare, he manifested the same Freedom. There are se∣veral Persons of Quality; I suppose, now living that are conscious of the Doctor's Fidelity to his Country in writing on their behalf, when any Danger thr••••••∣ned them, and when any Profit might acrue from his Writing.— But here too I am obliged to refrain from showing the Instances.

6. THERE will be no hurt in relating the several Societies he was related unto.

HE promoted and set on foot Societies for the Suppression of Disorders and for doing Good; and he belonged to them.

IN the Year 1••••9. He projected a Society of Peace∣ma••ers, (like what we read of in Courland) whose Business it was to compose and prevent Differences, and divert Law-suits that might arise.

HE was one of the Commissioners for the Indian Affairs, whom he very much excited and spirited to the Doing of what has bin done here. He has some∣times got them to keep a Time of Prayer for that poor People; he preach'd a Sermon unto them, which is printed, and called India Christiana; and at the end of it there is an account of the Propagation of Religion as well in the Eastern as the Western-Indies. He belong'd to some other Societies in this Country which it is needless to write of.

7. HE printed a Proposal for an Evangelical Trea∣sury; the Design of which was to advance a Fund for bearing the Expence of building Churches in desti∣tute Places, of distributing Books of Piety, of reliev∣ing poor Ministers &c. The Doctor's Church and some others came into it, and 'tis to be ho••'d that so good a Practice will prevail more & more.

8. HE it was that bro't up the happy Method of Inoculation of the Small Pox among us; For 'twas he that first drew up an Account of this Method from TIMONIUS and PILARINUS out of the Tran∣sactions of the Royal Society, and recommended it to the Physicians of the Town.

9. BUT he did not think it sufficient to be useful and active at home: he was for appearing publickly, and to the European World.

WHEN the Arian Controversy was warm, he could not refrain writing his American Sentiments upon it.

WHEN he saw the Protestant Interest run low, he must publish his Just Sentiments of the Protestant-Re∣ligion; and observing the cursed Persecution of the Protestants, he could not but print his Suspiria Vin••∣torum, calling all, that might serve GOD with Freedom to pray for the oppressed People of GOD.

10. THAT his Usefulness might reach beyond his Country, he learned the French & Spanish Tongues, and in his Forty fifth Year conquered Iroquois Indian; in each of which he has published Treatises for their Instruction.

11. I have told you before something of his Charity. I may here take notice that he did not look upon a Seventh part of his Interest as eno' to be laid out in pious uses. — I need not tell my Reader how he procured the Benefactions of others; nor, since an Account of it is printed, need I acquaint you, how that he procured several Benefactions for the pious Foundations at Hall in the Lower Saxony, for which he has been publickly thanked.

12. THE Ambition and Character of my Father's Life was Serviceableness. I shall conclude this Section and Chapter by telling you, that this Question What Good shall I do? was the Subject of his daily Tho'ts, even from his early Youth; and besides his Custom to set apart now and then a time to devise Good, he sel∣dom came into any Company without explicit Consi∣deration upon it, as I think I hinted before. It would indeed have been but a loss of time in him, and other∣wise useless to record Thousands of designs to do Good which he contrived in his Mind. But however he had a Method (and I will give you Recollec∣tion of it) which he observed in carrying on this manner of Life and Purposing, and which it will not be amiss for the World to know sully: And however

there may be some private Circumstances in what I write, yet, because the greatest Part have some Re∣ference to the public, I tho't it would be most pro∣per to insert his Method here, and to sum up this Chapter with it.

HE found that he could every Morning redeem the Time, while he was dressing himself; by taking his grand Question into Consideration, What Good may I do; Accordingly the Week was divided by him into as many Subjects of Consideration as there be Days in the Week; and the Result of his Tho'ts on each of them, he noted down as soon as he came into his Study in his Book of Hints for things to be spoke or done; but with such very brief Hints that they only served to preserve in his own Mind the Remembrance of his Purposes, untill he should have Opportunity to prosecute them.

I shall now recite in order his Morning Questions: but you may not imagine that I shall or can transcribe the Multitudes of Answers to each Question upon which he tho't. However to illustrate the Manner and Process of his Operation upon it, I may insert a few brief Hints of his; from which we may form an Idea how to proceed upon such a Question, when We shall have i•• lying before us.

HIS Question for the SABBATH Morning constantly was,

WHAT shall I do as a Pastor of a Church for the Good of the Flock under my Charge?

HERE he rank'd the People of the Flock into several Classes, distinctly considering, what they were, and what was to be done for them. He considered what Subjects were most seasonable and agreable to be handled in his Sermons; what would most suit, and best serve each of the Classes. He considered how he might make his Prayers as well as his Sermons

leave good and strong Impressions on the Auditory. He entreated the Neighbours, associated for Exercised of Religion to send their Advice, what Things they might want or wish to hear treated on, and he accom∣modated them. He considered how to make his pub∣lick Ministry more lively; useful and acceptable. He considered, who were to be privately address'd with his Visits, and on what Intentions. He considered how he might visit the Schools unto the best Advan∣tage, particularly some Charity Schools; which he pro∣cured to be crected. He considered how he might carry on Evangelical Designs in concert with the Physicians in the Neighbourhood; whom he parti∣cularly desired; that they would let him know the Necessities of the Sick, if he were ignorant of them, and unto whom he communicated rich Notions and Medicines which in his Reading he had observed. Many more such Things he tho't upon.

ALTHO' I spoke something before of it; yet I will here again take particular Notice of one Thing a¦mong his Purposes and Practices, because it belongs to this Head of Considerations.

HE obliged himself unto this Method in Studying a Sermon; on every Paragraph he made a Pause, and endeavoured with Acknowledgments and Ejacu∣lations to Heaven, and with Self-Examinations to feel some holy Impressions of the Truths in that Para∣graph on his own Soul before he went any further. By means of this, the Seven Hours which he usually took to Pen a Sermon, prov'd so many Hours of De∣votion with Him. The Day in which he made a Ser∣mon, le••t just such a Flavor on his Mind, as a Day of Prayer us'd to do. When he came to Preach a Sermon so studied, he could do it with more Liberty and Assurance; and he tho't the Truths thus pre∣pared would come with a more sensible Warmth and Life upon the Auditory.

BUT I proceed;

HIS Question for MONDAY Morning was, What shall I do in my Family, and for the Good of it?

HERE he considered himself as an Husband, as a Father and as a Master. He would desire his Consort to think, what Proposals there were that She would make to him in her Service. He projected how his Prayers with her in his Study might be very much for her Service. He chose Books to be read by her that might be so. He contrived how to mention some instructive thing at going to Sleep, and Rising from it.

HE considered what Points of Education were still wanting in any of his Children, and pursued them in the most proper Ways. I told you before, he caused them to read and write such things as he found out for their best Advantage, and most suitable Entertain∣ment. He took each of them alone successively on the Saturday Evenings, and, having obtained a know∣ledge of their interior State, and the declared Resolu∣tions of their Souls for early Piety, he prayed with them. He caused some of them to compose Prayers and bring them to him in writing, that he might see their Temper and Progress in Religion. He obliged them to retire and ponder upon that Question, What should I wish to have done, if I were now a dying? And he would oblige them to report unto him their own Answer to the Question, of which he took Ad∣vantage to inculcate the Lessons of Godliness on them.

HE considered how to drop useful Admonitions on his Servants, as they were waiting on him; if the Action afforded any Time for it. He provided for their Instruction in every thing that he supposed might be for their Good. He put such Treatises into their Hands, as might be most profitable unto them in the Perusal. And as a sort of Crumbs falling from the Table of his Servants, he hired a Woman to keep a School, in which the Sable Sons of Ethiopia might every Evening learn to read and be taught their Ca∣••••••hism; and he himself bore the whole Expence of

this Charity 〈◊〉〈◊〉, every Week paying the Mistress her Wages.

TWO were his Questions for TUESDAY Morning.

First, WHAT shall I do for my Relatives abroad? He took a Catalogue, which began with his Parents, and extended as far as the Children of his Cousin Ger∣mans. With the help of this Catalogue, he propoun∣ded that he would at proper times pray for each of them distinctly by Name. And that every Week he would single out one of them to consider, What Good may I do for them? Or in what Instance may they be the better for me? And, that he might address every one of them successively with faithful Admoniti∣ons, concerning their interior and eternal Interests, either by speaking to them personally, or by Writing to them, or by putting Books of Piety into their Hands; he propounded in this way to glorify our blessed SAVIOUR, and endeavour a Conformity to him, who even on his Cross took peculiar Care of one that was nearly related unto him. But he did not confine these Essays of Good unto his Relatives with∣in the Limits of his Catalogue: No! Heh made them reach as far as ever he could find out Opportunities. I need not any further explain this Article; only in one Instance.

WHEN his Father was become aged and in a con∣tinual and desirous Expectation of his call out of this World, tho' he was in a good State of Health, Strength and Vigor; he resolved that every Interview he had with him (which was almost every Day) should have in it something or other referring to the Heaven∣ly World, and assist their mutual Preparation for it▪ not knowing but it might be the last Time of their Conferring together in this.

BUT then Secondly; When such an Occasion for it has occur'd, he intermitted the former Question, and was as much concerned for his Enemies (whom GOD

made Instruments of Good unto him) as for his Re∣latives. He therefore enquired, What Good shall I do for my Personal Enemies; and how shall I over∣come Evil with Good?

HIS publick Circumstances, he Faithfulness in the Discharge of his Duty, the Power of Satan over the Minds of many People & the Envy of some ill Spirits at his Improvement and Acceptance procured him a Number of personal Enemies, or at least of such as treated him injuriously and abusively. Each of those Persons, as far as he could come to the Knowledge of them, he would set himself distinctly to consider, What good Offices he might do for them? Besure, ac∣cordingly, he pray'd for each of them by Name, and he would say, as I remember I have read in Mr. BUR∣KIT'S Life, some Persons had never had a share in my Prayers but for the Injuries they have done me † 1.9. And if he could perceive or invent any other Oppor∣tunity to do them Good, he wou'd do it; tho' many Times he has done it so, that they knew not whence it came. He was very fond of being able to say, That he knew not of any Person in the World, that had done him an ill Office, but he had done him a good one for it; and he left off the Alternation of this Question, till there might recur Opportunities for his Tho'ts upon it.

HIS Question for WEDNESDAY Morning was, What shall I do for the Churches of the LORD, and the more general Interest of Religion in the World?

HERE he considered, what Proposals to make un∣to other Ministers of his Acquaintance. He considered what Books he might compose & publish to advance the Kingdom of his SAVIOUR. He considered, how to diffuse and disperse the Engines of Christian Know∣ledge and Vertue unto distant Places. He had his many Correspondencies, (of which more by and by)

but he would make them all subservient to his great Design. His endeavors to serve the general Interest of Religion, have reached unto each of the three King∣doms. They have extended unto several other Nati∣tions of Europe. They have visited all the English Plantations in America; and particularly every Town of the New-English Colonies, to which he was under special Obligations. Negroes & Indians, Na∣tions of them as well as others, have been reached by them: Nor has the Jewish Nation been unconsidered, nor the Greek Churches. Thus extensively generous was he, that I cannot help using Sir JOHN DENHAM's fine Character of his Thames * 1.10, and applying it unto the Doctor;

Thus Godlike his unwearied Bounty flows; First loves to do, then loves the Good He does. Nor are these Blessings to his Banks confin'd; But free and common as the Sea and Wind.

BUT I come to THURSDAY Morning: His Ques∣tion for that was, What Good may I do in the several Societies to which I am related?

HE was related to above twenty Societies of a Re∣ligious Character and Intention. He must have his Times to Visit every one of these, always to do some∣thing in them and for them. He kept a watchful Eye over them, and would as far as possible make them become Engines of Good in the Land.

SOME of the Societies which he cherished as well as produced, were a sort of Reforming Societies, or So∣cieties for the Suppression of Disorders. I have spoke of them before, but will now give a more particular Account of them. The Doctor contrived and pro∣pos'd, that the other Societies of Religion to which he belong'd might, as far as they could, bear their part in pursuing the Design of these Reformers. But

for these, he endeavored generally every Week to be present with them; and ever to say somthing that might be both for their Direction and Encouragement. He drew up certain Points of Consideration, to be with due Pauses read in the Societi••s every time they met, for any to offer what Proposal he pleased upon any of the Points at the Reading of it. I will here transcribe those Points of Consideration; and we may easily guess, that they will supply one with Matters to which one may be, not a little, serviceable.

1. IS there any remarkable Disorder in the Place, that requires our endeavor for the Suppression of it; and in what fair, likely way we may endeavor it?

2. IS there any particular Person whose disor∣derly Behavior may be so scandalous & so notorious that we may do well to ••end unto the said Person our charitable Admonitions? Or are there any contending Persons whom we should admonish, to quench their Contentious.

3. IS there any special Service to the Interests of Religion, which we may conveniently disire our Ministers to take Notice of?

4. IS there any thing we may do well to men∣tion unto the Justices for the further promoting good Order?

5. IS there any sort of Officers among us to such a Degree unmindful of their Duty, that we may do well to mind them of it?

6. CAN any further Methods be devised that Ig∣noran•••• and Wickedness may be chased from our People in general, and that Household Piety in particular may flourish among them?

7. DOES there appear any Instance of Oppression o•• Fraudulence in the Dealings of any sort of Peo∣ple, that may call for our Essays to get it rectified?

8. IS there any Matter to be humbly moved unto the Legislative Power to be enacted into a Law for public Benefit?

9. DO we know of any Person languishing under sore and sad Affliction; and is there any thing we may do for the Succour of such an afflicted Neigh∣bour?

10. HAS any Person any Proposal to make for our own further Advantage and Assistance, that we our selves may be in a probable and regular Capacity to pursue the Intentions before us?

THUS I have taken the Liberty to recite their Points of Consideration, in hopes that the publishing of them may be very serviceable.

THE Doctor started numberless Things in the Societies upon these Points. Their Registers I sup∣pose, are fill'd with them. I shall only add, con∣cerning these Societies, that once a Year they used all to meet together in one Place, and have a Day of Prayer, in which they humbled themselves for doing so little Good; and besought the Pardon of their Un∣fruitfulness thro' the Blood of the great Sacrifice; and implored the Blessing of Heaven on the Essays to do Good which they had made, with the Counsel and Conduct of Heaven for their further Essays, and such Influences of Heaven as might bring about those Reformations, which it was not in their Power to ac∣complish. On these Days the Doctor, with another Minister carried on the Exercises.

THIS was his Method on Thursday Mornings: But at length he found it expedient to change his Question; and He made this his alternate one; Is there any particular Person able to do the Good, which lies out of my more immediate Reach, to whom I may offer some good Proposal?

BY answering this Question, he made his Conver∣sation still more useful. Thus he was often a Doer of Good at the Second Hand, and often had the Pleasure not to be known to have any hand at all in what was done.

THE Question for FRIDAY Morn was constantly this; What special Subjects of Affliction, and Objects of Compassion, may I take under my particular Care; and what shall I do for them?

HERE he took a Catalogue of the Poor in his numerous Flock; but extended his Care further than so, wherever he saw any miserable. He minded also, who wanted Employment; He took notice of those under peculiar Exercises; and was very tho'tful, what Souls were by particular Addresses, to be pull'd as Brands out of the Burning, because of their being abandoned to flaming Wickedness? He constantly fingled out one or other of these to be on this Morn∣ing considered.

I shall only add one thing more upon this Head: He considered, that tho' the Wind will not fill the Hungry, yet it will turn the Mill, that will grind the Corn to fill the hungry. And therefore, having his List of Miserables commonly with him, he very often in Company would make it a Subject of the Conversation, What shall be done for such or such an ••ne in my List? And thus, besides the innumerable Kindnesses which he had himself more immediately done for them, he procured multitudes of Kindnesses from others; and the first Spring in the Motion has been unknown to them. Very much of the Spirit and Pleasure of his Life was in such things as these. And I may tell my Reader, what I gave him to understand before, that he did not ordinarily let one Day in a Year pass him, without something expended on pious Uses, besides his other continual Kindnesses to afflic∣ted People.

AND at length I ••trive to his Question for SATUR∣DAY Morning. I may well call it his, for it was about the Concerns of his own Soul.

THE Question was; What more have I to do for the Interest of GOD in my own Heart and Life?

I shall a little here illustrate his way of Thinking upon this Question.

HE would set himself to consider the more special Sins of his Youth; and what more special Service he should do for the Kingdom of GOD, in the greatest Contrariety to his former Miscarriages.

HE set himself then to consider the Reproaches he had met with; and upon this, what Services he should be awakened by them to do for the Kingdom of GOD.

HE considered, how he was favoured with surpri∣zing and uncommon Opportunities to publish many Books of Piety; and of what vast Concernment it was, that he should take effectual Care his own Books did not prove at last his Condemnation, by his failing in those Attainments in Religion, which he commen∣ded unto others. Wherefore (with Prayers to be de∣livered from this) he would sometimes on a Lord's Day Evening read over his own Books of Devotion, and work them over again upon his Heart, until his own Soul was exquisitely conformed unto them.

HE resolved, that whatever bodily Infirmities he might labour under, (or that he could call to mind he had been visited with) he would make them the Occasions and Incentives of some agreable Dispositions in his Soul.

THUS I have given you a brief Specimen of his an∣swering the last Question: I have been the more brief here; because a fuller Answer will be given to it in the sixth Chapter of this Book, where I shall treat of his Christian Life at large.

CHAP. III. His Experiences, and Deliverances from Temp∣tations. Dangers and Sickness; together with his Deliverances from Evil Tongues & P••ns; and his Carriage & Resolutions when troubled with them.

1. AMONG the three Things which constitute a finis••'d Divine, Temptation is one; and none must expect to be rery considerable with∣out them. Mr. MATHER had his share of them.

HE was never much tempted to question the Ex∣istence and Providence of the DEITY: If ever he was at all, he rejected the tho'ts with the utmost Detesta∣tion and Abhorrence.

WHENEVER he was tempted to any evil Frame of Soul, or any wrong Action, his constant Course was to cry out, O LORD I beseech THEE, Deliver my Soul! and he endeavoured to form such Tho'ts as should be reverse, to those infused or excited by the Tempter, as well as to act contrary and diametrically opposite to what he was tempted to. Thus he resi••ed the Devil until he fled from him: He tho't, that Oracle in 1 Cor. xv. 58. was Answer enough for any Temptation.

2. I will relate one or two Instances of the Divine Appearance to keep him from Destruction, when in very great Danger.

IN his 36th Year he received a Remarkable De∣liverance. For, Riding over a Bridge one of the Poles on it, that was rotten, broke, and his Horse broke thro' and sunk down to his Breast. Mr. MA∣THER chose rather to keep the Saddle than go off into the River, and the Horse to the Astonishment of the Company rose again (tearing off his Shoe in Rising) and leap'd over with Mr. MATHER safe upon him.

How happily do all Creatures serve us, while we are serving their and our LORD!

I shall relate but one notable Deliverance more: When the Squadron arrived from the West-Indies, on Board of which there was a considerable Army return∣ed from a fruitless Expedition there; Mr. MATHER was desired by many of the Officers to give them a Sermon on a certain Sabbath upon an Island where they put ashore to air themselves. He rashly under∣took it, but while he was in his Excellency's Barge, he was taken so very Sick that his Friends must needs carry him back again. As soon as he came Home he was well: The Admiral afterwards told him, it was well he went no further; for the Army had newly suffered a great Desolation by a Sickness more infecti∣ous and destructive than the Plague it self: And had he gone and conversed among such an infectious Com∣pany, it would probably have cost him his Life, as it proved mortal to many of his Neighbours, who were so hardy as to go down among them.

3. BUT having mentioed his being kept from ill∣ness, I may now very properly add a Section of his be∣ing visited with Sickness, his Thot's under it, his De∣liverance from it, with the grateful Sentiments of his Heart upon being kept from sundry Diseases.

SOMETIMES, especially when a Young Man, he was troubled with tormenting Pains in his Teeth and Jaws; which Pains made him lose more Time than he was willing to spare, and which produced many a sad Hour to him in his Pilgrimage. In these Pains he would set himself, as well as he could, to try his Ways.

HE considered whether or no, he had not sinned with his Teeth? How? By sinful and excessive Eat∣ing: And by Evil Speeches; for there are Literae Dentales used in them. At last by a course of Wash∣ing behind his Ears and on the Top of his Head with Cold Water, he obtainted a Deliverance from the un∣easinesses.

BY Reason of his Sedentary Life, great Study and little Exercise, he was when in Years much afflicted and enfeebled with Sickness at his Stomach, a palled a••d pained Stomach. From hence he must awaken himself to bewail his want of a Stomach for the Service of GOD, and Meditations on his SAVIOUR; he must mourn for his not having an Appetite for the best Ob∣jects and Actions; which he tho't he had not duely relished: The Offences of his Stomach in the Intemp∣erance of the Table he tho't also to be bewailed; he must beg the Pardon of his Miscarriages thro' the Blood of the great Sacrifice, and beg Grace to carry it better. Thus he fetch'd Good out of Evil; and thus Evil work'd together for his Good.

THE last Thing I shall mention in this Section is his pious Tho'ts upon being delivered from Sickness in General, and five Diseases in particular.

HE was ever desirous, to be greatly affected with Dispositions of agreable Gratitude unto the GOD of his Health; and by the Health with which he was fa∣voured to be awakened unto such Acknowledgments of GOD and such Resolutions of Piety, as he tho't were most emphatically expected from him. Wherefore when he visited the Sick, he would bless the LORD for his own Freedom from their Diseases; and would think, what moral Diseases and Disorders he had analogous to them, against which he should be watch∣ful; and unto what Graces and Actions he should by the Goodness of his SAVIOUR be animated, and he would first offer his Prayers and them employ his Cares for the obtaining of them.

THERE are particularly five Diseases; his Deliver∣ance from each of which, he improved in a way of exceeding Thankfulness unto the LORD his Healer. And being delivered from them, he would on the oc∣casion glorify his GOD after this manner. Since he was not lying under the living Death of a Palsey, he would be very zealous and active in the Service of

GOD. Since he was not under Corrosions of a Cancer, he would have all Tendencies to Envy extinguished in his Soul, and a perpetual Joy at the Prosperity of his Neighbour flourishing in him. Since he had not the Tortures of the Gout, his Feet should chearfully carry him to the afflicted, with Comfortable Words, and unto the Congregation of the Faithful; While his Hands should not be idle in writing for GOD, and in distributing to the Poor. Since the Stone had not laid him on the Rack, he would ••e full of tender Com∣passion to all the Miserable. And since he was not wasting with a Consumption, he would beware of Lea••∣ness in the Soul, and pining away in Iniquity. Thus he learned Obedience by the things which he suffered not.

4. I never observed among Pagan Writers a better description in so few Words of a good Man, resolute in Virtue, even while he is reproached for it, than that of RUTILIUS, RUTILII Virtus & Innocen∣tia lateret, nisi accepisset Injuriam; Dum viciatur effulsit † 1.11. The very same may be said concerning Dr. MATHER, in the midst of the base Usage he met with from the Tongues and Pens of several.

MY excellent Uncle of Witney in Oxfordshire, in his Letter about Temptations, observes, that Ministers, who meet with abuses from sorry and scoundrel Peo∣ple, have cause to look on themselves as humbled on the Account of their having the Aegyptian Plague of Lice upon them. If so, then the Doctor might have Cause for Humiliation on the same Account; having perhaps the Iinsults of contemptible People, the Assaults of those insignificant Lice, more than any Man in New-England. These troublesome but diminutive Creatures he scorn'd to concern himself with, only to pity them and pray for them.

HOWEVER GOD appeared so for him, that several of them have at last been bro't ••o confess, against

their Will almost, what superior Excellency there was in him.

I will here for some Causes insert one Passage; (tho' there were several in the Doctor's Life of the same Importance) 'Tis this;

IN the Year 1704. Octob. 10. there came several People to the Doctor very late at Night, telling him, there was a Man in the Town lay a dying, but cou••d not be satisfied unless he saw him before he died. The Man was noted for his wickedness. * 1.12

WHEN the Doctor came to him (who wondred at him that he would so readily do it) he told him to this Purpose

That he had been a very profane Per∣son; that he had given himself a great Liberty to abuse good Men; but had abused no Man in the World so much as Doctor MATHER, and that he could not go out of the World without confessing it, bewailing it unto him, and beseeching him to pardon it.

The Doctor asked him, if he had re∣ceived any particular Prejudice, or ever had been in∣formed or could have pretended any particular Matter of Fact, upon which his Abuses might have been esta∣blished? He gave him to understand, that

There was nothing of that, but all was downright Malig∣nity; for he took him to be a Man that did more Good than others, and that was all the Reason why he had vilified him more than other Men.

THE Doctor, after his well known mild Way, told the Man, That there was no Occasion for any Par∣don because of his Speaking diminutively of him; for, says he, you may speak so of me, and do me no wrong. But, continued he, for your speaking injuri∣ously, falsely, calumniously of me, it was indeed a Fault; yet, as he would forgive it without his asking for it, had it been ten hundred times more than it was, he would join with him in crying to GOD for the Forgiveness of that, and every Thing else where∣in

he had done amiss.' He did so. The Man was full of Affection to him, kept continually crying for him to be with him the next Day in the Forenoon, and he died in the Afternoon.— And perhaps every Man who ever reproached him, if he were to place himself in the Circumstances of a dying Man would alter his Opinion and change his Tone.

I have said of his meaner Reproaches: But, could one think it, the Doctor's distinguishing Piety and Usefulness procured him some Enemies among those who might otherwise pass for Men of Sense & Credit. Such would sometimes speak disrespectfully of him; and now and then a ZOI••••S would vent his Spite, foam••ous his Malice and Shame; while he instead of returning an Answer when advis'd to it, chose rather to publish such Treatises as were lasting Testimonies of his Religion & Charity.

THERE were some who also wret•• against him; but against all their Calumnies, as St. IGNATIUS said to POLYCARP, he stood steady, and fast as a beaten Anvil.

SOMETIMES they would endite Letters full of g••••∣veling Malice, and send ••hem unto him: He received them without Emotion of Soul, and tied them up till they made a large Bundle, on the out side of which he wrote, Libels? Father, forgive them!

AND some have published Books full of Lies and Inve••tives against him: But, as the Authors were but little regarded, the Books were scarce ever look'd in. The Doctor took no other Satisfaction of them, but just to write in the beginning of the Books: Job XXXI. 35, 36. — My Desire is— that ••ine Adver∣sary had written a Book: Surely I would take is on my Shoulder and bind it as a Crown to me. He tho't it not worth his while to write against them, or ra∣ther for himself; but chose once for all to give the Wo••ld, his Right ••a•• to shak•• off a ••iper▪

I know not here how to use more significant Expressions than those us'd by Mr. BAXTER in his dying Thot's, † 1.13 concerning such as had been Angry with him, and could not endure him to answer them, and vindicate his own Innocency; I say, I know not how to use better Expressions of Dr. MATHER with respect to his Enemies, than these,— That 'all of them together were never able to fasten their Accusa∣tions, and procure any common Belief; nor to bring him under designed Contempt; much less to break his Comforts, Encouragements and Labors.

I shall speak of but one thing more, and conclude this Chapter with it. The Doctor was a firm Friend to his Country; and by Consequence must be hated by the Enemies of it, as he was: Fo•• I suppose there was not one Enemy of our Country but what pro••ess'd open Emnity to Him * 1.14 for a great number of Years, perhaps the greatest part fo his Life.

AND therefore they were glad of all Opportunities which they might improve for their Advantage against him; and were particularly pleas'd when they could meet with any private Letters from others to him, as well as from him to others, which some were so dis∣ingenuous as to expose: They were never able to bring about their Designs: The Doctor was high above their reach.

BUT because the showing of private Letters is a frequent Practice, tho' a very barbarous and ungen∣tlemanly one, I will take the Liberty to transcribe for the use of the Learned, the Words of CICERO, in Marc. Anton. Philippic. 2.

At etiam Lit••ras quas me sibi misisse diceret reci∣tavit Homo, et humanitatis expers, e•• vitae commu∣nis ignarus. Quis enim un••uam, qui Paulum mode benorum Consuetudin••m noss••t, Literas ad se ab Ami∣co missas, offensione aliqua interposita, in medium protulit, palam{que} recitavit? Quid hoc est aliud, quam tollere e Vita Vitae Societatem? Tollere Amicorum Colloquia absentium? Quam multa Joca solent esse in Epistolis, quae prolata si si••t inepta esse videantur? Quam multa seria, ne{que} tamen u••lo modo divulganda?

— At ego, non nego; te{que} in isto ipso convinc•• non Inhumanitatis solum, sed etiam Amentiae. Quod enim Verbum in istis Literis est, non plenum Humani∣ratis, Officii, Benevolentiae? Omne autem Crimen tu•••• est, quod de te in his Literis non male existi∣me••; quod scribam tanquam ad Civem, tanquam ad bonum Virum, non tanquam ad Sceleratum et Latro∣nem. At ego tuas Literas etsi jure poteram a te la∣cessitus, tamen, non proferam.

CHAP. IV. An Account of his various Writings, more particularly of some that he has Printed, and of others that remain in Manuscript.

THE Number of the Books, which he prin∣ted, is three hundred eighty and two; and and yet, as one of the Greek Poets says of him that acts with GOD on his side, he wrote them, as he did all Things with Ease.— On the outside of the Catalogue of his Works, which I shall give you at the End of this Book, he wrote that Text for his further Excitation and Encouragement, Joh. xv. 8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much Fruit: And upon looking over the Catalog•••• I

could not help putting these two Lines at the End of it, in which I acknowlege there is more Truth than Wit:

Quam numerare Dies Sol dat mortalibus Anno, Plures perdectos edidit ille Libros.

2. BEFORE I speak of one particular Book, I shall make a general Observation concerning the Doctor's Writings. To prepare the way to the Remark, let me tell you, That Dr. MATHER'S quick Dispatch in Reading was well known to all; he would ride Post thro' an Author, Cur••u••: pedum praevertere Ventos; and yet, which was more surprizing, he always remem∣bred the most observable Things he read, was Master of them and able to produce them.

MY general Remark therefore concerning most of the Doctor's Writings except his practical ones, is, That we need not wonder to ••••nd in his Books so many learned Allusions and References; for it is next to impossible, that a Man should keep from writing learnedly, and as if he were acquainted with Author's and their Sentiments, when his Mind is stored with their various Ideas and Images, and he is a compleat Owner of them.

THERE are indeed a Set of Witlings, who for Fear of Pedantry, and hurting a Period, would not quote a Greek or Latin Sentence, however weighty and pregnant it may be; but, instead of the massy Sense in the Expressions of others, chuse their own easy Flow of Words, and g••••ding Vacuity of Tho't. Thus these Men Dum vitant vitia in contraria cu••••u•• † 1.15, to use a Sentence of HORACE'S; and, to mortify them with another Author, JUVENAL gives their Charac∣ter when he says of some; Rarus Sermo illis et mag∣na Libido ta••••ndi * 1.16; which last Sentence I would translate, they have a great Gust for saying nothing.

BUT on the other side, I must confess there may be a Fault in endeavouring and straining for far fetch'd, and dear bought Hints, and ••ramming a Discourse with them: And therefore I cannot but subscribe to the ingenuous Observation of Mr. TRAPP † 1.17, That good Writings, as Clothes, ought not to be loaded with Jewels.

BUT this is no Exception against the Doctor's way of Writing; for, tho' his Treatises were stuck with Jewels, they were not burthen'd with them: No! There were just eno' to render a strong & easy Splendor.

I need not say any more in a general way concern∣ing Dr. MATHER'S Writings; since in the 44th and 45th Pages of his Manuductio he has hindred me, by giving the World a Description and Account of them,

3. I come more particularly to speak of some of his Publications, with a Vindication of them, and an Account of others, together with the Character of some prepared for the Press, and now in my Hands.

THE first Book, I shall treat of, shall be his Magnalia CHRISTI Americana: A Book replete with Learning, and excellently calculated for the Ad∣vancement of true Religion & Undefiled: A Book, in which the good Names of above fourscore Wor∣thies, who for the Cause of CHRIST came over into this Land when it was a Wilderness, are consign'd over with Honor, to late Posterity: A Book, in which there is a faithful Account of the Actions & Sufferings of our Fathers, together with a true Relation of ma∣ny remarkable Providences in setling this Land, it's Churches, Colleges, Schools and Inhabitants: and, in a word, a Book, in which the designs of a Church History are exquisitely accommodated.

BUT I had rather on this occasion use the words of Mr. ALSOP (a Gentleman of great Learning & Peity, as well as of finished Wit) who, when an Abridg∣ment of this History was proposed in an Assembly of Ministers, said; It is a very improper Proposal; 'Tis 〈…〉〈…〉 to abridge it! Abridging it will injure it. There is nothing superfluous in it: Instead of Epito∣mizing it, you had better read it twice over as I have: No Man that has a Relish for Piety or for Variety can ever be weary of it.

I have several other Letters by me from Gentlemen beyond Sea, which are full to the same purpose: And here, the Gentlemen at Scotland will give me leave to declare it, that they highly valu'd the Performance: and the equally learned and modest Mr. MILLAR of Paisley in particular will forgive me, if I speak of it, that in his excellent Book of the Propagation of Christianity, he mentions the Doctor as well as his Magnalia with great Respect.

IN describing the Magnalia, I mentioned the Lives in it and their Number: I may take notice here, that by the Year 1718. the Doctor had published the Lives of no less than one hundred and fourteen Men, and more than twenty Women, and since that Year, he has printed Accounts and Characters of many more; not to say any Thing of the transient but ho∣nourable mention many others have had in the Doc∣tor's Tractates.

BUT I may particularly speak of the Life of his Father, Published in the Year 1724, which may pass for an Appendix to the Magnalia: It is a very enter∣taining Life; was well received in Scotland, and in this Country; and is worthy to be perus'd by every Man of Sense, Honor, and Vertue.

THE Doctor has given to the World a Book en∣titled, Psalterium Americanum; the Design of which was, first, to give in Meetre an exact and literal

Version of the Hebrew Text, without any Jingle of Words at the End; and then, at the End of each Psalm, to produce those Illustrations of the Text, and those pious Hints that would both enlighten the Mind, and warm the Heart of the Singer. As for the Illustratory part, no Man that has any Value for Di∣vine Knowlege can find Fault with it; and as for the Metrical Version some prefer it vastly to any other; for as on one hand it has no large Paraphrase, nor yet any Diminution of the Sense of DAVID, so on the other it has no Occasion to select improper Words for the sake of a Rhime.

THE Directions of a Candidate of the Ministry, which Dr. MATHER has printed, has occasioned so many Letters of Thanks and Compliment••, that it would fill a Volumne to recite them. And indeed, (Quis unquam vituperavit?) Who ever said a word against it?

The Doctor's Christian Philosopher, in which the learned World enjoys a rich Treasure, is a celebrated Piece: An ingenious Gentleman from London writes of it "It is the Glory of New-England, as it is the Admiration of Old.

HIS Ratio Disciplinae Fratrum Nov-Anglorum, (which Title he borrow'd from COMENIUS,) has had very great Encomiums.—One of the most finish'd Gentlemen and Scholars in America, one who was born for Government over Men as well as to be a Ruler in the Common-wealth of Learning, and one who is Delicium Humani Generis, has been pleas'd to write of that Book, that 'it is a decent consistent Method of Church-Government".

THUS I have writ of one or two of the Doctor's Books, which produced him the greatest Esteem; these I chose to speak of, because they were composed with strong Tho't and great Application.

I will not mention any of his smaller Works, many of which were never design'd in the composing for the Press, and therefore needed not that great Accu∣racy as if they had: And it was the Doctor's fre∣quent Wonder that those Composures he wrote with the least Trouble and Care, found a Passage into the World, while many of his elaborate Composures lay by him.

BUT yet in and by those smaller Books (which he ever modestly call'd Essays.) he show'd he was in Labour, more abundant, he discover'd the great Reach of his Tho't and Compass of his Learning, did a vast deal of Good and procured the Thanks of innume∣rable. Many of these have had several Editions with Prefaces from Men of the first Rank in the learned World.

I shall acquaint my Reader with two or three of those (Treatises or rather) great Performances, which he left behind him in Manuscript.

THERE is his Angel of Bethesda: a Book in which under every Disease there are proper, religious, Christian Sentiments for those who are Sick: and then the most simple and easy Medicines collected from his own Knowledge and Use, and from among the most noted Receipes and Experiments in learned Writers. This is a considerable Volumn, and cost the Doctor many Years study to fill and embellish it.

THERE is his ••oa••erges, or Work of the Day: A large Treatise, design'd for the promoting an U∣nion amongst Protestants, and written with great Care, long Observation, hard Study and a laudable Charity.

THERE is likewise his Triparadisus, which was sent to Mr. WYAT Bookseller in London in order to be published: Since which I am informed the Book∣seller is dead, and know not what is become of the Manuscript. It is pity it should be lost: It show'd a great Acquaintance with Divine and Human Learn∣ing.

HIS Goliathus detruncatus, had as sad a Fate. The Book was written against Mr. WHISTON: The Design of it was to show, that most of the Ant••••i∣••e••e Fathers were orthodox and not Arian, contrary to that learned Man's gross Mistake: It was written in an Epistolary Way: Dr. EDWARDS a famous Di∣vine of the Church of England was bringing it into the World, and had written a Preface to it; ••ut, Dr. EDWARDS dying when it was upon the brin•• of ap∣pearing, the Work was bro't to a full Stop, and I have not heard where the Letter is disposed of.

THERE remains but one more to be treated of; and That is a Work the writing of which is enough constantly to employ a Man, unless he be a Miracle of Diligence the half of the Threescore Years & Ten which is the Sum of Years allowed us. I mean, his Illustrations of the sacred Scripture. The Doctor, from an Hint given by that very great and learned Man my Lord BACON, begun this Work in his thirty first Year, tho' he had before some Materials for it by him; and in his fifty first Year so finish'd it, as to publish his PROPOSALS for printing it, intituled, A new Offer to the Lovers of Religion and Learning. Ever since that Time to his Death, he was adding to it: so that now it is judged to be by far the greatest Amassment of Learning that has ever been bro't to∣gether to illustrate the Oracles of GOD. I shall say no more here concerning it; designing to print Pro∣posals for it's Publication, together with which I shall give a faithful Description of it.

5. I shall have done this Chapter, when I have writ Dr. FRANKIUS'S Prescription which Dr. MA∣THER learnt of him and observed, that is,

When one has projected any Thing that will be evidently a Service to the Kingdom of GOD, he should go on, with a lively Faith in HIM to carry him thro', tho' at the present he may have but little Prospect of accomplishing his Designs: GOD will doubtless do very wonderfully for him.

CHAP. V. Foreign Honours and Correspondencies.

SECT. 1. Foreign Honours.

1. THE wise Man says, Prov. XI 27. He who diligently seeketh Good procureth Favor: which Proverb Dr. PAT••ICK thus para∣phrases,

He that from the Time he ri••es studies nothing but how to do Good unto others, shall obtain Favor both with GOD and Man.

Doctor MATHER knew experimentally the Truth of this.

2. I remember the famous ZANCHY in his Oration, when ROTANUS was made a Doctor, says; — Quos DEUS prior promovit, quis rejiciat? Quos DEUS prior excellentibus Donis vero Doctore dignis exornat, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Doctorum Ornamenta his deneget? And the same may be said concerning Mr. MATHER; When he was worthy of the Doctorate, why should not he have it?

THE Renowned Senate of the University of Glas∣gow, sensible of his great Merits, in the Year MDCCX. presented him with a Doctor's Degree, with a Diplo∣ma for it, and the great Seal of the Academy affix'd unto it.

IN the Diploma, speaking of the highest Academi∣cal Honor, the illustrious Senate says; Cum h••c Ac∣ademico Honore dignissimum ce••seamus Virum Egre∣gium COTTONUM MATHER, Evangelii apud Bostoni∣enses Angliae novae Incoles Praeconem celeberrimum. De cujus quippe Vitae Integritate, Ingenio, Prudentia, et sacrarum Literarum Cognitione, nobis et orbi qui∣dem literato constet, Fama simul, et editis ab eo scriptis, istarum Virtutum Testibus luculentissimis; Eum Virum c••. COTTONUM MATHER Doctorali in S. S. Theologia Dignitate insigniendum judicamus &c.

WHEN the Diploma was sent unto Dr. MATHER, the most excellent Vice-Chancellor of the University wrote very kindly to him I will take the very great Freedom to quote a Paragraph or two of his Letter;

The high Value (writes he the University here has for you, I hope, you will no longer doubt, when I tell you, they have confer'd the highest Academical Degree upon You the Doctorate in Divinity; which I am persuaded is but what you deserve. Be pleased therefore to receive your Di∣ploma, which could not be sent sooner, in regard no such sure Occasion offered until now. Sir, I shall henceforth reckon you under a nearer Rela∣tion to this Society, and as one of us.

THE Dean of the Faculty also about the same time writes thus:

Upon a Motion made in the Fa∣culty of this University, that some Testimony be given of the Sense we have of your Merit, it was unanimously agreed unto, that the Honor of Doctor of Divinity should be conferred on you. And, according to the Power they have by their Founda∣tion Charter, granted some Hundreds of Years ago, They have (dispensing with your Absence) created you Doctor of Divinity; and having ordered your Diploma they have signed it, and appended the Universities great Seal. This their Deed is as valid, as any University in Europe can make it

FROM this Time Dr. MATHER had a very intimate Friendship and Correspondence with several Gentle∣men of that University: He heartily lov'd them un∣to his Death, and never spoke of them but with Terms of the greatest Respect.

AND, as the very learned Man I quoted above says, that † 1.18 the Title and Ornaments of Doctor's should

stimulate them to an industrious Studying and Doing their Duty: of this Doctor MATHER was excedingly desirous.

WHEN he received his Diploma, he immediately look'd upon it as an Encouragement unto him in the Service of CHRIST and HIS Kingdom: He rendred Thanks to Heaven, and beg'd Grace to make such an Improvement of the Encouragement as might answer the Demands of Heaven from him: And he set him∣self to consider, What Sanctity, what Gravity, what Usefulness, what shining Abilities and Performances the Church of GOD might justly demand from one so distinguished above any Man in the American Co∣lonies.

I shall have done with this Head, when I have told my Reader of the pious Use he made of his Ring.

SOME of the Doctor's Friends advised him to wear his Signet Ring, as a Token and Assertion of his Doctorate in Divinity, to which he was admitted as above; and not to do it from any Vanity of Orna∣ment, but out of Obedience to the Fifth Command∣ment, which directs us to assert the Honor of any Dignity, in which the Providence of GOD may station us.

THE Doctor therefore would wear this Ring; and made this Action, so seemingly inconsiderable, a great Engine of Religion.

First, HE look'd on the Ring as a continual Ad∣monition to him, to do nothing below the Character, of which that was a Memorial; nothing disagreable to the Gravity the Discretion and superiour Behavior with which a Doctorate ought always to be attended.

Secondly, IT effectually admonished him, that in his Discourse there should pass nothing out of his Lips that was mean, or not according to the Laws of Wisdom, Goodness and Usefulness

Thirdly, THE sight of the Gold frequently ex∣cited Wishes and Prayers in him of this Importance. May I have the Grace, the Gain of which is better than that of Gold▪ May I be a Son of Zion compar∣able to fine Gold: And on the Signet—May I be pre∣served from so provoking the holy LORD, that if I were a Signet on his Right-Hand, He would pluck me thence!

Fourthly, ONE Original to the Ceremony of a Ring for Doctors of Divinity was to intimate, that they should be ready to set their Seal to the Advice which may be received from them. The Doctor im∣proved this as a Caution: His Advice was asked on many Occasions; he would be very considerate, and on such Occasions deliberate and look up to Heaven, desiring to speak nothing but what he should be will∣ing to seal it and stand to it.

Fifthly, THE Emblem on the Doctor's Signet is A TREE with Psal. 1.3. written under it; and about it GLASCUA RIGAVIT. The Cast of his Eye up∣on this, constantly provoked him to pray, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, O GOD, make me a very fruitful Tree, and help me to bring forth seasonable Fruit continually!

3. THE Respect which the Royal Society in Lon∣don paid him, did also very much encourage him, and fortify him in his Essays to do Good, while it added to the superior Circumstances, in which he was placed above the Contempt of envious Men.

'TWAS in the Year 1714. he received a Letter from the Secretary of the Royal Society, [RICHARD WALLER, Esq] dated Decemb. 4. 1713. in which are these Words; As for your being chosen a Member of the Royal Society, that has been done ••••th by the Council and Body of the Society: only the Ceremony of an Admission is wanting; which, you being beyond Sea, cannot be performed.

AFTER this he had several Letters from many con∣siderable Gentlemen of that society, who always Superscribed their Letters to him as F. R. S. And he was assured by several of them, that he ought to affix that Title to his Name before his Works: other∣wise he would never have done it.

BUT there are a few in New-England, who, as they grudg'd the Doctor any Honor, were so very foolish and impudent as to doubt, nay to deny his Right unto that Title: The Reason they gave for it was; be∣cause his Name was not in the List of the Members of that Society: But they are ignorant of it, that, altho' his Majesty's Subjects in any of his extended Domini∣ons may be a Fellow of the Royal Society, they may not have their Names in the List of the Society if they are absent; which is the only Reason why the Doctor's was not. 〈…〉〈…〉 it be said, there are the Names of several outlandish Gentlemen in the List; what is this to the purpose? They are Foreigners and are allow'd this Honor because they are so: whereas no Man among his Mejesty's Subjects may have this Fa∣vor, unless he be present and be formally admitted.—Several Gentlemen of the Society wonder at the Stu∣pidity of those People who doubt this, and in their Letters express their Amazement at it: I have at this Time in my Hand, Letters from Mr. WALLER, Dr. CHAMBERLAIN, Dr. WOODWARD, Dr. JURIN, and others who give Dr. MATHER his Title, and express Concern that some sordid People here will not allow it.

BUT the Doctor was very easy, as well he might; for if he had not the due Title allowed him, he deser∣ved it; as his Christian Philosopher, his Curiosa A∣mericana, or Letters to the Royal Society, together with his (unprinted) Angel of Bethesda abundantly testify.

4. As for Domestic Honours they were comparatively but small; they honored not the Doctor so much as he honored them.

5. I know not how better to dismiss this Head than with a pious Tho't which the Doctor had, upon the Honors of this World, and a Name among the Learned of the World.

THERE is (he tho't) an accursed Idolatry com∣mitted, when we take Notice of this and that consi∣derable in any Man, and consider not at the same Time the great GOD as the Author of all this Excellency. Man ought to be look'd on as nothing, any f••••ther than what GOD makes him to be; so that when we see any thing that looks great and good in any Man, it must be with sensible Acknowlegements, that all comes from GOD.

THE most of Men will celebrate the Learning, the Vertue, the Conduct of an eminent Person without the least Observation of our Maker in all; much less do they give all the Glory of all to GOD, and behold Man, as no other than a Vessel chosen by the Grace of GOD, to exhibit something of HIS own Glory in the Points which render the Man observable.

Dr. MATHER therefore trembled, and was fill'd with a shuddering Horror, at the Tho'ts of having a great Name in the World, or being applauded, ad∣mired and mightily talk'd of. The Reason of this Regret was, because he tho't those that spoke w•••••• of Him, would not have the Piety to look further than him. He was afraid his poor Name should have sa∣crilegiously lodg'd upon it, some Regards that should be transfer'd to the glorious GOD alone. Indeed he was sensible, there would be no Iniquity charged on Him for the Sacrilege into which others fell: But yet beheld it as a great Infelicity: He reckon'd himself unhappy in being the Object upon which any should sinfully terminate their Honors and Praises: He won∣derfully abhorred it.

HE rejoiced in it, if any Lovers of GOD said; The GOD of all Grace has disposed that Servant of H••••

to do vertuously; or the Power and Wisdom of GOD have carried that Servant of HIS well thro' La∣bors and Sufferings! This was all the Doctor desir'd; this was all his Ambition.

SECT. 2. Foreign Correspondencies.

1. IT would be tiresome to my Reader to tell what Correspondents the Doctor had beyond Sea to∣gether with their Characters. All therefore I shall say here is, that he had a very numerous and extensive Correspondence; so that I have known him at one Time to have above fifty beyond Sea to whom he was obliged to spend considerable Time in writing.

2. BUT, altho' it would be tedious to speak of all he was acquainted with by Letters, it will not be so to name a few now Living with whom the Doctor accounted himself happy in a Correspondence.

I have spoken before of his intimate Friendship with many Gentlemen of the Scotch Nation in the sacred Order, but I must by no means forget here to acquaint the World, that my Lord POLLUL a Gentle∣man of great Goodness; Humanity and Religion, was pleased often to remember Him: I need not, I suppose, say any Thing more of that Nation; nor any Thing of his Intimacy with several Ministers of the greatest Character in England & Ireland: 'Tis well known.

THE very great and good my Lord Chancellor KING will not be angry, if I publish it, that he has honored my Father with his Letters.

THE Author (if we are not mistaken in the Author) of the Miscellanea Sacra also, (which Dr. MATHER look'd upon as an inestimable uncommon Treasure) will not take it amiss, if I let the world know he has many Times written to the Doctor.

Sir RICHARD BLACKMORE likewise very sweetly entertained and highly gratified the Doctor with his Epistles as well as his printed Composures.

THOSE learned mathematicians and Philosophers Mr. WHISTON and Dr. DESAGULIERS, have written familiarly to him, and with Expressions of Love and Honor for him.

I shall mention but one more, who is I suppose, yet living, Mr. PILLIONERE, from whom he had several Letters: And by the way, I think one of the Doctor's Letters to him is printed in the Occasional Paper, and is called a Celebrated Letter.

TO go a little further from Home and give an In∣stance or two more of the Doctor's Correspondencies: From the Year 1712 to his Death, he had a free Cor∣respondence with a Gentleman, at Glaucha near Hall in the Lower Saxony, a Gentleman in whom I know not which is greatest, whether his shining Goodness, sincere unaffected Piety and miraculous Charity; or else his very great Learning; I mean Dr. FRANCKI∣US; one of whose pleasant long Letters to Dr. MA∣THER is printed in Pietas Hallensis.

HE has (by Reason of that Value Dr. FRANCKIUS had for him) had also Letters from the Danish Missi∣onaries at Tranquebar in the East-Indies; and not very long since had a particular Account of their Pro∣ceedings from them.

3. HAVING written before of the Rules he observed as in other Things, in his Correspondencies, and the Design of his Cultivating them; I must here abruptly break off this Chapter, and proceed to another, in which you will find the complete Christian and his heavenly Life.

CHAP. VI. An Account of the Christian Life and Practice of Piety of Dr. MATHER; in which there is a particular Delineation of his Devotions and Asceticks, together with his Methods in obser∣ving his private Fasts, Thanksgivings, Vigils, &c. In which Chapter you will read the Christian of the highest Rank.

WITH Devotion and Reverence I am now to write of the CHRISTIAN: Gradatim ad Sydera tollor: I chose the rather to collect some Observations & Practices of Religion into this Chapter, that so those who are seriously dis∣posed may at once find Exemplars to copy after.

I must confess I have no great Affection for the forc'd Wit in Anagrams and the like; but yet I can∣not help giving you one made by a pious Friend up∣on the Doctors Name, COTTONUS MATHERUS; Anagr. Tu Homo ter Sanctu••; which Anagram I was the more willing to recite here, because this Chap∣ter is to be the plain English as well as Proof of it.

I. His chusing of GOD, his conversing with HIM his Resigning unto HIM and his Delight in HIM.

1. ON a Day of Prayer that he kept, I find him assured that all Controversy was taken away between his Maker and Him, and solemnly renewing and sub∣scribing this Covenant.

THE COVENANT.

I renounce all the Vanities and cursed Idols and evil Courses of this World.

I engage, That I will ever have the great GOD, my best Good, my last End and my only LORD.

THAT I will be ever rendering of Acknowledge∣ments unto the Lord JESUS CHRIST in all the Re∣lations which he bears u••to me.

THAT I will ever be St••••ying what is my Duty in these Things; and wherein I find my self to fall short, I will ever make it my Grief and my Shame▪ and for Pardon betake my self to the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant.

NOW humbly imploring the Grace of the Medi∣ator to be sufficient for me, I do as a further So∣lemnity subscribe my Name with both Hand and Heart unto this Instrument.

THIS his Covenant he frequently, seriously, so∣lemnly renewed; and found his Account in it.

2. HAVING laid this Foundation, he tho't it his Duty to acquaint himself with GOD, to resign him∣self to HIM and to delight in HIM.

CONSIDERING how, when Creatures take them∣selves Wings, while Afflictions roll in upon us; 'twould be therefore Happiness to con••••rse with GOD as Alsufficient and to take Satisfaction in HIM, at that Object, that will make up the Want of all Things whatsoever.

HE then raised a Question,

How can I take my Comfort in the Alsufficient GOD, when my Interest in HIM is uncertain? Will not the LORD frown on my Presumption, and say, I have rejected thy Con∣fidences?

HE answered No. for he laid this down as a cer-Truth; that an Heart enclined to converse with GOD, as the Object whose Alsufficiency makes up for the want of all Creatures, is a most undoubted Sign of an Interest in GOD: He therefore that can do such a Thing, may do it without any Objection and against every Discouragement.

READING once Mr. BOYLE'S Seraphic Love, and finding some sublime Strokes upon a Man's RESIGNING up himself, and especially his Will, to the GOD of Heaven; he resolved he would set apart a Time on Purpose to give up himself and his Will unto the

LORD, and so to seek a Preparation for an actual and entire Submission unto HIM in all his Concernments. He did so.

IN his Papers I find an Address of his on that Occa∣sion, which I will give in his Words as follows.

MOST glorious LORD! Thou hast offered Thy self unto thy Creatures, and often called upon them to take Thee of their GOD. This, This is that which I am willing, I am desirous, I am resolved this Day to do. I take THEE, O LORD, to be my GOD, and hence I take thy Glory for the End unto which I would be and live; I take the En∣joyment of THEE for may great and sole Happi∣ness; and, which is the peculiar Thing I am now aiming at, I take Thy Will to by my Will. As for my own Will, LORD, I find it blind, foolish, wicked, hurtful; and therefore I renounce, reject and resign it; and say again, LORD, let Thy Will be my Will. I have great Concernments; Concerns as to this World and as to the future; They are many and weighty. But O GOD, THOU art the only wise GOD; There is perfect Knowledge with THEE; THOU art of great Power; Thy Un∣derstanding is infinite: And, in that sweet Recon∣ciler of GOD and Man the LORD JESUS CHRIST, THOU art wonderfully merciful and Gracious unto them that draw near unto THEE, as I do this Day. Unto Thy Wisdom and Goodness I commit my Concernments one and all. I cast all my Cares up∣on my GOD. O THOU most wise and good GOD, I resign all unto Thee. Is it not Thy Pleasure that I should so do? It is. And hast THOU not Pleasure in seeing me do so? THOU hast. I then profess in thy Presence; All my Concernments are put into Thy Hands and left unto Thy Manage∣ments forever. And now I am inconceivably happy! The LORD GOD Almighty will perform all Things for me, and all Things now shall be well performed. Whatever now befalls me will be an Effect of the great JEHOVAH'S infinite Wisdom & Goodness. And tho' it be never so really cross to my Humor, and

seemingly cross to my Welfare, I will take Content∣ment in it; because I will now look upon it as the Will of HIM that is infinitely wise and good; the Will of HIM that is my Friend, my Father, my GOD; the Will of HIM that hath undertaken the Conduct of all my affairs forever. And, O my Soul, O my Will; Remember Thou after this never to be disturbed about future Events, and always to approve the present Dealings of the LORD

.

BEING disposed and resigned as I have written; He formed Resolutions to DELIGHT in GOD, after this Manner.

1. I will ever mourn over the Distempers of my own Heart, which encline me to take an unchast sort of Delight in Creatures, in Idols, in Vanities.

2. I will bless GOD for those Afflictions, for those Dispensations be they never so distressing, by which He is curing these Disorders in me.

3. I will always account my self happy in the Favor of GOD; altho' I should have no Earthly Thing to give me any Satisfaction.

4. I will reckon any Opportunities for my being bro't into a Converse with GOD, as Treasures to be preferred above all Riches.

5. I will never be any other than in a restless Dis∣quiet of Soul, until I find all my Ends to be entire∣ly swallowed up in the Glory of GOD.

6. I will relish all my Enjoyments even to my very Meat and Drink mainly, and if I can meerly, under the Notion of my being by them assisted in the Knowledge or the Service of GOD.

7. I will endeavor to be continually abounding in the Thot's of GOD; nor would I be ordinarily one waking Quarter of an Hour wholly destitute of them.

8. It shall be my Measure to wait upon GOD, in all the Ways of his Worship, in which I may have Communion with HIM, especially in frequent Pray∣ers unto HIM.

LORD, Assist me, Accept me, Delight in me.

2. CLOSING with CHRIST, Accepting HIS Righteousness, Loving HIS Glory, and Living by Faith in HIM.

1. I find him one Day thus renewing his Closure with the LORD JESUS.

HE considered that GOD had offered CHRIST unto him; altho' he was a sinful and wretched Creature, and because he was so: And therefore it was his Duty to take HIM.

HE then examined, whether there was no Reserve, that ••ight herein prove destructive to his Soul. He sought unto the LORD, that HE would search him, try him, s••e whether there were any way of Wicked∣ness in him. He found the Things, of which he had most Reason to be jealous were Worldly Honours and Carnal Pleasures; and therefore he thus renounced them.

LORD, I give my Name unto THEE; If THOU wilt have it reproached, I am content: Only give me thy CHRIST, and I shall be satisfied. Yea, I will seek the Honor of Thy Name, whether the Honor of my own be advantaged or prejudiced by my doing so.

LORD, if any of my Delights are sinful, or as far as they are sinful I utterly forego them, and be∣seech THEE to make me abhor them: JESUS CHRIST my LORD is better to me than any of them, than all of them. If they are lawful, yet will I leave them, when either the Command or the Glory of my LORD calls me another way.

AND he added, 'Now I believe the LORD is mine and I am His: He will carry on his Kingdom in my Soul in spite of all Oppositions whatsoever: I leave all the weighty Affairs of it with HIM for ever and ever.

IN Prosecution of this Action of Closing with CHRIST, no Man or Book show'd him the way; but he tho't the HOLY SPIRIT was his Teacher, and that by HIM he was led on to the most explicit Procedure in it.

IN a different Day from the former, I perceive that he used such Words as these before his REDEE∣MER.

O my dear LORD; Thy FATHER has committed my Soul into Thy Hands: There is a Covenant of Redemption in which I am concerned: I know my Election by my Vocation, and my Concernment in that Covenant, by my being made willing to come under the Shadow of thy Wings in the Covenant of Grace. Now in that ancient Covenant the FATHER said unto the SON, Such a Soul there is that I will bring into thy Fold, and Thou shalt undertake for that Soul, as a sufficient and an eternal SAVIOUR. Wherefore I am now in thy Hands, O my LORD: Thy FATHER has put me there, and I have put my self there; O save me, heal me, work for me and in me the good Pleasure of thy Goodness.

AND a little after I read as follows;

LORD, I have been leaving my Soul with my LORD JESUS CHRIST; and THOU hast bid me to believe I shall be saved by HIM. LORD, I do believe that there never came a miserable Soul unto CHRIST in vain, and I believe that I my self shall not find it in vain. He will do great Things for me. He has done enow already to leave me with∣out any Cause of Repenting that I have with so much Agony of Soul come unto HIM. But I be∣lieve, that he hath more still to do for me. Having been the Author he will be the Finisher of my Faith.

2. ONE special Character upon the Experiences of his Life, was the great and clear Application he had made unto the Righteousness of CHRIST for his Justification before the Holy GOD.

I cannot well entertain my Readers with an Article of more Importance than this; I will therefore tran∣scribe a few select Passages from his Memorials, which are worthy of a more than ordinary Considera∣tion and Attention.

AT one Time he writes thus;

IN the former Part of this Day, I humbled myself before the LORD with inexpressible Agony of Soul for all the Filthiness of my Heart and Life: I did with Tears bewail my sinfulness before the LORD: and submitting my self unto the Divine Sovereignty, which might uncontrolably make me a Vessel of Dishonour and an Instance of Confusion: I further acknowledged that the Divine Righteousness added to Sovereignty had farther Advantages to proceed against me, and make me a dreadful Monument of Divine Displeasure.

WHILE I was in the midst of my disconsolate Re∣flections, the SPIRIT of the LORD caused me to behold the Obedience, the Sacrifice and the Sureti∣ship of my precious REDEEMER, as provided by the FATHER for the Relief of my Distresses: And that good SPIRIT caused me to rely upon it: So that I said with Tears of Joy before the LORD; Now I know that all my Debts are paid; my GOD will now make no Demand of me, but that I love HIM and praise HIM, and glorify my blessed SAVIOUR for ever. I know it! I know it! And now I will do so forever! I can do no other.

AT another Time;

I experienced an unspeakable Satisfaction of Soul this, Day, when taking part with the LORD against my Self, I approved all His Laws, and abhor'd my self on the score of my Contrariety to them and Vi∣olation of them; and I justified all the Chastise∣ments that had therefore befallen me: And then with a••avished Soul, I felt the LORD assuring me that His free Grace would impute unto me the Righteousness of CHRIST, and at the same Time imprint upon me an holy Disposition to conform unto that Righteousness in my own Heart & Life.

AT another thus;

THIS Day my Spirit was exceedingly distressed at the View of my own manifold present and former Vilenesses, which I bitterly bewailed before GOD.

— But I find his Humiliations concluded thus;

—AND yet after all this, I do Believe, LORD Help my Unbelief! I Beleeve, that my precious SAVIOUR our Immanuel hath fully obeyed and suffered Thy Will, as a Surety in the Room of Sin∣ners. I Beleeve, that the Righteousness of this our Surety is offered unto my Acceptance, that for the sake of it I may become accepted with GOD. I Beleeve, that whenever THOU dost enable me to rely upon this Righteousness, THOU dost immediately absolve me from all my Guiltiness and pronounce me a dear Son, a pleasant Child, upon whom THOU wilt surely have Mercy. And I Beleeve that the Greatness of my Sins does nothing to render me uncapable of this free and rich Grace of Heaven. O my GOD, in this Belief I cast my self at the Feet of JESUS CHRIST: There will I ly waiting, looking, assured to receive thy Favors.

Thus this Child of ABRAHAM Beleeved, and it was counted to him for Righteousness.

3. IT was the Heaven of the Doctor's Soul, This he chose and beg'd, to be made an Instrument of ex∣hibiting the Glory of CHRIST unto HIS People, of inviting and inducing others to glorify HIM.

HE received a Letter once, a short Letter from a very Religious Man, which had this Passage in it.

YOU'L pardon my troubling you with a Line or two to thank you for your Maschil, [the Title of a Book the Doctor had published.] which I think may be called Mictam, as well as Maschil. You help me to this Tho't; How full of Excellency is the glorified Man the LORD JESUS CHRIST;

if by His HOLY SPIRIT He so fills one of His Ad∣mirers, that He is enabled to fill a Book with such excellent Things

'TIS impossible to express the satisfaction of Soul, which the sight of this Passage raised in the Doctor. That holy ones, whose Hearts are set upon glorifying JESUS CHRIST, should by any Thing of CHRIST in Him, be led into the Contemplation of His Glories! This, This He looked upon as the highest Pitch of His Felicity: He tho't of, he aspired unto nothing higher than this throughout Eternal Ages. It ra∣vished him, when he saw the good GOD beginning to grant him this Felicity. He despised the Diadems of Emperors in Comparison with it; and cried out with a Rapture, greater than that of ARCHMEDES I am happy! I am happy! LORD, I am swallowed up with the Extasies of Thy Love!

4. I shall recite some very singular Methods of his maintaining a Life by the Faith of the SON of GOD: and, because it is impossible to use Words more ex∣pressive and weighty, I shall chuse rather to produce the Doctor's own Words than my own.

HAVING entertained a right and clear Appre∣hension of my great SAVIOUR; and His glorious Person, as the Eternal Son of GOD incarnate and inthroned in my JESUS being somewhat understood with me: and beholding the Infinite GOD as com∣ing to me and meeting with me in this blessed Me∣diator; The Thot's of Him are become exceeding frequent with me. I count it a Fault, if my Mind be many Minutes together without some Thoughts that have in them a Tincture of Piety: But I have learnt the Way of interesting my SAVIOUR in the Tho'ts: And I feel an Impatience raised in me, if I have been many Minutes without some Tho'ts of Him. I fly to Him on multitudes of Oc∣sions every Day, and am impatient if many Minutes have passed without some Recourse to Him.

EVER now and then I bestow a Rebuke upon my self, Why have I been so long without some Tho'ts on my lovely SAVIOUR? How can I bear to keep at any Distance from HIM? I then look up to my SAVIOUR; O my dear SAVI∣OUR, Draw near unto me: Oh! Come down to dwell in my Soul, and help me to form some Tho'ts wherein I shall enjoy THEE!

UPON this I set my self to form some Tho'ts on my most amiable SAVIOUR, His Glories, His Me∣rits, His Pattern, His Maxims, what HE has done, and what HE will do for us. I find the Subject infinitely inexhaustible.— And after I have been in the Day thus employed, I fall asleep at Night perpetually in the midst of some Meditation on the Glory of my SAVIOUR; usually on a Scrip∣ture where that Glory is mentioned. So I Sleep in JESUS! And when I wake in the Night, I do on my Bed seek Him that my Soul does Love: Still in the Night the Desires of my Soul carry me to Him in Tho'ts on the Subject which I fell asleep with.

I find that where CHRIST comes, a wondrous Light, Life and Peace comes with Him, together with a Strength to go thro' Services and Sufferings. The Holiness and Happiness to which I am intro∣duced by this Way of Living, 'tis better to me than all the Enjoiments of this World. All the Riches of this World appear contemptible Things unto me, while I have the unsearchable Riches of CHRIST thus bro't into my Possession. And all the Glory of this World would not encline me to forego this way of Living.

NOW, O my dear JESUS, I know, I have an internal Witness, that THOU art the SON of GOD and the SAVIOUR of the World.

CONCERNING this Matter I have had a Contem∣plation which had a most melting Efficacy on me.

WHEN the Cloud of Glory, which was the SHE∣CHINAH that had our SAVIOUR with the An∣gels of his Presence dwelling in it, came down and filled the Temple of old, what a grateful Spectacle was it, and what Acclamations did it raise in the Spectators? A godly Man is a Temple of GOD; a living Temple; dearer to Him than any Temple of mere Matter, tho' the most splendid and costly in the World. And our SAVIOUR comes into an Heart which is continually instructing, reforming and solacing it self by thinking on Him. O Heart panting after thy SAVIOUR; so kind is He, so very kind, that even at the Call of a Tho't He will come in unto Thee! A Temple so filled with the Glory of the LORD is unseen to the standers by, to Flesh and Blood.— The Life of the pious Man is hid with CHRIST in GOD: It is an hidden Life. But GOD sees the Temple with Pleasure. The SAVIOUR who knoweth all Things is pleased with the sight. His Angels make their Acclamations upon it.

BUT that I may set this important Matter, yet in a fuller Light I shall be more punctual and par∣ticular in my Account.

I behold the Infinite GOD in His Eternal SON assuming the Man JESUS, into such an intimate and conscious Union with Him, that in my SAVIOUR I now see a GOD-MAN, and a MAN, who has the Fulness of the GOD-HEAD personally dwelling in Him.

IN this GOD-MAN I behold all possible Provi∣sion for the happy Return of Man unto GOD, and all possible Encouragement unto Man to seek and look for such an Happiness.

AS this my SAVIOUR is very GOD, and my Hope and Joy in Him is all animated from that Consideration; so, being one GOD with the FA∣THER and SPIRIT, who thro' Him communicate

themselves to me, I consider my self as coming to GOD in Him and conversing with the whole GOD-HEAD in my more immediately having to do with Him.

THE first Thing I do, is to accept the Offers which this wonderful SAVIOUR makes to me of be∣ing mine and bringing me to GOD. I hear Him graciously offering to make me Righteous & Holy, reconcile me to GOD, quicken me to Live unto Him, and work in me that which shall be well-plea∣sing before Him. I feel Him so apprehending of me that He disposes and enables me to give an hearty, joyful, thankful Consent unto these Pro∣posals of Grace; and in consenting to them, I enter∣tain a comfortable Perswasion of my kind Recep∣tion with Him; I think it my Duty to be well persuaded, that He will surely do me Good.

AND now what remains is, that as I worship GOD in the Spirit, so I may rejoice in CHRIST JESUS.

WHEREFORE in the first Place I ask it of the glorious GOD with the Importunity, that having CHRIST concerned for me, I may also have HIM poss••ssing of me; That I may have Skill, Will and Help from Heaven to converse with HIM conti∣nually; That I may be so well of it as to keep con∣tinually ••alling HIM into my Thoughts, and feeding upon HIM. I have declared unto the LORD, that i•• HIM would grant me this Felicity, I cared not what ••ef•••• me; I am willing and ready to en∣counter any Thing that HE shall please to order for me.

MY Life is full of Sacrifices: But that which car∣ries me well thro' them all is this Consideration; That While I have CHRIST, I have enough; I can rejoyce in HIM while I have nothing else left unto me!

BY the faithful Dispensations of GOD I have been brought to this, That I feel my self dead unto all Creatures. I have employ'd the Sacrificing Stroke

upon all my Enjoyments. My Serviceableness to the Kingdom of my SAVIOUR was the last Thing that in my Death to all Things here below I parted with; The Thing which I could least of all part with: But this Darling, which I would fain have had saved from the Power of the Dog, I have also Sacrificed. I have submitted unto it that the Ever-Blessed ONE should not only make me vile among His People, but also utterly lay me aside from do∣ing any more Services for His Kingdom in the World. — I have been entirely dead unto every Thing else, and have had nothing but this one Thing left unto me, That I may have my JESUS not only doing for me, but also dwelling in me; and enabling me perpetually to feed and live upon HIM. This will be enough. I care not if I am stript of every Thing else, if I may but enjoy this Felicity.

IN pursuance of this Felicity, 'tis not easy for me to delineate or enumerate the Methods of Con∣versing with my only SAVIOUR, wherein I have been instructed of GOD. And it is impossible for me to express the Satisfaction that irradiates and re∣plenishes my Mind upon the Discoveries of any new Methods for it. No Affluence of any Worldly Wealth, no, nor any Advances in any Sciences could so transport and ravish me!

THE Blessedness of the Heavenly World lies in our being with CHRIST; and by being with the LORD, and beholding His Glory in precious Thoughts of HIM here, I apprehend my self even in Heaven upon Earth: And indeed the Light and Peace, the Joy; Strength and Purity with which it fills my Mind carries a Foretast and Earnest of Heaven in it.

I soar up to an inexpressible Contemplation on my SAVIOUR, as the Wisdom of GOD, who is the Archetype of the whole Creation, and in whom there are the original Ideas of all that is produced

by His Hands in the World, even that Platform and Substance, of which all Creatures are but the Issues and the Shadows.

I am hence wondrously reconciled unto my ap∣proaching Death, inasmuch as going from Creatures here, I go to Him in whom I shall find all that I leave and infinitely more.

IN the mean Time I am sure, that whatever I find amiable or comfortable in any Creatures here, is much more to be found in Him.

HENCE when I see any Thing that is amiable in any Creatures, I commonly fly away from them to my SAVIOUR and think, How great is His Good∣ness and his Beauty!

WHEN I find any Thing that is comfortable in any Creatures, I commonly hasten away unto my SAVIOUR, and think, What Benefits will flow from Him to me?

UPON the withdraw of any Creatures, or when any desireable Enjoyments are witheld or taken from me, I think, What is it that would recommend these Things unto me? And I presently find my SA∣VIOUR commended unto me by such and more de∣sirable Qualities. In his being mine I find every Loss repaired abundantly! Dead unto every Thing but my SAVIOUR, I thus express my Sentiments;

FOR the Delights of this World.— Such De∣lights as I tast in the mere Tendencies of Nature, I would in the Taste of them think, The Will of GOD, expressed in the Nature of His Works is thus complied with. But, Oh, What shall I find in the Infinite GOD Himself upon my going back unto Him!— Those Delights which are most helpful to me in seeing and serving of GOD are those which I would have the most Value for: And even my Appetites for my Food particularly shall be so

regulated.— But I know of no Delights compara∣ble to those which I take in Communion with my SAVIOUR.

FOR the Riches of this World.— I use no Labor, I have no Desire to obtain temporal Riches: They appear to me very contemptible. My Riches are my Opportunities to do Good, and those Illumina∣tions of my Mind which furnish me for it.— In my SAVIOUR I have unsearchable Riches, and in my Fruition of Him I have a full supply for all my Wants.

FOR the Honors of this World.— My Abhorrence of having the great GOD robbed on my Account, by People gazing on me without being led thro' me to Him, renders all the Honours in the Praise of Men very distasteful to me. I do nothing to gain Honors for my self; and if I do secure any Thing of Esteem or of Station, it shall be purely for the Interest of GOD.— If I be accepted with my SA∣VIOUR and employ'd in Work for His Kingdom and have His Image imprinted on me: Here are all the Honors that I wish for.

I go over the afflictive Things with which my Life is all embittered (and I make the fame Salleys towards CHRIST upon the Arrival of any new Affliction) I repair to my JESUS: I realize not only His Hand, but also His Love in fending the Trouble. I see my SAVIOUR once encountring the same Trouble, and I am heartily pleas'd at my Conformity to Him. I see how patiently and with what Views He bore the Trouble, and I wish to be like Him. I consider what is that Good which this Trouble deprives me of, and I see the same Good, and what is infinitely better, laid up in my SAVIOUR; and I am satisfied. The Tho'ts of my SAVIOUR I forever find sweetning the bitter Waters of Marah to me. I find Him the Comforter that always re∣lieves my Soul, when I have Him near unto me.

HOW many, O LORD, are the Tho'ts, which I form in my Mind concerning THEE! The Occasions on which, the Contrivances with which, I cherish the Tho'ts cannot be reckoned up in Order.

WHEN I see any Thing excellent in any Man, it leads me to Tho'ts on the superior Excellencies in my SAVIOUR.

THE Qualities of the various Animals which I happen to have before me, put me in Mind of the admirable Qualities by which my SAVIOUR is en∣deared unto me.

WHEN I see People miserable in any Point, it raises in me some Tho'ts on the Miseries, from which I am delivered by my SAVIOUR, and my Obligations to my Deliverer.

WHAT are the Uses of my Garments to the Parts that are covered with them? Of such Uses is my SAVIOUR to my Spirit, with the Tho'ts of which I have adored Him.

WHAT is there in the Diets of my Table to ren∣der them agreable unto me? Analag••us Proper∣ties I discern in my SAVIOUR; and the Tho'ts thereof give me an exquisite Relish of Him.

I durst not let my Mind ly fallow as I walk the Streets. I rebuke my self with heavy Complaints (and I make my Moan to Heaven) if I have gone many steps without some struggle to pull down the Thot's of my SAVIOUR into my Soul. I have compelled the Signs in the Streets to point me unto something in my SAVIOUR that should be tho't upon. When I have been at a loss for fresh Tho'ts on Him, it has been but casting my Eye on the Shops of either side, and from the Varieties in them, I have had something of my SAVIOUR suggested unto me.

ENQUIRIES after News are made with Frequency, with Eagerness: I am grown very Cold in such Things: My Concern for them and Pleasure in them is very much extinguished. Some new Tho'ts of HIM shall be the News▪ after which I shall be still most enquiring. Here I have any Curiosity gratified a thousand Times more than in the News of the common Occurrences in the World.

I have sometimes an Expectation of some Satis∣faction arriving to me, and a little of Strength and Impatience in it. I re••und it: I have done expec∣ting any good Things from this World: my Tho'ts usually are, What is the Good of that which I ex∣pect? O my Soul, All of this Good Thou hast al∣ready in thy SAVIOUR.

I have in my Study a very easy Chair: When I am going to repose my self in it, it is a common Re∣flection with me, Return to thy Rest, O my Soul; O my JESUS, Thou art the Rest of my Soul.

ON the LORD'S Day I would enter into the Rest of GOD. That I may Sabbatize aright I hear my SAVIOUR inviting of me, Come unto me, and I will give you Rest. On this Day I try to make a par∣ticular Application of that Invitation. I get my Mind filled this Day with as many Tho'ts of my SAVIOUR as may be: Which Tho'ts in general have a Tendency to convey a sweet Rest unto the Soul that entertains them. And more particularly, If I happen to think of any Thing that may be un∣easy to me, I presently seek a sweet Rest for my Soul in JESUS CHRIST as being and as doing what will be a Relief of that Uneasiness. Yea, I some∣times now cast an Eye on the uncomfortable Things which give a Disturbance to my Rest in this World, on purpose that I may immediately take my Flights to something in CHRIST, that shall show me a plen∣teous Redemption from them. So I rejoice in the LORD again & again, and so I find His Rest is glorious.

EVERY Day I find in my self such Imperfections; Infirmities, Miscarriages; as cause me to humble and abhor my self before the LORD. Now I em∣ploy my own Humiliations for Scaffolds from whence I would raise the Praises of my admirable SAVIOUR. Whatever I see mean & vile in my self, I would pro∣ceed from thence to think, How much the Reverse of this is to be seen in JESUS. From the Loath∣ing of my self I would pass on to the Loving of my SAVIOUR. And so among other Consequences; I shall also affect my self with the only Righteousness which I have to plead that I may be justified before GOD.

THE Pagans had their many gods, and for one Blessing they hop'd from one of their gods, for ano∣ther from another. Now all the Glories which I find them dividing among their many gods, I ascribe unto my SAVIOUR who is the true GOD and Eternal Life; and look for every Blessing from HIM alone.

IN my conversing with my SAVIOUR; I go thro' many Portions of Scriptures which testify of Him; especially the Psalms, employing a Verse or a Clause at a Time for the Subject of my Meditation, when every Night I fall a sleep in JESUS. Now the Psalms are filled with Prayers, wherein I find my Condition so suited that I cannot express it better before the LORD. But when I present such Prayers unto the LORD it proves a vast Encouragement and Consolation unto me, and therein I maintain a most sweet Fellowship with my SAVIOUR, when I think; This very Prayer was once presented by my SA∣VIOUR unto HIS Eternal FATHER: My SAVIOUR once pray'd at this Rate & found Acceptance: I pray but as my SAVIOUR taught me and as HE did before me: Certainly such a Prayer will be grateful unto GOD.

Finally, IN my admirable SAVIOUR accomplish∣ing an Eternal Redemption for us, I see glorious

Transactions and Occurrences. Now I am follici∣tous to feel the Power, the heavenly Power of these Things upon me, that I may come into an holy Fellowship with them, and with Him in them. This I take for a Token to me, that my SAVIOUR has been concerned for me is these Parts of his potent Mediation.

I see GOD becoming a Man in my SAVIOUR, I feel the Power of it in my returning to GOD and meeting with Him in my SAVIOUR.

I see my SAVIOUR leading an hidden Life, and passing thro' obscure Circumstances while He sojour∣ned among us: I feel the Power of it in my being willing to have my Walk with GOD carried on with all possible Concealment upon it.

I see my SAVIOUR doing illustrious Miracles upon the Children of Men in their Distresses: I feel the Power of it in my own Experience of the Di∣vine Works upon my Soul, answerable to what was in those ancient Operations of the LORD.

I see my SAVIOUR dying for my Sin, dying on the Cross: I feel the Power of it in the Death of my sinful Dispositions, my Dying unto Creatures, my having for this World the Sentiments of a Man hanging upon a Cross.

I see my SAVIOUR in His Resurrection trium∣phing over the Powers of Darkness, and entring into a New Life wherein HE lives for ever more: I feel the Power of it in my rising and getting up out of my Lifeless Darkness, and my coming into a New Life, wherein I shall pursue the Designs of PIETY, quickned with an Everlasting Principle of it, to which I was once a Stranger.

THIS may be enough to illustrate the Way of Living in which the GOD of all Grace enabled Dr. MATHER to proceed. In this Way of Living,

He waited to see what his SAVIOUR would do for Him: Thus leaning on the Beloved of his Soul He would go up from the Wilderness of this World.

3. HIS Occasional Thoughts and Ejaculatory Prayers.

1. THAT Dr. MATHER might walk in the fear of the LORD all the Day long, his Mind was continu∣ally conversing with GOD and preparing for Heaven in Occasional Prayers and Meditations. His Opinion and Persuasion concerning such Tho'ts was, that while He was forming of them He was directly, nearly, sweet answering the Grand End of his Life, which is to Glorify GOD and acknowledge HIM; That He was also therein rectifying his Soul and ripening it for the Employments and Enjoyments of the Heavenly World.

I shall now tell you some of the Rules which He prescribed unto Himself to awaken the Thor'ts and Prayers of a Religious Mind on the Occasions which frequently occurred.

WHEN He heard a Clock strike, He could not help thinking and wishing, that He might so number his Days as to apply his Heart to Wisdom; and that He might so spend every Hour as to be able to give a good Account of it.

AT the Winding up of his Watch, He bless'd GOD for another Day and desir'd He might spend it in En∣deavours to glorify HIM.

WHATEVER Comfortable Things He saw any other. Person enjoy He took the Comfort of it, adored the Goodness of Heaven and wished for a right Improve∣ment of it.

HIS Life was full of Services: but on every one He would distinctly consider how to do it out of

Obedience to GOD, how to glorify and ser•••• CHRIST, how to imitate HIM, and after all what an unprofitable Servants He was.

WHEN He dispensed Kindness to any Person, He would at the same Time lift up a Prayer for them, that they might not be unmindful of such Duty to HIM as thro' this Kindness they might be invited to.

HE had oftentimes an Opportunity to express a Benignity to Br••it Creatures, either to feed them or make their Condition easy to them: He would do it with Delight and raise two Meditations upon it. "I am now the Instrument of GOD unto these Crea∣tures; HIS Kindness passes thro' my Hands to them: And will not the blessed GOD he as beneficent unto me as I am unto these Creatures? especially if, as they look unto me to be kind unto them, I always look up unto HIM.

WHEN he knocked at a Door, the Faith of our SAVIOUR'S Promise was awakened in Him, Knock and it shall he opened unto You.

WHEN he mended his Fire, it was with a Medita∣tion how his Heart and Life might be rectified, and how thro' the Emendations of Divine Grace His Love and Zeal might flame more agreably.

WHEN he put out his Candle, it must be done with an Address to the Father of Lights, that his Light might not be put out in Obscure Darkness; and with a Wish that when He goes out by Morta∣lity He might enter everlasting Life and Light.

AS he tasted of the several Fruits which are the rich Product of Summer, he would set Himself to think on some special Glory of our SAVIOUR, of which he might by it be lead unto the Contempla∣tion, and so address HIM with a rapturous Confession of it.

IN drinking a Dish of Tea, (of which he was a great Admirer) he would take an Occasion for these Tho'ts especially with the Ingenuity of Occasional Re∣flection and agreable Similitude, that should have many sweet Acknowlegements of the glorious JESUS in them. And whatever Delight any of his Senses enjoy'd, it was soon sanctified and rendred more de∣lightful by his making such an Improvement of it.

THE Servant of the LORD could say, Mine Eyes prevent the Night Watches, that I might Meditate in thy Word. When the Doctor waked in the Night, he would impose it as a Law upon Himself ever before he fell asleep again to bring some Glory of his SAVIOUR into his Meditations, and have some agreable Desire of his Soul upon it.

WHEN he paid what he ow'd at any Time, he would reflect on what he ow'd CHRIST for pay∣ing his Debt tot he Justice of GOD, and was desi∣rous that he should owe no Man any thing but Love.

AMONG the Occasions for the Expressions of Piety and Thankfulness, he would affectionately take No∣tice of the mean Employments wherein he saw other People occupied. When he saw those whose Business it was to dig in the Earth, to sweep Chimneys, cleanse the Kennels, or drive the Coach, the Cart or Wheel-barrow, or exercised in the like low Degree; I say, whan he saw those Men, it raised his Heart in Wonders at the Goodness of GOD, which distin∣guished him with nobler Employments.

WHEN he visited a Sick Person he would fetch some Admonition relating to the moral Distempers in his Heart and Life, analogous to the Circumstances of the diseased Person.

IF any Thing began to raise any Ebullition of An∣ger in him, he would endeavor to allay it by think∣ing, "What Provocations have I given to the great

GOD; and what was the Meekness and Wisdom of my blessed JESUS when he met with Contradiction from Sinners.

WHEN he washed his Hands, he must think of the clean Hands, as well as pure Heart, which be∣long to the Citizens of Zion.

AND when he did so mean an Action as paring his Nails, he tho't how he might lay aside all Super∣fluity of Naughtiness.

SOMETIMES he had kind Presents made him: He would by the Quality of the Presents be awakened unto particular Acknowledgments and Resolutions. He would think, What Good Thing should that Man wish, and what Good should he do, whom GOD obli∣ges by bestowing such Things upon Him? And he would always add a Reflection upon the Humiliation of our SAVIOUR who wanted such Things, thro' the Ingratitude of an evil World.

WHENEVER he met with any Crooked Thing, he reflected after this manner; My Will is crossed; but what particular Instance of Disobedience and Con∣tradiction to the Will of GOD should this Affliction lead me to consider of.

HE had for many Years a Morning Cough: it every Morning raised proper Dispositions of Piety in him.

IN managing his Correspondencies, He would think, What honourable Mention can I make of my SA∣VIOUR here, and what Service may I do for the Kingdom of my SAVIOUR on this Opportunity? He afterwards added three Reflections. First; When he was Sealing a Letter and sending it away, he would with an act of Resignation put it over into the Hands of the Divine Providence for the Safety and Success of it. Secondly; When he was opening any Letter, he would lift up his Heart to Heaven that

••e might be prepared for whatever was grievous o•• joyful. Thirdly; In his last Prayers in his Study at Night before he went to rest, he would call to mind whom he had received any Letter from in the Day, and would make particular mention of that Per∣son and pray for suitable Mercies for him.

THUS I have given you a Specimen, which is all I intended, and all you can expect here.

2. BUT that so the Doctor, whether he eat or drank or whatever he did, might do all to the Glory of GOD; he was very constant in Ejaculatory Prayers and Praises.

THE particular Seasons, in which he was furnish'd with them, were as follows, viz.

BEFORE he set upon any signal Act of Worship, an Ejaculation must ask for help in that Act.

WHILE he was joining with another in Social Praying he would fix his wandring Heart by annex∣ing such a pertinent Ejaculation unto every Sentence that was uttered as, "LORD, I own it, or LORD I ask it!

IN hearing of a Sermon he would tack a serious Ejacul••••ion upon every Text or Head that should be proposed in it.

BEFORE his Preaching of a Sermon, he revolved it in a Meditation that should turn every part of it into some Ejaculation.

HIS Course of daily Meditation, which he car∣ried on, had agreable Ejaculations intermixed in the whole Exercise.

Numberless Ejaculations at the LORD's Table he tho't highly seasonable.

IN Singing a Psalm and Reading a Chapter, as he went along he would form agreable Ejaculations out of every Verse.

WHEN in his liesure Minutes he fetch'd Lessons from the Creatures of GOD, he would not dismiss them until he had put them into proper Ejaculations.

WHEN any new Comfort was conferred on him, he had this Ejaculation, "LORD, Help ••s to ••••pl••y this Talent for thy Glory". And when any new Trouble was inflicted on him, he prayed, "LORD, Help me to ••ear as well as to hear the Rod".

EVERY new matter of Care bro't with it new Mat∣ter for his Prayers: He thought therefore that the least he could do was to carry a short Petition to the LORD; and thus he asked the smile of Heaven upon all that he had to do.

ESPECIALLY if any weighty Question was propoun∣ded unto him, he would not answer it until he briefly address'd Heaven for a right Answer.

HE had often "LORD, Save thy People" in his Mind; such Ejaculations for the Church of GOD, he often used.

HE liked that good Rule which one proposed for himself, When I think of my Friend, let it be with a praying Tho't.

WHEN he was informed of any Neighbour in Af∣fliction, he thought it bespoke his charitable Eja∣culations.

WHILE he walke•• th•• Shr••••s, 〈…〉〈…〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Room with his Mind otherwise unemployed, he would not, lose the Time, but use his Wi•• as well as Grace in contriving some suitable Blessing for such and such as were before him; and then he would form it into an Ejaculation for them. Thus none, but HE that knows the Thot's afar off, were acquainted with the secret pious Motions of his Soul.

—So much for Ejaculatory Prayers for the present.

THE Seasons for Ejaculatory Praises you may take as follows, vis.

THE Occasions which occur'd for his Prayers, sometimes too, sollicited for his Praises.

EVERY Dispensation of GOD afforded Matter for such as Ejaculation to him.

ESPECIALLY when any conspicuous Mercy was bestowed upon him, he express'd his Gratitude by some grateful Ejaculation upon it, such as, Thou ar•• good, and Thou dost Good.

AND whenever any Perfection of GOD was by any Effects manifested unto him, he would by some adap∣ted Ejaculation celebrate that Perfection, saying LORD, how great is thy Power, thy Wisdom, Jus∣tice, Sovereignty and Bounty.

— THUS likewise of Ejaculatory Praises.

I will resume the Head of Ejaculatory Prayers; and shall conclude this Head with some of them, which he us'd at a Table once and in walking the Streets; by which you may guess very easily, how he walked as in the sight of GOD.

AT a Table, where he tho't it not proper to say much, and the Discourses of others were too trivial to be worthy of his Intention.

LOOKING on the Gentlewoman that carv'd for the Guests; "LORD, tho't he, Carve a rich Portion of thy Graces and Comforts to that Person.'

A Gentlewoman stricken in Years; 'Lord, adorn that Person with the Vertues which Thou prescribest unto aged Women.'

FOR a Gentlewoman newly Married, 'Lord, Mar∣ry and Espouse that Person to Thy self in a Covenan•• never to be forgotten.'

FOR a Gentlewoman very beautiful, 'Lord, Give that Person an humble Mind, and let her be most con∣cerned for those Ornaments that are of great Price in thy sight'.

FOR one of our Magistrates, 'Lord, Inspire that Person with Wisdom, Courage and Goodness to seek th•• W••lfare of thy People.'

ONE of the Ministers; Lord, Enc••ine and assist that Person to be a faithful St••ward in thy House.'

ONE unhappy in his Children; 'Lord, Conver•• the Children of that Person, and let him have the Joy to see them walking in the Truth'.

ONE weakly and sickly; 'Lord, Let the Sun of Righteousness arise on that Person with Healing un∣der his Wings'.

A Physician; 'Lord, Let that Person be successful in his Practice; and let him carry the Distempers of his own Soul successfully to his Healer'.

ONE that had met with great Losses; 'Lord, Give that Person the good Part that can never be taken away'.

AND for the Servants giving Attendance; 'Lord, Make them thy Children and Servants of JESUS CHRIST'.

WHEN he walked the Streets, he still blessed ma∣ny Persons who never knew it, with secret Wishes after this manner for them;

UPON the sight of a tall Man; 'Lord, Give that Man high Attainments in Christianity: Let him fear GOD above many'.

A lame Man; 'Lord, Help that Man on moral Accounts to walk uprightly.'

A Negro; 'Lord, Wash that poor Soul; make him white by the Washing of thy SPIRIT.'

CHILDREN standing together; 'Lord, Let the blessed Hand of CHRIST be put on these Chil∣dren'.

CHILDREN at Play; 'Lord, Let not these Chil∣dren always forget the Work upon which they came into the World'.

A Merchant; 'Lord, Make that Men a wise Merchant'.

A very little Man; 'Lord, Bestow great Bles∣sings upon that Man, and above all thy SON the greatest of all Blessings'.

A Man on Horse-back; 'Lord, Thy Creatures serve that Man; help him to serve his Creator.'

YOUNG People; 'Help them, O Lord, to serve their Creator in the Days of their Youth'.

YOUNG Gentlewomen; 'Lord, Make them ••ise Virgins, and as the polish'd Stones of the Temple'.

A Shop-keeper busy at Work; 'Let not this Per∣son so mind the Affairs of this World as to neglect the one Thing needful'.

A Man going by without observing him; 'Lord; I pray THEE, Help that Man to take a due No∣tice of CHRIST'.

ONE in Mourning; 'Lord, Give that Man the Comforts which Thou hast promis'd to the blessed Mourners'.

A very old Man; 'Lord, Make him an old Dis∣ciple'.

ONE leaning on a Staff; 'Teach this Person, Lord, to lean on his SAVIOUR'

ONE who had spoken injuriously of him; 'Lord Bless, spare and save that Person even as my own Soul; may that Person share with me in all the Sal∣vations of GOD'.

ONE that was reckoned a very wicked Man; Lord, Rescue that poor Man who ('tis to be fear'd) is pos∣sess'd by Satan, who leads him captive'.

IN like manner, when he has been sitting in a Room full of People at a Funeral, where they take not much liberty to Talk, and where much Time is most unreasonably lost; he usually set his Wits to work to contrive agreable Benedictions for each Person in the Company.

BUT it were endless to exemplify a thousandth part of those Ejaculations, in which his Grace & Love were exercised.

4. HIS Fasts, Thanksgivings, Vigils, and Self-Examinations.

1. FASTING, however in this Generation it may be despised, is very useful not only because Na∣ture, but also Grace, fares the better for it, and is strengthned by it: Hence it is that so many religious Men have looked upon it as a necessary & important Duty.

THERE is a Passage in the Talmuds (in Hierosy•• Kil••im. Fol. 32. 2.) that Rabbi JOSI fasted eighty Easts and R. SIMEON BEN LAGISH three Hundred; that they might see R. CAIJAH RUBBA••. The Jews report of R. ZADOK that he did so mortify him∣self with Fasting that he was commonly called Chalsha i. e. the Weak. They tell us also of R. JOSHUA BEN ANANIAH that his Face was black by reason of his Fas••ings.

SO very frequent among the Primitive Christians was the Practice of this Duty, that it was to be dis∣covered in their Faces and Joints; so that Pallidi and Trepidi were the opprobrious Names which the Heathen for this Reason gave them.

BUT among those that have done vertuously in this Respect, perhaps Dr. MATHER has excelled them all.

IN my Sermon on my Father, I said, by a very mo∣derate Computation, he kept about Four hundred and fifty Fasts: I computed thus, That from his fourteenth Year almost unto his Death, he tho't himself starved unless he fasted once a Month; that he, when con∣cerned in any very great Affair, would also very often keep Weekly Fasts, sometimes two in a Week; and inasmuch as he kept not Records of all the Fasts he observed and so I could not exactly number them, I therefore tho't the Number above specified to be a moderate Computation.

I shall here give you his Frame, his Sentiments and Actions on two or three of his Days of Fasting (in his own Words) from which you may judge of the rest.

SETTING apart a Day (the Day past) for Prayer with Fasting in my Study; I judged my self before the LORD for my various Transgressions; and in the Distresses of my Soul, beholding my Misery by my Estrangedness from GOD and Exposedness to his Wrath; but believing that the LORD JESUS CHRIST the only Mediator was willing to have

Mercy upon me, after all the Indignities I had put upon Him, if I now looked unto Him: I ••••r∣nestly beseeched Him graciously to take Care of all that concerned my Salvation; and rescue me from all the Confusions I had brought upon my self by my leaving GOD, and be my Priest, Prophet and King forever. And I profess'd unto Him; that I left my immortal Spirit in his blessed Hands, and that I would expect every part of my Welfare as the fruit of his blessed Satisfaction & Intercession; and that I would submit unto his glorious Dominion, Power and Wisdom so as never willingly to withdraw from the Regulations of them; but I would fly unto his precious Blood for Pardon whenever I perceived in my self any Deviations. And I concluded with a triumphant Faith that He would do me Good, and GOD would have no Controversy with me; and that I should after a desireable manner Know, Love and Honour Him; and that I shall find my never dying Soul under the peculiar Care of a mer∣ciful Redeemer in the Times of the greatest Extre∣mity that shall or can ever come unto me

—

—THUS on one Day.

ON another Day he writes thus;

THIS Day having humble my self and judged my self before the LORD for my many Provocations; and watered my Couch with my Tears in the Ap∣prehension of my exceeding Vileness; at length Floods of Tears gushed from me in my laying hold on the pardoning Mercy of GOD in JESUS CHRIST. The Spirit of the most High bro't me to a marvellous Temper which was to me like the very Suburbs of Heaven, wherein He assured me that all my Sins were forgiven; and that his Anger in the sense of which my Soul trembled; should no more burn against me. Upon this I called unto mind the Names of as many Persons as I could any ways learn had reproached and injured me; and I most heartily beg'd the GOD of Heaven on the behalf of them one by one, that they might be blessed

with all the Blessing; of Goodness, and such Bles∣sings especially as were most suitable for them.

I also besought the LORD that I might never Sin against Him with Will or Design or Delight any more: I profess'd unto Him that I should rejoice to Dy this very Day, if I might be everlastingly deli∣vered from sinning against Him: I declared before Him that I was very sure I should be with CHRIST e're long, and joyfully behold his Face in sinless Glory.

ON another such Day I find in his Papers,

That he did with Plenty of Tears lament his Wretched∣ness: And herein, says he, I was carried forth to declare unto the LORD, that having dishonoured His glorious Name, if there were no other way for the Honor of it to be recovered except in my Ruin, I laid my self down at His holy Feet to be disposed of for ever by Him as He should please. But yet I said, that His Name was a GOD that would abun∣dantly Pardon, and that He had provided a way for the Glory of it, and that whosoever will accept of Salvation in and thro' CHRIST should upon His Word be sure to have it; and so I concluded with Assurance that the LORD JESUS CHRIST was interceeding for me, and that because He had Liv'd & Died I should not Dy but Live. And these Motions of Soul in me were accompanied with very rapturous Hallelujahs, with Transports of Love and Praise; telling the LORD that now I would be His forever, and I longed now to be with my REDEEMER in the Mansions that are above where I shall certainly be; but for one Reason I desired to Live a few Days more upon Earth, even that I might Labour & Suffer for Him, and Serve Him, where I had sinned against Him: And this shall be my Work, all the Day long while I have a Day to live.

THERE was once a Time and a Thing in which the Doctor was full of distress. His Temptations and Difficulties were extraordinary: He thought himself called unto more than ordinary Humiliations, Suppli∣cations and Resignations. In this Time he rarely let a Week pass without setting apart a Day for Fasting with Prayer for many Months together; and ever now and then he had his Vigils for a Conversation with Heaven; and every Day for the most part he had one secret Prayer more than he used to have and lay prostrate in the Dust with Tears before the LORD, yet he tho't it necessary to do something more than all this.

HE had often in his Life kept two Days of Fasting and Prayer in on Week: But now he was resolved to spend Three Days after this manner in his Study, and beseech the LORD thrice, knocking at the Door of Heaven for three Days together; and he was car∣ried thro' the Undertaking even beyond what his feeble Constitution could have looked for.

HE was desirous that each Day should have it's peculiar Character, tho' there were many general Strokes of Devotion which were common to all the Days.

THE Character of the first Day was Confession of, and Contrition for the Sins which might expose him to the Displeasure of Heaven; (in which he used a Catalogue of Things forbidden and required in the Commandments, as well as the Ingredients of Original Sin) and he petitioned for the Pardon of all thro' the Blood of the Lord JESUS CHRIST.

THE Character of the second Day was Resignati∣on to the Will of GOD in whatever Sorrows had be∣fallen him, and in the sorrowful things which he could imagine might possibly be inflicted on him He found astonishing Entertainment from Heaven in this Action.

THE singular Character of the third Day was Request; first for Help under and against all the

Assaults of Temptations upon him; and then, for the Angelical Ministry to be employ'd on his Behalf and for his Help in those Cases, in which the Heirs of Salvation use to be befriended by the Ministers who do the Pleasure of the LORD.

I will now use his own Expressions:—

My Three Days left me in a very desireable Frame; very fear∣ful of Sinning against GOD, very raised in my tho'ts of CHRIST, and Heaven, and very watchful to do Good and bring forth Fruit unto the LORD.

BUT because an Admission to extraordinary inti∣mate Communion with Heaven uses to be followed with sore Buffetings from Satan either by internal Impressions or external Occurrences, I had a tremb∣ling Expectation of what might follow upon that Intercourse with Heaven to which I had bin newly admitted.

The Evil that I feared came upon me, but yet I received a marvellous Harvest of the Three Days. The Design of them was obtained to Admiration.

I will insert but one more Day of Prayer with Fasting, which he kept under some Temptations; on which I find he has entred this Record.

IT was a Day full of astonishing Enjoyments, a Day filled with Resignation, Satisfaction & Heavenly Astonishments. Heaven has as it were been opened unto me this Day. Never did I so long to dy and fly away into Heaven! I have seen and felt unutter∣able Things, I have tasted that the LORD is gracious. I can by no means relate the Communi∣cations of Heaven to which I have been admitted. I am now sure that the great GOD is my GOD, that I stand before HIM in the Righteousness of CHRIST, that no Good shall be with-held from me, that GOD will use me to glorify HIM greatly, and that I shall be an Object for the Everlasting Triumphs of infinite Grace.

I was scarce able to bear the Extasies of Divine Love into which I was raptured. They exhausted my Spirits; they made me faint; they were insup∣portable; I was forced to withdraw from them lest the Raptures should make me swoon away.

I could produce a vast Multitude more of his En∣tertainments, his Tho'ts and Methods on Day's of Fastings, but it would swell this Book to too great a Bulk.

2. I come therefore to write of his Thanksgivings, which were very numerous: I shall collect but three Instances out of the many that are before me.

ON one Day he kept, he set himself;

• 1. To recollect the merciful Dispensations of GOD unto him.
• 2. To consider the Aggravations of those Mercies in the Greatness and Freeness of them.
• 3. To register them in his Memorials.
• 4. To acknowledge them in his Devotions.
• 5. To Contrive what Returns he should make by way of Gratitude to GOD.

HE writes, I spent the Day in such Exercises, and the sweetness of them with the heavenly Affla∣tus they bro't upon my Mind, made me a rich Re∣compence for the Labor of them:

IN the Close of the Day coming to ponder, What shall I now render to the LORD for all his Benefits?

HIS Tho'ts are thus written down.

I. SHALL I not love the LORD, and be constant, fervent, unwearied in serving of HIM? Especially in the Rules I have proposed for my Conversation?

II. SHALL I not endeavor to shine by a good Example?

III. SHALL I not husband & redeem the Golden Hours, which I enjoy in the midst of so many Smi∣ling Providences?

IV. SHALL I not every Day in every Capacity, Relation, Company be contriving, What can I now and here do for God? And lay my self out ac∣cordingly?

ON! That GOD would help me thus to do!

ON another of there Thanksgivings he writes thus;

THE Forenoon of this Day I spent;

I. IN acknowledging my own ••••••eness before GOD, by which after an aggravated Manner I have become unworthy of all that Goodness and Mercy that has followed me all my days.

II. IN acknowledging those Glories which belong unto the great GOD as HE is infinitely excellent in Himself, and as HE is the Creator and Governor of the World, and unto JESUS CHRIST as HE is one altogether lovely. — In these Exercises my Heart was bro't to such Frames as would have turn∣ed a Dungeon into a Paradise.

IN the Afternoon I went over the former Kind∣nesses of GOD unto my self in my Tho'ts, my Psalms, my Praises.

BUT I more especially singled out three Things in which I have seen the Favor fo God; viz. An∣swer to Petitions, Rescues from Temptations and those Afflictions by means of which I have enjoyed both.

I essay'd then to bless the LORD for those Favors with which at present I am on every side surrounded, such as,

MY Life and Health.

MY Accomplishments in any Points of Learn∣ing.

MY well furnish'd Library.

MY Improvement in the Ministry of the Gospel.

MY peaceable Settlement in a Place of great Op∣portunities to do Good.

MY Success in my public and private Labors.

MY Acceptance and Interest among the People of GOD.

MY Enjoyment of my Father to this Day.

THE notable Gr••wth and Peace of the Flock, over which I am a Pastor.

HAVING employ'd my Admirations and Adora∣tions upon the Grace from whence these Things do come unto me; I then came to consider the free Grace of GOD unto me in,

THE Gift of CHRIST unto the World.

THE Offer of HIM unto my self in particular.

THE Sense of the Necessity of CHRIST, GOD has given me.

THE Union with HIM to which the Holy SPI∣RIT has bro't me.

AND all the further Operations of the HOLY SPIRIT upon my Soul, by which He is continually making me more meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light.

I concluded the Day with considering, What shall I render to the LORD?

I then gave my self, my whole self, and Powers, Members, Capacities and Interests (which I own'd was the least that I ow'd) unto the LORD.

IN particular I added, That, since I owed all my good Things to the Compassions of GOD, I would always be contriving how to honor HIM, and would procure some Testimony against some com∣mon Evils in the Land which are offensive to HIM.

AND since it was the Mediation of CHRIST un∣to which I owed the Procurement of all, I would preach a Sermon, the Scope of which should be to magnify the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and invite the Minds of Men to an assiduous Contemplation of his Glories.

THE Third and last I shall write of, shall be more particularly described than the rest, because of some∣thing mo•••• singular and infi••••••••ive in it.

〈…〉〈…〉

I saw that the Scriptures mentioned the Ministry of the good Angels, about the Heirs of Salvation with Frequency; and I saw that my Life had been wondrously signalized by the Ministry of those An∣gels. Wherefore loth to be guilty of such an un∣thoughtful Neglect of the Angels as the Generality of the Faithful who enjoy the Assistances of those Heavenly Guardians are, I devoted this Day to glorify the GOD and Father of my LORD JESUS CHRIST for the Ministry of ANGELS, which has notably befriended me unto this very Day. And I expected in this Way not only to render my self more agreable to those excellent Spirits, but also to obtain from their and my LORD a more signal share of their Influence than had ever yet been granted me.

IN the Evening before this Day, I was amaz'd when I beheld, but happy that I plainly beheld, the happening of several Things that seemed as it were contrived on Purpose to indispose me for the Duties now before me: But I comfortably got over all the Indispositions.

TWILL be needless to relate how many Hymns I sang referring to the Angels.

IN the Morning I wrote an Illustration upon a Text about the good Angels: And I made my Family-Offering suitable to the Design before me.

AND one Law which I laid upon my self this Day was, that in all the Intervals of more stated Thinking, as I passed from one Object to another, I would make Ejaculatory Thanksgivings unto the LORD upon all the Occasions which offer'd them∣selves unto me. But how many Scores of Ejacula∣tions thus occasionally acknowleging the Greatness and Goodness of GOD passed from me this Day, I cannot reckon.

MY chief Exercise in the Forenoon was, To con∣sider exactly, and with as much of Scripture and

Learning as I could, the Existence, the Properties and the Relations of the good Angels; and, the Honor, but not Worship, due to those benign Spirits: And then to run over the marvellous References to their Ministry which I have here and there found scattered in the Oracles of GOD; whether towards particular Saints or towards the Church in General. These Considerations with a vast Variety took in the chief of the Story of the Bible together with the Apocalyptical Prophecies, especially in the Trumpets and Vials wherein Angels are concerned. But my Considerations were still directed unto the LORD with my Desires, that HE should forever be mag∣nified and glorified for the Things, in which he had thus commissioned his Angels to be his Messengers and his Instruments.

I cannot fully express the Elevation of Soul with which I went thro' these noble Exercises; which Exercises at last I concluded with Assurances, that I should one Day come to praise HIM that se••s upon the Throne and the Lamb in the Company of his holy Angels forever.

IN the Afternoon, I looked over some Catalogues of Mercies received from the GOD of Heaven, which I had heretofore entred into my Diaries; and by comparing of what I read in the Book of Heaven about the Agency of the Angels, I examined, where I might make an Allowance for their subordinate Agency in my own Affairs.

THE main Heads of Kindness done for me which the Word of GOD permitted me to count An∣gelical were these.

I. I have Reason to think, that the Par••ntal Go∣vernment, which in my Childhood was a thousand Ways a Blessing to me had a B••ass very often given to it by the Angels of GOD.

I considered Jud. xiii. 12.13. and Met. ii. 1••.

II. I have bin preserved in and from many Dan∣gers while I was yet a Child by the Angels look∣ing after me.—I considered Mat. XVIII. 10.

III. IN my Education I was wonderfully circum∣stanced by Helps and Means of Learning, by a Ca∣pacity to Learn and kind Conduct of Tutors, which the Angels doubtless influenced. — I considered Gen. XXI. 17.18.19.

IV. WHEN Epidemical Sickness, have carried off many of my Neighbours, and I have bin in the midst of them, I have been kept unto this Day, by the Angels about me. — I considered Psal. XCI. 3.4.

V. I have made many Journeys and never yet came to any Harm in any of them: The Angels were my Keepers. — I considered Psal. XCI. 11.13.

VI. I was blessed with an early Conversion to GOD; and the blessed SPIRIT has bin ever since wondrously at work upon my Soul to fit me for the Society of Angels in a better World. Here was a Joy, and as to many Circumstances, a Work of Angels. — I considered Luk. XV. 10.

VII. MY Call to the Ministry of the Gospel, and the Hearts of People being so disposed that I have had my Call in so remarkable a Place as where my Lot is cast, has bin a Thing full of Wonders, and I don't fear to say full of Angels. — I consi∣dered Acts XVI. 9.10.

VIII. THE Door of Utterance Opened for me hath some surprising things in it, which I am cer∣tain have proceeded from the Angels of GOD. — I considered Luk. I. 20. Isa. VI. 6.7.

IX. MY strange Opportunities to do Good and and serve the Church of CHRIST both by speaking and Writing; and the Impulse I have often had

upon my Mind, at which I have often bin amaz'd There has bin the Energy of Angels in these Things.— I considered Act. x. 30, 32. Act. viii. 29.

X. MY Marriages have bin under the Direction of Angels, and the Condition of my Family also. — I considered Gen. xxiv. 7.

XI. THE Provision of a Food convenient for me have frequently bin so strangely tim'd, that I were blinder than a stone if I should not see Angels my Providers. — I considered Psal. lxxviii. 25.

XII. UNREASONABLE Men that had no Faith have Zealously fought my Ruine for my Faithfulness to the Interest of CHRIST; but I have had an Host of Angels for my Guard. — I consi∣dered Gen. xxxiii. 4. and Dan. vi. 22.

XIII. MY lost Health has bin restored and prolon∣ged; Have not the Angels bin my Physicians. — I considered John v. 4.

XIV. MANY a Time have I bin ready to do those Things which would have bin very contrary to GOD'S Glory as well as pernicious to my own Welfare; but I have bin strangely hindred: By whom? Truly the Angels of the LORD. — I consi∣dered Numb. xxii. 32.

SUCH Things as these I did with multiplied Halle∣lujahs acknowlege on my Study Floor before the LORD. And in the midst of my rapturous Praises I could not forbear saying, Bless the LORD, O my Soul, and forget not all His Benefits! And, if any good Angels of the LORD are now with unto me, Do You also 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the LORD ye Hea∣venly Ministers: And Oh, 〈…〉〈…〉 His, 〈…〉〈…〉 HIM.

FROM hence I went on to Supplications that the great GOD would go on more than ever to employ His good Angels for my GOOD, which I also then particularized in many Articles; and that HE also would preserve me from the Illusions and Injuries of Evil ones.

I then considered, What Returns I should make unto the LORD for the Benefits, which I have recei∣ved by His Angels. And here I tho't on the Message which an Angel bro't from Heaven unto one of his Fellow Servants towards the Close of a Day spent in extraordinary Devotions, Thou art a desireable MAN. [Dan. ix. 23.] So I spent an Hour or two in considering what would render me such a Man.

ONE special Thing wherein I proposed unto my self a way to become desireable was to become An∣gelical

— Accordingly I considered;

HOW the Angels were continually engaged in beholding and admiring the Glories of the great GOD. [Mat. xviii. 10.]

HOW They were continually studying the Myste∣ries of Redemption by JESUS CHRIST with the Characters and Approaches of His Kingdom. [1 Pet. 1.12.]

HOW They were continually upon the Wing to go upon the Errands of the King of Heaven. [Psal. ciii. 20, 21.]

HOW They were continually doing of Good a∣mong the People and Churches of the LORD, [Heb. 1.14.]

HOW They took particular Satisfaction in the Conversion of miserable Sinners. [Luk. xv. 10.]

HOW the Angels, in fine, were very Holy.— These Things I considered for my own Imitation.

BUT for the Close of all; because I tho't it would be a little Angelical, as well as otherwise

agreable, I took a List of many poor People in my Flock with some Care to have their Necessi∣ties relieved against the approaching Winter.

AND so the Day ended.

3. IT is impossible for me to tell how many VI∣GILS Dr. MATHER kept, he not always keeping an Account of them: I shall therefore only in general let you know that he frequently in former Years con∣versed with his SAVIOUR in the Night Watches.

HE considered that the Primitive Christians in O∣bedience to that Command of Watching unto Prayer sometimes had their VIGILS which were of great Use unto them in their Christianity. To spend a good Part of a Night now and then in Prayer, and so take the Advantage of a noctural Solitude, and abridge themselves of their usual Rest, for the sake of a devout Conversation with Heaven; They found GOD re∣warding them and the Devotions of such VIGILS with a more than ordinary Degree of Heavenly Con∣solation. And so the Doctor likewise found it. He has frequently withdrawn from his Lodging agreable enough unto Him, and in the Dead of the Night has retired unto his Study; where he has thrown himself on his Floor in the Dust, and wrestled with him in Prayer for a great while together. In doing thus he was rewarded with unutterable Communications from Heaven.

4. I will here give my Reader the Result of three Self-Examinations, which I find in the Doctor's Pa∣pers, and which will be sufficient to show how he proceeded in that Exercise.

I find in one of his Self-Examinations, preparatory to a Communion, what follows recorded.

I find; [1.] NOT only my Understanding sees, but my Will chuses the great GOD as my best Good and my last End.

I. MY Interest in HIM is my greatest Wish and Joy. According to, Psal. xvi. 5, 6. Psal. lxxiii. 25. ••am. iii. 25. Isa. xxvi. 13.

Object. THEN You would be more careful and earnest for securing it.

Answ. I. I mourn under and strive against my own coldness, and endeavour to stir up my self.

2. MY Zeal to make sure of any other Enjoy∣ment is not so lively as to make sure of this.

2. I do heartily embrace and propose ••••e Glory∣fying Him, as the main Design upon which I would be and live and work.

Quest. HOW do you know that?

1. BY my frequent and actual Dedications to his Glory.

BY the Disposition of my Soul in Prayer for any Mercy, above all for that Mercy.

3. BY my exceeding Satisfaction, when I see GOD acknowledged, especially when by me, or by my means.

[2.] WITH much Detestation I reject all that which hath made any Separation between the LORD and my Soul. —Sin is that accursed Thing, Isa. lix. 2. Wherefore— I lament it; I abhor it; I labor to avoid it.

[3.] I essay to come unto JESUS CHRIST the ever-glorious Mediator that I may be instated in the full Enjoyment of GOD. According to John xiv. 6.

• 1. THIRSTY after the Fountain of Life in GOD, to the Lord JESUS CHRIST as the Way.
• 2. I would have none but HIM to be my SA∣VIOUR.
• 3. I am free that HE should execute every one of all his Offices in the accomplishing of my Salva∣tion. Blessed be the LORD, who has not lest ••••e destitute of his Eternal Mercies.

I employ'd a Collection of Marks which I had lying by me; I proceeded by direct rather than reflex ones; That is to say, Examining whether I had done these and those good Things, I put it out of Doubt by doing them over again. Incredible Satisfaction and I hope some Satisfaction was the Effect of these blessed Exercises.

THE Result of the second Self-Examination, which I promised, I find written as follows.

ASKING the Help of Heaven in this Work, that if I were yet unsound I was desirous to begin the Work of Conversion again, and anew go over all the sorrowful Hours which I had seen in that Work: But that if I saw my own Sincerity, my Hands would thereby be strengthned in the Warfare to which I am called.

I then found such Things as these, which made me hope that the LORD had begun a never dying Work of his Grace upon my Soul.

1. THE Supreme Design and Desire of my Soul is, that GOD may be forever glorious.

INFERIOR Ends are become despicable in my Eyes; and I apprehend those to be the vilest Fools, who live only unto themselves.

THE Voice of my Soul is, Oh, let the LORD be magnified! Hence I am contriving every Week, every Day and perhaps oftner than so, What can I do for the Name of GOD.

HENCE my Thirst after an Enlargement in the Service of GOD, and after the Enjoyment of my own Salvation, does then after the most melting Manner transport me, when I think, Hereby the Glory of the infinitely amiable GOD will be discovered.

HENCE those Things by which the Glory of GOD is obscured and eclipsed; especially those cursed Lusts of mine which have robbed the LORD of that Glory that I might have bro't HIM, do vex and cut my very Soul within me.

Finally, MY Heart rejoices in any Revenues of Glory bro't any way to the LORD: I fell my own Interest gratified by it, and see my best Friend ho∣nored and advanced.

2. MY Heart is insatiably pressing after the high Attainments of Religion.

OH! When I consider what it is to converse with GOD continually; and not only to be living always with and upon and unto the LORD, but also to love no Creature except in HIM, and for HIM, and to have HIM for my All in all, My Hear•• springs at it. I cry, I strive, LORD, let me thus draw near unto THEE.

And herein the LORD gives me some Experience that is exceeding desireable.

FOR when I have bin mightily carried forth in my publick Dispensations I have taken Comfort: In what? Not that any Gifts of Mine have been seen, but that the Power, the Wisdom, the Good∣ness and Truth of the glorious GOD have glitter'd thro' me as thro' a sorry Lanthorn to the View of many Hundreds at a time. This even dissolves my Heart and causes me to love that GOD who has ho∣nored HIMSELF by me.

HENCE also my Spirit grows more unconcerned about keeping or losing any Creature Comforts, [consolatiunculas Creaturulas;] for I can encourage my self in the LORD my GOD.

3. I drive a continual Trade of the most exact, ex∣plicit Addresses unto the Lord JESUS CHRIST, who is the Mediator between GOD and Man; sol∣liciting HIM to accomplish the great Work of bringing my GOD and my Soul together, and fulfil all his Offices in the Doing of it.

4. MY Respect unto the Commandments of GOD is Universal. Be a Precept never so difficult and so likely to be recoiled at by Flesh & Blood; if I see it is GOD's, my Soul says, 'Tis Good! let me Obey it till I dy!

5. LET my own Iniquity assault me with never so much Vehemence and Violence, I never let go the Combat: But if I am foiled, I mourn, I am hum∣bled, I am grieved exceedingly; and with extreme Ardor and Anguish, I Keep crying unto Heaven for Help; resolving so to do while I have a Day to Live.— Wherefore, ••less the Lord, O my Soul!

IN the third and last Examination, which I shall mention, his Soul sallies forth unto these three Acts of elevated Christian••••••

1. LORD, I am so ••••••fied in the infinite Glory and Greatness of my LORD JESUS CHRIST, and of Thy infinite Regard to Him, that I wholly give up my self unto that Illustrious LORD•• and I pitch up∣on it as my chief Happiness to serve Him forever.

2. LORD, I am in such ill Terms with my Sin, that I most heartily give Thanks unto THEE for the most bitter and ••umbling Dispensations of thy Providence towards me that have any Tendency to mortify it.

3. LORD, I willl always be at Work for THEE, and be so far from thinking much of any Work, which I may do for THEE, that whatever Suffering do be••all me for the sake of that Work, I will re∣joice

in them exceedingly

— These three Self-Examinations will give you a Specimen of his Proce∣dure in that Employment.

5. HIS Morning Tho'ts, manner of spending Sa∣turday-Afternoons, and Method of Sabbati∣zing, his Reading of the Scriptures and Applica∣tion of the Promises, Employment of his Mind at the Eucharist, with his Prayers at the Sacra∣ment, his Petitioning for three Favors, and his Resolution for a Walk with GOD.

[1.] I have already written of the stated Course of Thinking he observed for every Morning in the Week: I shall here just let you know, that the Doctor con∣stantly, besides his Reflections upon the Question for the Morning, fixed his Rising Tho'ts in the Morn∣ing upon some Scripture, which might be of special Consequence of his beft Interests.

ONE Example may serve for all here: The Text he chose for one Morning was that in Zech. xiii. 1. On which his Tho'ts were under these Heads;

• 1. THE Blood of the LORD JESUS CHRIST is fitly compared unto a Fountain.
• 2. 'TIS an open Fountain.
• 3. THE End of it is the Washing away of Sin.
• 4. SIN is therefore to be looked on as the vilest Uncleanness.

IT would take up too much Room here to describe at large this Method and the Usefulness of it: All I shall add about it is, that Dr. MATHER went over many Portions and Chapters of the Bible in this Method, and handled multitudes of Cases referring to the most important Points in Christianity.

[2.] HE had a particular holy Way of spending the Afternoon of Saturdays.

—HIS Method was this;

• 1. MAKING three Prayers

• ...

  THE first, (〈◊〉〈◊〉 he begun other Afternoons) con∣sisting of Praises unto GOD for His Mercies unto Him, and his Requests on the behalf of others.

  THE second; consisting of more signal Converse with GOD, in renewing of Covenant and Closures with JESUS CHRIST and the like.

  THE third, consisting of Petitions relating to the Ministerial Capacity, in which he was placed, and particularly the Services of the Day ensuing.

• 2. THINKING on that Question, What is it that I am further to do for the Name of GOD?
• 3. MEDITATING on the Truths of GOD, especially such as he was to deliver on the Morrow.
• 4. READING of Books and Singing of Hymns in which his Graces might be exercised. He spent many such Blessed Afternoons and kept Records of them.

[3] HAVING spoken concerning Saturday After∣noons; it is natural to enquire how he spent the Sab∣bath?

I will here give you what I find, the various Ex∣ercises he went thro' on but one Sabbath.

HAVING the Evening before laid aside all Affairs that might be any Encumbrance to him, having devoted the Evening to the Exercises of Piety, and charged His Family to make Preparation for the Sabbath; in the Morning he awoke Blessing GOD for another Sabbath, and arose earlier than on other Days.

HE considered his usual Question for the Morning. What shall I do for the Good of the Flo••k that I have under my Charge? He sang his Morning Hymn, and coming down into his Study, wrote his Answer to his Question.

HE applied himself to his Maker, as for the Par∣don of his former Trespasses on His holy Day of Rest; thro' the Blood of him who is the LORD of it, so for Grace from HIM now to sanctify his Day.

THROUGHOUT the Day, he kept his Tho'ts in an agreable Employment and under the necessary Govern∣ment. When he was not engaged in any extended Exercise of Devotion, he was continually forming Admonitions of Piety from occasional Objects and Occurrences; Every Thing about him preached unto him, and he usually turned the Lessons into Ejacula∣tory Prayers. If he found his Mind begin at any Time to ly fallow and empty of good Tho'ts, he pre∣sently rebuked it and renewed them. It any evil Tho'ts began to make the least Approach to his Mind, he presently bewailed it and rejected them, and raised good ones contrary to them.

HE so took heed against Sinning with his Tongue, that he did not utter one Word on the Day, but what he tho't he did well to say.

HE wrote an Illustration upon a Text of the sacred Scripture.

HE read a suitable Portion of the Old Testament in the Hebrew Language. Another in the French. And then a suitable Portion of the New Testament in the Greek.

THEN he made the Morning Prayer of his Study.

HIS Breakfast (which was as his other Meals slen∣der) being bro't him, his Food was received with Praises to GOD, Meditations on the nobler Pro∣visions which He had made for his better Part.

WITH the like Dispositions and Meditations he anon took the other two Meals of the Day.

HE went down to his Family, sang and prayed with them.

HE gave Charges to his Family to remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. And, to the very small Children that were to stay at home, he assign'd Sentences of the Bible to be got by Heart.

HE returned to his Study, and pray'd that the pub∣lic Sacrifices, to which he was going might be pro∣fitably and acceptably carried on.

HE went unto the Public, where his venerable Parent performed the public Ministrations. The very Bell put him in Mind of the joyful Sound. Here he gave such Attention that not one Passage of the Prayer, not one Head or Text, and scarce one Sentence in the Sermon passed without his Mind moving towards Heaven with an adapted Confession or Petition upon it. And every Verse of the Psalm he accompanied with a Note and a Prayer deduced from it.

WHEN all was finished, he set himself to form De∣sires for all the Hearers, and the Desires and Resolves for his own Life; and think on those Improvements in Piety, to which the Subject treated on might lead him.

RETURNING to his Study, he read over some Dis∣courses on the great Sabbatism which the Church of GOD is to look for, and the glorious Things which are spoken about the City of GOD, and the Prophe∣cies relating to the latter Days. This he did (as he usually did) because he looked on the Sabbath as a peculiar Type and Sign of the blessed Millennium.

GOING to his Table, he fed the Souls of the Com∣pany with as profitable Discourses as he could entertain them with.

AND he also drew out his Soul to the Hungry; he tho't it a Day proper to dispense Kindnesses unto the Poor; he was careful to have some such invited unto his Table.

AFTER this, he went on to the Affairs of the great Sabbatism. He read a Paragraph of Scripture referring to it, with his acutest and most penetrating Tho'ts upon it and suitable Ejaculations. And he sang an Hymn relating to it.

THEN prostrate in the Dust, he poured out a Prayer for Zion in the Dust, and for the Hastening of the Day of GOD.

UPON this he took the Sermon He was to preach immediately, and run it over so that his M••••d was formed into proper Tempers and Wishes on every Head of the Sermon.

HE then on his Knees bewail'd before the LORD such Sins as the Sermon he was to preach most called him to repent of; and pray'd for Grace to do such Things himself, as his Sermon was to excite his Hearers to; and beg'd for the Help of Heaven in the Work before him.

HE went unto the public, and spent about three Hours in carrying on the Services there, in a great Assembly with great Assistance from Heaven.

HIS Mind, between the Conclusion of the Services, and his visiting of his Habitation, was filled with Prayers that what had passed might make due Im∣pressions upon the People.

EXCESSIVELY tired he drank his beloved Tea, with Praises to the glorious GOD, and some Tho'ts on his precious Benefits to which the Water led him.

HE made a Prayer for such Blessings as he was daily to ask for.

HE went down to his Family; where he catechized his Children; and went thro' the Sermons of the Day in a way of Dialogue with them; and sang and pray'd with them and the Neighbours that came in to join with them.

THEN he caused such of his Children as could do so, to tell him, What new Matter of Prayer they were apprehensive of? And he charged them to re∣tire with it before the LORD.

HAVING also ordered one of his Sons to hear the Servants read & say their Catechism: he retired unto his Study and meditated on that Point; What have I l••••t undone that it would be for my Consolation and Satisfaction to do before I dy?

HE read in a Book of Piety, a Sermon that might add unto the Heavenly Tincture on his Mind.

HE was called to pray with a Sick Person, unto which he went with Alacrity as unto a Duty of the Sabbath.

HE went again to his Family, and sat with them, while each of the capable Children successively read their several parts of some Book of Dovotion to the whole Family: And he took Occasion from thence to renew his ••••••tructions to them.

THEN he sang with his Family his Evening Hymn.

HE returned to his Study, and in Prayer gave Thanks for the Mercies of the past Day; and im∣plored a Pardon for the Errors, of it, both of which he endeavoured particularly to enumerate. He committed all his Interests into the Hands of his dear SAVIOUR, and exerted a Principle of Grace in an Act that was an evident Token of Salvation, that might assure him of his Safety if he were to dy before the Morrow.

Finally, HE declared before the LORD, that altho' some had observed a Reward of Temporal Blessings even in the ensuing Week to encourage their Sabba∣tizing, he had been abounding in this Work of the LORD without the Encouragement of any such Expectation. If never so much Disappointment or Affliction should befal him in the Week, or in the rest of his Life, yet he would go on in the Labors of Sab∣batizing to him; and assure himself that he should find his Account in the Rest that remains for the People of GOD; but renouncing all Pretence to Merit in his own Performances, So he went to Rest; and fell asleep reading some divine Author.

THIS Variety of Duty (I find) was done by him on one Sabbath: And altho' he found himself very weary, yet his Spirit found those unspeakable Con∣solations and Advantages from such unwearied Sab∣batizing, as carry'd rich Compensations with them.

[4] WHEN he read the Scriptures, he had one very holy and useful Practice in it.

THIS was, a Course of Reading with such a De∣vout Attention as to fetch at least one Observation

and one Supplication, (a Note with a Wish) out of almost every Verse in the Bible. He had a Prospect of more than a little Good by it; he tho't a great deal of Truth and Grace might pass thro' his Soul in thus waiting upon GOD, and his Prospect did not fail him. The Reading the Scriptures in such a Manner and with such an Affection proved unto him a most glorious Opportunity for Conversing with GOD. And he gave more Thanks to Heaven for teaching him this way of Living than if he had the greatest Earthly Revenues bestowed on him.

AND here is a proper Place to relate a Proposal, which he drew up in the Manner and Words follow∣ing, Viz.

LET it be a part of my Business every Day to be applying of the PROMISES. There are certain Pro∣mises that are of continual Use in the Christian's daily Walk; and I wish I might every Day have some delightful Reflections on several of them.

EVERY Day I shall have Occasion for a Promise of a Supply for all my Wants in the Day: Such an one is that in Phil. iv. 19. GOD will supply all your Needs.

EVERY Day I shall have Occasion for a Promise of Grace to manage the Day for the Glory of GOD. Such an one is that in Zech. x. 12. I will strengthen them in the LORD, they shall walk up and down in his Name saith the LORD.

EVERY Day I shall have Occasion for a Promise of a growing Victory over Sin. Such an one is that in Mic. vii. 19. He will subdue our Iniquities.

EVERY Day I should have a Promise of Suc∣cess in my Undertakings. There is one in Psal. i. 3. Whatsoever he doth shall prosper.

EVERY Day I should have a Promise of Pro∣tection from Dangers. There is one in Psal. xci. 10. No Evil shall befall thee.

EVERY Day I should have a Promise of Counsel in my Difficulties. There is one in Psal. xxxii. 8. I will instruct thee, and I will teach thee in the Way which thou shouldst go.

EVERY Day it were good I should have a Promise of not being the worse by whatever hap∣pens to me. 'Tis to befound in Rom. viii. 28. All things shall work together for Good.

EVERY Day I can't be without a Promise of Eternal Happiness at my dying Day. Here it is, Luk. xii. 32. It is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

OH! That I might often every Day be glancing at such Promises as these! It would be Heaven upon Earth to be doing so; and it would have a charming Efficacy upon me for the perfecting of Holiness in the Fear of GOD.

[5.] THE! Doctor had much Exactness in the Me∣thod of employing his Mind at the Table of the LORD — I will here transcribe only the first of the many ••n••••••nce he recorded of his more methodical Proceedures at the sacred Table.

PRAYER being finished, his Mind thus operated;

Do I need the LORD JESUS CHRIST? Yes, in∣finitely; but chiefly on two Accounts.

THE Guilt of Sin on me is mountainous; none but HE can remove it: The Power of Sin in me is marvellous; none but HE can subdue it.

BUT am I wi••ing to have the LORD JESUS CHRIST? — Yes, most heartily.

FOR there is a dreadful Necessity that the Mise∣ries of my Soul should be relieved.— HE and none but HE can relieve them.

I cannot find any Thing unlovely in the LORD JESUS CHRIST; all His Benefits and Offices are desireable.— And therefore, LORD, I am willing

ART Thou so? Then take HIM, says the LORD, I give HIM to Thee.

BY this Time the Sacramental Bread was brought unto Him to seal the Gift; which He took [and eat] accordingly.

AND then he proceeded;

The LORD JESUS is mine; If I am ready to question it, I may now see and feel and taste it. My LORD and SAVIOUR I may be sure, will engage for my Good and perfect every part of my Salvation.

AT the Administration of the Wine; and after Prayer;— Thus,

THE first Covenant is broken; It speaks nothing but Confusion to fallen Man: The gracious GOD therefore enters into a New Covenant which is of Grace. In it is tendered all manner of Good for Believers on CHRIST, the Mediator of that Covenant.

AM I willing to come under the Wings of this Covenant? — Yes; LORD, Thou hast made me willing.

THEN, says the LORD, Here is the New-Testament in my Blood.

By this Time the Sacramental Wine came unto him; he drank of it, and thereby he had all the Good of the Covenant sealed unto Him.

He then proceeded;

Now I shall have Repen∣tance and Remission of Sins. Now all my Changes will be well ordered for me. My GOD will guide me by Counsel and bring me to Glory. All the great and precious Promises of GOD are my Heritage and shall be the Rejoicing of my Heart.

THIS one Instance may teach us how to manage our Sacramental Meditations much to our spiritual Profit. The Sermons which he heard prepa∣ratory to Communion, he made very subservient to his Meditations in this Way of regularly marshalling them on such blessed Occasions

[6.] BUT when the Doctor himself administred the Eucharist, his Devotion was very flaming and his Prayers exceedingly fervent.

HIS Prayers, poured out at the Celebration of the Sacrament were dictated, as GREGORY NA∣••IANZEN says of his Fathers, by the Holy SPIRIT of GOD. He rarely administred on such Occasions before the LORD without signal Irradiations of Mind and very inlarging Influences. He could not, as he told me, keep written Memorials of those Passages; For, if his Employments were not so many as to hin∣der him, it were next to impossible to recollect and express the warm Requests, the strong Cries, the celestial Expansions of his Soul when employed in that hea∣venly Business.

[7.] He has often beg'd with irresistible Importunity Three Favors of the glorious GOD; in which there is imply'd all that a Man need desire and seek after.

First, THAT CHRIST might appear to him the most glorious of Objects.

Next, THAT Sin might appear to him the most odious of Objects.

Thirdly, THAT the heavenly World might be as real to him as any Thing upon Earth.

[8.] I cannot conclude this Chapter more agreably than with his Resolutions for his W••lk with GOD? They being the brief and full Recapitulation of what I have written before concerning his Constancy in Re∣ligion.

RESOLUTIONS for my W••lk with GOD? LORD Thou that workest in me to Will, help me to resolve.

I. As to my Thoughts.

1. To endeavor that I will keep GOD•• CHRIST and Heaven much in my Tho'ts.

2. IN a special manner to watch and pray against all Evil Tho'ts; especially in the Times of De∣votion.

II. As to my Words.

1. To be not of many Words; and when I do speak to do it with Deliberation.

2. To remember my Obligations to use my Tongue as the LORD'S and not my own; and there∣fore to promote savoury Discourse if I can where∣ever I come.

3. NEVER to answer any Question that is weighty without lifting up my Heart to GOD in a Request that HE would help me to give a right Answer.

4. To speak Ill of no Man, except on a good Ground and for a good End.

5. SELDOM to make a Visit without contriving, What I may do for GOD in that Visit?

III. As to my daily Course of Duties.

• 1. To pray at least thrice every Day.
• 2. To meditate once a Day after a Doctrinal and Applicatory Manner.

3. To make a Custom of propounding to my self these three Questions at Night before I sleep.

WHAT hath been the Mercy of GOD in the Day past?

WHAT hath been my Carriage before GOD in the Day past? AND

IF I dy this Night, is my immortal Spirit safe?

• 4. To lead a Life of constant Ejaculations.
• 5. To be diligent in observing illustrious Pro∣vidences.

BUT in all to be continually going to the LORD JESUS CHRIST as the only Physician and Redee∣mer of my Soul.

LORD, THOU that workest in me to resolve, help me to perform.

THUS I have written of his Christian Life and Conversation; and here conclude this Chapter.

CHAP. VII HIS latter Days; in which his Sentiments of some important Things are mentioned, together with a Relation of Temper in his last Illness and the Cirumstances of his Death; and at the End a Catalogue of the Books he published.

SECT. I. HIS way of Living in his latter Days.

1. THE very learned and good DRUSIUS says, that his Old Age was better to him than his Youth. So was Dr. MATHER'S: He was generally more hearty in his latter Years than former; and, altho' he was always very temp••rate, in his later Times he was exceedingly re∣gular; in every Thing but Reading and Writing, for he was as constantly employ'd in these, as if he had but newly taken a Pen or Book into his Hand.

2. CICERO, in his Book of Famous Orators, speak∣ing of PISO who when he first set out got consider∣able Fame, says, that he maintained his, Ground while he could labor and be industrious, but continues TULLY, Postea quantum detraxit ex Studio, tan••um amisit ex Gloria, h. e. As he ceased from his Study he lost his Credit. Dr. MATHER, as I said before, did not abate his Studies; and hence, he had those docti Sales and that grata Senectus which CLAUDIAN admir'd in PALLADIUS, that is, he render'd himself agreable in Age by his polite Facetiousness and the Surprising Discoveries of his Reading and Wit. Hence likewise he was caress'd by all that knew him (tho' in his latter Days he studiously avoided Company as much as he could) and was resorted to by Persons of all Characters for his Directions. Advice and In∣struction.

3. I must relate one Thing by which all Parents would do well to receive Instruction, 'tis this; He would not, as I more especially know in his latter Days, keep a morose Carriage towards his Children, nor at an haughty Distance from them; but forever when they came into his Presence he would condescend to the Familiarity of an Acquaintance; and thus he would instruct and edify, thus allure and charm us, thus make us love his Society, ever come into it with Delight and never leave it but with Sorrow: — Which Method, I believe, will work more forcibly upon any Children of common Sense and more en∣gage them to love their Parent and encline them to be good and vertuous, than any crabbed Looks, austere Orders or surly Demands whatever.

2. His Sentiments upon some important Things.

• 1. ALTHO' he was a Defender of the Doctrines of Grace, as expressed in the Articles of the Church of England; and, as to Church Discipline, was of Con∣gregational Principles, which he looked on as most agreable to the Word of GOD and the Rights of the Christian Church; yet he was very extensive in his Charity, being desirous to receive all whom CHRIST receives to the Kingdom of GOD, viz. All who fear GOD and work Righteousness, all who do not abet Errors and indulge Practices inconsistent with the Christian Life: And being of such a charitable and good Temper, he must needs be an Enemy to all Persecution as he was. He tho't that a good Subject and good Neighbour had a Right to Life and the Comforts of it, let his Opinion in Religion be what it will, He early imbib'd this Opinion, grew strong in it, left it behind him and to the last, was an En∣courager of manly Religion without any bitter Spirit common to this Party and that Faction.
• 2. As it is well known that Dr. MATHER was well acquainted with the Sacred Prophecies, on which he formerly writ and printed his Tho'ts; so it may not

• be amiss to inform my Reader, that, in several Things relating to the Prophecies, he saw cause to alter his Mind; particularly concerning the second Coming of CHRIST, the Conflagration, the New Heavens and New Earth, and the Calling of the Jews.

I will here write those Sentiments of these Things of which the Doctor just before he died had a firm Belief from a strict Enquiry, long Study and much Prayer; and, as near as I can, I will express his Sen∣timents in his own Words in the following Assertions.

• 1. THE second Coming of the LORD will be at and for the Destruction of the Man of Sin and the Ex∣tinction of the Roman Monarchy under the Papal Form of it. He tho't that, altho' Wise Men have interpreted our SAVIOUR'S Coming in the Clouds of Heaven and the Brightness of his Appearance as if it me'nt any Thing besides His Personal Coming, herein they spoke foolishly and unaccountably. For as their Interpretations leave us destitute of any Proof that our LORD will ever come at all, so they go very far towards a Trespass on the third Commandment.
• 2. THE Conflagration described by the Oracles of GOD in strong Terms, and which we are warned of by the Mouth of all the Prophets; this Conflagration will be at the second Coming of the LORD. To make the Petrine Conflagration signify no more than the laying of Jerusalem and her Daughter in Ashes: And to make the New Heavens and the New Earth signify no more than the Church State of the Gospel. — These are shameful Hallucinations. And as for the New Earth, before the Arrival of which no Man can reasonably expect happy Times for the Church of GOD upon Earth, it is the greatest Absurdity to say that it will take Place before the Petrine Conflagra∣tions; and there is no Prospect of arguing to any Purpose with such as can talk so very ridiculously.
• ...

• 3. UPON the Conflagration the glorious GOD will create New Heavens and a New Earth. In the up∣per Part of our Atmosphere, where will be the New Heavens, there will be the holy City which GOD has prepared for his People. This holy City will be in∣habited by the raised Saints, attending on our SA∣VIOUR there and receiving the inconceivable Re∣compences of all their Services & Sufferings for Him. The New Earth will be a Paradise, prepar'd for another People & full of the goodness of the LORD.
• 4. IT is impossible to find any Inhabitants for the New Earth, but a set of People that shall escape the Conflagration. It is a Thing plainly revealed unto us, that our descending Redeemer, while yet at a further Distance than he will anon come, when he sets Fire to the Earth, will by his Almighty Voice raise the Dead, whom he intends for Blessedness, so fetch them to him as to bring them with him: As he is going on in his nearer Approaches with his illustrious Re∣tinue to give Order for the tremendous Fire, he will hear the Cries of his chosen, called and faithful ones, and he will send His Angels to do for them as once for ELIJAH; These Hundred and forty four Thou∣sand Servants of GOD and Walkers with HIM, that have the Mark of GOD upon them, when the Destroyers are going to hurt the Earth, shall be caught up to meet the LORD and with HIM they shall be in Safety, while they shall see the Earth flaming under them. These are they who shall return to the New Earth, possess it, and people it, they shall soon multiply in∣to mighty Nations upon it.
• 5. THE Process of Judgment on the Sheep & Goats, in the twenty fifth Chapter of Matthew, has not one of the Raised from the Dead concerned in it; but it is a quick Division & Decision made by our LORD among the Christians who cry for Mercy, when they see the Fire of GOD ready to seize upon them, de∣termining who shall be caught up to meet the LORD, and who shall be left to the Perdition of ungodly

• Men in the Flames before them; and there shall not one ungodly Man be left living in the World.
• 6. THE raised Saints in the New Heavens will not marry nor be given in marriage, but be equal with the Angels; The changed Saints on the New Earth will build Houses and inhabit them, plant Vineyards and eat the Fruit of them, and will have an Offspring that will be with them the blessed of the LORD; and if blessed; then sinless and deathless: The sacred Scriptures have expressly declared this Difference between them.
• 7. WHILE the holy People on the New Earth shall be circumstanced like Adam & Eve in Paradise, in a pure and spotless Manner Living unto GOD; the Raised Saints, being somewhat more Angelically circumstanced, will be sent from Time to Time down from the New Heavens unto them to be their Teachers and Rulers and have Power over Nations, and the Will of GOD will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. This Dispensation will continue at least for a thousand Years. Whether the Translations from the New Earth to the New Heavens will be successively during the thousand Years, or all to∣gether after it, has not been discovered.
• 8. THE New Heavens, in Conjunction with the New Earth under the Influence of it, is that Heavenly Countrey which the Patriarchs looked for. When the great GOD promised them that he would be their GOD and bless them, they understood if of his bring∣ing them into this Deathless and Sinless World. They who expect the Rest promised for the Church of GOD upon Earth to be found any where but in the New Earth, and they who expect any happy Times for the Church in a World that hath Death & Sin in it, — Th••se do err, not knowing the Scripture nor the Kingdom of GOD.
• ...

• 9. SUCH a Conversion of the Israelitish Nation with a Return to their ancient Seats in Palestine, as many excellent Persons in latter years (and among the Rest himself) have been persuaded of: He now tho't in∣consistent with the coming of the LORD and the Burning of the World at the Fall of Antichrist, be∣fore which Fall no body imagines that Conversion. And indeed how is it consistent with the Deep Sleep in which the Diluvium Ignis must, as that of Water did, surprize the World? The holy People of the Pro∣phecies is found among the Gentiles, the surrogate Israel. The New Testament seems to have done with a carhal Israel; The Eleventh Chapter to the Rom∣ans is greatly misunderstood, where we find all Israel saved by a filling up of the Gentiles which we mis∣translate the fulness of the Gentiles. The Prophecies of the old Testament that seem to have an Aspect up∣on such a Nation; are either already accomplished un∣to that Nation in the Return from the Chaldean Cap∣tivity; or they belong to that holy People whom a Succession to the Piety of the Patriarchs will render what our Bible has taught us to call them the Israel of GOD: But the final Fulfilment of them all will be in the World to come, or the New Heavens and the New Earth where GOD will dwell with Men and be their GOD. Of what Advantage to the King∣dom of GOD can the Conversion of the Jewish Nation be, any more than the Conversion of any other Nation, except we should suppose to remain upon the Jewish Nation after their Conversion something to distinguish then from the rest of the Christian Believers? Now to suppose this, would it not be to rebuild a Partition Wall that our SAVIOUR has demolished and abolised; which a Christian, one would think, would no sooner go to do than to rebuild the fallen Walls of Jericho.
• 10. BY all just and fair Computations the twelve hundred and sixty Years allowed for the Papal Em∣pire must be near, if not quite expired. By Conse∣quence the one thousand three hundred and thirty five Years, which bring the Time of the End when

• Daniel, with every other good Man, is to rise and stand in his Lot, are not likely to extend beyond the present Century. And for ought any Man alive can say the Midnight Cry may be heard before to morrow Morning. Those awful Things, which our LORD foretold as the Signs of his Coming have been all actually exhibited and fulfilled; We have had them all in all the Terrors of them, and a stupid World has not understood them.

THE Doctor was very much displeased with those, who, proposing rather to carp than to search, think they have at once routed all Hopes to understand the Scriptures and secured an unintelligible Obscurity and Ambiguity to the Divine Oracles only by demanding with an Air of Contempt, Where will you find Gog and Magog? They are not ordinarily capable of re∣ceiving a Rational Answer till they have more seri∣ously tho't on what is to arrive a thousand Years before the Rising of Gog and Magog. Suppose (what in∣deed the Doctor would not allow) the Question to be unanswerable: He would then ask, Is there no Question concerning the Raised Bodies of the Faith∣ful which these People will confess cannot yet be an∣swered? And yet, continued he, they will not re∣nounce the Faith of the Resurrection.

THE Doctor us'd to say, I will also ask you one Thing, which if you tell me I will in likewise tell you: The Bodies of the Raised shall they be furnish∣ed with Teeth or no? Or I will only ask; Where will you find the Nations, over which the Raised Saints (or the Overcomers) are to have Power? Tell me that, and I will tell you where to find Gog and Magog.

AND as for those who think it improbable or in∣credible, that so dreadful a Thing as a Conflagration should be ordered for such an evil World as this; they will do well to think on the Evil of Sin and to re∣menber that the Antediluvian World had us many

fine Buildings, Cities and Artifices in it as, and pro∣bably more People than, there are in ours. No more than eight Persons were saved out of the Destruction which Flood of Water bro't upon that World; whereas there will be a great Number, GOD knows how many Thousands, saved out of the fiery Flood which we have to look for.

THUS I have given a brief Account of Dr. MATHER'S latest Sentiments concerning the sacred Prophecies: I have been the more concise, because I hope I shall procure a Publication of His Triparadisus; which will give the World a more ample Account as well as Proof, of his Persuasion.

3. THE Doctor's Temper in his last Illnesses, with the Circumstances of his Death.

1. As He had walked in the Light of GOD's Countenance thro' the greatest Part of his Life; so in the latter Part of it he had more peculiar and lively Dis∣plays of the Divine Favor; particularly in his last Illnesses.

In one Sickness I find he was sure all his Sins were pardoned, that he was above the Fear of Death and that he esteemed Patience under Sickness to be better than Health it self.

IN this Illness I likewise met with his Enquiries after the Reasons why most Men chuse rather to Live than to Dy? The Causes why the Generality desire Life, ••re either because they are afraid to Dy, or else because they Love Creatures here so well that they are loth to leave them. Now neither of these Reasons were sufficient to make the Doctor prefer Life. Not the former, for he was a Conqueror and more than a Conqueror over Death thro' JESUS CHRIST; nor yet the latter, because he could not be loth to leave the Streams to go to the Fountain, he loved the Creator more than Creatures.

AND as for his Advantages for doing Good in this World; whenever GOD should please to put an End to them, he was ssatisfied.

2. ONE Day, when he was labouring under some Infirmities; I find him writing as follows:

WHEN I was pouring out my Prayers unto the LORD, I mentioned the Prolongation of my Life to enjoy and improve more Opportunities of glo∣rifying Him. In my Prayers, I humbly represented to the LORD, that there were two Objections against my dying, which my Flesh would be ready to make; but thro' His Grace I had conquered them.

First, My Flesh pleaded that the Comforts of Earth were too agreable Things to be easily forsa∣ken. But my Faith is perswaded and satisfied that the Delights of Heaven are sweeter than the Com∣forts of Earth; and I can freely leave all the En∣tertainments of this Evil World; that i may be with CHRIST, where to be is by far the best of all.

Secondly, My Flesh pleaded, What will become of my Offspring when I am gone? But my Faith is persuaded and satisfied, that GOD will be a Fa∣ther to my Fatherless Offspring; and my LORD JESUS CHRIST, whom I have served without seek∣ing, as many others would have done, to enrich my self with a Portion for my Children, will marvel∣lously become such a Guardian unto them, that they shall not want any good Thing.

My Mind being on these two Accounts thus easy and ready to Dy, I then besought of the LORD ne∣vertheless that He would yet spare my Life, to work for HIM a little more among his People.

THUS the Doctor could say, as MARTIN of Tours did, Libera me, quaeso, Domine; ex mortali illo Car∣cere; Veruntamen si adh•••• Populo tuo•••••• necess••rius, non ••e••uso Laborem.

BUT, Having Writ of his Concern for his Children, I see not why I may not add, tho' it may seem out of Place here, what he wrote when some of his Children were small, viz. His Instrument of Betrustment and Resignation for his Children, which he knew not how soon he might leave as Orphans.—The Instru∣ment, which He, prostrate in the Dust, spread before the LORD, runs in these Terms;

O MY great and good SAVIOUR, Thou SON of GOD, and the LORD in whom the Father∣less find Mercy: The principal Satisfaction & Con∣solation with which I receive the Children, which the LORD has graciously given me, at their Birth into the World is, the Prospect of more Subjects for my SAVIOUR and the Propagation & Continuation of His Kingdom in the World. For this purpose it is my strong and full Desire to do my Part that my Children may know their SAVIOUR and serve HIM with a perfect Heart and willing Mind. And I earnestly cry unto HIM to produce a Work of Grace in their Souls and to take them under the perpetual Conduct of the Spirit of Grace, that they may do so.

Now I firmly believe that the World is under the Government of my SAVIOUR, and that he sets at the right Hand of GOD, and that the Affairs of the Divine Providence are under his Administration. He does particularly employ the Ministry of His mighty Angels in governing the Children of Men, and yet more particularly make them the Guardians of His little ones: most of all when in his Provi∣dence He makes them Fatherless Children. O! Or∣phans well provided for!

WHEREFORE, O my SAVIOUR, I commit my Children into thy Fatherly Hands. I pray to Thee that thy gracious Providence may, and I trust in Thee that it will be concerned for them. Oh! Let nothing be wanting to them that shall be good for them. Cause them to Fear, to Love Thee, to walk

in thy ways; and make use of them to do Good in their Generation. Be Thou their Friend and raise them up such as may be necessary, and in a conve∣nient Manner supply all their Necessities. Give thy ANGELS a Charge of them; and when their Fa∣ther and Mother forsake them, then do Thou take them up.

THIS is the Supplication, this the Resignation, this the Dependance of C. MATHER.

3. Jam me••m Pectus ardet Conspectu Vitae Aetera••, cujus vere sentio in me Initia, were the dying Words of a learned GERMAN Physician. The same might Doctor MATHER use in his two last Sicknesses.

I will here recollect some Passages that occur'd in the Illness before that of which he died, which ma∣nifest his being ripe for Glory and show that those Words were fulfil'd unto Him, It shall come to pass, at Evening Time it shall be Light!

HE said in our Hearing,

LORD, Thou art with me, and dost enable me to sing in the dark Valley of the Shadow of Death. I perceive the Signs of Death upon me, and am I not affrighted? No, not at all! I will not so dishonor my SAVIOUR as to be srighted at any Thing that can befall me, whi••t I am in his blessed Hands!

WHEN some Gentlemen came to see him, he said,

I hope, I shall not be found a Fool, but here ••••ly and sing, Soul, take thine Ease T••ou hast Goods laid up in Store for many, many Years, for endless Ages; but another sort of Goods than what this vain World puts off its Idolaters with!

THERE were several other Passages which I will give my Reader just as the Doctor wrote them with his sick Hand.

I feel the Life of GOD begun in my Soul, and a predominant Respect unto the great GOD govern∣ing of me and enclining me to acknowledge him in all my Ways. Here is a Life begun which can terminate no otherwise than in an endless Life with my GOD. There is a Well of Water in me that will Spring up to Everlasting Life. Death, do thy worst; there is no killing of that Life to which my GOd has begun to raise me.

HAVE I had a glorious CHRIST living, acting and working in me, and quickning me for living unto GOD; and will he ever lose his Hold of me? No, No; I am sure of living with him forevermore.

BY the precious Tho'ts of my blessed JESUS often, often every day formed in my Mind, have I had him dwelling in me; and shall I not now go to dwell with him? I shall; assuredly I shall.

HAS a Conformity to CHRIST been the Strain and Salt of my Life; and have I made it my Study, not only to imitate him in doing always the Things that please the Father, but when my Afflictions have been such as to resemble his Humiliation, have I not even rejoyced in Tribulation? And shall I not go to partake with him in Fulness of Joy and Plea∣sures forevermore?

HAS my dear SAVIOUR made me a Sacrificer, such a Sacrificer that not only has my Life been filled with Devotions towards GOD and Benignity towards Men which are Sacrifices that GOD is well pleased with thro' CHRIST; but also have I not look'd on all the comfortable Things of this World with a Sacrificing Eye, ••nd consented that the Holy ONE, if He please, should deny all these Things unto me; let Him only bestow his SON upon me and I should be satisfied? And shall I not now be admitted a∣mong the Priests of GOD and CHRIST? Yes in∣deed and even while I am yet among the Sacrificed,

and still separate, Souls under the Altar, I shall have the White Robes of the Priesthood given to me.

HAS the glorious JESUS even here so supplied all my Wants with Riches of Glory in my sense of having HIM for mine, that I could patiently quietly chearfully bear the loss of all Creatures from the view of having CHRIST concerned for me and feeling HIM conversing with me? And now I am going from all Creatures here below, will HE not take me where HE will shew and give HIMSELF unto me, and be unto me infinitely better than all?

HAVE I, to animate my self-unto Holiness in all Manner of Conversation, in my Contemplations of∣ten endeavoured to affect my self with the Holiness of the purified Spirits in the Paradise of GOD; their flaming Devotions; their Delight in GOD; their Hatred of Sin; the Contempt with which they look down on the high Things of this World; and the Goodness with which they treat one another? Done this which earnest Desires to be as like them as this mortal State may attain to and will admit of? And shall I not now be ferch'd away to join with them in the Praises of GOD?

HAS the Angelical Ministry been what I have been thankful for and mindful of? Have I been a Cause of Joy among the Angels by being a Re∣penting Sinner? Have I been deterr'd from doing amiss because of the Angels? Have I frequently tho't, with what a Zeal of the lord of Ho•••••• the Angels do burn; how they are upon the Wing to excute the Commands of our LORD; with what pure Eyes of Detestation they behold Evil and look upon Iniquity; with what Pleasure they do good Offices for the Heirs of Salvation? And have I wish'd and long'd, O••••k that I were as far a••••y Capacity would allow of it like 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those Holy ones! And shall not my Soul now ••••••l into the Hands of those my dear ••••a••liant and ••e ••••rri••d

into the glorious presence of GOD with exceeding Joy?

Am I willing to be all that my SAVIOUR would have me to be? Am I willing to go wherever my SAVIOUR would have me to go? Am I willing to leave all that my SAVIOUR would have me to p••••t with? Have I no Will of my own left now to ••use Rebellion in me? Now I have nothing to do but to dy: Nay, I have not that to do neither: I am dead already, my Will, the hardest Thing to be killed in me, is already dead. LORD, thou wilt show Wonders to the Dead! My SAVIOUR, I am coming to see thy Wonders!

INDEED my Heart is deceitful above all Things; what if a deceitful Heart should now turn me aside and I should perish with a Ly in my Right Hand? But I make my Retreat unto the blessed JESUS, as the Prophet whose Office it is, to save me from De∣lusions. I will go up from the Wilderness leaning on the Beloved one who has espoused my Soul unto Himself. To HIM who is the Truth, I lift up the ardent Cry of my Soul, O my SAVIOUR, make my Heart sound in thy Statutes. Let me not be con∣founded with the Hope of the Hypocrite. I com∣mit my Soul into thy Hands: I know whom I have believed; Thou wilt keep what I commit unto Thee.

BUT! What if after all a Sovereign GOD will have me to be a Cast-away; and I shall be cast into an Hell where the Divine Justice will be for ever scourging of me?— I deserve it should be so! —Faulty Thot's! fiery Darts!— In the Horror of Darkness I now humble my self as Clay before the Potter, and I feel my Heart so filled with the Love of GOD, and so satisfied in His doing all Things right as they should be done, that if it should be so, yet I desire that no Scourge upon me may produce any Thing from me worse than this, O love and praise and serve the glorious GOD who does all of

this! Le•• none resist the Will of the glorious GOD who does all of this! Let me undergo all of this, rather than ever entertain one hard Tho't of the glorious ONE!— But my Soul being thus dispos'd, the HOLY SPIRIT of my GOD immediately shoots the Rays of His Light into it, and most powerfully says unto me, These Dispositions were never made for an Hell, the Fire whereof is for the Enemies of GOD. If it were possible for a Soul to go to Hell with such Dispositions, it would carry Heaven thi∣ther with it. No, no; Thou art a pleasant Child unto me: I will surely have Mercy on thee!

AND now, vain World, farewell! Thou hast been to me a very uneasy Wilderness. Welcome, everlasting Life! The Paradise of GOD stands open for me. I am just entring into a World, where I shall be free from Sin and from all Temptations to it: a World where I shall have all Tears wiped from my Eyes; a World where I shall be filled with all the fulness of GOD. The best Hour that ever I saw is what I am hourly and gladly waiting for!

THESE Passages the Doctor writ; but many of us heard most of them from his Lips.

4. AND now I write of his last Illness and the Cir∣cumstances of his Death.

FROM the Beginning of his last Illness, which was about the latter end of December 1727, 8. He had a strong Assurance it would be His Death. He therefore, writing a Note to one of his Physicians, told him, "My last Enemy is come, I would say my best Friend."

THERE was nothing He was more desirous of and pressed after with more Vehemence in his last Sickness than a Resigned Will. He several Times told us, when He should have his Will entirely swallowed up

in the Will of GOD he should have no more to say to us— He had some Things on the Anvil which he would willingly have lived to finish, but, said he;

If the GOD of my Life has ordered otherwise, I desire to have no Will of my own.

When one of his Church asked whether he was desirous to dy? He reply'd,

I dare not say that I am, nor yet that I am not; I would be entirely resigned unto GOD.

When the Physicians hinted unto him that he would dy, He said with uplifted Hands & Eyes, 'Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.' And a few Hours before his Death he assured those who were round his Bed,

Now I have nothing more to do here; my Will is entirely swallowed up in the Will of GOD

As thro' the Course of his Life He proposed the Glory of GOD as His last End, He, at the last days of his Life, was very desirous that GOD might be exceedingly glorified and gratified by him and his means: when therefore he was told how much many good People prayed for him; He said,

The Prayer of the Upright is His delight; and I rejoice in that Sickness which, by procuring the Prayers of sincere Christians, procures a Pleasure in the Infinite GOD.

HE often expressed the good hope he had; His be∣ing above the Love of Life and the Fear of Death; assuring us, that he was going to eat the Bread and drink the Waters of Life freely; that all Tears would be soon wiped from his Eyes; that every Thing look'd smiling about him! that it was impossible He should be lost; that he had a strong Consolation and that his Views of the Heavenly World were all glorious.

MANY were the Blessings he pronounced and the Charges he gave those who were near him. How did he wish that the Blessing of HIM in whom all Nations are to be blessed might rest on the Persons and Families of those who came to see him! How did he wish a CHRIST might be the Portion of several,

thinking HE was Blessing ••no'? The Blessing he gave Mr. BYLES his Sister's Son, is as follows;

My dear, Child, and my Son, my Son, I bless you; I bless you; I wish you all manner of Blessings! I know not what better to wish you than this, that you be strong in the Grace with which our LORD JESUS CHRIST will furnish you, I know not what better to wish you than this, that you may be an Instru∣ment of displaying to others the Beauties & Glories of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. I know not what better to wish you than this, that you may be very fruitful in Projections and Essays to do Good, that it may be your Ambition to bring forth much of that Fruit by which our Heavenly Father may be glorified. You have been acquainted with my poor Manner of Living, even in the more secret Strokes of it; follow what you have found in it agreable to the Pattern of a glorious CHRIST. My dear Son, I do with all possible Affection recommend you to the Blessing of our dear LORD JESUS CHRIST. Take my Hands, and my Heart full of Blessings.

IT would a little discover the Vanity of the Writer as well as the Fondness of the Parent, if I should write all the Doctor said to him in the Blessing He gave him: I shall therefore but just mention the Tenor of it, when on bended Knees his Blessing was asked;

You have been a dear Son and a pl••••∣sant Child unto me, and I wish you as many Blessings as you have done me Services which are very many I wish and pray the GOD of ABRAHAM, ISAAC and JACOB may be yours and HIS Blessing rest upon you. I wish that, as you have a Prospect of being serviceable in the World, you may be great and con∣siderable, as the Patriarchs were, by introducing a CHRIST into the World. The Grace of the LORD JESUS CHRIST be with you. AMEN!

HE informed me then, what he would have to be done as to his private Affairs & Pape•••• and when,

after several Rules of private Conduct given to me which I shall not write, I asked him what Sentence or Word, what 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He would have me think on constantly, for I ever desired to have him before me and hear him speaking to me? He said,

Re∣member only that one word Fructuosus.

What I have thus written with relation to my self happened on the Sabbath, two Days before he died.

THE Day before he died he had some Passages read to him out of a Book he printed, entituled Restitutus, which Passages he said He felt, and if he had Strength to speak he would use the very Words; I shall tran∣scribe them, for they will supersede ••he mention of any other Sentences by which He testified his Pre∣paredness for Death. They are as follows from pag. 41 of that Book.

IF the Request be granted, and the Felicity of having our SAVIOUR graciously with us be obtai∣ned, what •• Strength will the Joy of the LORD give to us for our Conflict with the last Enemy? It is a Passage in the Prophecies of JEREMIAH con∣cerning the Gospel Day, which is to pass from the Destruction of the old Jerusalem to the Arrival of the ••••w, when the LORD our GOD shall come and all his holy ones with him; Zech. xiv. 7. It shall come to pass, at Evening Time it shall be Light. O the Light, which a glorious CHRIST present with us will give us in the Evening, when we ap∣prehend our selves in all the Darkness which we should else have to terrify us, when the Curtains of a Death-Bed are drawn about us. The Light of a Soul passing into the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. The Light of an open and abundant Entra•••• into the Paradise of GOD!

MAY we have our glorious CHRIST with us, when were are passing thro' the Fire, we shall be as unhurt, as untouch'd, as easy as the three Worthi••s were in the fiery Furnace. By His good SPIRIT

He will now say unto us, Fear thou not, for I am with thee; Be not dismai'd, for I am thy GOD and SAVIOUR, I will strengthen thee, yea I will assist thee, yea I will uphold thee with the Right Hand of my Righteousness. Upon the re∣nouncing of all Dependance on our own Righte∣ousness, and relying on the Righteousness of the perfect Obedience, which the SON OF GOD stoop∣ing to be our Surety paid unto His own Law in our stead, He will uphold us with the Right Hand of His Righteousness. Giving us to see our selves furnish'd and cover'd with a Righteousness of more Account than the best Angel in Heaven may pretend unto, He will enable us to say, The Gates of Righteousness I see set open for me! And having a Soul set upon the Praising of GOD, greatly affected with the Praises of his CHRIST, and strongly desirous to celebrate and propagate, we shall be able to go on and say, I will go in at those golden Gates; I have something to do within. I will go in and praise the LORD; It is what I have be∣gun to do; and His Praise endureth forever: Ne∣ver, Never shall I give over the Doing of it.

VERILY the gracious Presence of our SAVIOUR with us will enable us to Sing in the Valley of the Shadow of Death and render it no more than a Shadow of Death unto us. It will so set us above the Fears of Death, so that if perceiving the Signs of it upon us, we be asked, Are you not frighted! We shall chearfully reply, No, not at all! I will not so dishonor a glorious CHRIST as to be af∣frighted at any Thing that can befal me, while I am in His blessed Hands! It will so mollify the fierce Visage of Death, as that if our Tho'ts of the dying Hour be enquired after, we shall break forth into Triumphs upon it; O joyful Hour! O welcome Hour! Come Lord JESUS, come quickly. Why is thy Chariot so long a coming?

IN order to this, the Power of the LORD bring present, He will enable us to read our Evidences for Heaven and see the evident Tokens of Salvation, in which He has marked us for those of whom He has declared, They shall be mine in the Day when I make up my Jewels.

WE shall see, That the Love of GOD has caused us to close with it as our Blessedness, and to be ambitious of nothing so much as this, that we may Be and may Do what may be a grateful Spectacle unto Him, and be afraid of allowing so much as in the Tho'ts & Frames of our Hearts, any Thing that He may be displeased at.

WE shall see, That the Faith of CHRIST has not only carried us unto Him, to be made Righteous and Holy in the Evangelical Way, and be brought by Him unto the full Enjoyment of GOD in a death∣less & sinless World, but also caused us to take up with Him as our Alsufficient Portion.

WE shall see, That we have a Spirit of Benignity towards our Neighbour, and rejoice in all the Good that may be done unto him.

SEEING these Marks of the Lamb upon us, we shall conclude, O my SAVIOUR, I am Thine; and nothing shall pluck me out of thy glorious Hands! The HOLY SPIRIT of GOD helps the Believer first in a way of rational Argumentation to take En∣couragement from the Things that accompany Sal∣vation found upon him. And while he is doing so, he breaks in upon the Soul of the Believer in a way of more immediate Irradiation and with an over∣powering & overwhelming Efficacy assures him, The glorious GOD has made Thee one of His Children, and will surely do thee Good.

HE will enable us to feel the Life of GOD, begun in our Souls, and a predominant Respect unto the great GOD governing of us and enclining us to acknowlege HIM in all our Ways: We shall then raise this Conclusion upon it, Here is a Life begun that can terminate no otherwise than in an Endless Life with my GOD. There is a Well of Water in me that will spring up to everlasting Life. Death, do thy worst; there is no killing of that Life which my GOD has begun to raise me to Have I had a glorious CHRIST living, acting and working in me, and quickening me for Living unto GOD; and will He ever lose His hold of me? No, no; I am sure of Living with Him forevermore!

BUT indeed it is not easy to recite and reckon all the ravishing Reflections, which a CHRIST graciously present with a departing Believer may give Him the no small Consolations of GOD withal.

—I should here write on further from the 46th Page to the 52; but I remember a few Pages before I gave it you.

THE Doctor died on February the thirteenth, which was the Day after his Birth-Day, in which his sixty fifth Year was consummated. From the Thurs∣day before to that Time he was dying of an hard Cough and a suffocating Asthma with a Fever; but he felt no great Pain; he had the sweet Composure and easy Departure, for which he had entreated so often and fervently the sovereign Disposer of all Things.

THUS Lived and thus Died Dr. MATHER, to use the words of one of our Ministers in his Dis∣course on his Death, the Glory of Learning, and the Ornament of Christianity * 1.19

HE was buried the Monday following; when his Church (which honourably bore the Charge of the Funeral) to testify their superior Regard for their dear Pastor, went before the Corpse, while the Honourable WILLIAM D••••••MER, our Lieut. Governor and Com∣mander in Chief, the Honourable the Council and Rep•••••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of this Province, with a vast Num∣ber of Ministers, Justices of the Peace, Merchants, &c. followed the Mourners.

THE Thursday before the Burial, the Reverend Mr. COLMAN, preaching at the Lecture on ENOCH'S Translation, gave him an handsome Character; and the Sabbath after Mr. GEE considered the Mourning of Israel for AARON, and ingeniously applied it unto the mournful Occasion presented unto us.— Mr. PRINCE also preached a funeral Sermon on him from ELISHA'S Lamentation for ELIJAH, wherein he has done my Father a great deal of Justice.— Which Three Ser∣mons together with a Fourth Preach'd by the Doctor's Son, in his Father's Pulpit soon after his Death, have been Published among us.

I shall now close the Account of my FATHER'S Life, with a CATALOGUE of the BOOKS he Publish'd.

CARDAN wrote a Book, De Libris propriis; and, says he, Imitatus sum in hoc scribendi Genere GALENUM et ERASMUM, qui ambo Catalogum Li∣brorum suorum scripserunt.—Dr. MATHER like these, was obliged to write a Catalogue of his Works; and it was well he did; for otherwise I should not have been able to have given a complete one to the World. He has published three Hundred and eighty two Books, as I said before: The Titles of which with the Years wherein they were emitted are now to be exhibited and to terminate the Life, as a Friend calls him, of one of the most pious, learned and effec∣tive of Mortals.

Notes

• † 1.1

  Perg•• & propera ne tibi accidat, ut Senex discas. Sen. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 77.
• ‖ 1.2

  Horat. lib. Epod. Carmen Seculare.
• * 1.3

  Cic. de Nat. D••orum. l. 2.
• † 1.4

  E•• Operibus sit Abundantia mea; Divitiis per me ••ic•••• abundet quisquis volu••rit.
• * 1.5

  Gal. VI. 10.
• * 1.6

  N••l c••ede•••• actum dum quid superesset agendum.
• † 1.7

  Intentio bo••••••um Operum in e•• c••at inde••atigabilis.
• ‖ 1.8

  Faelix Conversatio, in q•••• Inimici nulla•• reperiant occasio∣n••m, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so••t•• in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 DEI, Hierony••.
• † 1.9

  pag. ••4.
• * 1.10

  Vid. Denham's Co••••e••'s H••ll.
• † 1.11

  Seneca Epist. 79.
• * 1.12

  His Name was Goerge Fielding.
• † 1.13

  Pag. 227, ••••8.
• * 1.14

  Quonam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 meo, P. C. Fieri dicam, ut nemo hi•• Annis viginti R••••pub. Hostis fuerit, qui non Bellu•• ••odem Tempo•••• mi•••• quo{que} indixerit. Ciceron. Philip. Sec••nd.
• † 1.15

  H••••at. Sat. 2.
• * 1.16

  Juvenal. Sat.
• † 1.17

  In pretio Gemmae semper habitae, s••mper{que} ha••e••u••••••: vestem interim Gemmis. etiam diversorum Generum, ••••••∣quaversum ••••ustan & coopertam, qu•••• no•• 〈…〉〈…〉 quam l••ud••••t? Jo••. 〈…〉〈…〉 Po••••ic. p. ••3••.
• † 1.18

  Vobis cavendum est, ne quod non nullis contingit, con∣tenti in••••atique solo Doctorum Titulo sludia negligatis; sed danda potius Opera, ut Titulus, iste, Ornamenta{que}; Doctorum nobis sint stimuli ad diligentius studendum & faciendum Officium. Zanchii Orat de Dignitate studdi Theolog.
• * 1.19

  The Rev. Mr. THACHER of Boston