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lAGUllA CHPJSTI AMERICANA;

OR,

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■' -■^i^T^^y^its-fm^:.- .; . ■■sMmifgAt(-i(n:&

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.^V COTlulV MATHEIl, I). I> , F. R. !S.

'"" ' ■■■SlUX, NKW.fiMGLAND.

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ir.^f>. i 'OMprehesmvj: iiv»Gx. by a^otukr h; n>.

» »< t it t; I u ti u .tl un.

HARTFORD:
SILAS ANDEUS AND SON,

185

t:*'

' 4

MAGiNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

UR,

C|e idesiastical f istoj ai pto-dEnglanb;

FROM ITS FIRST PLANTING, IN THE YEAR 1620, UNTO THE YEAR OF OUR LORD lfi08.

IN SEVEN B O (3 t S .

BY COTTON MATHER, D. D., F. R. S.,

AND PASTOR OF THE NORTH CHURCH IN BOSTON, NEW-KNGLAND.

WITH

AN INTRODUCTION AND OCCASIONAL .\OTES,

BY THE REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, U. U.

ANU

I'UANSLATIONS OF THE HEBREW, GREEK, AND LATIN QUOTATION:;,

BY LUCIUS F. ROBINSON, LL. B.
TO WHICH IS ADDED,

A MEMOIR OF COTTON MATHER,

BY SAMUEL G. DRAKE, M. A.;

ALSO, A COIUPREHEIVSIVE INDEX, BY ANOTHER HA\n,

IN TWO VOLUMES. — VOL. I.

H ARTFO R D:

SILAS ANDRUS AND SON

1855.

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229019

ENTKRED, ACCORDING TO ACT OK CONGRESS, IN THE YEAU 1852, BY

SILAS ANDRUS & S'ON,

IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COURT OF CONNKCTICIT.

FOUKDRT OF SILAS ANDRUS AND SON.
W, C. Armstrong, Typographer.

W. S. WILI.iAMS, rHWTEU,
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ANTIQUITIES.

THE FIEST BOOK

THE NEW-ENGLISH HISTORY:

XBrORTlNO

THE DESIGN WHERR-OJV, ^ C THR SEVERAL COLONIES
THE MANNB:R WHERE-/iV, > ] OF NEW-RNGLAND WERE
AND PEOPLE WHERE-:?r, ) f PLANTED.

WITH

A NARRATIVE OF MANY MEMORABLE PASSAGES

REI.ATINO TO

THE SETTLEMENT OF THESE PL AN T .\ T I ON S,

A.ND

AN BGCIE8IA8TICAL MAP OP THE COUNTRY.

BY THE ENDEAVOUR OF

COTTON MATHER.

tjijvtje molis brat, pro CIIRISTO COXDERV. gk.vtf.m.
tso mighty was the work to found christ's empire herk ]

HARTFORD:

SILAS ANDRU8 & SON.
1855.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST AMERICAN EDITION.

The Publisher of this second Edition of Dr. Mather's Magnalia, has long been Hcnsibio
uf the great demand for the Work, both by literary men and all others who wish to be
acquainted with the early history of our country. The first Edition was published in London
ill the year 1702, in a Folio Volume of 788 pages. A considerable number of Copies were
soon brought into New-England ; yet, as many of these are lost, and the work is not to be
obtained in England but with difficulty, it has become very scarce. In some instances it has
been sold at a great price, but, in most cases, those who have been desirous to possess, or
even to read the volume, have been unable to procure it.

The Magnalia is a standard work with American Historians, and must ever continue to be
such, especially, respecting the affairs of New-England. To this portion of our country,
always distinguished for emigrations, a great part of the population of New-York, the
most important state in the American confederacy, and of all the western states north of the
Ohio, will always trace their origin. Nor will the lapse of ages, diminish their respect for
the land of their forefathers.

The work now presented to the American public contains the history of the Fathers of
New-England, for about eighty years, in the most authentic form. No man since Dr. Mather's
time, has had so good an opportunity as he enjoyed to consult the most authentic documents.
The greater part of his facts could be attested by living witnesses and the shortest tradition,
or taken from written testimonies, many of which have since perished. The situation and
character of the author afforded him the most favourable opportunities to obtain the docu-
ments necessary for his undertaking. And no historian would pursue a similar design
with greater industry and zeal.

The author has been accused of credulity. Tliis ch;irge, however, will not be advanced
with confidence by those well acquainted with the character of the times of which he treats.
The great object of the first Planters of New-England was to form A Christian Common-
wealth — a design without a parallel in ancient or modem times. The judicious reader
would expect to discover, in the annals of such a people, characters and events not to be found
in the history of other eommunitirs. — ^The geography and natural history of the country were
not the principjil objects of the author's attention, and, on these subjects, he has fallen into
some mistakes.

Tlie work is both a civil and an ecclesiastical history. — The large portion of it devoted to
Biography, affords the reader a more distinct view of the leading characters of the times^
than could have been given in any other form.

The author's language is peculiarly his own. In the rapidity of his manner, he could
pay but little attention to his style. Such as it is, it has been thought best to retain it, in

PREFACES.

this Edition, as well as his orthography, unaltered.* The Titles of D. D. and P. R. S. were
given to Dr. Mather after the publication of this work, and are now annexed to his name in
the title-page.

Many omissions in the original work have been recommended, but the publisher concludes
to retain the whole. — He is sensible of the risk of publishing so large a work, at the present
time. But relying on the utility of tlie object, he entertains a hope tiiat the liberality of the
ptiblic will save him from loss.

T. R.
IfartforA, Connectieul, June Ut, 1880.

I PREFACE TO THE PRESENT EDITION.

When I encouniged Mr. Andrus, some thirty years since, to republish the Venerable
Magnalia, it was supposed that few copies would be sold. A small part of the community,
even, know of the existence of the work. It was first printed in England, in 1702. The
most of the second edition was soon disposed of, and for some years past has been scarce.
The demand for the work is now increasing. The History of New-England cannot bo
written without this authority. It is equally important in the department of Biography and
History, Civil and Ecclesiastical. It is stated, in the Preface before us, that "The great
object of the first Planters of New-England was to form A Christian Commonwealth."
That is finely suggested by he Author, in the elegant quotation from the great Latin Poet,
with a small variation, " Tantic Molis eral, pro Christo covdere Gentem." And now we may
say, by the favour of Heaven, the avork is done. The world looks with amazement on a
great Country, united in one territory, more extensive than Rome, a great population in
rajjid increase, all looking for Salvation in the name of the Divine Nazarene.

Hartford, Sunt 1»«, 1859.

THOMAS ROBBINS.

• It will be perceived that there is not by any means a uniformity in the orthography of this edition; btit
whether the discrepancies are attributable to the author or to the former printers, it is impossible now to deter-
mine. Except where palpable errors had been overlooked, the copy of the last edition has been strictly followed
in rei^rd to orthography, although many material deviations have been made in the typography. Quotation marks
have been introduced, in lieu of putting the numerous quotations in italic, to correspond with the antique style;
and a difference has been made in the type for the original text and that for the documentary portion and extracts ;
thereby so distinctly marking each, that they caimot be easily confounded.— TyrooRApniR.

AC1

A I

I ■

. f

GENERAL CONTENTS OF THE SEVERAL BOOKS.

VOLUME I.

BOOK I.

AMTIQUITIES. — IN SEVEN CHAPTERS. — WITH AN APPENDIX.

BOOK II.
CONTAINING THE LIVES OF THE GOVERNORS AND NAMES OF THE MAGISTRATES OF NEW-ENGLAND
— IN THIRTEEN CHAPTERS. — WITH AN APPENDIX.

BOOK III.
THE LIVES OF SIXTY FAMOUS DIVINES, BY WHOSE MINISTRY THE CHURCHES OF NEW>ENGLAND
HAVE BEEN PLANTED AND CONTINUED.

bnt

lirka

kle;

VOLUME II.

BOOK IV.

KV ACCOUNT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE IN NEW-ENGLAND — IN TWO PARTS. PART I.
CONTAINS THE LAWS, THE BENEFACTORS, AND VICISSITITOES OF HARVARD COLLEGE, WITH
REMARKS UPON IT. PART IL THE LIVES OF SOME EMINENT PERSONS EDUCATED IN IT.

BOOK V.
ACTS AND MONUMENTS OF THE FAITH AND ORDER IN THE CHURCHES OF NEW-ENGLAND, PASSED
IN THEIR synods; WITH HISTORICAL REMARKS UPON THOSE VENERABLE ASSEMBLIES, >ND
A GREAT VARIETY OF CHURCH-CASES OCCURRING AND RESOLVED BY THE SYNODS OF THOSE
CHURCHES. — IN FOUR PARTS.

BOOK VI.
A FAITHFUL RECORD OF MANY ILLUSTRIOUS, WONDERFUL PROVIDENCES, BOTH OF MERCIES AND
JUDGMENTS ON DIVERS PERSONS IN NEW-ENGLAND. — IN EIGHT CHAPTERS.

BOOK VII.
THE WARS OF THE LORD — BEING AN HISTORY OF THE MANIFOLD AFFLICTIONS AND DIS-
TURBANCES OF THE CHURCHES IN NEW-ENGLAND, FROM THEIR VARIOUS ADVERSARIES, AND
THE WON. SRFUL METHODS AND MERCIES OF GOD IN THEIR DELIVERANCE. IN SIX CHAP-
TERS. TO WHICH IS SUBJOINED, AN APPENDIX OF REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES ^VraCH
NEW-ENGLAND HAD IN THE WARS WITH THE INDIAN SALVAGES, FROM THE YEAR 1688 TO
THE YEAR 1698.

INDEX.

[WHEN NO VOLUME IS DESIGNATED, THE REFERENCES ARE TO THE FIRST VOLUME.]

A« PAOK

Abinqi'id, sat^moro, treacherously killed ^ Cap-
tain Chub at Pemuquid, vul. li C33

Adams, Eiiphalel, gr. u. c. ii. 33; minister uf Little

Cumpton, 1 87

Adams, HukIi, gr. ii. c. ii 33

Adams, Mrs. burbaroualy murdered at Pumuquid) ii. C^7

Adams, Thomas, 67; ass't mag. of N. K Ml

Adams, William, gr. u. c. ii 31

Adderiy, Sain'l, origiiiul patentee o( iMa(<:<acliU8etts, 67

Addingtun, Isaac, ass't mag. of N. E 141

Agamcus, or Great Tom, Ind. escapes his l(eepcrs,ii. 6iM
Ahanquit, ol' Penubsuot, signs agreem't of peace, ii. U26

Alcocli, John, gr. II. c. ii 'M

Alcock, Samuel, gr. ii. c. ii 31

Alcuck, George, gr. ii. c. ii 31

Alden, Mr. a prisoner in Canada, ii 360

Alden, Zachurias, gr. h. c. ii 31

Alexander, 8(m of Mussasoit,' ii 5!>8

Allen, Juob, gr. u. c. ii 33

Alien, James, inin. of Old South Church, Boston, 87, 3:17
Allen, Thomas, min.ofCharlestown,i. 3.35; returns

to England, .588 ; epitaph, 589

Allin, John, gr. h. c. 30 ; minisier ol Du Jlium, 335 ;
birth, 401 ; theological character and position at

Dedliam, 403 ; death, ib. ; epitaph, 403

Allin, Daniel, gr. ii, c. ii 31

Ailing, J icob, gr. H. c. ii 31

Allyn, John, mag. of Connecticut, ii 163

Allyn, Matthew, mag. of Connecticut, ii 1U3

Allertoii, Isaac, gr. h. c. ii 30

Ambrose, Josua, gr. ii. o. ii 3(1

Ambrose, Nehcmiah, gr. h. c. ii 30

America, Columbina the Just name for, 41 ; Abori-
gines of, 44 ; Prophecies of the Church in, 7(1

Amos, Dr. his course at Leyden 47

Ames, William, diverted from emigrating to N. E.

330 ; gr. II. c. ii 30

Andrew, Jeremiah, gr. ii. c. ii 33

Andrew, Lieut, pursues Inds. from Quocheco, ii.. . 60S

Andrew, Samuel, gr. ii. c. ii 31

Andros, Sir Edmund, sends a force to quell Indiana
at Falmouth, ii. .584 ; orders an army against them, 588

Angler, John, gr. ii.c. ii 30

Angier, Sam'l, min. of Wutertown, 87 ; gr. ii. c. ii. 31
Aosoowo, Abel, an elder of Indian Church at Mar-
tha's Vineyard, ii 443

Apparitions: of n ship, 84

Appliiton, MnJ. aids in destroying Indians at Spring-
field, ii. 5C5; ut Nurraganeett, .51)7 ; sends aid to
Gloceater on the strange alarms there, 033

PAoa

Aristotle, speculations on the philosophy of, ii 21

Armitage, Munasseh, gr. h. c. ii 31

Arnold, , minister of Rochesteft BT

Arnold, Samuel, minister of Murshfluld, 837

Aahurst, Sir Henry, a benefactor to u. c. ii II

Assacombuit, bloody women and children-killor, ii. 543

Astwood, , mag. of Connecticut, 1&!

Atherton, Capt. personally threatens Ninigret, the

Indian sachem, ii S5B

Atherton, Humphrey, ass't mag. 143; maj. guu 144

Atherton, Seranlus, gr, h. c. ii 31

Atkinson, Nathaniel, gr. u. c. ii 31

Atkinson, Thomas, gr. u. c. ii 3i

Atwood, John, mag. of New Plymouth II?

Avery, John, minister of Marbk-head, 334 ; voyage

thither and death by shipwreck, 307; epitaph,.. . IMiH
Awonsomeck, sag. signs agreement for peace, ii. . . 6i6

Baccalaureus, origin of, ii 13

Bacon, , his remarkable premonitions aud ful-

flltnent, ii 4«8

Bacon, Nathaniel, mag. of New Ply mouth, 1 17

BagatawawBngo,a^i«« Sheepscout John, signs agree-
ment for peace, ii 696

Bailey, Jacob, gr. u. c. ii 31

Bailey, John, min. of WatertoAii,337; incidents of
his life, 603 ; theological character, 604 ; author-
ship, 619; religious experience, 631 ; death, 636

Bailey, Thomas, minister of Watertown, 837

Baily, John, remarkable dealh of his wife, ii 470

Baker, Nicholas, his private education, 594 ; excels

88 an arithmetician, SIM

Baker, [Sir Riuhard,] often mistuken, 31

Baker, Tliomas, mag. of Connecticut, I6i

Bailentine, John, gr. ii. c. ii 33

Bancroft, Caut. saves the garrison at Exeter, ii.... 605

Band, Robert, mag. of Connecticut, lUSt

Bapson, Ebenezer, his strange sights at Glocoster, li. 631
Barnard, Tiiomas, gr. u. c. ii. 31 ; minister of Peni-

aquid, narrowly escapes the Indians, ii 639

Barnard, Tobias, gr. n. c. ii 30

Barnet, Thomas, minister of New London, 237

Barrows Family, cut off by Indians, ii 587

Batty, John, his escape from Spaniards, ii 351

Baxter, Joseph, min. of Medtlold, 87; gr. h. u. ii.. . 32
Baxter, Richard, letter to Eliot, 583 ; benefactor (o

H.c.ii II

Beers, Capt. sent to subdue the Indians ii .5ri'l

Beggars, their scnroily in New Eiieluiid, IKt

Belcher, Joseph, min. of Uedhain, 87 ; gr. ii. c. ii. . 33

INDEX.

FAOa

Beir^ijr,Sain'l,inln.orW.Newbury,87; gr.R.o.ii. 31

BeUlngham, John, Rr. h. c. H 31

Bellliighuin, RIchurd, an originul grunteo of Maasop

chUM]ttJ<, U7 ; Ruvernor itf MaHg 137

Bulllnghuin, Suiniiitl, gr. h. c. 11 31

Hennct, Andrew, wuiiderfully presurvod ut Hen, li,. 348

B«rry, Tliomon, gr. II. c. 11 31

Bethel, Sllngsliy, " Interesit of Kiirope," tj9

Bickrord, ThuiniiM, his braver}', 037

Billings, RIchurd, gr. II c. ii 32

Bishop, Jamc8, mug. of Connecticut, 163

Bishops or England, cuinmendt'd nnd reproved,. .. STil
Blacttmun, Adum, min. of Stratrord, 333; of Mil-
ford, 306; his plain preaching, 397; Melancthon's

Epitaph by Beza, applicable to, 397

Blackman, Benjamin, gr. h. c. Ii 31

Blackman, Capt. siizes on the Indians at Saco, ii. . 584

Blackniore, Dr. Richard, his epic poem, 65

Blackslone, William, an episcopullan, 343

Blinman, Richard, mIn. of Gloceater, 235 ; returns

to England, 585

Blowers, Thomiui, gr. u. c. 11/. 33

Bomaseen, sagamore, signs treaty of peace, ii 626

Book of Common Prayer, disputed about, 73

Boston, Old, [St. Botolph's town,] 94

Boston, metropolis of the whole English America,
15; N. £. Church gathered at, 79; chief town of
N. England, 90 ; called " Lost-town," 91 ; ten fires
in, 93; highly favoured of Heaven, 05; guarded
by angels, 06 ; Its widows helped, 07 ; its drinking
and disreputable houses, ino; idleness in reprov-
ed, 103; Are at, 104; Dr. John Owen prevented

n-om visiting 345

Bowers, John, gr. H. c. il. :I0; minister of Rye, i... 88

Bowles, John, gr. u. c. ii 31

Bracket, Anthony, escapes from the liidianf, II. 609 ;

killed at Casco, 593; services against Indians,. . . 637
Bradford, MaJ. aids In the great battle with the Nar-

ragansetts, Ii. 569; subsequent light with IndK.. . 574
Bradford, William, gov. of Plymouth, his life, Ii. 109 ;
adventure in a Dutch ship, ib. ; his mastership of
languages, 113; his temper and government, t'i. ;

epitaph, 114

Bradstreel, Dudloy, gr. H. c. IL 33; his escape from

Imllans at Pernaquid, 639

Bradstreet, Madam Ann (Dudley), 135

Bradstreet, Samuel, gr. n. c. 11 30

Bnidstreel, HImon, gr. h. c. ii 33

Bradstreet, Simon, gr. n. c. ii 31

Brainfurd, Connecticut, planted, H3

Brasile, attempts to settle, 39

Brattle, Thomas, gr. H. c. il 31

Brattle, William, tutor and temporary governor of

H. c. ii. 19; gr. II. c. 31; min. of Cambridge, i... 87
Brattlebank, Captain ; his slaughter of Indians, and

death, ii .571

Brecy, Briicy, min.of Brainford,U35; rel'nstoEng. 588

Rrewsti'r, Niilhaniel, er. u. c. Ii 30

'Brewster, William, his aid at Leyden, 47; elder of

thflchurcVi. 63

Bridges, Robert, ass't mng. of MassnchusettH, 141

bndgham, Jiihti, gr. H. c. 11 31

Brigdon, /iichnrlah, gr. H. c. ii 30

Brinsmend, WlUiam, min. of Marlborough, 87 ; 11.. 98
Brock, John, gr. b. c. ii. 30; born at Strud brook,
Suff, 35 ; min. of Reading, 36 ; priiyers answered, 38

Bronsdon, Robert, favourable mention of, ii 489

Brown, 'Cujit pursues the Indians at Lancaster, II.. C:l9

PAOI

Brown, Edmund, mIn. of Sudbury, 335

Brown, James, mng. of New Plymouth, 117 ; min-
ister of Swaiisey, SJ37

Brown, John, 67 ; mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Brown, John, strange sight at Glocosler, ii 031

Brown, John, his family captured by Indian!>, O-ta

Brown, Joseph, gr. ii. c. ii 31

Brown, Richard, gr. h. c. 11 33

Brown, Samuel, 67

Brown, Williuin, ass't m-ig Ul

Brown, Alexander, ass't mag. of Coimeclicut, 163

Buckingham, Stephen, minister of Norwalk, 68 ;
H.c. 11

«f-

Buckingham, Thomas, minister of Hartford, 88; of

SaybrtMtk, ib.; gr. a. c. ii 33

Bulkley, Gcr8hom,gr. h. c. ii 30

Bulkley, John, gr. u. c. ii 30

Bulkley, Peter, min. of 'Jmicord, 235, 237 ; his ori-
gin in Bedfordshire, family, and education, 400;
nimconforaiity, ib. ; discord with ruling elders at
ConcortI, 402; family, 403; death and epitaph,.. 404

Bidkley, Peter, gr. h. c. ii 31

Bunker, Benjamin, gr. h. c. ii 31

Burden, John, gr. 11. c. ii 30

Burgis, William, secretary, 142

Burniff, Mons. gen. of the French at Wells flghl, il. 614
Burr, Jonathan, his birth and education, 308 ; ploua
hibits of life, 370; min. of Dorchester, 373; his
modest vow to the service of God, 373 ; approv-
ed by Mr. Hooker, 374; death and epitaph, 375;

gr. H.c. ii 30

Burr, Samuel, gr. h. c. il 32

Burroughs, George, gr. 11. c. ii 31

Bussio family, cut off by Indians, il 587

Butler, Henry, gr. H. c. 11 30

Cabots, early discoveries of the, 43

Canterbury, Archbishop of, favours Puritans, 49

Cape Ann, attempts to settle, 60

Cape Co<l, origin of the name of, 44

Capen, Joseph, min. of Topsfleld, 87 ; gr. h. c. ii . . 31

Carter, Samuel, gr. n. c. 11 31

Carter, Thomas, minister of Woborn, 237

Carver, John, chosen governor, 53

Case, Tom, prodigies of, among the Quakers, 11.. . . 538
Casteen, Mons. and cause of Ind. wars In Maine, il. 586

Catechisms, publishers of, in New England, ii 179

Catharine de Medicis, queen of France, 139; her

magician's prophellciil exhibition, 139

Catter, Mary, remarkably preserved from famine at

Casco, ii 643

Chapman, Robert, mng. of Connecticut, 163

Chase, Barnabas, gr. 11. c. 11 31

Chnse, Charles, pres. II. c. 11. 14; gr. u. c. il 33

Chare, EInathan, gr. h. r. ii 31

Chnse, Iclmbod, gr. 11. c. 11 30

Chnse, Isanc, gr. 11. c. 11 32

Chase, Isaac, gr. h. c. il 30

Chase, Israel, gr. H. c. Ii 31

Chnse, Nathaniel, gr. h. r. II 31

Chnnncy, Charles, min. of FuirHeld, 88 ; of tsciliinte,
S35; birth In Hartfordshiro, 464; schol.'irship nnd
preiicliing, 465 ; persecution, and his course, 466;
parliamentary complaints against, 4li7; president
of II. c. 468 ; religious habits and belief from his
diary, 471 ; hIsYourse as president of 11. c. 473;
theological cautions, 473 ; epitaph, 476

INDEX.

XIII

PAHC

235

17 J min-

237

i 631

aw, 0.13

141

Icut, 163

valk, 88 ;

rd, 88 ; of

r ; his nrl>
tion, 400;
I elders ut
epitaph,.. 404

143

U flKliI, il. 614
108 ; pioua
,373; his
; npprov-
laph, 375;

587

... 30

... 43

ans, 49

.... 60
.... 44
H. c. ii.. 31
.... 31
.... 237
.... 53
Tisii.... 538
rinine, ii. 586

[d, ii 179

139; her

.... 139
famine at
.... 643
.... 163
.... 31

|ii 33

.... 31
.... 30
.... 33
.... 30
.... 31
.... 31
citnntp,
|hip ind
9e,-IG6;
'esidcnt
Din his
c. 472;
476

FAoa

ChAuneejr, Israel, milliliter of Fsirfleld, . . m

Cbeeachaumiik, Culcb, tfr.H.c.H 31

Cheever, 8am1, min. of Msrblehead, b7; gr. h. o. ii. 31

Cheever, Thomnv, gr. h. c. ii 31

Chemical speculations, 105

Children, instances of numerous, in some families, 517
Chub, Pasco, commander at Port Pemaquid ; his
treachery and murder of Indian chiefs, il. 633;
basely surrenders the furt to French and Indians,
633; himself and wife murdered at Andover,. . . . 039
Church covenant adopted, 71 ; church at Lyn gath-
ered, 70 ; remnants of popery in protcstaiit ch'ch,

76 ; church at Roxbury gathered, 70

Church discipline in New England, remarks on, II. 237
Church, Onpt. his severe contest with the Indians at
Pocasset, ii. 562 ; further encounters and slaugh-
ter, 574— 5T6 ; ordere<l to Casco Bay, 608

Church, John, informs of Indians at Winnoplsseag

ponds, il.5U0; is slain by Indians at Quocheco,.. 633
Churche?, ecclesiastical map <)f,8C; farewell of pil-
grims to English, 74; at East-Humpshire, 80

Clap, John, his remarkable Juvenile piety, ii 480

Clap, Nathan'l, min. of Newport, K. 1. 87; gr. h. c. Ii. 33

Clark, John, min. of Exeter, 88 ; gr. ii. c. ii 33

Clark, John, gr. b. c. il 32

Clark, l.ieut. , his flght with Indians at Cusco,

and death, 603

CTark, Nathaniel, gr. ii. c. 11 32

Clark, !:(nmnel, his account of evil spirits and their

doings in Sussex, Engliind, il 453

Clark, Thomas, min. of Chelmsford, 87 ; asa't ma;.

141 ; gr. H. c. ii 31

Clement, Peter, his sufferings at sea, and preserva-
tion, ii 151

Clifton, Mr. Richard, 1 10

Cobbet, Samuel, gr. h. c. ii 31

Cobbel, Thomas, min. of Lyn, 235; birth in New-
bury, England, 518; accompanies Mr. Davenport

to New Englmul, 518

Coddington, William, assH mag 141

Colt, Joseph, gr. H. c. Ii 3j

Coligni, Gasper, his attempt to settle America,. . . . 39

Collier, William, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Columbinfl, the just name for America, 41

Confession of Faith by New England churches, ii. . 182

Connecticut, magistrates of, 163

Convers, Captain James, his march to Albany frus-
trute<l, ii. 6()3 ; his proceedings at Well'*, 613 ; ma-
jor, and made commissioner to the Indians, 643

Cole, Ann, her troubles with a witch, ii 448

Cole, Thomas and family, sluin at Wells, Ii 632

Collins, John, gr. ii. c. ii. 30; death and epitaph,. . 140

Collins, Nathaniel, gr. H. c. ii 31

Collins, Nathaniel, gr. H. c. ii 32

Colman, Renjamin, gr. b. c. ii 33

Commenins, J. Amos, solicited to the presidency of

Harvard college, ii 14

Cook, Elisha, asa't mag. of Massachusetts, 141

Cooke, Elisho, gr. b. c, ii .

Cooke, Elisha, gr. b. c. ii

Cooke, Joseph, gr. u. c. il

Cooke, Joseph, gr. b. c. ii

Cotton, John, min. of Plymouth, 87; of Hampton,
88 ; of Boston, 235 ; his eminence, 240 ; his con-
Dection with the prosperity of Boston, 253 ; parent-
age, ib. ; early education, 254 ; ministry at Boston,
England, 257; Hrst marriage, 258; seconu mar-
riage, 262 ; his persecution in England, 264 ; is at
Bostop, New England, 265; dissensions in his

31
32
31
31

charch, 267; Dr. Hooml<eck's unchiirilbale charges
against his theology, 36' ; his readings and scrip-
tural researches, 3*0 ; his lost sermon, 371 ; death,
and numerous eulogies thereon, 373 ; character,
377 ; habiU of life, 878 ; proverbial charities, 279 ;
description of his person, 28U ; his treatises and
published discourses, 381 ; advice to the fuctllioiis
petitioners to psrliameiil, 383 ; descendants, 285 ;

opItHph, 884

Cotton, Rowland, minis!) r of Mandwich, 87 ; letter

from, ii. 439 ; gr. B. 0. ii 3l .

Cotton, Rowland, gr. h. c. ii 31

Corquillerius, an early ProtesUnI, 39

Cosmore, Mr. mag. of Connecticut, Itvi

Cowlson, Christopher, ass'l mag. 141

Craddock, Matthew, ass't mag. of New England,. . 141

Crane, Jasper, mag. of Connecticut, 10

Cretchel, Charles, his sufferings at see, and preser-
vation, ii 351

Cromwell, Oliver, prevented from emigrating tu

America, 71)

Crosby, Thomas, gr. b. c. ii 30

Cudworth, Capt. his success against the Indians sit

Hwanzey, ii 562

Cudworth, James, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Cullick, John, mag. of Conn., 163; gr. b. r. ii 31

Curtis, Winlock, his troubles with spirits, or unseen

agencies at sea, ii. 465 ; death, 405

Cushing, Caleb, min. of Salisbury, 87 ; sr. b. o. ii . . 33
Cushing, Jeremiah, min. of Scituate, 87 ; gr. b. c. ii. 33

Cutler, Nathaniel, gr. B. c. ii 31

Cutlei , Peter, gr. b. c. ii yt

Cutt, Mrs. Ursula, barbarously murdered by Indians
at Piscatequa river, ii 6ST

Dagget, Capt. Thomas, his facts of witchcraft, Ii . . . 496

Dalton, Timothy, minister of Hampton, 335

Danforth, J. his pindaric on Mather, 31 ; minister

of Dorchester, fl7

Danforth, Jonathan, gr. b. c. ii 31

Danforth, John, gr. b. r. ii. 31 ; min. of Dorchester, 581
Danforth, Samuel, min. of Taunton, 87 ; gr. b. c.

ii. 30; family, SO; colleague with Mr. Eliot, 60;

marriage, 62 ; epitaph, 64

Danforth, Samuel, gr. 11. c. ii 31

Dare, Ananias, his daughter the flrst while child

born in Virginia, 44

Darset, Joseph, gr. B. Q. ii 32

Davenport, Addiiigtor,. gr. 11. c. ii 38

Davenport, John, min. of Stamford, 88 ; birth and

parentage, 321 ; goes to Holland, 324 ; to N. Eng.

and min. of N. Haven, 325 ; removes to Boston,

328; death, 329; pubiisiied works, 330; epitaph,

331 ; gr. B. o. ii 38

Davenport, Captain Nathaniel, in Philip's War, ii.

567 ; killed in the Narrnganset flght, S6H «

Davie, Edmund, gr. b. c. ii 31

Davy, Humphrey, ass't mag. of New Englund, 131

Davies, William, his adventures at ses with unseen

agencies, ii 465

Davis, John, gr. u. c, 11 30

Davis, Major, his captivity, ii 60'i

Dawes, Lieut, in the Indian war of 1680, 11 S>\

Day, Ezekiel, his strange sights at Glocester, 11. . . . 082

Dean, Francis, min. of Andover, 337

Delft-Haven, embarkation at, 49

Dellius, Godfrey, Dutch min. at Albany, ii 431

Denham, Mr. min. of Rlartha's Vineyard, UT

ai7

INDEX.

Denlton, Daniel, lua'l ma^. of New England, 141 ;

ini^Dr-genernl uf Mnu., U3 ; gr. h. c. II 33

Deniiun, George, gr. ii. o. 11. Si \ with hli company

muke grenl slnughter uf Indlanf, 573

Deiiiaoii, Jiilin, sr. ii. c. it 31

Denlaoii, Willluin, gr. u. o. 11 31

Denton, RIchiird, niin. uf 8tainl'ord, Ul.ttaS; provl-
oualy uf Wenlhnralleld, 308 ; hla ayilem ordivln-

lly, nna opitaph, 3W

Donner, Mr. restores i^quaiitu the Indian tu hla

• ooun'ry, 55

D<»b()rungh, Jnhn, ipiitc- <>>° Cunnucticiit, 16j

Oeiboruugh, Nlcholius Ills connvcliun with evil

splrlt^il 452

; Dovll, peopltHl Amerlcit by Ruiidiiig Indmna

; InUtIt, 43

Devll-womhlp, 13; 11 5i»

Oevilism, among Quiikers, II 538

: Dlgby, Sir Kvnelin, ii iK'ncOicior of n. c. 11 11

Dtodorut, tilciiliin, his first nccoiiiil of Americii,. . . 43

: UlfCovery of Amvrlcn, spcculutiuns on the, 43

' Divorce, eccleslasticnl ruins for, ii S53

Doddridge, John, a boneructor or ii. c. 11 1 1

' Ooliiver, Richard, etKMstrunge sights lit Uloci-ster, 11. 033

Done, John, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

' Doney, Robin, siig. signs agreement for peace. It.. . 620

Dorchester, churcli . alhered at, 7U

Downing, George, gr. ii. c. ii 30

Downing's daughter, worderful eecnpe from death

atKiltery.ll 538

' Drake, Sir Francis, 43

' Driver, Robert, his crime and execution, II 406

Dudley, Joseph, his government In New England,

139; Rss't mag. 141; gr. H. c. ii 31

Dudley, Pa<-.l, gr. ii. c. II 33

Dudley, Tnomoji, Eati., deputy gov'r, 73; his birth
and parentage, iSi; cimimi^tsioned captain by
' Queen Elizabeth, 133; marriage, 133; steward-
ship with the earl of Lincoln, ib. ; his letter to
the countLSS, 134 ; death, ib. ; his daughter. Mod.
Ann Brndstreet, 133; epitaph, ib.; gr. ii. c. 11... 30

' Dudley, Thomac, gr. ii. c. II 31

Dummer, ass't mug. of N. Engl»nd, 141

Dnmmer, Shubael, gr. h. c. II. 30; his ministry at

York, 613; death by Indians, ib.; epitaph, 613

' Dunen, Jonathan, a Quaker, his conduct at Marsh-

fleld, II 530

Dunster, Henry, min. at Cambridge, 335 ; president
of H. c. 11. 10 ; i. 400 ; rcvise^he metrical psalms,

ib. ; epitaph, ^. 408

Dnslan, Hannah, captivity aim heroic exploit of, ii. 634

Dutch, their profaneness at Lcyden, 47

Dutten, Wm., suflerings at sen, and deliverance, ii. 347
Dwight, Josiah, ndn. of Woodstock, 87; gr. ii. c. Ii. 33
Dymmock, Captain, of Barnstable, slain by Indiana
at Casco Bay, 11 633

Enit, David, his escape from Spaniards, II 351

Eastubrook, Benjamin, gr. H. c. II 33

Eostabroiik, Jiisupli, minister of Cimcord, 87

Eaton, Nathaniel, his connection with ii. n. Ii 10

Eaton, Samuel, mIn. of N. Haven, 335; parentage

In Cheshire, Eng, .583; burial, 58C; gr. ii. n. ii.. 30
. Eaton, Theophilua, pliintH New Haven, 83; its gov.

ib. ; oss't mag. N. Eiigliiiid, 141 ; comes with Mr.

Hopkins to New Kngl.ind, 144; favoured by the

king of Denmark isi

Ebenezer, [see Boston,] go

Ecolealaatical Map of Churches In N. England, 80;

change* In England, 330

Edgeremelt, with other sagamores, sign a treaty of
peace, II. fllO; bis light at Wells, 614; signs an
agrecnaeot of peace, 630; treacherously killed by

Chub, 03,1

Edwards, Timothy, minister of Andover Furms, 88 ;

gr. H. c. II 33

Eliot, Abigail, singular preservation ot, ii IIJO

Eliot, John, minister of Roxbury, 335 ; his sons In
America, 341; birth, age, and family, .530; con-
version and removal to New England, &:iil; onil-
noncc for piety, 531 ; care and zeal for (he Lord's
day, 535; temperate life, 538; charity, .540 ; inpr-
clal attainments, 513; ministerial acconipiii'h-
ment8,545; family government, 547; attention to
children, 540; church discipline, 553; evangtliiim,
556; success with the Indians, 503; his Indian
translation of the Bible, .504 ; latter life and death,
575; Baxter's letter on his charncler, 583; gr. ii.
c. II. 30; his preaching refused by tliu Wainpan-

oag Indians, tu their destruction, 300

Kliot, John, gr. n. c. il 31

Eliot, Joseph, gr. u. c. II 31

Eliot, Joseph, gr. It. c. ii 31

Eliot, Samuel, gr. h. c. II 31

Eliary, Benjamin, strange sights at Glocester, Ii. . . 033
Emerson, John, minister of Glucestor and Manches-
ter, 87 ; gr. II. c. II 30

Emerson, John, gr. ii. c. 11 31

Emerson, John, gr. H. c. il 33

Emerson, John, death by Indians, il .500

Encounter, the flrst with Indian?, 53

Endicot, John, original grantee of Massachusetts,
67; governor, 137; ass't mug. 141; maj. gen. of
N. Engl ind, 143; birth-place and parentage, 150;
sulTerliig by sickness, 153; death and epitn|)h,. . 155

Endlcott, Capt. sent against the savogen, UUU

Epes, Daniel, gr. ii. e. II 31

Epes, Samuel, gr. h. o. II 31

Epigram on the Mathers, 17

E»lerbrook, Benjamin, gr. H. c. ii 33

Eslerbrook, Joseph, gr. u. c. II 31

Esterbrook, Samuel, gr. u. r. II 33

Eveleth, John, gr. u. r. 11 32

Execution of W. C. II. 408; of James Morgan, 4U0

Fairbanks, Mary, taken captive by Indians, ii 643

Famham, Capt. slain by Indians at Pemaquid, ii.. . 501

Feavuur, Nicholas, his crime and execution, 41)8

Fen., Benjamin, mag. of Connecticut, 'I';

Festus, a divine nt Leyden, 47

Filer, John, gr. ii. c. Ii 31

Finch, Mons. his disaster with the natives, 66

Firmin, Giles, his remarks concerning nonconform-
ity, 437; his "Real Christian," 588

Fisher, Daniel, a magistrate, 141

Fish, John, minister of Chelmsford, 335; birth and
brothers, 4')7 ; embarks for New England in dis-
guise, 478; preaches at Salem, ib.; his inllrmi- '

ties, 479; death and epitaph, 480

F'ske, Moses, min. of Braintree, 87; gr. ii. <;. il. . . 31

Fitch, Jubez, gr. ii. r. ii 33

Filch, James, min. of Norwich, Ct., 88, 237 ; mug. . 103

Flag, Lieut, slnln by Indians, ii 607

Flint, Henry, min. of Bruintree, 234 ; names of his

twin, 443; epitaph, 443

Flint, Thomas, ass't inng. of N. England, 141

FAUX

i'-,i

nglund, 80;

830

a trtiiily ut

1; RigiiH nn

ly killHd by

63?

Fiirms, 8H ;

It ;jjO

hh notm In

,K\); con'

, 5:il); oiiil-

llio Lord's

f, .'i40 ; <ii|)<'-

D^R

cconi|ilii>h- '

uttuiilloiitu

vniiKt'liitn,

niiddualh,

583; Kr. II.

^n^l

Waiiipari-

390

I' 9

mt«r, 11... U3!i

"'.^H

i Maiiclii'S-

' im

' 4

SHChllHt^ltl^

ij. gen. of

itiif,"', ISO;

epitiij>li,.. )5S

ouo

g»li, 4U9

B, li 043

iiUI, li... 591

n, 4(W

"i'J

1 '

oiiform-

588

141

■ ,_

rth and

ill dis-

■ i,".

iiiniml- '

480

<;. ii... 31

■%

niiiif.. lp;i

■M

uf his

'■•■r

443

-w

141

PAOI

Flyiil, Henry, (tr- ■• o. i.i 3S

Klyn), Juiiah, gr. r. o. li 31

Kloyd, Cnpt. hii flghl with Indian* at Wheelwrigbt't

pond, il. 607 ; at Well^ 613

Kordham, Jonah, gr, r. c. II 31

Kordham, Robert, min. of Suuthampton, L. 1 935

Kortiine-tellera, at Port Royal, Jamaica, 09

Foster, Imao, gr. h. o. II 31

Foster, Jolir., gr. h. o. II. 31 ; hli doinga hivourably

meiitluiied, 48ff

Fox, Jiibiiz, min. of Wobiirn, U? ; gr. r. o. II 31

Fox, John, Martyrologlst, SO

Fox, John, i<r. H. c. ii 33

Foxcroft, George, 67; aw't mag. of N. E 141

Fri'uman, Edmund, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Freeman, Jolin, mag. of New Plymouth, 1 17

Frobisher, Martin, an early navigator to America,. 44
Frost, Major, Charles, shot by Iiids. at Berwick, il. 637
Fuller, Capt. his severe contest with the Indians at

Pocasnet, 11 S62

Fuller, Nichola.<i, his name for America, 41

Fuller, Or. Thomas, oflen mistaken, 31

Onlo, TheophilUK, a beneftietor to h. o. ii U

Gallop, , killed at Nnrragansett flght, 11 568

Gardner, Andrew, gr. h. c. ii .' 33

Gardner, John, his letter fVom Nantucket on the In-

dirns, il 432

Gardner, Joseph, C.ptaln in Philip's war, il. 567;

killed in Narragansett fight, S6»

Garner, Copt, his pursuit of the Indians, 11 593

Gendal, Capt. surprised by the Indians, ii 586

(;eri8li, Capt. John, his garrison troubled with the

Indiano, 11 593

Gerrish, Joseph, min. of Wenhara, 87 ; gr. r. c. il. 31
Gerrish, Sarah, her captivity at Quocheco, ii. 593;

return to her friends, 586

Gibbons, Edward, ass't mag. of New England, 141 ;

mi^or^gen. 143; remarkable sea deliverance, li.. 345

Gibbs, Henry, gr. h. o. ii 31

Gidney, Bartholomew, ass't mag. of N. Eng 141

Gilbert, Bartholomew, an early navigator to Am'ca, 44

Gilbert, Matthew, mag. of Couneclicut, 102

Gilbert, Thomas, min. of Topsfleld, 337 ; epitaph at

Charlestown, 597

Gile!!, Thomas, treacherously killed by Inds. II 590

G ilwm, William, mag. of N. Plymouth, 1 r

Glover, John, ass't mag. of N. E. 14! ; gr. u. c. li . . 30

Glover, John, gr. h. u. 11 30

Goff, Thomas, 67 ; ass't mog. of N. England, 141

Gog and Magog, speculations on, 46

Gold, Nathan, mag. of Connecticut, 162

Goodwill, John, of Boston ; his trouble with invis-
ible spirits, and his four children, li 450

Goodridge, and wife, murdered at Rowley, ii. 611

Goodwin, Mehitabel, her captivity among Inds., ii. 598

Goodyear, Stephen, mag. of Connecticut, 163

Gookin, Daniel, min. of Sherbom, 87 ; ass't mag. of

N. Eng. 141 ; maJor-?enera1, 143; gr. R. c. li. 31 ;

succeeds Mr. Eliot as minister in Natick, 439

Gosnoid, Capt. Bartholomew, early voyage to Am'a, 44
Gorton, Samuel, his religious belief and practice, ii. 503
Gouge, James, commands a sloop at Wells flght, ii. 614

Government, remarks on, 107

Governors of New England, Lives of, 105

Grafton, John, remarkably preserved at sea, ii 347

Graves, Thomas, gr. H. c. ii 30

Greek Authors, allusions to, S8

INDEX. XV'

rAOB

Green, , mlnlilar of Reading, 835

Green, Joteph, gr. r. o. li 38

Green, Percival, gr. h. o. II 31

Oreenleaf, Capt. hi* prooeedingi at Weill, II. ... . S13

Greenough, William, II 48S

Oreeiumith, , executed for wileheran, il 448

Greenwood, laoae, gr. r. o. II 38

Greenwood, William, gr. r. o. U 38

Origstm, Thomas, mag. of Connecticut, 168

GroBvenor, Wllllnm, gr. r. c. II 38

Guiana, contemplated ■■ a place of eralgmtinn fh>m

Leyden, 49

Guiifon], Connecticut, planted, 8:1

Gunston, , a benefactor to r. c. il ||

Hadden, George, gr. r. c. ii 38

Haines, John, :hosen gov'r, 135; ass't mag. 141

Hale, John, ro Ulster of Beverly, 87 ; gr. h. c. II. 30;

strange th'ngs at Glocesler, 631

Hale, Robe (, gr. r. c. II 38

Haley, , sergeant In the Indian wars, II ffiU

Hall, Oapt. Nathaniel, engagement with Inds. il. . . 593
Hambden, Mr. deterred flrom emigrating to N. E. . 79

Hamlin, Giles, ass't mag. of Connecticut, 163

Hammond, John, strange sighta at Glocester, il.. . . 6S8
Hammond, Major, William, taken captive by Inds.

at Kittery, II. 031 ; redeemed, 633

Hampshire, f^ast, churches at, 86

Hancock, John, gr. h. c. il 33

Hancock, Mr. minister of York and Wells, 88

Hanley, Joseph, gr. r. c. 11 31

Harriman, John, gr. h. c. 11 31

Harris, Thomas, his Quakerism. >i 539

Harvard Ckillege, preuident o', his caution relative
to cases of witchcraft, 3il ; ioatitutlon founded,
337 ; history of, il. 7 ; advance of funds by Gen-
eral Court, 0; bequest of John Harvard, 10; laws

of, 23

Harvard, John, minister of Charlestown, 335; his

agency In founding Harvard college, 237

Harvard, John, his bequest to Harvard eol. 11. 10;

Wilson's poem on, 33

Harlakenden, Roger, ass't mag. of New England,. . 141
Hartford, settlement of— commenced trom Cam-
bridge, Mass 81

Harwood, George, a grantee, 67

Haselrig, H\t Arthur, deterred from emigrating to

New England, 79

Hastings, John, gr. r. c. li 31

Hatheriy, Timothy, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Hawthorn, John, ass't mag. of New England, 141

Hawthorn, Capt William, ass't mag. of N. E. 141 ;

sent to subdue the Indians at Cascu, ii 578

Hnynes, John, gr. r. c. il .« 30

Huynes, John, gr. H. c. ii 33

Haynes, Joseph, gr. h. c. ii 31

Hoard, Elizabeth, surt.rising adventures, and escape

iVom Indians, II 591

Hegon, Indian, his singular death, il &10

Henchman, Capt Daniel, his march against Inds. ii. 501
Henfleld, Edmund, rescues Bennet and others at

Bea,ii 34(t

Hcylin, Dr. Peter, often mistaken, 31

Hibboos, William, ass't mag. of New England, — 141
Higginson, Francis, min. of 8alem, 335; the Noah
or Janus of New England, 35S ; education, 356 ;
circumstances of his nonconformity, 357; con-
demns the drinking of healths, 359 ; called to N.

XVI

INDEX.

Eng. 361 ; hit fkntwell to Engl'd, 309; iMoelalM
with 8um'l Skeltun, 303; doath, 364; loiia, 363;

•pthtph, 366

Hlgglnioii, Juhn, M* AlUntallun to the MagnallB,

13 — 18 ; recorded in ecclitlMlical mapi 67

MIgKlMoii, NnthMilel gr. u. o. II 31

llllderthnin, Arthur, hit connaetloii with Antlno-

miaiiiiiiii, II 908

hill, Cupt. .Tohn, hii works fur defence ofSuco, II. . OM

Hill, Jokcph, ■ boneOiclor of H. o. 11 11

lllokley, Tliomoi, miig. of New Plymouth, 117

Hoor, Leoniird, made preild't ot u. o. II. U ; death

and epitaph, IS ; gr. H. c. II 30

Hoburt, Oeraluim, min, of Qruton, 87; gr. h. o. II.

31 ; remnrkuble prewrvutlon at Grotun, 637

Hubart, JapliV, gr. b. c. II 31

Hubart, Jeremiah, inlulttur of lluddum, Cunn'l, t)8 ;

gr.u.c.li 30

Ilobart, Joshua, gr. u. c. II 30

Hoburt, Nehemiah, minister of Newtown, 87; gr.

H.O.II 31

Hubart, Putur, minister of Hingham, 836 ; birth and
parentage, -107 ; comes to New England, 40tl ; his
hatred of vice and intempentnoe, 409; uAllctiuna

and sickness, 500 ; death and epitaph, 301

Hobarl, sons by tlie nuniv In New Englund, 341

Hobbamok, befriends the English, 37

Hodsun, Nulhaniul, gr. ii. c. II 3&

Holioke, John, gr. h. o. Ii 31

Holland, Jeremiah, gr. h. o. II 30

Hollanders, their intrigues with the mailer of the

May-Flower, SO

Hommlus, a divine at Leyden, 47

Hook, William, minister of N. Haven, 336; returna

tu England, 586; place of burial, 387

Hooker, 8aro'l, min. of Farmington, 88 ; gr. b. o. II. 30
Hooker, Thomas, emigrates to Hariford, 81 ; peace-
able state of his church, 348 ; birth and parentage,
333; his persecutions, SSt); goes to Holland, 330;
escape from Englund, 340 ; rebuked by n lad, 345 ;
charillea at Hartford, 346; his theology, 347; his

closing sermon and death, 350 ; epitaph, 351

Hope-Hood, an Indian, horribly murders a boy, II.

508 ; is sluin by his friend by mistake, 60S

Hopkins, Edward, gov. of Connecticut, 143; birth,
ib.', devotion to religion, and happy death, 147;

epitaph, 148 ; a benefactor of h. o. Ii ..... U

Hopkins, Stephen, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Hopkins, William, mag. of Connecticut, 163

Horniuf, his discourses on the flrst peopling of

America, 44

Hornybrook, John, signs a treaty of peace. It 636

Hortado, Antonio, and wife, their troubles with in-

Tislbles, 11 453

Hough, Atterton, ass't mag. of New England, Ml

Hough, Samuel, minister of Reading,. 337

Howe, Ephratm, his disastrous voyage fVoin New

Haven to Boston, ii 343

Howe, James, befltted sayingof, 35

Howe, John, his testimony on the life of Phlpps,. . 161

Howell, John, ass't mag. of Connecticut, 163

Howkins, Anthony, mag. of Connecticut, 163

Rowland, John, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Hubbard, John, gr. u. c. Ii 33

Hubbard, Nathaniel, gr. b. c. ii 33

Hubbard, Richard, gr. b. c. II 30

Hubbard, William, min. of Ipswich, 87 ; gr. b. c. ii. 30
Huckins, Lieut, de Uruction of his garrison by In-
dians, ii 593

Huds4)n's Rivor, deatinatlon of the Pilgrims, 90

Huel, Ephraim, mlnlstur of Windsor, 836

Hugiillnus, Bulgarus, flrst bestowmeut of Doctor's

mie, to,il 87

Hull, George, msg. of Coiinectlcul, 103

Hull, John, ass't mag. of N. Eng. 141 ; master of the
mint, 314 ; a benefactor to Harvard cullKge, Ii.. . . 11

Hull, , min. of Isle of Blioals, 336

Hulton, Nathimiel, a benefuctor to b. c. Ii II

Humphrey, John, grantee, 67; ass't msg. of N. E.. . 141

Hnnfurd, Thomas, minister of Nurwalk, 837

Hungare, Philip, wonderfully saved at sea with his

company, II 340

Hunting, Nathaniel, gr. b. c. II 31

Hutching, Jonathan, remarkably preserved IVom

ftimin«, 11 643

Hutching, Samuel, a captive with the Indians, II.. . 043
Hulchings, Thomas, grontee, 07 ; ass't mag. of New

England, 141

Hutchinson, Ann, her reputation, 11 517

Hutchinson, Capt, Edward, slain by the Nipmuck

Indians, II 563

Hutchinson, MhJ. Elisha, ass't iniig.of N. Eng. 141 ;
treats with the Indians at Wt-IU, II. 610; his pro-
ceedings there as commander-in-chief, 613

Idleness, In Boston reprove<l, 103

Idlers, good advice to, 1113

Ince, Jonathan, gr. a. c. II 30

Indian corn discovered, on landing at Plymouth, 33, S3
Indians; flrst encounter with the settlers at Ply-
mouth, S3 ; seduced Into America by the Devil,
43 ; treatment of some French mariners cast away
among, 51; numerous, on Hudson's river, ib ;
their corn found at Plymouth, 33, S3 ; Narragan-
setts, fears nf the English, 56; treaty with, 315;
murder of one, 314 ; kill a young man who had
abused his ntther, 315 ; Jesuits' catechism for, 573 ;
at Harvord col, ii. 31 ; destruction of the Wam-
panoag, 3U0; at Martha's Vineyard, 443; their
religion, the most explicit sort of Devil-worship
of, 533 ; thoir (jTounds of quarrel with the whites,
584; Andros'expedition against, it.; treaty with, 636
Indian war, dreadful, 88

Jackson, Bei^'n, signs treaty of peace with Inds. 11. U3l>

James, I. King, favours the Puritans, 49

James, John, minister of Derby, Conn 88

James, Thomas, min. of Charlestown, 336 ; of Esst-

hampton, SOT

Japhet, Indian, pastor of Martha's Vineyard, Ii.,.. 443

Jenney, John, mag. of N. Plymouth, 117

Jesuits' Catechism, for Indians, 578

Johnson, Isaac, grantee, 67; his death, 77; ass't mag.
of New Plymouth, 141 ; captain in Philip's war-
killed in Narrugansett Bghl, ii 567

Johnson, Lady Arabella, suflerlngs and death of,, . 77
Johnson, Mary, her alleged connection with a dev-
il, confession, and execution, ii 436

Johnson, Robert, gr. a. o. 11 30

Johnson, Thomas, gr. u. c. ii 33

Johnson, William, mag. of New England, 141

Jones, John, min. of Fairfield, 336 ; gr. a. c. ii . . . . 30

Jones, John, gr. b. o. 11 33

Jones, John, troubles with spirits or unseen agents

at sea, ii 466

Jones, William, mag. of Connecticut, 163

INDEX.

FAOI

Pllgrtmi, SO

or 8M

nuul of DocUir't
«7

V »«

II ; muler ot Ihe

orU college, 11.... 11
936

)U.C.II 11

'Imag-ofN. E... Ml

rwalk, *"

ad at lea with hit

346

■■■ 31

t preierved ttom

643

ithelndUni),)!... 643
bmH mag' of New

141

i',Vr.'. 5"

I by the NIpmuck

563

iig. of N. Eiiq. 141 ;
Id, 11.610; hlspro-
In-chier, 8''

102

■■'■'. 1«2

'■■*'. 30

ng at Plymouth, 32, 53
llie wjttlera at Ply
lerlca by the Devil,
maiinera cast away
ludson's river, ib ;
38,53; Narragan-
i treaty with, 815;
mng man who had
catechism for, 573;
ictioii of the Warn-
Ineyard, 443; their
•t of Devil-worship
[rel with the whlte^
ist,i».; treaty with, 696
K)

leace with Inds. 11. 63<'>

tans, «

Ck>nn 88

>wn, 336; of East-

337

'8 Vineyard, 11.... 442

ith, 1"

579

aih,77; ass'tmag.
In Philip's war—

567

iga and death of,. . 77
lectlon with a dev-
il 436

England, 141

; gr.H. c.li.... 30

or unseen agents

466

iiui,".' 18»

rA«a

Keith, James, minister of Bridgownler, 87, 937

Key, Janxts, son of John, hi* eruul treatment by

llupe-lloixl, II 500

KIddor, lllaho). 'chard, an mmour to Ihu church, 950
Kings i>f Frnncr, ;'. magical oxblblllon of thorn, past

and future, 130

KiiiKabiiry, Elvnziir, rellgiuui Imposture, II 549

Kirk, Admiral, his succt^ssful expedition against

Qucbeck, II 609

Kltternmogi!!, sagiimure, signs agruem't for peace, II. 626
Knup, Llitabeth, her alleged connection with das-

miins or splritD, 11 440

Knight, William, min. of TupsHeld, 236

Knowles, John, min, of Watertown, 500; Voyage

to Virginia, ib. ; returns to England, 501 ; death

oud epitaph, ^ 501

Lnbrucrer, Mons. eommande^ln.chlef of French

und Indians at Wells flght, 11 C14

Luiton, William, remarkable deliverance at sea, 11. 340
Lake, Capt. Thos, his murder at Arowaick li^land, 11. 577
Lathrop, dipt. Thomas, sent to subdue the Indiuns,

11. 564 ; his bloody contest at Duurtluld, 565

Lathrop, John, min. of Barniitable 830

Law, Jonathan, gr. ii. o. li 32

Lawson, Uuudate, min. of ficituate, H7

Lay, Wlllintn, a (iodly Indian, healed, 11 442

Leaf, John, a martyr to liie refurmatlon, 108

Lee, Samuel, min. of Bristol, 237; returuH toEng.. 603

Li'ut, Andrew, assH mag. of Oimnoctlciil, 103

Leut, Mr., gov. of Ounniscticut, 140; ciruumslances

of his lilV, 158

Leet, Wlllium, ass't mag, of Connecticut, lf)2

Leirus, an early Protestant, 30

Lenthal, Mr. min. of Weymouth, his sicesslon and

retraction, 344

Leverett, John, gov. 137; ussH mag. of Mass. 141 ;

mnjor-genernl, 142; tutor and temporary gov'r of

of H. c.li. 10; gr. u. c 31

I.ieverlck, William, min. of Sandwich, 2:16

Lewis, Ezoklol, gr. H. c. 11 3J

Leyden, emigrants to 47

Lilly, Samuel, honourable mention of, ii 4U9

Lindal, Timothy, gr. H. c. 11 32

Lion, Storry, adventures at sea, li. 46G ; death,. . . . 466

LUlle, Ephralm, gr. h. c. ii 32

Little, Thomas, gr. h. c. 11 32

Long, JoBua, gr, u. c. li 30

Lord, Joseph, gr. h. c. 11 32

Ludlow, Roger, asa't mag. of New England, 141 ;

of Connecticut, 163

Ludlow, VViiliaro, aas't mag. of Connecticut, 169

Lusher, Eleazer, ass't mag. of N. England, 141

Lyn, church gathered ct,. .' 70

Lynde, Benjamin, gr. H. c. ii 33

Lynde, Nicholas, gr. h. c. II 39

Maccarty, Thomas, gr. H. c. !l 32

Moduckuwando, sugumore, at Wells fight, li. 614 ;

Bigug treaty of peace, 626 ; death, , 64!

Maine, churclies in, 84

Malbon, Richard, mag. of Connecticut, 103

Man, Samuel, min. of Wrentham, 87 ; gr. h. c. ii . . 31
Manning, NIcliolas, signs treaty of peace wltli In-

ilians, li 626

Vol. I. — B

xvu

rAOB

MansaeM, Samuel, |r. n. o. II SU

Map, Ecclesiastical, of New England, 89

March, Berg't Hugh, killed by IndlanK, II 039

March, Mi^or John, his service against Inda. II. 839, 03T
Marriages,wher«ln lawful, according to Scripture, ii. 967
Manhal, Caputln Samuel, in Philip's war, killed In

the Narragiinset fight, II 8M

Maralon, Bei^umln, gr. n. c. II 99

Martin, M1U7, her unohatllty and vow, II 404

Martyn, Richard, gr. ■■ c. II 31

Mary, Queen, her character, 30

Mason, Captain John, mag. of Connecticut, 169; In

Ihe battle with the Narrugansotta, II 567

Mas<jn, Daniel, gr. h. o. II 31

Mason, Samuel, mag. of Connecticut, 109

Miuwachuipetis Bay, emigrants from, to C^>nn. river, 81
Massasoit, his flrti Interview with settlers, SO ; with

his son, plot to rebel against the English, 11 538

Mather, Cotton, wrote his history In the midst of
many difllcultles, 15 ; one of ten minlstera uf the
name In N. Eng., it. ; needed the eyes of Argua
and the hands of Briareus to |)erform his labors,
32; 11.689; anticipates revilers, 35 ; gr. n. o. 11.. 31
Mather, Eleuzer, pastor of Northampton, 17 ; his

Journal, 457 ; death, it. ; gr. n. c. li 30

Mather Family, God's blessings on, 17; sons of the

Mathers in New England, 941

Mather, Increase, aids Gov'r. Phips, 108; waits on
King James in aid of New England, 108 ; presi-
dent of llarvanl col. II. 18 ; gr. h. c. ii 30

Mather, Nathaniel, pastor In London and Dublin,
17 ; his testimony on the historian of Phips, 164 ;
gr. n. c. 11. 30 ; the learning and virtue of hli
youth, 154, 484; hli industry, 157; piety, 159;

death, 175; epitaph, 176

Mather, Nathaniel, gr. 11. c. ii 31

Mather, Richard, son of Richard, min. of Dorcbe».
ter, 236 ; birth and parentage, 444; educatiim, 445 ;
schoolmaster and preacher, 44(1 ; min. of Preacolt,
Eng. 447 ; suspended for nonconformity, roatoreil,
448 ; motives for removing to New England, 440 ;
his account of a hurricane on the coast of New
England, ib.; his rules for ministers, 451 ; pub-
lications, 453; moderator of a council of minis-
ters, 454; sickness and death, 455

Mather, Samuel, stm of Increase, 1'.' ; min of Wind-
sor, Ct. 80; gr. H. c. ii 39

Mather, Samuel, son of Timothy, 17 ; gr. n. c. II. . . 32
Mather, Samuel, gr. b. r. II. 30 ; born In Lancashire,
Eng. 39 ; returns to Engl'd, 43 ; to Scotland, 44 ;
writes a defence of the Protestant against tlie

Catholic ftilth, 54; his death, 57

Mather, Warham, son of Eleazer, 17; gr. h. o. 11. . 31

Matthews, Mordecal, gr. h. o. 11 30

Maud, Daniel, min. of Dover, 336

Maverick, John, min. of Dorchester, 936

May, Samuel, religious disturbances, 11. 544; char-
acter in author's letter 546

May-Flower, the ship hired for the Pllijfrlms, 49

Mayhew, John, his calling at Martha's Vineyard, li. 431
Mayhew, Thomas, his Interview with an Indian
prince, ii. 434 ; provides for his son at Martha'*

Vineyard, 49T

May nard, Sir John, a benefactor uf b . c. ii II

May(s John, min. of Boston, 936

Mend, Matthew, his testimony on the life of Phips, lO-t

Mechanics, their devotions, 949

Mede, Joseph, his conjectures ulxiut America, 4t>

Melancthon, Norton compared with, 976

xvin

INDEX.

MpItIII, Aamuel, (r. ■. r. II 39

Mi-rrlninck Klver, BttvnipU lu wllla nl, flO

MuMiKluwIt, Hlmon, hli Irrachvry l<> Kli^ur W*l-

Uern, II 50O

MiRhll, Thomni, gr.u.c.U 31

Mlldmny, Wllllnm, gr. n. o. II 30

Mllel, a Juiiiil, hli cutine wllh the Indians II 430

MllfonI, Connocdcul, plitnUNi, H3

Mlllnr, John, min. ul Yitrniuutli, 'J30

Mlli«, KUwnril, gr. H. c. II 31

Minlitcri of N«w Engliinil, llit>lr lucntlon, 87 ; thilr

unltKd advice iiguind Iniponturoi, II 530

Minut, Juc4ib, gr. u. c. II 3t

Mllark, mchiim, bli proftiulon uf Chrialianliy nnd

death, II. 430; his tbree dimi|bler«, 437

Mitchell, Jonathan, (cr ii. c 11 33

MItchi'll, Mitlhew, mn^. of Coimeclicul, 109

Mllchvlaun, tUlward, gr. n. r. Ii 31

Mix, Hlwplirn, min. of Wuthiraflvld, 88 ; gr. a. c. II. 33
MotKljr, Juahua, min. of Portamuuth, (<8 ; gr. u. r. II.

30; character and death, 135

MuiHly, t>amuel, min. uf Ni'wcoitlle, 88 ; gr. h. c. II. 34

Mutxtcy, Hamuel, gr. h. u. II 33

Morgan, Jamev, his crime, conreulon, and execu-
tion, II 409

Morgan, Joaeph, min. omrecuwich, bH

Mona, John, gr. h. c. II 33

Mora, Joaeph, min. of r>'acam«lk, CI. CS ; gr. ii. c. II. 33
Morae, William, hia cunmclioii with apirita, and

their movinga of material thing*, Ii 450

Morton, Chnrlea, min. of Cliarleatown, 87, 937

Morton, Nicholua, gr. ii. c. II 33

Moaoley, Capt. Baniuil, at the Bght with the Nurra-

gnnnelta, II 507

Moxon, (iiiorgp, min. of 8pringfleld, 330

Muxiia, Indian aiignmiire, at VVulla flghl, Ii 013

Muirord, Mr. , mag. of Cunnectlciil, 103

Mylea, Bumuel, gr. h. c. ii 31

Nnhnmkcick, name of Salem 08

Nanton, Robert, aecrotnry to King Jamea, 49

Narraganaett Indians their fear of the Ktigliah, SO;

refuaal of the ChrlHtinn religion punished, 11 300

Nash, John, mag. of Connecticut, 103

Meat cattle, the drat In N. England, 00

.Neff, Mary, captivity and eaciipo from Indians II.. . 0.14

Nelaon, Philip, gr. ii. c. II 30

Nowbnry, Benjamin, mag. of Connecticut, 103

New England, never without the cliiiatisenrt of God,
14; church hialory of, 15; American deeert, 27,
245 ; minlstera of, their devotion, 87 ; [ships of
transportation to, CO ;] towna of, their originals in
Engl'd, H!) i famine, alckiiesa and conilngnitiona in,
93; mugs, of, 141; haa had frowns and favours of
Heaven, 345 ; the utiermost parts of the earth, 11. 583
New Haven planted, 83; nilsfortunea and discon-
tents at, 85; annexed to Connecticut, 85

Newman, Francis, mag. of Conneclicul, 103

Newman, Henry, gr. H. c. II 33

Newman, Snm'l, min. of Relioboth, 2:«5; birth and
parentage, 439 ; incident at Dorchester, 430 ; hos-
pitality and general character, 433; epitaph, — 433

Newmarnh, John, gr. h. r. 11 S3

New Plymouth, first settlement of, 50; becomes
prosperous, 03 ; a whale and calf caught, ib.; Qua-
kers and Seekers in, 03 ; reasons for planting, 09 ;

mnglslrntea of, 117

Newton, Roger, minister of Milton,. . .*. 337

p.\aa

Nicholtit, OharlM, min. of Halam 937

Nitamwniel, aaguinoro, aigna treaty of peace, II 090

Niirria, IMward, min. of Halem, 9M

Niirlon, Capt. [WallerT] killed by Indiana, 11 5511

Norton, John, min. of Uoalon, 930; hIa •upcrlorlly
and excellence, 947; birth, 110*, and oharaclcr,
980; diaaatera of hia voyage to N. England, 3!'9;
miniatur at Ipswich, 390 ; hia agency In petition
to the king, 990; death, 997; publUhed aermons
9!IU; theological character, 300; epitaph, 303;
II

gr, II. c.

Nowel, Alexander, gr. n. o, Ii Ul

Nowel, Incrt-oxe, 07; nii^or-general of N. Eiiglinid, 113
Nowel, dam'l, scc'y of colony, 141 ; gr. u. c. II.... JO

Noyea, Jacob, gr. il. i;. II 31

Noyes James piutor of Utonlngtun, II 4.1H

Noyos Moa«s gr- »■"• II 31

Noyet, Nicholas, hia prefatory poem on the Magna-

lia, 19 ; minlater of Halem, 87 ; gr, ii. n. II 31

Noyes Oliver, gr. h. r. Ii 33

Noyes , his prophecies, II 653

Noyes James min. of Stonington, 88 ; Newberry,
930 ; birth and parentage, 484 ; life, by hiniHelf
and Mr. Parker, ib. ; preacher at Myslic, ib. ; fam-
ily connections 485

Noyie, Moms, min. of Lyme, Ct 80

Oakos Eranl, gr. ii. c. 11 31

Uakes Thomas, gr. ii. o. II 31

Oakes Urian, gr. h. n. 11, 30; presld't pro tempore

of 11. c. II. 10; birth, childhood, and emigration,

114; return to Engl'd, US ; death, 1 10 ; gr. ii. c. 11. 31

Ogilen, John, mag. of Coniuxtlciit, 103

Ogllby, John, his history of America, 80

Oliver, Jacob, gr. h. o. tl 31

Oliver, Captain James in the bloody battle with the

Narrnganaotts Ii 5K7

Oliver, John, gr. u. c. 11 30

Oliver, Peler, gr. ii. c. II 31

Osborn, Recompense, gr. ii. c. il 31

Ounaakes Phlll. aquaw, interpreter, II 036

Owen, Doctor John, his character. 90 ; intende<l to

come to N. Eng'd, 345, 349; born in Oxfordshire,

535; short acco\nit of his life, it. ; epitaph, 593

Oxenbridge, John, minister of Boston, 3.T7 ; birth In

Daventry, Eng., 5U7; comes to New EnglM, 509;

authorship, ib. ; epitaph, 500

Paine, Robert, gr. ii. c, Ii 30

Pamatuk, his crime, confession, and execution, il . . 444

Paris Samuel, min. of Andover village, 87

Parish, Thomas gr. h. c. 11 31

Parker, Thomas, min. of Newbury, 230 ; severity of
his brother's teachings 480; studies at Newbury,
England, 481 ; comes to N. England, 4H3; death

and epitaph, ib. ; gr. n, c. 11 31

Parliament, the L<uig, 93H

Parsons Joseph, gr. H. o. II 33

Partrigg, William, gr. H. c. Ii 39

Partridge, Ralph, min. of Duxbury,230; character,

404 ; death and epitaph, 403

Patrick, Capt. Daniel, his success against Inda. ii.. 556
Pawaws, or Indian sorcerers their conjurations

against the Pilgrims, ,V*>

Payn, William, gr. u. c. il — 33

Payson, Edward, min. of Rowley, 87 ; gr. it. c. II. . 31
1 Peck, Jeremiah, min. of Waterbury, 88

INDEX.

XIX

P<M-li, Robert, min. of fFini'imin, tJMj enmoi to N.

I'.iiuliiiiit mill return*, 9H7

('rlliiiiii, Prflwartl, Rr. II. c, It , 'M

IVIIiiim, lloilx'rt, aM't mate, of New KhWianil. Ml

I'l'llinm, Nitlt\nnlHl, Kr. if. o. II.. HO

Pdiiilhrliin, KlH'iii'EHr, Kr, h. u. il 39

IViiiiulliiw, Hiiiniiiil, liii account of a polMiniHi wi'll

liy a lolilli'r, II . SOS

r«niioy<>r, IVilllatn, a bxiichi. lor to n. c. It II

Pi<rkln*, Jotin, ir. u. o. il 3Si

Pi'rry, Kiulinnl, Krantnf, 67 ; aaalilanl iiiiitfiilratfl n(

Nt>w KimiamI, Ml

Putur, II l'rl«iiilly Indian, aldi In the dtittructlon u,'

tliii NurraiinniutlD, II S07

PnlwrM, IIiikIi, mill, of HHl«m, 9%; luinu rttfurance

ti> Ilia llfi-, an ; loit wordf, 587

Put<•r^ Thoinaa, mlnlitor of Hiiybrook, 33tl; comna

til Nuw Kiiifland SH7

Pryot Indian klllud, :I14 ; Ihcy kilt a younK man,. . 3IS

PliHJpa, VVIIIIam, mii|{. ol Conni'cllcul, Idti

Phllllim, nnurffe, miu. of VViitvrtown, itMi; birth
and education, 37H; uccompanies Mr. WInthrop
to New Knuland, ih. ; death of hia wife at Hulein,
■A.; commencea a church at Watertnwn, 377;

death and epitaph, 370 ; xr. h. n, II 39

Phlllipi, Col. John, of Charlemown, hli aid tu (jov.
Phlpa, SIO ; wounded at (^naco Bay, II. tt3t* ; cnm-

mlwluned to treat with the liidlani, n49

Philllpii, John, mIn. of Oedham, 330

Pblllipii, rinmuel, Kr. n. c. 11 .' :«*

Phlps, Sir Wllllum, commlHuloiie*! (jovernor of New
Kimland, Uli; life, 104; chrinlcnl apeviiliitloim
on ralaliiR to life the aahoa of anlmula, 105 ; com-
purlMin of great men of obncure origin, 100 ; birth
and parentage, 1U7 ; learns the trade of Khip-cur-
penter, ih- ; commander of a frigate, 100; qiiella
ft mutiny, 170; giithora trcnaurea from a Hpanlah
wreck, 179 ; obtains advaiitngea for hln colony of
King Jami'S, 175; his proceedings In the revolu-
tion of lei's, 178; dediirnlion of his devotion to
Roil and his people, 183; taking of Port Royiil,
183; attack on Qiiebeck, It*; relief of the colony
by the Iwuo of paper money, 10(1 ; exertions with
the king for a new charter, 109; miido captain-
general and governor of N. Kngianil, 301 ; stops
the prosecutions for witclicran, 313; defends the
colony against the Indians, 313; who sign an
agroein't for peace, 315 ; description of his person,
317 ; his contempt of death, 320 ; the incidents
of his life prewritten in London by an astrologer,
333 ; his indifference thereat, considering it the
work of the devil, 333 ; nn attempt to Injure his
chHnieler, 234 ; called to England for Iriul, 825 ;
death and burial in London, 337; sumniiiry of his
I'fe and services, 330 ; poetical tribute to bin mem-
ory, 3;i0; his expedition against Port Royal, II.. . 000

Phippx, Samuel, gr. H. c, 11 31

Phippsi, Thomas, gr. ii. o. 11 33

PhcciiicianK, their early discovery of America, 43

Pierce, Capt. Michael, his bloody contest with the

Indians, and ileath, 11 570

Pierce, Robert, his escape from Spaniards, 11 351

Pierponl, Boi^iamin, gr. ii. c. il 33

Pierpont, Jiicob, gr. H. c. II 31

Pierpont, James, his letter on Iho phantom of a lost ,

ship, in the air, 84 ; min. of New Haven, P8

Pierpont, Jonathan, mIn, of Reading, 87

Piorson, Abraham, minister of Killingworth, 88; of
iHouthainptoD, 330; came to New England from

rAua

Vurkshlrn, 307 ; Rathert a church at Wimlhamp-

ton, L. I, 30H; epitaph, 4nH; gr. n. r. II 31

Pike, John, mIn. of IKiver, fW; II. 541 ; gr. h. o. II.

31 ; hi* account of Indian triiKwIlM, SU

Pike, Jimph, Bheritr, kliii-d by Indiana, II MH

Pike, Rotiert, om'I niog. of New Kngland, Ml

PInchon, (;apt. John, asf't mag. of N. Knglaiiil, 141 ;

aids In destroying the' Indliiiis nt Hprlngfleld, 11. . 803
PInchon, William, orl.(lnal grsnte*, 07; aaa't mag.

of ^fHW England, Ml

Pistorlus, Biriiiiii, hi* epiiaph suited for Braditreel, MO
IMalated, Lieut, hi* servlcen against the Inds. II. . . . 000
Plalsted, Mary, wife of James: captivity and rriiel

treatment by Indians, 11 SOU

Platform of Church Discipline in N. Kngland, Ii.. . 911
PlymoUih, (or Patiixet,) Hrst landing at, 53; flrat
house built, it. ; aufferlng, ulcknesa and death at, S4

Plymouth, maglstriUea of, 117

Pocork, John, OMii't mag. of N. Kngland, Ml

Piilret, Pierre, or (log and Magog, 46

Polyaniler, a divine at Leyden, 47

Popery, remnants of, In the Protestant Cliiirch of

Kngland, 70

Port Royal, expedition to, 183

Potter, , his enormities against the laws, Ii. . . . 403

Prayers for rain and relief from famine, heard and

answered, 78

Prentice, Capt. Thomas, lent against Inds. Ii 301

Price, Walter, gr. u. c. 11 39

Prince, Isaac, ticc. of strange sights at Cilocester, II. 639

Priiiu-, Thomiis, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Prophecies concerning the American Church 70

Providences, remarkable. In New Knglund, il 341

Prudden, John, gr. R. c. II 31

Prndden, Peter, minister of Mllford, 330; his fami-
ly and epitaph, 303

Psalms, Metrical, translation of, 407

Pulcifer, llunedlct, his contei'l with an Indian, II.. . 9U7
Puritaiii<, Oivoured by King James, 40; their afllic-
tions and fidelity, .50; sail from Koiilhainptoii, I'A.;
disniver Onpe Cod, ib. ; their sufferings by slck-
i.es8 and death, 54; compared with Peter Martyr,
57; procnutiona against surprise by Indians, ib.;

their farewell to the mother-church, 74

Pynchon, Joseph, gr. ii. c. II 31

Qundrigarliis, an early Protestant, 39

"Quakers, Encountered," II 04-1

Quakers and Heekers, account of, 03

Quakerism, Foxiun, 11. 533; Pennian, its dltTeretice,

ih. ; Tom Chiisian, its devilisin 528

Qunnoiichet, the great siichem of theNarriigaiiHetIs,

taken, II 572

Ramus, Peler the Great, 27

Rnwson, Eilw'd, sec'y of colony, 143: gr. u. r. il.. .ID
Rawson, Grindiil, pastor of Mendon,33; gr. ii. n. II.

31 ; puKtor of " Menilham," •ISO

Raynnr, , mag. of Connecticut, 189

Rayner, John, gr. u. c. il 32

Rend, Jobn, gr. it. c. II 33

Remington, Jonathan, gr. H. c. il 38

Resemblance, of different perwms, 443

Reyner, John, minii<ter of Plymouth, 230

Richards, James, mug. of Connecticut, 103

Richards, John, ass't mag. of N. Eng. Ml ; a bone-
factor to u. c. il II

INDEX.

3(1

rAoa

Richardaon, Juhn, gr. h. c. ii 31

RIcheriua, au earlj Proteatant, 39

Kublnsoii, John, hi* church at Leyden, 47; hU re-

formakiry oddresa, 04

Robiiiaon, John, gr. h. n. ii 33

Rogera, Daniel, gr. b. o. ii 33

Rogers, Ezelciel, min. of Rowley, 336 ; his birth,
408; parentage and eurly preuching,400; iiiflrin-
itii'S and death, 410; sure afflictions in hisruniily,
413; letter to his brother, 413; epitaph, ib.; gr.

H.cii

Rogers, John, his memoriuls Tor a godly life, 43.3;
form for a miiiiHler, 434 ; preald't of ii. c. ii. 10 ;

deoth and epitaph, 17; gr. b. c. ii

Rogers, John, gr. h. c. ii 31

Rogers, Nathaniel, [fatlier of President John] ii. 16;
minister of Ipswich, i.336; his birth and eurly
education, ii. 415; Ms marriagp, 418; imperl'cct
health, 43(1; he destroys his diary, 431 ; epitaph,

433; gr. H.cii 32

Rogens Rol>ert, murdered by Indiniis, ii 5!)U

RdUe, Benjamin, min. of Haveril, 87; gr. ii. c. ii.. 31

Roman authors, allusions to, lio

Ross, Mary, her religious assumptions, ii 5:in

RoHsitur, tldward, uss't mag, of Now England, 141

Rousi*, Thomasin, esca|)e from Indian?, ii 643

Row, John, account of strange sights at Glocester, ii. 633

Rowden, Captain, captured by Indlanis ii 580

Rowland, Peter, oecape from Spaniards, ij 351

Rowlandson, Joseph, his calamities by Are, deatiis,

and captivity of his remaining family, ii 5C!)

Roxbury, church gathered at, 79

Ruck, Peter, gr. r. c. ii 32

Rugglra, Benjumin, niir of 9inithflt'lii, 87

Rugglcs, Thomas, min. of Middletown, H8

Russell, Daniel, gr. h. c. ii 33

Riisscl, James, ass't mag. of N. Eng 141

Russell, John, gr. B. c. ii

Russfll, Jonathan, minister of Burnstablc, 87; gr.

II. c. ii

Russell, Noadiah, gr. h. c. ii

Ruseiel, Samuel, minister of llruinrord, Connecticut,

88; gr. B. c. ii

Sadler, John, his prophecies, ii 653

Saltonstal, Gurdon, minister of New London, 88 ;

gr. n u. ii

Haltonstal, Henr/, gr. H. c. ii

ijultoiii-tal, Nuti aiiiel, a»sH mng. of N. EnglM, 141 ;

gr. H. o. ii

Sultonstnl, 8ir Richard, origiiinl grantee, 67 ; mng.
of New England, 141 ; a buiiefaclor to ii. c. ii. 11 ;

gr. II. c. ii

Salvager, their murder and suppression, ii

Sumotlii'?, a Druid, ii 16

Banchpz, eorly diHcoverer of Americii, 43

Sargeant, Capt. his seizure of Indians, ut 8iico, ii. . 5!^6

Sargeant, Thomas, gr. h. c. ii 31

Sarson, Capt. Kiuhord, his witness to facts of witch-
craft, ii. 4U6; negotiates with Indians at Murtlia's

Vineyaid, 434

8au?amon, a friendly Indian, murdered, ii 559

Savage, Abijii, gr. h. c. ii 31

Savage, Ephiaim, gr. n. c. ii 31

Savage, Hiibijiih, gr. h. c. ii 32

8avai;n, Jiihn, gr. H. c. ii 33

Bavftge, Major Thomas, asc't mag. of N. Eng. 141;

31
31

31
30

33
.Vi9

PAOI

Saxton, Peter, minister of Bcituate, 336 ; a nativo of

Yorkshire, Eng. 587 ; at Boston, N. E 587

Say and Brook, Lords, their claims and interests ia

Coiiiiecticul, 83

Scarlet, Capt. Samuel, preserves Lailon and others

at tn'U, 11 350

Schools, their importance truly cliaracterized, ii. . . 055

Scottow, Thomas, gr. u. c. il 31

Sea-dt'Iivorances, wonderful cases of, in New Eng-
land, il 343

Sedgwick, Robert, major-general of N. E 143

Serins, Henry, Ills poems, commendatory of Ihu

Magimlia, 82 23

Selleck, John, gr. u. c. ii 33

Sequiisson, an Indian prince, plots against the Eng-
lish, il 558

Sewall, Samuel, ass't mag. of New England, 141 ;
gr. H. c. ii. 31 ; favourably mentioned, 489

, ii.

31
31
33

Shephard, Jeremiah, min. of Lyn, 87 ; gr. n. c.

Shepartl, Samuel, gr. ii. c. ii

Shepiird, Samuel, gr. h. c. ii

Sliepard, Thomaii, min. of Cambridge, 336 ; birth
and I'uniily, 380; experience in theology, 381;
BCCdinpnnies Mr. Cotton and others to N. EiigI'd,
.183; arrives at Boston, 385; his sons, 380; death,
ib.; his doctrine of the Sabbath, 3^; theology,
and that of the churche!>, 388; his published
works, 389; numerous meditations from his jour-
nal, 391 ; epitaph, by Peter Bulkly, 394; gr. h. c.
ii. 30; died by small-pox, ii. 119; account of a

Christian Indian, ' 130

Shepard, Thomas, gr. h. c. ii. 31 ; born at Charles-
town, N. E. 143; death and epitaph, 153

Sherborn, Captain Samuel, skirmishes with Hope-
Hood the Indian traitor, ii 604

Sherman, Bezaleel, gr. H. c. ii 31

Sherman, James, min. of Sudbury, 87

Sherman, John, min. of Watertown, 337; birth in
Dedhum, Essex, 511 ; education, and removal to
N. Engl'd, 513; min. of N. Haven, 513; his skill
in mathematics, 514; numerous family of child'n,

516; sickness and death,^I7 ; epitaph, 518

Sherman, Samuel, mag. of Connecticut, l(i:)

Ships, number of, employed in the settlement of

New England, 67

Shipwreck and loss of the flrst ship fitted out from

New Haven, 84

Shove, Selh, min. of Danbury, 88 ; gr. h. «;. ii 3J

Siely, Capt. Robert, in Philip's war; in the Narra-

gunsett swamp fight, ii. 507 ; killed, 5l>8

Skellon, Mr., min. of Salem, «i8, vrjii

Skynner, Capt. killed by Indians at Pt^mii<|uid, ii. . .V.tl

Smith, Henry, min. of Weathersfleld, 'J3rt

Smith, John, the discoverer, 4.)

Smith, John, ass't mag. of New England, 141

Smith, Joseph, gr. h. c. ii S'i

Smith, Philip, his troubles with invisible spirit^s

and death, ii 454

Smith, Ralph, pastor ut Leyden, 60; nt Plymouth. SM

Smith, Sarnh, crimes and execution of, ii 419

Southack, Capt. Cyprian, of pn)vincc Galley, ii U4J

Southampt<m, Eng , emigrant ships at, 49

Soiillicotl, Thoma", original grantee of Mass 67

Soutliinuyd, John, gr. 11. c. ii 3'.'

Southworlh, Thomas, mag. of New Plymouth, 1 17

Sparhawk, John, min. of Bristol, 87 ; gr. b. r. ii . . . 33

Spectre, a veritable, 206

Speedwell, the ship hired to transport the Pilgrims, 40

'?
'i

cumtnaiider in Piiilip'H wur, ii 569 | Spriiit^field, Ma«8., aeUlei| frum lluxburyf 61

INDEX.

XXI

PAO>

; a natlTo uf
E 587

I inloresta io
83

n and others

350

vrized, ii... 655
31

II Nuw Enf^

3«

E 1«

utory of tlio

list the Eiig-

558

n^lund, 141 ;

1 489

gr. n. c. ii.. 31

, 336; birth
)ology, 381;
o N. EiigI'd,
,386; death,
7; tlieoU(gy,
18 published
-cm his Jour-
194 ; gr. h. c.
iccount of a

jao

n at Charles-

153

with Hope-

604

37; birth in

removal to

13; hisbliill

yofchild'n,

h 518

163

itllement of

ed out from

1.0. ii 3,'

1 the Nnrra-

yjti

iiiii|iiitl, ii. . .V.il

'j:Ui

4.»

J 141

.TJ

ble spirit!!,

454

Plynioutli, San

419

Iley, ii..., M-i

Mass 67

iionlh, 117

H. r. ii . . . 3*i

ao6

(tPiK'riints 40
81

Squanto, a stolen Indian, restored, 55

Stunit'iird, Connecticut, planted, 83

Otaiidish, Miles, plotted against by the natives, 56;

iniu;. of New Plymouth, 117

blar, (>>mrort, gr. h. o. ii 30

Slurky, his treason to escape the Indians, ii 590

Bteel, John,mag. of Connecticut, 163

tilevuus, Timothy, min. of Glastenbury, Conn., 88;

gr.H.c.ll 32

Slilson, Margaret, befriends Hannah Swartou, a

captive in Canada, ii 360

Btirk, George, gr. h. r. ii 30

tJloddard, Antony, gr. h. c. ii 32

Slmldard, Solomon, minister of Northampton, 87 ;

gr. H. c. ii 31

Stone, Hugh, crime and execution of, ii 414

Stone, John, gr. ii. c. ii 30

Stone, Capt. John, killed by Indians, ii 553

SUme, Nathaniel, min. of Falmouth, Harwich, &.C.,

87; gr. H. c. ii 32

Stone, Samuel, min. of Hartford, 336 ; his education
and companions to New England, 434; unhappy
difference with his ruling elder, 436 ; his body of

divinity, 438 ; death, 438

Stone, Simon, his remarkable wounds, and escape

from death, ii 606

Storer, Samuel, commands a sloop at Wells fight, ii. 614
Stoughton, Israel, ass't mag. of N, E. 141 ; captain

in the Pequot war, ii 554

Stoughton, William, ass't mag. of N. England, 141 ;
a benefactor of h. c. ii. 11 ; gr. b. r. ii. 30 ; favour-
able mention of, 489 ; treats with the Indians at

Falmouth, 584

Stow, Samuel, gr. H. c. ii 30

Street, Nicholas, min. of New Haven, 336

Street, Samuel, minister of Wallingford, Ut., 88 ;

gr. H. c. ii 31

Sutton, Thomas, founder of Charter House, 31

Swan, Henry, gr. H. c. ii '. 33

Swan, Thomais gr. h. c. ii 33

Swarton, Hannah, account of her deliverance fVom

Indian captivity, ii 357

Swayn, Dick, his religious imposture, ii 541

Swayn, Mnjor, marches to subdue Indians, ii. 593 ;

relieves the garrison at Blue Point, 594

Swayn, William, assH mag. of Connecticut, 163

Sweetmau, Samuel, gr. h. c. ii 31

Swui, John, gr. h. c.ii 33

Syil, Capt. Joseph, captures a number uf Indians

at Quocheco, ii 5*8

Symmes, Thomas, gr. u. c. ii 33

Symmes, Zachariah, minister of Bradford, 87 ; of
CharIestown,336; his ancestry, 459 ; family, death

and epitaph, 460 ; gr. h. c. ii 30

Symonds, John, his singular cure from injury, 356

Bymonds, Samuel, ass't mag. of >r. Ene|land, 141 ;
gr. H. c. ii 31

Talcot, Samuel, mag. of Conn., 163; gr. h. c. il.. . . 31
Tappan, Christopher, minister uf Newbury, 87; gr,

H.c. ii 32

THylj)r, Edw'd, min. of WeslflelJ, 87 ; gr. u. c. ii.. . 31

Taylor, Joseph, gr. h. c. ii 31

Temple, Sir Tliomas, donation to h. c. Ii 15

Thaclier, Oxenbridge, gr. u. c. ii 33

Thacher, Peter, min. of Milton, 87; gr. u. c. ii, 31;

Indian teacher at Punkapaug, 439

Thacher, Peter, gr. u. c. ii 33

Thacher, Thomas, minister of Boston, 237; birth In
Salisbury, Eug., 488 ; arrival at Boston, 489; mar-
riage, ib. ; second marriage, 491 ; death, 494 ; sons,

ib. ; epitaph, 490

Thaxter, Capt. aids against the Indians at Wells, 11. 013

Thomas, William, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Thompson, B., his complimentary poem ou the

Magnalia, 30 ; gr. ii. c. 11 31

Thomson, Edward, minister of MarshOeld, 87 ; gr.

H. c. il 31

Thunipson, William, minister of Braintree, 936 ; his
ecolosiustical character, 439 ; poetical eulogy and *

death, 440

Thornton, Thomas, min. of Charlestown, 3a7; of

Yarmouth, ii 4ai

Thunder, reflections and me<litation8 on, ii 363

Til ton, Peter, aiia't mag. ofN. E 141

Tituba, Indian woman, her witcheries, ii 417

Tobias, Indian, tried and executed for murdur, il.. 560

Tompson, William, gr. H. c. ii 3U

Tonant, Muns. le, lord intendant at Quebeck, ii.. . . 359

Topping, Thomas, mug. of Connecticut, 163

Torrey, Josiah, gr. n. v. ii 33

Torrey, i<amuel, min. of Weymoutli, 87 ; ii 38

Treat, Samuel, min. of Preston, Ct 88

Treat, Mr., governor of Connecticut, 149

Treat, Richard, ass't ma»{. of Connticticut, 103

Treat, Mi^. Kobert, ass't mag. of Connecticut, 1G3;
aids in the slaughter of Indians at Springfield, ii.
565; distinguished in the great battle with the

Narragunsetts!, 567

Treat, Salmon, gr. h. c. ii 33

Treat, Samuel, minister of Eastbam, 87 ; gr. a. c. ii.

31 ; pastor, 437

Trowbridge, William, his remarkable preservaliou

at sea, ii 354

Tupper, Thomas, min. to the Indians, Ii 439

Turner, Capt. Nathaniel, sent against the savages, ii. 553

Tyng, Col., an English prisoner in Canada, ii :iti0

Tyng, Edward, ass't mag. of N. E 141

Tyng, John, gr. u. c. il 33

Tyng, William, ass't mag. of N. E 141

Underbill, Capt John, goes out against salvages at

Block Island, il ^. . . 553

University, origin of the name, ii 8

Usher, Hezekiah, a benefactor of b. c. 11 11

Vane, Sir Henry, made governor uf Massachusetts,
13U; his character, ib. ; trial and execution, 137 ;

ass't mag, of N. E 141

Vassal, Samuel, ass't mag. N. E. 141 ; gr. b. c. Ii. . 33
Vassal, Thomas, original grantee uf Muss. Bay,. ... 67
Vassal, William, original grantee of Mass. Bay, .... 67

Vaughan, George, gr. b. c. ii 3S

Veazie, William, gr. b. c. ii 33

Von, Juhn, ass't mag. of N. E. ii 141

Victory, [the name of Magelhten's ship — not of

Drake's,] 43

Villagagnun, Admiral, of France, 39

Virginia, North, the first name given tu Nuw Eng-
land, 45 ; its location considered by the fathers

at Leyden, 48

Virginia, South, massacre at, 57

Wade, John, gr. a. c. II 33

Wadsworth, Benjamin, gr. b. c. il 3%

Wadsworth, John, mag. of Connecticut, lOJ

xxu

INDEX.

PAoa
Wadswurtb, Capt. Samuel, his flgbt wUb the Iiids.

uud death, II 571

VVaiiiwrigbt, FihiicId, ki"- u- ('^ " ^■^

Wakefivld, Haiuuui, puslor uf Fairflnld, 11 38

Wakeman, Jabuz, gr. u. c. li 33

Waldurii, MaJ. Uicli'd : Indians Hurpriwi bis buuse

inQiiiichecu, ii. 574; kilM by them, 500

Walker, Sergeiuit, killed by Iiidi:uus 11 607

Walter, Zaclierinh, niiii. of Woodbury, CI 88

Wulley, Thumae, miu. of Huriistable, 'Z)7 ; charac-
ter and lil'e, Stt'J ; deatli, ib. ; epitaph, 601

WalliiunH, contrasted with English at Leyden, 48

Waller, Neheniiuh, niin. of Koxbury, H7 ; gr. a. o. 11. 31

Walthum, VVilliuin, min. of Marblehead, 336

Walton, (jeorge, his singular troubles with Invisi-
bles at Forti>mouth, ii 453

Waiver, Abraham, gr. u. c. il 30

Ward, A ndrew, mug. of Connecticut, 163

Ward, Jacob, gr. u. c. 11 30

Ward, John, min. of IJuverhill, 336; born lit Hav-
erhill, Eng., S3-J ; modesty and temperance, i6. ;
■ettles in lluverhill. New England, ib. ; wife, her
character, 533 ; debarred of her fortune by non-
conformity, ib. ; deutli and epitaph, 534 ; gr. u.

c.ii 32

Ward, Nathaniel, miu. of Ipswich, 336

Warhum, John, miu. of Windsor, 336; remarks on
preaching with note?, 441 ; melancholy state of

mind, 443 ; death and epitaph, 442

Warumbo, Indian sagamore, at Weils fight, ii 614

Wassambomet, sagamore, signs treaty of peace, Ii. 636

Watertowu, cliiircli gathered at, 79

Watson, Caleb, gr. B. c. Ii 31

Watts, Capt. Thomas, in the great battle with the

Norragansetts, ii 567

Web, Henry, u benefactor to H. c. il 11

Webb, Joseph, gr. h. c. Ii 31

Web, Josiah, min. of Fulrfleld, 88

Webenes, sagamore, signs treaty of peace, il 626

Webster, Mr., governor of Connecticut, 148

Weems, Capt. yields the fort to the Indians at Pem-

aquld, il 591

Weld, Daniel, gr. u. c. ii 31

Weld, Edmund, gr. h. c. ii , 30

Weld, Hiomos, min. of Roxbury, 336 ; gr. h. c. ii. 31

Wells, Jonn, ass't mag. of Connecticut, 163

Wells, Mr., governor of Coimecticut, 148

Wells, Thomas, mag. of Connecticut, 163

.Welsh, Nathaniel, gr. u. c. ii 33

Wenobson, sagamore, signs treaty of peace, II 636

Wensley, Richard, gr. u. c. ii 31

WequBsh, a friendly Indian i^uide, ii 555

Weston, Mr. Thomas, " a mi^rchant of good note,"
aids the settlement in New England, 58 ; conduct

thereto, ' 59

Westwood, William, mag. of Connecticut, 163

Wethersfleld, Ct., settled from Watertown, 81

Weymouth planted, 57 ; evil conduct at, 50

Wheeler, Capt. Thomas, aids Captain Hutchinson

against the Nipmuck Indians, ii SC3

Wheelwright, John, min. of Salisbury, S36

Wheelwright's i'ond, bloody fight near, ii 607

Whetcomb, Simon, original grantee of Mass. Bay,

67 ; ass't mug. of New England, 141

White, Ebenezer, gr. u. c. ii 32

While, Mr. , min. i>f Dorchester, 66

White, John, gr. H. c. ii 32

While, Niithaniel, gr. h. c. ii 30

Whileiiig, John, min. of Lancaster, 87

PAOB

Wbiteing, Samuel, min. of Bllerica, 87

WhitfleM, Henry, min. of Guilford, 236 ; birth and

family, 593; returns to England, 593 ; epitaph,.. 594
Whiting, Capt. his escape from Inds. at Casco, Ii. . 038
Whiting, John, gr. h. c. Ii. 30 ; pastor of Lancaster,

killed, 63U

Whiting, John, gr. h. o. il 31

Whiting, Joseph, gr. u. c. ii 31

Whiting, Joseph, gr. ii. c. il 3il

Whiting, Samuel, minister of Windham, 88; of
Lyn,236; birth at Boston in Lincolnshire, 503;
ministry at Skirbick, near Boston, 5(13; second
marriage and family, ii.; persecuted for noncou-
formity, and comes to N. England, 504 ; inflrml-
ties and death, 500 ; poetical eulogy on his char-
acter, by B. Thompson, 510 ; epitaph, 511

Whiting, Samuel, gr. h. c. il 30

Whiting, William, mag. of Connecticut, 103

Whitingham, Richard, gr. H. c. il 31

Whitingham, William, gr. h. c. II 31

Whitman, Samuel, gr. h. c. ii 32

Whitman, Zachariah, min. of Hull, 87 ; gr. u. c. ii. 31

Wiggins, Thomas, ass't mag. of N. England, 141

Wigglesworth, Michael, minister of Maiden, 87 ; gr.

II. c, il 30

Wightman, , an antinomian or fumilisi, 11 508

Wilkinson, Sarah, her remarkable malady, ii 356

Willard, John, gr. u. c. ii 33

Willard, Josiah, gr. h. c. ii 32

Willard, Major, relieves Quaboag, ii 564

Wiilard, Samuel, gr. u. c. ii 31

Willard, Simon, ass't mag. of New England, 141 ;

gr. u. c. ii 32

Willet, Thomas, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Williams, Daniel, examples of bis remarkable piety

in youth, il 485

Williams, John, min. of Deerfleld, 87 ; gr. h. c. ii . . 33

Willium!>, Nathaniel, gr. u. c. ii 33

Williams, Roger, minister of Salem, Ii. 495 ; of Ply-
mouth, 496: bis persecutions, 405; some time

gov. of Rhixle Island, 499

Williams, William, gr. h. c. ii 31

Willis, Mr., governor of Connecticut, 148

Willis, George, mag. of Connecticut, 163

Willis, Samuel, gr. u. c. ii 30

Willoughby, Francis, ass't mag. of New England, 141
Wiiloughby, Hugh, an early navigator to .\merica, 44
Wilson, John, min. of Charlestown, 79; of Boston,
336; bis excellence, 347; life and character, 303;
birth and education, 303 ; advice of his father,
305; flees to New England, 308; shares In the
Pequot war, 310; prophecies fulfilled, 315; epi-
taph, 331 ; gr. n, c. ii. 3U; his poem on Harvard, 33
Wilson, Lieut., his fight with Indians at Quocbeco

woods, Ii 613

Wincal, Capt., pursues the Indians at Winnopiseag

P<md8, ii 590

Windsor, Ct., first settled from Dorchester, 81

Wing, Captain, assists in constructing works of de-
fence at Pemaquid, ii 619

Winslow, Edward, visits a sick sachem, 58 ; his ac-
count of the church, 63; made governor, 114; his

character and government, 115

Winnldw, Josiah, mag. of New Plymouth, 117

Winslow, M^jor-General, his bravery with Alexan-
der the Indian sachem, ii. 550 ; marches against

the Narrugansetts, 507

Winthrop, Adum, gr. ii. c. Ii. 31 ; favourable men-
tion oj; ^«89

INDEX.

xxni

Wlnthrop, Adam, gr. h. o. it 32

Winlbrup, John, governor of Mns^uchusetU Dsy,
73 ; aids io foundlug the ciilony, 83 ; tiis ances-
try, 118; Icindness to Higginsun, 131; trials as
governor, 133 ; spirit of forgiveness and acknowl*
edgment nf error, 134, 137 ; buries three wives,

130; death and epitaph, 131

(Tinlhrop, John, Jr., ass't mag. of N. England, 141 ;
his travels in Europe, 158 ; governor and planter
of a colony on Conuecticut river, ii.; member of
the Royal Society, 160 ; bis character and death,

ii.; epitaph, 163

(Vise, John, minister of Andover village, 87; gr. u.

c. ii 31

Wiswall, Capt. Noah, his pursuit of the Indians, il.

504 ; light at Wheelwright's Fund, 607

Wiswsll, Edward, min. of Duxbury, 87

Witchcraft in N. England, 307; Mather's declarif
tiuns respecting, 211 ; Gov. Pbips stops prosecu-
tions for, 312

Witcheries, accounts of, ii 473

Witherell, William, min. of Scituatc, 336

Wulcutt, Honry, mag. of Connecticut, 162

WouUbrMge, Benjamin, gr. b. c. ii 30

Woodbrldgo, Dudley, minislor of Simsbury, 88; gr.

H. c. il ". at

Woodbrldge, Dudley, gr. b. c. Ii 33

Woodbrldgu, John, mag. of N. Eng. 141 ; min. of
Newbury, 237 ; born at Stanton Wilts, 595 ; sick-
ness, death, and epitaph, 597 ; gr. b. c. il 31

Woodbrldge, John, gr. u. c. il 33

Woodbrldge, Timothy, minister of llartroid colony,

88; bis poem on the Magnolia, 21 ; gr. b. c. 11. . 31
Woodman, Benjamin, his excellent character, 11 . . . 'i7
Woodward, Doctor John, on the first peopling of

America, 44

Woodward, John, gr. b. c. II 39

Worcester, William, minister of Salisbury, 330

Wright, Nathaniel, original grantee, 67 ; usa't mag.

of N. England, 141

Wyllia, Samuel, mag. of Connecticut, 163

York, John, killed in captivity, 11 357

Young, John, mag. ofOtmnocticut, 162

Young, , minister of Soutbold, 336

Zacbory, Indian, his execution, ii 419

,?■ :■

-^f I

•

■■--■, ■ ' -•
, ,1

■ .(
.. , ...ill

,-.^'. . - 1 - ' '.-

V,- ;\ ' ' *'

■•.;./ ;■•■•;■ ,

'. , ■ =

•

■ .0

CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.

PRtrACCI, ..........

An Altegtation to this Church-History of New-England, by Rev. John HlgginBon.
A Prufntory Poem, by Kev. Nicholas Noyes, ....

Anagrams and Latin Poems, with original Translations, .

Poem, Epigram, and Pindaric, with original Translations,

Anagram and Latin Poem, with original Translations,

A General Introduction, giving an account of the whole ensuing work,

13
10
30
21

THE FIRST BOOK, "ntitclkd, ANTIQUITIES.

It reports the design vhere-os, the manner uiAere-iN, and the people tehere-ax, the several Colonies ot New-
England were planted. And so it prepares a field for considerable things to be acted thereupon, .

INTRODUCTION.

CHAPTER I.
Vmitti Tandem T or, Discoveries of America, tending to, and ending in. Discoveries of New-England, . 41

CHAPTER II.

Primordial or, the Voyage to New-England, which produced the first settlement of New-Plymouth ; with
an account of many remarkable and memorable Providences, relating to that Voyage, ... 46

CHAPTER III.
Cenamur Tenuea Orandia; or, a brief Account of the Difficulties, the Deliverances, and other Occurrences,
through which the Plantation of New-Plymouth arrived unto the consistency of a Colony, . . S6

CHAPTER IV.

Paulo Majorat or, the Essays and Causes, which produced the second, but largest Colony of New-Engliuid ;
and the manner wherein the first church of this New Colony was gathered, .... 05

CHAPTER V.

Ptrtgrini Deo Cura ; or, the Progress of the New Colony ; with some account of the Persons, the Melhuds,
and the Troubles, by which It came to something, . . ...... 73

CHAPTER VI.
Qui trana mare Cumint ; or, the Addition of several other Colonies to the former ; with some Considerable!!
in the condition of these later Colonies, ......... 80

CHAPTER Til
Hetatompolit ; or, a Field which the Lord hath Blessed. An Ecclesiastical Map of New-England. VVitli
Remarks upon it, ............. 8C

APPENDIX.
The Baetonian Ebenezer ; or, some Historical Remarks on the state of Boston, the chief town of New-En^
land, and of the English America, . .90

THE SECOND BOOK, «ntitul«d, ECCLESIARUM ClYrEI.

It contains the Lives of the Govemours, and the Names of the Magistrates, that have been Shields unto the
Churches of New-England, .105

Xjj^yi CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.

INTRODUCTION.

rAo«

CHAPTER I .
Oaltaciua SecunUu*. Tho Lite of Willlniu Driuirurd, Esq., Guvernuur of Plymouth Colony, . . 108

CH AF T ER I I. '

^ucceMon, . . • • • . . . • . . , . K-t

CHAPTER III.
t jlrr.'i Cunaeripti; or, Assistunti, ........... 117

CHAPTER IV.
AVAcmi'a* Jlmericanus. The Life of John Winthrop, Kaq., Govcrnour of tho Muasachiuot Colonfi . llij

CHAPTER V.

BuccuHuura. Amoi'7 whom, larger nccouutii uru givvii of Govurnour Dudley aiid Govomuur Brudstroet, . 131

c H A r T E R V I .
\ffSi )hy2 i- «". ^>>i ■^nimati ; or, Asslsteiits. With RemarkH, 141

CHAPTER V 1 1 .

Publicula Cliristianui ; or, the Life of Edwurd Hopkins, E^q., tho first Govomour of Cunuecticul Colony, 143

CHAPTER VIII.
Huncesson, .............. 140

CHAPTERIX.
Uumilitat Honorata. The Life of Tbeophilus Eaton, Edq., Governour of New-Haven Colony, . . 149

CHAPTER X.
Successors, .............. 155

CHAFTERXI. ''

Hermes Christianui. The Lifb of John Winthrop, Esq., flrst Governour of Connecticut and N. Haven, united, 157

CHAPTER X7I.

Asslstents, 103

APPENDIX.

Pietat in Palriam ; or, the Life of His Excolloiicy, Sir Wiliium Phips, late Governour of New-England. An
History fliled with great variety of momurublo m crs, . . . . . , .164

THE THIRD BOOK, mtitul.d, POLTBira

It contains tho LivKS of many Divines, by whose evangelical ministry the Churches of Now-Englund have
been illuminuted, ............ 831

INTRODUCTION.

A General History, De Vires lllustribus, dividing into three classes the Ministers who came out of Old Eng-
liiiiil, for llie Fervice of New, ........... SSI'S

THE FIRST PART, entitled, Johannes in F.remo, ........ 345

CHAPTER I.
Cottonus RedMvut ; or, the Life of Mr. John Cotton, ........ 252

CHAPTERII. \

ffortonus Honoratus ; or, the Life of Mr, John Norton, ........ S86

CHAPTER III.
Memoria WiUoniana ; or, the Life of Mr, John Wilson, ....... 303

CHAPTER IV.
/•tirrtaniKmw* JVoB-jJit^/icanus ; or, the Life of Mr, John Davenport, . . . • . . 321

APPENDIX.
The Light of the Western Churches ; or, the Life of Mr. Thomas Hooker, 332

PAoa
V. . . 108

. 1:4

. 117

Colony,

iiy

ir Brodatreet, . 13|

Bctlcut Colony, H3

"Xi . . 140

. IM

!f.Huven, united, 137

. 103

BW-Englond. An

. 164

^-England have

831

out of Old Eng-

33.'!
. 245

253

303

331

333

CONTENTS OF VOLUME 1. ^Xvii

' 333

INTRODUCTION.

C H A P T K R I .

Janut JfovjlHglicanut ; or, the Life of Mr. Francis HiggiiiHun, . n-,

CIIAFTERII.
(ijgnea Cantio ; or, tlio Death of Mr. John Avery.

CHAPTER III.

Xctua ad Kxemplar; or the Life of Mr. Jonathan Burr, .

••♦•••• mH

CHAPTER IV,
Tho Life of Mr. George Phlllpi,

CHAPTERV. .,

/•iiitor £Bonire/,(;u»; or, the Life Of Mr. Thomaa Hhcpard,

• CHAPTERVI.

Prudentius ; or, the LIfo of Mr. Peter Prudden, ....

CHAPTERVII.

MtlancthoH ; or, the Life of Mr. Adam Black man,

' ••••... 300

CHAPTER VIII,

The LIfo of Mr. Abraham Plerson, ,

3i)7

CHAPTERIX.
The LIfo of Mr. Richard Denton, . .

308

CHAPTER X.
The Life of Mr. I^ter Bulkly,

CHAPTERXI. \'

The Life of Mr. Ralph Partridge .

" 404

CHAPTiSR Xn.
Paaltts ; or, the Life of Mr. Henry Dunster,

' 405

CHAPTERXMI.
The Life of Mr, Ezekiel Rogers,

... 408

CHAPTER XIV.
Eulegius ! or, the Life of Mr, Nathaniel Rogers,

■■•'.. 414

APPENDIX.

An Extract from the Phry of the famous Old Mr. John Rogers of Dcdham, 423

CHAPTER XV.
Uibliander JfovAnglitanus ; or, the Life of Mr. Samuel Newman, . .„„

I '*'''

« CHAPTERXVI.

Doctor Irrefragnbilis : or, the Life of Mr. Samuel Stone.

'*••.... 434

C HA P T E R X V 1 1 ,
The Life of Mr. William Thompson,

438

CHAPTER XVIII.
The Life of Mr, John Warham,

441

CHAPTER XIX.
The Life of Mr, Henry Flint,

443

CHAPTER XX,
Fu/gcntiu» ; or, the Life of Mr, Richard Mather.

••'•••• 443

xxvm

Tliu Life of Mr. Zaohtrtah Symmca,
The Lire or Mr. Juhn Allln, .

CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.

TH AFTER XXI.

rAOB

4.VJ

CHAPTBR XXII.

40U

CHATTER XXIII.
Cadmut Amtricanut ; or, the Life or Mr. Charles Chancuy, , , .... -tlU

CUAFTERXXIV. ,i
Ahcm ,- or, the Life or Mr. John FUk, . . . . 4711

CHAPTER XXV.
Scholatticut ; or, the Life or .Mr. Thomaii Parker— With an .\ppoiullx cdiitulniiig Memoirt or Mr. Janu'g NoyuH, 4^0

CHAFTERXXVl.
The Lire or Mr. Thomas Thoclittr, , . . . . . , . . .488

CH AFTER XXVII.

The Lire or Mr. Peterllobart, 41)7

CHAPTER XXVIII.
.\ Man or Go<t, and an Honourable Man ; or, the I.iru or Mr. Sainuol Whiting,

CHAPTER XXIX.

& JItteriHt ; or, the Lire or Mr. John Sherman, ........

CHAFTER XXX.
F.u$tbiM$ ; or, the Lire or Mr. Thomoi Cobbet, ........

CHAPTER XXXI.
Modeitua ; or, the Lire of Mr. John Word, .........

Mantiiia.— The Epitaph or Dr. John Owen, .........

THE THIRD PART, critituled, 'Ov^itflSof a 5l»ir»];<-UTa, slvo, Vtilrs Xarrationea,

It contains the Lire or tlie renowned John Elint ; with nn account, concerning the success or the guxpul among
the IndiU' a — A very entertaining piece or Church-History.

THE FOURTH PART, entitulod, AeiMi'iM,

INTRODUCTION.

CHAPTER I .
Bemains of tht Firai Claisit ; or. Shorter Accounts or somo Userul Divines, ....

CHAPTER II.
The Lire or Mr. Thomas Allen, ..'.......

CHAFTERIII.
The Lire or Mr. John Knowles, ..........

CHAPTER IV.
Elitha>i Bonca ; or, the Lire or Mr. Henry Whitfleld,

CHAPTER V.
Amain* of the Second Claaeis. ,\nd more largely, the Lire or Mr. John Woodbridge,

CHAPTER VI.
Remains of the Third Classis. With more punctual accounts or Mr. Juhn Oxonbridge, Mr. Thomas Walley,

sni

511

5ld

SSI
5S4
530

5r»

58-^

58!)
509
5!)t

and Mr. Samuel Lee, ........

CHAPTER VII.
A Good Man making a Good End; or, the Lire and Death or Mr. John Bally,

.W?

coa

lii.

TAoa
4S'J

40U

4iU

4;!i

MEMOIR OF COTTON MATHER, D.D., F.R.S.

of Mr. JanU'8 NoyuM, ■lai)

BY SAMUEL G. DRAKE, M.A.

488

407

501

Sll

Sid

531

524

530

r the gospel among

ss-s

5i<H

589

503

5iU

Thomag VValley,

C03

The succession of eminent men by the name of Mather, through a
period of above one hundred 3'ears, was enough to make that name con-
spicuous for several ages or generations, after those who gave the impres-
sion had passed away. The subject of this notice, (though by no means the
hist of the Mathers,) was the last of the three great men of the name, who
so indelibly impressed his fame upon the age in which he lived, that no
length of time is likely to obliterate it; and it is worthy of remark, that the
three Mathers should have followed each other in importance in unbroken
succession. Not that the successors were better men than their predecessor,
but there seems to have been an accumulation of fame attached to each,
something in proportion to the amount and number of their literary pro-
ductions; for, while the first of the series, the Eev. Richard Mather,
published but very few works, perhaps not above eight or nine, yet there
have not, probably, lived in New England to this day, any three men, of
one name and family, who have been authors of an equal number of pub-
lications. Those of our author alone number three hundred and evjhty-two.*

It is not proposed to enter at all into an examination or exhibition of
the religious views and theories of Dr. Cotton Mather: those can be best
understood by a perusal of his writings; while, at the same time, it is the
duty of ^^'-"^ ographer to rebuke those who, it is conceived, have calum-
niated him.

It may be justly said of Cotton Mather, that he was one of the most
remarkable men of the age in which he lived ; not only remarkable on
one, but on many accounts; and for none, perhaps, more than for his
wonderful precociousness, or the early intuitiveness of his mind. His
memory was likewise very extraordinary. The acquirement of knowledge

• Life by his son, Rev. Samuel Mather, D. D., who, in another place, snys their number is
three hundred and eighty-three. Even this is not quite all, as will bo seen. Dr. Samuel Mather
was an able and learned Divine, and his own published works are quite numerous. On the
rebuilding of FaneuilHall in Boston, a Charily Sermon vras preached in it, March 6th, 1763,
"f(ir tiie relief of the poor," and Dr. Mather was appointed to deliver it.— iVeu's Letter,
March lOlh, 176S.

XXX

MEMOIR or COTTON MATHER.

I f

seema to have been with him accomplished almost without effort; and his
writings show that they were generally drawn from the store-house of his
mind, where, from reading and observation, they had been from time to
time deposited. Authors who write from this source alone, are generally
diffuse, and wanting in those very essential and minute particulars, which
in these days constitute so important a part of every man's writings. Ilis
style is very peculiar; and no one who is acquainted with the writings
of the "famous Thomns Fuller," can hardly doubt that Cotton Mather
attempted to make that writer's composition a modelfor his own. Still, he
falls considerably short of Fuller in his attempts at witty conceits; in them
the latter is always happy, while the former is seldom so. Yet it is believed
that a volume might be made up from his writings, which would bo well
entitled "Curiosities and Singularities of Cotton Mather," equal, if not
superior, in interest to any thing of the kind that has ever appeared.

His ability for acquiring languages has probably been surpassed by but
vt^ry few, and he is said to have been master of more languages than any
other person in New England in his time. Of the Latin, especially, it
must bo confessed, he made a most pedantic use, bringir.sr in passages from
it at all times, as though every body understood it as well as himself.

So far as it is now remembered. Dr. Douglass seems to have been the
author of the fashioi\ or practice, so much in vogue of late years, of revil-
ing Cotton Mather. Tt has been carried to such an extreme in some quar-
ters, that whoever pre^'umes to mention his name, does it at the peril of
coming in for a share of obloquy and abuse himself* Some not only
charge him with committing all sorts of errors and blunders, but they
bring against him the more serious charge of misrepresenting matters of
fact. Now, it would be well for those who bring those charges, to look
carefully to their own works. It may be, if they cannot see any thing
pedantic, puerile or false in them themselves, others may come in contact
with errors even worse than those of stupidity.

It is not to be denied that the mind of Dr. Mather was strangely and
wonderfully constituted; and whoever shall undertake an analysis of it,
will find a more difficult task, perhaps, th.in those have found, who content
themselves with nothing further than vituperative denunciations upon the
fruits of it. Literature owes a vast deal to Cotton Mather; especially for
his hi.^torical and biographical works. Were these alone to be struck out
of existence, it would make a void in these departments of our literature,
that would probably confound many who affect to look upon them with
contempt. Even Dr. Douglass, although he has written it down for truth,
that, to point out all the errors in the Magnalia, would be to copy the
whole book, is nevertheless, very much indebted to it for facts in many

* Thp author (of the Magnalia) said, when writing his great work, that "he had no ques-
tion biit there would be some with hearts full of serpent .and venom," who would "scourge
him with scorpions " for the pains he had taken.

crrd
;j to i|
;' plal

grcl

repl
beel
the!

of
the!
it if
his

1 effort; and his
)re-house of his
;n from time to
5, are generally
rticulars, which
writings. His
th the writings
Cotton Mather
own. Still, he
ticeits; in them
et it is believed
would be well
' equal, if not
appeared,
rpasscd by but
jages than any
, especially, it
1 passages from
i8 himself,
have been the
'■ears, of rovil-
in some quar-
It the peril of
>me not only
ers, but they
\g matters of
irges, to look
lee any thing
fie in contact

itrangely and
nalysis of it,
who content
ons upon the
ispecially for
)e struck out
xr literature,
1 them with
v^n for truth,
to copy the
its in many

3 had no qnps-
ould "scourge

MRMOIR OF COTTON MATIIEH.

parts of the very work in which ho has made that statement; henee it
would be very bad logic that would not charge Dr. Douglass with copying
errors into his work, knowing them to bo errors. It would bo very easy
to point to some writers of our own time, equally obnoxious to the same
plain kind of logic; and a late writer, of very good standing, has with
great apparent deliberation said, that "it is impossible to deny, that the
reputation of Cotton Mather has declined of late years." This may have
been his belief; but it is very singular that that same author should, at
the samo time, make the largest book on the life of a man, in such a state
of decline, that had hitherto appeared I But there need be no concern for
the reputation of Cotton Mather, even in the hands of his enemies; and
it is not intended to set up a special defence of him or his writings. All
his biographer need to do, is to caution those a little who want caution,
and save them, if he may, from having the windows in their own houses
broken, by the very missiles they themselves have thrown.

The genealogy subjoined to this notice will give the necessary statistical
facts of births, marriages, &c., in the Mather family; it is not necessary
therefore to repeat them here, but to proceed at once to notice some of the
prominent events in the life proposed.

Cotton Mather graduated at Harvard College in, 1678, being then but
sixteen years of age. At this early period he drew up systems of the
sciences, and wrote remarks upon the books which he read. He- made an
almanack for 1683, which was printed anonymously.* This was unknown
to his son (who wrote his life), or he omitted to include it among his works
from some other cause. As a proof that it was unknown to his son, other
works, of which he is known to be the author, are omitted also. To men-
tion but one, ^^ Manuductio ad Mimsterhim — Directions for a Candidate of
the Ministry," &c., 12mo. 150 pages. In 1684, at the age of twenty-two,
he was ordained minister of the North Church in Boston, as colleague with
his father. Two years after, he began his career as an author. His first
publication (according to his son's list of his works) was "A Sermon to
the Artillery Company in Middlesex." From this time to his death,
namely, from 1686 to 1727, no year passed in which he did not publish
something; thus, in a period of forty-one years were produced above 283
books and tracts; giving to each year, on an average, about seven works.
He understood one or more of the Indian languages, and published some
books in one of them, if no more. In 1706 he published one, not found in
the catalogue above mentioned. He also published some in Spanish and
some in Latin.f

In 1692, Dr. Mather published his "Wonders of the Invisible World."
This was Ms account of the witchcraft cases of that time. In this he laid
himself especially open to the charge of credulity, which, it cannot bo

* S(!c N. Eng. H. G. Reg. vii. 345. The authority there indicated is Hon. Judge S. Sewall.
t See p. 32, vol. i., of the Magnolia, for some account, by the author, how he composed it

XXX II

MEMOIR "V COTTON MATHER.

1 1:

(Icnieil, is pretty woU sustained. But something more than bare credulity
seom.s to have p()s.sc.s.sc(l liis mind in those times; and he was probably as
mnch under the iiinuencc of witchcraft as any to whom that "sect," as Dr.
Doughus.s calKs it, was imputed.*

Many have reproached Dr. Mather, as though ho was the uUthor of that
di.smal and awful delu.si(m. This is singularly unjust. He was himself one
of the deluded; and this is the only charge that can lie against him relative
to it. All the w(»rld then believed in witchcraft, and people entered into
it according to their temperament and circumstances. The delusion was
not a native of New England, but an exotic from the father-land; and it
had been well if this had been the only one imported thence. Even when
prosi'cutions had ceased, there was not a cessation of a belief in the reality
of witchcraft; its j)rogress was stayed from a very dift'crent cause, as is
now too well known to be entored into or explained. Even to the present
day there are tliousands who believe in its reality; and that belief can only
be extirj)!ited by the progress of genuine knowledge. Within the remem-
brance of the writer, one mijiht ride from Boston, in a single day, with a
very moderate horse, into a New England town where the belief in witch-
craft was very general, and where many an old horse-shoe could have
been seen nailed to half the bedsteads in the town to keep away those vile
miscreants who came riding through the air upon broomsticks, or across
the lots upon the back of some poor old woman, who perhaps, from some
malady, had not left her house for years. How much short of a day's ride
by steam or otherwise it would now be necessary to take to reach a place
where the belief exists, is left for the conjecture of others.

Cotton Mather was undoubtedly the most prominent author who wrote
on witchcraft, and in the full belief of it, in his time, in this country; this
circumstance accounts for his being singled out by "one Robert Cakf"
who attacked him with complete success — complete, because he had reason
and truth on his side — in his book, which he called "More Wonders of
THE Invisible World," &c. This he published in London, in a quarto
volume, in the year 1700. In this book, Calef styles himself "Merchant,
of Boston in Keiv England.^'' Now, in the absence of proof to the contrary,
it may not be unfair to presume that Calef issued his work quite as soon
as be dared to, and quite as soon as public opinion would tolerate a work
which had for its aim a deadly blow against a belief in the imaginary crime
of witchcraft. For it is known that as soon as Calef 's book did appear, some
of Dr. Mather's friends came out with another work against that author,
from the title of which alone its contents can pretty well be judged of.
It is "Some few Remarks upon a Scandalous Book written by one
LloBKRT Calef." But this book and its authors are alike unknown, while
Calef occupies a conspicuous place among the benefactors of mankind.

* In reckoning up the various religious sects in New England, that author puts down
wiichcraft as one of them! Summary, &c.

MEMUIK OF COTTON UATHEB.

xxxiii

credulity
abably as
t," aa Dr.

3r of that
mself one
n relative
Lered into
iision woH
id ; and it
ven when
he reality
luse, as is
le present
f can only
)e reinem-
ly, with a
' in witch-
)uld have
those vile
or across
Tom some
d;iy's ride
ch a place

vho wrote

try;

this

H Cakf,"
ad reason

NDERS OF

a quarto
Merchant,
contrary,
as soon
te a work
ary crime
)ear, some
It author,
udged of.

BY ONE

wn, while
nkind.

puts down

The foreign correspondence of Dr. Mather was very extensive; "ao
that," says his son, ''I have known him at one time to have above Jijiy
beyond sea." Among his correspondents were many of the most learned
and famous men in Europe; as Sir Kiouard Blackmork, Mr. Wuiston,
Dr. DESAauLiiJRs, Mr. Pillionere, Dr. Franckius, Wm. Waller, Dr.
ChamuI' ULAiN, Dr. Woodward, Dr. Jurin, Dr. Watts, &o. In a letter
whicli ho wrote in 1748, Dr. Watts says "he had enjoyed a happy corres-
pondence with Dr. Cotton Mather, for near twenty years before his death,
as well as with the Rev. Mr. Samuel Mather, his son, ever since."

In 1710, came out a book from the pen of our author, which he entitled
^^Bonifacius: An Essay upon the Good to be devised by those who would
answer the great End of Life." In this work are many excellent maxims
and reflections, but its popularity has probably been very much enhanced
by what Dr. Franklin has said of it. Dr. Mather was well acquainted with
Franklin when the latter was a young man ; and when Franklin was an
old man, in the year 1784, in writing to Samuel Mather, son of Cotton,
he thus alludes to it in his happy style: — "When I was a boy, I met with
a book entitled ' Essays to do Qood^ which I think was written by your
father. It had been so little regarded by a former possessor, that several
leaves of it were torn out; but the remainder gave me such a turn of
thinking, as to have an influence on my condu"*. through life ; for I have
always set a greater value on the character of a do&r of good than on any
other kind of reputation." In the same letter is to be found that oflen-told
anecdote of an interview he once had with Doctor Mather. This, too, that it
may lose nothing at the writer's hands, is given in its author's own words:
"You mention being in your seventy -eighth year; I am in my seventy-
ninth; we are gu /n old together. It is now more than sixty years since-
I left Boston, but I remember well both your father and grandfather; hav-
ing heard them both in the pulpit, and seen them in their houses. The
last time I sav your father was in the beginning of 1724, when I visited
him after in v first trip to i'ennsylvania. He received me in his library,
and ou my taking leave showed me a shorter way out of the house through
a narrow passage, which was crossed by a beam over head. We were still
talking aa I withdrew, he accompanying me behind, and I turning partly
towards him, when he said, hastily, • Stoop, stoop/' I did not understand him
till I felt my head hit against the beam. He was a man that never missed
any occasion of giving instruction, and upon this he said to me, • You are
young, and have the world before you; STOOP as you go through it, and you
will miss many hard thumps.^ - This advice, thus beat into my head, has
frequently been of use to me; and I often think of it, when I see pride
mortified, and misfortunes brought upon people by their carrying their
heads too high." This moral, so essentially good in itself, does not need
the high recommendation of a Franklin, though but for him it would not,
Vol. I.— c

xxxiv

MEMOIR OF COTTON MATHEE.

/ !

iii

probably, have been brought to the knowledge of every youth who has
learned or may yet learn to read.

It may be too much a custom to dwell on the errors and misfortunes of
people while living; and to err, on the other hand, by making their char-
acters appear too well after they have passed away; especially if they have
been sufficiently conspicuous in life to require a written memorial after
their decease. Though Dr. Cotton Mather had enemies while living, his
memory has been pursued with more malignity, since his death, than has
happened to that of most men ; and, as is conceived, without sufficient rea-
son, and which could only be warranted by the most undoubted proofs
that he has purposely led his readers into errors, and that he acted falsely
on the most important occasions; and that, finally, he was too bad a man
to make any acknowledgment of all this, though conscious of it, when he
took his final departure with the messenger of his last summons.

The following account of Dr. Mather's death and funeral, is taken ver-
hatim from the New England Weekly Journal^ of the 19th and 26th of
February, 1728:

"Last Tuesday in the Forenoon, between 8 and 9 o'clock, died here the very Reverend
COTTON MATHER, Doctor in Divinity of Glasco, and Felloio of the Royal Society in Lon.
don. Senior Pastor of the Old North Church in Boston, and an Overseer o{ Harvard- College;
by whose Death Persons of all Ranks are in Concern and Sorrow. He was perhaps the prin-
cipal Ornament of this Country, the greatest Scholar that ever was bred in it. But besides his
universal Learning; his exalted Piety and extensive Charity, his entertiining Wit, and singular
goodness of Temper recommended him to all, that were Judges of real and distinguished merit.

"After having spent above Forty seven years in the faithful and unwearied Discharge of a
lively, zealous and awakening Ministry, and in incessant Endeavors to do good and spread
abroad the Glory of CHRIST, he finished his Course with a divine Composure and Joy, the day
after his Birth Day which compleated his Sixty Fifth year; being born on Feb. 12, 1662-3."

"On Monday last the Remains of the Late very Reverend and Learned Dr. Cotton Mather,
who deceas'd on Tuesday the 13th Instant, to the great Loss and Sorrow of this Town and
Country, were very honourably interred. His Reverend Colleague in deep Mourning, with the
Brethren cf the Church, walking in a Body before the Corpse. The six first Ministers of the
Boston Lecture supported the Pall. Several Gentlemen of the bereaved Flock took their turns
to bear the Coffin. After which followed, first the bereaved Relatives in Mourning; then
his Honour the Lieutenant Governour, the Honourable His Majesty's Council, and House of
Representatives ; and then a large Train of Ministers, Justices, Merchants, Scholars and other
principal Inhabitants, both Men and Women. The Streets were crouded with People, and
the Windows fill'd with 3orrowful Spectators, all the way to the Burying Place : where the
Corpse was deposited in a Tomb belonging to the worthy Family." [On Copp'a Hill, at
the north end of the town.]

On the Mather Tomb are the following inscriptions:

THE REVEREND DOCTORS

I^rc R EA s E, coTTOfr, jijvd s^muel mother

WEBE INTERRED IN THIS VAULT.

'TIS THE TOMB OP OUR FATHERS.

I. DIED AUG't a-lh, 1723, A\ 81.
0. DIED FEB. 13ih, 17.J7, /K. (iS.
S, DIED JUNE S7lh. 1785. A). 79.

MEMOIR OF COTTON MATHER.

XXXV

1 who lias

fortunes of
their char-

they have
lorial after

living, his
h, than has
fficient rea-
bted proofs
cted falsely

bad a man
it, when he

DS.

,3 taken ver-
,nd 26th of

very Reverend
Society in Lon-
irvard-Colkge;
nhaps the prin-
But besides his
7il, and singular
nguislicd merit.
Discharge of a
ood and spread
(Tui Joy, the day
lb. 12, 1662-3."

3TT0N Mather,
this Town and
arning, with the
Vlinisters of the
took their turns
tlourning; then
I, and House of
olars and other
lith People, and
lace : where the
Copp's Hill, at

Nobody will charge the Rev. Thomas Prince with insincerity in wbat
he has said of his co-labourers, and HE says, "Dr. Cotton Mather, though
born and constantly residing in this remote corner of America,* has yet
for near these forty years made so rising and great a figure in the learned
world, as has attracted to him, while alive, the eyes of many at the furthest
distance; and now deceased, can't but raise a very general wish to see the
series, and more especially the domestic part of so distinguished a lifo
exhibited. His printed writings, so full of piety and various erudition, his
vast correspondence, and the continual reports of travellers who had con-
versed with him, had spread his reputation into other countries. And
when, about fourteen years ago, I travelled abroad, I could not but admire
to what extent his fame had reached, and how inquisitive were gentlemen
of letters to hear and know of the most particular and lively manner, both
of his private conversation and public performances among us."

Dr. Colman speaks in the highest terms of Dr. Mather, in his Funeral
Sermon. "His printed works," he says, "will not convey to posterity,
nor give to strangers a just idea of the real worth and great learning of
the man." To this, and a great deal more equally commendatory, Mr.
Prince subscribes in these words: "Ever\' one who intimately knew the
Doctor will readily assent to this description."

It would be difficult, perhaps, to produce an example of industry equal
to that of Dr. Cotton Mather. In one year, it is said, he kept sixty fasts
and twenty vigils, and published fourteen books — all this besides perform-
ing his ministerial duties; which duties in those days were something more
than nominal. He kept a diary, which has been extensively used by some

* This and similar expressions are very common in the New England writers of that day.
They seem peculiarly odd in our times, but by another hundred and fifty years they may bo
viewed as something more than odd. Having a few others at hand, I will throw them in
here as curiosities of those days :

In these goings down of the sun; Dr. I. Mather, Brief Hist.,i>. 1. Prince, Pref. to
Torrey's Election Ser7non.
Remote American parts of the Earth; id. (I. Mather) Praise out of the mouth of Babes.
This remote Corner of the Earth ; id. Elect. Sermon.
These dark Territories ; id. Cases of Conscience concerning Witchcraft, 45.
These Ends of the Earth; id. Pref. to Limng's Ser. at Lexington, (1718.)
These Dark Corners of the Earth ; id. Prevalency of Prayer, p. 5.
In these Ends of the Earth ; Prince, Pref. N. Eng. Psalm Bonk. *-

A desart Wilderness, thousands of leagues by sea; Johnson Wand. Work Prow
In this Howling Desart; id.

Beyond a dreadful and terrible Ocean 900 leagues in length ; id.
This far remote and vast Wilderness; id.
This Western End of the World; id.

Here I will close the extracts — not, however, for want of others. I am also aware that
modern writers sometimes use similar expressions, when speaking of this country. Several
instances occur in Trumbull's McFingal.

XXXV 1

MEMOIR OF COTTON MATHER.

■'■,1

of his bographers, but it was not sought after on this occasion, as it is said to
be scattered in different places 1 How this happened the writer has not been
informed. Notwithstanding he published so many works, he le^ nearly
tts much unpublished in manuscript; the principal part of whicn is enti-
tled, "Biblia Americana," or "The Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New
Testament Illustrated." For the publication of this work proposals were
issued soon after its author died, but nothing further seems to have been
done about it. Of the "Biblia Americana," the Doctor's son remarks,
"27ia< is awork, the writing of which is enough constantly to employ a
man, unless he be a miracle of diligence, the half of the three-score years
and ten, the sum of years allowed to us."

It remains now to mention the book by which Dr. Mather is best known,
the work for which this memoir is prepared, and which will make his
name prominent through all coming time — the reader's mind is already in
advanceof thepen— thei£4(?iV.4iZ4 CHRTSTI AMERICANA. This
was printed in London, in 1702, in a moderate sized folio volume, in double
column, the aggregate of its pages being seven hundred and ninety-four.
It is chiefly a collection of what the author had before printed on histor-
ical and biographical subjects. The value of its contents has been variously
estimated. Some decrying it below any value, while others pronounce it
" the only classic ever written in America." At the hazard of incurring
the charge of stupidity, it is the decided opinion of the writer, that it has a
value between those extremes. But the writer has sufficiently expressed'his
mind on the value of the author's works before. There have been two
editions of the " Magnalia " before the present ; the last was printed at
Hartford, in two volumes, octavo, 1820. Unfortunately, this edition was
printed from a copy of that in folio, which had not the errata, and conse-
quently abounds with all the errors contained in the original edition. To
those who do not understand the matter, this printing an edition of the
^^ Magnalia" without correcting its errata, may seem to incur for the pub-
lisher severe reprehension. But the truth appears to be, that the copy
used in printing the new edition had not the complete errata attached to
it; and that, in fact, but very few copies of the original edition can be
found to which it is attached. Now, its rarity is accounted for in this way :
Dr. Mather, living in Boston while his work was printing in London, could
make no corrections while it was passing through the press ; but when he
received his copies afterwards, he found so many errors, that ho was indueod
to print an extra sheet of corrections. This extra sheet may not have been
Btruck off until most of the copies of the Ma <nalia which had been sent
to New England were distributed; and thus the rare occurrence of copies
of the Magnalia containing the errata is accounted for ; and V ence the pub-
lisher of the last edition should not be too severely c? isured. That this
solution is correct, it might be mentioned, that out of a great many copies
of the folio edition imported by the writer and others from Englanl, not oiiO

MEMOIR OF COTTON MATHER.

xxxvn

.s it is said to
has not been
le^ nearly
hicn is enti-
Hd and New
jposals were
o have been
an remarks,
to employ a
3-score years

best known,

ill make his

is already in

ANA. This

le, in double

ninety-four.

id on histor-

sen variously

pronounce it

of incurring

that it has a

6xpressed"his

re been two

printed at

edition was

and conse-

dition. To

ition of the

or the pub-

at the copy

attached to

tion can be

in this way :

ndon, could

)ut when he

kvas induced

)t have been

d been sent

3e of copies

ice the pub-

That this

nany copies

in.l, not one

of them contained the errata in question. The edition now given to the 2>uh-
lie, has the advantage of being corrected by Dr. Maiher'a own errata.

On the last page of the folio edition of the Magnalia, the following are the
three concluding lines : — " Errata. Reader, Carthagenia was of the mind,
that unto those thee things which the ancients held impossible, there should
be added this fourth, to find a book printed without erratas. It seems the
hands of Briareus, and the eyes of Argus will not prevent them," And the
additional errata, of which mention has just been made, the author thus pre-
faces: "The Holy Bible itself, in some of its editions, hath been aftronted
with scandalous errors of the press-work; and in one of them, they so
printed those words. Psalms 119, 161, ^Printers have persecuted we," &c.

In the book which, before all others, should be found full and ample
materials for a genealogy of Dr. Mather's own family, a very meagre and
unsatisfactory account only is to be seen; yet, as deficient and meagre as
it is, it is of great importance, as containing nothing upon the subject but
what the author himself knew. That work is entitled, "The Life of thk
VERY Reverend and Learned Cotton Mather, D. D., and F. R. S.," &c.,
by his son Samuel Mather, M. A., published the next year after the death
of the author's father. The sum of what this book contains on our imme-
diate subject, is here condensed into a paragraph, as follows:

After informing the reader that his father was born on "Thursday, Feb.
12, 1662-3, at Boston, in New England," he continues, "I have no great
disposition to enquire into the remote antiquities of his family ; nor, indeed,
is it matter of much consequence 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 ue?-/."*
"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. His education was
at the free school in Boston, under the care, first, of Mr. Benjamin Thomp-
son, a man of great learning, last, under the famous Mr. Ezekiel Cheever."
At the age of sixteen he graduated, and when eighteen years and one-half,
received the degree of M. A., from the hands of his own father. Dr. In-
crease Mather, who was then President of Harvard College. At the age
of twenty-four he was married, and in 1702 his wife died. In somewhat
less than a year he married again, "one of good sense, and blessed, with a
complete discretion, with a very handsome, engaging countenance; and

* This is exnct'ly as we find it, and it is not deemed necessary to reduce it to more intelli-
gible heraldic language. We would remark, in this connection, that the above description of
the Arms of Mather has scarcely any thing in common with a coat of arms given in u
" Mather Genealogy," published by Mr. John Mather, of the Connecticut branch of the family,
in 1848, The author of that work has not committed himself by giving a description of
the Arms he has published. To it we have been indebted, to some extent, especially in
the later generations of the Connecticut Mathers.

::::vxviu

MEMOIR OF COTTON MATIIEE.

one honorably descended and related, 'twas Mrs. Elizabeth Hubbard,
who was the daughter of Dr. John ClaRK, who had been a widow four
years. He rejoiced in her as havhuj great spoilt By his third wife he had
no issue. "By the two former wives he had fifteen children, 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 woman's estate. By his second, two
children only lived to grow up out of six."

Such is the account of the children of Cotton Mather by one of those
children; and although there were yz/teen, from his account the names of
jive only are learned; nor have we been able, fron. all other sources, to
make out the names of but thirteen.

It is said in the "Mather Genealogy," mentioned in the note, that a
daughter of Dr. Cotton Mather, named Jenisha, married a Smith of Suffiold,
Ct., and that she was the grandmother of John Cotton Smith, late Gov-
ernor of that State; oi^ the authority of Governor Smith himself. This
must be an error, if our account of the children be correct, because it is
shown that the daughter named Jerusha, died at the age of two and a half
years, in the year 1713. Mr. Smith says his grand-mother died in Sharon,
Ct, in 1784, in her ninetieth year; hence she was born in 1693-4. Now,
Cotton Mather's daughter Abigail was born in 1694 ; therefore it is plain,
we think, that Jerusha Mather, who "married a Smith of Sufiield," was
not a daughter of Cotton, but perhaps a daughter of Atherton Mather,
who lived in Suffield, and had a daughter Jerusha. Cotton and Atherton
were own cousins, and a daughter of the latter would be very likely to
name a son after so distinguished a kinsman as Dr. Mather; for Governor
Smith's father was named Cotton Mather Smith.

Few ministers preached a greater number of Funeral Sermons than Dr.
Mather ; and when he died, his cotemporaries seemed to have vied with
each other in performing the same office for him. Several of their
sermons were printed. Some of these with thei. quaint titles are now
before us. Foremost among them appears that of the excellent Mr.
Prince; he entitled his "The Departure of Elijah lamented. — A Ser-
mon occasioned by the Great and Publick loss in the Decease of the very
Keverfnd ,"id Learned COTTON MATHEE, D. D., F. E. S., and Senior
Pasior of the North Church in Boston. Who left this Life on Feb. 13th,
1727, 8. The morning after he finished the LXV. year of his Age." —
From 2 Kinj^s ii. 12, 13. The imprint of this Sermon is, "Boston in New
England: Printed for D. Henchman, near the Brick Meeting-House in
Cornhill. MDCCXXVIIL"

The running title of Dr. Colman's Sermon on the same occasion is, " The
Holy Wnlk and Glorious Translation of Blessed ENOCH." His text was
Gen. V. 24. It would be difficult to find any thing of the kind, either
before or since, which, in our judgment, is superior to this discourse of

Uv.

MEMOIR OF COTTON MATHER.

XXXIX

I Hubbard,

. widow four

I wife he had

only two of

er, a son by

children, of

second, two

one of those
he names of
r sources, to

note, that a
lofSufficld,
H, late Gov-
nself. This
because it is
3 and a half
1 in Sharon,
3-4. Now,
5 it is plain,
iffield," was
Ion Mather,
d Atherton
y likely to
r Governor

ns than Dr.

vied with
il of their
!s are now
client Mr.
i— A Ser-

the very
and Senior

Feb. 13th,
s Age." —
ON in New
•House in

lis, "The
s text was
nd, either
course of

Dr. Colnian; but, valuable as it is, we cannot introduce extracts from it
here. His allusion, however, to the then past and present state of things
connected with his subject, is so happy that we cannot overlook it.

"Dr. Mather's brethren in the Ministry here," he says, "are bereaved
and weak with him. God has taken their father, as well as his, from their
heads this day. He was a Pastor in the town when the eldest of the
present Pastors were but children, and long before most of them were
born. They are weak indeed when he that is nov speaking to them is
the Jirst in years among them, in all respects else the least," &c.

The Rev. Joshua Gee,* colleague with Dr. Mather, also preached a
Funeral Sermon on his departed friend, entitled, "Israel's Moitrning for
Aaron's Death." In this discourse there is the following important note:
" Withi 1 a few months past, we have been called to lament the deaths of
•two such aged servants of the Lord. The Rev. Mr. Samuel Danforth of
Taunton, who died Nov. 14. And my honored father-in-law, the Mr. Peter
Thatcher of Milton, who died Dec. 17, 1727: while the days of mourning
were scarce over in this town for my dearly beloved friend and brother,
the Rev. Mr. William Waldron^ who died Sept. 11, 1727."

Dr. Mather's son, "Samuel Mather, M. A., and Chaplain at Castle
William," also preached a Funeral Sermon on his father's death. "The
Departure and Character of Elijah considered and improved," was its
running title. Only about five years before, the deceased preached a ser-
mon on the death of his father, in the title-page of which, instead of the
author's name, we read, " By one who, as a son with a father, served with
him in the Gospel."f

There were other discourses on the occasion of Dr. Mather's death, but
they are not within our reach; and if they were, we have not room even
for their titles.

Dr. Mather died intestate, and the order of the Judge of Probate for
the distribution of his estate is as follows: — "One third to his widow,
Lydia Mather; two single shares or fourth parts to Samuel Mather, Clerk,
only surviving son, and one share each to the rest of his children, viz:
Abigail Willard, deceased, wife of Daniel Willard, also deceased, their
chiMren and legal representatives, and Hannah Mather, Spinster." Dated,
25th May, 1730.

The following items, illustrative of the history of the Mather family, are
thought to be of sufficient interest to claim an insertion here: "Peter Hix

* Who was Joshua Gee, who in 1731 published a third edition of "The Trade and Nav-
igation of Great Britain Considered," &c.? In this work there is much relative to the
" American Plantations."

t Whoever desircH to be further informed respecting the life and character of Dr. Cotton
Mather, cannot do better, in our opinion, than to read Dr. Eliot's notice of him in liis New
Eng. Biographical Dictionary. For neatness, truthfulness, and elegance, it is nothing short
of the superlative degree. The article in Dr. Allen's Amer. Biog. Diet, is also a good and
caiulid one. Of the more recent and laboured lives of our subject, we have not room to speak.

MEMOIR OF COTTON MATHER.

V i'

t S

I . I.

of Dorchester and Sarah his wife, appointed guardians to Katherine Mather,
aged about five years, daughter of Joseph Mather, yeoman, late of Dor-
chester, deceased. Dated 9 May, 1696.— -Suffolk Wills, vol. XIII. 299."

"Petition of Samuel Mather of Boston, Clerk, praying the consideration
of the court for the eminent and signal services of his venerable and hon-
ored grand-father, with another petition of sundry others of the descend-
ants of the petitioner's grand-father." — Jour. H. R. 20 Dec, 1738. On
the 29th Dec. following, "The committee reported that, considering the
Rev. Dr. Increase Mather not only served his particular church faithfully,
and the college as their President with honor, but the province as an agent
in procuring the present charter, to the good acceptance of his country ;
and that his son, the Rev. Dr. Cotton Mather, and grand-son, the petitioner,
his successor in the same church and ministry, have not behaved them-
selves unworthy of such an ancestor, and have never had one foot of land
granted to either of them, as we can learn, are therefore of opinion, that,
notwithstanding the gratification of £200 given him, as is alleged, it may
be proper for this court to grant a farm of 500 acres, to the lieirs of the
said Dr. Increase Mather, and report accordingly." — ib.

The following year there is this entry upon the Journal: — "Petition of
the Rev. Mr. Samuel Mather, praying as entered the 12th and 20th of Dec.
last, and a petition of Maria Fifield, Elizabeth Byles, and others, heirs of
Dr. Increase Mather, praying the consideration of the court on account of
their father's public services." — ib. 22 June, 1739.

In 1730, a petition of Richard Mather and sundry other inhabitants
of Suffield and Enfield was presented to the General Court of Massachu-
setts, praying for a tract of land on " Houssatunnic river," for a township.
— 16, 1730.

" Atherton Mather of Windsor, Ct., appointed administrator on the estate
of his sister Katherine, late of Windsor, deceased, intestate, spinster, 14
July, 1694. Inventory presented by Atherton Mather, 19 July, 1694. Real
estate in Dorchester to be divided between the tv/o surviving brothers and
the children of her deceased brethren, by her brother Atherton Mather;
his eldest brother, Samuel, having refused the trust." — Saff. Wills, vol.
XIII. 288.

"We hear from Halifax, that Dr. Thomas Mather lately died there of
a fever. He was a son of the Rev. Samuel Mather of this town, and sur-
geon of the Provincial Regiment in Nova Scotia." — Bast. Ev. Post, 20th
Dec, 1762.

The Portrait of which ours accompanying this volume was engraved is a
beautiful mezzotinto, half size, with the following inscription underneath it:

in
ni

ai
br
nc
tl

" Cottonus Matherus S. Theologiee Doctor Regise Societutis Londinensis Socius, et Eeelcsije
apud Bostonum Nov-Anglorum miper Propositus.

iEtatis Suaj LXV. MDCCXXVII.

P. Pelham ad vivum pinxit ab Origin Fecit."

MEMOIR OF COTTON MATHER.

xli

therine Mather,
.n, late of Dor-
. XIII. 299."
e consideration
irable and hon-
>f the descend-
'ec, 1738. Oil
ionsidering the
arch faithfully,
ace as an agent
jf his country;
the petitioner,
behaved them-
ne foot of land
' opinion, that,
alleged, it may
le heirs of the

—"Petition of

id 20th of Dec.

)thers, heirs of

on account of

er inhabitants

of Massachu-

or a township.

>r on the estate
e, spinster, 14
y,1694. Real
brothers and
(rton Mather;
f Wills, vol.

died there of
own, and sur-
Ev. Post, 20th

engraved is a
inderneath it:

)cius, ct Ecelesine

longr

e name of Mather has never been so conspicuous in Old as
in New England, yet there have probably always existed pei'sons of the
name in that country of good standing and respectability.* About the
commencement ol the present century, there were the Rev. William
Mather, of Dovei, and the Rev. John Mather of Beverley in Yorkshire.
Portraits of these gentlemen have been published — of the former in 1817,
and of the latter in 1823. How these persons stood related, or to what
branch of the M ther family they belonged, we are entirely uninformed,
nor have we attempted any investigations for the family in England, other
than we have indicated in this article.

It may not be improper to remark here, upon the Mather portraits, that
that of Dr. Increase Mather in "Palmer's Calamy's Nonconformist's
Memorial," is probably a fancy sketch ; as it has no resemblance whatever
to the original painting existing in Boston. There is a painting of the
Rev. Richard Mather, (father of Increase) at Worcester, of undoubted
authenticity.

The name Mather is derived from the Saxon math, to mow; mather, a
mower; as mill, miller, &c. The family, at the time of emigration to this
country, was not entitled to bear coat-armour, being yeomen, though of
good estate. A branch of the family in England has lately had a coat of
arms and crest granted them,f as follows :

Aryns. — Quarterly Argent and Gules, four scythes counterchanged.:|:
Crest. — A demi husbandman habited quarterly, Argent and Gules, cap-
ped the same, face and hands ppr., holding in the dexter band a horn Or,
in the sinister a scythe ppr — Motto (in old English) — ^HloiDt iDarilt^.

* There was an Alexander Mather, Member of Parliamant from the city of Norwich, (i
Edward VI. (1647.) — George Mather, Esq., resided near New Orleans in 1784. He resided
tlicre twenty-two years.

t The grant, according to Burke, (Heraldic Register, 32) bears date Feb. 18, 1847, and was
"To Thomj's Mather of G!yn Abbot, Co. of Flint, and formerly of Liverpool, Esq., a
miigistrate for the Co. of Flint, son .-ind heir of Thomas M. of Mount Pleasant, Liverpool;
and grand-son of Daniel Mather of Toxteth Park, to be borne by the descendants of his late
father, and his aunt, Sarah Mather of Toxteth Park, spinster, only surviving siater of his
late fiither." Ellis Mather was (says the foresaid author) the first settlor in Toxteth, de-
scended from a family long seated in the parish of Radcliife and its neighbourhood. They
held Toxteth Park from the time of Elizabeth till recently.

X Itesearchcs of H. G. Somerby, Esq., in England, communicated to the author.

BOSTON, January, 1854.

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1 1 i

AN ATTESTATION

TO THU

CHURCH-HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

•I

It hath been deservedly esteemed one ot the great and wonderful works of God in this
last age, thut the Lord stirred up the spirits of so many thousands of hia servants, to leave
the pkasanl land of England, the land of their nativity, and to transport themselves, and
families, over the ocean sea, into a desert land in America, at the distance of a thousaiid
leagues from their own country ; and tiiis, mcerly on the account of pure and undefikd
Religion, not knowing how they should have thoir daily bread, but trusting in God for that,
in the way of seeking first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof: And thot the
Lord Wiis pleased to grunt such a gracious presence of his with them, and such a blessing
upc n their undertakings, that within a few years a wilderness was subdued before them, and
HO many Colonies planted. Towns erected, and Churches settled, wherein the true and living
God in Christ Jesus, is worshipped and served, in a place where, time out of mind, hod been
nothing before but Heathenism, Idolatry, and Devil-worship ; and that the Lord has added
80 many of the blessings of Heaven and earth for the comfortable subsistence of his people
in these ends of the earth. Surely of this work, and of this time, it shall be said, what hath
God wrought J And, this is the Lord's doings, it is marvellous in our c^s .' Even so (O Lord)
didst thtm kad thy people, to make thyself a glorious name ! ' Now, one generation passeth away,
and another cometh. The first generation of our fathers, that begun this plantation of New-
England, most of them in their middle age, and many of them in their declining years, who,
after they had served the wUl of God, in laying the foundation (as we hope) of many genera-
tions, and given an example of true reformed Religion in the faith and order of the gospel,
according to their best light from the uiords of God, they are now gathered unto their fathers.
There hath been another generation succeeding the first, either of such as come over with
their parents very young, or were born in the country, and these have had the managing of
the publick affairs for many years, but are apparently passing away, as their fathers before
them. There is also a third generation, who are grown up, and begin to stand thick upon
the stage of action, at this day, and these were all born in the country, and may call New-
England tiieir native land. Now, in respect of what the Lord hath dr ne for these genera-
tions, succeeding -iie another, we have aboundant cause of Tlianksgi''".^ to the Lord our
God, who hath so increased and blessed this people, that from a day of small things, ho has
brought us to be, what we now are. We may set up an Ebenezer, and say, " Hitherto the
Lord hath helped us." Yet in respect of our prcsen/ state, we have need earnestly to pray,
as we are directed, "Let thy work further appear unto thy servants, and let thy beauty be
upon us, and thy glory upon our children; establish thou the works of these our hands;
yea, the works of our liands, establisli thou them."

AN ATTESTATION TO THIS cnURCII-IIISTORV, ETC.

V \

For, if wc look on the iark siik, the humnrui tuh of tliU work, Ihoro in mucli of himan$
weaknenf, und hnperfiriiim hath nppt'iiri'd hi nil thut hftth been done by man, lui wiw ackiiowU
edged by our futhtrs buforo us. Neither was New-England ever without some fatherly
chaxlisemenls from CJod; Hhewing that He in not fond of the formaliliet of any people upon
earth, but expects the reaUlks of jrractical Gadtirmss, according to our proteMnion und
engagement unto him. Much more may we, the children of such fnlherf, lament our grad-
uat defreneracy from that life and j^twer of Godliness, that was in them, und tho many
proiokinfT etils that uro amongst us; whieh have moved our God severely to witness against
us, mon* than in our ,/frs/ times, by his lesser judfrments going before, and his greater judg'
menls following after; ho shot off his warning-pieces first, but his murthering-picres have
come after them, in so much ns in these calamitous times, tho changes of wars of Europe
have had such a malignant intlueneo upon us in America, thut wo are nt this day greatly
diminished ami brought loic, through trppression, affliction, and sorrow.

And yi't if wo look on tlio light side, the divine, side of this work, wo may yet see, that
theg^/ory of God which was with oar fathers, is not wholly departed from us tlieir children;
there are as yet many signs of his gracious presence with us, both in the wuy of his provi-
dences, and in the use of his ordinances, as also in and with the hearts and souls of n
considerable number of his people in New-England, that wo may yet say, as they did,
''Thy name is upon us, and thou art in the midst of us; therefore, Lord, leave us not!" As
Solomon prayed, so may we, "The Lord our God bo with us, us he was with our fathers;
let him not leave nor forsake us ; but incline our hearts to keep his commandments." And
then " that he would niainktin his own, and his people's cause, at all times, as the matter
may require."

For the Ijord our God hath in his infinite wisdom, grace, and holiness, contrived nnd
established His covenant, so ns he will bo the God of his people nnd of their seed witii them,
nnd after them, in their generations ; and in the ministerial dispensation of the covenant of
grace, in, with, iind to his visible Church. He hath promised covervtnl-mercies on the
condition oi covenant-duties: "If my people, who ore called by my name, shall humble them-
selves, and pray, nnd seek my face, und turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear their
prayers, forgive their sins, and heal their land; nnd mine eyes, nnd mine heart, shall bo upon
them perpetually for good!" that so tho faithfulness of God may appear in all generations
for ever, that if tliere be any breach be tween tlie Lord and Ids people, it shall nppcar plainly
to lye on his people's part And therefore he has taken care, that his own dealings with his
people in the course of his providetux, and their dealings with him in the ways of obedience
or disobedience, should be recorded, and so transmitted for tho use and benefit of after-
times, from generation to generation; as, (Exodus xvii. 14,) "Tho Lord said unto Moses,
iprite this for a memorial in a book;^^ and, (Deut. xxxi. 19,) "Write ye this song for you, that
it may be a witness for me ag-ainst the children of Israel;" and (Psa. cii. 18,) "This and that
shall be written for the generation to come, and the people that shall be created shall praise
tho Lord." Upon this ground it was said, (in Psal. xliv. 1,) "Wo have heard with our ears,
O God, and our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their dnys in times of old, how
thou easiest out tho Heathen, and pinntedst them ;" (so likewise in Psal. Ixxviii. v. 3 to tho
8th). Upon the same necount it may be SJiid, (Psal. xlv. last,) "I will make thy name to bo
remembered to nil generations:" and tliis is one reason why the Lord commanded so great
n part of tho Holy Scriptures to be written in an historical way, that tho wonderful works
of God towards his church and people, and their acting towards him again, might be known
unto all generations: nnd after tho scripture-time, so far as the Lord in his holy wisdom hath
seen meet, he hatli stirred up some or other to write the acts ami monuments of the church of
God in all ages ; especially since the reformation of religion from antichristian darkness, w;i8
vigorously, and in n great measure successfully, endeavoured in the foregoing century, by
such learned and pious persons as tho Lord inclined and inabled thereunto.

And therefore surely it hath been a duty incumbent upon tho people of God, in this our

■I

nuch of humane

iiH wiiN ni-ktiowU

t BoiTKi fatherly

my |wii|)li' upon

profV'HHiori und

iinuMit our firad-

und tliu ninny

w itnoHH nffiiiuHt

is greater Judff'

rinff'pircps Imvo

wurs of Kuropo

this day greatlif

iny yet see, that
tliuir children;
-uy of his provi'
and souls of n
ny, lis they did,
vo us not!" As
ith our fathers;
idments." And
S as tile matter

i, contrived nnd
sepj with them,
tlie cnienanl of
•mercies on tlio
1 humble thein«
will I hear their
rt, shall bo upon
all generations
1 appear plainly
eatings with his
ays of obedience
benefit of after-
lid unto Moses,
ng for you, that
" This and that
ited shall praise
i with our ears,
mes of old, how
xviii. V. 3 to the
thy name to bo
landed so great
onderful works
night bo known
>lij wisdom hath
if the church of
n darkness, w;is
ing century, by

3od, in this our

AN ATTESTATION TO THIS '." URCH-HIBTORY, ETC.

New-Eiiglund, that there should bo extant, a true history of the wonderful worke of God in
the late plantation of this part of America: which wm Indeed planted, not on tin account
of any mirUlly inlerett, but on a design of enjoying and advancing the true rrformed rfligiitn,
hi A practical way; and also of the good hand of God upon it from the beginning unto tliis
day, in granting such a mom o of if nod success, »o for oa we have ottained: luch a woik as
this hath been much desir .' ^ . ng ex/iectet/, both at homo and abroad, and too long
delayed by us, and fornetl" t hath seemed a hopeless thing over to b<i attained, till (Jod
raised up the spirit o.' t ii<i leu.-ned and pious person, one of the sons of the eolkdge, and
one of the minister </f the thira generation, to undertake this work. His leornlng and
Godliness, and minii^erial abilities, v "to so conspicuous, that at the ago of Hventeen years,
he was called to bo a publick preacher in Boston, the metropolis of the whole Englisli
America; and within a while after that, ho was ordained pastor of the same church, when of
his own father was the teacher, and this iit the unanirrious desire of the people, and with tiio
approbation of the magistrates, ministers, and chmches, in the vicinity of Boston, And
after he had, for divers years, approved himself in an exemplary way, and obliged his
TMtive country, by publishing many usei\il treatises, suitable to the present stale of Keligion
amongst us, he set himself to write the church-history of New-England, not at all omitting
his ministerial employments; and in the midst of many difficulties, tears, and temptations,
having made a diligent search, collecting of proper materials, and selecting the choicest
memorials, ho hath, in the issue, within a few months, contrived, composed, and methodized
the same into this form and frame which we hero see: so that it deserves the numu of.
The Church-History of New-Enoland.

But as I behold this exemplary son of New-England, while thus young and tender, at Much
A rate building the Temple of God, and in a few months dispatching such a piece of Temple-
work as this is; a work so notably adjusted and adorned, it brings to mind the epigram upon
young Borellus:

" Ctim juveni tantam dedit experientia lueetn,
Tale ut promat opus, quam dabit ilia sent ?"* ^

As for my self, having been, by the mercy of God, now obove sixty-eight years in New-
England, and served the Lord and his people in my weak measure, sixty years in the ministry
of the gospel, I may now say, in my old age, / have seen all that the Lord hath done for his
people in New-f!ngland, and have known the beginning and progress of these churches unto
this day ; and having rend over much of this history, I cannot but in the love and fear of God
bear witness to the truth of it; viz: That this present church-history of New-England, com-
piled by Mr. Cotton Mather, for the substance, end, and scope of it, is, as far as I have been
acquainted therewithal!, according to truth.

The manifold advantage and usefulness of this present history, will appear, if wo consider
the great and good ends unto which it may be serviceable; as.

First, That a plain scriptural duty of recording the works of Gcd unto after-times, may
not any longer be omitted, but performed in the best manner we can.

Secondly, That by the manifestation of the truth of things, as they have been and are
amongst us, the misrepresentations of New-England may be removed and prevented ; for.
Rectum est sui el obliqui Index.f

Thirdly, That the true original and design of this plantation may not be lost, nor buried
in o&2ivio7t, but known and remembered for ever, [Psal. cxl. 4: "He hath made his wondeifur
works to bo remembered." Psal. cv. 6: "Remember ye the marvellous works whicli he
hath done."]

* IfonhisyoKt* Isahediuch light I How will hii genius, now so bright.

As liindles this Immortal page, | Glow in the broader beam of agt I

t This geometrical maxim, if we lay aside the metaphor, may be thus rendered: « Truth aerres the twofold
purpose of attesting it* own character and of exposing fidsehood."

AN ATTESTATION TO THIS CHURCII-IUSTOEY, ETC.

' i\

Fourthly. Thut God may have tho glory of the great and good works which ho hath dune
for his people in these ends of the earth, [As in Isaiah Ixiii. 7: "I will mention the loving
kindness of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all the great goodness and
mercy he has bestowed on us."]

Fifthly, That the Tuimes of such eminent persons as the Lord made use of, as instrumeTils
in his hand, for the beginning and carrying on of this work, may be embalmed, and pro>
served, for the knowledge and imitation of posterity; for the memory of the just is blessed.

Sixthly, That the present generation may remember the way wherein the Lord hath led
his people in this wilderness, for so many years past;, unto this day; [according to that iu
Dcut viii. 2: "Thou shalt remember all the way wherein the Lord hath led thee in the wiU
derness this forty years, to humble thee, and to prove thee, and to know whut was in thy
heart, whether thou wouldst keep his commandments or no."] All considering persons
cannot but observe, that our wi/tfemess-condition hath been full of humblir^, trying, dis-
tressir^ providences. We have hod our Massahs and Meribahs; and few of our churches
but have hud some remarkable hours <f temptation passing over them, and God's end in all
has beeni^o prove us, whether, according to our profession, and his expectation, wo would
keep his commandments, or not.

Seienthly, That the generations to come in New-England, may know the God of their
fathers, and may serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind; as especially the first gen-
eration did before them ; and that they may set their hope in God, and not forget his works,
but keep his commandments. — (Psal. Ixxviii. 7.)

Eighthly, And whereas it maybe truly said, (as Jer. xxiii. 21,) "Th:it when this people
began to follow the Lord into this wilderness, they were holiness to the Lord, and he
planted them as a noble vine ;" yet if, in process of time, when they are greatly increased
and multiplied, they should so fiur degenerate, as to forget the religious design of their
fathers, and forsake the holy ways of God, (as it was said of them in Hosea iv. 7 : "As they
were increased, so they sinned against the Lord;") and so thut many evils and troubles will
befull them; then this Book may be for a untness against them; and yet through the mercy
of God, mny be also a means to reclaim them, and cause them to return again unto the Lord,
r.nd his holy ways, that he may return nguin in mercy unto them ; even unto the many thou-
sands of NeW'England.

Ninthly, That the little daughter of New-England in America, may bow down herself tij
her mother England, in Europe, presenting this memorial unto her; assuring her, that though
by some of her angry brethren she was forced to make a local secession, yet not a separation,
but hath always retained a dutiful respect to the Church of God in Enghind; and giving
some account to her, how graciously the Lord has dealt with herself in a remote widkmess,
and what she has been doing all this while; giving her thanks for all the supplies she has
received from her; and because she is yet in her minority, she craves her farther blessing
and favour us the case may require ; being glad if what is now presented to her, may be of
any use, to help forward the union and agreement of her brethren, which would be some
sutisfsiction to her for her undesired local distance from her dear England; and finally
promising all that reverence and obedience which is due to her good mother,hy virtue of the
Jiflh commandment. And,

Lastly, This present history may stand as a monument, in relation to future times, of a
fuller and better reformation of the Church of God, than it hath yet appeared in the world.
For by this Essay it may be seen, that a farther practical reformation than that which began
ot the first coming out of the d;irkness of Popery, wiis aimed at, and endeavoured by a greut
number of voluntary exiles, thitt came into a wilderness for that very end, that hence they
might be free from humane additions and inveniions in the worship of God, and might prac-
ti(!e the positive part of divine institutions, according to the word of God. How fur wc Iiuvh
nttdned this design, may be judged by this Book. But we beseech our brethren, of our
own and of other nations, to believe that we are far from thinking that we have attained a

AN ATTESTATION TO THIS CHUECH-HISTORY, ETC.

ho hath done
on the loving
goodness and

as instmmenls
Imed, and pro-
ist is bkssed.
Lord hath led
•ding to that iu
thee in the wil-
ihai wns in thy
dering persons
ingt trying, dis-
if our churches
God's end in all
atiorij wo would

'he God of their
lly the first gen-
forget his works,

;hen this people
he Lord, and he
greatly increased
5 design of their
liv. T: "Asthiy
[and troubles will
irough the mercy
lin unto the Lord,
to the many thou-

down herself to
her, that though
not a separatio^i,
and; and giving
remote widlemess,

supplies she has
;r farther blessing
to her, may he of

would be some
jland; and finally
r, by virtue of the

future times, of a
ared in the world.

that which began
tvoured by a great
J, that hence they
d, and might prac-

How far wc havB
ir brethren, of our
ve have attained a

jifrfect reformation. Oh, no! Our fathers did in their time acknowledge, there were maTiy
JpfvcU and imperfections in our way, and yet we believe they did as much as could be
expected from learned and godly men in their circumstances; and we, their successors, are
f r short of them in many respects, meeting with many difficulties which they did not; and
mimming under many rebukes from our God which they had not, and with trembling he;irts»
observing the gradttal declinings that are amongst us from the holy ways of God ; we are
forced to cry out, and say, "Lord, what Nvill become of these churches in time? And what
wilt thou do for thy great name?" • And yet, in the multitude of our thoughts and fears,
the consolalions of Qod refresh our souls, that all those that in simplicity and godly sincerity
do serve the Lord, and his people in their generation (though they should miss it in some
things) they shall deliver their own souls, they are accepted of the Lord, and their reward
is with him; and in the approaching days of a better reformation, the sincere, though weak
endeavours of the servants of God, that went before them, will be also accepted of the
saints in those times of greater light and holiness, that are to come; and when the Lord
shall make Jerusalem (or, the true Cliurch of God, and the true Christian religion) a praise
in the earth, and the joy of many generations, then the mistakes of these times will be recti-
fied ; and that which is of God in any of his churches, now in any part of the world, will
be owned and improved unto an higher degree of practical godliness, that shall continue for
many generations succeeding one another, which hitherto hath been so rare a thing to be
found in the world.

I shall now draw to a conclusion, with an observation which hath visited my thoughts: that
the Lord hath blessed the family of the Mathers, amongst us, with a singular blessing, in
that no less than ten of them, have been accepted of him, to serve the Lord and his people
in the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; of whom, as the Apostle said in another
case, though some are fallen asleep, yet the greatest part remain unto this day; I do not know
the like in our New-England, and perhaps it will be found rare to parallel the s iine in our
countries. Truly I have tiiought, it hath been a reward of grace, with respect unto the
fa'lhfulness they have expressed, in asserting, clearing, maintaining, and putting on for the
practice of thai great principle, of the propagation of Religion in these Churches, viz: The
Covenant-state, and Church-membership of the Children bum in these Churclies, together with
the Scripture-duties appertaining thereunto, and that by vertue of God's CoienarU of Grace,
established by God witli his people, and their seed with them, and after them in their gener-
ations. And this has been done espceiiilly by Mr. Richard Mather the father, and by Mr.
Imsrease Mather his son, and by l\Ir. Cotton JIather his son, the autiior of this present work.

I shall give the reader tiio satisfaction to enumerate this happy Decemvirale.

\ 1. Richard IMather, Teacher of the Church in Dorchester.

2. Samuel Mather: He was the first Fellow of Ilarvard-Colledore in C.inibrid<je in New-
I England, and the first Preacher at North-Boston, where his brother and his nephew are now

his successors. He was afterwards one of the Chaplains in Magdaicn-Colledge in Oxford;
after that, a senior Fellow of Trinity-Colledge in Dublin, and Pastor of a Church in that
city, where he died.

3. Nathaniel Mather, which succeeded his brother Samuel as Pastor of that Church
in Dublin, and is now Pastor of a Church in London.

4. Eleazar Mather : He was Pastor of the Church at Northampton in New-England, and
mucli esteemed in those parts of the country: he died when he was but thirty-two years old.

5. Increase Mather; who is known in both Englands. These four were sons of
Richard Mather.

6. Cotton Mather, the author of this history.

7. Nathaniel Mather. He died at the nineteenth year of his age; vfus a Master of
Arts; began to preach iti private. His piety and learning was beyond his years. The His.
tory of his Life and Death was written by his brother, and there have been three editions of it

Vol. I.— 2

.' i

W. "U

AN ATTESTATION TO THIS CHURCH-HISTOEY, ETC.

printed at London. He died here at Salem, and over his Grave there is written, "Tm

ASHES OF AN HARD STUDENT, A GOOD SCHOLAR, AND A GREAT CHRISTIAN."

8. Samuel Mather; he is now a publiclc preacher. These tJiree last mentioned, are the
sons of Increase Mather.

9. Samuel Mather, the son of Timothy, and grandson of Richard Mather] He is the
p-istor of a church in Windsor; a pious and prudent man ; who has been an happy instru-
ment of uniting the church and town, amongst whom there had been great divisions.

10. Warham Mather, the son of Eleazab Mather, and by his mother grandson to
the Reverend Mr. Warham, late pastor of the church in Windsor; bo '\^ now also a publick
preacher. Behold, an happy family, the gJad fight whereof may well ..ispire even an old
age past eighty with foeiry enough to add tliis:

EPIORAMMJl MATHEROS.

'f *

Nitnium Dilecte Deo, Venerande Mathere,
Gaudena tot Natos Christi numerare Mini»tro$ !
Det Deus ut talet insurgent usque Matheri,
Et Nati Nalorum, et qui Nascentur ab illis. ' '

Has inter stellaa fulgent, Cottone Mathere,
Patr^m tu sequeris vestigia semper adorans,
Phosphorus ast aliis !*

Now the Lord our God, the fuithful God, that heepeth coienara and mercy to a thousand
generations, with his people ; let him incline the heart of his people of New-England, to
keep covenant and duty towards their God, to walk in his ways, nnd keep his command-
ments, that ho may bring upon them the blessing of Abraham, the mercy and truth unto
Jacob, the sure mercies of David, the grace and peace that cometh from God the Father, and
the Lord Jesus Christ; and that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be in and with
these churches, from one generation to another, until the second coming of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christi Vnlo him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.

JOHN HIGGINSON.

Saliii, the S5lh of the flnt month, 1697.

'INSCRIPTION TO MATHEll.

"O, venerable MathcrI loved of God,
Rpjotce to see, that where thy feet have trod,
A blessed train of Christian sons are seen,
Still pressing on to be what thou hast been.
God grant that endless l>e the holy line
or those who love and do His work divine !
Thou, Cotton, shining Oom such heavenly heights.
Amid a brotherhood of kindred lights,
Follow thy sires, whom God hath guided home.

Thyself a morning-star to those who yet shHll coine."

written, "Tmt

ntioned, are the

rER? He is the
n happy instru-
iivisions.
er grandson to
V also a publick
re even an old

f to a thousand
ew-England, to
his command-
ind truth unto
the Father, and

rin and with
our Lord and

kMEN.

GINSON.

A PREFATORY POEM,

ON THAT EXCELLENT BOOK, ENTITCI.ED ,

MAGNALIA OHRISTI AMERICANA:

WEITTEN BY THE REV. ME. COTTON MATHEE,

PASTOR OF A OHDROH AT BOSTON, NEW-BNOLAHD.

TO THE CANDID READER:

Bnvcx itith huge love, of what to be possest,

I much despond, good reader, in the que>t ;

Yet help me. If at leneth it mny be said.

Who nrst the chambers of the south displayed?

Inform me. whence the tasny people came?

Who was their fathei-Japhet, Shem, or Cham?

And how they '<iraddltwl to the Antipodes,

To looli another vorld )>eyond the sensf

And when, and why, anr; where they last broke ground,

Whbt rlslcs they ran, where they first anchoring fotmd?

Tell me their patriarchs, prophets, priests, and kings?

Religion, manners, monumental things :

What charters had they?— what immunltie*?

What altars, temples, cities, colonies.

Did they erect ? Who were their public spirits ?

Where may we find the records of their merits?

*Vhat instances, what glorious displayes

" {eaven's high hand commenced in their dayes?

. !c things in black oblivion covered o'er,
,.i2 they'd ne'er been) lye with a thousand more,
A vexing thought, that makes me scarce forbear
To stamp, and wring my hands, and pluck my hair,
To think, what blessed ignorance hath done.
What fine threads learning's enemies have spun.
How well t>ook8, schools, and colledge may be spar'd,
80 men with beasts may fitly be compar'd I
Yes, how tradition leaves na in the lurch.
And who nor stay at home, nor go to church :
The light-withintnthusiasls, who let fly
Against our pen and ink divinity;
Who boldly do pretend (but who'll believe It?)
If Oenesis were lost, they could retrieve it ;
Yea, all the sacred uiril ; pray let them try
On the New World their gift of prophecy.
For all of them, the n«ie worliCs antiquities,
Smother'd In everlasting silence lies;
And its first aachims mention'd are no more
Than they that Agamemnon llv'd before.
The poor Americans are under blame,
Like them of old, that from Tel-melnh came,
Cowjectur'd once to be of Israel's seed.
But no record nppcar'd to prove the deed :
And like Habiijah's sons, that were put by
The priesthood, holy things to come not nigh,
For having lost their genealogy.
Who can past things to memory command.
Till ono with Aaron's breastplate up shall stand?
Mischiefs remediless such sloth ensue ;
God and their parents lose their honour due.
And children's children sufler on thut iicore,
Like bastards cast forlorn at any door ;
And they and others put to seek their father.
For want of such a «cri6e as Cotton Mathcr ;
Whose piety, whose pains, and pevrless pen.
Revive* NowEngloud's nigh-lost origin.

Heads of our tribes, whose corps are nnder ground,
Their names and ihmes in chronicles renown'd,
Begemm'd on golden ouches he hath set.
Past envy's teeth and time's corroding fVet:
Of Death and malice, he has brush'd off the dust.
And made a resurrection of the just :
And clear'd the land's religion of the gloss.
And copper^uts of Alexander Ross.
He hath related academic things.
And paid their first fruits to the King of kings;
And done his .9lma Mater that Just favour,
To shew sal gentium'* hath not lost its savour.
He writes like an historian and divine.
Of Churches, Synods, Faith, and Discipline.
Illustrious Providences are display'd.
Mercies and Judgments are in colours laid ;
Salvations wonderful by sea and land,
Themselves are saved by his pious hand.
The Churches' wars, nnd various enemies.
Wild salvages, and wilder sectaries.
Are notify'd for them that after rise.

This well-instructed Scribe brings neu> and ot-K
And from his mines digs richer things than gold ;
Yet Oeely gives, as fountains do their streams
Nor more than they, himself, by giving, drains.
He's all design, and by his craftier wiles
Locks fast his reader, and the time beguiles:
Whilst wit and learning move themselves aright,
Tliro' ev'ry line, and colour In our sight,
bo interweaving profit with delight ;
And civiously inlaying both together.
That he must needs find both, who looks for either.

His preaching, writing, and his pastoral dure.
Are very much, to fall to one man's share.
This added to the rest, is admirable.
And proves the author indefatigable.
Play is his toyi, and work his recreation.
And his inventions next to inspiration.
His pen wa-! taken from some 4ird of light.
Addicted to a swift and lofty fiight.
Dearly it loves art, air, and eloquence.
And hates confinement, save to truth and sense.

Allow what's known ; they who write histories,
Write many things they see with others' eyus :
Tis fair, where nought is feign'd, nor undigested,
Nor ought but what is credibly attestt'd.
The risk is his ; and seeing others do.
Why may not I speak mine opinion <(<<>?

The stuff is true, tho trimming neat ,ind spruce,
Tiie workman 's good, the work of publick use ;
Most piously design'd, a publick store.
And well deserves the public thanks, and morn.
NICHOLAS NOYF.P,
Teacher of the Church iit SiUem.
• The salt of the world.

INTRODUCTORY POEMS, ETC.

[Anignma, lie., in tha Original Edition.]

KEVERENDO DOMINO,
D. CO'XTONO MADEROi

liaill DTI JailMI, cm TITCLOI,

MAOJfALIA CHRIST! AMERlCAffA,

▲UTBORI DOCTlaallfOi AC DIl.RCTIgalMO,

Otto OgdoatioB) et bia duo Anagranimata, dot Idem,
H. NOYES.

COTTONUS MADERUS.
kviLiiX, iEST DUO SANCTORVttf.

M'tmina Sanctonini, guv» Scribi$, elara dnonim
JVaniiw Oerno 7*110 ; Firtutes I^ector eaadem
Candidm inveniet Tecum, Charitatt rtftriat.
Doctrina Ezimius Doctoa, Pietate pios^ue
7^1 bene deieribie, deteribere neicit ut alter.
Doctorum es Nutua, Domino Spirante Renatut ;
Dt bene qimsitiM gaudeto Tertiut Haret ;
Jfowun praiagit^ nee nan Anagrammata, vatet,

COTTONUS MADERUS.

ANARR iUNCTAS IJEMORTUOS.
^"^^^ISENATUS VOCTORUM.

Unctas demort'os, deeoratur iMude Senatus
Doctorum JUrrita ; fit praseim praterita atat ;
Huic ezempla patent, et poetera Progenitoret
Aiin ignorabit, patriisque auperbiet Actis ;
More, Fide, cultu, quoque patriaaare atudebit;
Oratum opua eat DomiAO, Patria nee inutile noatrm;
Orbi fruttifieat. Fcr Fertilitatia Honorem,
Scribendo Vilaa alienaa, propria aeripta eat.

CTrannlatcd exprealjr for thia Ediliml

TO THE REVEREND DOCTOR
COTTON MATHER,

TBI TICRY LIARNEB AND IKLOVED AUTHOR OF A

MoaT vacruL work, ■ntitlkd
"♦T"** Mighty Workt of Chriat in Amerien,"

TBItRle TWO aaORT POIMa AHD roVR XNAORAMa
ARE DIDICATRD BT NICBOLAa NOYEa,

COTTON MATHER.

A.>.>.»m« S^ Mtaiata of Two Saints.
*"'«™™- I'lhouarta Deacendmd of the Ltarmd.

Lot in thy name two aAiHTa' namea I behold—

Sainta whoae good deeds aro in thia book enruli'd—

Whoae virtuea candid readers can but And

Not only in thy book, but In thy mind.

Learned and pluus, with a master's eye,

Thou canst depicture learned piety.

Child op the Learned I noble is thy race,

But nobler art thou as a child of grace ;

Tliird of thy line I thy heritage receive.

And these prophetic Anagrams believe. '

COTTON MATHER.

A »■.•»».. S Thou embdimrst the Dead.
Anagrams. J^ g^^^ ^ jr„„^ yf^

Thou hast cmialmed the deadi Thy truthnil pmiRO
'Round Learmino's Senate wreathvs immortal buys.
Thy magic pen the Past the Present makes.
And we seen honoured Tor oiu- Tathers' sakes.
Nor shall our pride end here : each future age
Shall claim the honours, sparkling on thy page —
Shall still revere the founders of the State,
Their worship, faith, and virtaes imitate.
Thy God shall bless the labour of thy mind —
Thy country's boon, a treasure to mankind.
Though here thou writest others' lives, yet thine
Shall glow resplendent in each living line.

[The art of making anagrams, or constructing characteristic sentences by transposing the letters of a person's
name, was formerly one of the most papular of learned conceits. Puerile as it now seems to us, it was cultivated
by grave scholars with an enthusiasm which would have done honour to a more digniRed employment. Tlieir
success was gonenilly indifferent; and even when fortimate, they certainly plumed themselves too much upon
their ingtmiily— apparently forgettinB that endless combinotions can be made by the use of a dozen alphabetic
churaclers, and tlint all the words of the English language are composed of only tv>mtysix letters.

The first of the foregoing specimens, by "Nicholas Noyes, Teacher of the Church at Salem," will compare
favourably with its class. Out of a Lntinistic version of our author's name, (Cottoncs Madervs,) he makes
" Est duo sancforiim,"— that is, « It (the name) consists of two saints," referring to John Cotton and Richard
Mather, both heroes of this history. Little can be said in praise of his other anagrams. The third is very
unfortunate ; for the first word (as here intended to be construed) is not Latin, and the second cannot, without a
moat ui\JU8tifluble exercise of poetic liconBC, be forced into a hexameter verse.— Translator.]

CELEBERRIMI
COTTON I MATHERI,

CKtKBRATIO;

QUI HRROUM VITAS, IN SUI-IPSirS ET ILLORUM

MEMORIAM BKMPITERNAM, RSVOCAVIT.

Qho(/ patrioa Manes revoeaati a Scdihua altia,
Sylvrstres Musa grates, Matbere, rependunt,
Hitc nova Progenies, veterum aub Imagine, ectlo
Arte Tua Terram visitans, demisaa, salutat.
Grata Deo Pittas ; Qratea peraoltimua omnra ;
Semper Honoa, J^omenque Tuiim, Matbere, ma»<iH»(,

Is the bless'd Mather necromancer tum'd.

To raise his country's fathers' ashes urn'd?

F.liaha's dust, life to the dead imparts ;

This prophet, by his more familiar arts.

Unseals our heroes'' tombs, and gi'.c" them sir:

They rise, they walk, they talk, look wondrous fair;

Each of them in an orb ol light doth shine,

In liveries ot glory most divine.

When ancient names I in thy pages met,

Like gems on Aaron'a costly breast-plate set,

Methinks heaven 's open, while great aainta d(-scnnd,

To wreathe the brows by which their acts were pnnn'd,

B.THOMPtiON.

INTRODUCTOBY POEMS, EXO.

TO THE REVEREND COTTON MATHER,

ON BIS

HISTORY OF NEW. ENGL AND.

In this bard age, when men such slackneaa ahow,
To pay LoveU debts, and what to Trutk we owe,
You to Btep forth, aiid such example shew.
In paying what's to God and country due.
Deserves our thanks : mint I do fteely give ;
Tis (It that with the rai$td ones you live.

Great your attempt, no doubt some sacred spy,
That Leiger In your sacred cell did lie ;
Nnrwd your first thought^ with gentle beams of light,
And taught your hand things past to bring to sight;
Thus taught by secret sweetest influence.
You make return to God's good providence:
Recording how that mighty hand was nigh,
T.I trace out paths not known to mortal eye,
To iliusc brave men, that to this land came o'er,
Aiid plac'd them safe on the Atlantick shore ;
And liiiw the same hand did them after save.
And wy. Return, oft on the brink o' th' gravo ;

And gave them room to spread, and bless'd their nMit,
Whence, hung with (hiit, now, many branches shuuL

Such were these heroes, and their labours such.
In their Just praise, air, who can say too rouchY
Let the remotest parts of earth l>ehold,
New-England's crowns excelling Spanish gold.
Here be rare lessons set for us to read.
That offsprings are of such o goodly breed.
The dead onos here, so much alive are made.
We think them speaking fhim bless'd Eden's shaae ;
Hark I how they chock the madness of this age.
The growth of pride, fierce lust, and worldly r.ge.
They tell, we shall to clura-banks come again.
If Heaven still doth scourge us all in vain.

But, sir, upon your merits beap'd will bo.
The blessings of all those that here shall see
Vertue embalm'd ; this hand seems to put on ^

The lawrel on your brow, so Justly won.

TIMOTHY WOODBRIDGE, Jlfiattter of Hartford.

m'd,

n'd? \

licm sir:
ondroim fair;
ill lie,

ef,

late M't,
aints ilcxcend,
ctt went p«iin'd.

•HOMPbON.

AD FOLITiB LITERATCRJS ATQUE SACRARUM LITERARUM ANTISTITEX,
ANOLUiQUE AMERICANOS ANTIQCARIim CALLENTISSIMUM,

REVERENDUM DOMINUM, D. COTTONUM MATHERUM,

AFUD BOSTONENSES, V. D. H.
EPIGRAMMA.

COTTONUS MATHERUS.

An^or. — Tu tantdm Cohort <«.

Ipie, valti Tantiim, Tu, mi memorande Matbcre,
Hortit fro Chritio Milis, es ipse cobors.

[Translation of the above, made for this Edition.]

TO THAT ORACLE OF POLITE LEARNINO AND SACRED LITERATURE,
AND ACCOMPLISHED HISTORIAN OF NEW-ENOLAND,

THE REVEREND MR. COTTON MATHER,

MINISTER AT BOSTON.
AN INSCRIPTION.

COTTONMATHER.

Anaoram. — Thou art alone a hoit.

Thou, noble Matbir, though thou wouldst not boast,
In Christian warfare ART alonr a hoit.

A PINDARIC.

Art thou Heaven^s TViimpet? sure by the Archangel blown;
Tombs cruck, dead start, saints rise, nru seen and known,

And shine in coiistelliition ;
From ancient flames hero's a new Vhanii flown.
To shew the world, when Chritit returns, he 'II not return alooe.

*. DANFORTH, V. D. M., Dorttttr.

INTRODUCTORY POEMS, ETC.

TO THE LEARNED AND REVEREND MR. COHON MATHER,

ON HIS EXCELLENT MAGNALIA.

Sir;— My muse will now by chymiitry draw forth
The ipirit of your name's immortal worth.

COTTONIUS MATHERUS.
Anaor. — Tuot Tecum ornatti,*

* VVbili thus the dead in thy rare pages rise,
nine, uitA thy self, thou dost immorta/ite.
To view the odds, thy lenrned lives invite,
Twixt Eieutherian and £i<ami(«.

But all succeeding ages shall despair,

A fltting monument fur thee to rear.

Thy own rich pen (peace, silly Momus, peace I)

Bath given them a lasting writ of ease.

GRINDAL RAW80N, Pastor of Menibm.

li 1

IN JESU CHRISTI

MAGNALIA AMERICANA,

DIGESTA IN SEPTEM LIBROS,

PER MAGNUM, DOCTISSIMUMQUE VIRUM, D. COTTONUM MATHERUM,

J. CHRISTI SERVUM, ECCLESI^QUE AMERICANA BOSTONIENSIS MINISTRUM
FIUM ET DISERTISSIMUM.

Sunt Miracla Dei, sunt et Magnolia Chriati,
Qua patut Orbis, Erant ultra Oaramantas, et fndos
Mazuma, quie panels licuit cognoscore. Bed, qum
Curnis in America, procul unus-quisque vidcbit.

Vivis, ubi fertur nullum vixlsse. Videsque
MiilH homines, res multas, Incunabula mira.
Strabo sile, qui Magna refers. Vesputius autem
Prlmis scire J^ovum putuit connlibua Orbem.
Et dum Magna ducct te Orotius, unde rcpletos [que;
Esse per JImtricam, volucresque, horaineaque, Ueus-
Tumque libet, tibi scire licet JVooo viscera rerum.

NulluH erul, nisi brutus humu : i^ine lege, Deoque.
AVma dat Antiqnis, Solon^yM et Jura Lyturgus,
Hie nihil, et nullie (modu sic sibi vivere) Leges.
Jam decretu vide, ct Kegum diplumutH, curque,
Ne sibi vivat homo, nuatrorum vivere Regi est.
Pic, tot habendo Dww, legisque videndo peritos,
Centonoiique viros, ceiebres virtute, Btutumque
Quern Jfi,eis Orbis hubet ; Quantum mutatus ab illo est I

Res bona. Nee sal erit, et Rt'ge et Lege beatiim.
Posse vehi super Astra. Deuia tibi noscere, fas est.
Nil Lox, nil Holim, nil et sine M'umine JVuma,

Sit Drus ignutosque Deos fuge. Multa Poetoe
De Jove fliixeruut, JVeptumi et Marte, Diisque
Innumeritbilibus. Jlfn^ni'que Manitto pependit
Nun converaa Deo Gens Americana ; Manitto,
Quern velut Jlrtificem coiit, et ceu JVumen adorat.

E tenebris Lux est. In ubysso cernere Ccelum est,
^notunique Deum, notiim Indis, Biblia Sancta
Indica, Templa Preees Psalmos, multusqUH Ministros,
Ut Christum discunt, Indorum Idiumate JViimen
Utitur, etsese patefecit tibique lucorum.

Plura canam. Veterem Sehola sit di8])er8a per Orient,
Et tut JHhenais scutet Jlnglvs, Belga, Pc/onus,
Oermanus, Oallusgue. Hat est ^cademia nostra.
Extra Orient JVuouii Orbis babvt, quud hal)eturiii Orbe.

Dat OiMtafrri]^ IIS Domut Harvardina Cathedram
Cuilibel, et cur non daret hdis, Pruselytisque?
Trans Mare non opus est ad Patlada currere. Pallas
Hie habitat, confertque Oradus ; modo Pallada discits,
Ascendasque gradum. Quantum Sapientia confert 1
Forte novas, pluresque arles JVovus Orbis haberet.

Quutquot in Ameriea licet Jidmiranda supersint.
Singula non narro. Nee opus tibi singula narrem.
Multa fidem superant, multorum Exempla docebunt,
Plura quot Orbis habet Jfovus Jidmiranda, quot artes,
Et quot in Jlmerica degiint ubicunque Coloni.

Deque yenrfieiis quid erit tibi noscere? I usus
Sperne Diabolicus. :<unt hie Magnolia Christi,
Ne timoas Umltram. Corpus sine corpore spectrum est.

Paz rare in terris. JEltkf quasi ferrva. Bellum
Scoptra gerens. gladioaque ferox ubicunque Novorca est.
Deatruit omnia, destruil opiila, deatruit ortes.
Mara uuili cedit. Nihil exitialius armis.
Testis adest, Europa docet lacrymabile Bellum,
Uispani, Belga, Oermani, et quutquot in Orbe
Sunt Veteri, Rigidisque plagis vexuntur et armis.

Q'.ios Sectas velus Orbis habet, qiim dogmata CamisT
Primum Homo locum tenet, Enthusiasta secundum,
.Srminius tandem, Jtfenao et Spinosa sequuntur.
Quisquo incredibeies poterit digiioscere Sectas J
Nun tot cemuntur fldei discriminn, nee tot
Hiereticos nanus Orbis habet, quud et Enthea res est.

Tu dilecte Deo, cujus Bostonia gitudet
Nostra Ministeriu, sen cui tut scrlbere Libros,
Nun opus, nut labor est, et qui Magnolia Christi
JImerieana refer', Ecriptura plurima. Nonne
Dignus es, agnuacare inter Magnolia Chrisli 1

Vive Liber, tutique Orii Miraculo monstres.
Quae sunt extra Orbem. Cottone, in sa'cula vive;
Et dum Mundus erit, vivat tua Kama per Orbem.

\\ ii

HENRICUS SELIJNS, Eeclesia Mo-Eboraeefuii Minister Belgieu:
Dabax, Nio-Eboraci Americana, 16 Oct. IGin'.

INTBODUCTOBY POEMS, ETC.

», peace I)
(«.

of Mendon,

RUM,

Catbedram
'ti8que?
rrere, Pallaa
• Patlada discits,
mtia coiit'ert !
Hi haberet.
> superainU
ila narrein.

>la docebunt,

da, quot artes,

'^>luni,
I usus

Christi.

re spectnim ext.
Btllum

ueNovorcaesU

nrtes.

Bellutn,
n Orbe
et armifi.
iginataCamist

secundiiin,
luuntur.
Sectas J
ot
nthea res oat.

bro8,

Chrittt
jnn»
■isli ?
iistres,
ula viv<*;

Orbem.

Belgieut.

rrnuulation of the foregoiiig, made (br tUi Editkm.]

A P E M,

CORCEKNINO

THE MIGHTY WORKS OF JESUS CHRIST IN AMERICA,

ARRANGED IN SEVEN BOOKS,

BY THAT GREAT AND MOST LEARNED MAN, MR. COTTON MATHER,

A SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST. AND THE FIOUS AND MOST ELOQUENT MINISTER
OF A CHURCH AT BOSTON IN AMERICA.

Thb wondroiM works of God and Chriit abound,
Wherever nature reigns or man is found.
Some, linown to few, have been revealed before.
Beyond the Indies and the AfVic shore.
But what God here hath wrought, in this our age.
All shall behold, emblazoned on thy page.

Strange Is thy dwelling-place. Thy home ^ where
Twas thought no creature breathed the vital air.
Yet there a mighty future is begun.
And men and things a race of empiru run.
Btrabo! thy many marvels tell no more,
No proud discovery known in ancient lore
Can match that wondrous waif Vesputio found,
A World— MEW world— at ocean's farthest bound.

Let Grotius fancy whence, in ancient time.
Came the flrst people of this Western clime.
Whence their religion and ancestral line :—
Hathkr I a deeper, loftier theme is thine.

The rivdge race, who once were masters here.
Nor law nor God Inspired with wholesome fear:
They no Lycurgus, Numo, Solon knew.
To frame their code, and flx its sanctions too.
Self-will alone was law : but now we see
Our royal charters sent across the sea,
To teach our wills their loyal bond to own
To England's statutes and our sovereign's throne.
Luuk at our courts — our rulers, small and groat —
Our civil order and compacted State ;
See these where once the lawless savage ranged.
And then, like old iGneaa, say, " How changed 1"

'lis well. But not enough are laws and kings
To raise our souls to Heaven and heavenly things.
We must know Goo, and In his ways be taught;
Without such knowledge, men and states are nought.

The LoRi> <8 God ! The ancient poets feign
Their Pantheon of pagan guds in vain.
In vain the unconverted Indians raise
Their forest altars in Manitou's praise ;
For light shines out of darkness: the Unknown
And dreadful God the Indian calls his own.
The Indian has his Christian psalms and prayer.
His Christian temple, and his pastor there;
God speaks the Indian's language, rude and wild.
To teach Ills mercy to the forest-child.

And more!— though Science older climes befits,
And Europe swarms with academic wits,
Yet see Bcholai>tic shades these wilds adorn.
Such as the Old World may not wisely scorn.
That world we left; but Science has made known.
Out of the world, a neio world of our own :
A hemisphere, imperial yet to rise-
In Arts proficient, and in Learning wise.
Wh have a Cambridge ; where to rich and poor
Young Harvard opvs a hospitable door;

Oatcd at Nkw-Yors, 16 October, 1697.

Its liberal tests no ban of ignorance flx
On Indians or converted heretics.
For Wisdom's hall* we need not cross the sea" ;
Here Wisdom dwells, and here confers degruus;
Since Wisdom ever honours toil and pains,
And high degreet true merit always gains,
Perchance Philosophy and Science hero
Will find new secrets and a broader sphere,

I will not, need not tell our marvels o'er;
Many exceed belief, and many more
Might teach mankind how noble is the pace .
In human progress of our exile-race,

I need not speak of witchcraft: got despise
The devil's arts— his agents and his lies.
Here !s the statif^ard of the Cross unftirl'd.
And Jews' " Miohty Works " astound the world.
Scorn of the gublin horde to be afraid—
Shapea without substance, shadows of a shade.

How rare is peace! War thunders its alarms;
The Age is Iron— with the ring of arms!
War sacks great cities ; mars, with sounds of strifoi
AH social arts and every Joy of life.
Europe is drench'd in blood: War's Iron heel
And flery scourge her writhing millions feel.
The blood of Frenchmen, Dutch and Germans sluin,
Imbrues the soil of Italy and Spain ;
While banded kings the sword of slaughter wield,
And humbler thrones afford a battle-field.

Then In the Old World see how seels uphold
A war of dogmas In the Christian fold :
Lo! Rome stands flrst; Fanaticism next,
And then Arminius with polemic text ;
Then Anabaptist Menno, loading on
Spinoza, with his law-automaton.
Who shall of sects the true meridian learn T —
Their latitude and longitude discern?
We of the Western World cannot succeed
In conjuring up such difference of creed.
Or to uncovonanted grace assign
(Jo many heretics in things divine.

Beloved of God I whose ministry hath bless'd
Our Boston anvl the Churches of the West ;
Who, without Bteming toil, hast nobly wrought
Within thy breasi exhaustless mines of thought,
And hire rRRoriJest, as by God's commands,
^'■TheMghty IVorkt of Chri$t in fVenttm Land*;'"
Say, 'lost thou not THVSELi^eserve a place
Among those "Mighty Works" of Sovereign Grace?

Immortal Mather I 'tis thy page alone
To Old World minds makes New World wonders known;
And while the solid Earth shall flrm remain.
New World and Old World shall thy praise retain.
HENRY SEUINS,

Pattor of a Dutch Reformed Church at AVw- York,

•\i'

A GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

*EpO Si toCto, t^c ruv ivTBy^a/xsvcov 'wq)jXsiac Svsxa,*
Dicam hoe propter utilitatem eorum qui Leeturi aunt hoe opua. — Theodosit.*

{ 1. I WRITE the Wonders of the Christian Religion, flying from the depravations of
Europe, to the American Strand; and, assisted by the Holy Author of that Religion, I do
with all conscience of Truth, required therein by Him, who is the Truth itself, report the
wonderful displays of His infinite Power, Wisdom, Goodness, and Faithfulness, wherewith
His Divine Providence hath irnidiated an Indian Wilderness.

I relate the Considerable Matters, that produced and attended the First Settlement of
Colonies, which have been renowned for the degree of Reformation, professed and attained
by Evangelical Churches, erected in those ends of the earth; and a Field being thus pre-
pared, i proceed unto a relation of the Considerable Matters which have been acted thereupon.

I first introduce the Actors, that have in a more exemplary manner served those Colonies;
and give Remarkable Occurrences, in the exemplary Lives of many Magistrates, and of
more Ministers, who so lived as to leave unto Posterity examples worthy of everlasting
remembrance.

I add hereunto, the Notables of the only Protestant University that ever shone in that
hemisphere of the New World; with particular instances of Criolians, in our Biography,
provoking the whole world with vertuous objects of emulation.

I introduce then, the Actions of a more emii;snt importance, that have signalized those
Colonies: whether the Establishments, directed by their Synods; with a rich variety of
Synodical and Ecclesiastical Determinations; or, the Disturbances, with which they have
been from all sorts of temptations and enemies tempcstuated; and the Methods by which
they have still weathered out each horrible tempest.

And into the midst of these Actions, I interpose an entire Book, wherein there is, with
all possible veracity, a Collection made of Memorable Occurrences, and amazing Judgments
and Mercies befalling many particular persons among the people of New-England.

Let my retidcrs expect all that I have promised them, in this Bill of Fare; and it may bo
they will find themselves entertiined with yet many other passages, above and beyond their
expectation, deserving likewise a room in History : in all which, there will be nothing but
the Author's too mean way of preparing so great entertainments, to reproach the Invitation.

} 2. The reader will doubtless desire to know, what it was that

-tot Volvere casus

Inaignes Pietate Viroa, tot adire Lahorea,
Impulerit. t

And our History shall, on many fit occasions which will be therein offered, endeavour, with
all historical fidelity and simplicity, and with as little offence as may be, to satisfy him. The

• "This I Bay for the benefit of those, who moy happen to read the book."
t " Drove forth those pious heroes to withstand

Tiie sea's rough rage and rougher toU on land."— ViROit's JEntid, J. 9. {alurtd.)

1;;^^

' -''^vi^

. ■

»-^

'V,.

M^l

'i '

jt|n

^-'

'Sm

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

! 1

■urn of the mntU^r is, that from the very bcjfiiining of the Reformation in tlic English
Nation, there huth always been a gonerntion of Godly Men, desirous to purHue the Rcl'iirin.
ntion of Religion, according to the Word of Gud, nnd the Exnmplo of the hi<Ht Rctoiinod
Churvhoa; and answering the character of Good Men, given by Josephus, in \m Paniiilii.ise
on the words of Sumuel to Saul, (Aig^iv 'aXX' irga-)(dn(ts(tdat xaKug iJ*?' Jaurwv vof;.i^ovrs;,
^ 8 Ti etv «oiiiifu(ti TO? ©sou xsxiXjJjcorof. (They think. they do nothing right in tlii' Mer-
vice of God, but what they do according to the command of God.) And there huth liui-n
another generation of men, who Imve still employed the power which they liuvu gi>iii>i.:lly
still had in their hands, not only to stop the progress of the desired Reformation, but hIh i,
with innumerable vexations, to persecute those that most heartily wished well unto it.
There wore many of the Reformers, who joyned with the Reverend John Fox, in the com-
plaints which he then entred in his Martyrology, about the "baits of Popery" yet left in the
Church; and in his wishes, " God take tiiem away, or ease us from them, for God knows
they be the cause of much blindness and strife amongst men!" They zealously decreed
the policy of complying always with the ignorance and vanity of the People; and cried out
earnestly for purer Administrations in the house of God, and more conformity to the Law
of Christ ond primitive Christianity: while others would not hear of going any further than
the first Essay of Reformation. 'Tis very certain, th.it the first Reformers never intended
that what they did should lie the absolute boundary of Reformation, so that it should bu u
sin to proceed any further; as, by their own going beyond Wicklitl, and changing and grow.
ing in their own Models also, and the confessions of Cranmer, with the Scripta Anglicana
of Buccr, and a thousand other things, was abundantly demonstrated. But atler a fruitless
expectation, wherein the truest friends of the Reformation long waited for to have tii t
which Heylin himself owns to have been the design of the first Reformers, followed as it
should have been, a party very unjustly arrogating to themselves the venerable name of
The Church of England, by numberless oppressions, grievously smote those their Fellow-
Ser^-ants. Then 'twos that, as our great Owen hath expressed it, " Multitudes of pious,
peacettble Protestants, were driven, by their severities, to leave their n.itive country, ond
seek a refuge for their lives and liberties, with freedom for the worship of God, in a wilder-
ness, in the ends of the earth."

} 3. It is the History of these Protestants that is here attempted: Protestants that
highly honoured and otTected the Church of England, and humbly petition to be a part of
it: but by the mistake of a few powerful brethren, driven to seek a place for the exercise
of the Protestant Religion, according to the light of their consciences, in the desarts of
America. And in this attempt I have proposed, not only to preserve and secure the interest
of Religion in the Churches of that little country New-England, so fur as the Lord Jesus
Christ may please to bless it for that end, but also to offer unto the Churches of the
Reformation, abroad in the world, some small Memorials, that may be serviceable unto the
designs of Reformation, whereto, I believe, they are quickly to be awakened. I am far
from any such boost, concerning these Churches, that they have need of nothing; I wish their
works were more perfect before God. Indeed, that which Austin colled " the perfection of
Christians," is like to be, until the term for the anti-ehristian apostasic bo expired, " the per-
fection of Churches" too; lU agnoscant se nunquam esse perfectas.* Nevertheless, I perswade
myself, that so far as they hare attained, they have given great examples of the methods and
measures wherein an Evangelical Reformation is to be prosecuted, and of the qualifications
requisite in the instruments that are to prosecute it, and of the difficulties which may bo
most likely to obstruct it, and the most likely Directions and Remedies for those obstruc-
tions. It may be, 'tis not possible for me to do a greater service unto the Churches on the
best Island of the universe, than to give a distinct relation of those great examples which
have been occurring among Churches of exiles, that were driven out of that Island, into an
horrible wilderness, meerly for their being well-vvillers unto the Reformation. When that

* To acknowledge their imperfecUoni.

OENKUAL INTRODUCTION.

tlic English
tlio Ucl'nriii-
it Rct'oiini'il
i Parapliiimc
> vof^.iJ^ovrt;,
t in till' Hur-
; hatli liet'U
r'u goni'iMlly
m, but Ills I,
cil unto it.
ill the ciyrri'
>t K'ft ill tiiu
God knowH
usiy decTct'd
nd i-riud out
to the Law
further than
rer intended
should bu u
g and grow.
a Anglicana
it a. fruitless
o have th t
)llov\'ed as it
>lo name of
heir Fell ow-
es of pious,
;ountry, and
in a wilder-

STANTS that

)e a ]>art of

ie exercise

desarts of

the interest

Lord Jesus

ches of the

Ie unto the

I am f:ir

wish their

erfeetion of

" the per-

I pcrswade

lethods and

lalifications

lich may bo

so obstruc'

ches on the

iples which

nd, into an

When that

■■.a;

bIcMed Martyr Constantine was carried, with other Martyrs, in a dung-eart, onto the place
of execution, he pleasantly said, " Well, yet wo are a precious odour to God in Christ"
Though, the Reformed Churches in the American Rcffions have, by very injurious represent-
ationi of their brethren, (all which they desire to for|;et and forgive!) been many times
thrown into a dung-cart; yet, as they have been a "precious odour to God in Christ," so, I
hope, they will be a precious odour unto His people; and not only precinus, but useful also,
when the History of them shall come to bq considered. A Reformation of the Church is
comingf on, and I cannot but thereupon say, with the dying Cyrus to his children in Xeno-
phon, 'Ex Tuv irpoylyfvvriiu.^vwv |uiav^av«T», oIot.^ yip dpi(tTy\ iiiatfxaXia. (Learn from
the things that have been done already, for this in the best way of learning.) Tlie reader
hath here an account of the "things that have been done already." Bernard, upon that
clause in the Canticles, ["O thou fairest among women!"] has this ingenious gloss: Put-
chram, non omnimode quidem, sed pulchram inter mulieres earn docet; videlicet cum diftine-
time, quatenvs ex hoc iimpUus reprimatur, el iciat quid desit sibi.* Thus, I do not say, that
the Churches of New-fjUgland are the most re^u^ar that can be; yet I do sny, and am sure,
that they are very like unto those that were in the first oges of Christianity. And if I
assert that, in the Reformation of the Church, the state of it in thoso first Ages is to be not
a little considered, the great Peter Ramus, among others, has emboldened me. For when
the Cardinal of Lorrain, the Miccenas of that great man, was offended at him, for turning
Protestjmt, he replied: Inter Opes illaSf quibus me ditdsti, has etiam in atemum recordabor,
qiiod lieneficio Poessiaccc Responsionis tutc didici, de quindecim a Chrislo stcculis, primum
vere esse aurenm; Reliqua, quo longius abscederent, esse nequiora,atque deteriora: turn igilur
cum fieret optio, Aureum S'tculum delegi.j In short, the first Age was the golden Age: to
return unto that, will make a man a Protestant, and, I may add, a Puritan. Tis possible
that our Lord Jesus Christ carried some thousands of Reformers into the retirements of an
American desart, on purpose that, with un opportunity granted unto many of his faithful
servants, to enjoy the precious liberty of their Ministry, though in the midst of many tempU
ations all their days. He might there, to them first, and then by them, give a specimen of
many good things, which He would have His Churches elsewhere aspire and arise unto ;
and this being done, he knows not whether there be not all done, that New-England Vfan
planted for; and whether the Plantation may not, soon after this, come to nothing. Upon
that expression in the sacred Scripture, "Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness,"
it hath been imagined by some, that the Regiones exlercc I of America, are the Tenebra
exteriores, J which the unprofitable are there condemned unto. No doubt, the authors of
those Ecclesiastical impositions and severities, which drove the English Christians into the
dark regions of America, esteemed those Christians to be a very unprofitiible sort of crea-
tures. But behold, ye European Churches, there are golden Candlesticks [more than twice
seven times seven!] in the midst of this "outer darkness:" unto the upright children of
Abraham, here hath arisen light in darkness. And, let us humbly speak it, it shall be profit
able for you to consider the light which, from the midst of this "outer darkness," is now to
be darted over unto the other side of the Atlantick Ocean. But we must therewithal
ask your Prayers, that these "golden Candlesticks" may not quickly be "removed out of
their place!"

Jj 4. But whether New-England may live any where else or no, it must live in our History!

History, in general, huth had so many and mighty commendations from the pens of thoso
numberless authors, who, from Herodotus to Howel, have been the professed writers of it,

* The sncred writer calls her Mr, not in an absolute sense, but ihtr among women ; implying a distinction, in
order that hia praiiie may have due qualiflcation, and that she may apprehend her deflciencies.

t Amon^ the many Favours with which your bounty has enriched me, I shall keep one in everlasting remem>
branci— I meun the leDsim I have learned through your Reply to the Poissy Conference, that of the fifteen centuries
since Chriitt, the first wos the trtily golden era of the Church, and that the rest have been successive periods of
degeuenicy ; when therefore I bad the power of choosing between them, I preferred the golden age.

t Remote region*. | outer dorkneia.

GENERAL INTBO DUCTI05.

that a tenth part of them transcribed, would bo a furniture for r PalyarUhea in folio.* We,
that have neither liberty, nor oucnaion, to quote theao commendationa of History, will con-
tent ourselves with tht> opinion of one who was not much of a professed historian, expressed
in timt paasa((e, whereto all mniikind subscribe, Histitria ett Testis temporum, Nuntia vetui-
talis, Lux veritalis,, vita memoritc, magistra vit<r., f But of all History it must bo confessed,
that the palm is to be given unto Church History; wherein the diffnity, the suavity, and tlio
utility of the subject is transcendent. I observe, that for the descriptioi of the wliolo
world in the Boolt of Genesis, that first-born of all historians, the great Moses, implies but
one or two chapters, whereas ho implies, it mny bo seven times as many chapters, in deHcril>-
ing that one little Pavilion, the Tabernacle. And when I am thinking what mny be the
reason of this ditTerence, mothinka it intimates unto us, that tho Church wherein the service
of God is performed, is much more precious than the world, which was indeed created
for tho sake and uso of tho Church. 'Tis very certain, that the greatest entortiiinments
must needs occur in the History of tho people whom tho Son u! God hath redemied and
purified unto himself, as a peculiar people, and whom tho Spirit of God, by supernatural
operations upon their minds, does cause to live like strangers in this world, conforming
themselves unto the Truths and Rules of his Holy Word, in expectation of a Kingdom,
whereto they shall bo in another and a better World advanced. Such a people our Lord
Jesus Christ hath procured and preserved in all ages visible ; and the dispensations of his
wondrous Providence towards this People, (for, "O Lord, thou dost lift tliem up aild cast
them down!") their calamities, their deliverances, the dispositions which they have still
discovered, and tho considerable persons and actions found among them, cannot but afibrd
matters of admiration and admonition, above what any other story can pretend unto: 'tis
nothing but Atheism in the hearts of men, that can perswode tiiem otherwise. Let any
person of good sense peruse the History of Herodotus, which, liko a river taking rise where
the Sacred Records of tho Old Testament leave off, runs along smoothly and sweetly, with
relations that sometimes perhaps want an apology, down until the Grecians drive the Per-
sians before thorn. Let him then peruse Thucydides, who, from acting, betook himself to
urritijig, and carries tho ancient state of the Grecians down to the twenty-first year of the
Pcloponnesian wars, in a manner wliich Casaubon judges to be Mirandum potius quam iotj-
tandum-X Let him next revolve Xcnophon, that "Bee of Athens," who continues a narrative
of the Greek affairs from tho Pcloponnesian wars to tho battle of Mantinesi, and gives us u
Cyrus into tho bargain, at such a rate, that Lipsius reckons the character of a Suavis, Fidus
et Circumspecttis Scriptor, { to belong unto him. Let him from hence proceed unto Dio-
dorus Siculus, who, besides a rich treasure of Egyptian, Assyrian, Lybian and Grecian, and
other Antiquities, in a phrase which, according to Photius's judgment, is jj'Topia fAaXitfra
•apiviiar,, [of all most becoming an historian,] carries on the thread begun by his predeces-
sors, until the end of the hundred and nineteenth Olympiad ; and where he is defective, let
it be supplied from Arrianus, from Justin, and from Curtius, who, in the relish of Golems, is
Quoits Tnelle dulcior. \\ Let him hereupon consult Polybius, and acquaint himself with tho
birth and growth of the Roman Empire, as far as 'tis described in five of the forty books
composed by an author who, with a learned Professor of History, is Pr t(kns Scriptor, si
quis alius. IT Let him now run over tlie ttible of tlie Roman affairs, compendiously given by
iiucms Florus, and then let him consider the transactions of above three hundred years
reported by Dionysius Halicarnassaeus, who, if the censure of Bodin may be taken, Greccos
omnes et Latinos superdsse videalur.** Let him from hence pass to Lavy, of whom tho

• An anthology.

f History is Time's witnefo, tho mcssicngor of Antiquity, tho lamp of Truth, the ombodivd 8oul of Memory, the
gnide of Immiui Llt'u."— Ciciku, de Oratore, il. 9. [Slightly transpuMid, Bliuwliig that the writer quotes from
recollection.]

X Rather to he admired than imitated. ( An agreeable, faithful, and accurate writer,

I Sweeter than honey. ^ A sagacious historian, if one ever existed.

** Appears to have outdone all other Greek and the Ijittn authors.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

folio.* We,
ory, win con-
lan, cxpresBud
Nunliii tetun-
be confuHHod,
uvity, and tlio
of the wliolo
«, implies but
!ra, in di>Hcril><
it may bo the
jin the BiTvice
ndei'd created
iiitertuinmcnU
rcdot'iicd iiid
y supcrnaturiil
d, conforming
[)f n Kingdom,
ople our Lord
iisntionH of liia
in up mid cnHt
Ihcy htivc still
mot but atfurd
Lend unto: Vih
vise. Lot any
ting rise where
1 sweiitly, with
drive the Per-
ool( himMi'lf to
rst year of the
ytius quam imi-
lUcs a narrative
and gives us a
I Suavis, Fidui
L'ced unto Dio-
id Grecian, and
ropirt ixaXi(tra.
ly his predeces-
is defective, let
h of Colcrus, is
imsclf with the
the forty books
ens Scriptw, «
o\isly given by
hundred years
talien, Grcccos
of whom tho

oul of Mumory, the
itWmT quotes frum

ccurate writer,
ever existed.

fiimous critick says. Hoc mhim iriffmium ((k Ilittorieit Lnqutrr) jmpulut Romanus par hnprrxn
tun ha/iiiit,* and supply those of his Dfc.ad» that are lost, from tho bent fragments of antl-
qnitv, in others (and cHpccinlly Dion and Hallimt) tliat lead us on still further In our way.
Li't him then pr«KM'od unto tho writers of the Cesarean times, and first rcvolvo Suetonius,
then Taeitus, then Ilerodian, then a whole army more of historians which now crowd into
our Library; and unto all the rest, let him not fail of adding the incomparable IMutarrh,
whose books, they Hny, Theodore (iaza preferred before any in the world, next unto tho
inspired oracles of the liiblo : but if the number bo still too little to satisfle an historical
appetite, let him ndd I'olyhistor unto tho number, and all the Chronicles of tho following
ages. After all, ho must sensibly acknowledge that tho two short books of Reclesiastioal
History, written by the evangelist Luke, huth given us more glorious entertainments than
all theHc voluminous historians if they were put all together. Tho atchlevements of one
Paul particulorly, wliiih that evangelist hath emblazoned, have more true filory in them, than
all the nets of those execrable plunderers and murderers, and irresistible f, mditti of the
world, which have been dignified by the name of "conquerors." Tacitus courted Ingentia
belta, exfugnatinne* vrbium, fiisof captosque regex,f the r iges of war, and the glorious vio-
lences, whereof great warriors make a wretched ostentation, to be the rxihlest matter for an
historian. But there is a nobler, I humbly conceive, in the planting an 1 forming of Evan-
gelical Churelu's, and tho temptations, the corruptions, the >.fIlietionS: which assault thern,
and their salvations from those assaults, and the exemplary lives wi thoso tir i He.iveu
employs to be patterns of holiness and usefulness upon earth: and unto such ; "s, that I
now invite my readers; things, in comparison whereof, tho subjects of many * >'iic Histories
are of as little weiglit as the questions about Z, the last letter of ou»" Alphabet, and wh«tli'>v
//is to be pronounced with an aspiration, where about whole volt re : .lave boon written,
and of no more account than the composure of Didymus. But for 'ho hLinner of my treat-
ing this matter, I must now give some account unto him.

} 6. Render! I have done tiio part of an impartial historian, albeit not without nil occa.
sion perhaps, for the rule which a worthy writer, in his Ilistorica, gives to every reader,
Historici leganlur cum mixleratiove et venia, et cogitetur fieri nan posse ut in omnibus circum-
ftanlHs sint lijncei. I Polybius complains of thoso historians, who always made either the
Cartliagenians brave, or tho Romans base, or e cimtra, in all their actions, ns their affection
for their own party led them. I have endeavoured, with nil good conscience, to decline this
writing meerly for a party, or doing like tho dealer in History, whom Lucian derides, for
always calling the enptiiin of his own party an Achilles, but of the adverse party a Ther-
sites: nor have I added unto the just provocations for tho complaint made by the Baron
Maurier, that the greatest part of Histories are but so many panegyrioks composed by
iutcrested hands, which elevate iniquity to tho heav ■■■'.<*, like Paterculus, and like Maehiavel
who propose Tiberius Cesar, and Cesar Borgia, as c ..ir!:,i»lcs fit for imitation, whereas true
History would have exhibited them as horrid monsters — as very devils. 'Tis true, I am not
of the opinion that one cannot merit tho name of an impartial historian, except he write
bare matters of fact without all reflection; for I can tell where to find this given as the defi-
nition of History, Hisloria est rerum gestarum, cum laude aut vituperatinne, narratio:\ and
if I am not altogether a Tacitus, when ■irhtes or vices occur to be matters of reflection, as
well as of relation, I will, for my vindication, appeal to Tacitus himself, whom Lipsius calls
one of the prudeiitest (though Tertullian, long before, counts him one of the hjingcst) of them
who have enriched the world with History: he says, Prcccipnum munus Annalium reor, ne
virtutcs dleantur, utipte pravis Dictis, Factisque ex posteritate el Infamia metus sit. || I have

• In him alono (ho far as historlnns are concerned) the Roman people found a genius worthy of their match-
less cinpiro,

+ Orcat wars, sacked cities, kings in fliRht or chains. [every thing.

t Readers sliould exercise leniency towards historians, and bear It In mind that they cannot be infallible ia
S History is the narration ofi^reat transactions, wllh awards of praise or censure to the actors.
I I deem It to bo the hi(<host offlcu of History to blazon abroad the virtues of the race, and to hold up before
depravity, whether It be iii word or deed, the dread of eternal obloquy.— Taciti;b, Jtnnals, ill. 65.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

not commended any person, but when I have renlly judged, not only that ho deserved it, but
also that it would be u benefit unto posterity to know wherein he deserved it: and my judp-
ment of desert, hath not been biassed by persons being of my own particular judgment, in
mitters of disputation, among the Churches of God. I have been as willing to wear the
name of Simplicius Verinus, throughout my whole und(!rtaking, as he that, before me, hath
assumed it: nor am I like Pope Zachary, impatient so much as to hear of any Antipodes.
That spirit of a Sclilusselbcrgius, who falls foul with fury and reproach on all who differ
from him ; the spirit of an Heylin, who seems to count no obloquy too hard for a reformer ;
and the spirit of those (folio- writers there are, some of them, in the English nation!) whom
a noble Historian stigm.itizes, as, "Those hot-headed, passionatt! bigots, from whom, 'tis
enough, if you be of a religion contrary unto theirs, to be defamed, condemned and ]>ursued
with a thousand calumnies." I thank Heaven I hate it with all my heart. But how can the lives
of the commendable be written without commending them ? or, is that law of History, given in
one of the eminentcst pieces of antiquity we now have in our hands, wholly antiquated, Alax-
imeproprivm est Hisloricc, Laudem rerum egregie gestarum persequir* nor have I, on the other
side, forbore to mention many censurable things, even in the best of my friends, when the
things, in my opinion, were not good; or so bore away for Placcntia, in the course of our
story, as to pass by Verona; but been mindful of the direction which Poly bins gives to the
historian: "It becomes him that writes an History, sometimes to extol enemies in his praises,
when their praise worthy actions bespeak it, and at the sjime time to reprove the best friends,
when their deeds appear worthy of a reproof; in-as-mueh as History is good for nothing,
if truth (which is the very eye of the animal) be not in it." Indeed, I have thought it my
duty upon all accounts, (and if it have proceeded unto the degree of a fault, there is, it may
be, something in my temper and nature that has betniycd me therein,) to be more sparing and
easie, in thus mentioning of censurable things, than in my other liberty: a writer of Church-
History should, I know, be like the builder of the temple, one of the tribe of Naphthali ; and
for this I will also plo.id my Polybius in my excuse: "It is not the work of an historian, to
commemorate the vices and villanies of men, so much as their just, their fair, th.ir honest
actions; and the readers of History get more good by the objects of their emulation, than
of their indignation." Nor do I deny that, though I cannot approve the conduct of .Tose-
phus; (whom Jerom not unjustly nor inaptly calls "the Greek Livy,") wlu>n he left out of
his Antiquities, the story of the golden Calf, and I don't wonder to find Chamier, and Rivet,
and others, taxing him for his partiality towards his country-men; yet I have left unmen-
tioned some censurable occurrences in the story of our Colonies, .as things no less unuseful
than improper to be raised out of the grave, wherein Oblivion hath now buried them ; lest I
should have incurred the pasquil bestowed upon Pope Urban, who, employing a committi-e
to rip up the old errors of his predecessors, one clapped a pair of spurs upon the heels of
the statue of St. Peter; and a label from the stitue of St. Paul opposite thereunto, upon
the bridge, asked him, "Whither he was bound?" St. Peter answered, "I apprehend some
danger in staying here ; I fear they'll call me in question for denying my Master." And St.
Paul replied, "Nay, then I had best bo gone too, for they'll question me also for persecuting
the Christians before my conversion." Briefly, my pen shall reproach none that can give a
good word unto any good man that is not of their own faction, and shall fall out with none
but those that can agree with no body else, except tiiose of their own schism. If I draw
any sort of men with charcoal, it shall be because I remember a notable passage of the best
Queen that ever was in the world, our late Queen Mary. Monsieur Juvien, that he might
justifie the Reformation in Scotland, made a very black representation of their old Queen
Mary; for which, a certain sycophant would have incensed our Queen Mary against that
Reverend person, saying, "Is it not a shame that this man, without any consideration for
your royal person, should dare to throw such infamous calumnies upon a Queen, from
whom your Royal Highness is descended?" But that excellent Princess replied, "No, not

* It is HlBtory's truost prerogative, to praise noble achievements.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

served it, but
lid my judg-
judgment, in
to wear tho
ore mc, hath
y Antipodes.
II who differ
• a rt'forraer ;
tion!) wliom
m wliom, 'tis
and pursued
can tiic lives
tory, yiven in
luated, MaX'
, on the other
(is, when tlie
ourse of our
I gives to the
in l)is praises,
1 best friends,
for nothing,
louglit it my
lere is, it may
e sparing and
er of Chureli-
iplitlinli; and
I historian, to
thtir iionest
lulatlon, tlian
duet of Jose-
le left out of
er, and Rivet,
left unmen-
css unuseful
them ; lest I
f a committi'o
the heels of
re unto, upon
irehend some
jr." And St.
ir persecuting
\at can give a
aut with none
If I draw
fc of the best
lat he might
ir old Queen
against tliat
sideration for
Queen, from
led, " No, not

at all; is it not enough that, by fulsome praises, great persons be lulled asleep all their
lives; but must flattery accompany them to their very graves? How should they fear the
judgment of posterity, if historians be not allowed to speak the truth after their death]"
But whether I do myself commend, or whether I give my reader an opportunity to censure,
I am careful above all things to do it with truth ; and as I have considered the words of
Plato, Dcum indigne el graviter ferre, cum quis ei similem, hoc est, virtute ■prccslantem, vUu-
peret, aut laudet contrarium:* so I have had tho Ninth Commandment of a greater law-giver
than Plato, to preserve my care of Truth from first to last. If any mistake have been any
where committed, it will be found meerly circumstantial, and wholly involunlary ; and let it
be remembered, that though no historian ever merited better than the incomparable Thuanus,
yet learned men have said of his work, what they never shall truly say of ours, that it con-
tains muUa falsissima el indigna.^ I find Erasmus himself mistaking one man for two,
when writing of the ancients. And even our own English writers too are often mistaken,
and in matters of a very late importance, as Baker, and Heylin, and Fuller, (professed his-
torians) tell us that Richard Sutton, a single man, founded the Charter-House; whereas his
name was Thomas, and he was a married man. I think I can recite such mistakes, it may
be sans number occurring in the most credible writers ; yet I hope I shall commit none such.
But although I thus challenge, as my due, the character of an impartial, I doubt I may not
challenge thi.t of an elegant historian. I cannot say whetiicr the style wherein this Church-
History is written, will please the modern criticks: but if I seem to have used asXajtfTaTii)
(fbvra^st ypa:pris, ^ a simple, submiss, humble style, 'tis the same that Eusebius affirms to
have been used by Hegesippus, who, as far as we understand, was the first author (after Luke)
that ever composed an entire body of Ecclesiastical History, which he divided igto five
books, and entltuled, uiroiaviKJiara ruv ^xxXiitfiarfrixwy ffpa^fwv. § Whereas others, it
may be, will reckon the style embellished with too much of ornament, by the multiplied
references to other and former concerns, closely couched, for tlie observation of the atten-
tive, in almost every paragraph ; but I must confess, that I am of his mind who sjiid, Siculi
sal modice cibis aspersus Cundit, et gratiam saporis addil, ila si paulum antiquitatis ndmiscu-
eris, Oralio Jit lenuslior, \\ And I have seldom seen that way of writing faulted, but by
those who, for a certain odd reason, sometimes find fault that "the grapes are not ripe."
These embellishments (of which yet 1 only — Veniam pro laude peto^) are not the puerile
spoils of Polyanthca's; but I should have asserted them to be as choice^owcrs as most that
occur in ancient or modern writings, almost unavoidably putting themselves into the
autiior's hand, while about his work, if those words of Ambrose had not a little frighted
me, as well as they did Baronius, Unumquemq;ie Fallunt sua scripta,** I observe that
learned men have beeu so terrified by the reproaches of pedantry, which little smatterers at
reading and learning have, by their quoting Immonrs, brought upon themselves, that, for to
avoid all approaches towards that which those feeble creatures have gone to imitate, the
best way of writing has been most injuriously deserted. But what shall we say? The best
way of writing under heaven shall be the worst, when Erasmus, his monosyllable tyrant,
will have it so! and if I should have resigned my self wholly to the judgment of others,
what way of writing to have taken, the story of the two statues made by Policletus tells
me what may have been tho issue: he contrived one of them according to the rules that
best pleased himself, and the other according to the fancy of every one that looked upon his
work: tiie former was aftcrwrrds applaided by all, and the latter derided by those very per-
sons who hud given their directions for it. As for such unaccuracies as the critical may

• It is offoiislve to Deity himself when dishonour U cast on such as resemble Him in the loftlnesa of their
virtue, or when praise is bestowed on their opposiles.
+ Much that is most fulso and unworthy.

t The elm plest style of v ritinif. § Memoirs of ecclesiastlcn) transactions.

I As a little salt seabo.is food, and Increases its relish, so a spico of antiquity heightens the charm of style.
1 Ask pardon for this self-praise. •• Every writer forms mistaken JudgmooU of his own productions.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

discover, Opere in longo,* I appeal to the courteous for a favourable construction of them;
iind certainly they will be favourably judged of, when tljere is eoiiHldercd the variety of my
other imployments; which have kept me in continual hurries, I had almost said like those
of the ninth sphere, for the few aionths in which this Work has been digesting. It was a
thing well thought, by the wise designers of Chelsey-CoUedge, wherein able historians
were one sort of persons to be maintained ; th.it the Romanists do in one point condemn
the Protestants; for among the Romanists, they don't burden their Professor with any Par'
oehial incumbrances; but among the Protestants, the very same individual man must preach,
catechize, administer the Sacraments, visit the afflicted, and m.anage all the pjvrts of Church-
discipline; and if any books for the service of Religion be written, persons thus extreamly
incumbered must be the writers. Now, of all the Churches under heaven, there are none
that expects so much variety of service from their Pastors as those of New-England; and of
all the Churches in New-England, there are none that require more than those in Boston,
the metropolis of the English America; whereof one is, by the Lord Jesus Christ, com-
mitted unto the care of the unworthy hand by which this History is compiled. Reader,
give me leave humbly to mention, with him in TwWy, Anlequam de re, Pauca demelj Con-
stant sermons, usually more than once, and perhaps three or four times in a week, and all
the other duties of a pastoral w."itchfulness, a very large flock has all this while demanded
of me ; wherein, if 1 had been furnished with as many heads as a Typhous, as many eyes
as an Argos, and as many hands as a Briareus, I might have had work enough to h.ivo
employed them all ; nor hath my station left me free from obligations to spend very much
time in the Evangelical service of others also. It would have been a great sin in me to
have omitted, or abated, my just cares, to fulfil my Ministry in these things, and in a manner
give my self tvholly to them. All the time I have had for my Church-History, hath been per-
haps only, or chiefly, that which I might have taken else for less profitable recreations; and
it hnth all been done by snatches. My reader will not find me tiie person intended in his
Liltany, when he says. Libera me ab homine unius negotii:l nor have I spent thirty years in
shaping this my History, as Diodorus Siculus did for his, [and yet both Bodinus and Sigonius
complain of the tf<paX(jiara § attending it. But I wish I could li.ive enjoyed, entirely for
this work, one quarter of the little more than two years which have rolled away since I
began it; whereas I have been forced sometimes wholly to throw by the work whole months
together, and then resume it, but by a stolen hour or two in the day, not without some
hazard of incurring the title which Coryat put upon his History of his Travels, " Crudities
hastily gobbled up in Jive months." Protogenes being seven years in drawing a pieture,
Apelles, upon the sight of it, said, "The grace of the work was much allayed by the length
of the time." Whatever else there may have been to take oil the "grace of the work"
now in the reader's hands, (whereof the pictures of great and good men make a consider-
able part,) I am sure there hath not been tiie "length of the time" to do it. Our English
Martyrologer counted it a sufficient apology for what mennness might be found in the first
edition of his ".acts and monuments," that it was "hastily rasiied up in about fourteen
months:" and I lay .ipologize for this collection of our "acts and monuments," that I
should have been glad, in the little more than two years which have ran out since I entrcd
upon it, if I could have had one half of "about fourteen months" to have entirely devoted
thereunto. But besides the time, which the d:iiiy services of my own first, and then many
other Churches, have necessarily called for, I have lost abundance of precious time through
the feeble and broken state of my health, which hath unfitted me for hard study; I can do
nothing to purpose at lucubrations. And yet, ii, this time also of the two or three years last
past, I have not been excused from the further diversion of publishing (though not so many as
they say Mercurius Trismegistus did, yet) more than a score of other btrnks, upon a cojjious
variety of other subjects, besides the composing of several more, that arc not yet published.

• III the course of a long work.

t Before I talk of my subject, I iti'isl nay a few tbiiigs about myself.

X Deliver me from a man of one itlua.

i MisUikes.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1 of them;
icty of my
like those
It was a
historians
t condemn
h any Par-
lUst preach,
of Church-
extreamly
c are none
ind; and of
in Boston,
Mirist, corn-
el. Reader,
ne.'t Con-
cek, and all
e demanded
many eyes
igh to have
1 very much
in in me to
n a manner
til been per-
L'ations; and
!nded in hia
lirty years in
md Sigoniiia
, entirely for
\way since 1
lole months
ithout some
" CnuHties
g a pii'turc,
the length
\t' the work"
a eonsider-
Our English
d in the first
lilt fourteen
nts," that I
nee I entrcd
rely devoted
:1 then many
ime through
dy; I can do
•ec years last
)t so many as
on a coi)ioiis
t publisiied.

t MisUkes.

Nor is this neither all the task that I have in this while had lying upon me ; for (though
I nm very sensible of what Jerom said, Non bene fit, quod occujxUo An^mo Jit;* and of
Quintilian's remark, Non simtd in mvlta intendere Animus totum potest ;j when I applied
my mind uni,o this way of serving the Lord Jesus Christ in my generation, I set upon
another and a greater, which has had, I suppose, more of my thought and hope than this, and
wherein there hath passed me, for the most part. Nulla dies sine linea. X I considered, that
all sort of learning might be made gloriously subservient unto the illustration of the sacred
Scripture ; and that no professed commentaries had hitherto given a thousandth part of so
much illustration unto it, as might be given I considered that multitudes of particular texts
had, especially of later years, been more notably illustrated in the scattered books of
learned men, than in any of the ordinary commentators. And I considered that the trea-
sures of illustration for the Bible, dispersed in many hundred volumes, might be fetched all
together by a labour that would resolve to conquer all things ; and that all the improvements
which the hiter ages have made in the sciences, might be also, with an inexpressible pleasure,
called in, to Christ the illustration of the holy oracles, at a rate that hath not been attempted
in the vulgar Annotations; and that a comm.on degree of sense would help a person, who
should converse much with these things, to attempt sometimes also an illustration of his
own, which might expect some attention. Certainly, it will not be ungrateful uuto good
men, to have innumerable Antiquities, Jewish, Chaldee, Arabian, Grecian, and Roman,
brought home unto us, with a sweet light reflected from them on the word, which is our
light; or, to have all the typical men and things in our Book of Mysteries, accommodated
with their Antitypes : or, to have many hundreds of references to our dearest Lord Messiah,
discovered in t»ie writings which testife of Him, oftner than the most of mankind have
hitherto imagined : or, to have the histories of all ages, coming in with punctual and sur-
prising fulfilments of the divine Prophecies, as far as tiicy have been hitherto fulfilled ; and
not mere conjectures, but even mathematical and incontestible demonstrations, given of
expositions offered upon the Prophecies, that yet remain to be accomplished : or, to have in
one heap, thousands of those "remarkable discoveries of the deep things of the Spirit of
God," whereof one or tivo, or a few, sometimes, have been, with good success, accounted
materi<xls enough to advance a person into Authorism ; or to have the delicious curiosities of
Grotius, and Bochart, and Mede, and Lightfoot, and Selden, and Spencer, (carefully selected
and corrected,) and many more giants in knowledge, all set upon one Table.

Travellers tell us, that at Florence there is a rich table, worth a thousand crowns, made
ot precious stones neatly inlaid; a table that was fifteen years in making, with no less than
thirty men daily at work upon it; even such a table could not afford so rich entertainments,
as one that should have the soul-feasting thoughts of those learned men together set upon
it. Only 'tis pity, tliat instead of one poor feeble American, overwhelmed with a thousand
other cares, and capable of touching this work no otherwise than in a digression, there be
not more than thirty men daily imploycd about it. For, when the excellent Mr. Pool had
finished his laborious and immortal task, it was noted by some considerable persons, "That
wanting assistance to collect for him many miscellaneous criticisms, occasioniiUy scattered
in other authors, he left many better things behind him than he found." And more than all
this, our Essay is levelled, if it be not anticipated with that Epitaph, Magnis tamen excidil
ausis.^ Designing accordingly, to give the Church of God such displays of his blessed
word, as may be mon^ entertaining for the rarity and novelty of them, than any that have
hitherto been seen together in any exposition; and yet such as may be acceptable unto the
most judicious, for the demonstrative truth of them, and unto the most orthodox, for the
regard had unto the Analogy of Faith in all, T have noyc, in a few months, got ready an huge

• Nothing is well done, which la undertaken with a mind preoccupied.

No one can l)cstow his whole aUention upon several things at the same time.

Every day hiia added at least a line. § Non ortheless, he fell short of his great enterprise.

Vol. I.— 3

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

number of golden keys to open the pandects of Heaven, and some thousands of charming
and curious, and singular notes, by the new help whereof, the word of Christ may run and he
glorified. If the Ood of my life will please to spare (my life my yet sinful, and slothful,
and thereby forfeited life !) as many years longer as the barren fig-tree had in the parable,
I may make unto the Church of God an humble tender of our Biblia Americana,* a
volume enriched with better things than all the plate of the Indies; yet not I, but the
Grace of Christ with me. My reaaer sees why I commit the fault of a ifspiauriu (•
which appears in the montio i of these minute passages ; 'tis to excuse whatever other fault
of inaccuracy or inadvertency may be discovered in an History, which hath been a sort of rhap.
Body made up (like the ap. ; whereon 'tis written!) with many little rags, torn from an
imployment multifariou not^^a to overwhelm one of my small capacities.

Magna dabit, qui magna potest; mibi parva potenti,
Parvaque poscenti, parva dedisie sal eat.X

} 6. But shall 1 Prognosticate thy fate, now that.

Par re {»ed intideo) sine me, liber, ibis in urbcm.^

Luther, who was himself owner of such an heart, advised every historian to get the Heart
of a lion; and the more I consider of the provocation, which this our Church-History must
needs give to that roaring Lion who has, through all ages hitherto, been tearing the church
to pieces, the more occasion I see to wish my self a Cceur de Lion. But had not my heart
been trebly oak'd and brasa'd for such encounters as this our history may meet withal, I
would have worn the silk-worms motto, Operitur dum operatur,\\ and have chosen to have
written Anonymously; or, as Claudius Salmasius calls himself Walo Messelinus, as Ludovi-
cus MolinsDUs calls himself Ludiomxus Cohinus, as Carolus Scribaniua calls himself Clarus
Bonurscius, (and no less men than Peter du Moulin and Dr. Henry More, stile themselves,
the one Hippolytus Fronlo, the other Franciscus Paleopolitanus.) Thus I would have tried
whether I could not have Anagramraatized my name into some concealment; or I would
have referred it to be found in the second ch.apter of the second Syntagm of Selden de Diis
Syris. Whereas now I iVeely confess, 'tis Cotton Mather that hiis written all these things ;

Me, me, adsum qui scripsi; in me convertite ferrum.V

I hope 'tis a right work that I have done ; but we are not yet arrived unto the day, " wherein
God will bring every work into judgment," (the d.ay of the kingdom that was promised
unto David,) and a Son of David hath as truly as wisely told us, that until the arrival of
that happy d y, this is one of the vanitii's attending humane affairs: "For a right work, a
man shall be envied of his neighbour.'' It will not be so much a surprise unto me, if I
should live to see our Church-History vexed with anie mad-versions of calumnious writers,
as it would have been unto Virgil, to reiid his Bucolicks reproached by the Anli-bucolica of
a nameless scribbler, and his JEneids travestied by the ^iwidomaslix of Carbilius: or Hir-
ennius taking pains to make a collection of the faults, and Faustinus of the thefts, in his
incomparable composures: ye.i, Pliny and Seneca themselves, and our Jerom, reproaching
him, as a man of no judgment nor skill in sciences; while Poidianus affirms of him, that ho
Wiis himself. Usque adeo imidiiC expers, ut si quid erudite dictum inspiceret alterius, non minus

t Egotistical discussion.

§ Tliou, tittle Bodk, wliilu I behind tlice stny,
To the great world dost tuke thine envied way.

• American Scriptures.

X Groat things he f^ives who hnlh them ; 'Ms my lot
To own and nsk for Utile : but the call
or Heaven is answered if I ((ive my alt.

Ovid, Triat. i. 1. 1.

I Tlio more closely she toils, the more closely she hides.

\ I wrote it!— II— vent all your spite on me!— Vikhii,, JEnri.l, ix, 427 urarr.stieJ),

QENERAL INTRODUCTION.

of charming
\j run and be
nd slothful,
the parable,
lericana,* a,

I, BUT THE

irspiauTia I*
r other fault
sort of rhap.
)rn from an

et the Heart
listory must
g the church
lot my heart
leet withal, I
)9en to have
s, ns Ludovi-
nself Claras

themselves,
d have tried

or I would
^Iden de Diis
heso thingb;

ly, " wherein

aii promised

le arrival of

ight work, a

mto me, if I

ious writers,

i-bucolica of

ius: or Hor-

ihefls, in his

reproaching

him, that ho

IS, rum minus

discussion.

ee stny,
jiivied way.

gauderet ac si suum essel,* How should a book no better laboured than this of ours, escape
Zoilian outrages when in all ages the most exquisite works have been as much vilified as
Plato's by Scnliger, and Aristotle's by Lnctjmtius? In the time of our K. Edward VI. there
was an order to bring in all the teeth of St. AppoUonia, which the people of his one king-
dom carried about them for *.he cure of the tooth-ach ; ond they were so many that they
almost filled a tun. Truly Envy hath as many teeth as Madam Apollonia would have had,
if all those pretended reliques had been really hers. And must all these teeth be fastened
on thee, O my Bookl It may be so! and yet the Book, when ground between these teeth,
will prove like Ignatiua in the teeth of the furious tygers, "The whiter manchet for the
Churches of God." The greatest and fiercest rage of eivy, is that which I expect from those
InuMiEANs, whose religion is all ceremony, and whose charity is more for them who deny
the most essential things in the articles and homilies of the Church of England, than for
the most conscientious men in the world, who manifest their being so, by their dissent in
some little ceremony; or those persons whose hearts are notably expressed in those words
used by one of them ['tis Howel in his Familiar Letters, vol. 1., sec. 6, lett. 32,] "1 rather
pity, than hate, Turk or Infidel, for they are of the same metal, and bear the same st^mp
as I do, though the inscriptions differ; if I hate any, 'tis those schismaticks that puzzle the
sweet peace of our Church; so that I could be content to see an Anabaptist go to hell on a
Brownist's back." The writer whom I hist quoted, hath given us a story of a young man
in High-Holbourn, who being after his death dissected, there was a serpent with divers tails
found in the left ventricle of his heart. I make no question, that our Church-History will
find some reader disposed like th.it writer, with an heart Jis full of serpent and venom ns
ever it cm hold : nor indeed will they be able to hold, but tiie tongues and pens of those
angry folks will scourge me as with scorpions, and cause me to feel (if I will feel) as many
lashes as Cornelius Agrippa expected from their brethren, for the book in which he exposed
their vanities. A scholar of the great Juels made once about fourscore verses, for which
the Censor of Corpus Christi Colledge, in the beginning of Queen Maries reign, puLlickly
and cruelly scourged him, with one lash for every verse. Now, in those verses, the young
man's prayers to the Lord Jesus Christ have this for part of the answer given to them :

Reaponiet Dominns, tptctnna de sedibut altis,
JVc dubites rede credere, parve puer,

Olim <ii»i pas.iut mortem, nunc occupo dextram
Patris, nunc summi snnt mea regnapoli,

Scd tit, crede rtihi, vires Scrivtura reeumet,
TolUturqtie »uo tempore mtasa nequam.

IN ENGLISH.
The Lord, beholding from his thmne, reply'd,
" Doubt not, O Youth ! flrraly in me confldu:
I dy'd long since, now fit at the right hand
Of my bloss'd Father, und the world command.
Relieve me, Scripture shall regain her swny.
And wicked Mass Ir. due time fade away."

Reader, I alao expect nothing but scourges from that ge\eration to whom the mass hnok
is dearer than the Bible: but I have now likewise confessed another expectation, that shall
be my consolation under a... They tell us, that on the higtiest of the Capsian mountains,
in Spain, there is a lake, whereinto if you throw a s*oiie, there presently ascends a smoke
which forms a dense cloud, from whence issues a iempcst of rain, hnil, and horrid thunder-
claps for a good quartf .• of an hour. Our Church-History will be like a stone cast into that
lake, for the furious <empest which it will raise among some, whose Ecclesiastical di'mitios
hiive set them as rn the top of Spanish mountains. The Catholick spltit of communion
wherewith 'tis wr'lten, and the liberty which I h.ive taken to t-.x the schismatical imposi-
tions and pcrsfoutions of a party who have always been a? real enemies to the English
nation as to the Christian and Protestant interest, will cer*:'inly bring upon the whole com-
posure ;he quick censures of that p.arty at the first cast jf tlieir look upon it. In the D\ike
of Alva's council of twelve judges, there was one Hcssels, a Flemming, who slept always
at the trial .)f criminals, and when they waked him to deliver his opinion, he rubbed his

• He was so Incapable of envy thot, whenever he fell in with on elegant expression from the pen of another,
ho was OS much delighted as if it hod been his own.

I" I

' !!!

I ft? '

(VSNEKAL INTRODUCTION.

eves, and cryed, between sleeping and waking, Ad patihulum! Ad patibuhim! "to the gal-
lows with Ihemi" [And, by the way, this blade wns himself, at the lost, condemned unto the
gallows without an hearing I] As quick censures must this our labour expect from those
who will not bestow waking thoughts upon the representations of Christiavuty here made
unto the worM : but have a sentence of death always to pass, or at 'K.'ast wish, up..n thos'? cren-
erous principles, without which, 'tis impossible to mainttiin tiio Heforn:ation: mid I couiess
I am very well content, that tins our labour takes the fate of tho-se pti;..iples: nor do I d'*-
sent from the words of the c.vi-ellent Whitaker upon lAither, ^Fcclix iUc, (/uem Domnut\ f
Honore dignatus est, ul Homms Tiequissimos swis haherni. inimics* But It the niil epig;">!s/'
matist when he saw guilty folks raving nutd at his lines, could say:

Hoe volo; nunc nobis rarmina nostra placent.'i

certainly an historian should not be displeased ut it, if the enemiet, cT truth diseov<>r th .>;!•
madness at the true and free communications of his history: or;cl therefore the more stones
they throw at this book, there will nt^t only be the more proofs that it is a tree w!tii'h hath
good fruits growing upon it, but I will bu'ild my self a unonnmciit with thei; , vhcrcou shall
be iusci ibod f liut clause in the epitaph of the martyr Sitphen :

Exeepil lapides, cui petra Christua erat : t

Aloeit per!i;ipa t\w. epitaph, } which the old monks bestowed upon Wickliff, will be rather
endeavAured f>i liii;, (if I tun thought worth one!) by the men who will, with all possible
mnnkeri/, stii.e io dtave off ?he approaching Reformation,

But aiiire an undertaking of this nature must thus encounter so much envy from those
who nro under the power of the spirit that works in the thildren of unperswadeahleness,
metliinks I might perswade my self, that it will find another sort of entertiinment from those
good men who have a better spirit in them: for, as the Apostle James hath noted, (so with
Jlofisieur Claude I read it,) "The spirit that is in us lusteth against envy;" and yet, even in
us also, there will be the flesh, among whose works one is envy, which will be lusting
against the spirit. All good men will not be satisfied with every thing tliat is here set
before tliem. In my cwn country, besides a considerable number of loose and vain inhabit-
ants risen up, to whom thi. Congregational Church-discipline, which cannot live well where
the power of godliness dyes, is become distasteful for the purity of it; there is also a
number of eminently godlv persons, who are for a larger way, and unto these my Church-
History will give distaste, by the things which it may happen to utter in favour of that
Chureh-discipline on some few occasions; and the discoveries which I may happen to maKe
of my apprehens'ons, that Scripture, and reason, and antiquity is for it; and that it is not fiir
from a glorious • esurrection. But that, as the famous Mr. Baxter, after thirty or forty years
hard study, about the true instituted Church-discipline, at last not only owned, but also
invincibly proved, that it is the congregational; so, the further that the unprejudiced studies
of learned men proceed in this matter, the more generally the Congregational Church-dis-
cipline will be pronounced for. On the other side, there are some among us who very
strictly profess the Congregational Church-discipline, but at the same time they have an

* Happy Luther!. whom tho Lurd signalized with the honour of having the greatest reprobates for his worst
enemies.

f I'm pleoscd at last : victorious is my wit :
The galled jade winces, and my mark is hit. — Martial, Epig, vl. 614,

X A specimen of the bad taste for playing upon words, which so much disfigures ancient scholastic literature :
He died by atoning, but his Rock was Christ.

J Wc fake the effusion alluded to by our author, w ith tho context, from Speed's Chronicle, [p. 7G», cd. 1623.]—
" This famous Doctor, dying of a palsie, hath this eharitabte Euloge or Epitaph bestowed on him by a Itloiike ; Tho
Divells laslrutnent, Churches Enemy, Peonies Confusion, Hercticks Idoll, Hypocrites Mirrour, Schismos Ilroachcr,
Hatreds Sower. I.yes Forger, Flatteries Siiike; who at his death despaired like Cain, B.:d stricken by the horrible
Judgment of God, breathed forth bis wicked soulo to the dnrke mansion of the black diveil."

GENERAL INTRODDCTION.

for his wurst

itic literature :

unhnppy narrowness of soul, by which they confine their value and kindness too much unto
their own party: and unto those my Church-History will bo offensive, because my regard
unto our own declared principles does not hinder me from giving the right hand of fellowship
unto the valuable servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, who find not our Church-discipline as
yet agreeable unto their present understandings and illuminations. If it be thus in my own
country, it cannot be otherwise in that whereto I send this account of my own. Lriettj*,
as it huth been said, that if all Episcopal men were like Archbishop Usher, and all Pr.'shij-
terians like Stephen Marshal, and all Independents like Jeremiah Burroughs, the wounds of
the Church would soon be healed ; my essay to carry that spirit through this whole Chi rclu
History, will bespeak wounds for it, from those that arc of another spirit. And thire
will also be in every country those good men, who yet have not had the grace of Christ so
far prevailing in them, as utterly to divest them of that piece of ill-nature which the Comc«
dian resents, In homine imperilo, quo nil quicquam injustius, qui<z nisi quod ipsefacit, nil rede
factum putat. •

However, all these things, and an hundred more such things which I think of, are very

small discouragements for such a service as I have here endeavoured. I foresfc a recom-

pence which will abundantly swallow up all discouragements! It may be Struto the Piiiloso*

pher counted himself well recorapenced for his labours, when Ptolemy bestowed fourscore

talents on him. It may be, Archiraelus the poet counted himself well reconipenced, when

Hiero sent him a thousand bushels of wheat for one little epigram: and Saieius the port

might count himself well recompenoed, when Vespasian sent him twelve tiiousand and five

hundred phiiippicks; and Oppian the poet might count himself well reconipenced, when

Caracalla sent him a piece of gold for every line that he had inscribed unto him. As I live

in a country where such recompences never were in fashion ; it hath no preferments for me,

and T shall count that I urn well rewarded in it, if I can escape without being heavily

reproached, censu;»;d and condemned, for what I have done: so I thank the Lord, I should

exceedingly sconi all such mean considerations, I seek not out for benefactors, to whom

these labours may be dedicated: there is one to whc m all is due! from him I shall have n

recompence: and what recompence? The recompenii, whereof I do, with inexpressible

joy, assure my self is this. That these my poor labours will certainly serve the Churches

and interests of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I think I may say, that I ask to live no longer

than I count a service unto the Lord Jesus Christ and his Churches, to be it self a glorious

recompence for the doing of it. When David was contriving to build the house of God,

there was that order given from Heaven concerning him, "Go tell David my servant." TKo

adding of that more than royal title unto the name of David, was a sufficient reconipon"e

for all his contrivance about the house of God. In our whole Church-History, wc have

been at work for the house of the Lord Jesns Christ, [even that Man, who is the Lord God,

and whose form seems on that occasion represented unto His David.] And herein 'tis

recompence enough, that I have been a servant unto that heavenly Lord. The greatest

honour, and the sweetest pleasure, out of heaven, is to serve our illustrious Lord Jesus

Cheist, who hath "loved us, and given himself for us:" and unto whom it is infinitely

reasonable that we should give our selves, and all that we have and are: and it may be the

Angels in Heaven, too, aspire not after an higher felicity.

Unto thee, therefore, O thou Son of God, and King of Heaven, and Lord of all
things, whom all the glorious Angels of Light unspeakably love to glorife ; I
humbly offer up a poor History of Churches, which own thee alone for their Head,
and Prince, and Law-Giver; Churches which thou hast purchased with thy own
blood, and with wonderful dispensations of thy Providence hitherto protected and

• "No one is more llliberol than he
Whom Ignorance has bloateU wllh conceit:—
Nought is weU done but what he does himself."— T«renc«, Jldtlphi, Act. 1., Scene 2, ver. 18.

ii^i:

,; i!

18 OENEBAL INTBODDCTIOX.

preserved ; and of a people which thou didst form for thy self to shew forth thy
praises. I bless thy great Name, for thy inclining of me to, and carrying of me
through, the work of this History: I pray thee to sprinkle the book of this History
with thy blood, and make it acceptable and profitable unto thy Churches, and serve
thy Truths and Ways among thy people, by that which thou hast here prepared;
for 'tis THOU that hast prepared it for them. Amen.

Quid $um? Nil. — Quia sum? Nullua. — Sed gratia Christi,
Quod mm, quod eito, quodque laboro, faeit.*

* What am It Nothing.— Bovurelgn Grace alone
Livus iu my life, and does what I have donea

THE FIRST BOOK.

AITIQUITIES;

OB,

A FIELD PREPARED FOR CONSIDERABLE THINGS TO BE ACTED THEREUPON.

THE INTRODUCTION.

It was not long ago, as about the middle of the former century, that
under the influences of that admirable hero and martyr, of the Protestant
religion, Gasper Coligni, the great Admiral of France, a noble and learned
knight called Villagagnon, began to attempt the Settlement of some Colo-
nics i)i America, (as it was declared) for the propagation of that religion.
He sidled with several ships of no small burthen, till he arrived at
Brasile; where he thought there were now shown him quiet seats, for the
retreat of a people harrassed already with deadly persecutions, and threat-
ned with yet more calamities. Thence he wrote home letters unto that
glorious patron of the reformed churches, to inform him, that he had now
a fair prospect of seeing those churches erected, multiplied, and sheltered
in the southern regions of the New World; and requested him, that
Geneva might supply them with Pastors for the planting of such churches
in these New Plantations. The blessed Calvin, with his colleagues, there-
upon sent of their number two worthy persons, namely Eicherius and
Quadrigarius, to assist this undertaking; and unto these were joined
several more, especially Leirus, and who became a leader to the rest,
Corquillerius, an eminent man, for the cause of Christianity, then residing
at Geneva. Embarked in three ships, well fitted, they came to the
American country, whither they had been invited; and they soon set up
an evangelical church order, in those corners of the earth where God in

* If it please God.

MAONALIA cnRISTI AMERICANA;

'H!

our Lord Jesus Christ had never before been called upon. But it was not
long before some unhappy controversies arose among them, which drove
their principal ministers into Europe again, besides those three that were
murthered by their apostate Govcrnour, whose martyrdom Lerius pro-
cured Crispin to commemorate iu his history, but I now omit in this of
ours, Ne me Crispini scrinia ledi, compilAsse jmlcs* and as for the i)cople
that staid behind, no other can bo learned, but that they are entirely lost^
either in paganism or disaster: iu this, more unhappy sure, than that hun-
dred thousand of their brethren who were soon after butchered at home,
in that horrible massacre, which then had not, but since hath, known a
parallel. So has there been utterly hst in a little time, a country intended
for a receptacle of Protestant Churches on the American Strand. It is the
most incomparable De Jliou, the honourable President of the Parliament
at Paris, an Historian whom Casaubon pronounces, "A singular gift of
Heaven, to the last age, for an example of piety and probity," tliat is our
author, (besides others) for this History.

' Tis now time for mc to tell my reader, that in our age there has been
another • essay ^'ade not by French, bnt by English Protestants, to fill
a certain country in America with Be/unned Churches; nothing in doctnne,
little in discipline, diiferent from that of Geneva. Mankind will pardon
me, a native of that countrv, if smitten with a just fear of ineroaching
and ill-bodied degeneracies, I shall use my modest endeavours to prevent
the loss of a country so signalized for the profession of the purest Religion,
and for the protection of God upon it, in that holy profession. I shall
count my country lost, in the loss of the primitive principles, and the
primitive practices, upon which it was at first established: but certainly
one good way to save that hss, would be to do something that the memory
of the great things done for us hy our Qod, may not be lost, and that the
story of the circumstances attending the fuundatioji and formation of this
country, and of its preservation hitherto, may be impartially handed unto
posterity. Tins is the undertaking whereto I now address myself; and
now, Grant me thy gracious assistances, my God! that in this my under-
taking I may be ke/d from every false way: but that sincerely aiming at thy
glory in my undertaking, I may find my Ichours made acceptable and profit'
able unto thy Churches, and serviceable unto the interests of thy gospel; so let
my God think upon me for good; and spare me according to the greatness of
Qiy mercy in the blessed Jesus. Amen.

* That you may not suspect me of having rifled the portroUos of Cri>pin.— Hoeace, Sat. i. I, ver. ISO.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND

11 pardon

Teaching

I prevent

Religion^

I shall

and the
certainly
I memory

that the
m of this
ded unto
self; and
ny under-
ng at thy
ml profit-
wl ; so let
eatness of

VENISTI TANDEM?* OR, DISCOVERIES OF AMERICA;

TEXDIXO TO, AND ENDING IN, DISCOVERIES OF NEW-ENOLAND.

§ 1. It is the opinion of some, though 'tis httt an opinion, and hut
of some learned men, that when the sacred oracles of Ucaven assure us,
the tilings tinikr the earth are some of those, whose Icnees are to bow in the
name of Jesus, by those thi7igs are meant the inhabitants of America, who
are Antijjodes to those of the other hemisphere. I would not quote any
words of Lactantius, though there are some to countenance this interpret-
ation, because of their being so ungeographical: nor would I go to
strengthen the interpretation by reciting the words of the Indians to the
first lohite invaders of their territories, ice hear you are come from under the
world to talce our icorld from us. But granting the uncertainty of such an
exposition, I shall yet give the Church of God a cert-^in account of those
things, which in America have been believing and adoring the glorious
name of Jesus ; and of that country in America, where those things have
been attended with circumstances most remarkable. I can contentedly
allow that America (which, as the learned Nicholas Fuller observes, might
more justly be called Columbina) was altogether unknown to the penmen
of the Holy Scriptures, and in the ages when the Scriptures were penned.
I can allow, that tliose parts of the earth, which do not include America,
are, in the inspired writings of Luke and of Paul, stiled all the ivorld. I can
allow, that tlie opinion of Torniellus and of Pagius, about the apostles
preaching the gospel in America, has been sufliciently refuted by Basna-
gius. But I am out of the reach of Pope Zachary's excommunication. I
can assert the existence of the American Antipodes: and I can report
unto the European churches great occurrences among these Americans.
Yet I will report every one of them with such a Christian and exact
veracity, that no man shall have cause to use about any one of them the
words which the great Austin (as gi'eat as he was) used about the existence
of Antipodes; it is a fable, and nidlA ratione credmdmn.f

§ 2. If the wic/ced one in ivhom the whole world lydh, were he, who like
a dragon, keeping a guard upon the spacious and mighty orchards of
America, could have such a fascination upon the thoughts of mankind,
that neither this balancing half of the globe should be considered in
Europe, till a little more than two hundred j^ears ago, nor the clue that
might lead unto it, namely, the Loadstone, should be known, till a Nea-
politian 'stumbled upon it, about an hundred years before; yet the over-
ruling Providence of the great God is to be acknowledged, as well in the

* Ilust thou comu at last? f Utterly incredible.

MAONALIA OHRISTI AMERICAKAi

concealing of America for so long a time, as in the dis'-fxrinq, of it, when
the fulness of time was come for the discovery; ij- v/e may count
America to have been concealed, while mankind in the other honiisplKTe
had lost all acquaintance with it, if wo may conclude it had any fiDin tlie
words of Diodorus Siculus, that Phcenecians were, by great stornia, driven
on the coast of Africa, fur westward, iirt iroXXag 'nit-tgae, for vnnii/ dmjs
toget/ier, and at hist fell in with an Island of prodigious mngiiitudo; or
from the words of Plato, that beyond the pillars of Hercules thoro wu.s an
Island in the Atlantick Ocean, afxa Xi/3ut)(; xai A<ttas (a«i^wv, larger than A/n'ra
and Asia put together: nor should it pass without remark, that three most
memorable things, which have born a very great aspect upon humane
affairs, did, near the same time, namely, at the conclusion of the Jijieenth,
and the beginning of the sixteenth century, arise unto the world: the first
was the resurrection of literature; the second was the opening of America;
the third was the Reformation of Religion. But, as probably, the devil
seducing the first inhabitants of America into it, therein aimed at the
having of them and their posterity out of the sound of the silver trumpets
of the Oospel, then to bo heard through the Roman Empire ; if the devil
had any expectation, that by the peopling of America, he should utterly
deprive any Europeans of the two benefits. Literature and Religion, which
dawned upon the miserable world, one just before, the other just after, the
first famed navigation hither, 'tis to be hoped he will be disappointed of
that expectation. The Church of God must no longer be wrapped up in
Strabo's cloak; Qeogntphy must now find work for a Christiano-graphy in
regions far enough beyond the bounds wherein the Church of God had,
through all former ages, been circumscribed. Renowned Churches of
Christ must be gathered where the Ancients once derided them that
looked for any inhabitants. The mystery of our Lord's garments, made
four parts, by the soldiers that cast lots for them, is to be accomplished in
the good sence put upon it by Austin, who, if he had known America,
could not have given a better: Quadripartita vestis Domini Jesu, quadri-
partitam figuravit ejus Ecclesiam, toto scilicet, qui quatuor partibus constat,
terrarum orbe diffusam.*

% 3. Whatever truth may be in that assertion of one who writes:
"If we may credit any records besides the Scriptures, I know it might be
said and proved well, that this New World was known, and partly
inhabited by Britains, or by Saxons from England, three or four hundred
years before /Ae Spaniards coming tliitherf which assertion is demonstrated
from the discourses between the Mexicans and the Spaniards at their first
arrival; and the Popish reliques, as well as British terms and words,
which the Spaniards then found among the Mexicans, as well as from
undoubted passages, not only in other authors, but even in the British

* The parting of the gnrmnnt of our Lord Jesus into four pieces was a type of a like division of Ills Churobi
which is diatrlbuted through the four quarters of the globe.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

of it, wlion
may count
luMuispluTe
ly IroiH tilt'
rma, driven
DHUii/ dmjs
2;iiitu<li'; or
lero wiiM :iu
than A/rira
t three most
on humane
he Jijieenth,
fl : the firat
f America;
, tho devil
ned at the
er trumpets
f the devil
uld utterly
jion, which
3t a/ler, the
:)pointed of
pped up in
o-graphy in
f God had,
'hurches of
them that
ents, made
iplished in
I America,
sw, quadri-
tus constat,

lo writes:
might be
nd partly
hundred
lonstrated
their first
id words,
1 as from
le Briti.sli

}f Ilii ChuFcta,

annals also: nevertheless, mankind generally agree to give unto Chris-
tophor Columbus, a Genoese, the honour of being the first European that
opened a way into these parts of the world. It was in the year 1492, that
this famous man, acted by a most vehement and wonderful impulse, was
carried into the northern regions of this vast hemisphere, which might
more justly therefore have received its name from him, than from Amerious
Vesputius, a Florentine, who, in the year 1497, made a further detection
of tho more souUiern regions in this continent. So a loorld, which has been
one great article among the Res deperditie* of Pancirollus^ is noyf found out,
and the affairs of the whole world have been affected by the finding of it.
So the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, well compared unto a ship, is
now victoriously sailing round the ghbe after Sir Francis Drake's renowned
ship, called, The Victory, which could boast.

Prima ego velivolii ambiei eurtibut orhem.i

And yet the story about Columbus himself must be corrected from the
information of De la Vega, that "one Sanchez, a native of Ilelva in Spain,
did before him find out these regions." He tells us that Sanchez using to
trade in a small vessel to the Canaries, was driven by a furious and
tedious tempest over unto these western countries; and at his return he
gave to Colon, or Columbus, an account of what he had seen, but soon
after died of a disease he had got on his dangerous voyage. However,
I shall expect my reader, e'er long, to grant, that some things done since
by Almighty God for the English in these regions, have exceeded all that
has been hitherto done for any other nation: If this New World were not
found out first by the English; yet in those regards that are of all the
greatest, it seems to be found out more ybr them than any other.

§ 4. But indeed the two Cabots, father and son, under the commission
of our King Henry VH., entering upon their generous undertakings in the
year 1497, made further discoveries of America, than either Columbus or
Vesputius ; in regard of which notable enterprizes, the younger of thern
had very great honours by the Crown put upon him, till at length he died
in a good old age, in which old age King Edward VI. had allowed him
an honourable pension. Yea, since the Cabots, employed by the King of
England, made a discovery of this continent in the year 1497, and it was
the year 1498 before Columbus discovered any part of the continent;
and Vesputius came a considerable time after both of them ; I know not
why the Spaniard should go unrivalled in the claim of this New World,
which from the Jirst finding of it is pretended unto. These discoveries
of the Cabots were the foundation of all the adventures, with which the
English nation have since followed the sun, and served themselves into an

* ^The Cataiogue of Lett Tkiitg>^—W\« of a book.

t " I flnt, with canvas to the gale unftirlM,
Made the wide circuit of the mighty world."

MAGNALIA CIIRI8TI AMERICANA;

acquaintance on the hither side of the Atlantick Ocean. And now I shall
drcwn my reader with myself in a tedious digression, if I enumerate all
the attempts made by a Willoughby, a Frobisher, a Gilbert, and besides
many others, an incomparable Bawleigh, to settle English colonies in the
departs of the western India. It will be enough if I entertain him with
the History of that English Settlement, which may, upon a thousand
accounts, pretend unto more of true English than all the rest, and which
alone therefore has been called New-England.

§ 5. After a discouraging series of disasters attending the endeavours
of the P-lnglish to swarm into Florida, and the rest of the continent unto
the northward of it, called Virginia, because the first white born in those
regions was a daughter^ then born to one Ananias Dare, in the year 1585,
the courage of one Bartholomew Gosnold, and one captain Bartholomew
Gilbert, and several other gentlemen, served them to make yet more essays
upon the like designs. This eaptain Gosnold in a small bark, on May 11,
1602, made land on this coast in the latitude oi forty-three; where, though
he liked the wdcoine he had from the Salvages that came aboard him, yet
he disliked the weather, so that he thought it necessary to stand more
southward into the sea. Next morning he found himself embayed within
a mighty head of land ; which promontory, in remembrance of the Codjhh
in great quantity by him taken there, he called Cape-Cod, a luime which
I suppose it will never lose, till shoals of Cod-fish be seen swimming upon
the top of its highest hills. On this Cape, and on the Islands to the south-
ward of it, he found such a comfortable entertainment from the fiummer-
fruits of the earth, as well as from the wild creatures then ranging the woods,
and from the wilihr iK'ople now surprised into courtesie, that ho carried
back to England a report of the country, better than what the spies once
gave of the land fiowing with milk and honey. Not only did the merchanta
of Bristol now raise a considerable stock to prosecute these discoveries,
but many other persons of several ranks embarked in such undertakings;
and many sallies into America were made; the exacter narrative whereof
I had rather my reader should jo?/rc/u?Ae at the expence of consulting Pur^
chas's Pilgrims, than endure any stop in our hastening voyage unto the

HlSTOKY OF A NeW-ExGLISH IsRAEL.

§ 6. Perhaps my reader would gladly be informed how America came
to be first peopled; and if Hornius's "Discourses," De origine Qentium
Amcricanarum, do not satisfie him, I hope shortly the most ingenious Dr.
Woodward, in his Natural History of the Earth, will do it. In the mean
time, to stay thy stomach, reader, accept the account which a very sensi-
ble Russian, who had been an officer of prime note in Siberia, gave unto
Father Avril. Said he, " There is be3'ond the Obi a great river called
Kawoina, at the mouth whereof, discharging it self into the Frozen Sea,
there stands a spacious Islanu very well peopled, and no less considerable
for hunting an auimal, whose teeth are in great esteem. The inhabitants

'1 h

VVv'

OE, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

5W I shall
ncrato all
d besides
cs ill the
him with
thousand
ud which

ideavours
nent unto
1 in those
'ear 1585,
tholomcw
ore essays
n ^Iiiy 11,
re, though
I him, yet
and more
rvA within
le Codjhh
.nic wliich
iiing upon
the south-

ic woods,

ic carried

spies once

morchants

scoverics,

r takings;

3 whereof

ting PuT'

unto the

•ica came
Gentium
aious Dr.
he mean
jry sensi-
ave unto
er called
)zen Sea,
sidorable
habitants

go frequently upon the side of the Frozen Sea to hunt this monster; and
because it reqaires great labour with assiduity, they carry their families
usually along with them. Now it many times happens that being sur-
prized with a thaw, they are carried away, I know not whither, upon
huge pieces of ice that break off" one from another. For my part, I am
perswadcd that several of those hunters have been carried upon these
floating piecns of ice to the most northern parts of America, which is not
far Jroni that part of Asia that jutts out into the sea of Tartary. And
that which confirms me in this opinion, is this, that the Americans who
inhabit that country, which advances farthest towards that sea, have the
same P/ii/sio;jnomi/ as those Islanders." — Thus the Vayoc^o of Smolensk o.
But all tiie concern of this our history, is to tell how English peojjle first
came into America; and what English ^eqpfe first came into that part of
America where this History is composed. Wherefore, instead of reciting
the many Adventures of the English to visit these parts of the world, I
shall but repeat the words ofone Captain Weymouth, an historian, as well
as an uudertalxr of those Adventures; who reports, "that one main end of
all these undertakings, was to plant the gospel in these dark regions of
America." llow well the most of the English plantations have answered
i\i\& main, end, it ?»a«'/(/// becomes them to consider: however, I am now
to tell mankind, that as for one of these English i)]antations, this was not
only a viain end, but the svle end u])()n which it was erected. If'tlicy tliat
arc solicitous about the interests of the gospel, would know what and ichere
that plantation is; be it noted, tliat all the vast country from Florida to
Nova-Kraiicia, was at iirst called Virginia; but this Virginia was distin-
guished into North Virginia and South Virginia, till that famous Travel-
ler Captain John Smith, in the year 1014, presenting unto tlie court of
England a draught of North Virginia, got it called by the name of New-
England; which name has been ever since allowed unto my country, as
unto the most rescinhlimj daiKjJiter to the cliief lady of the European world.
Thus tlie discoveries of the country proceeded so far, that K. James I. did
by his kll<'rs p'dnils under the great seal of England, in the eighteenth year
of his reign, give and grant unto a certain honourable 'council established
at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, and order-
ing, and governing of New-England in America, and to their successors
and assigns, all that part of America, lying and being in breadth, from
fort// der/rees of northerly latitude, from the equinoctial line, to the forti/-
e/iy//</t t/'v/rt'c of the said northerly latitude inclusively; and the length of,
and within all the breadth aforesaid, throughout all the firm lands from
sea to sea. This at last is the spot of earth, which the God of heaven f^jn'ed
out for the seat of such evangelical, and ecclesiastical, and very remarkable
transactions, as require to be made an liistory; here 'twas that our blessed
Jesus intended a resting place, must I say? or only an hiding place for
those re/or raed CnuKCiiES, which have given him a little accomplishment

)5
I

MAGNALIA CHEISTI AMEKICANA;

of his eternal Father's promise unto him; to be, we hope, yet further
accomplished, of having the utmost parts of the earth for his possession?

§ 7. The learned Joseph Mede conjectures that the American Hemi-
sphere will escape the conjlagration of the earth, which we expect at the
descent of our Lord Jesus Ciiuist from Heaven : and that the people here
will not have a share in the blessedness which the renovated world shall
enjoy, during the thousayid years of holy rest promised unto the Churcli of
God: and that the inhabitants of these regions, who were originally
Scytheans, and therein a notable fulfilment of the prophecy, about tlie
enlargement o/" Japhet, will be the Qog and Magog whom the devil will
seduce to invade the New-Jerusalem, with an envious hope to gain the
angelical circumstances of the people there. All this is but conjecture; and
it may be 'twill appear unto some as little probable, as that of the later
Pierre Poiret in his U (Economy Divine, that by Gog and Magog are meant
the devils and the damned, Avhicli he thinks will be let loose at the end of
the thousand years, to make a furious, but a fruitless attempt on the glori-
fied saints of the New-Jerusalem. However, I am going to give unto the
Christian reader an history of some fcehle attempts made in the American
hem' Te to anticipate the state of the New- Jerusalem, as far as the
unavv. aable vanity of human affairs and influence of Satan upon them
would allow of it; and of many tvorthy persons whose posterity, if they
make a squadron in the fleets of Gog and Magog, will be apostates deserving
a room, and a doom with the legions of the grand apostate, that will deceive
the nations to that mysterious enterprize.

PRIMORDIA;* OR, THE VOYAGE TO NEW-ENGLAND,

WHICH PRODUCED THE PIRST SETTLEMENT OF ?JEAV-PLYMOUTH ; AVITH AN ACCOUNT OP
MANY REMAllKABLE AND MEMORABLE PROVIDENCES RELATING TO THAT VOYAGE.

§ 1. A NUMBER of devout and serious Christians in the English nation,
finding the Reformation of the Church in that nation, according to the
Word of God, and the design of many among the first Reformers, to
labour under a sort of hopeless retardation; they did, Anno 1602, in the
north of England, enter into a Covenant, wherein expressing themselves
desirous, not only to attend the worship of our Lord Jesus Chirst, with a
freedom from humane inventions and additions, but also to enjoy all the
Evangelical Institutions of that worship, they did like those Macedonians,
that arc therefore by the Apostle Paul commended, "give themselves up,

• Prlmltivo History.

h''m

OR, THE HISTOEY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

further
>n f

1 lleini-
t at the
)ple here
rid shnll
lurch of
riginally
bout the
ievil will
gain the
urc; and
the later
re meant
le end of
;he glori-

uuto the
\mcrican
ar as the
)on them
Y, if they
deserving
ill deceive

iND,

ACCOUNT OP
TOY AGE,

ish nation,
ing to the
brniers, to
02, in the
themselves
rst, with a
joy all the
icedonians,
nselves up,

first unto God, and then to one another." These pious people finding that
their brethren and neighbours in the Church of England, as then established
by law, took offence at these their endeavours after a scrtjytural reformation;
and being loth to live in the continual vexations which they felt arising
from their non-conformity to things which their consciences accounted
superstitious and timvarrantable, they peaceably and willingly embraced a
banishment into the Netherlands; where they settled at the city of Leyden,
about seven or eight years after their first combination. And now in that
city this people sojourned, an Holy Chukch of the blessed Jesus, for sev-
eral years under the pastoral care of Mr. John Kobinson, who had for his
help in the govei-nment of the Chnrch, a most wise, grave, good man, Mr.
William Brewster, the ruling elder. Indeed, Mr. John Robinson had been
in his younger time (as very good fruit hath sometimes been, before age hath
ripened it) soivred with the principles of the most rigid separation, in the
maintaining whereof he composed and published some little Treatises,
and in the management of the controversie made no .scruple to call the
incomparable Dr. Ames himself, Dr. A7niss, for opposing such a degree of
separation. But this worthy man suffered himself at length to be so far
convinced by his learned antagonist, that with a most ingenious retractation,
he afterwards writ a little book to prove the lawfulness of one thing, which
his mistaken zeal had formerly impugned several years, even till 1625, and
about the fiftieth year of his own age, continued he a blessing unto the
whole Church of God, and at last, when he died, he left behind him in his
immortal writings, a name very much embalmed among the people that are
best able to judge of merit; and even among such, as about the matters of
Church-discipline, were not of his perswasion. Of such an eminent character
was he, while he lii-ed, that when Armeuianism so much prevailed, as it
then did in the low couatries, those famous Divines, Polyandcr and Festus
Hommius, employed this our learned liol>i;.?on to dispute publickly iu the
^Jniversity of Leyden against Episcopius, und the other champions of that
grand choak-v:eed of true Christianity: and v/hen h^died, not only the Univer-
sity, and Ministers of the city, accompanied him to liis grave, with all their
accustomed solemnities, but some of 'he chief among them with sorrowful
resentments and expressions affirmed, " That all the Churches of our Lord
Jesus Christ had sustained a great loss by the death of this worthy man."
§ 2. The English Church had not been very long at Leyden, before they
found themselves encountrcd with many inconveniences. They felt that
they were neither for health, nor purse, nor language well accommodated;
but the concern which they most of all had, was for their posterity. They
saw, that whatever banks the Dutch had against the ir roads of the sea, they
had not sufficient ones against a flood of manifold profmeness. They could
not with ten years' endeavour bring their neighbours particularly to any suit-
able observation of the Lord's Day ; without which they knew that all
practical Religion muLst wither miserably. They beheld some of their children,

rri

\:i\

MAQNALIA CIIKISTI AMERICANA;

I i

by the temptations of the pluce, were especially given in the licentious wa\'3
of many young people^ drawn into dangerous extravagancies. Moreover,
they were very loth to lose their interest in the English nation; but were
desirous rather to enlarge their King's dominions. They found themselves
also under a very strong disposition of zeal^ to attempt the establishment
of CoNGUKGATioxAii CiiURC.iES in the remote parts of the world; where
they hoped they should be reached by the lit)yal influence of their Prince,
in whose allegiance they chose to live and die; at the same time likewise
hoping that the Ecclesiasticks, who had thus driven them out of the king-
dom into a New World, for nothing in the world but their non-conformity
to certain rites, by the imposers confessed indifferent, would bo ashamed qwgv
to persecute them with any further molestations, at the distance of a thou-
sand leagues.' These reasons were deeply considered by the Church; and
after many deliberations, accompanied with the most solemn humiliations
and supplications before the God of Heaven, they took up a resolution, under
the conduct of Heaven, to kemove into Amemca; the opened regions
whereof had now filled all Europe with reports. It was resolved, thai jjart
of the Church should go before their brethren, to prepare a place for the
rest; and whereas the minor j^art of younger and stronger men were to go
first, the Pastor was to stay with the major, till they should see cause to
follow. Nor was there any occasion for this resolve, in any weariness which
the States of Holland had of their company, as was basely ichisperedhy their
adversaries; therein like those who of old assigned the same cause for the
departure of the Israelites out of Egypt: for the magistrates of Leyden
in their Court, reproving the Walloons, gave this testimony for our English:
"These have lived now ten years among us, and yet we never had any
accusation against any one of tliem; whereas 3'our quarrels arc continual."
§ 3. These good poo])le were now salisj'yed, they had as plain a command
of Heaven to attempt a removal, as ever their father Abraham had for his
leaving the Caldean territories; and it was nothing but such a .soi/'s/wdw?^
that covdd have carried them through such, otherwise insuperable difficult-
ies, as they met withal. But in this removal the terminus ad Quent* was not
yet resolved u}ion. The country of Guiana flattered them with the prom-
ises of a 2^'')'P<-"tual Spring, and a thousand other comfortable entertainments.
Put tlie probable disagreement of so torrid a climate unto English bodies,
and the more dangerous vicinity of the Spaniards to that climate, were
considerations which made them fear that country would be too hot for
them. They rather propounded some country bordering upon Virginia;
and unto this purpose, they sent over agents into England, who so far
treated not only with the Virginia company, but with several great pr sons
about the Court; unto whom they made evident their agreement u'iiu the
French Reformed Churches in all things ichaisoever, except in a few small acci-
de.ital points; that at last, after many tedious delays, and after the loss of

* The duatlnatiou.

IS ways
rcover,
lit wore
nsclves
abment
where
Prince,
likewise
10 king-
nformitij
1 tec? ever
p a, thou-
cli; and
liUations
n, under
regions
that par^
i for the
jre to go
cavisc to
;ss which
i by their
ic for the
' Leyden
English:
had any
>ntinual."
jommand
id I'or his
xtisfaction
•difficult-
^ was not
h(5 prom-
linnieuts.
[i bodies,
ate, were
)o hot for
Virginia;
bo so far
it pr sons
t unlit the
mall acci-
lie loss of

OK, THE niSTOKY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

many friends and hopes in tliose delays, they obtained a Patent for a quiet
settlement in those territories; and the Archbishop of Canterbury himself
gave them some expectations that they should never be disturbed in that
exercise of Religion, at wlufih they aimed in theii settlement; yea, when Sir
Robert Nanton, then principal Secretary of State unto King James, moved
his Majesty to give way "that suoh a people might, enjo_, their liberty of
conscience under his gracious protection in America, where rhey would
endeavour the advancement of his Majesty's dominions, and the enlarge-
ment of tlio interests of the Gospel;" the King said, "it was a good and
honest motion." All this notwithstanding, they never made use of that
Patent: but being informed of New-England, thither they diverted their
design, tliereto iudieed by sundry reasons; but particularly by this, that
the coast being extrear.ly well circumstanced for fishing^ they might the ;in
have some immed'ate assistance against the hardships of their first encoun-
ters. — Their agents then again sent over to England, concluded articles
between tlicm and such adventurers as would be concerned with them in
their present undertakings — articles, that were indeed sufficiently hard for
those poor men that were now to transplant themselves into an horrid
wilderness. The diversion of their enterprize from the first state and way
of it, caused an unhappy division among those that should have encour-
aged it; and many of them hereupon fell off. But the Removers having
already sold their estates, to put the money into a common stock, for the
welfare of the ichole ; and their stoch as well as their time sj)ending so fast t\s>.
to threaten them with an army of straits, if they delayed any longer; they
nimbly dispatcht the best agreements they could, and came away furnished
with a Resolution for a large Tract of Land in the south-west part of
New-England.

§ 4. All things now being in some readiness, and a couple of ships, one
called The Speedwell, the other 2Vie May-Flower, being hired foi- their
transportation, they solemnly scu apart a day for fasting and prayer;
wherein their Pastor preached unto them upon Ezra viii. 21 : "I proclaimed
a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might aflliet our selves before
our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for
all our substance."

After the fervent supplications of this day, accompanied by their affec-
tionate friends, they took their leave of the pleasant city, where they had
been pilgrims and strangers now for eleven years. Delft-IIaven was the
town where they went on board one of their ships, and there they had
such a mournful parting from their brethren, as even drowned the Dutch
spectators themselves, then standing on the shore, in tears. Their excellent
pastor, on his knees, by the sea-side, poured out their mutual petitions
unto God ; and having wept in one another's arms, as long as the loind
and the tide would permit them, they bad adieu. So sailing to Southamp-
ton in England, they there found the other of their ships come from Loa-
YoL. I.~4

■M

■0 >

Id MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

don, with tlie rest of their friends that were to be the companions of the
voyage. Let my reader place the chronology of this business on July 2,
1620. And know, that the ftiithful pastor of this people immediately sent
after them a pastoral letter; a letter filled with holy counsels unto them,
to settle their peace with God in their own consciences, by an exact repent-
ance of all sin whatsoever, that so they might more easily bear all the diffi-
culties that were now before them ; n.nd then to maintain a good peace with
one another, and beware of giving or takmg offences; and avoid all discov-
eries of a touchy humour; but use much brotherly forbearance, [where by the
way he had this remarkable observation: "In my own experience few or
none have been found that sooner give offence, than those that easily take
it; neither have they ever proved sound and profitable members of societies
who have nourished this touchy humour;"] as also to take heed of fipn'vate
spirit, and all retiredness of mind in each man, for his oivn proper advantage;
and likewise to be careful, that the hofse of God, which they were, might
not be shaken with unnecessary novelties or oppositions ; which Letter after-
wards produced most happy fruits among them.

§ 5. On August 5, 1620, they set sail from Southampton; but if it shall
as I believe it will, afflict my reader to be told what heart-breaking disas-
ters befell them, in the very beginning of their undertaking, let him glorifie
God, who carried thorn so well through their greater aflliction.

They were by bad v^eather twice beaten back, before they came to the
Land's end. But it waf^t judged, that the badness of the weather did not
retard them so much as the deceit of a master, who, grown sick of the
voyage, made such pretences about the leakiness of his vessel, that they
were forced at last wholly to dismiss that lesser ship from the service.
Being now all stowed into "? ship, on the sixth of September they put to
sea; but they met with such l* rrible storms, that the principal persons on
board had serious deliberations upon returning home again; however, after
long beating upon the Atlantick ocean, they fell in with the land at Cape
Cod, about the ninth of November following, where going on shore they fell
upon their knees, with many and hearty praises unto God, who had been
their assurance, when they were afar off upon the sea, and was to be further
so, now that they were come to the ends of the earth.

But why at thi. Cape' Here was not the port which they intciided: this
was not the land lor which they h.Q'^ provided. There was indeed a most
wonderful provid/;itce of God, ovei a, pious and a praying people, in this
disappointment/ The most crooked way that ever was gone, even that of
Israel's peregrination through the wilderness, may be called a right way,
such was the way of this little Israel, now going into a wilderness.

§ 6. Their design was to have sat down some where about Hudson's
Eiver; but some of their neighbouxs in Holland having a mind themselves
to settle a plantation there, secretly and sinfully contracted with the master
of the ship, employed for the transportation of these our English exiles, by

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

IS of the
July 2,
jly sent
» them,
, repent-
be diffi-
ice with
discov-
3 by the
3 few or
lily take
aocieties
a private
vantage;
e, might
ER after-

f it shall
ng disas-
n glorifie

le to the
' did not
;k of the
,hat they
service,
ey put to
ersoiis on
3ver, after
d at Cape
e they fell
had been
36 further

iided: this
;ed a most
lie, in this
'en that of
right way,
ess.

Hudson's
themselves
the master
h exiles, by

a more northerly course, to put a trick upon them. 'Twas in the pursuance
of this plot that not only the goods, but also the lives of all on board were
now hazarded, by the ships falling among the shoals of Cape-Cod; where
they were so entangled among dangerous breakers, thus late in the year,
that the company, got at last into the Cape-Harbour, broke ojf their intentions
of going any further. And yet, behold the watchful providence of God
over them that seek him ! this false-dealing proved a safe-dealing for the good
people against whom it was used. Had they been carried according to
their desire unto Hudson's River, the Indians in those parts were at this
time so many, and so mighty, and so sturdy, that in probability all this
little feeble number of Christians had been massacred by these bloody
salvages, as not long after some others were: whereas the good hand of
God now brought them to a country wonderfully prepared for their enter-
tainment, by a sweeping mortality that had lately been among the natives.
" We have heard with our ears, God, our fathers have told us, what
work thou didst in their days, in the times of old; how thou dravest out
the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them ; how thou did'st afflict the
people, and cast them out!" The Indians in these parts had newly, even
about a year or two before, been visited with such a prodigious pestilence,
as carried away not a tenth, but nine parts of tew, (yea, 'tis said, nineteen, of
twenty) among them : so that the woods were almost cleared of those per-
nicious creatures, to make room for a better growth. It is remarkable, that a
Frenchman who, not long before these transactions, had by a shipwreck
been made a captive amongst the Indians of thi.5 country, did, as the sur-
vivers reported, just before he dyed in their hands, tell those tawny pagans,
''that God being angry with them for their wickedness, would not only
destroy them all, but also people the place with another nation, which
would not live after their brutish manners." Those infidels then blasphe-
mously replyed, "God could not kill them;" which blasphemous mistake
was confuted by an horrible and unusual plague, whereby they were con-
sumed in such vast multitudes, that our first planters found the land almost
covered with their unburied carcases; and they that were hft alive, were
smitten into awful and humble regards of the English, by tne terrors which
the remembrance of the Frenchman's prophesie had imprinted on them.

§ 7. Inexpressible the hardships to which this chosen generation was now
exposed! Our Saviour once directed his disciples to deprecate a flight in
the winter; but these disciples of our Lord were now arrived at a very cold
country, in the beginning of a rough and bleak winter; the sun was with-
drawn into Sagittarius, whence he shot the penetrating arrows of cold;
feathered with nothing but snow, and pointed with hail; and the days left
them to behold the/rosi-bitten and iveather-hQdAQU face of the earth, were
grown shorter than the nights, wherein they had yet more trouble to get
shelter from the increasing inj uries of the frost and weather. It was a relief
to those primitive believers, who were cast on shore at Malta, That the har-

III.

%'mm

MAGNALIA 0HRI8TI AMERICANA;

harous ipeople showed them no little kindness, because of the present rain, and
becans'^ of the cold. But these believers in our primitive times, were more
afraid of the barbarous people among whom they were now cast, than they
were of the rain or cold; these barbarians were at the first so far from
accommodating them with bundles of sticks to warm them, that they let fly
other sorts o{ sticks (that is to say, arrows) to wound them: and the very
hoks and shouts of those grim salvages, had not much less of terrour in
them, than if they had been so many devils. It is not long since I com-
pared this remove of our fathers to that of Abraham, whereas I must now
add, that if our father Abraham, called out of Ur, had been directed unto
the Desarts of Arabia, instead of the land flowing with milk and honey, the
trial of his faith had been greater than it was; but such was the tnal of the
faith in these holy men, who followed the call of God into desarts full of
dismal circumstances. All this they chearfully underwent, in hope that
they should settle the worship and order of the gospel, and the Kingdom
of our Lord Jesus Christ in these regions, and that thus enlarging the
dominion, they should thereby so merit the protection of the crown of Eng-
land, as to be never abandoned unto any further persecutions, from any
party of their fellow subjects, for their consciencious regards unto the
reformation. Their proposal was,

Exiguam sedem Sacrig, Litusque rogamus
Innocuum, et eunctia undamg; auramq; Patentem.*

§ 8. Finding at their first arrival, that what other powers they had
were made useless by the undesigiied place of their arrival ; they did, as
the light of nature it self directed them, immediately in the harbour, sign
an instrumenf, as a foundation of their future and needful government;
wherein declaring themselves the loyal subjects of the Crown of England,
they did combine into a body politick, and solemnly engage submission and
obedience to the laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and officers, that from
time to time should be thought most convenient for the general good of
the Colony. This was done on Nov. 11th. 1620, and they chose one Mr.
John Carver, a pious and prudent man, their Governour.

Hereupon they sent ashore to look a convenient seat for their intended
habitation: and while the carpenter was fitting of their shallop, sixteen
men tendered themselves, to go, by land, on the discovery. Accordingly
on Nov. 16th, 1620, they made a dangerous adventure; following five
Indians, whom they spied flying before them, into the woods for many
miles ; from whence, after two or three days ramble, they returned ■"dth
some ears of Indian Corn, which were an eshcol for their compan , ^t
with a poor and small encouragement, as unto any scituation. When the
shallop was fitted, about thirty more went in it upon a further discovery;
who prospered little more, than only to find a little Indian Corn, and

* We ask a shrine fur faith aiid simple prayer-
Freedom's sweet waters and tmtalnted air.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

mn, and
re more
lan they
far from
;y let fly
;he very
rrour in
I 1 com-
mst now
ted unto
oney, the
ial of the

3 full of

ope that
kingdom
ging the
of Eng-
rom any
anto the

;hey had
y did, as
our, sign
'ernment;
England,
3sion and
hat from
good of
one Mr.

intended
p, sixteen
iordingly
ving five
br many
■ned -^'dth
an t it
Vheu the
iscovery;
/orn, and

bring to the company some occasions of doubtful debate, whether they
should here fix their stakes. Yet these expeditions on discovery had this
one remarkable smile of Heaven upon them; that being made before the
snow covered the ground, they met with some Indian Com; for which
'twas their purpose honestly to pay the natives on demand ; and this Corn
served them for seed in the Spring following, which else they had not been
seasonably furnished withal. So that it proved, in effect, their deliver-
ance from the terrible famine.

§ 9. The month of November being spent in many supplications to
Almighty God, and consultations one with another, about the direction of
their course; at last, on Dec. 6, 1620, they manned the shallop with about
eighteen or twenty hands, and went out upon a third discovery. So bitterly
cold was the season, that the spray of the sea lighting on their cloaths,
glazed them with an immediate congelation; yet they kept cruising about
the bay of Cape-Cod, and that night they got safe down the bottom of
the bay. There they landed, and there they tarried that night; and
unsuccessfully ranging about all the next day, at night they made a little
hairicado of boughs and logs, wherein the most weary slept. The next
morning, after prayers, they suddenly were surrounded with a crue of
Indians, who let fly a shower of arrows among them; whereat our dis-
tressed handful of English happily recovering their arms, which they had
laid by from the moisture of the weather, they vigorously discharged their
muskets upon the Salvages, who astonished at the strange effects of such
dead-doing idlings, as powder and shot, fled apace into the woods ; but not
one of ours was wounded by the Indian arrows that flew like hail about their
ears, and pierced through sundry of their coats; for which they returned
their solemn thanks unto God their Saviour ; and they called the place
by the name of, I'he First Encounter. From hence they coasted along,
till an horrible storm arose, which tore their vessel at such a rate, and threw
them into the midst of such dangerous breakers, it was reckoned little short
oi miracle that they escaped alive. In the end they got under the lee of
a small Island, where, going ashore, they kindled fires for their succour
against the wet and cold ; it was the morning before they found it was an
Island, whereupon they rendered their praises to Him that "hitherto had
helped them;" and the day following, which was the Lord''s day, the diffi-
culties now upon them did not hinder them from spending it in the devout
and pious exerc^^.es of a sacred rest. On the next day they sounded the
harbour, and found it fit for shipping ; they visited the main land also,
and found it accommodated with pleasant fields and brooks; whereof
they carried an encouraging report unto their friends on board. So they
resolved that they would here pitch their tents; and sailing up to the town
of Plymouth, [as with an hopeful prolepsis, my reader shall now call it;
for otherwise, by the Indians 'twas called Patuxet;] on the twenty-fifth
day of December they began to erect the first House that ever was in that

MAQNALIA CHRI8TI AMKBiOANA;

memorable town; an house for tlio general entortainment of thoir persons
and estates: and yet it was not long before an unhappy accident burnt
unto the groi id their house, ^\ herein some of their prinoipal persons tnou
lay sick; who were forced nimbly to fly out of the fired house, or else
they had been Down up with the powder then lodged there. After this,
they soon went upon the building of more little coitOiTs; and upon the
settling of good laws, for the better governing of fuch as were to itilmbit
those cottages. They then resolved, that until they could be further
strengthened in their settlemciit, by the authority of England, they would
be governed by rulers chosen from among themselves, who were to proceed
according to the laws of England, as near as thoy could, in the adminis-
tration of their government; and such other by-laws, as by common con-
sent should be judged necessary for the circumstances of the Plantation.

§ 10. If the reader would know, how these good people fared the rest
of the melancholy winter, let him know, that besides the exercises of
lieligion, with other work enough, there was the care of the sick to take
up no little part of their time. 'Twas a most heavy trial of their patience,
whereto they were called the first winter of this their pilgrimage, and
enough to convince them and remind Miem that they were but Pilgrims.
The hardships which they encountered, were attended with, and product-
ive of deadly sicknesses; which in two or three months carried off more
than half their company. They were but meanly provided against these
unhappy sicknesses; but there died sometimes two, sometimes tliree in a
day, till scaT(Hi fifty of them were left alive; and of those fifty, sometimes
there were sf arce five well at a time to look after the sick. Yet their pro-
found subitiissioii to the will of God, their Christian readiness to help one
anotaor, accompanied with a joyful assurance of another and better world,
oavried tbc"i chearfully through the sorrows of this mortality: nor was
there heard among them a continual murmur against those who had by
unreasonable impositions driven them into all these distresses. And there
was this remarkable providence further in the circumstances of this mortality,
that if a disease had not more easily fetcht so many of this number away
to Heaven, Sl famine would probably have destroyed them all, before their
expected supplies from England were arrived. But what a wonder was
it that all the bloody salvages far and near did not cut off this little rem-
nant! If he that once muzzled the lions ready to devour the man of desires,
had not admirably, I had almost said, miraculously restrained them, these had
been all devoured 1 but this people of God were come into a tuildemess to
worship Him; and so He kept their enemies from such attempts, as wc uld
otherwise have soon annihilated this poor handful of men, thus far already
diminished. They saw no Indians all the winter long, but such as at the
first sight always ran away: yea, they quickly found, that God had so
turned the hearts of these barbarians, as more io fear, than to hate his people
thus cast among them. This blessed people was as a little flock of kids,

w
in
b
d(

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

they could not hinder those pc
masters of the country ; wherei
respondence with our new-conn
was no enchantment or divinatio.

while there were many nations of Indians left still iii kennels of wolves
in every corner of the country. And yet the little Jlock suffered no damage
by those rapid wolves 1 We may and should say, "This is the Lord's
doing; 'tis marvellous in our eyes."

But among tl^e many causes to be assigned for it, one was this. It was
afterwards by them confessed, that upon the arri val of the English in these
parts, the Indians employed their sorcerers, whom they call powaws, like
Balaam, to curse them, and let loose their demons upon them, to shipwreck
them, to distract them, to poison them, or in any wuy to ruin them. All the
noted powaws in the country spent three days together in diabolical con-
jurations, to obtain the assistance of the devils against the settlement of
these our English; but the devi]!= '* ongth acknowledged unto them, that

rom their becoming the owners and
Indians resolved upon a good cor-
iod convinced them that there
,,iSi ich a people.
§ 11. The doleful winter broke up sooner than was usual. But our
crippled planters were not more comforted with the early advance of the
Spring, than they were surprized with the appearance of two Indians, who
in broken English bade them, welcome Englishmen ! It seems that one of
these Indians had been in the eastern parts of New-England, acquainted
with some of the English vessels that had been ioxmnxly fishing there;
but the other of the Indians, and he from whom they had most of service,
was a person provided by the very singular providence of God for that
service. A most wicked ship-master being on this coast a few years before,
had wickedly spirited away more than twenty Indians; whom having
enticed them aboard, he presently stowed them under hatches, and carried
them away to the Streights, where he sold as many of them as he could
for Slaves. This avaritious and pernicious fehny laid the foundation of
grievous annoyances to all the English endeavours of settlements, espe-
cially in the northern parts of the land for several years ensuing. The
Indians would never /or^yef av forgive this injury; but when the English
afterwards came upon this coast, in their fishing-voyages, they were still
assaulted in an hostile manner, to the killing and wounding of many poor
men by the angry natives, in revenge of the wrong that had been done
them; and some intended Plantations here were hereby utterly nipt in
the bud. But our good God so ordered it, that one of the stoln Indians,
called Squanto, had escaped out of Spain into England; where he lived
with one Mr. Slany, from whom he had found a way to return into his
own country, being brought back by one Mr. Dermer, about half a year
before our hoiiest Plymotheans were cast upon this continent. This Indian
(with the other) having received much kindness from the English, who he
saw generally condemned the man that first betrayed him, now made unto
the English a return of that kindness: and being by his acquaintance with

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MAGNALIA 0HBI8TI AMERICANA;

the English language, fitted for a conversation with them, he very kindly
informed them what was the present condition of the Indians; instructed
them in the way of ordering their Corn; and acquainted them with many
other things, which it was necessary for them to understand. But Squanto
did for them a yet greater benefit than all this: for he brought Massasoit, the
chief Sachim or Prince of the Indians within many miles, with some scores
of his attenders, to make our people a kind visit; the issue of which visit
was, that Massasoit not only entred into a firm agreement of peace with the
English, but also they declared and submitted themselves to be subjects
of the King of England; into which pecux and s^^ecthn many other
Sachims quickly after came, in the most voluntary manner that could be
expressed. It seems this unlucky Squanto having told his countrymen
how easie it was for bo great a monarch us K. James to destroy them all,
if they should hurt any of his people, he went on to terrific them with a
ridiculous rhodomantado, which they believed, that this people kept the
plague in a cellar (where they kept their powder), and could at their plea-
sure let it loose to make such havock among them, as the distemper had
already made among them a few years before. Thus was the tongtie of a
dog made useful to a feeble and sickly Lazarus! Moreover, our English
guns, especially the great ones, made a formidable report among these
ignorant Indians; and the hopes of enjoying some defence by the English,
against the potent nation of Narraganset Indians, now at war with these,
made them yet more to court our friendship. This very strange disposi-
tion of things, was extreamly advantageous to our distre&^ed planters : and
who sees not herein- the special providence of the God w?io disposeth allf

\J umL iuOi ii ui £i Jife X X iL e

CONAMUR TBNUES 6RANDIA;*

OB, A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE DIFnCULTIES, THE DELIVERANCES, AND OTHER

OCCURRENCES, THROUGH WHICH THE PLANTATION OF NEW-PLTMOUTH

ARRIVED UNTO THE CONSISTENCY OF A COLONY.

§ 1. Setting aside the just and great grief of our new planters for the
immature death of their excellent governour, succeeded by the worthy
Mr. Bradford, early in the Spring after their first arrival, they spent their
summer somewhat comfortably, trading with the Indians to the northward
of their Plantation; in which trade they were not a little assisted by
Squanto, who within a year or two dyed among the English ; but before

, * Wo attempt great thinga with Blender reioarcet.

OB, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENQLAKD.

his death, desired thi m to pray for him, That he might go to the English'
marUa God in Heaven. And besides the assistance of Squanto, they had
also the help of another Indian, c^led Hobbamok, who continued Mthiul
unto the English interests as long as he lived; though he sometimes went
in danger of his life among his countrymen for that fidelity. So they
jogged on till the day tvelvemonth after their first arrival; when there now
arrived unto them a good number more of their old friends from Holland,
for the strengthening of their new Plantation; but inasmuch as they
brought not a sufficient stock of provisions with them, they rather weak-
ened it, than strengthened it.

^ If Peter Mailyr could magnifie the Spaniards, of whom he reports,
They led a miserable life for three days together vnth parched grain of maize
only, and that not unto satiety; what shall I say of our Englishmen, who
would have thought a little parched Indian Com a mighty feast f But they
wanted it, not only three days together; no, for two or three months
together, they had no kind of Corn among them: such was the scarcity,
accompanied with the disproportion of the inhabitants to the provisions.
However, Peter Martyr's conclusion may be ours: With their miseries this
people opened a way to those new lands, and afterwards other men came to
inhabit them with ease, in respect of the calamities which those men have suffered.
They were indeed very often upon the very point of starving; but in their
extremity the God of Heaven always furnished them with some sudden
reliefs; either by causing some vessels of strangers occasionally to look in
upon them, or by putting them into a way to catch fish in some convenient
quantities, or by some other surprizing accidents; for which they rendered
unto Heaven the solemn thanks of their souls. They kept in such good
working case, that besides their progress in building, and planting, and
fishing, they formed a sort of a fort, wherein they kept a nightly watch
for their security against any treachery of the Indians, being thereunto
awakened by an horrible massacre, which the Indians lately made upon
several hundreds of the English in Virginia.

§ 2. In one of the first Summers after their sitting down at Plymouth,
a terrible drought threatened the ruin of all theh' summer's husbandry.
From about the middle of May to the middle of July, an extream hot
sun beat upon their fields, without any rain, so that all their corn began to
wither and languish, and some of it was irrecoverably parched up. In
this distress they set apart a day for fasting and prayer, to deprecate the
calamity that might bring them to fasting through /amine; in the morning
of which day there was no sign of any rain; but before the evening the
sky was overcast with clouds, which went not away without such easie,
gentle, and yet plentiful showers, as revived a great part of their decayed
corn, for a comfortable harvest. The Indians themselves took notice of
this answer given from heaven to the supplications of this devout people;
and one of them said, "Now I see that the Englishman's God is a good

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMEKICANA;

God; for he hath heard you, and sent you rain, and that without such
tempest and thunder as we use to have with our rain; wh. li after our
Powawing for it, breaks down the corn; whereas your com stands whole
and good still; surely, your God is a good God." The harvest which God
thus gave to this pious people, caused them to set apart another day for
solemn Thanksgiving to the glorious Hearer of Prayers/

§ 3. There was another most wonderful preservation vouchsafed by
God unto this little knot of Christians. One Mr. Weston, a merchant of
good note, interested at first in the Plymouth design, afterwards deserted
it; and in the year 1622 sent over two ships, with about sixty men, to
begin a plantation in the Massachuset-Bay. These beginners being well
refreshed at Plymouth, travelled more northward unto a place known
since by the name of Weymouth; where these Westonians, who were
Church of England-men, did not approve themselves like the Plymotheans,
a pious, honcF', industrious j ople; but followed such bad courses, as had
like to have brought a ruin upon their neighbours, as well as themselves.
Having by their idleness brought themselves to penury, they stole corn
from the Indians, and many other ways provoked them; although the
Governour of Plymouth writ them his very sharp disapprobation of their
proceedings. To satisfie the exasperated Salvages, divers of the thieves
were stockt and whipt, and one of them at last put to death by this mis-
erable company ; which did no other service than to afford an occasion for
a fable to the roguish Hudibras, for all accommodation was now too forte.
The Indians far and near entred into a conspiracy to cut otf these abusive
English; and lest the inhabitants of Plymouth should revenge that
excision of their countrymen, they resolved upon the murther of them also.
In pursuance of this plot, Captain Standish, the commander of the militia
of Plymouth, lodging on a night with two or three men in an Indian
house, the Indians proposed that they might begin the execution of their
malice by the assassination of the Captain, as soon as he should be fallen
asleep. However, the watchful Providence of God so ordered it, that the
Captain could not sleep all that night; and so tJ"" durst not meddle with
him. Thus was the beginning of the plot p v : but the whole plot
came another way to be discovered and pro7ftnv..a. Massasoit, the soutli-
em Sachim, falling sick, the Governour of Plymouth, desired a couple of
gentlemen, whereof one was that good maUj Mr. Winslow, to visit this
poor Sachim : whom after their long journey they found lying at tlie point
of death with a crue of hellish Powaws, using their ineffectual spells and
howls about him to recover him. Upon the taking of some English physiek,
he presently revived ; and thus regaining his lost health, the fees he paid
his English doctor were, a confession of the plot among several nations ot the
Indians, to destroy the English. He said, that they had in vain solicited
him to enter into that bloody combination ; but his advice was, that the
Governour of Plymouth should immediately take off the principal actors

OB, THE HI8T0EY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

in this business, whereupon the rest being terrifyed, would soon desist.
There was a concurrence of many things to confirm the truth of this
information ; wherefore Captain Standish took eight resolute men with him
to the Westonian Plantation; where, pretending to trade with the Indians,
divers of the conspirators began to treat him in a manner very insolent.
The Captain, and his little army of eight men, (reader, allow them for
their courage to be called so,) with a prodigious resolution, presently killed
some of the chief among these Indians, while the rest, after a short com-
bate, ran before him as fast as their legs could carry them ; nevertheless,
in the midst of the skirmishes, an Indian youth ran to the English, desiring
to be with them; and declaring that the Indians waited but for their fin-
ishing two canoos, to have surprized the ship in the harbour, and have
massacred all the people; which had been finished, if the Captain had not
arrived among them just in the nick of time when he did: and an Indian
spy detained at Plymouth, when he saw the Captain return from this
expedition, with the head of a famous Indian in his hand, then with a fallen
and frighted countenance acknowledged the whole mischief intended by
the Indians against the English. Eeleasing this fellow, they sent him to
the Sachim of the Massachusets, with advice of what he must look for, in
case he committed any hostility upon the subjects of the King of England;
whereof there was this effect, that not only that Sachim hereby territied,
most humbly begged for peace, and pleaded his ignorance of his men's
intentions; but the rest of the Indians, under the same terror, withdrew
themselves to live in the unhealthful swamps, which proved mortal to
many of them. One of the Westonians was endeavouring to carry unto
Plymouth a report of the straits and fears which were come upon them,
and this man losing his way, saved his life; taking a wrong track, he
escaped the hands of the two Indians, who went on hunting after him;
however e're he reached Plymouth, care had been already taken for these
wretched "Westonians by the earlier and fuller communications of Massa-
soit. So was the peace of Plymouth preserved, and so the Westonian
plantation broke up, went off, and came to nothing; although 'twas much
wished by the holy Robinson, that some of the poor heathen had been
converted before any <3f them had been slaughtered.

§ 4. A certain gentleman [if nothing in the following story contradict
tliat namel was employed in obtaining from the Grand Council of Ply-
mouth and England, a Patent in the name of these planters for a con-
venient quantity of the country, where the providence of God had now
disposed them. This man, speaking one word for thera, spake two for him-
self: and surreptitiously procured the patent in his own name, reserving
for himself and his heirs an huge tract of the land ; and intending the
Plymotheans to hold the rest as tenants under him. Hereupon he took
on board many passengers with their goods; but having sailed no further
than the Downs, the ship sprang a leak; and besides this disaster, which

10 MAONALIA OHBISTI AMEBIOANA;

alone was enough to have stopt the voyage, one strand of their cable was
accidentally out; by which means it broke in a stress of wind; and they
were in extream danger of being wrecked upon the sands. Having with
much cost recruited their loss, and encreased the number of their passengers,
they put out again to sea; but after they had got halfway, one of the
saddest and longest storms that had been known since the days of the
Apostle Paul, drove them home to England again, with a vessel well nigh
torn to pieces, though the lives of the people, which were above an hun*
dred, mercifully preserved. This man, by all his tumbling backward and
forward, was by this time grown so sick of his patent, that he vomited it
up; he assigned it over to the company, but they afterwards obtained
another^ under the umbrage whereof they could now more effectually carry
on the affairs of their new colony. The passengers went over afterwards
in another vessel; and quickly after that another vessel of passengers also
arrived in the country : namely, in the year 1623. Among these passen-
gers were divers worthy and usefiil men, who were come to seeh the welfare
of this little Israel; though at their coming they were as diversly affected
as the rebuilders of the Temple at Jerusalem : some were grieved when
they saw how bad the circumstances of their friends were, and others were
glad that they were no worse.

§ 5. The immature death of Mr. Bobinson in Holhnd, with many ensu-
ing disasters, hindred a great part of the English congregation at Leyden
from coming over to the remnant here separated Jhun their brethren. Hence
it was, that although this remnant of that church were blessed with an
elder so apt to teach,, that he attended all the other works of a minister;
yet they had not a pastor to dispense the sacraments among them, till the
year 1629, when one Mr. Ralph Smith undertook the pastoral charge of
this holy flock. But long before that, namely, in the year 1624, the
adventurers in England, with whom this company held a correspondence,
did send over unto them a minister, who did them no manner of good;
but by his treacherous and mischievous tricks, at last utterly destroyed
that correspondence. The first neat cattle, namely, three heifers and a
bull, that ever were brought into this land, now coming with him, did the
land certainly better service than was ever done by him, who sufficiently
forgot that scriptural emblem of a minister, the ox treading out the corn.
This minister at his first arrival did caress them with such extream showers
of affection and humility, that they were very much taken with him ;
nevertheless, within a little while, he used most malignant endeavours to
make factions among them, and confound all their civil and sacred order.
At last there fell into the hands of the governour his letters home to Eng-
land, filled with wicked and lying accusations against the people ; of which
things being shamefully convicted, the authority sentenced him to be
expelled the Plantation, only they allowed him to stay six months, with
secret reservations and expectations to release him from that sentence, if

OB, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

he approved himself sound in the repentance which he now expressed.
Repentance, I say: for he did now publickly in the Church confess with
tears, that the censure of the Church was less than he deserved; he acknowl-
edged, "Thftt he had slanderously abused the good people, and that God
might justly lay innocent blood to his charge; for he knew not what hurt
might have come through his writings ; for the interception whereof he now
blessed God; and that it had been his manner to pick up all the evil that
was ever spoken against the people; but he shut his ears and eyes against
all the good; and that if God should make him a vagabond in the earth,
he were just in doing so; and that those three things, pride, vain-glory, and
self-love, had been the causes of his miscarriages." — These things he uttered
80 pathetically, that they again permitted him to preach among them; and
some were so perswaded of his repentance, that they professed they would
fall down on their knees, that the censure passed on him should be remitted.
But, Oh the deceitful heart of man/ After two months time, he so notori-
ously renewed the miscarriages which he had thus bewailed, that his own
wife, through her affliction of mind at his hypocrisie, could not forbear
declaring her fears, that God would bring some heavy judgment upon
their family, not only for these, but some former wickednesses by him
committed, ecpecially as to fearful breaches of the Seventh Commandment,
which he had with an oath denied, though they were afterwards evinced.
Wherefore upon the whole, being banished from hence, because his resi-
dence here was utterly inconsistent with the life of this infant-plantation;
he went into Virginia, where he shortly after ended his own life. Quickly
after these difficulties, the company of adventurers for the support of this
Plantation, became rather adversaries to it; or at least, a Be you loarmed
and filled; a few good words were all the help they afforded it; they broke
to pieces, but the Ood of Heaven still supported it.

§ 6. After these many difficulties were thus a little surmounted, the
inhabitants of this Colony prosecuted their affairs at so vigorous and suc-
cessful a rate, that they not only fell into a comfortable way, both of plant-
ing and of trading; but also in a few years there was a notable number of
towns to be seen settled among them, and very considerable Churches,
walking, so far as they had attained, in the faith and order of the Gospel.
Their Churches flourished so considerably, that in the year 1642, there
were above a dozen ministers, and some of those ministers were stars of the
first magnitude, shining in their several orbs among them. And as they
proceeded in the evangelical service and worship of our Lord Jesus Christ,
so \)^Qy prospered in their secular concernments. When they first began to
divide their lands, they wisely contrived the division so, that they might
keep close together for their mutual defence; and then their condition was
very like that of the Romans in the time of Romulus, when every man
contented himself with two acres of land; and, as Pliny tells us, "It was
thought a great reward for one to receive a pint of corn from the people

1^ MAONALIA CIIRI8TI AMERICANA;

of Rome, vrhioh corn they also pounded in mortars." But since then their
condition ia marvellously altered and amended; great farms are now seen
among the effects of this good people's planting; and in their ^AiVm/, from
the oatohing of an/, and other fish of less dimentions, they are since passed
on to the oatohing of tt'Aofes, whose oil is become a staple-commodity of the
country; whtdes^ I say, which living and moving islands, do now find a
way to this coast, where, notwithstanding the desperate hazards run by the
whale-catchers in tlieir thin whale-boats, often torn to pieces by the stroaks
of those enraged monsters; yet it has been rarely known that any of them
have miscarried. And within a few days of my writing this paragraph,
a coto and a ca^ wore caught at Yarmouth in this Colony; the cow was
fifty-five foot long, the bona was nine or ten foot wide; a cart upon wheels
might have gone in at the mouth of it; the calf was twenty foot long, for
unto such vast cnlvts the sea-monsters draw/or^ their breasts. But so does
the good God here give his people to suck the abundance of the seas/

§ 7. If my reader would have the religion of these planters more exactly
described unto him — after I have told him that many hundreds of holy
souls, having been riptnai for Heaven under the ordinances of God in this
Colony ; and having loft an example of wonderful prayerfulness, watchful-
ness, tiiankftilnoss, uacftilness, exact conscientiousness, piety, charity, wean-
edness ftom the things of this world, and affection to the things that are
above, are now at rest with the blessed Jesus, whose names, though not
recorded in this bool\ are yet entered in the Book of life; and I hope there
are still many hundreds of their children, even of the third and fourth
generation, resolving to "follow them as they followed Christ" — I must
refer him to an account given thereof by the right worshipful Edward
Winslow, Esq., who was for some time the Governour of the Colony. He
gives us to nndcrstand, that they are entirely of the same faith with the
reformed Churches in Europe, only in their Church-government they are
endeavourers after a ivjbnnation more thorough than what is in many of
them; yet without any uncharitable separation from them. He gives
instances of their admitting to communion among them the communicants
of the French, the Dutch, the Scotch Churches, merely by virtue of their
being so; and says, "We ever placed a large difference between those that
grounded their pmctice on the Word of God, though differing from us in the
exposition and understanding of it, and those that hated such reformers
and reformation, and went on in anti-christian opposition to it, and persecu-
tion of it:" after which, he adds, "' Tis true, we profess and desire to practice
a separation fix)m the world, and the works of the world; and as the
Churches of Christ are all saints by calling, so we desire to see the Grace of
God shining forth (at least seemingly, leaving secret things to God) in all
we admit into ChwxJi-fdlowship with us, and to keep off such as openly
wallow in the mire of their sins, that neither the holy things of God, nor
the communion of saints, may be leavened or polluted thereby. And if

OE, THE HIRTOBY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

any joining to us formerly, either when we lived at Leyden in Holland,
or since we came to New-England, have with the manifestation of their
faith, and profession of holiness, held forth therewith separation from the
Church of England; I have divers times, both in the one place, and in the
other, heard either Mr. Robinson our pastor, or Mr. Brewster our elder,
stop them forthwith, shewing them that we required no such thing at their
hands; but only to hold forth faith in Christ Jesus, holiness in the fear of
God, and submission to every ordinance and appointment of God." — Thus
he. It is true there have been some varieties among this people, but still
I suppose the body of them do with integrity espouse and maintain the
principles upon which they were first established; however, I must, without
fear of offending, express my fear, that the leaven of that rigid thing they
call Brownism, has prevailed sometimes a little of the furthest in the
administrations of this pious people. Yea, there was an hour of temptation,
wherein the fondness of the people for the prophecyings of the brethren, as
they called those exercises; that is to say, the preachments of those whom
they called gifted brethren, produced those dicouragements unto their minis-
ters, that almost all the ministers left the Colony ; apprehending themselves
driven away by the insupportable neglect and contempt with which the
people on this occasion treated them. And this dark hour of eclipse, upon
the light of the Gospel, in the churches of the Colony, continued until their
humiliation and reformation before the great Shepherd of the sheep, who hath
since then blessed them with a succession of as worthy ministers as most
in the land. Moreover, there has been among them one Church that have
questioned and omitted the use of infant-baptism; nevertheless, there being
many good men among those that have been of this perswasion, I do not
know that they have been persecuted with any harder means than those of
kind conferences to reclaim them. There have been also some unhappy
sectaries, viz : Quakers and Seekers, and other such En&rgumens,* [pardon
me, reader, that I have thought them so] which have given uggly disturb-
ances to these good-spirited men in their temple-work; .; "t they have not
prevailed unto the subversion of the first interest.

Sonjp little controversies likewise have now and then arisen among them
in the administration of their discipline; but Synods then regularly called,
have usually and presently put into joint all that was apprehended out.
Their chief hazard and symptom of degeneracy, is in the verification of
that old observation, Religio peperit Divitias, et filia devoravit matrem:
"Religion brought forth Prosperity, and the daughter destroyed the mother."
The one would expect, that as they grew in their estates, they would grow
in the payment of their quit-rents unto the God who gives them power to get
weaWi, by more liberally supporting his ministers and ordinances among
them; the most likely way to save them from the most miserable apostacy ;
the neglect whereof in some former years, began for a while to be pun-

* Victims of demoniacal posaenion.

MujatuM-j g;

1^ MAOMALIA CnBIBTI AMBBIOANA;

isbed with a sore famine of the Word; nevertheless, there ia danger lest
the enchantments of this world make them to forget their errand into the
vnldemeas: and some woful villages in the skirts of the Colony, beginning
to live without the means of grace among them, are still more ominous
intimations of the danger. May the God of New-England preserve them
from so great t» death!

§ 8. Ooing now to take my leave of this litUe Colony, that I may con-
verse for a while with her younger sisters, which yet have outstript her in
growth exceedingly, and so will now draw all the streams of her affairs
into their channels, I shall repeat the counsel which their faithAil Robin-
son gave the first planters of the Colony, at their parting firom him in
Holland. Said he, [to this purpose,]

"Brethren: We are now quickly to pnrt flrom one another; and whcUier I may ever live to
see your faces on earth any more, the God of Heaven only knows. But whctlior the Lord
have appointed that or no, I charge you before God, and before hia blessed angels, that you
foUow me no further than you have seen xaefiiOaw the Lord Jesus ChriaL

"If God reveal any thing to you by any other instrument of Ais, be as ready to receive
it, as ever you were to receive any truth by my ministry; for I am verily pcrswadcd, I am
very confident tlie Lord hath more truth yet to break forth out of his holy Word. For my
part, I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed Chnrchcs, who are come to
^period in religion; and will go at present no Airthor than tlio instruments of their first
Reformation. The Lutherans cannot be drawn to go beyond what Luther saw; whatever
part of his will our good God has imparted and revealed unto Culvin, they will rather die
than embrace it. And the Calvinists, you see, stick fast where they wore left by that great
man of God, who yet saw not all things.

" This is a misery much to be lamented; for though they wore 'burning and shining lights*
in their times, yet they penetrated not into the 'whole counsel of God;' but were they now
living, thoy would be as willing to embrace further light, as that which they /rst received.
I beseech you to remember it; it ia an article of your Church^ovenant, 'That you will be
ready to receive whatever truth shall be made known unto you from the written Word of
God.* Remember that, and every other article of your most sacred covenant But I must
herewithal exhort you to take heed what you receive as trtith; examine it, consider it, com-
pare it with the other Scriptures of truth, before you do receive it For it is not possible
the Christian world should come so lately out cf such tliick anti^^hristian darkness, and that
perfection nf knowledge should break forth at once. I must also advise you to abandon, avoid
and shake off the name of Brownist: it is a mere nick-name, and a brand for the making of
Religion, and the professors of religion, odious unto the Christian world. Unto this end, I
should be extreamly glad, if some godly minister would go with you, or come to you, before
you can have any company. For there will be no difference between the unconformable
ministers of England and you, when you come to the practice of evangelical ordinances out
of the kingdom. And I would wish you by all means to close with the godly people of
England ; study union with them in all things, wherein you can have it without sin, rather
than in the least measure to affect a division or separation fVom them. Neither would I
have you loth to take another pastor besides my self; in as much as a flock that hath two
shepherds is not thereby endangered, but secured."

So adding some other things of great consequence, he concluded most
affectionately, commending his departing flock unto the grace of God,
fhich now I also do the offspring of that holy flock.

OB. THE HISTOBY OF NXW-ENOLAMD.

most
God,

CITADTP'D t IT t

' ' ' -' '""^

PAULO NAJORA;* OB, THE ESSAYS AND CAUSES '

WHICH PRODUCED THE SECOND, BUT LARGEST COLONY OP NEW-ENGLAND | AND THE HANNBB
WHEREIN THE FIRST CHURCH OF THIS NEW COLONY WAS GATHERED.

§ 1 Words full of emphasis, are those which my reader may find writ-
ten by a learned and pious minister of the Church of England; and I hope
I may without offence tender to the reader the words of such an author.

'*Some ntnong us (writes he) are angry with Calvin for calling humane rites, tolerabiks
Ineptias;j they will not ut the great day be such unto the rigorous imposere, who made them
the terms of communion. How will you at that day lift up your faces before your Master
and your Judge, when he shall demand of you, ' what is become of those bis lambs which
you drove into the wilderness by needless impositions]'"

The story of the folks thus " driven into the wilderness " has begun to
be related: and we would relate it without all intemperate expressions of
our anger against our drivers, before whom the people must needs go, as
they did : it becomes not an historian, and it less becomes a Christian, to be
passionate. Nevertheless, poetry may dare to do something at the descrip-
tion of that which drove those drivers; and with a few lines fetched from
the most famous epic poem:}: of Dr. Blackmore, we will describe the fury.

• • •A Fury crawl'd ttom out her cell,
The bloodiest Minister of Death and hell;
A monstrous shnpe, a foul and hideous sight,
Which did all hell with her dire looks affright.
Huge half-gurged snakes on her lean shoulders hung,
And Death's dnrk courts with their loud hissing rung,
tier teeth and claws were iron, and hor breath.
Like subterranean damps, gave prvsunt death.
Flumes, worse than hell's, shot from her bloody eyes.
And " Fire ! and sword !" eternally she cries.
No certain shape, no feature regular,
No limbs distinct in th' odious flend appear.
Her squalid, bloated belly did arise,
SwoU'n with black gore, to a prodiglouj fWa:

Distended vastly by a mighty flood
Of slaughter'd tainti^ and constant martyrs' blood.
A monster so deformM, so flerc^ as this,
It self a hell, ne'er saw the dark abyss I
Horror, till now the uggliest shape esteem'd,
So much outdone, an harmless figure seem'd.
Enty, and Hate, and Malice bluah'd to see
Themselves eclipied by such deformity.
Her feaverish heat drinks down a soa of blooi,
Not of the impiotit, but the jutt and good :
'Gainst whom she bums with unextinguish'd rage,
Nor can th' exhausted world her wrath aaswoge.

It was Persecution; a. fury which we consider not as possessing the
Church of England, but as inspiring a party which have unjustly chal-
lenged the name of the Church of England, and which, whenever the
Church of England shall any more encourage, her fall will become like
that of the house which our Saviour saw built upon the sand.

§ 2. There were more than a few attempts of the English to people and
improve the parts of New-England which were to the northward of New-
Plymouth ; but the designs of those attempts being aimed no higher than

Vol. I.-^

* Events somewhat more impoaiog.— ViROii, Bueol. iv. 1.
t Harmless mummeries. t " '•■VT •Arthur."

, 1

H MAONALIA OIIRISTI AMERICANA;

the advancement of some worldly interests^ a constant scries of disasters has
confounded them, until there was a plantation erected upon the nobler
designs of Christianity; and that plantation, though it has had more
adversaries than perhaps any one upon earth ; yet, " having obtained help
from God, it continues to this day." There have been very fine settle-
ments in the north-east regions ; but what is become of them ? I have
heard that one of our ministers once preaching to a congregation there,
urged them to approve themselves a religious people from this considera-
tion, "that otherwise they would contradict the main end of planting thia
wilderness;" whereupon a well-known person, then in the assembly, cryed
out, "Sir, you are mistaken: you think you are preaching to the people
at the Bay; our main end was to catch fishy Truly 'twere to have been
wished, that something more excellent had been the main end of the set-
tlements in that brave country, which we have, even long since the arrival
of that more pious colony at the Bay, now seen dreadfully unsettled, no
less than tvoice at least, by the sword of the heathen, after they had been
replenished with many hundreds of people, who had thriven to many
thousands of pounds ; and had all the force of the Bay, too, to assist them
in the maintaining of their settlements. But the same or the like inau-
spicious things attended many other endeavours to make plantations upon
such a main end in several other parts of our country, before the arrival
of those by whom the Massachuset colony was at last formed upon more
glorious aims; all proving, like the habitations of the/ooZw^, "cursed before
they had taken root." Of all which catastrophe^ s, I suppose none was more
sudden than that of Monsieur Finch, whom in a ship from France, truck-
ing with the Massachuset-Natives; those bloody salvages, coming on board
without any other arm^^ but knives concealed under flaps, immediately
butchered with all his men, and set the ship on fire. Yea, so many fatal-
ities attended the adventurers in their essays, that they began to suspect
that the Indian sorcerers had laid the place under some fiiscination; and
that the English could not prosper upon such enchanted ground, so that
they were almost afraid of adventuring any more.

§ 8. Several persons in the west of England, having by fishing- voyages
to Cape Ann, the northern promontory of the Massachuset-Bay, obtained
some acquaintance with those parts ; the news of the good progress made
in the new plantation of Plymouth, inspired the renowned Mr. White,
minister of Dorchester, to prosecute the settlement of such another plant-
ation here for the propagation of religion. This good man engaged several
gentlemen about the year 1624, in this noble design; and they employed
a most religious, prudent, worthy gentleman, one Mr. Roger Conant, in
the government of the place, and of their affairs upon the place ; but
through many discouragements, the design for a while almost fell unto the
ground. That great man, greatly grieved hereat, wrote over to this Mr.
Roger Conant, that if he and three honest men more would yet stay upon

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

tbo spot, he would procure apatent for them, and send them over friends,
goods, provisions, and wlmt was necessary to assist their undertaking^
Mr. Conant, then looking out a scituation more commodious for a loum,
gave his three disheartened companions to understand, that he did believe
God would make this land a receptacle for h'o people; and that if theij
should leave him, yet he would not stir; for he was confident he should
not lotig want company; which confidence of his caused them to abandon
the thoughts of leaving him. Well, it was not long before the Council
of Plymouth in England had, by a deed bearing date March 19, 1627,
sold unto some knights and gentlemen about Dorchester, viz: Sir Uenry
Rowsel, Sir John Young, Thomas Southcott, John Humphrey, John Endi-
cott, and Simon Whetcomb, and their heirs and assigns, and their associ*
ates for ever, that part of New-England which lyes between a great river
called Merrimack, and a certain other river there called Charles' River, in
the bottom of the Maasachuset-Bay. But shortly after this, Mr. White
brought the aforesaid honourable persons into an acquaintance with several
other persons of quality about London ; as, namely. Sir Richard Salton-
stall, Isaac Johnson, Samuel Adderly, John Ven, Matthew Cradock,
George Harwood, Increase Nowel, Richard Perry, Richard Bellingham,
Nathaniel Wright, Samuel Vassal, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Gofl', i'homaa
Adams, John Brown, Samuel Brown, Thomas Hutchings, William Vassal,
William Pinchon, and George Foxcraft. These persons being associated
unto the former, and having bought of them all their interest in New-
England aforesaid, now consulted about settling a plantation in that coun-
try, whither such as were then called Non-conformists might, with the grace
and leave of the Kir .if, make a peaceable secession, and enjoy the liberty
and the exercise of their own perswasions about the worship of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Whereupon petitioning tlie King to confirm what they had
thus purchased with a new patent, he granted them one, bearing date from
the year 1628, which gave them a right unto the soil, holding their titles
of lands, as of the mannor of East Greenwich in Kent, and in common
soccage. By this Charter they were empowered yearly to elect their own
governour, deputy -governour and magistrates ; as also to make such laws
as they should think suitable for the plantation : but as an acknowledgment
of their dependance upon England, they might not make any laws repug-
nant unto those of the kingdom; and the fifth part of all the oar of gold
or silver found in the territory, belonged unto the crown. So, soon after
Mr. Cradock being by the company chosen governour, they sent over Mr.
Endicott in the year 1628, to carry on the plantation, which the Dorches-
ter-agents had lookt out for them, which was at a place called Nahumkeick.
Of which place I have somewhere met with an odd observation, that the
name of it was rather Hebrew than Indian; for D"]nj, Nahum, signifies
comfort, and pin, Keik, signifies an haven; and our English not only found
it an Haven of Comfort, but happened also to put an Hebrew name upon

0) MAGNALIA 0HBI8TI AMERICANA;

it; for they called it Salem, for the peace which they had and hoped in it ;
and so it is called unto this day.

§ 4. An entrance being thus made upon the design of planting a coun-
try of English and Eeformed Churches; they that were concerned for the
plantation, made their application to two non-formists ministers, that they
would go over to serve the Cause of Qod and of Religion in the beginning
of those Churches. The one of these was Mr. Higginson, a minister in
Leicestershire, silenced for his non-conformity ; the other was Mr. Skelton,
a minister of Lincolnshire, suffering also for his non-conformily ; both of
which were men eminent for learning and virtue, and who, thus driven out
of their native country, sought their graves on the American-Strand,
whereon the Epitaph might be inscribed that was on Scipio's: Ingrata
Patria, ne Mortui quidem habebis Ossa* These ministers came over to Salem
in the summer of the year 1629, and with these there came over a consider-
able number of excellent Christians, who no sooner arrived, but they set
themselves about the Church-work, which was their errand hither.

'Tis true, there were two other Clergy-men, who came over about the
same time; nevertheless, there has been very little account given of their
circumstances ; except what a certain little Narrative-writer has offered us,
by saying, "there were two that began to hew stones in the mountains, for
the building of the temple here ; but when they saw all sorts of stones
would not fit in the building, the one betook himself to the seas again and
the other to till the land;" for which cause, burying all further mention
of them among the rubbish, in the foundation of the Colony, we will pro-
ceed with our story ; which is now to tell us, that the passage of these our
pilgrims was attended with many smiles of Heaven upon them. They were
blessed with a company of honest seamen; with whom the ministers and
passengers constantly served God, morning and evening; reading, ex-
pounding and applying the word of God, singing of his praise, and seeking
of his peace; to which exercises they added on the Lord's day two sermons,
and a catechising: and sometimes they set apart an whole day for fasting
and prayer, to obtain from Heaven a good success in their voyage, espe-
cially when the weather was much against them, whereto they had very
remarkable answers; but the seamen said, "that they believed these were
the first sea-fasts that ever were kept in the world." At length. Per varios
Casus, per Tot Discrimina Berum^f they landed at the haven of rest pro-
vided for them.

§ 5. The persecuted servants of God, under the English Hierarchy, had
been in a sea of ice mingled with fire; though the /re scalded them, yet such
cakes of ice were over their heads, that there was no getting out; but the
ice was now broken, by the American offers of a retreat for the pure wor-
shippers of the Lord into a wilderness.

* "UDgniteftil country of 1117 birth ! thou shalt not poMess eren my Ufeleaa bones."
t Through perils, toU, and rough adventure passed.

OR, THE UISTOBY OF NEW-ENGLAND. 0^

The report of the charter granted unto the governour and company of the
Massaohuset-Bay, and the entertainment and encouragement which planters
began to find in that Bay, came with a — Patrias age, desere Sedes* and
caused many very deserving persons to transplant themselves and their
families into New-England. Gentlemen of ancient and worshipful families,
and ministers of tae gospel, then of great fame at home, and merchants,
husbandmen, artificers, to the number of some thousands, did for twelve
years together carry on this transplantation. It was indeed a banishment
rather than a removal, which was undergone by this glorious generation,
and you may be sure sufficiently afflictive* to men of estate, breeding and
conversation. As the hazard which they ran in this undertaking was of
such extraordinariness, that nothing less than a strange and strong impression
from Heaven could have thereunto moved the hearts of such as were in
it: so the expense with which they carried on the undertaking was truly
extraordinary. By computation, the passage of the persons that peopled
New-England, cost at least ninety-five thousand pound; the transportation
of their first small stock of cattle, great and small, cost no less than twelve
thousand pound, besides the price of the cattle themselves; the provisions
laid in for subsistence, till tillage might produce more, cost forty-five thou-
sand pounds; the materials for their first cottages cost eighteen thousand
pounds; their arms, ammunition and great artillery, cost twenty-two thou-
sand pounds; besides which hundred and ninety -two thousand pounds,
the adventurers laid out in England what was not inconsiderable. About
an hundred and ninety-eight ships were employed in passing the perils of
the seas, in the accomplishment of this renowned settlement; whereof, by
the way, but one miscarried in those perils.

Briefly, the God of Heaven served as it were a summons upon the spirits
of his people in the English nation ; stirring up the spirits of thousands
which never saw the faces of each other, with a most unanimous inclination
to leave all the pleasant accommodations of their native country, and go over
a terrible ocean, into a more terrible desert, for the pure enjoyment of all his
ordinances. It is now reasonable that before we pass any further, the reasons
of this undertaking should be more exactly made known unto posterity,
especially unto the posterity of those that were the undertakers, lest they
come at length to forget and neglect the true interest of New-England.
Wherefore I shall now transcribe some of them from a manuscript, wherein
they were then tendred unto consideration.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE PLANTATION OF NEW-ENOLAND.

" First, It will be a service unto the Church, of great consequence, to carry the Gospel
into those parts of the world, and raise a bulivark against the kingdom of anti-chriat, which
the Jesuites labour to rear up in all parts of the world.

" Secondly, All other Churches of Europe have been brought under desolations; and it may

* A call to leave their country and their home.

■ il\ I .mj> I

MAGNALIA CUKISTI AMERICANA;

be feared that the like judgments are coming upon us ; and who knows but God hath provided
this place to be a refuge for many, whom he means to save out of the General Destruction.

" Thirdly, The land grows weary of her inhabitants, insomuch that man, whicli is the
most precious of all creatures, is here more vile and base tlian the earth he treads upon:
children, neighbours and friends, especially the poor, are counted the greatest burdens, wliicii
if things were right would be the chiefest earthly blessings.

" Fourthly, We are grown to that intemperance in all excess of riot, as no mean estate
almost will suffice a man to keep sail with his eijuals, and he that fails in it, must live in
acorn and contempt: hence it comes to pass, that all arts and trades are carried in that deceit-
ful manner, and unrighteous course, as it is almost impossible for a good, upright man to
maintain his constant charge, and live comfortably in them.

*^ Fifthly, The schools of learning and religion are so corrupted, as (besides the unsniJ-
portable charge of education) most childrenj even the best, wittiest, and of the fairest hop.s,
are perverted, corrupted, and utterly overthrown, by the multitude of evil examples and
licentious behaviours in these seminaries.

" Sixthly, The whole earth is the Lord's garden, and he hath given it to the sons of Adam-,
to be tilled and improved by them: why then should we stand starving here for places of
habitation, and in the mean time suifer whole countries, as profitable for the use of man, to
lye waste without any improvement ?

" SevetUhly, What can be a better or nobler work, and more worthy of a Christian, tlian
to erect and support a reformed particular Church in its infiincy, and unite our forces with
Buch a company of faithful people, as by a timely assistance may grow stronger and pros-
per; but for want of it, may be put to great hazards, if not be wholly ruuicd?

" Eighthly, If any such as are known to be godly, and live in wealth and prosperity here,
shall forsake all this to join with this reformed church, and with it run the hazard of un hard
and mean condition, it will be a example of great use, both for the removing of scandal,
and to give more life unto the faith of God's people in their prayers for the plantation, and
also to encourage others to join the more willingly in it."

§ 6. Mr. Higginson, and Mr. Skelton, and other good people that arrived
at Salem, in the year 1629, resolved, like their father Abraham, to begin
their plantation with "calling on the name of the Lord." The great Mr.
Hildersham had advised our first planters to agree fully upon their form
of church government, before their coming into New-England; but they
had indeed agreed little further than in this general principle, "that the
reformation of the church was to be endeavoured according to the written
word of God." Accordingly ours, now arrived at Salem, consulted with
their brethren at Plymouth, what steps to take for the more exact acquaint-
ing of themselves witli, and conforming themselves to, that written word;
and the Plymotheans, to their great satisfaction, laid before them what
warrant, they judged, that they had in the laws of our Lord Jesus Christ,
for every particular in their Church-order.

Whereupon having the concurrence and countenance of their deputy-
governour, the worshipful John Endicott, Esq., and the approving pres-
ence of the messengers from the church of Plymouth, they set apart the
sixth day of August, after their arrival, for fasting and prayer, for the set-
tling of a Church State among them, and for their making a Confession of
their Faith, and entering into an holy Covenant, whereby that Church State
was formed.

OR, THE H18T0EY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

Mr. Higginoon then became the teaclicr, and Mr. Skelton the pastor, of
the church * i constituted at Salem ; and they lived very peaceably in
Salem togeti, •, till the death of Mr. Higginson, which was about a twelve-
month after, and then of Mr. Skelton, who did not long survive him.
Now, the Covenant whereto these Christians engaged themselves, which
was about seven years after solemnly renewed among them, I shall here
lay before all the Churches of God, as it was then expressed and inforced :

" We covenant with our Lord, and one with another ; and we do bind our selves
in the presence of God, to walk together in all his ways, according as he is pleased
to reveal himself unto us in his blessed word of truth; and do explicitly, in the
name and fear of God, profess and protest to walk asfolloweth, through the power
and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

" We avouch the Lord to be our God, and our selves to be his people, in the truth
and simplicity of our spirits.

" We give our selves to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the word of his grace for the
teaching, ruling and sanctifying of us in matters of worship and conversation, resolv-
iitg to cleave unto him alone for life and glory, and to reject all contrary ways,
canons, and constitutions of men in his worship.

" We promise to walk with our brethren, with all watchfulness and tenderness,
avoiding jealousies and suspicions, back-bitings, censurings, provokings, secret
risings of spirit against them ; hit in all offences to follow the rule of our Lord
Jesus, and to bear and forbear, give and forgive, as he hath taught us.

"In public or private, we will willingly do nothing to the offence of the church;
but willing to take advice for our selves and ours, as occasion shall be presented.

" We loill not in the congregation be forward either to show our own gifts and
parts in speaking or scrupling, or there discover the weakness or failings of our
brethren ; but attend an orderly call thereunto, knowing how much the Lord may be
dishonoured, and his gospel, and the profession of it, slighted by our distempers and
weaknesses in public.

" We bind our selves to study the advancement of the gospel in all truth and
peace ; both in regard of those that are within or without ; no way slighting our
sister churches, but using their counsel, as need shall be ; not laying a stumbling'
block before any, no, not the Indians, whose good we desire to promote ; and so to
converse, as we may avoid the very appearance of evil.

" We do hereby promise to carry our selves in all lawful obedience to those that
are over us, in Church or Commonwealth, knowing how well pleasing it will be to
the Lord, that they should have encouragement in their places, by our not grieving
their spirits through our irregularities.

" We resolve to approve our selves to the Lord in our particular callings ; shun-
ning idleness as the bane of any state ; nor will we deal hardly or oppressingly
with any, whe zin we are the Lord^s stewards.

"Promising also unto our best ability to teach our children and servants the
knowledge of God, and of His Will, that they may serve Him also ; and all this
not by any strength of our own, but by the Lord Christ : whose blood we desire may
sprinkle this our Covenant made in his name."

y: lit

MAGNALIA 0HBI8TI AMERICANA;

By this instrument was the Covenant of Grace explained, received, and
recognized, by the Jirst Church in this Colony, and applied unto the evan-
gelical designs of a Church-estate before the Lord: this instrument they
afterwards often read over, and renewed the consent of their souls unto
every article in it ; especially when their days of humiliation invited them
to lay hold on particular opportunities for doing so. — So you have seen
the nativity of the first Church in the Massachuset-colony.

§ 7. As for the circumstances of admission into this Church, they left it
very much unto the discretion and faithfulness of their elders, together
with the condition of the persons to be admitted. Some were admitted
by expressing their consent unto their confession and covenant; some were
admitted after their firat answering to questions about Religion, propounded
unto them ; some were admitted, when they had presented in ivriting such
things as might give satis/action unto the people of God concerning them;
and some that were admitted, orally addressed the people of God in such
terms, as they thought proper to ask their communion with; which diver'
sity was perhaps more beautiful than would have been a more punctiliotu
uniformity; but none were admitted without regard unto a blameless and
holy conversation. They did all agree with their brethren of Plymouth
in this point, "That the children of the faithful were Church-members,
with their parents; and that their baptism was a seal of their being so;"
only before their admission to fellowship in a particular Church, it was
judged necessary that, being free from scandal, they should be examined
by the elders of the Church, upon whose approbation of their fitness, they
should publickly and personally own the covenant; so they were to be
received unto the table of the Lord: and accordingly the eldest son of
Mr. Higginson, being about fifteen years of age, and laudably answering
all the characters expected in a communicant, was then so received.

§ 8. It is to be remembered, that some of the passengers, who came over
"With those of our first Salemites, observing that the ministers did not use
the "Book of Common-Prayer " in their administrations; that they admin*
istered the baptism and the supper of the Lord, without any unscriptural
ceremonies; that they resolved upon using discipline in the congregation
against scandalous offenders, according to the word of God ; and that some
scandalous persons had been denied admission into the communion of the
Church ; they began (Frankford fashion) to raise a deal of trouble here-
upon. Herodiana Malitia, nascentem persequi Religionem /* Of those there
were especially two brothers ; the one a lawyer, the other a merchant,
both men of parts, estate and figure in the place. These gathered a com-
pany together, separate from the publick assembly; and tJicre, the Comnion-
Prayer-Worship was after a sort upheld among such as would resort unto
them. The governour perceiving a disturbance to arise among the people
on this occasion, sent for the brothers; who accused the ministers, as

* Herod-llke malice, bent on crushing the inlhnt Church.

JOHN WIKTHROP.

1 >

OE, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

departing from the orders ofOie Church of Fngland; adding, "That they
were Separatists, and would be shortly Anabaptists;" but for themselves,
"They would hold unto the orders of the Church of England." The
answer of the ministers to these accusations, was, " That they were neither
Separatists nor Anabaptists; that they did not separate from the Church
of England, nor from the ordinances of God there, but only from the cor-
ruptions and disorders of that Church: that they came away from the
Common-Prayer and Ceremonies, and had suffered much for their non-
conformity in their native land; and therefore being in a place where
they might have their liberty, they neither could nor would use them;
inasmuch as they judged the imposition of these things to be a sinful vio-
lation of the worship of God." — ^The governour, the council, the people,
generally approved of the answer thus given by the ministers ; but these
persons returned into England with very furious ihreatnings against the
Church thus established; however the direatned folks have lived so long,
that the Church has out-lived the grand dimacterical year of humane age ;
it is now flourishing, more than sixty-three years after its first gathering,
under the pastoral care of a most reverend and ancient person, even Mr.
John Higginson, the son of that excellent man who laid the foundations
of that society.

FESEGRINI'DEO CDBl;*

OR, THE PROGRESS OP THE NEW COLONY; WITH SOME ACCOUNT OP THE PERSONS, THE
METHODS, AND THE TROUBLES, BY WHICH IT CAME TO SOMETHING.

§ 1. The Governour and Company of the Massachuset-Bay, then in
London, did in the year 1629, after exact and mature debates, conclude,
that it was most convenient for the government, with the charter of the
plantation, to be transferred into the plantation it self; and an o-der of
court being drawn up for that end, there was then chosen a new govern-
our, and a new deputy-governour, that were willing to remove themselves
with their families thither on the first occasion. The governour was John
Winthrop, Esq., a gentleman of that wisdom and virtue, and those mani-
fold accomplishments, that after-generations must reckon him no less a
glory, than he was a patriot of the country. The deputy-governour was
Thomas Dudley, Esq., a gentleman, whose natural and acquired abilities,
joined with his excellent moral qualities, entitled him to all the great

* strangers are pMuUar objects of God's care.

I , ■

MAGNALTA OHRISTI AMEBICAXA;

respects with whioU his country on all opportunities treated him. Several
most worthy assiskmts were at the same time chosen to be in this trans-
portation ; moreover, several other gentlemen of prime note, and several
famous ministers of the gospel, now likewise embarked themselves with
these honourtxble adventurers; who equipped a fleet consisting of ten or
eleven ship% whereof the admiral was. The Arabella (so called in honour
of the right honourable the Lady Arabella Johnson, at this time on board),
a ship of three hundred and fifty tuns; and in some of the said ships there
were two hundred passengers ; all of which arrived before the middle of
July, in the year 1630, safe in the harbours of New-England. There was
a time when the British sea was by Clements, and the other ancients,
called wxietvrof ciirspfuvrof, die unpassabk ocean. What then was to be thought
of the vast Atlantiok sea, on the westward of Britain ? But this ocean
must now bo passed ! An heart of stone must have dissolved into tcdra
at the aftoctionateylorircZ which the governour and other eminent persons
took of thoir friends, at a feast which the governour made for them, a little
before their going oif ; however, they were acted by principles that could
carry them through kars and oceans; yea, through oceans of tears: princi-
ples that enabled them to leave, Dulda Liinina, atque amabHem Larem,
• quern et ^nwtttt!>in memoriae atque t^si^is (to use Stupius' words) Infamioe
Rudimenta Vonfirmant,* Some very late geographers do assure us, that
the breadth of tlio Atlantick sea is commonly over-reckoned by six, by
eight, by ten degrees. But let that sea be as narrow as they please, I can
assure the reader the passing of it was no little trial unto those worthy
people that were now to pass it.

§ 2. But the most notable circumstance in their farewel, was their com-
posing and publishing of what they called, "The humble request of his
Majesties loyal subjects, the Governour and Company lately gone for New-
England, to the rest of their brethren in and of the Church of England ;
for the obtaining of their prayers, and the removal of suspicions and mis-
co.istructions of their intentions." In this address of theirs, notwithstand-
ing the trouble they had undergone for desiring to see the Church of
England nfwmed of several things, which they thought its deformities,
yet they now called the Church of England their dear mother; acknowl-
edging that such ho}\e and part as they had obtained in the common salvation
they had sucked ftvin her breasts ; therewithal entreating their many reverend
fathers and bretftren to recommend them unto the mercies of God, in their
constant prayers, as a Church now springing out of their own bowels.
"You are not ignorant (said they) that the Spirit of God stirred up the
Apostle Paul, to make a continual mention of the Church at Philippi which
was a colony iVoni Rome ; let the same spirit, we beseech you. put you in
mind, that are tlie Lord's remembrancers, to pray for us, without ceasing,

* Their tweet imUv« »h«n>« mh! cherished flreatde* ; cherished the more for the sake of their pareiits' memories
•nd the ewrly lewou thent imbibed in the very prlucipleB which now malie them objects of persecution.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

who are the weak colony from your selves." And after such prayers, they
concluded, *' What goodness you shall extend unto us, in this or any other
Christian kindness, we your brethren in Christ shall labour to repay, in
what duty we are or shall be able to perform ; promising so far as God
shall enable us, to give him no rest on your behalfs; wishing our heads
and hearts may be fountains of tears for your everlasting welfare, when we
shall be in our poor cottages in the wilderness, overshadowed with the spirit
of supplication, through the manifold necessities and tribulations, which
may not altogether unexpectedly, nor we hope unprofitably, befall us."

§ 8. Reader, If ever the charity of a right Christian, and enlarged soul,
were examplarily seen in its proper expansions^ 'twas in the address which
thou hast now been reading; but if it now puzzle the reader to reconcile
these passages with i)xQ principles declared, i\iQpract,ces followed, and the per-
secutions undergone, by these American Reibrmerr,, let him know, that there
was more than one distinction, whereof theso excellent persons were not
ignorant. First, they were able to distinguish between the Church of
England, as it contained the whole body of the faithful, scattered throughout
the kingdoms, though of dififerent perswasions about some rites and modes
in religion; many thousands of whom our Nor-Angels knew could comply
with many things, to which our consciences, otherwise enlightened and per-
swaded, could not yield such a compliance and the Church of England,
as it was confined unto a certain constitution by canons, which pronounced
Ipso Facto,'* excommunicate all those who should affirm that the worship
contained in the " Book of Common-Prayer and administrations of sacra-
ments," is unlawful, or that any of the thirty-nine articles are erroneous, or
that any of the ceremonies commanded by the authority of the church might
not be approved, used and subscribed ; and which will have to be accursed,
all those who maintain that there are in the realm any other meetings,
assemblies or congregations of the King's born subjects, than such as by
the laws of the land are allowed, which may rightly challenge to them-
selves the name of true and lawful Churches; and by which all those that
refuse to kneel at the reception of the sacrament, and to be present at pub-
lick prayers, according to the orders of the church, about which there are
prescribed many formalities of responses, with bowing at the name of Jesus,
are to be denied the communion; and all who dare not submit their children
to be baptized by the undertaking of god-fathers, and receive the cross as a
dedicating badge of Christianity, must not have baptism for their children :
besides an et-caetera of how many more impositions/ Again, they were
able to distinguish between the Church of England, as it kept the true
doctrine of the Protestant religion, with a disposition to pursue the reforma-
tion begun in the former century, among whom we may reckon such men
as the famous assembly of divines at Westminster, who all but eight or nine,
and the Scots had before then lived in conformity; and the Church of

* By tbelr very act.

MAQNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

England, as limiting that name unto a certain faction^ who, together with
a discipline very much unscriptural, vigorously prosecuted the tripartite plot
of Arminiapism and conciliation with Kome, in the church, and unbounded
prerogative in the state; who set themselves to cripple as fast as they could
the more lenrncd, godly, painful ministers of the land, and silence and ruin
such as could not read a book for sports on the Lord's days; or did but use
a. prayer of their own conceiving, before or after sermon; or did but preach
in an afternoon^ as well as in a morning, or on a lecture^ or on a market, or
in aniwise discountenance old superstitions, or new extravagancies; and
who at last threw the nation into the lamentable confusions of a civil war.
By the light of this distinction, we may easily perceive what Church of
England it was, that our New-England exiles called, tJieir Mother; though
their mother had been so harsh to them, as to turn them out of doors, yet
they highly honoured her; believing that it was not so much their mother,
but some of their angry brethren, abusing the name of their mother, who
so harshly treated them; and all the harm they wished her, was to see her
put off those ill trimmings, which at her first coming out of the popish
Babylon, she had not fully so laid aside. If any of those envious brethren
do now call these dissenters, as not very long since a great prelate in a
sermon did, the bastards of the Churcf> of England, I will not make the
return which was made upon it by a person of quality then present; but
instead thereof humbly demand, who are the truer sons to the Church of
England; they that hold all the fundamentals of Christianity embraced by
that Church, only questioning and forbearing a few disciplinary points,
which are confessed indifferent by the greatest zealots for them ; or they
that have made Britain more unhabitable that the Torrid Zone? for the
poor non-conformists, by their Jiot pressing of those indifferencies, as if they
had been the only necessaries, in the mean time utterly subverting Xhe faith
in the important points oi predestination, free-will, justification, perseverance,
and some other things, which that Church requires all her children to give
their assent and consent unto? If the former, then, say I, the planters of
New-England were trrier sons to the Church of England, than that part of
the church which, then by their misemploying their heavy church-keys,
banished them into this plantation. And, indeed, the more genuine among
the most conformable sons of the church, did then accordingly wish all pros-
perity to their New-English brethren ; in the number of whom I would
particularly reckon that faithful man, Mr. Edward Symons, minister of
Rayn in Essex; who in a Discourse printed Anno 1637, does thus express
himself: " Many now promise to themselves nothing but successive happi-
ness at New-England; which for a time, through God's mercy, they may
enjoy ; and I pray God, they may a long time, but in this world there is
no happiness perpetual." Nor would I on this occasion leave unquoted
some notable words of the learned, witty and famous Dr. Fuller, in his
comment on Ruth, page 16: "Concerning our brethren which of late lefl

OB, THE niSTOBY OF MEW-ENOLAND.

this kingdom to advance a plantation in New-England, I think the counsel
best tliat King Joash prescribed unto Amaziah, ^ Tarry at homef yet as
for those that are already gone, far be it from us to conceive them to be
Buoh i( whom we may not say, Qod speed: but let us pity them, and pray
for them. I conciade of the two Englands, what our Saviour saith of the
two wines: 'No man having tasted of the old, presently desireth the new;
for he saith, the old is better.' "

§ 4. Being happily arrived at New-England, our new planters found the
difficulties of a rough and hard wilderness presently assaulting them: of
which the worst was the sickliness which many of them had contracted by
their other difficulties. Of those who soon dyed after their first arrival,
not the least considerable was the Lady Arabella, who left an earthly par-
adise in the family of an Earldom, to encounter the sorrows of a wilderness,
for the entertainments of a pure worship in the house of God; and then
immediately left that wilderness for the Heavenly paradise, whereto the
compassionate Jesus, of whom she was a follower, called her. We have
read concerning a noble woman of Bohemia, who forsook her friends, her
plate, her house, and all ; and because the gates of the city were guarded,
crept through the common -sewer, that she might enjoy the institutions of
our Lord at another place where they might be had. The spirit which
acted that noble woman, we may suppose carried this blessed lady thus to
and through the hardships of an American desart. But as for her virtu-
ous husband, Isaac Johnson, Esq.,

• « « • • Helry'd
To live without her, lik'd it not, and dy'd.

His mourning for the death of his honourable consort was too bitter to be
extended a year; about a month after her death Jiis ensued, unto the
extream loss of the whole plantation. But at the end of this perfect and
upright man, there was not only ^eace but joy; and his joy particularly
expressed it self "that God hath kept his eyes open so long as to see one
church of the Lord Jesus Christ gathered in these ends of the earth, before
his own going away to Heaven." The mortality thus threatning of this
new Plantation so enlivened the devotions of this good people, that they
set themselves by fasting and prayer to obtain from God the removal of
it; and their brethren at Plymouth also attended the like duties on their
behalf: the issue whereof was, that in a little time they not only had health
restored, but they likewise enjoyed the special directions and assistance
of God in the further prosecution of their undertakings.

§ 5. But there were two terrible distresses more, besides that of sickness,
whereto this people wore exposed in the beginning of their settlement:
though a most seasonable and almost unexpected mercy from Heaven still
rescued them out of those distresses. One thing that sometimes extreamly
exercised them, was a scarcity of provisions ; in which 'twas wonderful to

UAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

see their dependance upon God, and God's mindfulness of them. When the
parching droughts of the summer divers titnos tliruatned them with an
utter and a total consumption to the fruits of the earth, it was their man*
ner, with heart- melting^ and I may say, lltaven-mdtiitrf devotions, to fust
and pray before God; and on the very days when they poured out the
water of their tears before him, he would shower down the water of his rain
upon their fields; while they were yet speaking^ he would hear them; inso-
much that the salvages themselves would on that occasion admire the
Englishman's God ! But the Englishmen themselves would celebrate their
days of Thanksgiving to him. When their stock was lilvowiso wasted so
far,which divers times it was, that they were come to the last meal in the
barrel, just then, unlooked for, arrived several ships from other parts of
the world loaden with supplies; among which, one was by the hrd-deputy
of Ireland sent hither, although he did not know the necessities of the
country to which he sent her; and if he had known them, would have
been thought as unlikely as any man living to have holpt them: in these
extremities, 'twas marvellous to see how helpful these good people were to
one another, following the example of their most liberal governour Win-
throp, who made an equal distribution of what he had in his own stores
among the poor, taking no thought for to-morroivf And how content they
were; when an honest man, as I have heard, inviting his friends to a dish
of clams, at the table gave thanks to Heaven, who "had given them to
suck the abundance of the seas, and of the treasures hid in the sands I"

Another thing that gave them no little exercise, was the fear of the
Indians, by whom they were sometimes alarmed. But tliis fear was won-
derfully prevented, not only by intestine wars happening then to fall out
among those barbarians, but chiefly by the small-pox, which proved a
great plague unto them, and particularly to one of the Princes in the Mas-
sachuset-Bay, who yet seemed hopefully to be christianized before he dyed.
This distemper getting in, I know not how, among them, swept them
away with a most prodigious desolation, insomuch that although the Eng-
lish gave them all the assistances of humanity in their calamities, yet there
was, it may be, not one in ten among them left alive; of those ^eiy that lived,
many also fled from the infection, leaving the country a meer Golgotha of
unburied carcases ; and as for the rest, the English treated them with all
the civility imaginable; among the instances of which civility, let this be
reckoned for one, that notwithstanding the patent which they had for the
country, they fairly purchased of the natives the several tracts of land
which they afterwards possessed.

§ 6. The people in the fleet that arrived at New-England, in the year
1630, left the fleet almost, as the family of Noah did the ark, having a
whole world before them to be peopled. Salem was already supplied with
a competent number of inhabitants; and therefore the governour, with
most of the gentlemen that accompanied him in his voyage, took their

OR, THE HISTORY Or NRW-ENOLAND.

first opportunity to prosecute further settlomcntfl about the bottom of the
Moa«ftchuHct-Hay; but w lure-ever they flat down, they were ho mindful of
their errand into tlie wilderncfis, tlmt still one of their firat works wom to
gather a church into the rnvennnt and order of the gospel. First, there was
a church thus gathered at (Jharles-town, on the north side of Charles's
river; where, keeping , solemn i.wt on August 27, 1630, to implore the
conduct and blessing ot lienvcn on their ecelcsiastical proceedings, they
chose Mr. Wilson, a most holy and zealous man, formerly a minister of
Sudbury, in the county of Suffolk, to be their teacher ; and although ho
now submitted unto an ordination, with an imposition of such hands as
were by the church invited so to pronounce the benediction of llcuven
upon him ; yet it was done with a protestation by all, that it should be
only OS a sign of his election to the charge of his new flock, without any
intention that he should thereby renounce the ministry ho had received
in England. After the gathering of the church at Charles-town, there
quickly followed another at the town of Dorchester.

And after Dorchester there followed another at the town of Boston,
which issued out of Charles-town ; one Mr. James took the care of the
Church at Charles-town, and Mr. Wilson went over to Boston, where they
that formerly belonged unto Charles-town, with universal approbation
became a distinct Ch urch of themselves. To Boston soon succeeded a church
at Roxbury ; to Roxbury, one at Lyn ; to Lyn, one at Watertown ; so that
in one or two years' time there were to be seen seven Churches in this
neighbourhood, all of them attending to what the spirit in the Scripture
said unto them; all of them golden candlesticks, illustrated with a very sensi-
ble presence of our Lord Jesus Christ among them.

§ 7. It was for a matter of twelve years together, that persons of all
ranks, well affected unto Church-reformation, kept sometimes dropping, and
sometimes flocking into New-England, though some that were coming into
New-England were not suffered so to do. The persecutors of those Puri-
tans, as they were called, who were now retiring into that cold country from
the heat of their persecution, did all that was possible to hinder as many as
was possible from enjoying of that retirement. There were many counter-
mands given to the passage of people that were now steering of this western
course; and there was a sort of uproar made among no small part of the
nation, that this people should not be let go. Among those bound for New-
England, that were so stopt, there were especially three famous persons,
whom I suppose their adversaries would not have so studiously detained at
home, if they \\w\. foreseen events; those were Oliver Cromwell, and Mr.
Hambden, and Sir Arthur Haselrig ; nevertheless, this is not the only
instance oi persecuting church-mens not having the spirit of prophesy. But
many others were diverted from an intended voyage hither by the pure
providence of God, which had provided other improvements for them ; and
of this take one instance instead of many. Before the woeful wars which

■^:

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

broke forth in the three kingdoms, there were divers gentlemen in Scotland,
who, being uneasie under the ecclesiastical burdens of the times, wrote unto
New-England their enquiries. Whether they might be there suffered freely
to exercise their Presbyterian church-government? And it was freely
answered, ** That they might." Hereupon they sent over an agent, who
pitched upon a tract of land near the mouth of Merrimack river, whither
they intended them to transplant themselves: but although they had so far
proceeded in their voyage, as to be half-seas through ; the manifold crosses
they met withal, made them give over their intentions; and the providence
of God so ordered it, that some of those very gentlemen were afterwards the
revivers of that well-known solemn league and covenant which had so great
an influence upon the following circumstances of the nations. However,
the number of those who did actually arrive at New-England before the
year 1640, have been computed about four thousand; since which time far
more have gone out of the country than have come to it ; and yet the God
of Heaven so smiled upon the Plantation, while under an easie and egrual
government, the designs of Christianity in well-formed churches have been
carried on, that no history can parallel it. That saying of Eutropius about
Rome, which hath been sometimes applied unto the church, is capable of
some application to this little part of the church : Nee Minor ab Exordio,
nee major Incrementis ulla* Never was any plantation brought unto such a
considerableness, in a space of time so inconsiderable ! an howling wilderness
ill a few years became ti pleasant land, accommodated with the necessaries —
yea, and the conveniences of humane life ; the gospel has carried with it a
fulness of all other blessings; and (albeit, that mankind generally, as far as we
have any means of enquiry, have increased in one and the same given pro-
portion, and so no more than doubled themselves in about three hundred and
sixty years, in all the past ages of the world, since the fixing of the present
period of humane life) the four thousand first planters, in less than fifty
years, notwithstanding all transportations and mortalities, increased into,
they say, more than an hundred thousand.

CHAPTEH ?L

aUI TRANS MARE GURRUNTif

OR, THE ADDITION OF SEVERAL OTHER COLONIES TO THE FORMER; WITH SOME OTHER
CONSIDERABLES IN THE CONDITION OF THESE LATER COLONIES.

§ 1. It was not long before the Massachuset Colony was become like an
hive overstocked with bees; and many of the new inhabitants entertained
thoughts of swarming into plantations extended further into the country,

* Never waa any (bing more mean in Inception or more mighty in progreaa. f I'Thoae who crou the lea.

OB, THE HISTOBY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

iteB.

The colony might fetch its own description from the dispensations of the
great God, unto his ancient Israel, and say, "0, God of Hosts, thou hast
brought a vine out of England; thou hast cast out the heathen and planted
it; thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and
it filled the land; the hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the
boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars; she sent out her boughs unto
the sea." But still there was one stroak wanting for the complete accom-
modations of the description; to wit, "She sent forth her branches unto
the river;" and this therefore is to be next attended. The fame of Con-
necticut river, a long, fresh, rich river, (as indeed the name Connecticut is
Indian for a long river,) had made a little Nilus,* of it in the expectations
of the good people about the Massachuset-bay: whereupon many of the
planters belonging especially to the towns of Cambridge, Dorchester,
Watertown and Koxbury, took up resolutions to travel an hundred miles
westward from those towns, for a further settlement upon this famous
river. When the learned Fernandius had been in the Indies, ke did in hia
preface to his Commentaries afterwards published, give this account of it:
Deo sic volente, prodii in remotissimos tisque Indos, tarn non avidus lucis et
glorice, ut earn vere dixerim, ultro elegerim inei ipsitts adhuc viventis verissimam
Sepidluram.\ Keader, come with me now to behold some worthy, and
learned, and genteel persons going to be buried alive on the banks of Con-
necticut, having been first sUiin by the ecclesiastical impositions and per-
secutions of Europe.

§ 2. It was in the year 1635, that this design was first formed; and the
disposition of the celebrated Mr. Thomas Hooker, with his people now in
Cambridge, to engage in the design, was that which gave most life unto
it. They then sent their agents to view the country, who returned with
so advantageous a report, that the next year there was a great remove of
good people thither: on this remove, they that went from Cambridge
became a church upon a spot of ground now called Hartford; the^ that
went from Dorchester, became a church at Windsor; they that went from
Watertown, sat down at Wethersfield ; and they that left Eoxbury were
incburohed higher up the river at Springfield, a place which was after-
wards found within the line of the Massachuset-charter. Indeed, the first
winter after their going thither, proved an hard one; and the grievous
disappointments which befel them, through the unseasonable freezing of
the river, whereby their vessel of provisons was detained at the mouth
of the river, threescore miles below them, caused them to encounter with
very disastrous difficulties. Divers of them were hereby obliged in the
depth of winter to travel back into the Bay; and some of them were
frozen to death in the journey.

However, such was their courage, that they prosecuted their Plantation-

• Nile.

t By God's permission, I penetrated into tho remotest parts of India, actuated less by curiosity or ambition,
than by a desire to say, with truth, that I had voluntarily sought out a spot whero I was in reality buried alire.

Vol. I.— 6

MAONALIA CHRI8TI AMEBICANA;

work with speedy and blessed successes; and when bloody salvages in
their neighbourhood, known by the name of Pequots, had like to have
nipt the plantation in the bud, by a cruel war, within a year or two after
their settlement, the marvellous providence of God immediately extin-
guished that war, by prospering the New-English arms, unto the utter
subduing of the quarrelsome nation, and affrightning of all the other natives.

§ 8. It was with the countenance and assistance of their brethren in
the Massachuset-bay, that the first Planters of Connecticut made their
essays thus to discover and cultivate the remoter parts of this mighty
wilderness; and accordingly several gentlemen went furnished with some
kind of commission from the government of the Massachuset-bay, for to
maintain some kind of government among the inhabitants, till there could
be a more orderly settlement. But the inhabitants quickly perceiving
themselves to be without the line of the Massachuset-charter, entered into
a combination among themselves, whereby with mutual consent they
became a body-politick, and framed a body of necessary laws and orders,
to the execution whereof they chose all necessary officers, very much,
though not altogether, after the form of the colony from whence they
issued. So they jogged on for many years; and whereas, before the year
1644, that worthy gentleman, George Fenwick Esq., did, on the behalf of
several persons of quality, begin a plantation about the mouth of the
river, which was called Say-brook, in remembrance of those right hon-
ourable persons, the Lord Say and the Lord Brook, who laid a claim to
the land thereabouts, by virtue of a patent granted by the Earl of War-
wick; the inhabitants of Connecticut that year purchased of Mr. Fenwick
this tract of land. But the confusions then embarrassing the aflFairs of
the English nation, hindred our Connecticotians from seeking of any
further settlement, until the restoration of K. Charles II., when they made
their application to the King for a charter, by the agency of their hon-
ourable governour, John Winthrop, Esq., the most accomplished son of
that excellent person who had been so considerable in the foundations
of the Massachuset-colony. This renowned virtuoso had justly been the
darling of New-England, if they had only considered his eminent quali-
ties, as he was a Christian, a gentleman, and a philosopher, well worthy to
be, as he was, a member of the Royal- Society ; but it must needs further
endear his memory to his country, that God made him the instrument of
obtaining for them, as he did from the King of England, as arajsly privi-
ledged a charter as was ever enjoyed perhaps by any people under the
cope of heaven. Under the protection and encouragement of this charter
they flourished many years ; and many towns being successively erected
among them, their churches had "rest, and walked in the fear of God,
and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit."

§ 4. The church-order observed in the churches of Connecticut, has been
the same that is observed by their sisters in the Massachuset-bay ; and in

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

)rivi-
|r the

larter
rected
iGod,

I been
id in

this order they lived exceeding peaceably all the eleven years that Mr.
Hooker lived among them. Nevertheless there arose at length some
unhappy contests in one town of the colony, which grew into an alienation
that could not be cured without such a parting, and yet, indeed, hardly so
kind a parting, as that whereto once Abraham and Lot were driven.
However, these little, idle, angry controversies, proved occasions of enlarge-
ments to the church of God ; for such of the inhabitants as chose a cottage
in a vnhierness, before the most beautiful and furnished edifice, overheated
with the fire of contention, removed peaceably higher up the river, where
a whole county of holy churches has been added unto the number of our
congregations.

§ 5. But there v/as one thing that made this colony to become very
considerable ; which thing remains now to be considered. The well-known
Mr. Davenport, and Mr. Eaton, and several eminent persons that came
over to the Massachuset-bay among some of the first planters, were strongly
urged, that they would have settled in this Bay; but hearing of another
Bay to the south-west of Connecticut, which might be more capable to
entertain those that were to follow them, they desired that their friends
at Connecticut would purchase of the native proprietors for them, all the
land that lay between themselves and Hudson's Eiver, which wns in part
effected. Accordingly removing thither in the year 1637, they seated
themselves in a pleasant Bay, where they spread themselves along the sea-
coast, and one might have been suddenly as it were surprized with the sight
of such notable towns, as first New-Haven ; then Guilford ; then Milford ;
then Stamford ; and then Brainford, where our Lord Jesus Christ is wor-
shipped in churches of an evangelical constitution; and from thence, if
the enquirer make a salley over to Long-Island, he might there also have
seen the churches of our Lord beginning to take root in the eastern parts
of that island. All this while this^t«-//t colony wanted the legal basis of
a charter to build upon ; but they did by mutual agreement form them-
selves, into a body-politick as like as they judged fit unto the other colonies
in their neighbourhood; and as for there church-order, it was generally
secundum usum Massachusettensem.*

% 6. Behold, a fourth colony of New-English Christians, in a manner
stolen into the world, and a colony, indeed, constellated with many siars of
the first magnitude. The colony was under the conduct of as holy, and as
prudent, and as genteel persons as most that ever visited these nooks of
America ; and yet these too were tryed with very humbling circumstances.

Being Londoners, or merchants and men of traffick and business, their
design was in a manner wholly to apply themselves unto trade; but the
design failing, they found their great estates sink so fast, that they must
quickly do something. Whereupon in the year 1646, gathering together
almost all the strength which was left them, they built one ship more,

* After the Maawobuwtts model.

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

which they fraighted for England with the best part of their tradable
estates; and sundry of their eminent persons embarked themselves in her
for the voyage. But, alas! the ship was never after heard of: she foun-
dred in the sea; and in her were lost, not only the hopes of their future
trade, but also the lives of several excellent persons, as well as divers
mantiscripts of some great men in the country, sent over for the service of
the church, which were now buried in the ocean. The fuller story of that
grievous matter, let the reader with a just astonishment accept from the
pen of the reverend person who is now the pastor of New-Haven. I wrote
unto him for it, and was thus answered :

"Reverend and Dear Sir : In compliance with your desires, I now give you the relation
of that apparition of a ship in the air, wliieh I have received from the most cnnliblo
judicious, and curious surviving observers of it.

"In the year 1647, besides much other lading, a far more rich treasure of pjussengers, (five
or six of which were persons of chief note and worth in New-Haven) put themselves on
board a new ship, built at Rhode-Island, of about 150 tuns; but so walty, th.it the master
(Lamberton) often said she would prove their grave. In the month of January, cutting
their way through much ice, on which they were accomp.inied with the Reverend Mr. Daven-
port, besides many other friends, with many feara, as well as prayers and tciirs, they set
sail. Mr. Davenport in prayer, with an observable emphasis, used these words: »Lt>rd, if
it be thy pleasure to bury these our friends in the bottom of the sea, they are thine: sjive
them.' The spring following, no tidings of these friends arrived with the ships from
England: New-Haven's heart began to fail her: tliis put the godly }H;ople on much pniyer,
both publick and private, 'that the Lord would (if it was his pleasure) let tliom ho:ur what
he had done with their dear friends, and prepare them with a suitiible submission to ius
Holy Will.' In June next ensuing, a great thunder-storm arose out of the north-west
after which (the hemisphere being serene) about an hour before sun-set, a Ship of like
dimensions with the aforesaid, with her canvas and colours abroad (though the wind north-
emly) appeared in the air coming up from our harbour's mouth, which lyes southward from
the town, seemingly with her sails filled under a fresh gale, holding her course nortli, and
continuing under observation, sailing against the wind for the space of half an hour.

"Many were drawn to behold this great work of God; yea, the very children cryed out,
•There's a brave ship!' At length, crowding up as far as tiiere is usually water sutKcient for
such a vessel, and so near some of the spectjitors, as that they imagined a man might hurl
a stone on board her, her main-lop seemed to be blown off, but letl hanging in the shrouds;
then her mizzen-top ; then all her masting seemed blown away by the boanl: (juickly after
the liulk brought unto a careen, she overset, and so vanislied into a smoaky cloud, which in
some time dissipated, leaving, as everywhere else, a clear air. The admiring speofcitors
could distinguish the several colours of each part, the principal rigging, and such prt>por-
tions, as caused not only the generality of persons to say, ♦This was the mould of tlieir
ship, and thus was her tragick end,' but Mr. Davenport also in publick declared to this
effect, 'That God had condescended, for the quieting of their afflicted spirits, this extniordi-
nary account of his sovereign disposal of those for whom so many fervent prayers were
made continually.' Thus I am Sir, "Your humble servant,

"James PiERroNX."

Reader, there being yet living so many credible gentlemen, that were
eye-witnesses of this wonderful thing, I venture to publish it for a thing as
undoubted as 'tis wonderful.

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

out,
'lit for

hurl
|ouda ;

al\or
Ik'h in
Itiitors

opor-

tlicir
this
liordU

were

kverc

IgftS

But let us now proceed with our story. Our colony of New-Haven
apprehended themselves disadvantageously seated for the affairs of hus-
bandry; and therefore upon these disasters tbey made many attempts of
removing into some other parts of the world. One while they were invited
unto Delaware-bay, another while they were invited unto Jamaica; they
had offers made them from Ireland also, after the wars there were over;
and they entred into some treaties about the city of Galloway, which they
were to have had as a small province to themselves. But the God of
Heaven still strangely disappointed all these attempts; and whereas they
were concerned how their posterity should be able to live, if they must
make husbandry their main shift for their living; that posterity of theirs,
by the good providence of God, instead of coming to beggary and misery,
have thriven wonderfully: the colony is improved with many wealthy
husbandmen, and is become no small part of the best granary for all New-
England. And the same good Providence has all along so preserved them
from annoyance by the Indians, that although at their first setting down
there were few towns but what wisely perswaded a body of Indians to
dwell near them: whereby such kindnesses passed between them that
they always dwelt peaceably together; nevertheless there are few of those
towns but what have seen their body of Indians utterly extirpated by
nothing but mortality wasting them.

§ 7. But what is now become of New-Haven colony? I must answer,
It is not: and yet it has been growing ever since it first ivas. But when
Connecticut-colony petitioned the restored King for a Charter, they pro-
cured New-Haven colony to be annexed unto them in the same charter;
and this, not without having first the private concurrence of some leading
men in the colony ; though the minds of others were so uneasie about the
coalition, that it cost some time after the arrival of the Charter for the
colony, like Jephtha's daughter to bewail her condition, before it could be
quietly complied withal. Nevertheless they have lived ever since, one
colony^ very happily together, and the God of hve and peace has remarka-
bly dwelt among them: however, these children of God have not been
without their chastisements, especially in the malignant fevers and agues,
which have often proved very mortal in most or all of their plantations.

§ 8. While the south-west parts of New-England were thus filled with
new colonies, the north-east parts of the country were not forgotten. There
were ample regions beyond the line of the Massachuset-patent, where new
settlements were attempted, not only by such as designed a fishing-irade
at sea, or a ^ver-trade on shore ; not only by some that were uneasie
under the Massachuset-government in a day of temptation, which came
upon the first planters; but also by some very serious Christians, who
propounded the enlargement and enjoyment of our Lord's evangelical
interests in those territories. The effect of these excursions were, that sev-
eral well-constituted churches were gathered in the province of East-

88 MAONALIA CHRISTI AMEBICANA;

Hampshire, besides one or two in the province of Mam, whereto were
added a large number of other congregations, wherein weekly prayers and
sermons were made, although the inhabitants belonging to those congregii-
tions, proceeded not so far as to all the ordinances of a more compleat
Church-State among them. That which contributed more than a little to
the growth of Christianity in those parts of New-England, was the appli-
cation, which the people being tired with many quarrelsome circumstances
about their government, made unto the general court of the Massachuset-
bay, to be taken under their protection; which petition of theirs being
answered by that general court, surely after a more charitable and
accountable manner, than such authors as Ogilby in his America have
represented it, [Vos magis Historicis, LectoreSy Credite verisF]'* xhere followed
many successful endeavours to spread the effects and orders of the gospel
along that coast.

But thus was the settlement of New-England brought about; these
were the beginnings, these the foundations of those colonies, which have
not only enlarged the English empire in some regards more than any other
outgoings of our nation, but also afforded a singular prospect of churches
erected in an American corner of the world, on purpose to express and
pursue the Protestant Reformation.

CHAPTER ?n.

HECAT0HP0LI8;t OB, A FIELD WHICH '"IE LORD HATH BLESSED.

A MAP OF THE COUNTRY.

It is proper that I should now give the reader an Ecclesiastical Map of
the country, thus undertaken. Know, then, that although for more than
twenty years, the blasting strokes of Heaven upon the secular affairs of this
country have been such, as rather to abate than enlarge the growth of it ;
yet there are to be seen in it, at this present year 1696, these Colonies,
Counties, and Congregations.

IT The Numbers and Places of the Christian Congregations, now worshipping our
Lord Jesus Christ, in the several Colonies of New.England, and the Names of
the Ministers at this time employed in the service of those Congregations.

Notandum, Where the name of any minister hath H. C. added unto it in our catalogue, it is to be
understood that Harvard-Colledge was the mother in whose arms that minister was educated.

I. In Plymouth colony there are three counties; and the several con
gregations therein are thus accomodated:

* Beaden. rather trart truthAil hisloriau than such. f A city of sacrillM.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAMD.

our
isof

PLYMOUTH
Bridgeiaatert Mr. James Keith.

Duzbury, •• Ichabod WIswul, H. C.

JUttri\field, u Edward Thompion, H, C.

COUNTY MINISTERS.

Middleiury, Mr.

Plfmoutk, >* Ji'hn Cotton, H.O.

Sei(ita(«, vkiek hath two ehureket, Mr. Jeremiah Ciuhlllgt
H. C. and Mr. Deodate Lawaon.

BAKNSTABLB COUNTY MINISTERS.

Bantitable,
£a«(Aam,

IhimoulJi^Harmck i
and JUanavufet, J

Briitol,
Dartmouth,

Freetown,

Marthu'a Fineyard,
JVantueket,

Mr. Jonathan Rusael, II. C.
u Samuel Treat, II. C.

« Nathaniel Stone, II. 0.
BRISTOI.

Mr. John Sparhawk, H. C.

PBRiamNO WITHOUT VlllON.

Mr.

Rechitler,
Sandieich,
Yarmouth,

COUNTY MINISTERS.
I LitUe-Comptn,

ISwamif,
Tanton,

Mr. ^— Arnold,
u Rowland Cotton, n. 0,
•> John Cotton, H. 0.

Mr. EUphelet Adams, H. 0.
" Samuel Donforth, H. 0.

Hereto an ecvlesinstical reckoning may annex the Islandg of—
Mr. Ralph Thatcher, Mr.Denham, busidea Indian churches and paatora.
ntueket, Indian Paatora. | AVwporC, in Rhodfliland, Mr. Nathaniel Clap, H. 0.

II. In Massachuset colony are four counties, and the several congrega-
tions in them are so supplied:

THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK MINISTERS. ,

C or the Old church, Mr. James Allen, Mr. BenJ. Wadsworth, H. C.
Botton, < or the AortA church, Mr. Increase Mather, President of the CoUedge, and his son Cotton Mather, H. C.
i Of the South church, Mr. Samuel VVilward, H. 0.
Besides these, there is in the town a small congregation that worship God with the ceremonies of the Church of

England ; served generally by a change of persons, occasionally visiting these parts of the world.
And another small congregation of Antipedo-Baptists, wherein Mr. Emblin is the settled minister.
And a French congregation of Protestant Refugees, under the pastoral cores of Monsieur DaiUe.

Braintree,

Mr. Moses Fisk, H. C.

Mendon,

Mr. Grindal Rawson, H. a

Dilkam,

" Joseph Belcher, 11. C.

Milton,

« Pet6r Thacher, H. C.

Dorchester,

« JohnDanforth, H.C.

Rozbvry,

« Nehemiah Walter, H. C.

Ilingham,

« John Norton, H. C.

IVeyiHouth,

" Samuel Torrey, H. 0.

Hull,

u Zecha.-iah Whitman, H.C.

Woodstock,

«> JosiabPwight,H.C.

Mei(field,

u Joseph Baxter, H. C.

tTrentham,

« Samuel Man, H. C.

THE COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX MINISTERS.

Billerica,

Mr. Samuel Wliiteing, H. C.

MiiBtown,

Mr. Nehemiah Hobart, H. 0.

Cambriilge,

u William Brattle, H. C.

Oxford,

Chartes-toien,

«» Charles Morton.

Reading,

« Jonathan Pierpont, H. 0.

Chelmsford,

« Thomas Clark, H. C.

Sherbom,

" Daniel Gookin, H. C.

Concord,

u Joseph Ettstabrook, H. C.

Stoa,

Dunstable,

u Thomas Weld, H. C.

Sudbury,

<> James Sherman.

Groton,

« Gershom Ilobart, H. C.

IVatertoan,

I ; East, Mr. Henry Gibs, H. 0.
; Wist, Mr. Samuel Angler, H. 0.

Lancaster,

« John Whiteing, H. C.

Malborough,

" William Brinsmead, H. C.

Wobnm,

Mr. Jabez Fox, H. C.

Maiden,

« Michael Wigglesworth, H. C.

Worcester,

Medford,

" Simon Bradstroet, II. C.

fHE COUNTY OF

ESSEX MINISTERS.

JImtsbury,

Mr. [Barnard, H. C.

Manchestnr,

Mr. John Emerson, H. C.

JIndover,

« Francis Dean, and Mr. Thomaa

Marbleh'.ad,

" Samuel Cheever, H. C.

Beverly,

•< John Male, H.C.

Jfewbury.

; East, Mr. Tappln, E. C.

\ West, Mr. Samuel Belcher, H.C.
Mr. Edward Payron, H. C.

Borford,
Bradford,

«' Zechariah Symmos, H. C.

Rouly,

Oloceater,

" John Emerson, H. C.

Salem,

" John Higginson, and Nicholas

Haneril,

« Benjamin Rolfe, H. C.

^nd village.

« Saml. Paris, H. C. [Noyes,H.C.

'psuiic/i.

« Wra. Hubbard and John Rog-

Salsbury,

« Caleb Cushing, H.C.

Jlnd village.

" John Wise, H.C. [er8,H.C.

Topsfield,

« Joseph Copen, H. C.

Lyn,

« Jeremiah Shopard, II. C.

ffenham.

" Joseph Gerish, H. C.

THE COUNTY OF HA

MPSHIRE MINISTERS.

Deerfield,

Mr. John Williams, H.C.

fTorthampton,

Mr. Solomnn Stoddard, H. C.

Knijield,

Springfield,

« Daniel Brewer, H.C.

Natfetd,

« Wililom Williams, H. C.

Southfield,

>* Benjamin Ruggles, H. C.

Uadlcy,

Wcslfidd,

« Edward Taylor, H. C.

i ■;)

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

Utmftmty

Tt »kitK if W aM tU CngrtgliMU in Pit fUpia,

Mr. Jithit Plk^ H. C.
w John Clark, II. C.
M John OtUun, II. a
« RuniMl MiHid«y, II. 0.
M Jothw Muodey, H. 0.

Jtnd in the Pravintt of Mitini,

Ml of Skoiu, Mr.

Kiltert, "

trillt, York, « Hancock, H. a

III. In Connootiout colony there are four counties, and the several con-
gregations thoruiu are illuminated by these preachers of the gospel:

HARTFORD COUNTY MINISTERS.

Amji^ft#%

Mr. Pamurl Hooker, II. C.

tHofttnhurft *^

HoMam, •«

Jiartfvr4,McMufth, <*

Do. MOW 4«, >•

JHUlMnnt, u

Timothy Slovonn, II. C.
Joivmlnh llobari, H. C.
Tlim4hy Wotxlirldge, II. C.
Thi4nM nuckhigham, II. G.
NoMdlah RuMCI, H. a

SimiiuTTh

fVaterbury,

fTetker^etd,

JVindoQrt

Jind Firmly

Windham^

KiUifigortky

Linno,

AbncKA)

Br*inf»r4t
Ouiffonit

Danturf,

fkirJiM,
Fairjitiil vUiogo,
CtmntcitMf
MtrmUkt

Mr. Abmhiim Plerson, II. C.

« Mo*r«Noyte,II.C.

w Uonton 8iUtoii»Ul, H. a

«« JMUwHtch.

NBW LONPON COUNTY MINIST'^IS.
Peatamtik,
Pretton,

Saybrooky
Stonington,

NEW-HAVEN COUNTY MINISTERS.

Mr. 8«m«K4 Riusael, II. 0.
u John Jnuioi>, H. C.
M ThmnM Ruggloa, H. 0.

MUford,

JVeiB'Httvtnt

Wallingforif

FAIRFIELD COUNTY MINISTERS.

Mr. Svlh 8hoT(s H, a
« Jo«»<Hh Web, H. C
<* ChnrlM Chiuinwy, II. C.
u Jo«<<ph Morgnn.
M BtuN.. - Uuc'tlngham, H. C.

Stamfordy
Stratford,
Woodbaryf

Mr. Dudly Woodbridge, H. 0.
u Jeremiah Peck, H. C.
u Steven Mix, H. 0.
w Samuel Mather, H. C.
u Timothy Edwards, H. 0.
u Samuel Whiting.

Mr. Joseph Mora, H. 0.
u Samuel Trend, H. 0.
*< Thomas Buckingham,
u James Noyse, H. 0.

Mr. Samuel Andrews, H. 0.
« James Plerpont, H. 0.
u Samuel Street, H. C.

Mr. Bowers, H. 0.

» John Davenport, H. 0.
" Israel Chauncey, H. C.
« Zacharloh Walker, II. a

REMARKS UPON THE CATALOGUE OF PLANTATIONS.

§ 1. Thoro arc few towns to be now seen in our list but what were
existing in this land before the dreadful Indian war, which befel us twenty
years ago; and there are few towns broken up within the then Massachu-
set-line by that war, but what have revived out of their ashes. Never-
theless, the many calamities which have ever since been wasting of the
country, have so nipt the growth of it, that its later progress hath held no
proportion with what was from Hie beginning; but yet with such variety, that
while the tmimti comjMnies of some towns are no bigger than they were
thirty or forty years ago, others are as big again.

§ 2. The oaliunitics that have carried off the inhabitants of our several
towns have not boon all of one sort; nor have all our towns had an equal
share in any sort. Pestilential sicknesses have made fearful havock in divers
places, where the sound perhaps have not been enough to tend the sick;
while others have not had one touch from that angel of death. And the
sivord hath out ott* scores in sundry places, when others, it may be, have not
lost a man by that avenger.

§ 3. 'Tis no unusHal, though no universal experiment among us, that
while an excellcut, laborious, illuminating ministry has been continued in

OB, TH9 HISTORY OF NEW-ENQLAND.

con-

a town, the place has thriven to admiration; but ever since tfiat maiCa time,
they have gone down the wind in all their interests The gospel has
evidently been the making of our towns, and the blessing, >f the upper have ,
been accompanied with the blessings of the nethe-^-sp-ings. Memorable also
is the remark of Slingsby Bethel, Esq., in his most judicious book of The
Interest of Europe: "Were not the cold climate of New-England supplied
by good laws and discipline, the barrenness of that country would never
have brought people to it, nor have advanced it in consideration and for-
midableness above the other English plantations, exceeding it much in
fertility, and other inviting qualities."

^ 4. Well may New-England lay claim to the name it wears, and to a
room in the tenderest affections of its mother, the happy Island/ for as
there are few of our towns but what have their namesakes in England, so
the reason why most of our towns are called what they are, is because the
chief of the first inhabitants would thus bear up the nam^ of the particular
places there from whence they came.

§ 5. I have heard an aged saint, near his death, cheerfully thus express
himself: "Well, I am going to heaven, and I will there tell the faithful,
who are gone long since from New-England thither, that though they who
gathered our churches are all dead and gone, yet the churches are still
alive, with aa numerous flock of Christians as ever were among them."
Concerning the most of the churches in our catalogue, the report thus
carried unto heaven, I must now also send through the earth; but if with
as numerous, we could in every respect say, as gracious, what joy unto all
the saints, both in heavou and on earth, might be from thence occasioned!

were
enty
ichu-
3ver-
the
d no
that
were

veral
qual
ivers
sick;
I the
not

that
id in

THE BOSTONIAN EBENEZER.

SOME HISTORICAL REMARKS ON THE STATE OF BOSTON,

THE CHIEF TOWN OF NEW-ENGUND, AND OF THE ENGLISH AMERICA.

WITH

SOME AGREEABLE METHODS

FOR PRESERVINQ AND PROMOTING THE GOOD STATE OF THAT, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER

TOWN IN THE LIKE CIRCUMSTANCES. ^

HUMBLY OFFERED BY A NATIVE OF BOSTON.

1,1

THF NAME OF THE CITY FROM THAT DAY SHALL BE, "THE LORD IS THERE."— iriM xlviU. 31

'*Urbs Metropolii, ut tit maxima ^uctoritatit, eoHttitnmlur pr»tif tittm piiUtit Kxtrnfluw -t Sicnritm!'*

Aphoh. Polit.

THE HISTORY OF BOSTON RELATED AND IMPROVED.

AT BOSTON LECTURE, T D. 9 M., 1698.

Eemarkable and memoraLle was the time, when an army of terrible
destroyers was coming against one of the chief towns in the land of Israel.
God rescued the town from the irresistible fury u id approach of those
destroyers, by an immediate liand of heaven upon them. Upon that
miraculous rescue of the town, and of the whole country, whose fate was
much enwrapped in it, there followed that action of the Prophet Samuel
which is this day to be, with some imitation, repeated in the midst of thee,
Boston, thou helped of the Lord.

Then Samuel took a utone, ond eel it up, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, soying,
Hitherto the Lord hath helped us. — 1 iSeim. vii. 13.

The thankful servants of God have used sometimes to erect monuments
of stone, as durable tokens of their thankfulness to God for mercies
received in the places thus distinguished. Jacob did so; Joshua did so;
and Samuel did so ; but they so did it, as to keep clear of the transgression
forbidden in Lev. xxvi. 1 : "Ye shall not set up an image of stone in your
land, for to bow down unto it."

The Stone erected by Samuel, with the name of Ebenczer, which is as
much as to say a stone of help; I know not whether any thing might be
writ upon it, but I am sure there is one thing to be now read upon it, by

* A metropjlitBn city, in order to command the widest influence, ahouM become a special cxcmplur and
depository of piety.

II!

roN,

OTHEB

rrible

srael.

those

'«

that

B woa

li*!

MUEL

thee,

fmg.

nents
rcies
d so;
ssion
your

is as
it bo
t, by

lar and

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOL ^D.

(ll.S-

our selves, in the text whore we find it: namely, thus much, "That
people whom the God of Heaven hath remarkably helped in their
tresses, ought greatly and gratefully to acknowledge what help of heaven
they have received."

Now 'tis not my design to lay the scone of my discourse as far off as
BetKcar, the placo where Samuel set up his Ebenezer. I am immediately
to transfer it into the heart of Boston, a place where the remarkable help
received from Heaven by the people, does loudly call for an Ebenezer.
And I do not ask you to change the name of the town into that of Help-
atone, as there is a town in England of that name, which may seem the
English of Ebenezer; but my Sermon shall be this day, your p]b('iiezer,
if you will with a favourable and a profitable attention entertain it. May
the Lord Jesus Christ accept me, and assist me now to glorifie him in the
town where I drew my first sinful breath ; a town whereto I am under
great obligations for the precious opportunities to glorifie him, which I
have quietly and publickly enjoyed therein for near eighteen years
together. "0, my Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen
me this once, to speak from thee unto thy people!"

And now, sirs, that I may set up an Ebenezer among you, there are
these things to be inculcated.

I. Let us thankfully, ftnd agreeahly, and particularly acknowledge what
HELP we have received from the God of Heaven, in the years that have
rouled over us. While the blessed Apostle Paul was, as it should seem,
yet short of being threescore years old, how affectionately did he set up
an Ebenezer, with an acknowledgment in Acts xxvi. 22: "Having
obtained help of God, I continue to this dayl" Our town is now three-
score and eight years old ; and certainly 'tis time for us, with all possible
affection, to set up our Ebenezer, saying, "Having obtained help from
God, the town is continued until almost the age of man is passed over itl"
The town hath indeed three elder sisters in this colony, but it hath won-
derfully outgrown them all; and her mother, Old Boston, in England
also; yea, within a few years afler the first settlement, it grew to be The
Metropolis of the whole English America. Little was tJiis expected
by them that first settled the town, when for a while Boston was proverb-
ially called Lost-toivn, for the mean and sad circumstances of it. But, O
Boston ! it is because thou hast obtained help from God, even from the
Lord Jesus Christ, who for the sake of his gospel, preached and once prized
.here, undertook thy patronage. When the world and. the church of God
had seen twenty-six generations, a psalm was composed, wherein that
note occurs with twenty-six repetitions: "His mercy endureth for ever."
Truly there has not one year passed over this town, Ab Urbe Go7idita*
upon the story whereof we might not make that note our Ebenezer: "His
mercy endureth for ever." It has been a town of great sxperiences.

* Since the city was founded.

MAONALIA CHRIST' AMERICANA;

There have been several yearn wherein the terrible famine hath terribly
stared the town in the face; we have been brought sometimes unto the
hat meal in the barrel; we have cried out with the disciples, "We have
not loaves enough to feed a tenth part of us!" but the feared /amine las
always been Kept oft'; always we have had seasonable and euftlcient dup-
plies after a surprizing manner sent in unto us: let the thioe last years in
this thing most eminently proclaim the goodness of our heavenly Shop*
herd and Feeder. This has been the help of our God; because "his mercy
endureth for everl" The angels of death have often shot the arrows of
death into the midst of the town ; the small-pox has especially four times
been a great plague upon us: how often have there been bills desiring
prayers for more than an hundred sick on one day in one of our assem-
blies? in one twelve-month, about one thousand of our neighbours have
one way or other been carried unto their long home : and yet we are, after
all, many more than seven thousand souls of us at this hour living on the
spot. Why is not a "Lord, have mercy upon us," written on the doors
of our abandoned habitations? This hath been the help of our God,
because " his mercy endureth for ever." Never was any town under the
cope of heaven more liable to be laid in ashes, either through the care-
lessness or through the wickedness of them that sleep in it. That such
a combustible heap of contiguous houses yet stfinds, it may be called a
standing miracle; it is not because "the watchman keeps the city; perhaps
there may be too much cause of reflection in that thing, and of inspection
too; no, "it is from thy watchful protection, O thou keeper of Boston,
who neither slumbers nor sleeps." Ten times has the Jire made notable
ruins among us, and our good servant been almost our master; but the
ruins have mostly and quickly been rebuilt. I suppose that many more
than a thousand houses are to be seen on this little piece of ground, all
filled with the undeserved favours of God. Whence this preservation?
This hath been the help of our God; because "his mercy endureth for
ever!" But if ever this town saw a year of salvations, transcendently
such was the last year unto us. A formidable French squadron hath not
shot one bomb into the midst of thee, thou munition ofroclcs! our streets
have not run with blood and gore, and horrible devouring flames have
not raged upon our substance: those are ignorant, and unthinking, and
unthankful men, who do not own that we have narrowly escaped as dread-
ful things as Carthagena, or Newfoundland, have suifered. I am sure
our more considerate friends beyond-sea were very suspicious, and well
nigh despairing, that victorious enemies had swallowed up the town. But
" thy soul is escaped, Boston, as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers."
Or, if you will be insensible of this, ye vain men, yet be sensible that an
English squadron hath not brought among us the tremendous pestilence,
under which a neighbouring plantation hath undergone prodigious desola-
tions. Boston, 'tis a marvellous thing a plague has not laid thee desolate !

OR, TUE HISTORY OF NEW-ENULAND.

Our deliverance from our friends has been ns full of astoninhing mercy,
aa our (Icliverance from onrfoes. We read of a certain city in Isa. xix.
18, cull*'"!, "Tlie city of Destruction." Why so? some say, because deliv-
ered from destruction. If that bo so, then hast thou been a city of
destruction: or I will rather say, a city of salvation: and this by the hdp
of (rod; because "his mercy endureth for ever." Shall I go on? I will.
We hn ,0 not had the bread of adversity and the water of ajjlidion, like
many other ])laccs. But yet all this while "our eyes have seen our
teachers. ' Here are several "golden candlesticks" in the town. "Shining
and burning lights" have illuminated them. There are gone to shine in
an higher orb seven divines that were once the stars of this town, in the
pastoral charge of it; besides many others, that for some years gave us
transient influences. Churches flourishing with much love, and pence, and
many "comforts of the Iloly Spirit," have hitherto been our greatest glory.
I wish that some sad eclipse do not come ere long upon this glory 1 The
dispensations of the gospel were never enjoyed by any town with more
liberty and purity for so long a while together. Our opportunities to draw
near unto the Lord Jesus Christ in his ordinances, cannot be paralleled.
Boston, thou hast been lifted up to heaven; there is not a town upon earth
which, on some accounts, has more to answer for. Such, such has been
our help from our God, because "his mercy endureth for ever."

II. Let us acknowledge whose help it is that we have received, and
not " give the glory of our God unto another." Poorly helped had we been,
I may tell you, if we had none but humane help nil this while to depend
upon. The favours of our superiors we deny not; we forget not the
instruments of our help. Nevertheless, this little outcast Zion shall, with
my consent, enr we the name of no man upon her Ebenezerl It was
well confessed in Psal, cviii. 12, "Vain is the help of manl" It was well
counselled in Psal. cxlvi. 3, " Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son
of man, in -whom there is no help."

Wherefoi , lirst, let God in our Lord Jesus Christ have the glory of
bestowing > m us all the help that we have had. When the Spirit of God
came upon a servant of his, he cried out unto David, in 1 Chron. xii. 18,
" Thy God helpeth thee." This is the voice of God from heaven to Boston
this day, "Thy God hath helped thee: thou hast by thy sin destroyed thy
self, but in thy God hath been thy help." A great man once building an
edifice, caused an inscription of this importance to be written on the gates
of it: "Such a place planted me, such a place watered me, and Caesar gave
the increase." One that passed by, with a witty sarcasm, wrote under it.
Hie Dens nihil fecit; i. e. "God, it seems, did nothing for this man." But
the inscription upon our Ebenezer, owning what help this town hath had,
shall say, "Our God hath done all that is done!" Say then, helped
Boston", say as in Psal. cxxi. 2, "My help is from the Lord which made
heaven and earth." Say as in Psal. xciv. 17, "Unless the Lord had been

MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

my help, my soul had quickly dwelt in silence." And boldly say, '"Tis
only because the Lord has been my helper, that earth and hell have
never done all that they would unto me."

Let our Lord Jesus Christ be praised as our blessed helper! that stone
which the foolish builders have refused, Oh I set up that stone; even that
high rock: set him on high in our praises, and say, that ^Uhat is our Eben-
ezer." 'Tis our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his infinite compassions for the
town hath said, as in Isa. Ixiii. 5, "I looked, and there was none to help;
therefore my own arm hath brought salvation unto it." It is foretold con-
cerning the idolatrous Eoman Catholicks, that together with the Lord Jesus
Christ, they shall worship other Mauzzim; that is to say, other protectors.
Accordingly, all their towns ordinarily have singled out their protectors
among the saints of heaven ; such a saint is entitled unto the patronage of
such a town among them, and such a saint for another : old Boston, by
name, was but Saint Botolph's town. Whereas thou, Boston, shalt have
but oxiQ protector in heaven, and that is our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh ! rejoice
in him alone, and say, "the Lord is my fortress and my deliverer!" There
was a song once made for a town, which in its distresses had been helped
wonderously ; and the first clause in that song, (you have it in isa. xxvi.
1,) may be so rendered : " We have a strong town ; salvation [or Jesus the
Lord, whose name hath salvation in it] will appoint walls and bulwarks."
Truly what help we have had we will sing, '"Tis our Jesus that hath
appointed them." The old pagan towns were sometimes mighty solicitous
to conceal the name of the particular god that they counted their protector,
Ke ah hostihus Uvocalus, alio commigraret* But I shall be far from doing
my town any damage by publishing the name of its protector; no, let all
mankind know, that the name of our protector is Jesus Christ: for
"among the gods there is none like unto thee, O, Lord: nor is any help
like unto thine : and there is no rock like to our God."

Yea, when we ascribe the name of hel2}er unto our Lord Jesus Christ,
let us also acknowledge that the name is not sufficiently expressive, emphat-
ical and significant. Lactantius of old blamed the heathen for giving the
highest of their gods no higher a title than that of Jupiter, or Juvans pater,
i. e. an helping father ; and he says, Nbn intelligit Divina Beneficia, qui se a
Deo tantummodo Jxivari putat: (the kindnesses of God are not understood
by that man who makes no more than an helper of him.) Such indeed is
the . penury of our language, that we cannot coin a more expressive name.
Nevertheless, when we say, the Lord Jesus Christ hath been our helper,
let us intend more than we express; "Lord, thou hast been all unto us."

Secondly, Let the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ most explicitely
have the glory of purchasing for us all our help. What was it that pro-
cured an Ebenezer for the people of God? We read in 2 Sam. vii. 9,
"Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it a burnt-offering wholly unto

* Leat, beguiled by the prayera and offerings of the enemy, he Bhoutd take up a reuidenco elsewhere.

m'?

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

sater,

se a

htood

3ed is

lame.

3lper,

I us."

3ite]y

pro-

lii. 9,

junto

the Lord; and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard
him." Shall I tell you? Our Lord Jesus Christ is that lamb of God ; and
he has been a lamb slain as a sacrifice ; and he is a sacrifice pleadable not
only for persons, but also for peoples that belong unto him. To teach us
this evangelical and comfortable mystery, there was a sacrifice for the
whole congregation prescribed in the Mosaic Psedagogy. 'Tis notorious
that the sins of this town have been many sins, and mighty sins; the "cry
thereof hath gone up to heaven." If the Almighty God should from
heaven rain down upon the town an horrible tempest of thuderbolts, as he
did upon the cities "which he overthrew in his anger, and repented not,"
it would be no more than our unrepented sins deserve. How comes it
then to pass that we have had so much help from Heaven after all? Truly
the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ has been pleaded for Boston, and
therefore say, therefore it is that the town is not made a sacrifice to the ven-
geance of God. God sent Jielp to the town that was the very heart and
life of the land that he had a pity for: but why so? He said in Isa. xxxvii.
85, "I will defend this town, to save it for my servant David's sake." Has
this town been defended ? It has been for the sake of the beloved Jesus:
therefore has the daughter of Boston shaken her head at you, ye calami-
ties that have been impending over her head. 0, helped and happy town I
thou hast had those believers in the midst of thee, that have pleaded this
with the great God: "Ahl Lord, thou hast been more honoured by the
sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, than thou couldst be honoured by
overwhelming this town with all the plagues of thy just indignation. If
thou wilt spare, and feed, and keep, and help this poor town, the sufferings
of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be owned as the prize of all our help." 'Tis
tJits that hath procured us all our help : 'tis this that must have all our praise.
Thirdly, Let the Lord be in a special manner glorified for the ministry
of his good angels, in that help that has been ministered unto us. A Jacob,
lying on a stone, saw the angels of God helping him. We are setting up
an Ebenezer ; but when we lay our heads and our thoughts upon the stone,
let us then see, the angels of God have helped us. When Macedonia was
to have some help from God, an angel, whom the apostle in Acts xvi. 9,
saw habited like a man of Macedonia, was a mean of its being brought unto
them. There is abundant cause to think that every town in which the
Lord Jesus Christ is worshipped, hath an angel to watch over it. The
primitive Christians were perswaded from the scriptures of truth to make
no doubt of this. Quod per Civitates distributee sunt Angelorum jirafecturoi.^
When the capital town of Judea was rescued from an invasion, we read in
2 Kings xix. 85, "The angel of the Lord went out, and smote the camp
of the Assyrians." It should seem there was an angel which did reside
in, and preside over the town, who went out for that amazing exploit.
And is it not likely, that the angel of the Lord went out for to smite

* That aogel-guanlit were atationod Blong the vorioua cities where they dwelt.

MAGNALIA CHEISTI AMERICANA:

the fleet of the Assyrians with a sickness, which the last summer hindered
their invading of this town? The angel of Boston was concerned for it!
Why have not the destroyers broke in upon us, to prey upon us with sore
destruction? 'Tis because we have had a wall of fire about us; that is to
say, a guard of angels; those flames of fire have been as a wall unto us.
It was an angel that helped a Daniel when the lions would else have
swallowed him up. It was an angel that helped a Lot out of the fires
that were coming to consume his habitation. It was an angel that helped
an Elias to meat when he wanted it. They were angels that helped the
whole people of God in the wilderness to their daily bread; their manna
was angel's food: and is it nothing that such angels have done for this
town, think you? Ohl think not so. Indeed, if we should go to thank
the angels for doing these things, they would zealously say, "See thou
do it not!" But if we thank their Lord and ours for his employing them
to do these things, it will exceedingly gratifie them. Wherefore, "Bless ye
the Lord, ye his angels ; and bless the Lord, O my town, for those his angels.^^
III. Let the help which we have hitherto had from our God, encourage
us to hope in him for more help hereafter as the matter may require.
The help that God had given to his people of old was commemorated, as
with monumental pillars, conveying down the remembrance of it unto
their children. And what for? We are told in Psal. Ixxviii. 7, "That
they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God." I
am not willing to say how much this town may be threatned, even with
an utter extirpation. But this I will say, the motto upon all our Ebenezers
is, Hope in God! Hope in God! The use of the former help that we
have had from God, should be an hope for future help from him, that is
"a present help in the time of trouble." As in the three first verses of
the eighty-fifth Psalm, six times over there occurs, "Thou hast," "Thou
hast," all to usher in this, "Therefore thou wilt still do so," O let our
faith proceed in that way of arguing in 2 Cor. i. 10, "The Lord hath
delivered, and he doth deliver, and in him we trust that he will still
deliver." We are to-day writing, "Hitherto the Lord hath helped us;"
let us write under it, "And we hope the Lord has more help for us in the
time of need!" It may be some are purposing suddenly and hastily to
leave the town through their fears of the straits that may come upon it.
But I would not have you be too sudden and hasty in your purposes, as
too many have been unto their after-sorrow. There was a time when people
were so discouraged about a subsistence in the principal town of the Jews,
that they talked of plucking up stakes, and flying away; but the minister
of God came to them, (and so do I to you this day!) ^aying, in Isa. xxx.
7, "I cried concerning this, their strength is to sit still!" Boston was no
sooner come to some consistence threescore years ago, but the people found
themselves plunged into a sad non-plus what way to take for i subsistence.
God tlien immediately put them into a way, and "hitherto the Lord has

ii
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OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

.»

the
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has

hflped usl" The town is at this day full of widows and orphans, and a
multitude of them are very helpless creatures. I am astonished how they
livel In that church whereof I am the servant, I have counted the wid-
ows make about a sixth part of our communicants, and no doubt in the
whole town the proportion differs not very much. Now stand still, my
friends, and beho.d the help of God! Were any of these ever starved
yet? No: these widows are every one in some sort provided for. And
let me tell you, ye handmaids of the Lord, you shall be still provided for!
The Lord, vrhose family you belong unto, will conveniently and wonder-
fully provide for you; if you say, and Ohl say of him, "The Lord is my
helper; I will not fear!"

What shall I say? When Moses was ready to faint in his prayers for
his people, we read in Exod. xvii. 12, "They took a stone, and put it
under him." Christians, there are some of you who abound in prayers,
that the help of God may be granted unto the town; the town is much
upheld by those prayers of yours. Now, that you may not faint in your
prayers, I bring you a stone: the stone, 'tis our Ebenezer; or, the relation
of the help that hitherto the Lord hath given us.

IV. Let all that bear public office in the town contribute all the help
they can, that may continue the help of God unto us. Austin, in his Con-
fessions, gives thanks to God, that when he was a helpless infant, he had
a nurse to help him, and one that was both able and willing to help him.
Infant-Boston, thou hast those whom the Bible calls nursing-fathers. Oh,
be not froward, as thou art in thy treating of thy nurses ; but give thanks
to God for them. I forget my self; 'tis with the fathers themselves that
I am concerned.

When it was demanded of Demosthenes, what it was that so long pre-
served Athens in a flourishing state, he made this answer: "The orators
are men of learning and wisdom, the magistrates do justice, the citizens
love quiet, and the laws are kept among them all." May Boston flourish
in such happy order 1

And first, you may assure yourselves that the ministers of the Lord
Jesus Christ among you will be joyful to approve themselves, as the Book-
of God has called them, "The helpers of your joy." O, our dear flocks,
we owe you our all; all our love, all our strength, all our time; we watch
for you as those that must give sn account; and I am very much mistaken
if we are not willing to die for you, too, if called unto it. If our Lord
Jesus Christ should say to us, "My servant, if you'll die to-night, you shall
have this reward: the people that you preach to shall be all converted
unto me I" I think we should with triumphing souls reply, "Ah! Lord,
then I'll die with all my heart." Sirs, we should go away "rejoycing witii
joy unspeakable and full of glory." I am satisfied that the most furious
and foul-mouthed reviler that God may give any of us to be buffeted
withal, if he will but come to sober thoughts, he will say, That there is
Vor. L-7

UAGNALIA GHRISTI AMERICANA:

not any one man in the town, but the ministers wish that man as well as
they do their own souls, and would gladly serve that maix by day or by
night, in any thing that it were possible to do for him. Wherefore, our
beloved people, I beseech you leave off, leave off to throw stones at your
Ebenezers. Instead of that, ^myybr W5, and "strive together with us ia
your prayers to God for us." Then with the help of Christ we'll promise
you we will set our selves to observe what special truths may bo most
needful to be inculcated upon you, and we will inculcate them. We will
set our selves to observe the temptations that beset you, the afflictions that
assault you, and the duties that are incumbent on you ; and we will accom-
modate our selves unto them. We will set ofr selves to observe what
souls among you do call for our more particular addre *ses, and we will
address them faithfully, and even travel in hirth for them. Nor will we
give over praying, and fasting, and crying to our great Lord for y®u
until we die. Whatever other helpers the town enjoys, they shall have
that convenience in Ezra v. 2, " With them were the prophets of God,
helping them." Well, then, let the rest of our worthy helpers lend an
helping hand for the promoting of those things wherein the weal of the
town is wrapped up! When the Jews thought that a defiling thing was
breaking in among them, in Acts xxi. 28, *' They cried out, Men of Israel,
help 1 " Truly there is cause to make that cry, " Men of Boston, help 1"
for ignorance, and prophaneness, and bad living, and the worst things in
the world, are breaking in upon us.

And now will the Justices of the town set themselves to consider,
How they may help to suppress all growing vicea among us?

Will the Constables of the town set themselves to consider. How they
may help to prevent all evil orders among us?

There are some who have the eye of the town so much upon them, that
the very name of Towns-men is that by which they are distinguished.
Sirs, will you also consider how to help the affairs of the town, so as that
all things may go well among us?

Moreover, may not School-masters do much to "nstil principles of
religion and civility, as well as other points of good education, into the
children of the town? Only let the town well encourage its well-deserv-
ing school-masters.

There aie sc ne officers; but concerning all, there are these two things
to be desired: First, it is to be desired that such officers as are chosen anu)ng
us, may be chosen in the fear of God. May none but pious and prudent
men, and such aS love the town, be chosen to serve it. And, secondly, it
is to be desired that officers of several sorts would oflen come together for
consultation. Each of the sorts by themselves, may they oflen come together
to consult, "What shall we do to serve the town in those interests which
are committed unto our charge?" Oh! what a deplorable thing will it be
for persons to be entrusted with talents, (your opportunities to servo the

t
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I

OR, THE HISTOKY OF NEW-ENQLAND.

I as
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OUT
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town are so many talents !) and they never seriously consider, " What good
biiall I do with my talents in the place where God hath stationed me?"

And will the Rkpresentatives of the town be considered among the
rest, as entrusted with some singular advantages for our help? The Lord
give you understanding in all things!

V. God help the town to manifest all that piety, which a town so helped
of him is obliged unto 1 When the people of God had been carried by
his help through their difficulties, they set up sUmes to keep in mind how
he had helped them; and something was written on the stones: but what
was written? see Josh. viii. 82, "Joshua wrote upon the stones a copy of
the law." Truly upon those Ebenezers which we set up, we should write
the law of our God, and recognize the obligations which the help of our
God baa laid upon us to keep it.

We are a very unpardonable town, if, after all the help which our God
has given us, we do not ingenuously enquire, "What shall we render to
the Lord for all his benefits ?" Render I Oh 1 let us our selves thus answer
the enquiry: "Lord, we will render all possible and filial obedience unto
thee, becaiise hitherto thou hast helped us: only do thou also help us to
render that obedience 1" Mark what I say: if there be so much as one
prayerless house in such a town as this, 'tis inexcusable 1 How inexcusable
then will be all flagitious outrages ? There was a town ('twas the town
of Sodom!) that had been wonderfully saved out of the hands of their
enemies. But after the help that God sent unto them, the town went on
to sin against God in very prodigious instances. At last a provoked God
sent a fire upon the town that made it an eternal desolation. Ah, Boston,
beware, beware, lest the sins of Sodom get footing in thee ! And what
were the sins of Sodom ? We find in Ezek. xvi. 49, " Behold, this was
the iniquity of Sodom ; pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness
was in her; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and the
needy ; " there was much oppression there. If you know of any scandal-
ous disorders in the town, do all you can to suppress them, and redress
them ; and let not those that send their sons hither from other parts of the
world, for to be improved in virtue, have cause to complain, " That ailer
they came to Boston, they lost what little virtue was before budding in
them; that in Boston they grew more debauched and more malignant
than ever they were before !" It was noted concerning the famous town
of Port-Royal in Jamaica, which you know was the other day swallowed
up in a stupendous earthquake, that just before the earthquake the people
were violently and scandalously set upon going to Fortune-telkrs upon all
occasions: much notice was taken of this impiety generally prevailing
among the people : but none of those wretched Fortune-tellers could foresee
or forestal the direful catastrophe. I have heard that there are Fortune-
tellers in this town sometimes consulted by some of the sinful inhabitants.
I wish the town could be made too hot for these dangerous transgressors.

100

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMEBICAKA:

I am sure the preservation of the town from horrendous earthquakes, is
one thing that bespeaks our Ebenezers; 'tis from tlie merciful help of our
God unto us. But beware, I beseech you, of those provoking evils that
may expose us to a plague, exceeding all that are in the catalogue of the
twenty -eighth of Deuteronomy. Let me go on to say, What! shall there
be any bawdy-houses in such a town as thisl It may be the neighbours,
that could smoke them, and rout them, if they would, are loth to stir, for
fear of being reputed ill neighbours. But I say unto you, that you are
ill neighbours because you do it not. All the neighbours are like to have
their children and servants poisoned, and their dwellings laid in ashes,
because you do it not. And, Oh ! that the drinking-houses in the town
might once come under a laudable regulation. The town has an enormous
number of them ; will the haunters of those houses hear the counsels of
Heaven? For you that are the town-dwellers, to be oft or long in your
visits of the ordinary, 'twill certainly expose you to mischiefs more than
ordinary. I have seen certain taverns, where the pictures of horrible
devourers were hanged out for the signs; and, thought I, 'twere well if
such signs were not sometimes too significant: alas, men have their estates
devoured, their names devoured, their hours devoured, and thfiir very souls
devoured, when they are so besotted that they are pot. ^'u their element,
except they be tipling at such houses. When once a man is bewitched
with the ordinary, what usually becomes of him? He is a gone man;
and when he comes to die, he will cry out, as many have done, "Ale-
houses are hell-houses 1 ale-houses are hell-houses!" But let the owners
of those houses also now hear our counsels. "Oh! hearken to me, that
God may hearken to you another day ! " It is an honest, and a latoful,
though it may not be a very desirable employment, that you have under-
taken : you may glorifie the Lord Jesus Christ in your employment if you
will, and benefit the town considerably. There was a very godly man
that was an innkeeper, and a great minister of God could say to that man,
in 8 John 2, "Thy soul prospereth." O let it not be said of you, since
you are fallen into this employment, "Thy soul withe) eth!" It is thus
with too many : especially, when they that get a license perhaps to sell
drink out of doors, do stretch their license to sell within doors. Those
private houses, when once a professor of the gospel comes to steal u living
out of them, it commonly precipitates them into an abundance of wretch-
edness and confusion. But I pray God assist you that keep ordinaries, to
keep the commandments of God in them. There was an Inn at Bethle-
hem where the Lord Jesus Christ was to be met withal. Can Boston
boast of many such? Alas, too ordinarily it may be said, "there is no
room for him in the Inn!" My friends, let me beg it of you, banish the
unfruitful works of darkness from your houses, and then the sun of right-
eousness will shine upon them. Don't countenance drunkenness, revelling,
and mis-spending of precious time in your houses; let none have the snares

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

101

kes, is

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Is that

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Those
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e is no
ish the
if right-
ivelling,
lo snares

of death laid for them in your houses. You'll say, "I shall starve then!"
I say, "Better starve than sin:" but you shall not. It is the word of the
Must High, "Trust in the Lord, and do good, and verily thou shalt bo
fed."' And u noi peace of conscience, with a little, better than those riches
that will shortly melt away, and then run like scalding metal down the
very bowels of thy soul ?
f What shall I say more? There is one article of piety more to be

recommended unto us all; and it is an article Avhich all piety does exceed-
ingly turn upon, that is, the sanctification of the Lord's day. Some
very judicious persons have observed, that as "they sanctify the Lord's
day, remissly or carefully, just so their affairs usually prospered all the
ensuing week." Sirs, you cannot more consult the prosperity of the town,
in all its affairs, than by endeavouring that the Lord's day may be exem-
plarily sanctified. When people about Jerusalem took too much liberty
on the Sabbath, the ruler of the town contended with them, and said, "Ye
bring wrath upon Israel, by prophaning the Sabbath." I fear — I fear there
are many among us, to whom it may be said, "Ye bring wrath upon Bos-
ton, by prophaning the Sabbath." And what wrath? Ah, Lord, prevent
it! But there is an awful sentence in Jer. xvii. 27, "If ye will not hearken
unto me, to sanctifie the Sabbath day, then will I kindle a fire on the ioixm,
and it shall devour, and shall not be quenched."

Finally, Let the piety of the town manifest it self in a due regard unto
the Institutions of Him whose heljf has hitherto been a shield unto us.
Let the ark be in the town, and God will bless the town 1 I believe it may
be found, that in the mortal scourges of heaven, which this town has felt,
there has been a discernable distinction of those that have come up to
attend all the ordinances ol the Lord Jesus Christ, in the communion of
his churches. Though these have had, as 'tis fit they should, a share in
the common deaths, yet the destroying angel has not had so great a pro-
portion of these in his commission, as he has had of others. Whether tliis
be so, or no, to uphold, and support, and attend the ordinances of the
Lord Jesus Christ in reforming churches, this will entitle the to yn to the
help of heaven; for, "Upon the glory there shall be a defence!" There
were the victorious forces of Alexander, that in going backward and for-
ward, passed by Jerusalem without hurting it. Why so? Said the Lord
in Zech. ix. 8, "I will encamp about my house, because of the army."
If our God have an hotise here, he'll encamp about it. Nazianzen, a famous
minister of the gospel, taking his farewel of Constantinople, an old man
that had sat under his ministry, cried out, "Oh! my father, don't you dare
to go away: you'll carry the whole Trinity with you!" How much more
may it be cried out, "If we Jose or slight the ordinances of the Lord Jesus
Christ, we forego the help of all the Trinity with them!"

VI. Extraordinary equity and charity, as well aa piety, well becomes
a town that hath been by the help of God so extraordinarily signalized,,

102

UAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

A town marvellously helped by God, has this foretold concerning it, in
Isa. i. 28, "Afterwwd thou shalt be called, the city of righteousness, the
faithful city." May the Ebenezers of this town render it a town of equity,
and a town of charity I Oh I there should be none but fair dealings in a
town wherewith Heaven has dealt so favourably. Let us deal fairly in
bargains; deal fairly in taxes; deal fairly in paying respects to such as
have been benrffaotors unto the town. 'Tis but equity, that they who
have beou old stau<ikrs in the town, and both with person and estate served
the town unto the utmost for many years together, should on all proper
occasions be considered. For charity— I may indeed speak ir without flat-
tery — this town has not many equals en the face of the earth. Our Lord
Jesus Christ from heaven wrote unto the good people of a town in the
lesser Asia, [liev. ii. 19,] " I know thy works and charity." From that
blessed Lord I may venture to bring that message unto the good people
of this town; "the glorious Lord of heaven knows thy works, Boston,
and all thy charity." This is a poor town, and yet it may be said of
the Bostonians, as it was of the Macedonians, "their deep poverty hath
abounded unto the riches of their liberality." ye bountiful people of
God, all your daily bounties to the needy, all your subscriptions to send
the bread of life abroad unto places that are perishing in wickedness, all
your collections in your assemblies as often as they are called for; "all
these alms are come up for a memorial before Godl" The Lord Jesus
Christ in heaven hath beheld your helpfulness, and readiness to every
good work; and he hath requited it with his helpful Ebenezers. It was
said, in Isa, xxxii. 8, "The liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal
things he shall stand." There are some in this town that are always
devising liberal things, and our Lord Jesus Christ lets the town stand for
the sake of those! Instead of exhorting you to augment your charity, I
will rather utter an exhortation, or at least a supplication, that you may
not abuse your charity by misapplying of it. I remember I have read,
that an inhabitant of the city Pisa being asked why their town so went,
as it then did, unto decay? — he fetched a deep sigh, and said, "Our young
men are too prodigal, our old men are too affectionate, and we have no
punishment for those that spend their years in idleness." Ah! the last
stroak of that complaint I must here sigh it over again. Idleness^ alas I
idleness increases in the town exceedingly; idleness, of which there never
oame any goodness! idleness, which is a "reproach to any people." We
work hard all summer, and the drones count themselves wronged if they
have it not in the winter divided among them. The poor that can't work,
are objects for your liberality. But the poor that can work and won't, the
best libemlity to them is to make them. I beseech you, sirs, find out a
method quickly, that the idle persons in the town may earn their bread ;
it wore tlie best piece of charity that could be shown unto them, and equity
unto us all. Our beggars do shamefully grow upon us, and such beggars,

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

108

too, as our Lord Jesus Christ himself hath expressly forbidden us to coun-
tenance. I have read a printed sermon which was preached before "both
Houses of Parliament, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, and the
Assembly of Divines r" the greatest audience then in the world: and in
that sermon the prea^ner had this ppssage: "I have lived in a country
where in seven years I never saw a beggar, nor heard an oath, nor looked
upon a drunkard.' ' Shall I tell you w here that Utopia was ? 'Twas New-
England! But they that go from hence must now tell another story.

VII. May the changes^ and especially ih^ judgments that have come upon
the town, direct ua what help to petition from the "God of our salvations."
The Israelites had formerly seen dismal things, where they now set up
their Ebenozer: the Philistines had no less than twice beaten them there,
and there taken from them the Ark of God. Now we are setting up our
Ebcnezer, let us a little call to mind some dismal things that we have seen;
the Ebenezer will go up the better for it. '

We read in 1 Sam. vi. 18, concerning " the great stone of Abel." Some
say, that Adam erected *hat stone, as a grave-stone for his Abel, and wrote
that epitaph upon it, "Here was poured out the blood of the righteous
Abel." I know nothing of this; the names, I know, differ in the original;
but as we may erect many a stone for an Ebenezer, so we may erect many
a great stone of Abel, that is to say, we inay write mourning and sorrow
upon the condition of the Jtown in various examples. Now from the stones
of Abel, we will a little gather what we should wish to write upon the
stones of our Ebenezer.

What changes have we seen in point of religion ! It was noted by Luther,
he "could never see good order in the church last more than fifteen years
together in the purity of it." Blessed be God, religion hath here flourished
in the purity of it for more than fifteen years together. But certainly the
power of Godliness is nov/- grievously decayed among us. As the prophet
of old exclaimed, in Joel i. 2, " Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, ye
inhabitants! has this been in your days?" Thus may I say, "Hear this,
ye old men, that are the inhabitants of the town : can't you remember
that in your days, a prayerful, a watchful, a fruitful Christian, and a well-
governed family, was a more common sight, than it is now in mir days?
Can't you remember that in your days those abominable things did not
show their heads, that are now barefaced among us? Here then is a petition
to be made unto our God: "Lord, help us to remember whence we are
fallen, and to repent, and to do the first works !■"

Again, What changes have we seen in point of mortality? By mortality
almost all the old race of our first plan'iers here are carried off; the old
stock is in a manner expired. We see the fulfilment of that word in Eccl.
i. 4, "One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh." It
would be no unprofitable thing for you to pass over the several streets, and
call to mind, who lived here so many years agof Why? In that place lived

104

MAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

l\\ I

Buch an one. But, wliere are they now? Oh ! they ore gone ; they are gone
into that ,.«.iuui world, whither we must quickly follow them. Ilere is
another petition to be made unto God : "Lord, lielp us to number our days,
and apply our hearts unto wisdom, that when the places that now know us,
do know us no more, we may begone into the city of God I'.'

Furthermore, What changes have we seen in point of possessions? If
some that are now rkh were once loxo in the world, 'tis possible, more that
were once rich are now brought very low. Ahl Boston, thou hast seen the
vanity of all worldly possessions. One fatal morning, which laid fourscore
of thy dwelling-houses, and seventy of thy ware-houses, in a ruinous heap,
not nineteen years ago, gave thee to read it in fiery characters. And an
huge jket of thy vessels, which they would make if they were all together,
that have miscarried in the late war, has given thee to read more of it.
Here is one petition more to bo made unto our God: "Lord, help us to
ensure a better and a lasting substance in heaven, and the good part that
cannot be taken away."

In fine, how dreadfully have the young people of Boston perished under
the judgments of God ! A renowned writer among the Pagans could make
this remark : there was a town so irreligious and atheistical, that they did
not pay their first-fruits unto God; (which the light of nature taught the
Pagans to do I) and, says he, they were by a sudden desolation so strangely
destroyed, that there were no remainders cither of the persons, or of the
houses, to be seen any more. Ah, my young folk's, there are few first-fruits
paid unto the Lord Jesus Christ among you. From hence it comes to pass,
that the consuming wrath of God is every day upon you. New-England
has been like a tottering house, the very foundations of it have been shaking;
but the house thus oversetting by the whirlwinds of the wrath of God,
hath been like Job's house: "It falls upon the young men, and they are
dead 1" The disasters on our young folks have been so multiplied, that there
are few parents among us but what will go with wounded hearts down
unto their graves: their daily moans are, "Ah, my son, cut off in his
youth I My son, my son 1" Behold then the help that we are to ask of our
God; and why do we, with no more days of prayer with fasting, ask it?
"Lord, help the young people of Boston to remember thee in the days
of their youth, and satisfie unto the survivers the terrible things that have
come upon so many of that generation."

And now as Joshua, having reasoned with his people a little before he
died, in Josh. xxiv. 26, 27, "took a great stone, and set it up, and said unto
all the people. Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto you, lest ye deny
your God;" thus we have been this day setting up a stone, even an
Ebenezer, among you; and I conclude, earnestly testifying unto you,
Behold this stone shall be a witness unto you, that the Lord Jesus Christ

1 if vou seek him, he will be still found

a^.

you.

of you; but if you fo-* ake him, he will cast you off for ever.

ECCLESIAHra ClIPEI-rTIIE SlllElDS OF TlIE CHURCHES.")

THE SECOND BOOK

THE NEW-ENGLISH HISTORY:

CONTAnilNO

THE LIVES OF THE GOVERNOURS,

AMD

THE NAMES OF THE MAGISTRATES,

THAT HAVE BEEN SHIELDS UNTO THE CHURCHES OF NEW-ENGLAND,

UNTIL THE YEAR 1686.

rERPETUATED BY THE E88AT OF COTTON MATHER.

Tore he
Id unto
deny
^en an

you,
;jhrist
found

PriaeatiiHi ne Veteria vaneieat Oloria Saeli^
yivida defensant, jua Monumenta damur,
, [The Rlorlos of that elder age, I While hero, martyr, ruler, sniro,

Luittroud and pure, shall never wane, | lu living iDonumuiiUt remain.]

Qui aJiii praiunt, tanto privatit Hominibut Meliorei t.»>t Oportetf
Quanto Honuriiut et Dinitate avtceellant. — Panorinitan.
\\n re!)|i«ct tu men in authority, it is needful that they should surpons private citizens
In LfiiueiiB of character, as much aa they excel them in dignity of station.]

Jtfundum hue, quit nunc tenet Saculutn, J^Tegliffentia
Dei Fenerat. — Liv. I. 3.
[That forgntfUlness of the Deity, which marks the present af a,
bad not yet begun to appear.]

Optimut quisqut ^ohiliaaimua, — Plato.
[He is most honoured who is most virtuous.]

HARTFORD:

SILAS ANDKU8 & SON.

1853.

, 11

■i:

INTRODUCTION.

'TwiRR to b« wished fhat there might never be any English translation of that wiclced
position in Mocliiavei, Non requiri in Principe veram pielalem, ted tujicere illiui qnandam
umbram, et sinmllatumem Externam,* It muy be thoro never was any region under heaven
happier timii poor New-England hutli heen in Mug! itrates, whose true piety was worthy to
be mndo the example of oiler-agesi

Hnppy host thou been, O lund! in Magistrates, whoso disposition to serve the Lord Jesus
Christ, unto whom they still considered themselves accountable, answered the good rule of
Agupetus, " Quo quit in Republica Majorem Dignitatis gradum adeptua est, eo Deum CtiltU
Sulmissius :"^ Magistrates, whose disposition to serve the people that chose them to rule
over them, nrgued them sensible of that great stroak in Cicero, *^ Nulla re propiut Hominet
ad Deum Accedunt, quam salute Hominibus danda:\ Magistrates, acted in their administrations
by the spirit of a Joshua. When the wise man observes unto us, '*That oppressions make
a wise man mad," it may be worth coiiHidering, whether the oppressor is not intended rather
than the oppressed in the observation. Tls very certain that a disposition to oppress other
men, does often make those that are otherwise very wise men, to forget the rules of reason,
and commit most unreasonable uxorbitancies. Rchoboam in some things acted wisely ; but
this admonition of his inspired father could not restrain him from acting madly, when the
spirit of oppression was upon him. The rulers of New-England have been wise men, whom
that spirit of oppression betrayed not into this madness.

The father of Themistoeles disswading him from government, showed him the old oars
which the mariners had now thrown away upon the sea-shores with neglect and contempt ;
and said, "That people would certainly treat their old rulers with the same contempt."
But, reader, let us now take up our old oars with all possible respect, and see whether we
cannot still make use of them to serve our little vessel. But this the rather, because we
muy with an eosie turn change the name into that of pilots.

The word Government, properly signifies the guidance of a ship: Tully uses it for that
purpose; and in Plutarch, the art of steering a ship, is, Tt^vit nvffifvnrinii. New-England is
a little ship,, which hath weathered many a terrible storm ; and it is but reasonable that they
who have sat at the helm of the ship, should be remcmbred in the history of its deliverances^

Prudentius calls Judges, "The great lights of the sphere;" Symmachus calls Judges,
"The better part of mankind." Reader, thou art now to be entertained with the Lives of
Judges which have deserved that character. And the Lives of those who have been called
speaking laws, will excuse our History from coming under the observation made about the
work of Homer, That the word Law, is never so much as once occuring in them. They
are not written like the Cyrus of Xenophon, like the Alexander of Curtius, like Virgil's
JEneas, and like Pliny's Trajan: but the reader hath in every one of them a real and a faith-
ful History, And I please my self with hopes, that there wUl yet be found among the sons
of New-England, those young gentlemen by whom the copies given in this History will be
written after; and that saying of old Chaucer be remembred, "To do the genteel deeds, that
makes the gentleman."

* True pioljr is superfluous in a prince: It is enough if he assume ila ssmblance and outward show.

t Thu lontur the station one reaches in the government, the truer should be his devotion to the service of God.

X Mou approach nearest to the character of God In doing good tu mankiDd.

ECCLESIARUM CLYPEI.

THE SECOND BOOK

OF THB

NEW-ENGLISH HISTOEY.

6AIEACIU8 SECUNDUS.*

THE IIFE OF WILLIAM BRADFORD, ESa, GOVERNOUR OF PLYMOUTH COLONY.

Omnium Somnot illiua vigilantia defendit; omnium oiium, illiua Labor; omnium Delitias, illiut
Induatria ; omnium vacationem, illiua occupatio.*

§ 1. It has been a matter of some observation, that although Yorkshire
be one of the largest shires in England; yet, for all the ,^res of martyrdom
which were kindled in the days of Queen Mary, it afforded no more fuel
than one poor Leaf; namely, John Leaf, an apprentice, who suffered for
the doctrine of the Eeformation at the same time and stake with the famous
John Bradford. But when the reign of Queen Elizabeth would not admit
the Eeformation of worship to proceed unto those degrees, which were
proposed and pursued by no small number of the faithful in those days,
Yorkshire was not the least of the shires in- England that afforded suffering
witnesses thereunto. The Churches there gathered were quickly molested
with such a raging persecution, that if the spirit of separation in them did
carry them unto a further extream than it should have done, one blameable
cause thereof will be found in the extremity of that persecution. Their
troubles made that cold country too hot for them, so that they were under
a necessity to seek a retreat in the Low Countries; and yet the watchful
malice and fury of their adversaries rendred it almost impossible for them
to find what they sought. For them to leave their native soil, their lands
and their friends, and go into a strange place, where they must hear foreign
language, and live meanly and hardly, and in other imployments than
that of husbandry, wherein they had been educated, these must needs have
been such discouragements as could have been conquered by none, save
those who "sought first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness there-
of." But that which would have made these discouragements the more

* The second ihield-bearer.

t Hia watchfUlnees guards others' slumbers; his toll secures others' rest; his diligence protect! others' ei\Jo]r-
mcnts; his constant application, others' leisure.

OR, THE HI8T0KY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

109

fT.

itias, illiut

orkshire
.rtyrdom
tiore fuel
fered for
famous
[Ot admit
ch were
|se days,
luffering
lolested
[hem did
ameable
Their
e under
atchful
them
sir lands
foreign
is than
ids have
le, save
, there-
to more

hen* ei\Joy-

-♦■''^

unconquerable unto an ordinary faith, was the terrible zeal of their ene-
mies to guard all ports, and search all ships, that none of them should be
carried off. I will not relate the sad things of this kind then seen and
felt by this people of God; but only exemplifie those trials with one short
story. Divers of this people having hired a Dutchman, then lying at
Hull, to carry them over to Holland, he promised faithfully to take them
in between Grimsly and Hull; but they coming to the place a day or two
too soon, the appearance of such a multitude alarmed the officers of the
town adjoining, who came with a great body of soldiers to seize upon
them. Now it happened that one boat full of men had been carried aboard,
wjiile the women were yet in a bark that lay aground in a creek at low
water. The Dutchman perceiving the storm that was thus beginning
ashore, swore by the sacrament that he would stay no longer for any of
them ; and so taking the advantage of a fair wind then blowing, he put
out to sea for Zealand. The women thus left near Grimsly-common,
bereaved of their husbands, who had been hurried from them, and forsaken
of their neighbours, of whom none durst in this fright stay with them,
were a very rueful spectacle; some crying for /ear, some shaking for cold,
all dragged by troops of armed and angry men from one Justice to another,
till not knowing what to do with them, they even dismissed them to shift
as well as they could for themselves. But by their singular afflictions, and
by their Christian behaviours, the cause for which they exposed themselves
did gain considerably. In the mean time, the men at sea found reason
to be glad that their families were not with them, for they were surprized
^ith an horrible tempest, which held them for fourteen days together, in
seven whereof they saw not sun, moon or star, but were driven upon the
coast of Norway. The mariners often despaired of life, and once with
doleful shrieks gave over all, as thinking the vessel was foundred: but
the vessel rose again, and when the mariners with sunk hearts often cried
out, "We sink! we sink!" the passengers, without such distraction of
mind, even while the water was running into their mouths and ears,
would chearfully shout, "Yet, Lord, thou canst save! Yet, Lord, thou
canst save!" And the Lord accordingly brought them at last safe unto
their desired haven : and not long after helped their distressed relations
thither after them, where indeed they found upon almost all accounts a
new ivorld, but a world in which they found that they must live like
straijgers and pilgrims.

§ 2. Among those devout people was our William Bradford, who was
born A71710 1588, in an obscure village called Ansterfield, where the people
were as unacquainted with the Bible, as the Jews do seem to have been
with part of it in the days of Josiah; a most ignorant and licentious
people, and like unto their priest. Here, and in some other places, he had
a comfortable inheritance left him of his honest parents, who died while
he was yet a child, and cast him on the education, first of his grand

110

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

c
i

parents, and then of his uncles, who devoted him, like his ancestors, unto
the affairs of husbandry. Soon a long sickness kept him, as he would
afterwards thankfully say, from the vanities of youth, and made him the
fitter for what he was afterwards to undergo. When he was about a
dozen years old, the reading of the Scriptures began to cause great
impressions upon him; and those impressions were much assisted and
improved, when he came to enjoy Mr. Bichard Clifton's illuminating
ministry, not far from his abode; he was then also further befriended, by
being brought into the company and fellowship of such a vere then
called professors; though the young man that brought him into it did
after become a prophane and wicked apostate. Nor could the wrath -of
his uncles, nor the scoff of his neighbours, now turned upon him, as one
of the Puritam, divert him from his pious inclinations.

§ 3. At last, beholding how fearfully the evangelical and apostolical
church-form, whereinto the churches of the primitive times were cast by
the good spirit of God, had been deformed by the apostacy of the suc-
ceeding times; and what little progress the Eeformation had yet made in
many parts of Christendom towards its recovery, he set himself by read-
ing, by discourse, by prayer, to learn whether it was not his duty to with-
draw from the communion of the parish-assemblies, and engage with some
society of the faithful, that should keep close unto the written loord of
God, as the rvh of their worship. And after many distresses of mind
concerning it, he took up a very deliberate and understanding resolution,
of doing so; which resolution he chearfuUy prosecuted, although the pro-
voked rage of his friends tried all the ways imaginable to reclaim him
from it, unto all whom his answer was:

"Were I like to endanger my life, or consume my estate by my ungodly courses, your
counsels to me were very seasonable; but you know that I have been diligent and provi-
dent in my calling, and not only desirous to augment what I have, but also to enjoy it in
your company; to part from which will be as great a cross as can befal me. Nevertheless,
to keep a good conscience, and walk in such a way as God has prescribed in his Word, is a
thing which I must prefer before you all, and above life it self. Wherefore, since 'tis for a
good cause that I am like to suffer the disasters which you lay before me, you have no cause
to be either angry with me, or sorry for me; yea, I am not only willing to part with every
thing that is dear to me in this world for this cause, but I am also thankful that God has
^ven me an heart to do, and will accept me so to suffer for him."

Some lamented him, some derided him, all disswaded him : nevejthe-
less, the more they did it, the more fixed he was in his purpose to seek
the ordinances of the gospel, where they should be dispensed with most
of the com'manded purity; and the sudden deaths of the chief relations
which thus lay at him, quickly after convinced him what a folly it had
been to have quitted his profession, in expectation of any satisfaction
from them. So to Holland he attempted a removal.

§ 4. Having with a great company of Christians hired a ship to tranS'

OR, THE HISTORY OT NEW-ENGLAND.

Ill

3veythe-
to seek
th most
elations
it had
sfaction

trans'

port them for Holland, the master perfidiously betrayed them into the
hands of those persecutors, who rifled and ransacked their goods, and
clapped their persons into prison at Boston, where they lay for a month
together. But Mr. Bradford being a young man of about eighteen, was
dismissed sooner than the rest, so that within a while he had opportunity
with some others to get over to Zealand, through perils, both by land
and sea not inconsiderable; where he was not long ashore ere a vipdr
seized on his hand — that is, an officer — who carried him unto the magis-
trates, unto whom an envious passenger had accused him as having fled
out of England. When the magistrates understood the true cause of his
coming thither, they were well satisfied with him; and so he repaired
joyfully unto his brethren at Amsterdam, where the difficulties to which
he afl«rwardi stooped in learning and serving of a Frenchman at the
working of silks, were abundantly compensated by the delight where-
with he sat under the shadow of our Lord, in his purely dispensed ordi-
nances. At the end of two years, he did, being of age to do it, convert
his estate in England into money ; but setting up for himself, he found
some of his designs by the providence of God frowned upon, which he
judged a correction bestowed by God upon him for certain decays of inter'
nal piety, whercinto he had fallen; the consumption of his estate he
J ought came to prevent j, consumption in his virtue. But after he had
Vv ?ided in Holland about half a score years, he was one of those who
bore a part in that hazardous and generous enterprise of removing into
New-England, with part of the English church at Leyden, where, at their
first landing, his dearest consort accidentally falling overboard, was drowned
in the harbour; and the rest of his days were spent in the services, and
the temptations, of that American wilderness.

§ 5. Here was Mr. Bradford, in the year 1621, unanimously chosen the
^overnour of the plantation: the difficulties whereof were such, that if
he had not been a person of more than ordinary piety, wisdom and
courage, he must have sunk under them. He had, with a laudable indus-
try, been laying up a treasure of experiences, and he had now occasion
to use it: indeed, nothing but an experienced man could have been suitable
to the necessities of the people. The potent nations of the Indians, into
whose country they were come, would have cut them ofi*, if the blessing
of God upon his conduct had not quelled them; and if his prudence, jus-
tice and moderation had not over-ruled them, they had been ruined by
their own distempers. Ono specimen of his demeanour is to this day
particularly spoken of. A company of young fellows that were newly
arrived, were very unwilling to comply with the governour's order for
working abroad on the publick account; and therefore on Chriitmas-day,
when he had called upon them, they excused themselves, with a pretence
that it was against their conscience to work such a day. The governour
gave them no answer, only that he would spare them till they were better

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICAI7A;

informed; but by and by he found them all atplay in the street, sporting
themselves with various diversions; whereupon commanding the instru-
ments of their games to be taken from them, he effectually gave them to
understand, '■^ That it ivas against his conscience that they should play whilst
others ivere at work: and that if they had any devotion to the day, they
should show it at home in the exercises of religion, and not in the streets
with pastime and frolicks;" and this gentle reproof put a final stop to all
such disorders for the future.

§ 6. For two years together after the beginning of the colony, whereof
he was now governour, the poor people had a great experiment of "man's
not living by bread alone ;" for when they were left all together without
one morsel of bread for many months one after another, still the good
providence of God relieved them, and supplied them, and this for the
most part out of the sea. In this low condition of affairs, there was no
little exercise for the prudence and patience of the governour, who chear-
fully bore his part in all : and, that industry might not flag, he quickly
set himself to settle propriety among the new-planters; foreseeing that
while the whole country laboured upon a common stock, the husbandry
and business of the plantation could not flourish, as Plato and others
long since dreamed that it would, if a community were established. Cer-
tainly, if the spirit which dwelt in the old puritans, had not inspired these
new-planters, they had sunk under the burden of these difficulties; but
our Bradford had a double portio.i of that spirit.

§ 7. The plantation was quickly thrown into a storm that almost over-
whelmed it, by the unhappy actions of a minister sent over from England
by the adventurers concerned for the plantation ; but by the blessing of
Heaven on the conduct of the governour, they weathered out that storm.
Only the adventurers hereupon breaking to pieces, threw up all their
concernments with the infant-colouy ; whereof they gave this as one
reason, " That the planters dissembled with his Majesty and their friends
in their petition, wherein they declared for a church-discipline, agreeing
with the French and others of the reforming churches in Europe."
Whereas 'twas now urged, that they had admitted into their communion
a person who at his admission utterly renounced the Churches of Eng-
land, (\v]'xich person, by the way, was that very man who had made the
complciints against them,) and therefore, though they donied the name of
Brownists, yet they were the thing. In answer hereunto, the very words
written by tlie governour were these:

" Whereas you tax us with dissembling about the French discipline, you «!o us WTong, for
we both liold nnd practice thu discipline of the French and other Reformed Churches (as
they have published the same in the Harmony of Confessions) according to our means, in
effect and substance. But whereas you would tie ua up to the French discipline in every
circumstimce, j ou derogate frow the liberty we have in Christ Jesus. The .Apostle Paul
would have none to follow him in any thing, but wherein he follows Christ; much less ought

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-EI'GL AND.

118

ortlng
instra-
lem to

streets
p to all

thereof
"man's
without
\Q good
for the
I was no
lO chear-
quickly
;\ng that
isbandry
id others
Bd. Cer-
rcd these
Ities; but

lost over-
England
ossing of
lat storm,
all their
is as one
lir friends
agreeing
Europe."
immunion
IS of Eng-
imade the
e name of
cry words

Is wrong, for
pmrclws (as
lir means, in
|ini> in every
\posUo Paul
Ih less ought

any Christian or church in the world to do it. The French may err, we may err, and other
churches may err, and doubtless do in many circumstances. That honour thefefore belongs
only to the infallible Word of God, and pure Testament of Christ, to be propounded and
followed as the only rule and pattern for direction herein to all ihurches and Christians.
And it is too yreat arrogancy for any msin or church to think that he or they hpvc so sounded
the Word of God unto the bottom, as precisely to set down the church's discipline without
error in substance or circumstance, that no other without blame may digress or differ in any
thing from the same. And it is not difficult to sliew that the Reformed Churches differ in
many circutnstaiKes among themselves.

By which words it appears how far he was free from that rigid spirit
of separation, which broke to pieces the Separatists themselves in the Low
Countries, unto the great scandal of the reforming churches. He was
indeed a person of a well-tempered spirit, or else it had been scarce possible
for him to have kept the affairs of Plymouth in so good a temper for
thirty-seven years together; in every one of which he was chosen their
governour, except the three years wherein Mr. Winslow, and the two
years wherein Mr. Prince, at the choice of the people, took a turn with him.

§ 8. The leader of a people in a wilderness had need be a Moses; and
if a Moses had not led the people of Plymouth Colony, when this worthy
person was their governour, the people had never with so much unanim-
ity and importunity still called him to lead them. Among many instances
thereof, let this one piece of self-denial be told for a memorial of him,
wheresoever this History shall be considered: The Patent of the Colony
was taken in his name, running in these terms: "To William Bradford,
his iieirs, associates, and assigns." But when the number of the freemen
was mucli increased, and many new townships erected, the General Court
there desired of Mr. Bradford, that he would make a surrender of the
same into their hands, which he willingly and presently assented unto,
and confirmed it according to their desire by his hand and seal, reserving
no more for himself than was his proportion, with others, by agreement.
But as he found the providence of Heaven many ways recompensing his
many acts of self-denial, so he gave this testimony to the faithfulness of
the divine promises: "That he had forsaken friends, houses and lands for
the sake of the gospel, and the Lord gave them him again." Here he
prospered in his estate ; and besides a worthy son which he had by a for-
mer wife, he had also two sons and a daughter by another, whom he
married in this land.

§ 9. He was a person for study as well as action ; and hence, notwith-
standing the difficulties through which he passed in his youth, he attained
"nto a notable skill in languages: the Dutch tongue was become almost
as vernacular to him as the English; the French tongue he could also
manage ; the Latin and the Greek he had mastered ; but the Hebrew he
most of all studied, "Because," he said, "he would see with his own eyes
the ancient oracles of God in their native beauty." He was also well
skilled in History, in Antiquity, and in Philosophy; and for Theology he
Vol. 1. — 8

114

MAQNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

became so versed in it, that he was an irrefragable disputant against tbe
errors, especially those of Anabaptism, which with trouble he saw rising
in his colony; wherefore be wrote some significant things for the confuta-
tion of those errors. But the crown of all was his holy, prayerful,
watchful, and fruitful walk with God, wherein he was very exemplary.

§ 10. At length he fell into an indisposition of body, which rendred
him unhealthy for a whole winter; and as the spring advanced, his health
yet more declined ; yet he felt himself not what he counted sick, till one
day; in the night after which, the God of heaven so filled his mind with
ineffable consolations, that he seemed little short of Paul, rapt up unto
the unutterable entertainments of Paradise. The next morning he told
his friends, "That the good Spirit of God had given him a pledge of his
happiness in another world, and the first-fruits of his eternal glory ;" and
on the day following he died. May 9, 1667, in the 69th year of his age —
lamented by all the colonies of New-England, as a common blessing and
father to them all.

O mihi ri Similit Contingat Clausula Vitit /*

Plato's brief description of a governour, is all that I will now leave as
his character, in an „

EPITAPH. I

Nof*Suc Tpoipoff d.ys'Krig av6puifivi/iS''f

Men are but flocks: Bradford beheld their need.
And long did them at once both rule and feed.

Li iLiL ibOt Ji X lu Jill Ji X •

8UCGE8S0B8.

Inter omnia qua Eempublicam, ejuaque falicitatem conservant, quid utilius, quid prastantiug,
qudm Viroa ad Magiatratua gerendoa Eligere, aumma prudentia et Virtute preditoa, quigue ad
Honorea obtinendoa, turn Atnbitione, noti Largitionibua, ted Virtute et Modeatia aibi parent
adytum. 't

§ 1. The merits of Mr Edward Winslow, the son of Edward Winslow,
Esq., of Draughtwioh, in the county of Worcester, obliged the votes of
the Plymothean colony (whereto he arrived in the year 1624, after his
prudent and faithful dispatch of an agency in England, on the behalf of
that infant colony) to chuse him for many years a magistrate, and for two

* O, that life's end may be as sweet to me I f A shepherd-guardian or his human fold.

% Amongst all such things as tend to the stability and happiness of a commonwealth, what is more salutary or
more glorious than to select men for office who will acquire renown, not by an ambitious chase for honour, or by
popular arts, but by vktue and self-control.

U J

against, the

saw rising

the confuta-

prayerful,

emplary.

ch rendred

I, his health

ck, till one

mind with

pt up unto

ng he told

;dge of his

lory;" and

[" his age —

lessing and

w leave as

prastantius,
OS, quique ad
% sibi parent

"Winslow,

votes of

after his

behalf of

d for two

uman fold,
ore salutary or
honour, or by

i\ ■:-■■

GOV. EmVARI) WIXSI.OW

v-'^^v:--::.

OR. TUK HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

115

^S^fe-;

f \

or three their governour. Travelling into the Low-Countries, he fell into
acquaintance with the English church at Leyden, and joining himself to
them, he shipped himself with that part of them which first came over
into America; from which timp he was continually engaged in such extra-
ordinary actions, as the assistance of that people to encounter their more
than ordinary difficulties, called for. But their publick affairs then
requiring an agency of as wise a man as the country could find at White-
hall for them, he was again prevailed withal, in the year 1635, to appear
for them at the Council-board ; and his appearance there proved as qffectual,
as it was very seasonable, not only for the colony of Plymouth, but for
the Massachusets also, on very important accounts. It was by the bless-
ing of God upon his wary and proper applications, that the attempts of
many adversaries to overthrow the whole settlement of New-England,
were themselves wholly overthrown ; and as a small acknowledgment for
his great service therim, they did, upon his return again, chuse him their
governour. But in the year 1646, the place of governour being rfiassumed
by Mr. Bradford, the Massachuset-colony addressed themselves unto Mr.
Winslow to take another voyage for England, that he might there pro-
cure their deliverance from the designs of many troublesome adversaries
that were petitioning unto the Parliament against them ; and this Hercules
having been from his very early days accustomed unto the crushing of
that sort of serpents, generously undertook another agency, wherein how
many good services he did for New-England, and with what fidelity, dis-
cretion, vigour and success he pursued the interests of that happy people,
it would make a large history to relate — an history that may not now be
expected until the "resurrection of the just." After this he returned no
more unto New-England ; but being in. great favour with the greatest per-
sons then in the nation, he fell into those imployments wherein the whole
nation fared the better for him. At length he was imployed as one of the
grand commissioners in the expedition against Hispaniola, where a disease
(rend red yet more uneasie by his dissatisfaction at the strange miscarriage
of that expedition) arresting him, he died between Domingo and Jamaica,
on May 8, 1655, in the sixty-first year of his life, and had his body hon-
ourably committed unto the sea.

§ 2. Sometimes during the life, but always after the death of Governour
Bradford, even until his own, Mr. Thomas Prince was chosen Governour
of Plymouth. He was a gentleman whose natural parts exceeded his
acquired; but the want and worth of acquired parts was a thing so sensible
unto him, that Plymouth never had a greater Mecaenas of learning in it:
it w^as he that, in spite of much contradiction, procured revenues for the
support of grammar-schools in that colony. About the time of Govern-
our Bradford's death, religion it self had like to have died in that colony,
through a libertine and Brownistick spirit then prevailing among the
people, and a strange disposition to discountenance the gospel-ministry,

mat

116

UAONALIA 0I1RI8TI AMERICANA;

I '

by setting up the "gifts of private brethren" in opposition thereunto.
The good people being in extronin distress from the prospect which this*
matter gave to them, saw no way so likely and ready to save the churches
from ruin, as by the election of Mr. Prince to the place of governour;
and this point being by the gracious and marvellous providence of the
Lord Jesus Christ gained at the next oloution, the adverse party from that
very time sunk into confusion. He had sojourned for awhile at Eastham,
where a church was by his means gathered ; but after this time he returned
unto his former scituation at Plymouth, whore ho resided until he died,
which was March 29, 1678, when he was about seventy-three years of age.
Among the many excellent qualities whit-h adorned him as governour of
the colony, there was much notice taken of that intojntif, wherewith indeed
he was most exemplarily qualified: whence it was that as he ever would
refuse any thing that looked like a bribe; so if any person having a case
to be heard at Court, had sent a present unto his family in his absence,
he would presently send back the value thereof in money unto the person.
But had he been only a private Christian, there would yet have been seen
upon him those ornaments of prai/erfuhicsSy and pmceahkncss, and profound
resignation to the conduct of tho Word of God, and a strict tvallc with
God, which might justly have been made an eocamplr to a whole colony.

§ 3. Reader, if thou wouldest have seen the true picture of ivisdom, cour-
age, and generosity, the successor of Mr. Tliomas Prince in the government
of Plymouth would have represented it. It was the truly honourable
Josiah Winslow, Esq., the first governour that was born in New-England,
and one well worthy to be an example to all that should come after him ;
a true English gentleman, and (that I may say all at once) the true son of
that gentleman whom we parted withal no more than two paragraphs ago.
His education and his disposition was that of a gentleman ; and his many
services to his country in the field, as well as on the bench, ought never
to be buried in oblivion. All that Homer desired in a ruler was in the life
of this gentleman expressed unto tho life; to be. Fortes in Ilostes, and
Bonus in Gives* Though he hath left an oft'-spring, yet I must ask for
one daughter to be remembred above tho rest. As of old, Epaminondas
being upbraided with want of issue, boasted that he left behind him one
daughter, namely, the battel of Leuctra, which would render him immortal ;
so our general Winslow hath left behind him his battel at the fort of the
Narragansets, to immortalize him : there did he with his own sword make
and shape a pen to write his history. But so large afield of merit is now
before me, that I dare not give my self tho liberty to range in it lest I lose
my self. He died on Dec. 18, 1680.

Jam Cinis eat, et tie tarn magno rtatat Achille
Ntacio quid; parvam quod non bene compleat urnam.\
* Breve agniiut tho onoroy— kind lo hU subjects.
t Behold Achilles' dual ! tho iasui' leiirn I Thow mighty relics now a paltry urn

Of that heroic will : | Ciui scarcely fill.

■a

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

117

ereunlo.

lich thw

^hurcbes

^ernour ;

e of tho

Tom that

Eastham,

returned
he died,

rs of age.

jrnour of

,th indeed

rer would

[)g a case

J absence,

lie person.

been seen

I profound

loalJc with

B colony.

sdom, cour-

overnment

honourable

v-England,
after him;

,ruc son of

graphs ago.

X his many
ight never
s in the life
Ilostes, and
ust ask for
laminondas
id him one
1 immortal ;
fort of the
word make
aerit is now
it lest I lose

§ 4. And what successor had he? Methinks of the two last words in
the wonderful prediction of the succession, oracled unto King Henry VII.,
Leg, Nullus,* the first would have well suited the valiant Winslow of
Plymouth ; and the last were to have been wished for him that followed.

ijXl^blLJtrjjJlliUjtJtla

FATRES GONSCRIPTI;t OR, ASSI8TENTS.

The Govefnours of New-England have still had "righteousness the
girdle of their ioins, and faithfulness the girdle of their reins" — that is to
say, righteous and faithful men about them, in the assistance of such magis-
trates as were called by the votes of the freemen unto the administration
of the government, (according to their charters) and made the judges of the
land. These persons have been such members of the churches, and such
patrons to the churcli-'s, and generally been such examples of courage,
wisdom, justice, goodness and religion, that it is fit our Church-History
should remember them. The blessed Apollonius, who in a set oration
generously and eloquently pleaded the cause of Christianity before the
Roman Senate, was not only a learned person, but also (if Jerom say right)
a Senator of Rome. The Senators of New-England also have pleaded the
cause of Christianity, not so much by orations, as by practising of it, and
by stijfering for it. Nevertheless, as the Sicyonians would have no other
epitaphs written on the tombs of their Kings, but only their names, that
they might have no honour but what the remembrance of their actions
and merits in the minds of the people should procure for them ; so I shall
content my self with only reciting the names of these worthy persons, and
the times when I find them first chosen unto their magistracy.

MAGISTRATES IN THE COLONY OF NEW-PLYMOUTH.

The good people, soon after their first coming over, chose Mr. William
Bradford for their governour, and added five assistents, whose names, I
suppose, will be found in the catalogue of them whom I find sitting on
the seat of judgment among them, in the year 1633.

Edward WlnsIow,

Gov.

MilcH Standlsh.

John Alden.

Stephen Hopkins.

Williiun Bradfnrd.

John Ilowland.

John Done.

William Gilson.

AFTERWARDS AT SEVERAL TIMES WERE

ADDED,

Thomas Prince,

1634.

Edmund Freeman,

1640.

William Bradford, F. 1558.

Willium Collier,

1C34.

Willium Thomas,

1643.

Thomas Ilinkley, 1658.

Timothy Hatherly,

1636.

Thomas Willet,

1631.

James Brown, 1605.

John Brown,

16.16.

Thomas SouthwortV

1, 1652.

John Fruemnn, ](i60.

John Jenny.

1637.

Jnmes Ctidwurth,

1656.

Natlmuacl Bncon, 1667.

John Atwood,

1638.

Joslah Winslow,

1657.

paltry um

* First a hon— then, a nobody.

t Seuuton.

V.«1

118

IIAONALIA CIIRIBTI AMEBIOANA;

Thus far we find in a book entituled, New-ErujUind^a Memorial which
was published by Mr. Nathanaol Morton, the Secretary of Plymouth colony,
in the year 1669. Since then there have been added at several times.

OoMUnt Boulhwortb, 1670.
Outol BlnlU^ 1074.

Barnahiu lA>thrDp,
Jobn Tbktoher,

1081.

Jobn Walley, .

NEHEMIA8AMERICANUS.*

THE LIFE OP JOMN WINTIIHOP, ESQ., GOVERNOR OF THE MASSACHUSET COLONY.
.. Quicunque Vtnti erunt, Art nostra eerte non aberit. — CicERo.t

§ 1. Let Greece boost of her patient Lycurgus, the lawgiver, by whom
diligence, temperance, fortitude and wit wore made the fa.shion8 of a
therefore long-lasting and renowned commonwealth : let Rome tell of her
devout Numa, the lawgiver, by whom the most famous commonwealth
saw peace triutofiphing over extinguished war and cruel plunders; and
murders giving place to the more mollifying exercises of his religion.
Our New-England shall tell and boast of her Winthrop, a lawgiver as
patient as Lycurgus, but not admitting any of his criminal disorders ; as
devout as Numa, but not liable to any of his heathenish madnesses; a gov-
ernour in whom the excellencies of Christianity made a most improving
addition unto the virtues, wherein even without those he would have made
uparallel for the great men of Greece, or of Rome, which the pen of a
Plutarch has eternized.

§ 2. A stock of heroes by right should afford nothing but what is hero-
teal; and nothing but an extream degeneracy would make any thing less
to be expected from a stock of Winthrops. Mr. Adam Winthrop, the son
of a worthy gentleman wearing the same name, was himself a worthy, a
discreet, and a learned gentleman, particularly eminent for skill in the
law, nor without remark for love to the gospel, under the reign of King
Henry VIII., and brother to a memorable favourer of the reformed reli-
gion in the days of Queen Mary, into whose hands the famous martyr
Philpot committed his papers, which afterwards made no inconsiderable
part of our martyr-books. This Mr. Adam Winthrop had a son of the
same name also, and of the same endowments and imployments with his
father; and this third Adam Winthrop was the father of that renowned
John Winthrop, who was the father of New-England, and the founder of
a colony f which, upon many accounts, like him that founded it, may eh ail-
lenge the first place among the English glories of America. Our John

* The American Nebemlah.

t Wbaterer winds may blow, tbia art of ours can never be lost.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

110

'ial which
th colony,
times,

lOLONT.

by whom
bions of a
tell of her
monwealth
iders; and
is religion,
awgivcr as
borders; as
ses ; a go v-
improving
have made
i pen of a

lat is Aero-
thing less
op, the son
worthy, a
ill in the
n of King
rmed reli-
us martyr
nsiderable
on of the
s with his
renowned
bunder of
may chail-
lOur John

Iver be lost.

WiNTHUop, thus born at tho niaiision-houae of his ancestors, at Groton in
Suffolk, on Juno 12, 1587, enjoyed afterwards an agreeable education.
But though he would rather have devoted himself unto the study of Mr.
John Calvin, than of Sir Edward Cook; nevertheless, the accomplish-
nuMits of a lawyer were those wherewith Heaven made his chief oppor-
tunities to be serviceable.

§ 8. Being made, at the unusually early age of eighteen, a justice of
peace, his virtues began to fall under a more general observation; and
he not only so bound himself to the behaviour of a Christian, as to become
exemplary for a conformity to the laws of Christianity in his own conver-
sation, but also discovered a more than ordinary measure of those quali-
ties which adorn an ofRcer of humane society. His justice was impartial,
and used the ballanee to weigh not the rashy but the cast: of those who
were before him: prosopohtria* he reckon ;'d as bad as idolatna:'\ his wis-
dom did exquisitely temper things according to the art of governing, which
is a business of more contrivance than the aevem arts o." the schools; oyer
still went before terminer in all his administru ions : Ki couraf made him
dare to do right, and fitted him to stand among the lions that i ave some-
times been the supporters of the throne: all which virtues he rendred
the more illustrious, by emblazoning them with 1/.i constant libei Ity
and hospitality of a gentleman. This made him the ir.ror of the wicked,
and the ddight of the sober, the envy of the many, but the hope of those
who had any hopeful design in hand for the common good of the nation
and the interests of religion.

§ 4. Accordingly when the noble design of carrying a colony of chosen
people into an American wilderness, was by some eninent persons under-
taken, this eminent person was, by the consent of all, chosen for the
Ikloses, who must be the leader of so great an undertaking: and indeed
nothing but a Mosaic sinrit could have carried him through the tempta-
tions, to which either his farewel to his own land, or his travel in a
strange land, must needs expose a gentleman of his education. Where-
fore having sold a fair estate of six Oi ;; ■ 'en hundred a year, he trans-
ported himself with the effects of it ii.,A> New-England in the year 1680,
where he spent it upon the service of a famous plantation, founded and
formed for the seat of the most rpformed Christianity: and continued
there, conflicting with temptations of all sorts, as many years as the nodes
of the moon take to dispatch a revolution. Those persons were never
concerned in a new plantation, who know not that the unavoidable diffi-
culties of such a thing will call for all the prudence and patience of a
mortal man to encounter therewithal ; and they must be very insensible
of the influence, which the just wrath of Heaven has permitted the devils
to have upon this world, if they do not think that the difficulties of a
new plantation, devoted unto the evangelical worship of our Lord Jesus

Face-worship, or respect of persons.

t Idol-worship.

ywmgmwawMal

120

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

Christ, must be yet more than ordinary. How prudently, how patiently,
and with how much resignation to our Lord Jesus Christ, our brave Win-
throp waded through these difficulties, let posterity consider with admi-
ration. And know, that as the picture of this their governour was, after
hih death, hung up with honour in the state-house of his country, so the
wisdom, courage, and holy zeal of his life, were an example well-worthy
to be copied by all that shall succeed him in government.

§ 5. Were he now to be considered only as a Christian, we might
therein propose him as greatly imitable. He was a very religious man;
and as he strictly kept his heart, so he kept his house, under the laws of
piety ; there he was every day constant in holy duties, both morning and
evening, and on the Lord's days, and lectures; though he wrote not after
the preacher, yet such was his attention, and such his retention in hearing,
that he repeated unto his family the sermons which he had heard in the
congregation. But it is chiefly as a govei'nour that he is now to be
considered. Being the governour over the considerablest part of New-
England, he maintained the figure and honour of his place with the
spirit of a true gentleman ; but yet with such obliging condescention to
the circumstances of the colony, that when a certain troublesome and
malicious calumniator, well known in those times, printed his libellous
nick-names upon the chief persons here, the worst nick-name he could
find for the governour, was John Temper-ioell ; and when the calumnies
of that ill man caused the Arch-bishop to summon one Mr. Cleaves before
the King, in hopes to get some accusation from him against the country,
Mr. Cleaves gave such an account of the governour's laudable carriage in
all respects, and the serious devotion wherewith prayers were both pub-
lickly and privately made for his Majesty, that the King expressed him-
self most highly pleased therewithal, only sorry that so worthy a person
should be no better accommodated than with the hardships of America.
He was, indeed, a governour, who had most exactly studied that book
which, pretending to teach politicks, did only contain three leaves, and but
one word in each of those leaves, which word was. Moderation. Hence,
though he were a zealous enemy to all vice, yet his practice was according
to his judgment thus expressed: "In the infancy of plantations, justice
should be administered with more lenity than in a settled state ; because
people are more apt then to transgress; partly out of ignorance of new
laws and orders, partly out of oppression of business, and other straits.
[Lento Gradu]* was the old rule ; and if the strings of a new instrument
be wound up unto their heigh th, they will quickly crack." But when
some leading and learned men took offence at his conduct in this matter,
and upon a conference gave it in as their opinion, " That a stricter disci-
pline was to be used in the beginning of a plantation, than after its being
with more age establish'^d and confirmed," the governour being readier

• By slow degroea.

OE, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

121

atiently,
ive Wiu-
th admi-
iras, after
y, so tlie
il-worthy

ve might
)U3 man;
c laws of
•ning and
not after
I hearing,
xrd in the
lOW to be
b of New-
with the
mention to
ssome and
3 libellous
he could
calumnies
Lves before
3 country,
jarriage in
DOth pub-
issed him-
a person
America,
that book
!5, and but
Hence,
according
ns, justice
because
ce of new
ler straits,
nstrument
But when
is matter,
cter disci-
its being
g readier

to see his own errors than other men's, professed his purpose to endeavour
their satisfaction with less of lenity in his administrations. At that con-
ference there were drawn up several other articles to be observed between
the governour and the rest of the magistrates, which were of this import:
"That the magistrates, as far as might be, should aforehand ripen their
consultations, to produce that unanimity in their publick votes, which
miffht make them liker to the voice of God ; that if differences fell out
among them in their publick meetings, they should speak only to the case,
without any reflection, with all due modesty, and but by way of question ;
or desire the deferring of the cause to further time; and after sentence to
imitate privately no dislike; that they should be more familiar, friendly
and open unto each other, and more frequent in their visitations, and not
any way expose each other's infirmities, but seek the honour of each
other, and all the Court ; that one magistrate shall not cross the proceed-
ings of another, without first advising with him ; and that they should in
all their appearances abroad, be so circumstanced as to prevent all con-
tempt of authority; and that they should support and strengthen all
under officers. All of which articles were observed by no man more
than by the governour himself.

§ 6. But whilst he thus did, as our New-English Nehemiah, the part
of a ruler in managing the public affairs of our American Jerusalem, when
there were Tobijahs and Sanballats enough to vex him, and give him the
experiment of Luther's observation, Omnis qui regit est tanquam signum, in
quod omnia jacula, Satan et Mundus dirigunt;* he made himself still an
exacler ^jaraWe^ unto that governour of Israel, by doing the part of a neigh-
bour among the distressed people of the new plantation. To teach them the
frugality necessary for those times, he abridged himself of a thousand com-
fortable things, which he had allowed himself elsewhere : his habit was not
that soji raiment, which would have been disagreeable to a wilderness;
his table was not covered with the superfluities that would have invited
unto sensualities : water was commonly his own drink, though he gave
wine to others. But at the same time his liberality unto the needy was
even beyond measure generous; and therein he was continually causing
" the blessing of him that was ready to perish to come upon him, and the
heart of the widow and the orphan to sing for joy." but none more than
those of deceased Ministers, whom he always treated with a very singular
compassion; among the instances whereof we still enjoy with us the worthy
and now aged son of that reverend Higginson, whose death left his family
in a wide world soon after his arrival here, publickly acknowledging the
charitable Winthrop for his foster-father. It was oftentimes no small trial
unto his faith, to think how a table for the people should be furnished
when they first came into the wilderness ! and for very many of the people
his own good works were needful, and accordingly employed for the

* A man in authority ig a target, at which Satan and the world launch all their dorta.

kH '

iJiW

12S

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

answering of his faith. Indeed, for a while the governoiir was the Joseph,
unto whom the whole body of the people repaired when their com failed
them ; and he continued relieving of them with his open-handed bounties,
as long as he had any stock to do it with; and a Wxoij faith to see the
return of the "bread after many days," and not starve in the days that
were to pass till that return should be seen, carried him chearfuUy through
those expences.

Once it was observable that, on February 5, 1630, when he was dis-
tributing the last handful of the meal in the barrel unto a poor man
distressed by the "wolf at the door," at that instant they spied a ship
arrived at the harbour's mouth, laden with provisions for them all. Yea,
the governour sometimes made his own private purse to be the puhlick :
not by sucking into it, but by squeezing out of it ; for when the publick
treasure had nothing in it, he did himself defray the charges of the pub-
lick. And having learned that lesson of our Lord, "that it is better to
give than to receive," he did, at the general court, when he was a third
time chosen governour, make a speech unto this purpose : " That he had
received gratuities from divers towns, which he accepted with much com-
fort and content ; and he had likewise received civilities from particular
persons, which he could not refuse without incivility in himself: never-
theless, he took them with a trembling heart, in regard of God's word,
and the conscience of his own infirmities ; and therefore he desired them
that they would not hereafter take it ill if he refused such presents for
the time to come." 'Twas his custom also to send some of his family
upon errands unto the houses of the poor, about their meal time, on pur-
pose to spij whether they loanted; and if it were found that they wanted,
he would make that the opportunity of sending supplies unto them. And
there was one passage of his charity that was perhaps a little unusual:
in an hard and long winter, when wood was very scarce at Boston, a man
gave him a private information that a needy person in the neighbourhood
stole wood sometimes from his pile; whereupon the governour in a seeming
anger did reply, " Does he so? I'll take a course with him ; go, call that man
to me; I'll warrant you I'll cure him of stealing." When the man came,
the governour considering that if he had stolen, it was more out of neces-
sity than disi'osition, said unto him, "Friend, it is a severe winter, and I
doubt you are but meanly provided for wood ; wherefore I would have
you supply your self at my wood-pile till this cold season be over." And
he then merrily asked his friends, "Whether he had not effectually cured
this man of stealing his wood?"

§ 7. One would have imagined that so good a man could have had no
enemies, if we had not had a daily and woful experience to convince us
that goodness it self will make enemies. It is a wonderful speech of Plato,
(in one of his books, De RepiiMica,) "For the trial of true vertue, 'tis neces-
sary that a good man (iriSev a^ixwv, do^av sj^si rwv fisyi Tvv dStxias • Though

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

123

Joseph,
•n failed
aounties,
) see the
[ays that

through

was clia-

)oor man

3d a ship

ill. Yea,

e publick:

e pixblick

■ the pub-

, better to

as a third

aat he had

much coin-
particular

lelf: never-

;od's word,

ssired them

)resents for
his family

uc, on pur-
Ley wanted,
em. And
unusual:
jton, a man
;hbourhood
a seeming
ill that man
man came,
lut of neces-
jnter, and I
ould have
er." And
[ually cured

ive had no
jsonvince ua
[ch of Plato,
le, 'tis neces-
■ Though

he do no unjust thing, should suffer the infamy of the greatest injustice."
The govemour had by his unspotted integrity procured himself a great
reputation among the people; and then the crime of popularity was laid
unto his cliarge by such, who were willing to deliver him from the danger
of having all men speak well of him. Yea, there were persons eminent
both for figure and for number, unto whom it was almost essential to dislike
every thing that came from him; and yet he always maintained an ami-
cable correspondence with them ; as believing that they acted according
to their judgment and conscience, or that their eyes were held by some
temptation in the worst of all their oppositions. Indeed, his right works
were so many, that they exposed him unto the envy of his neighbours;
and of such power was that envy, that sometimes he could not stand be/ore
it; but it was by not standing that he most effectually loithstood it all.
Great attempts were sometimes made among the freemen to get him left
out from his place in the government upon little pretences, lest by the too
frequent choice of one man, the government should cease to be by choice;
and with a particular aim at him, sermons were preached at the anniver-
sary Court of election, to disswade the freemen from chusing one man
twice together. This was the reward of his extraordinary serviceahleness f
But when thf^se attempts did succeed, as they sometimes did, his profound
humility appeared in that equality of mind, wherewith he applied himself
chearfully to serve the country in whatever station their votes had alloted
for him. And one year when the votes came to be numbered, there were
found six less for Mr. Winthrop than for another gentleman who then
stood in competition : but several other persons regularly tendring their
votes before the election was published, were, upon a very frivolous
objection, refused by some of the magistrates that were afraid lest the
election should at last fall upon Mr. Winthrop: which, though it was
well perceived, yet such was the self-denial of this patriot, that he would
not permit any notice to be taken of the injury. But these trials were
nothing in comparison of those harsher and harder treats, which he some-
times had from the frowardness of not a few in the days of their parox-
isms; and from the faction of some against him, not much unlike that of
the Piazzi in Florence against the family of the Medices: all of which
he at last conquered by conforming to the famous Judge's motto, Prudens
qui Patiens* The oracles of God have said, "Envy is rottenness tp the
bones;" and Gulielmus Parisiensis applies it urto rulers, who are as it
were the hones of the societies which they belong unto: "Envy," says he,
" is often found among them, and it is rottenness unto them." Our Win-
throp encountred this envy from others, but conquered it, by being free
from it himself.

§ 8. Were it not for the sake of introducing the exemplary skill of this
wise man, at giving soft answers, one would not chuse to relate those

* He IB prudent who Is patient.

! t

r
i

124

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

instances of wrath which he had sometimes to encounter with; but he
was for his gentleness, his forbearance, and longanimity, a pattern so
worthy to be written after, that something must here be written of it. He
seemed indeed never to speak any other language than that of Theodosius :
"If any man speak evil of the governour, if it bo through lightness, 'tis to
be contemned; if it be through madness, 'tis to be pitied; if it be through
injury, 'tis to be remitted." Behold, reader, the "meekness of wisdom"
notably exemplified ! There was a time when he received a very sharp
letter from a gentleman who was a member of the Court, but he delivered
back the letter un1< tl. - messengers that brought it, with such a Christian
speech as this: "1 aa not willing to keep such a matter of provocation by
me! Afterwards the same gentleman was compelled by the scarcity of
provisions to send unto him that he would sell him some of his cattle ;
whereupon the governour prayed him to accept what he had sent for as a
token of \i\s good will; but the gentleman returned him this answer: "Sir,
your overcoming of 3'^ourself hath overcome me:" and afterwards gave
demcnstration of it. The French have a saying, That Un fumiftte hoinmCy
est un homme mesh! — a good man is a mixt man; and there hardly ever
was a more sensible mixture of those two things, resolution and comiesrention,
than in this good man. There was a time when the court of election being,
for fear of tumult, held at Cambridge, May 17, 1637, the sectarian part of
the country, who had the year before gotten a governour more unto their
mind, had a project now to have confounded the election, by demanding
that the court would consider a petition then tendered before their j»ro-
ceeding thereunto. Mr. Winthrop saw that this wjis only a trick to throw
all into confusion, by putting olf the choice of the governour and jvssistcnts
lentil the day should be over; and therefore he did, with a strenuous reso-
lution, procure a disappointment unto that miscliievous and ruinous con-
trivance. Nevertheless, Mr. Winthrop himself being by the voice of the
freemen in this exigence chosen the governour, and all of the other party
left out, that ill-affected party discovered the dirt and mire^ which remained
with them, after the storm was over; jjarticularly the Serjeants, whose oflice
'twas to attend the governour, laid down their halberts ; but such was the
condescention of this governour, as to take no present notice of this anger
and contempt, but only order some of his own servants to take the hal-
berts; and when the country manifested their deep resentments of the
affront thus offered him, he prayed them to overlook it. But it wj;s not long
before a compensation was made for these things by the doubled /r.v/xvte
which were from all parts paid unto him. Again, there was a time when
the suppression of an antinomian and famdistical faction, which extreamly
threatned the ruin of the country, was generally thought much owing
unto this renowned man ; and therefore when the friends of that iaction
could not wreak their displeasure on him with any j^^olilick voxations, they

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

125

; but he
\ttern so
if it. He
eodosius :
ess, 'tis to
Q through
wisdom"
'cry sharp
delivered
t Christian
ocation by
scarcity of
his cattle;
;nt for as a
iwcr: "Sir,
vards gave
!ste honime,
iardly ever
tmicsccntion,
etion being,
rian part of
B unto their
1 demanding
their pro-
c to throw
n\ sv«isistcnt3
nuous rcso-
uinous con-
oice of the
other party
\i remained
whose oflice
ich was the
f this anger
ce the hal-
ents of the
fiS not long
bhd n!<pa'ts
time when
|i extreamly
luioh owing
that faction
ations, they

set themselves to do it by ecclesiastical ones. Accordingly when a sentence
of banishment was passed on the ringleaders of those disturbances, who

Mnria et Terras, Calumque profundwn,

Quifipe ferant Eapidi, secum vertanique per Aurat;*

many at the church of Boston, who were then that way too much inclined,
most earnestly solicited the elders of that church, whereof the governour
was a member, to call him forth as an offender, for passing of that sentence.
The elders were unwilling to do any such thing; but the governour under-
standing the ferment among the people took that occasion to make a speech
in the congregation to this effect:

"Brethren: Under9t«nding that some of you have desired that I should answer for an
offence lately taken among you; had I been called upon so to do, I would, first, have advised
with the ministers of the country, whether the church had power to call in question the civil
court ; and I would, secondly, have advised with the rest of the court, whether I might dis-
cover tlu'ir counsels unto the church. But though I know that the reverend elders of this
church, and some others, do very well apprehend that the church cannot enquire into the
proceedings of the court; yet, for the satisfaction of the weaker, who do not apprehend it,
I will declare my mind concerning it. If the church have any such power, they have it from
the Lord Jesus Christ; but the Lord Jesus Christ haih disclaimed it, not only by practice,
but also by precept, which we have in his gospel, Matt. xx. 25, 26. It is true, indeed, that
magistrates, as they are church-members, are accountable unto the church for their failings;
but that is when they are out of their calling. When Uzziah would go offer incense in the
temple, the officers of the chnrch called him to an account, and withstood him; but when
Asa put the prophet in prison, the officers of the church did not call him to an account for
that. If the magistrate shall in a private way wrong any man, the church may call him to an
account for it; but if he be in pursuance of a course of justice, though the thing that he
docs bo unjust, yet he is not accountable for it before the church. As for my self, I did
nothing in liie causes of any of the brethren but by the advice of the ejdcrs of the church.
Moreover, in the oath which I have taken there is this clause: "In all cases wherein you arc
to give } onr vote, you shall do as in your judgment and conscience you shall see to be just,
and for the publick good." And I am satisfied, it is most for the glory of God, and
the publick good, that there has been such a sentence passed; yea, those brethren are so
divided from the rest of the country in their opinions and practices, that it cannot sLand with
the puhlick peace for th'sra to continue with us; Abraham saw ihat Ilagar and Ishmael must
be sent away."

By such a speech he marvellously convincea, fiatisfied and mollified the
uneasie brethren of the church; iSic ciind'ts Pelagi cecidit Frafjor — .f
And after a little patient waiting, the differences all so wore away, that the
church, meerly as a token of respect unto the governour when he had
newly met with some losses in his estate, sent him a present of several
hundreds of pornds. Once more there was a time when some active
spirits among the deputieg of the colony, by their endeavours not only to
make themselves a Court of Judicature, but also lo take away the negative
by which the magistrates might check their votes, had like by over-driving
to have run the whole government into something too democratical. And

Ruck sea ni.d luiid nnd sky wit!» mingled wrath,
III the wild tumult of thuir sturmy path.

t To Bilciico sunk the tii under oftho wave.

HMmf^'i^r*ftt^}tf/«l^-^

126

MAGNALIA CIIR18TI AMEKICANA;

if there were a town in Spain undermined by coneys, another town in
Thrace destroyed by moles, a third in Greece ran versed hy frogs, a fourth
in Germany subverted by rats; I must on this occasion add, that there
was a country in America like to be confounded by a sivine. A certain
stray sow being found, was claimed by two several persons with a claim
so equally maintained on both sides, that after six or seven yeais' hinting
the business from one tiourt unto another, it was brou^ijlt at last into the
General Court, where the final determination was, "thai k was impossi!. lo
to proceed unto >'>,ny judgment in the case." However, in the 'lebatd o"
this matter, tlie negative of the upier-honse upon the hirer in thai Coiui, v. as
brought upon the stage; and agitatcii with so hot a icf^al, that a little more,
and all had been in the fire. In these agitations, the governour Wvis informed
that an offence had been takea by some eminent persons nt certain passag.^s
in a discourse by him written thereabout; wlicreup^m, with hia ustjai conile-
scendency, \\\\vn he next came into the Geniiral Court, he mide a speech
of this import:

"I unuTstiind that Rnme have tiiken oifencu nt something tiuil I have hitcly written;
whit'Ii '.ffl'K.; ! de.'ii;' lo remrivii now, and begin this year in a reconciled state with you ail.
As for the man.pr oi* my writing, I liad the concurrence of my brethren; it is a point of judg-
ment V, hich is 1 u'. .«t, my ci\mi disposing. I have examined il over and over again by such light
as God has ^'.xm\ me, from the rules of religion, retison and custom; and I see no cause to
retract aiiy thing of it: wherefore I must enjoy my liberty In that, as you do your selves.
But for the manner, tliis, and all that wjis blame-worthy in it, was wholly ray own ; and
whatsoever I might alledge for my own justification therein liefore men, I wave it, as now
setting my self before another Judgment seat. However, what I wrote was upon great
provocation, and to vindicate my self and others from great aspeisiion; yet that was no suf-
ficient warrant for me to allow any distemper of spirit in my self; and I doubt I have been
too prodigal of my brethren's reputation; I might have maintained my cause without casting
any blemish upon others, when I made that my conclusion, 'And now let religion and
sound reason give judgment in the case;' it looked as if I arrogated too much unto my self,
and too little to others. And when I made that profession, ' That I would maintain what
I wrote before all the wor' 1,' though such words might modestly be spoken, yet I perceive
an unbeseeming pride of my own heart breathing in them. For these failings, I ask pardon
of God and man."

Sic ait, et dicto citiua Tumida JEqaora placat,
Collectasque fugat Nubes, Solemque reducit.*

This acknowledging disposition in the governour made them all
acknowledge, that he was truly "a man of an excellent spirit." In fine,
the victories of an Alexander, an Hannibal, or a Ctesar over other men,
were not so glorious as the victories of this great man over himself, which
also at last proved victories over other men. ^

§ 9. But the stormiest of all the trials that ever bcfel this gentleman,
was in the year 1645, when he was, in title, no more than Deputy -govern-
our of the colony. If the famous Cato were forty-four times called into

* He gponkB— but era the word is said,
Each mounting billow droops Us bead.

And briglilnninc; clouds one moment stay
To pioneer returning dny.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

127

town in
a fourth
bat there
A. certain
h a claim
s' hvniing
\, into the
mpossiile
<lebat.{- o"
JovirL V. as
little more,
1 informed
ti passag.^s
3(jal coniie-
B a speech

U'ly written;
with you all.
lointof judg-
by such light
8 no cause to
your selves,
ly own ; and
vo it, as now
upon great
was no suf-
have been
thout casting
religion and
luito my self,
uiintain what
et I perceive
I ask pardon

them all
In fine,
other men,
self, which

entleman,
ty-govern-
alled into

judgment, but as often acquitted ; let it not bo wondrcd, and if our famous
Winthrop were one time so. There hapning certain seditious and muti-
nous practices in the town of Hingham, the Deputy-governour, as legally
as prudently, interposed his authority for the checking of them: whereupon
there followed such an enchantment upon the minds of the deputies in the
General Court, that upon a scandalous petition of tlie delinquents 'into
them, wherein a pretended invasion made upon the liberties of the people
was oomplainod of, the Deputy-governour was most irregularly callji
forth unto an ignominious hearing before them in a vast assembly ; wher.jto
with a sagacious kumilitude he consented, although he shewed them how
he might have refused it. The result of that hearing was, that notwith-
standing the touchy jealousie of the people about their'liberties lay at the
bottom of all this prosecution, yet Mr. Winthrop was publickly acquitted,
and the oft'cnders were severally fined and censured. But Mr. Winthrop
then resuming the place of Deputy-governour on the bench, saw cause to
speak unto the root of the matter after this manner:

"I shall not now speak any thing about the past proceedings of this Court, or the persons
therein concerned. Only I bless God that I see an issue of this troublesome affair. I am
well satisfied that I was publickly accused, and that I am now publickly acquitted. But
though I nm justified before men, yet it may be the Lord hath seen so much amiss in my
administrations, as calls me to be humbled; and indeed for me to have been thus charged
by men, is it self a matter of humiliation, whereof I desire to make a right use before the
Lord. If Miriam's father spit in her face, she is to be ashamed. But give me leave, before
you go, to say son -thing that may rectifie the opinions of many people, from whence the
distempers have risen that have lately prevailed upon the body of this people. The ques-
tions that have troubled the country have been about the authority cf tlie magistracy, and
the liberty of the people. It is you who have called us unto liiis office; but being thus called,
we have our authority from God ; it is the ordinance of God, and it hath the image of God
stamped upon it; and the contempt of it has been vindicated by God with terrible examples of
his vengeance. I entreat you to consider, that when you chuse magistrates, you take them
from among your selves, *men subject unto like passions with your selves.' If you see our
infirmities, reflect on your own, and you will not be so severe censurers of ours. We count
him a good servant who breaks not his covenant: the covenant between us and you, is the
oath you have taken of us, which is to this purpose, 'that we shall govern you, and judge
your causes, according to God's laws, and our own, according to our best skill.' As for our
skill, you must run the hazard of it; and if there be an error, not in the will, but only in
skill, it becomes you to bear it. Nor would I have you to mistake in the point of your
own liberty. There is a liberty of corrupt nature, which is affected both by men and beasts,
to do what they list ; and this liberty is inconsistent with authority, impatient of all restraint;
by this liberty, Sumus Omnes Deter '■^■-es;* 'tis the gnind enemy of truth and peace, and all
the ordinances of God are bent against it. But there is a civil, a moral, a federal liberty,
which is the proper end and object of authority; it is a liberty for that only which is just
and good; for this liberty you are to stsmd with the hazard of your very lives ; and whatso-
ever crosses it is not .luthority, but a distemper thereof. This liberty is maintained in a
way of subjection to authority; and the authority set over you will in all administrations
for your good be quietly submitted unto, by all but such as have a disposition to shake off the
yoke, and lose their true liberty, by their murmuring at the honour and power of authority."

nent stay

• We ore all the worse for it.

128

MAQNALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

Tho spell that was upon the eyes of the people Ijeing thus dissolved,
their distorted and enraged notions of things all vanished; and the people
would not afterwards entrust the helm of the weather-beaten bark in any
other hands but Mr. Winthrop's until he died.

§ 10. Indeed, such was the mixture of distant qualities in him, as to
make a most admirable temper; and his having a certain greatness of soul,
which rendered him grave, generous, courageous, resolved, well applied,
and every way a gentleman in his demeanour, did not hinder him from
ticking sometimes the old Roman's way to avoid confusions, namely,
C«/t>«»/o;* or from discouraging some things which are agreeable enough
to nuKst that wear the name of gentlemen. Hereof I will give no instances,
but only op})ose two passages of his life.

In tlio year 1632, the governour, with his pastor, Mr. Wilson, and some
other gentlemen, to settle a good understanding between the two colonies,
travelled as fur as Plymouth, more than forty miles, through an howling
wildornosa, no better accommodated in those early days than the princes
that in Solomon's tiine saw "servants on horseback," or than genus and
sjmcici) in the old epigram, "going on foot." The difficulty of the ivalk,
was abundantly compensated by the honourable, first reception, and then
disinission, which they found from the rulers of Plymouth; and by the
giwd correspondence thus established between the new colonies, who were
like tho floating bottels wearing this motto: Si Collidimur Frangimur.f
But there were at this time in Plymouth two ministers, leavened so far
with the humours of the rigid separation, that they insisted vehemently
upon the unlawfulness of calling any unregenerate man by the name of
"good-juan such an one," until by their indiscreet urging of this whimsey,
tho place began to be disquieted. The wiser people being troubhd at
thovso trillos, they took the opportunity of Governour Winthrop's being
there, to have tho thing publickly propounded in the congregation ; who
in answer thereunto, distinguished between a theological and a moral good-
ness; adiling, that when Juries were nrst used in Eigland, it was usual
for the crier, after the names of persons fit for that service were called
over, to bid them all, "Attend, good men and true;" whence it grew
to be a cicil custom in the English nation, for neighbours living by one
another, to call one another " good man such an one ;" and it was pity
now to make" a stir about a civil custom, so innocently introduced. And
that speech of Mr. Winthrop's put a lasting stop to the little, idle, whim-
sical conceits, then beginning to grow obstreperous. Nevertheless, there
was one civil custom used in (and in few but) the English nation, which
thi'. gentleman did endeavour to abolish in this country; and that was,
tlte vmge of drinking to one another. For although by drinking to one
another, no more is meant than an act of courtosie, when one going to
drink, does invite another to do so too, for the same ends with himself;

Hy yUOilIng tlio point.

t If tre come into collision, we breolc.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

129

dissolvecl,
the people
ark in any

him, as to
less of soul^
ellapplied,
f him from
IS, namely,
ible enough
,0 instances,

n, and some
wo colonies,
an howling
the princes
n genus and
of the ivalk,
.on, and then
i and by the
es, who were
Frangimur.f
tvened so far
vehemently
the name of
[his whimsey,
troubh^d at
[hrop's being
igation: who
moral good-
it was usual
were called
ince it grew
[iving by one
it was pity
uced. And
I, idle, whim-
|theless, there
lation, which
m\ that was,
^king to one
me going to
ith himself;

bion, we break.

nevertheless the governour (not altogether unlike to Cleomenos, o. whom
'tis reported by Plutarch, «l*iovri iSne <roTiip«ov *potf«<p8ps, NoUnti poculum nun,'
quam preebuit,)* considered the impertinency and insignificancy of this usage,
as to any of those ends that are usually pretended for it; and that indeed
it ordinarily served for no ends at all, but only to provoke persons unto
unseasonable and perhaps unreasonable drinking, and at last produce that
abominable health-dntiking, which the fathers of old so severely rebuked
iu the Pagans, and which the Papists themselves do condemn, when their
casuists pronounce it, Peccatum riiortale, provocare ad jEquahs Galices^ et
Nefas Respondere.\ Wherefore in his own most hospitable house he
left it off; not out of any silly or stingy fancy, but meerly that by his
example a greater temperance, with liberty of drinking, might be recom-
mended, and sundry inconveniences in drinking avoided; and his example
accordingly began to be much followed by the sober people in this country,
as it now also begins among persons of the highest rank in the English
nation it self; until an order of court came to be made against that
ceremony in drinking, and then, the old icont violently returned, with
a Nitimur in Vetitum.X

§ 11. Many were the afflictions of this righteous manl He lost much
of his estate in a ship, and in an house, quickly after his coming to New-
Ergland, besides the prodigious expence of it in the difficulties of his first
coming hither. Afterwards his assiduous application unto the publick
affairs, (wherein Ipse se non habuit, postquam Bespublica eum Oubematorem
habere ccepit) § made him so much to neglect his own private interests, that
an unjust steward ran him £2,500 in debt before he was aware; for the
payment whereof he was forced, many years before his decease, to sell the
most of what he had left unto him in the country. Albeit, by the observ-
able blessings of God upon the posterity of this liberal man, his children
all of them came to fair estates, and lived in good fashion and credit.
Moreover, he successively buried three wives; the first of which was the
daughter and heiress of Mr. Forth, of Much-Stambridge in Essex, by
whom he had "wisdom with an inheritance;" and an excellent son. The
second was the daughter of Mr. William Clopton, of London, who died with
her child, within a very little while. The third was the daughter of the
truly worshipful Sir John Tyndal, who made it her whole care to please,
first God, and then her husband ; and by whom he had four sons, which
survived and honoured their father. And unto all these, the addition of the
distempers, ever now and then raised in the country, procured unto him a
very singular share of trouble ; yea, so hard was the measure which he
found even among pious men, in the temptations of a wilderness, that when
the thunder and lightning had smitten a wind-mill whereof he was owner,

• Never «rgod the reluctant to drink.

t It is a doadiy sin to chnllongo nuother to a drinking match, and It is impious to accept such challengea.

t A bias towards the forbidden indulgence.

} He no longer belonged to himself, after the Republic had once made him her Chief Magistrate.

Vol. I.— 9

I >l

180

MAONALIA 0URI8TI AMERICANA;

8ome had such things in their heads aa publickly to reproach this chari*
tablest of men as if the voice of the Ahnighty had rebuked, I know not
what oppression, which they judged him guilty of; which things I would
not have mentioned, but that the instances may fortifie the expectations of
my best readers for such afflictions.

§ 12. He that had been for his attainments, as they said of the blessed
Macarius, a *oi5op(oy«pwv, (an old won, whik a young one,) and that had in
his young days met with many of those ill days, whereof he could say, he
had "little pleasure in them;" now found ohiage in its infirmities advancing
earlier upon him, than it came upon his much longer-lived progenitors.
While he was yet seven years off of that which wo call "the grand climac-
tericol," he felt the approaches of his dissolution ; and finding he could say,

tfon Ilubilua, non ^»m Color, Non Grtuut Eunti$,
Non Specie* Eadem, fua fuit ante, manet ;*

He then wrote this account of himself: "Ago now comes upon me, and
infirmities therewithal, which makes me apprehend, that the time of my
departure out of this world is not far olF. However, our times are all in
the Lord's hand, so as we need not trouble our thoughts how long or short
they may be, but how we may bo found faithful when we are called for."
But at last when tliat year came, ho U )k a cold which turned into a feaver,
whereof he lay sick about a month, and in that sickness, as it hath been
observed, that there was allowed unto the serpent the "bruising of the
heel;" and accordingly at the heel or the close of our lives the old serpent
will be nibbling more than ever in our lives before; and when the devil
sees that we shall shortly be, " where the wicked cease from troubling,"
that wicked one will trouble us more than ever ; so this eminent saint now
underwent sharp conflicts with tlio tempter, whose wraOi grew great, as
the fame to exert it grew short; and he was butVeted with the disconsolate
thoughts of black and sore desertions, wherein he could use that sad rep-
resentation of his own condition:

Nuper eram Juil r; Jam Judiror: Ante Tribunal
Subeiitint paveo ; Judieor ipae modo.f

But it was not long before those clouds were dispelled, and he enjoyed
in his holy soul the great consolations of God! While he thus lay ripen-
ing for heaiven, he did out of obedience unto the ordinance of our Lord,
send for the elders of the church to pray with him; yea, they and the
whole church /(fcsfec? as well ixa prayed i'or him; and in thai fast the vener-
able Cotton preached on Psal, xxxv. 13, 14: "When they were sick, I
humbled my self with fasting; I behaved my self as though he had been
my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one that mourned for
his mother:" from whence I find him raising that observation, "The sick-

> I am not what I was In form or fkce,
In healtbfiil colour or in vigorous pace.

I once Judgvd others . but now tt«nbUng stand
UeAN« a dnwd tribunal, to aa Judged.

st-

OK, THE HI8T0RY OF NEW-ENQLAMD.

181

this cbari-
know not
^ I would
ctations of

he blessed
bat had in
iild say, he
advancing
trogenitors.
md climac-
5 could say,

on me, and
time of my
3 are all in
ong or short
called for."
nto a feaver,
b hath been
ising of the
5 old serpent
m the devil
troubling,"
it saint now
ew great, as
disconsolate
lat sad rep-

ness of one that is to u^ \s a fVlend, a brother, a mother, b a just occasion
of deep humbling our bouls with fasting and prayer;" and making this
application: ,

" Upon this occasion we arc now to attend thiH duty for a govcmour, who hot been to ua
aa a fHend in his cauruel for nil thingH, nnd help for our bodies by ffiytick, for our estatea by
taw, and of whom there wua no fear of his tieconiing an enemy, like the frienda of David :
a govornuur who has been unto us as a brother; not usurping authority over the church;
often speaking his udvice, and often contradicted, even by young men, and some of low
degn^e; yet not replying, but oiTering satisfaction also when any supposed oiTencos have
arisen ; a governour who has been unto us aa a mother, parent-like distributing his goods to
brethren and neighbours at hia first coming; and gently bearing our infirmitiea without
taking notice of them."

Such a governour, after he had been more than ten several times by the
people chosen their governour, was New-England now to lose ; who hav-
ing, like Jacob, first left his council and blessing with his children gathered
about his bed-side ; and, like David, *' served his generation by the will
of God," he "gave up the ghost," and fell asleep on March 26, 1649.
Having, like the dying Emperour Valentinian, this above all his other
victories for his triumphs. His overcoming of himself.

The words of Josephus about Nehemiah, the governour of Israel, we
will now use upon this governour of New-England, as hia

EPITAPH.

'Av»)p 'sysvsro XP'lS'of t^Iv (puffjv, xai Jixaiof,
Kat ifSfi me ofiiosdvSig ^iXorifjioraro;
MvTjfAsrov aiuviov auru xaraXiir'aiv, ra ruv

'ISpOrfoXufAWV TS(Jf»).*

VIR FUIT INDOLE BONUS, AC JirSTtTS:

ET FOFULARIUM GLORIiE AMANTISSIMUS :

QUIBUS ETERMUM RELIQUIT MONUMENTVM,

Novanglorum M(Enia.*

he enjoyed
us lay ripen-
)f our Lord,
hey and the
H the vener-
were sick, I
le had been
mourned for
"The sick-

trembUng Bund
judged.

SUCCESSORS.

§ 1. One as well acquainted with the matter, as Isocrates, informs us,
that among the judges of Areopagus none were admitted, btX^iv ii xaKug
ysyovoTSs, xai ■aoWmv apsrriv xai o'wippoo'uvigv ^v ru j3iu ivSsSstyiism (unless they
were nobly born, and eminently exemplary for a virtuous and a sober
life). The report may be truly made concerning the Judges of New-

• Ho was by nature a man, at orce benerolent and Just! mort zealoiu for the honour of his countrymen ; and
to them he left an imperishable monument— the walls of Jenualem. [The Latin paraphrase subsUtutes AVi».
England for Jenualem.]

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

England, though they were not iiobli/ bom, yet they WiC (^ci.crnlly ndl
honi; and by being eminenlly exemplar y for a virtuous c. ■>' % ac'-t life, gave
demonstration that they were mw-boni. Some accoun: ni them ia now
more partieularly to bo endeavoured.

We read concerning Saul, (1 Sam. xv. 12,) "He set up himself a place."
The Hebrew word, T, there used, signifies a monumental pillar. It ia
accordingly promised unto them who please God, (Isa. Ivi. 5,) "That they
shall have a place and a name in the house of God; that is to say, a pillar
erected (or fame in the church of God. And it shall bo fulfilled in what
shall now be done for our govcrnours in this our Church-History. Even
while the Massachmcttensiana had a Winthrop for their governour, they,
could not restrain the channel of their affections from running towards
another gentleman in their elections for the year 1(>84, particularly when
they chose unto the place of governour Thomas Dudley, Esq., one whom,
after the death of the gentleman above mentioned, they again and again
voted into the chief place of government. Ho was born at the town of
Northampton, in the year 1574, the only son of Captain Kogcr Dudley,
who being slain in the wars, left this our Thomas, with his only sister,
for the "Father of the orphans" to "take them up." In the family of
the Earl of Northampton he had opportunity perfectly to learn the points
of good behaviour; and hero having fitted himself to do many other ben-
efits unto the world, he next became a clerk unto Judge Nichols, who
being his kinsman by the mother's side, therefore took the more special
notice of him. From his relation to this judge, he had and used an
advantage to attain such a skill in the law, as was of great advantage to
him in the future changes of his life; and the judge would have preferred
him unto the higher imployments, whereto his prompt wit not a little
recommended him, if he had not been by death prevented. But before
he could appear to do much at the j)en, for which he was very well
accomplished, he was called upon. to do something at the sivord; for being
a young gentleman well-known for his ingenuity, courage and conduct,
when there were soldiers to be raised by order from Queen Elizabeth for
French service, in the time of King Henry the Fourth, the young sparks
about Northampton were none of them willing to enter into the service,
until a commission was given unto our young Dudley to be their captain;
and then presently there were fourscore that listed under him. At the
head of these he went over into the Low Countries, which was then an
academy of arms, as well as arfe; and thus he came to furnish himself with
endowments for theJieM, as well as for the bench. The post assigned unto
him with his company, was after at the siege of Amiens, before which the
King himself was now encamped; but the providence of God so ordered
it, that when both parties were drawn forth in order to battel, a treaty of
peace was vigorously set on foot, which diverted the battel that was
expected. Captain Dudley hereupon returned into England, and settling

OR, THE niBTORY OP N EW-ENO LAN I).

188

a place."
;r. It ia
'hat they
^, a pillar
[ in what
y. Even
our, they.
; towards
irly when
ne whom,
vnd again
I town of
r Dudley,
nly sister,
family of
the points
other ben-
jhols, who
3re Bpecial
I used an
vantage to
^referred
ot a little
Jut before
very well
for being
conduct,
;abcth for
ng sparks
service,
r captain ;
At the
then an
nself with
gned unto
which the
o ordered
treaty of
that was
d settling

himself about Northampton, ho married a gentlewoman whoso extraction
and estate were consideruble ; and the scituation of his habitation after
this helped him to enjoy the ministry of Mr. Dod, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Win-
ston, and Mr. Ilildersham, all of them oxoellont and renowned men : which
])iirita)i miniDtri^ so .seasoned his heart with a sense of religion, that ho was
a devout and serious Christian, and a follower of the ministers that most
cllectually preached real Christianity, all the rest of his days. The spirit
of real Christianity in him now also disposed him unto sober non-con-
formity; and from this time, although none more hated the fanaticisms
and enthufiiasms of wild opinionists, he became a judicious Dissenter from
the unscri])tural ceremonies retained in the Church of England. It was
not long after this that the Lord Say, the Lord Compton, and other per-
sons of quality, made such observations of him, as to commend him unto
the service of the Earl of Lincoln, who was then a young man, and newly
come unto the possession of his earldom, and of what belonged thereunto.
The grandfather of this noble person had left his heirs under vast entan-
glements, out of which his father was never able to extricate himself; so
that the difficulties and incumbrances were now devolved upon this The-
ophilus, which caused him to apply himself unto this our Dudley for his
assistances, who proved so able, and careful, and faithful a steward unto
him, that within a little while the debts of near twenty thousand pounds,
whereinto the young Earl found himself desperately ingulphed, were hap-
pily waded through ; and by his means also a match was procured between
the young Earl and the daughter of the Lord Say, who proved a most vir-
tuous lady, and a great blessing to the whole family. But the Earl find-
ing Mr. Dudley to be a person of more than ordinary discretion, he would
rarely, if ever, do any matter of any momept without his advice ; but
some into whose hands there fell some of his manuscripts after his leaving
of the Earl's family, found a passage to this purpose: "The estate of the
Earl of Lincoln I found so, and so, much in debt, which I have discharged,
and have raised the rents unto so many hundreds per annum; God will,
I trust, bless me and mine in such a manner. I can, as sometimes Nehe-
miah did, appeal unto God, who knows the hearts of all men, that I have
with integrity discharged the duty of my place before him."

I had prepared and intended a more particular account of this gentle-
man ; but not having any opportunity to commit it unto the perusal of any
descended from him (unto whom I am told it will be unacceptable for me
to publish any thing of this kind, by them not perused) I have laid it aside,
and summed all up in this more general account.

It was about nine or ten years that Mr. Dudley continued a steward
unto the Earl of Lincoln ; but then growing desirous of a more private
life, he retired unto Boston, where the acquaintance and ministry of Mr.
Cotton became no little satisfaction unto him. Nevertheless, the Earl of
Lincoln found that he could be no more without Mr. Dudley, than Pha-

134

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

1' 1

i ■;! i' i!

raoh without his Joseph, and prevailed with him to resume his former
imployment, until the storm of persecution upon the non-conformists
caused many men of great worth to transport themselves into New-Eng-
land. Mr. Dudley was not the least of the worthy men that bore a part
in this transportation, in hopes that in an American wilderness they might
peaceably attend and enjoy the pure worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When the first undertakers for that plantation came to know him, they
soon saw that in him, that caused them to chuse him their deputy -go vernour,
in which capacity he arrived unto these coasts in the year 1630, and had
no amall share in the distresses of that young plantation, whereof an
account, by him written to the Countess of Lincoln, has been since pub-
lished unto the world. Here his wisdom in managing the most weighty
and thorny affairs was often signalized: hia justice was a perpetual terror
to evil-doers: his courage procured his being the first major-general of the
colony, when they began to put themselves into a military figure. His
orthodox piety had no little influence unto the deliverance of the country
from the contagion o{ the famalistical errors, which had like to have over-
turned all. He dwelt first at Cambridge ; but upon Mr. Hooker's removal
to Hartford, he removed to Ipswich ; nevertheless, upon the importunity
and necessity of the government for his coming to dwell nearer the center
of the whole, he fixed his habitation at Roxbury, two miles out of Boston,
where he was always at hand upon the publick exigencies. Here he died,
July 31, 1653, in the seventy-seventh year of his age; and there were
found after his death, in his pocket, these lines of his own composing,
which may serve to make up what may be wanting in the character
abeady given him :

Dim eyes, deaf ears, cold stomach, shew
My dissoluttou is in view.
Eleven times seven near lived have I,
And now God calls, I willing die.
My shuttle 's shot, my race is run,
My sun is set, my day is done.
My span is measured, tale is told,
My flower is faded, and grown old.
My dream is vanish'd, shadow 's fled,
My soul with Christ, my body dead.

Farewel, dear wife, children and friends

Hate heresle— make blessed ends.

Bear poverty ; live with good men ;

So shall we live with joy agen.

Let men of God in courts and churches watch

O'er such as do a toleration hatch.

Lest that ill egg bring forth a cockatrice,

To poison all with herosie and vice.

If men be left, and otherwise combine,

My EpitapVa, I dv'd ho ubkrtini.

But when I mention the poetry of this gentleman as one of his accom-
plishments, I must not leave unmentioned the fame with which the poems
of one descended from him have been celebrated in both Englands. If
the rare learning of a daughter was not the least of those bright things
that adorned no less a Judge of England than Sir Thomas More ; it must
now be said, that a Judge of New-England, namely, Thomas Dudley,
Esq., had a daughter (beside; other children) to be a crown unto him.
Reader, America justly admires the learned women of the other hemisphere.
She has heard of those that were tutoresses to the old professors of all
philosophy : she hath heard of Hippatia, who formerly taught the liberal

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

135

is former
)nformist3
N'ew-Eiig-
re a part
tiey might
us Christ,
him, thev
overnour,
, and had
liereof an
ince pub-
t weighty
aal terror
sral of the
ure. His
B country
ave over-
's removal
portunity
tht! center
•f Boston,
•e he died,
bere were
)mposing,
character

s watch

s accom-
le poems
nds. If
things
it must
Dudley,
nto him.
lisphere.
rs of all
liberal

arts; and of Sarocchia, who more lately was very often the moderatrix in
the disputations of the learned men of Eome: she has been told of the
three Corinna;s, which equalled, if not excelled, the most celebrated poets
of their time : she has been told of the Empress Endocia, who composed
poetical paraphrases on divers parts of the Bible; and of Eosuida, who
wrote the lives of holy men ; and of Paraphilia, who wrote other histories
unto the life: the writings of the most renowned Anna Maria Schurnian
have come over unto her. But she now prays, that into such catalogues of
authoresses as Beverovicius, Hottinger, and Voetius have given unto the
world, there may be a room now given unto Madam Ann Bradstreet,
the daughter of our Governour Dudley, and the cc isort of our Governour
Bradstreet, whose poems, divers times printed, have afforded a grateful
entertainment unto the ingenious, and a monument for her memory beyond
the stateliest marbles. It was upon these poems that an ingenious person
bestowed this epigram :

Now I believe tradition, which doth call
The Muses, Virtues, Graces, Temales all.
Only they ar^not nt'nr, eleven, or three;
Our autlCrna proves them but an unity.
Mankind, take up some blushes on the score ;
Monopolize perfection hence no more.

In your own arts contess your selves outdone ;
The moon hath totally eclips'd the aun :
Not with her sable mantle muflling him,
But her bright silver makes his gold look dim :
Just as his beams force our pale lamps to wink,
And earthly ^rrs within their ashes shrink.

What else might be said of Mr. Dudley, tbe reader shall construe from
the ensuing

EPITAPH,

Morum aerit Censor, validus Defensor amansque
Et Sana! et Cnna Catholics fidei.
Jingli-novi Culumen Summum Decus atque Senatus;
Thomas Dudleius, eonditur hoc Tamulo. *—E. R.

Helluo T.ibrorum, Leetorvm Bibliotheca
Communis, Sacra Syllabus Historia.
.id Mrnsam Comes, hine facundus. Rostra disertuj,
(A'on Cumulus verbis, pond us, Acumen erat,)

§ 2. In the year 1635, at the anniversary election, the freemen of the
colony testified their grateful esteem of Mr John Haines, a worthy gen-
tleman, who iiad been very serviceable to the interests of the colony, by
chusing him their governour. Of him in an ancient manuscript I find this
testimony given: "To him is New-England many ways beholden; had he
done no more but stilled a storm of disscntion, which broke forth in the
beginning of his government, he had done enough to endear our hearts
unto him, and account that day happy when he took the reins of govern-
ment into his hands." But this pious, humble, well-bred gentleman, remov-
ing afterwards into Connecticut, he took his turn with Mr. Edward Hopkins
in being every other year the governour of that colony. And as he was
a great friend of peace while he lived, so at his death he entered into ihat

In books a prodlital, they say ;

A living cyclopiedia;

or hirttoiics of church and priest

A full compendium, at least ;

A tablti-tnlkcr, rich in sense,

And witty without wit's pretence;

An able champion in debate.

Whose words kicked tiuinber but not weight

In character a critic bold ;
And of that fitith, both sound and old —
Both CATiiotic and Christian too,
A soldioi' trusty, tried and true;
Now-Knuliuid's Senate's crowning grace,
In merit truly ns In pinrc,
Condeimiud to share ih'^ common doom,
Reposes here in Dudlkv'b tomb.

! .■

i !

! :

nili :

■I I

;■'

186

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

peace which attends the end of the perfect and upright man, leaving behind
him the character sometimes given of a greater, though not a better man,
(Vespasian) Bonis Legihus multa correxit, sect exemplo prohce vitce plus effecit
apiid populum*

§ 3. Near twenty ships from Europe visited New-England in the year
1635, and in one of them was Mr. Henry Vane, (afterwards Sir Henry
Vane,) an accomplished young gentleman, whose father was much against
his coming to New-England; but the King, upon information of his dis-
position, commanded him to allow his son's voyage hither, with a consent
for his continuing three years in this part of the world. Although his
business had some relation to the plantation of Connecticut, yet in the
year 1636, the Massachuset colony chose him their governour. And now,
reader, I am as much a seeker for his character as many have taken him to
be a seeker in religion, while no less persons than Dr. Manton have not been
to seek for the censure of a wicked book, with which they have noted the
Mystical Divinity, in the book of this knight, entituled, " The retired man's
Meditations^ There has been a strange variety of translations bestowed
upon the Hebrew names of some animals mentioned in the Bible : Juppod,
for instance, which we translate a bittern, E. Salomon will have to bo an
owl, ■ Luther will have it be an eagle, while Paynin will have it bo an
hedge \>j, but E. Kimchi will have it a snail; such a variety of opinions
and resentments has the name of this gentleman fallen under; Avhile some
have counted him an eminent Christian, and othcr.s liave counted him
almost an heretick; some have counted him a rono^vned patriot, and others
an infamous traitor. If Barak signifie both to bless and to curse; and
EuXoysivf be of the same significancy with BXaC^c/jitiv.:}: in such philology
as that of Suidas and Hesychias ; the usage which the memory of tliis
gentleman has met withal, seems to have been accommodated unto that
indifferency of signification in the terms for such an usage.

On the one side, I find an old New-English manuscript thus reflecting:

"His election will remain !i3 a blemish to their judgments who did elect him, while New-
England remains a nation ; for he coming from Old-England, a young \mcxperienced gen-
tleman, (and as young in judgment as he was in years,) by the industry of some that could
do much, and thought by him to play their own game, was presently elected governour;
and before he was scarce warm in liis seat, began to broach ne " tenets; and these were
agitated with as much violence, as if the welfare of New-England must have been sacrificed
rather than these not take place. But the wisdom of the state put a period to his govcm-
inent; necessity caused them to undo the works of their own hands, and leave us a caveat,
that all good men are not fit for government."

But on the other side, the historian who has printed, "The Trial of Sir
Henry Vane, Knt. at the King's Bench, 'Westminster, June 2, and 6, 1662,
with other Occasional Speeches; also his Speech and Prayer on the scaf-

* Refurnied many obiiecs by means of wiso laws, but occomplished much more for bis people by Betting them
BD exumple urextraurdiuary virtue.

* To eulogize. i To malign.

lU.

ng behind
better man,
plus effecit

fewi

1 the year
3ir Henry
ch against
of his dis-

a consent
hough his
yet in the
And now,
:en him to
e not been
noted the
tired man's
I bestowed
3: Kippod^
Q to be an
e it be an
»f opinions
,vhile sorie
Linted him
and others
urse : and

Dhilology
>ry of til is

unto that

reflecting:

while New-
rienced gen-

tlmt could

goveniour;

these were
en saerlficed

lis govcm-
is a caveat,

.■■■'1

SIR HENRY V-iNE.

ial of Sir

d 6, 1662,

the scaf-

' setting them

*1 * '

GOV. JOHN ENDICOTT,

THE ORIGINAL GRAN EOF MASSACHUSEl IS.

OR, THE JIISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

187

fold," has given us in him the picture of nothing less than an hcroe. He
seems indeed by that story to have suffered hardly enough, but no man
can deny that he suffered bravely: the English nation has not often seen
more of Roman (and indeed more than Roman) gallantry, out-facing death
in the most pompous terrours of it. A great royalist, present, at his dec-
ollation, swore, "He died like a prince:" he could say, "I bless the Lord
I am so far from being affrighted at death, that I find it rather shrink from
me, than I from it!" He could say, "Ten thousand deaths rather than
defile my conscience; the chastity and purity of which 1 value beyond
all this world ; I would not for ten thousand worlds part with the peace
and satisfaction I have in my own heart." When mention was made of
the difficult proceeding against him, all his reply was, " Alas, what ado do
they keep to make a poor creature like his Saviour!" On the scaffold
they did, by the blast of trumpets in his face, with much incivilit}', hinder
him from speaking what he intended; which incivility he aforehand sus-
pecting, committed a true copy of it unto a friend before his going Jiither;
the last words whereof were these :

"As W^ last words, I leave this with you, that as the present storm we now lye under,
and the dark clouds that yet hang over the reformed churches of Christ, (which are coming
thicker and thicker for a season) were not unforeseen by me for many years pnst; (as some
writings of mine declare) so the coming of Christ in these clouds, in order to a speedy and
sudden revival of his cause, and spreading his kingdom over the face of the wliolc earth, la
most clear to the eye of my faith, even that faith in which I die."

His execution was June 14, 1662, about the fiftieth year of his age.

§ 4. After the death of Mr. Dudley, the notice and respect of the colony
fell chiefly on Mr. John Endicot, who, after many services done for the
colony, even before it was yet a colony, as well as when he saw it grown
into a populous nation, under his prudent and equal government, expired
in a good old age, and was honourably interred at Boston, March 23, 1665.

The gentleman that succeeded Mr. Endicot was Mr. Richard Belling-
ham, one who was bred a lawyer, and one who lived beyond oighty, well
esteemed for his laudable qualities, but as the Thebans made the statues
of their magistrates without hands, importing that they must be no takers;
in this fashion must be formed the statue for this gentleman; for among
all his virtues, he was noted for none more than for his notable and per-
petual hatred of a hrihe, which gave him, with his country, the rej)utation
of old claimed by Pericles, to be, (piXocroXig « xai j^prifAarwv xpeitfrfwv .• Civitatis
Amans et ad pecuniae Invidus* And as he never tooh any from any one
living; so he neither could nor would have given any to death; bui in the
latter end of the year 1672 he had his "soul gathered, not with sinners,
whose right hand is full of bribes," but with such as "walk in their
uprightness."

The gentleman that succeeded Mr. Bellingham was Mr. John Leveret,

• A true patriot, superior to the temptations of giun.

•A

'i ft.'

b'^^i

138

MAONALIA CIIEISTI AMERICANA;

one to whom the affections of tlio freemen were signalized, in his quick
ndvnnocs through the lesser stages of office and honour unto the highest
in tl'.o country ; and one whose courage had been as much recommended
by martial actions abroad in his younger years, as his wisdom and justice
wore now at home in his elder. The anniversary election constantly kept
him at the liolm from the time of his first sitting there, until March 16, 1678,
wluMi morhiUty having first put him on severe trials of his passive-courage,
(mutU more difficult than tlie active) in pains of the stone^ released him.

: I

PATER PATRIJl;-' OF., THE LIFE OF SIMON BBADSTREET, IH.

— Exlinctus atnabitur idem.f

The gentleman that succeeded Mr. Leveret was Mr. Simon Bradstreet,
the son o( a minister in Lincolnshire, who was always a non-conformist at
homo, as well as when preacher at Middleburgh abroad. Him tl»e New-
Knglandors, in their addresses fiiU of profound respects unto him, have
with j-Dod reason called, "The venerable Mordecai of his country." He
was born at Ilorbling, March, 1603. His father (who was the son of a
SulVolk gentleman of a fine estate) was one of the first fellows in Immanuel
Citlletlgo, under Dr. Chaderton, and one afterwards highly esteemed by
Mr. Cotton and by Dr. Preston. Our Bradstreet was brought up at the
grannnar-sohool, until he was about fourteen years old; and then the death
of his iaihor put a stop for the present unto the designs of his further
education. But according to i\\(i faith of his dying father, that "he should
be well provided for," he was within two or three years after this taken
into tlio roligious family of the Earl of Lincoln, (the best family of any
nitbloiiiau then in England,) where he spent about eight years under the
diivi'tion of Mr. Thomas Dudley, sustaining successively divers offices.
Dr. Proston tluMi (who had been my lord's tutor) moved my lord that Mr.
Hradstroot might liave their permission to come unto Immanuel Colledge,
in tlu> t'lipacity of governour to the Lord llich, the son of the Earl of
^Val•\viv'k; whicli they granting, he went with the Doctor to Cambridge,
who provided a chamber for him, with advice that he should apply him-
self to study until my lord's arrival. But he afterwards, in a writing of
his, now in my hands, made this humble complaint: "I met with many
obstacles to my study in Cambridge; the Earl of Lincoln had a ler

there, w iio often called me forth upon pastimes. Divers masters of art,
and other scholars also, constantly met, where we spent most part of the
afternooits matiy times in discourse to little purpose or profit; but that
seemed an easie and pleasant life then, which too late I repented," My

* The ('^thor of his Country. f Though duad, he shall nunc the leas be luved.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

189

lis quick
3 highest
nrnendcd
nd justice
.ntly kept
> 16, 1678,
j-courage,
ed him.

T, EH.

Bradstreet,
iformist at
tl»e New-
him, have
ntry." He
le son of a
I Immanuel
iteemed by
up at the
n the death
lis further
"he should
this taken
nily of any
under the
rers offices,
rd that Mr.
3l Colledge,
he Earl of
Cambridge,
apply him-
writing of
with many
a ler

iters of art,
part of the
it; but that
nted." My

less be luved.

Lord Rich not coming to the University, Mr. Bradstreet returned after a
year to the Earl of Lincoln's; and Mr. Dudley then removing to Boston,
his place of steward unto the Earl was conferred on Mr. Bradstreet.
Afterwards he with much ado obtained the Earl's leave to answer the
desires of the aged and pious Countess of AVarwick, that he would accept
the stewardship of her noble family, which as the former he discharged
with an exemplary discretion and fidelity. Here he married the daughter
of Mr. Dudley, by whose perswasion he came in company with him to
New-England, where he spent all the rest of his days, honourably serving
his generation. It was counted a singular favour of Heaven unto Richard
diamond, Esq., one of England's worthies, that he was a Justice of Peace
near threescore years; but of Simon Bradstreet, Esq., one of New-Eng-
land's worthies, there can more than this be said; for he was chosen a
magistrate of New-England before New-England it self came into New-
England ; even in their first great voyage thither, Ayino 1630, and so he
continued annually chosen; sometimes also their secretary, and at last
their governour, until the colony had a share in the general shipwreck of
charters, which the reign of King Charles II. brought upon the whole
English nation. Mr, Joseph Dudley was placed, Amio 1685, as president
over the territory for a few months, when the judgment that was entred
against the charter gave unto the late King James II. an opportunity to
make what alterations he pleased upon the order of things, under which
the country had so long been flourishing. But when the short president-
ship of that New-English and well accomplished gentleman, the son of Mr.
Thomas Dudley above mentioned, was expired, I am not in a disposition
here to relate what was the condition of the colony, until the revolution
vrhereto their condition compelled them. Only I have sometimes, not
without amazement, thought of the representation which a celebrated
magician made unto Catherine de Medicis, the French Queen, whose impi-
ous curiosity led her to desire of him a magical exhibition of all the Kings
that had hitherto reigned in France, and yet were to reign. The shapes
of all the Kings, even unto the husband of that Queen, successively showed
themselves, in the enchanted circle, in which that conjurer had made his
invocations, and they took as many turns as there had been years in their
government. The Kings that were to come, did then in like manner suc-
cessively come upon the stage, namely, Francis IL, Charles IX., Henry III.,
Henry IV., which being done, then two cardinals, Richlieu and Mazarine,
in red hats, became visible in the spectacle : but after those cardinals, there
entred wolves, bears, tyg-rs and lions, to consummate the entertainment.
If the people of New-England had not imagined that a number of as
rapacious animals were at last come into their government, I suppose they
would not have made such a revolution as they did, on April 18, 1689, in
conformity to the pattern which the English nation was then setting before
them. Nevertheless, I have nothing in this paragraph of our History

*. ri

.^.X

140

MAONALIA OIIRISTI AMERICANA;

to report of it, but thnt Mr. Brmlstreot wns at this time alive; whose
paternal compassions for a country thus remarkably ^is own, wou'd not
permit liii to decline his return unto his former seat in the government,
upon the unanimous invitation of the people thereunto. It was a remark
then generally made upon him, "That though he v.ero then well towards
ninety years of age, his intellectual force was hardly abated, but he retained
a vigour and wisdom that wnild have recommended a younger man to
the government of a greater colony." And the wonderful difliculties
through which the colony under bin discreet conduct waded, until the
arrival of his Excellency Sir William Phips, a itb a commission fur the
government, and a new charter in the year 1G'.)2, gave a remarkable dem-
onstration of it. Yea, this honourable Nestor cf New-England, in the
year 1696, was yet alive; and as Georgius Lcontinus, who lived until he
was an hundred and eight years of age, being asked by what means he
attained unto such an age, answered, "By my not living voluptuously;"
thus this excellent person attained hia good old age, in part, by living
very temperately. And the New-Knglanders would have counted it their
satisfaction, if, like Arganthonius, >\ ho had been fourscore years the gov-
ernour of the Tarte.ssians, ho might have lived unto the age of an hundred
and twenty; or, even unto the age of Johannes de Tcmporibus, who was
knighted by the Emperour Charlemaign, and yet was living till the
Emperour Conrade, and saw, they say, no fewer years than three hundred
threescore and one. Though, "to be dissolved and be with Chri.st," was
the satis- faction which this our Maerobius himself was with a weary soul
now waltiig and longing for; and Christ at length granted it unto him,
on ^faicii 27, 1697. Theii it was, that one of the oldest servants that God
and the King had upon earth, drew his Ar*Y, in the very place whi' 9 he
drew his /??•«<, American breath. llt> dieil at Salem, in a troublesome time,
and entred into everlasting peace. And in imitation of what the Eoman
orator said upon the death of Crassiis, I will venture to say, Fia't hoc,
luduosuni 5?as, Acerbitvi Patria; (iravc Jiom's Omnibus: scd it iamen Rein-
puhlicam casus Secuti sunt, ui mihi non Krepta Bradstreeto Vita, sed donata
mors esse videatur.*

The epitaph on that famous lawyer, Simon Pistorius, we will now imploy
for this eminently prudent and upright administrator of our laws:

EPITAPH.

SIMON BRAPSTREET.
Quod Mortale j'tit, Tellus tenet ; Inrlyla t\ima
JVomi'nis haud vllo itat riulandc JJie.i

AND ADD,
F.ttinettim Ivget quern lota JVue-Jlvglia fatrem,
O fNiiHtMm Claudit pnrvula Terra FirumIX

* HiH denlh wag mournriil to his household, n hlllcr low to his c«)unlry, n honvy blow to nil good men: and yet
Buch calamitieg have since then bcfUllon our Republic, that it dtM>« not seem as if [Dradstrect] was bereft of life,
but 08 if death were cunrurrcd upon I'Sni as u boun,— Cickro, OratloH for Crc.astit.

t Earth holdR his mortal part : his honoured name
Shall put Time's impious hand to open shatue.

X Hore lies New-England's father. Woe the day!
How utlngles mightiest dust with meanest clay!

■i

■' i

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

141

vc; whose

wouM not
overmncnt,
IS a remark
ell towards
ho retained
ger man to

difliculties
1, until the
lion lor the
rkable dem-
and, in the
ed until he
it means he
uptuously ;"
rt, by living
nted it their
ars the gov-
' an hundred
us, who was
'ing till the
7/ree hundred
Christ," was

weary soul
unto him,

its that God
ce who he

esoine time,

the lloman
Fuit hoc,

tamen Rem-
sed donata

now imploy
laws:

nglia ratrem,
ra yirumIX

;ood men : and yet
was bereft of, life,

Woe the day !
1 meanest clay!

CHAPTER Yl.

mi "hvi, Td est, VI RI ANIMATI;* OR ASSISTENTS.

The freemen of New-Kngland liad a great iirioty of worthy men,
among whom they might j)ick and ehuse a number of MAGiSTK.vrKS to be
the assistants of their GoVKUNouiw, both in directinj^ the general affairs
of the land, and in dispensing of justice unto the people. But they wisely
made few alterations in their annual elections; and they thereby shewed
their salisdvction in the wise and good conduct of those whom tlioy had
elected. If they called some few «'' ' -ir magistrates from the ploicjh to

the hoich, so the old Eomans did ^
kings in the world once carried j
Ilowever, the inhabitants of New-
inhabitants of Norcia, a town sear

•1 their dictators; yea, the greatest
•>■ on the top of their sccjiters.
.ever were so unhappy as the
h lies from Home; where they
do at this day chusc their own magi. Urates, but use an exact care, "That
no man who is able to write, or to read, shall be capable of any share in
the government," The magistrates of New-England have been of a better
education. Indeed, several deserving persons, who were joined as associ-
ates and commissioners unto these, for the more cflcetual execution of the
laws in emoycncies, cannot be brought into our catalogue; but the names
of all our magistrates, with the limes when I find their first advancement
unto that character arc these:

MAOISTKATES OF THE MASSACHUSET-COLONY.

John \Viiithrop, Oovernur,
Thomas Uudlry, Drpiilij-iror.

Matthew Criiddck, lOiill.

Th(iiniw(..)(r, 1020.

Hir Kichiii-d .Sallonstnl, 1629.

Isunc John»un, llisg.

Siimuel Aldersloy, lOill.

John Venn, IC'JO.

John Iluinfioy, Ifi-Rt.

Shnon Whorcomb, 1C29.

Increase Nowel, 1020.

Rlchiird Pi;riy, 1029.

Niithimuel Wriylit, 1029.

Siiiniiel Vussiil, 1029.

Theo|ihilu9 Kiiton, 1029.

Thonms Adams, 1029.

Thouiiis lliilchins, 1029.

OcoiRo Koxciofl, 1029.

WilHnm Vassal, 1029.

William Pinclion, 1029.

John I'ocock, 1029.

Christopher Cowlson, 1029.

William Coddiiii{tun, 1029.

Bimon ilradstreot, 1029.

Thomas Sharp, 1629.

Roger Ludlow, 1030.

Edward Hosslter, 1030.

John Endicol, 1030.

John WInthrop, ./un., 1039.

John fluilies, 1634.

Richard llllllni{ham, 1035.

Attorton iloii'^li, 1035.

Ricliiird Duininer, 1035.

Henry Vane, 1036.

Roger liurtackenden, 1030.

Israel Stoughton, 1037.

Richard Saltonstal, 163*.

Thomas Flint, 1643.

Sumuul Symons, 1043.

William liibhons, 1043.

William Tyngo, 1043.

Ilorhert Pulham, 1645.

Robiu-t Bridges, lli47.

Francis VVilloiighby, 105(>.

Thomiu VViggan, 1650.

Edward Gibbons, 1050.

John Clover, 1052.

Daniel (iookin, 1052.

Daniel Denison, 1054.

Simon Willard, 1054.

Humphrey Athertoii, 10.54.

Richard Riissel, 1659.

Thomas Diinforth, 1659.

William Hawthorn, 1002.

Eleazer Lusher, 1062.

John Leveret, 1665.

* Liviiig men.

John Tinchon, 1605.

IMwnrd Tyng, 1668.

William Stoughton, 1I>7I.

Thomas Clark, 1673,

Joseph Dudley, 1676.

Peter llulkley, 1077.

NalhanacI Sidtoiistal, 1079.

Humphrey Davy, 1079.

Jumi.'S Russel, liifl'l.

Samuel Now I, lOriO.

Peter Tiltoii, l«(jO.

John Uichurds, 1680.

John Hull, 1680.
Ujirtholomow (Jidnoy, lOBO.

Thomas Savage, 1080.

William Brown, 1080.

Samuel Applelon, 1081.

Robert Pike, 1082.

Daniel Fisher, 1093.

John VVoodbridge, 1(>83.

Elisha Cook, 1084.

William Johnson, 1084.

John Hawthorn, 1684.

Elisha Hutchinson, 1084.

Samuel Sewal, 1684.

Isaac Addington, 1680.

John Smith, 1686.

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

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1.0

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11.25

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U IIIIII.6

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<2>

Photographic

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23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

142

MAGNALIA CHEISTI AMERICANA;

MAJOR-GENERALS OF THE MILITARY FORCES IN THE COLONY, 8VCCESSFULLY CHOSEN.
Thomas Dudley. Edward Olbboni. Humfry Atherton. John Leveret.

John EndicoU liobert Sedgwick. Daniel Deniaon. Daniel Gookln.

William Burgis.

SECRETAIUES OF THE COLONY, SUCCESSFULLY CHOSEN.

Simon Bradstreet. IncresM NoweL

Edward IUttsod.

That these names are proper and worthy to be found in our Church-
History, will be acknowledged, when it is considered, not only that they
were the members of Congregational churches, and by the members of
the churches chosen to be the rulers of the Commonwealth; and that their
exemplary behaviour in their magistracy was generally such as to "adorn
the doctrine of God our Saviour," and, according to the old Jewish wishes,
prohibitum est Ilomini, instar principis Dominari super populum et cum ela-
tione Spiritus, sed, nK"|i| ni3;ra cum mansuettidine ac Timore;* but also that
their love to, and zeal for, and care of these churches, was not the least
part of their character.

The instances of their concern for the welfare of the churches were
innumerable. I will single out but one from the rest, because of some
singular subserviency to the designs of our Church-History, therein to be
proposed. I'll do it only by transcribing an instrument, published Anno
1668, in such terms as these:

To the Elders and Miniatere of every Town within the Jurisdiction of the Massachusets in New-
England, the Governour and Council sendeth Greeting.

"Reverend and Beloved in the Lord: We find in the examples of holy Scripture, that
magistrates have not only excited and commanded nil the people under their government,
* to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and do the law and commandment,' (2 Chron. xiv.
3, 3, 4; Ezra vii. 25, 26, 27,) but also stirred up and sent forth the.Levitcs, accompanied
with other principal men, to * teach the good knowledge of the Lord throughout all the cities,'
(2 Chron. xvii. 6, 7, 8, 9,) which endeavours have been crowned with the blessing of God.

"Also we find that our brethren of the Congregational perswasion in England, have made
a good profession in their book, entituled, 'A declaration of their faith and order,' (page 59,
sect 14,) where they say, 'That although pastors and teachers stand especially related unto
their particular churches, yet they ought not to neglect others living within their parochial
bounds ; but besides their constant public preaching to them, they ought to enquire after
their profiting by the word, instructing them in, and pressing upon them, (whether young
or old) the gnmt doctrines of the gospel, even personally and particularly, so far as their
strength and time will permit'

"We hope that sundry of you need not a spur in these things, but are conscientiously
careful to do your duty. Yet, forasmuch as we have cause to fear that there is too much
neglect in many places, notwithstanding the laws long since provided therein, we do there-
fore think it our duty to emit this declaration unto you, earnestly desiring, and, in the bowels
of our Lord Jesus, requiring you to be very diligent and careful to catechise and instruct
nil people (especially the youth) under your charge, in the sound principles of Christian
religion; and that not only in publick, but privately 'from house to house,' as blessed Paul
did; (Acts XX. 20,) or at least three, four, or more families meeting together, ns time and
strength may permit ; taking to your assistance such godly and grave persons as to you
may seem most expedient: and also that you labour to inform your selves (as much as niay

* It is forbidden to man to rule lilcea prince over a people, and with a pruud Bplrit: ho should exercise
authority In meekness and fear.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

148

ROSEN.

Leveret.

IGookln.

rdRanfwn.

ir Church-
r that they
lembers of
d that their
I to "adorn
rish wishes,
et cum ela-
it also that
)t the least

irches were
ise of some
lerein to be
lisht. Anno

huseta in NeW'

Scripture, that
ir government,
(2 Chron. xiv.
i, accompanied
it all tlie cities,'
ssing of God.
and, have made
•der,' (page 69,
y related unto
their parochial
J enquire after
ivhether young
so far as their

conscientiously
is too much
, we do there-
d, in the bowels
ie and instruct
es of Christian
.3 blessed Paul
cr, m time and
sons as to you
IS much as niay

ho should exorcise

be meet) how your hearers do trofit by the word of God, and how their conversations do
agree therewith; and whether the youth are taught to read the English tongue: taking all
occasions to apply suitable exhortations particularly unto them, for the rebuke of those that
do evil, and the encouragement of them that do well.

"The effectual and constant prosecution hereof, we hope will have a tendency to promote
the salvation of souls; to suppress the growth of sin and profaneness; to beget more love
and unity among the people, and more reverence and esteem of the ministry: and it will
assuredly be to the enlargement of your crown, and recompence in etemnl glory.

"Given at Boston, the 10th of March, 1668, by the govemour and council, and by them

ordered to be printed, and sent accordingly.

"Edward Rawson, Secretary."

FUBIICOIAGHRISTIANUS.

THB LIFE OF EDWARD HOPKINS, ESa, GOVERNOR OF CONNECTICUT COLONY.
Superiorea aint, qui auperiorea eaae aciunt.f

§ 1. When the great God of heaven had carried his "peculiar people"
into a wilderness, the theocracy, wherein he became (as he was for that
reason stiled) "the Lord of Hosts," unto them and the four squadrons of
their army, was most eminently displayed in his enacting of their laws, his
directing of their wars, and fits electing and inspiring of their judges. In
some resemblance hereunto, when four colonies of Christians had marched
like so many hosts under the conduct of the good spirit of our Lord Jesus
Christ into an American wilderness, there were several instances wherein
that army of confessors was under a theocracy ; for their laivs were still
enacted, and their wars were still directed by the voice of God, as far as
they understood it, speaking from the oracle of the Scriptures: and though
their judges were still elected by themselves, and not inspired with such
extraordinary influences as carried them of old, yet these also being singu-
larly furnished and offered by the special providence of God unto the
government of his New-English people, were so eminently acted, by
his graces, and his precepts, in the discharge of their government, that the
blessed people were still sensibly governed hy the Lord of all. Now, among
the first judges of New-England, was Edward Hopkins, Esq., in whose
time the colony of Connecticut was favoured with "judges as at first:"
and put under the power of those with whom it was a maxim, Gratius est
pigtatis Nbmen, quam potestatis.X

§ 2. The descent and breeding of Mr. Edward Hopkins, (who was born
I think near Shrewsbury, about the year 1600,) first fitted him for the

♦ Tho Christian Patriot. f They should be superior, who fee! that they are superior,

t Tlio reputation of piety is dearer than the fune of power.

144

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

condition of a Turkey-merchant, in London : where he lived several years
in good fashion and esteem, until a powerful party in the Church of Eng-
land, then resolving not only to separate from the communion of all the
faithful that were averse to certain confessedly unscriptural and uninsti-
tuted rites in the worship of God, but also to persecute with destroying
severities those that were non-conformists thereunto, compelled a consider-
able number of good men to seek a shelter among the salvages of America.
Among these, and with his excellent father-in-law, Mr. Theophilus Eaton,
he came to New-England; where, then removing from the Massachuset-
bay unto Hartford upon Connecticut River, he became a ruler and pillar
of that colony, during the time of his abode in the country.

§ 3. In his government he acquitted himself as the Solomon of his
colony, to whom "God gave wisdom and knowledge, that he might go out
and come in before the people ;" and as he was the head, so he was the
heart of the people, for the resolution to do well, which he maintained
among them. An unjust judge is, as one says, "a cold fire, a dark sun, a
dry sea, an ungood God, a contradictio in adjecto."* Far from such was our
Hopkins ; no, he was, uxaiov ^|x4'Uxov,-|" a meer piece of living justice. And
as he had no separate interests of his own, so he pursued their interests with
such an unspotted and successful fidelity, that they might call him, as the
tribe of Benjamin did .their leader in the wilderness, Abidan; that is to
say, "our fiither is judge." New-England saw little daivnings, and emblems,
and earnests of the day, "that the greatness of the kingdom under the
whole heaven shall be given unto the people of the saints of the Most
High," when such a saint as our Hopkins was one of its governours. And
the felicity which a great man has prognosticated for Europe, "that God
will stir up some happy governour in some country in Christendom, indued
with wisdom and consideration, who shall discern the true nature of God-
liness and Christianity, and the necessity and excellency of serious religion,
and shall place his honour and felicity in pleasing God and doing good,
and attaining everlasting happiness, and shall subject all worldly respects
unto these high and glorious ends:" this wa.? ' exemplified in America.

§ 4. Most exemplary was his piety and h? ^-rity; and while he gov-
erned others by the laws of God, he did himself yield a profound subjection
unto those laws. He was exemplarily watchful over his own behaviour,
and made a continual contemplation of and preparation for death, to be the
character of his life. It was his manner to rise early, even before day, to
enjoy the devotions of his closet ; after which he spent a considerable time
in reading, and opening, and applying the word of God unto his family,
and then praying with them : and he had one particular way to cause
attention in the people of his family, which was to ask any person that
seemed careless in the midst of his discourse, "What was it that I read
or spoke last?" whereby he habituated them unto such an attention, that

A pnnulux.

t JuBtice iDcarnate.

OB, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

145

they were still usually able to give a ready account But as for his prayers,
they were not ovUy Jrequent, but so fervent also, that he frequently fell a
bleeding at the nose through the agony of spirit with which he laboured
in them. And especially when imploring such spiritual blessings as, " that
God would grant in the end of our lives, the end of our hopes, even the
salvation of our souls," he would be so transported, that the observing and
judicious hearers would say sometimes upon it, "Surely this man cannot
he long out of heaven." Moreover, in his neighbourhood he not only set
himself to encourage and countenance real Godliness, but also would him*
self kindly visit the Meetings that the religious neighbovrs privately kept
for the exercises of it; and where the least occasion for contention was
offered, he would, with a prudent and speedy endeavour, extinguish it
But the poor he so considered, that besides the daily reliefs which with his
own hands he dispensed unto them, he would put considerable sums of
money into the hands of his friends, to be by them employed as they saw
"opportunity to do good unto all, especially the household of faith." In
this thing he was like that noble and worthy English General, of whom
'tis noted, "he never thought he had any thing but what he gave away;"
and yet, after all, with much humility he would profess, as one of the most
liberal men that ever was in the world often would, "I have often turned
over my books of accounts, but I could never find the great God charged
a debtor there."

§ 6. But suffering as well as doing belongs to the compleat character of
a Christian ; and there were several trials wherein our Lord called this
eminently patient servant of his to suffer the will of God. He conflicted
with bodily infirmities, but especially with a wasting and a bloody cough,
which held him for thirty years together. He had been by persecutions
driven to cross an ocean, to which he had in his nature an antipathy;
and then a wilderness full of such crosses as attend the beginning of a
plantation, exercised him. Ne\ertheless, there was one affliction which
continually dropt upon him abo\ e all the rest, and that was this, he mar-
ried a daughter which the second wife of Mr. Eaton had by a former
husband; one that from a child had been observable for desirable qualities.
But some time aftei she was married, she fell into a distempered melan'
choly, which at last issued in an incurable distraction, with such ill-shaped
ideas in her brain, as use to be formed when the animal spirits are Jired by
irregular particles, fixed with acid, bilious, venemous ferments in the blood.
Very grievous was this affliction unto this her vvorthy consort, who was by
temper a very affectionate person ; and who now left no part of a tender
husband undone, to ease, and, if it were possible, to cure the lamentable
desolation thus come upon "the desire of his eyes;" but when the physi-
cian gave him to understand that no means would be likely to restore her
sense but such as would be also likely to hazaid her life, he replied, with
tears, "I had rather bear my cross unto the end that the Lord shall give I"
Vol. L— 10

lit

146

MAONALIA OHRISTI AMERICANA;

but upon this occasion he said unto her sister, who, with all the rest related
unto her, were as dear unto him as his own, "I have often thought, what
would be the meaning of the Lord, in chastising of me with so sharp a rod,
and with so long a stroke," whereto, when she replied, "Sir, nothing sin-
gular has, in this case, befallen you ; God hath afflicted others in the like
way ; and we must be content with our portion ;" he answered, " Sister,
this is among the Lord's rarities. For my part, I cannot tell what sore to
lay my hand upon : however, in general, my sovereign Lord is just, and
I will justifie him for ever: but in particular, I have thought the matter
might lye here : I promised my self too much content in this relation and
enjoyment; and the Lord will make me to know that this world shall not
aftbrd it me." So he wisely, meekly, ft-uitfuUy bore this heavy affliction
unto his dying day ; having been taught by the affliction to die daily as
long as he lived.

§ 6. About Governour Eaton, his father-in-law, he saw cause to say
unto a sister-in-law, whom he much valued, "I have often wondred at
my father and your father; I have heard him say. That he never had a
repenting, or a repining thought, about his coming to New -England:
surely, in this matter he hath a grace far out-shining mine. But he is
our father! I cannot say, as he can, I have had hard work with my own
heart about it." But upon the death of his elder bi other, who was warden
of the fleet, it was necessary for him to return into England, that he might
look after the estate which then fell unto him; and accordingly, after a
tempestuous and a terrible voyage, wherein they were eminently endan-
gered hy fire, accidentally enkindled on the ship, as well as by water, which
tore it so to pieces, that it was towed in by another ship, he at length.

Per Varioa Casus; per tot Discrimina Serum,*

arrived there. There a great notice was quickly taken of him : he was
made warden of the fleet, commissioner of the admiralty, and the navy
office, a parliament-man ; and he was placed in some other considerable
stations : in all which he more than answered the expectations of those
who took him to be a person eminently qualified for public service. By
these employments, his design of returning to New-England, with which
he left it, was diverted so far, that he sent for his family ; and about the
time that he looked for them, he being advantaged by his great places to
employ certain frigots for their safety on the coast, by that means had
them safely brought unto him. When they were with him in London,
one of them told him how much his friends in New-England wished and
prayed for his return : and how that passage had been used in our publick
supplications for that mercy, "Lord, if we may win him in heaven, we
shall yet have him on earth:" but he reply ed, " I have had many thoughts
about my return, and my affections have been bent very strongly that

* Through peril, toil, and rough adventure paiaed.

OE, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

147

;st related
ght, what
arp a rod,
thing sin-
n the like
d, "Sister,
bat sore to
} just, and
the matter
jlation and
d shall not
y affliction
lie daily as

luse to say
vvondred at
ever had a
wEngland:
But he is
ith mv own
was warden
aat he might
[)gly, after a
gntly endan-
water, which
It length.

urn : he was
id the navy
considerable
ons of those
service. By
with which
about the
lat places to
means had
in London,
wished and
our publick
heaven, we
any thoughts
strongly that

. w

way; and though I have now, blessed be God, received my family here,
yet that shall be no hindrance to my return. I will tell you, though I
am little worth, yet I have that love which will dispose me to serve the .
Lord and that peopie of his. But as to that matter, I incline to think
they will not win it in heaven; and I know not whether the terrors of my
dreadful voj'^age hither might not be ordered by the Divine Providence to
stake me in this land, being in my spirit sufficiently loth to run the hazard
of such another. I must also say to you, I mourn exceedingly, and I/ear,
I/ear, the sins of New-England will ere long be read in its punishments.
The Lord has planted that land with a noble vine; and blessed hast tJiou been,
land, in thy rulers I But, alasl for the generality they have not consid-
ered how they were to honour the rules of God, in honouring of those
whom God made rulers over them ; and I fear they will come to smart by
having them set over them, that it will be an hard work to honour, and
that will hardly be capable to manage their affairs."

§ 7. Accordingly he continued in England the rest of his days, in
several places of great honour and burden faithfully serving the nation ;
but in the midst of his publick employments most exactly maintaining
the zeal and watch of his own private walk with God. His mind kept
continually mellowing and ripening for heaven; and one expression of
his heavenly mind, among many others, a little before his end, was, *' How
often have I pleased niy self with thoughts of a joyful meeting with my
father Eaton! I remember with what pleasure he would come down the
street, that he might meet me when I came from Hartford unto New-
Haven: but with how much greater pleasure shall we shortly meet one
another in heaven!" But as an heavenly mind is oftentimes a presaging
mind, so he would sometimes utter this presage unto some that were near
and dear unto him: "God will shortly take the Protector away, and soon
after that you will see great changes overturning the present constitution,
and sore troubles come upon those that now promise better things unto
themselves." However, he did not live to see the fulfilment of this
prediction.

§ 8. For the time now drew near that this Israelite was to die! He had
been in his life troubled with many fears of death ; and after he fell sick,
even when he drew very near his death, he said, with tears, "Ob! pray
for me, for I am in extream darkness!" But at length, on a Lord's day,
about the very time when Mr. Caryl was publickly praying for him, his
darkness all vanished, and he broke forth into these expressions: "Oh!
Lord, thou hast kept the best wine until the last! Oh! friends, could
you believe this? I shall be blessed for ever; I shall quickly be in eternal
glory. Now let the whole world count me vile, and call me an hypocrite,
or what they will, I matter it not; I shall be blessed; there is reserved
for me a crown of glory. Oh! blessed be God for Jesus Christ! I have
heretofore thought it an hard thing to die, but now I find that it is not

148

IIAONALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

BO. If I might have my choice, I would now chuse to die. Oh I my
Lord, I pray thee send me not back again into this evil world, I have
enough of it; no, Lord, now take me to glory, and the kingdom that is
prepared for me I" Yea, the standers by thought it not possible for them
to utter, exactly after him, the heavenly words which now proceeded from
him; and when one of them said, "Sir, the Lord hath enlarged your faith ;"
he replied, "Friend, this is sense; the Lord hath even satisfied my sense;
I am sensibly satisfied of everlasting glory I" Two or three days he now
spent in prayers and praises, and in inexpressible joys; in which time,
when some eminent persons of a very publick station and imployment
came to visit him, unto them he said, " Sirs, take heed of your hearts while
you are in your work for Gk)d, that there be no root of bitterness ^vithin
you. It may be pretended your desires are to serve God, but if there are
in you secret aims at advancing of your selves, and your own estates and
interests, the Lord will not accept your services as pure before him."

But at length, in the month of March, 1657, at London he expired;
when being opened, it was found that his heart had been unaccountably,
as it were, boiled and wasted in water, until it was become a little brittle
skin, which, being touched, presently dropped in pieces. He had oflen
wished, upon some great accounts, that he might live till the beginning of
this year; and now when he lay a dying, he said, "Lord! thou hast fulfilled
my desires according to thy word, that thou wilt fulfil the desires of them
that fear thee."

Now, firom the tombstone of another eminent person, we will fetch what
shall here be a proper

EPITAPH.
fAKT OF BDWARD BOrXINS, ESQ.
But Amvm, not brooking UtttUMMrUihouMihare | luiendi to lue out, by a ii«ie nri't*,

Is the least atom of « piece so rare,

His habtat terpnt at the grand aiiit*.

SUCCESSORS.

§ 1. Alternately, for the most part every other year, Mr. Haines, whom
we have already mentioned elsewhere, took a turn with Mr. Hopkins in
the chief place of government. And besides these, (reader, the oracle that
once predicted government unto a ©, would now and here predict it unto
a Wy) there were Mr. Willis, Mr. Wells, and Mr. Webster, all of Whom also
had opportunity to express their liberal and generous dispositions, and the
governing virtues of wisdom, justice and courage, by the election of the
freemen in the colony before its being united with New-Haven. Had the

OB, THE HISTOBY OF NEW-EMOLAMD.

149

surviving relations of these worthy men sent in unto me a tenth part of
tlie considerable and imitable things which occurred in their livee, they might
have made more of a figure in this our history; whereas I must now sum
up all, with assuring my reader, that it is the want of knowledge in me, and
not of desert in them, that has confined us unto this brevity.

§ 2. After the union of Connecticut with New-Haven, there were in
chief government Mr. Leet, whom we have already paid our dues unto:
and Mr. Treat, who is yet living, a pious and a valiant man, and (if even
Annosa Quercus* be an honourable thing!) worthy to be honoured fbr an
hoary head found in the way of righteousness; besides, Mr. Winthrop, of
whom anon, reader, expect a compleater history.

' L Jti iHi Jk X ill jii 1 lAi • \. .

HUMIIITA8 HONORATi.f

THE LIFB OF THEOPHIIUS EATON, ESa, GOVERNOUR OP NEW-HAVEN COIONT.

Juttitia Cultor, Eigidi Snvator HoHt§ti,
In Commune Bonum.t

§ 1. It has been enquired why the Evangelist Luke, in the first sacred
history which he addressed unto his fellow-citizen, gave him the title of
"The most excellent Theophilus," but in the next he used no higher a stile
than plain Theophilus! And though several other answers might be
given to that enquiry, 'tis enough to say, that neither the civility of Luke,
nor nobility of Theophilus, were by age abated; but Luke herein considered
the disposition of Theophilus, as well as his own, with whom a reduced
age had rendered all titles of honour more disagreeable superfcvities. Indeed,
nothing would have been more unacceptable to the govei ■ .'>r of our New-
Haven colony, all the time of his being so, than to have i een advanced
and applauded above the rest of mankind, yet it must be now published
unto the knowledge of mankind, that New-England could not of his qual-
ity show a more excellent person, and this was Theophilus Eaton, Esq., the
first govemour of that colony. Humility is a virtue whereof Amyraldus
observes, "There is not so much as a shadow of commendation in all the
pagan writers." But the reader is now concerned with writings which will
commend a person for humility; and therefore our Eaton, in whom the
shine of every virtue was particularly set off with a more than ordinary
degree of humility, must now be proposed as commendable.

§ 2. 'Tis reported, that the earth taken from the banks of Nilus, will

* An aged oak.

t Humility in honour.

X Exact in JusUoe— Iioneat, humble, plain—
Hia private virtues were the public'* gain.

160

HAQMALIA GHRISTI AMERICANA;

very strangely sympathize with the place from whence it was taken, and
grow moist or dry according to the increase and the decrease of the rivor.
And in spite of that Popish lie which pretends to observe the contrary, this
thing has been signally moralized in the daily observation, that the sons of
ministers, though betaking themselves to other employments, do ordinarily
carry about with them an holy and happy savour of their ministerial edu-
cflti<m. 'Twas remarkably exemplified in our Theophilus Eaton, who was
born at Stony-Stratford in Oxfordshire, the eldest son to the faithful and
&mous minister of the place. But the words of old used by Philostratus
concerning the son of a great*man, " As for his son, I have nothing else to say,
but that he was his son ;" they could not be used concerning our Theophi-
lus, who, having received a good education from his pious parents, did live
many years to answer that education in his own piety and usefulness.

§ 8. His father being removed unto Coventry, he there at school fell
into the intimate acquaintance of that worthy John Davenport, with whom
the providence of God many years after united in the great undertaking
of settling a colony of Christian and reformed churches on the American
strand. Here his ingenuity and proficiency rendered him notable; and
so vast was his memory, that although he wrote not at the church, yet
when he came home, he would, at his father's call, repeat unto those that
met in his father's house, the sermons which had been publickly preached
by others, as well as his own father, with such exactness, as astonished
all the neighbourhood. But in their after improvements, the hands of
Divine Providence were laid across upon the heads of Theophilus Eaton
and John Davenport; for Davenport, whose father was the mayor of Cov-
entry, became a minister; and Eaton, whose father was minister of
Coventry, contrary to his intentions, became a merchant. His parents were
very loth to have complied with his inclinations; but their compliance
therewithal did at last appear to have been directed by a special favour
of Heaven unto the family, when, after the death of his father, he by this
means became the Joseph, by whom his mother was maintained until
she died, and his orphan brethren and sisters had no small part of their
subsistence.

§ 4. During the time of his hard apprenticeship he behaved himself
wisely; and his wisdom, with (jtodHs favour, particularly appeared in his
chaste escape from the snares of a young woman in the house where he
lived, who would fain have taken him in the pits by the wise man cautioned
against, and who was herself so taken only with his most comely person,
that she dyed for the love of him, when she saw him gone too far to be
obtained : whereas, by the like snares, the apprentice that next succeeded
him was undone for ever. But being a person herewithal most signally
diligent in his business, it was not long before the maxim of the wise man
was most literally accomplished in his coming to ** stand before princes ;"
for being made a freeman of London, he applied himself vinto the East-

^; *

iiHL

OR, THE IIIfaiORY OF NKW-ENOLAND.

161

Country trade, and was publickly chosen the deputy-governour of the
company, wherein he so acijuitted himself as to become considerable.
And afterwards going himsoll' into the East-Country, he not only became
BO well acquainted with the atVairs of the Baltiok-sca, but also became so
well improved in the accomplishments of a man of fnmness, that the King
of England imployed him as an agent unto the King of Denmark. The
concerns of his agency he so discreetly manageil, that as he much obliged
and engaged the East-Jjand company, (who in token thereof presented
his wic with a bason and ewer double gilt, and curiously wrought with
gold, and weighing above sixty pound,) so he found much acceptance with
the King of Denmark, and was aUcrwanls useil by that prince to do him
no little services. Nevertheless, he kept his integrity amongst the tempt*
ations of that court, whereat he was now a resident; and not seldom had
he most eminent cause to acknowledge the benignity and interposal of
Heaven for his preservations: once particularly, when the King of Den-
mark was beginning the King of England's health, while Mr. Eaton, who
disliked such health-drinking, was in his presence; the King fell down in
a sort of a fit, with the cup in his hand, whereat all the nobles and court-
iers wholly applied themselves to convey the King into his chaml)er, and
there was no notice taken who was to pledge his health; w^hcreby Mr.
Eaton was the more easily delivered from any share in the debauch.

§ 5. Having arrived unto a fair estate, (which he wasjirst willing to do,)
he married a most virtuous gentlewoman, to whom he had first espoused
himself after he had spent three years in an absence from her in tlie East-
Country. But this dearest and greatest of his trmjwml enjoyments proved
but a temporal one ; for living no longer with him than to render him the
father of two children, she almost killed him with her own death ; and yet
at her death she expressed herself wondrous willing "to be dissolved, and
A.^ be with Christ, from whom" (she said) "I would not be detained one
hour for all the enjoyments upon earth." He aflerwards married a pru-
dent and pious widow, the daughter of the bishop of Chester; unto the
three former children of which widow, he became a most exemplary, living
and faithful father, as well ai^ a most worthy husband unto herself, by whom
he afterwards had five children, two sons and three daughters. But the
second of his children by his latter wife dying some while before, it was
not long before his two children by his former wife were smitten with the
plague, whereof the elder died, and his house thereupon shut up with a
"Lord, have mercy!" However, the Lord had this mercy on the family,
to let the distemper spread no further; and so Mr. Eaton spent many yeais
a merchant of great credit and fashion in the city of London.

§ 6. At length conformity to cere^nonies humanely invented and imposed
in the worship of God, was urged in the Church of England with so much
rigour, that Mr. Davenport was thereby driven to seek a rtfuge from the
storm in the cold and rude corners of America. Mr. Eaton had already

162

MAONALIA CBRI8TI AMXRIGANA;

assisted the new Massaohusot-oolony, as being one of the patentees for it;
but had no purpose of removing thither himsolf, until Mr. Davenport,
under whose excellent ministry ho lived, was compelled unto a share in
this removal. However, being fully satisfled in his own conscience, that
unlawful tilings were now violently demanded of him, ho was willing to
accompany his j)iiracc»ted jntator in the retreat from violence now endeav-
oured, and many eminent Londoners chearfully engaged with him in this
undertaking. Unto New-Kngland this company of good men came in the
yeor 1687, where, chusing to be a distinct colony by themselves, more
accommodated unto the designs of merchandize than of husbandry, they
sought and bought a largo territory in the southern parts of the country
for their habitations. In the prosecution hereof, the chief core was devolved
upon Mr. Eaton, who, with an unexampled patience, took many tedious
and hazardous journics through a desolate wilderness full of barbarous
Indians, until upon mature deliberation he pitched upon a place now
called New-IIaven, where they soon formed a very regular town; ond a
number of other towns along the sea side wore quickly added thereunto.
But by the dilHculties attending these journies, Mr. Eaton brought himself
into an extrcam sickness; from which he recovered not without a fistula
in his breast, whereby he underwent much aflliction. When the chirurgeon
came to inspect the sore, he told him, "Sir, I know not how to go about
what is necessary for your cure;" but Mr. Eaton answered him, "God
calls you to do, ond me to suffer!" And God accordingly strengthened
him to bear miserable cuttings and launcings of his flesh with a most
invincible patience. The chirurgeon indeed made so many wounds, that he
was not able to cure what he had made ; another, and a better, hand was
necessarily imployed for it; but in the mean while great were the trials
with which the God of heaven exercised the faith of this his holy servant.
§ 7. Mr. Eaton and Mr. Davenport were the Moses and Aaron of the
Christian colony now erected in the south-west parts of New-England ;
and Mr. Eaton being yearly and ever chosen their governour, it was the
admiration of all spectators to behold the discretion, the gravity, the equity
with which he still managed all their publick affairs. He carried in his
very countenance a majesty which cannot be described ; and in his dispen*
sations of justice he was a mirrour for the most imitable impartiality, but
ungainsayable authority of his proceedings, being awfully sensible of the
obligations which the oath of a judge lays upon him. lis sontplus tenus
de raison de garder Leur Serment, doubter mort, ou aucutie forfeiture:* and
hence he, who would most patiently bear hard things offered unto his
person in private cases, yet would never pass by any publick affronts or
neglects offered, when he appeared under the character of a magistrate.
But he still was the guide of the blind, the staff of the lame, the helper
of the widow and the orphan, and all the distressed ; none that had a good

* Tbe7 tre mora bonnd in roaaon to keep their oothi, than to (bar death, or any forfeitora whataoever.

OB, THE IIIBTORY OF NEW-ENOL AH D.

168

eaww. was atVatd of coming before him: on the one aide, in hi« dnys did
the righteous flourish; on the other side, ho was the terror of evil doors.
An in his government of the commonweolth, bo in tho government of his
family, he was prudent, scrioufl, happy to a wondor: and albeit ho some-
times had a large family, consisting of no less tiian tfiirty peraoua, yet he
managed them with such an even tcm|>cr, tliat observers have aflirmed,
"They never saw an house ordered with more wisdom 1" lie kept an
honourable and hospitable table; but one thing that still made the enter-
tainment thereof the better, was the continual presence of his aged mother;
by feeding of whom with an exemplary piety till afie died, bo ensured hia
own prosperity as long as he lived. His children and servants he would
mightily encourage unto tho study of tho Scriptures, and countenance their
addresses unto himself with any of their enquiries; but when he discerned
any of them sinfully negligent about tho concerns either of their general
or partiuu' r callings, he would admonish them with such a penetrating
eflicacy, th \ they could scarce forbear fulling down at his feet with tears,
A word of his was enough to steer them !

§ 8. So exemplary was he for a Christian, that one who had been a servant
unto him, could many years after say, "Whatever difficulty in my <!uily
walk I now meet withal, still something that I either saw or heard in my
blessed master Eaton's conversation, helps me through it all ; I have reason
to bless God that ever I know himl" It was his custom when ho first rose
in a morning, to repair unto his study; a study well perfumed with the
meditations and supplications of an holy soul. After this, calling his family
together, he would then read a portion of the Scripture amo)ig them, and
after some devout and useful rejlectiona upon it, he would make a prayer,
not long, but extraordinarily pertinent and reverent; and in the evening
some of the same exercises were again attended. On tho Saturday
morning he would still take notice of the approaching Sabbath in his
prayer, and ask the grace to be remembring of it, and prcjiaring for it;
and when the evening arrived, he, besides this, not only repeated a .sermon,
but also instructed his people, with putting of jwcs^wn* referring to the points
of religion, which would oblige them to study for an answer; and if their
answer were at any time insufficient, he would wisely and gently enlighten
their understandings; all which he concluded with singing of a psalm.
When the Lord's day came, he called his family together at the time for
the ringing of the first bell, and repeated a sermon, whereunto he added a
fervent prayer, especially tending unto the sanctification of the day. At
noon he sang a psalm, and at night he retired an hour into his closet;
advising those in his house to improve the same time for the good of
their own souls. He then called his family together again, and in an
obliging manner conferred with them about the things with which they
had been entertained in the house of God, shutting up all with a prayer
for the blessing of God upon them all. For solemn days of humiliation,

1^ t^

154

HAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

or of thanksgiving, he took the same course, and endeavoured still to
make those that belonged unto him understand the meaning of the services
before them. He seldom used any recreations, but being a great reader, all
the time he could spare from company and business, he commonly spent
in his beloved study; so that he merited the name which was once given
to a learned ruler of the English nation, the name of Beauclerk: in con-
versing with his friends, he was affable, courteous, and generally pleasant,
but grave perpetually ; and so cautelous and circumspect in his discourses,
and so modest in his expressions, that it became a proverb for incontestable
truth, "Governour Eaton said it."

But after all, his humility appeared in having always but low expectations,
looking for little regard and reward from any men, after he had merited as
highly as possible by his universal serviceableness.

§ 9. His eldest son he maintained at the CoUedge until he proceeded
master of arts; and he was indeed the son of his vows, and a son of great
hopes. But a severe catarrh diverted this young gentleman from the work
of the ministry whereto his father had once devoted him ; and a malignant
fever then raging in those parts of the country, carried off" him with his
wife within two or three days of one another. This was counted the sorest
of all the trials that ever befel his father in the "days of the years of his
pilgrimage ;" but he bore it with a patience and composure of spirit which
was truly admirable. His dying son looked earnestly on him, and said,
"Sir, what shall we do?" Whereto, with a well-ordered countenance, he
replied, "Look up to God!" And when he passed by his daughter, drowned
in tears on this occasion, to her he said, "Eemember the sixth command-
ment: hurt not your self with immoderate grief: remember Job, who said,
' The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken av/ay ; blessed be the name
of the Lord I' You may mark what a note the spirit of God put upon it;
'in all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly:' God accounts it a
charging of him foolishly, when we don't submit unto his will patiently."
Accordingly he now governed him self as one that had attained unto the
rule of "weeping as if we wept not;" for it being the Lord's day, he
repaired unto the church in the afiernoon, as he had been there in W\q fore-
noon, though he was never like to see his dearest son alive any more in
tliis world. And though before the first prayer began, a messenger came
to prevent Mr. Davenport's praying for the sick person, who was now
dead, yet his affectionate father altered not his course, but wrote after the
preacher as formerly ; and when he came home he held on his former
methods of divine worship in his family, not for the excuse of Aaron,
omitting any thing in the service of God. In like sort, when the people
had been at the solemn interment of this his worthy son, he did with a
very unpassionate aspect and carriage then say, " Friends, I thank you all
for your love and help, and for this testimony of respect unto me and mine :
the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken; blessed be the name of

ifc

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

155

s once given
lerk: in con-
ally pleasant^
is discourses,
incontestable

; expectations,
id merited as

ae proceeded

son of great

•om the work

1 a malignant

him with his

ted the sorest

years of his

P spirit which

im, and said,

intenance, he

iter, drowned

th command-

ob, who said,

be the name

put upon it;

accounts it a

11 patiently."

ned unto the

rd's day, he

•e in the /ore-

any more in

ssenger came

i^ho was now

ote after the

, his former

36 of Aaron,

in the people

le did with a

hank you all

le and mine :

the name of

the Lord!" Nevertheless, retiring hereupon into the chamber where his
daughter then lay sick, some tears were observed falling from him while
he uttered these words, '* There is a difference between a sullen silence or
a stupid senselessness under the hand of God, and a child-like submission
thereunto."

§ 10. Thus contyiually he, for about a score of years, was the ghry
&nd pilla7' of New-Haven colony. He would often say, "Some count it a
great matter to die well, but I am sure 'tis a great matter to live well. All
our care should be while we have our life to use it well, and so when
death puts an end unto that, it will put an end unto all our cares." But
having excellently managed his care to live well, God would have him to
die well, without any room or time then given to take any care at all ; for
he enjoyed a death sudden to every one but himself I Having worshipped
God with his family after his usual manner, and upon some occasion with
much solemnity charged all the family to carry it well unto their mistress
who was now confined by sickness, he supped, and then took a turn or
two abroad for his meditations. After that he came in to bid his wife
good-night, before he left her with her watchers; which wlten he did, she
said, " Me thinks you look sad 1" Whereto he replyed, "The differences
risen in the church of Hartford make me so;" she then added, "Let us
even go back to our native country again;" to which he answered, "You
may, (and so she did) but I shall die here." This was the last word that
ever she heard him speak ; for, now retiring unto his lodging in another
chamber, he was overheard about midnight fetching a groan; and unto
one sent iu presently to enquire how he did, he answered the enquiry
with only saying, "Very ill I" and without saying any more, he fell "asleep
in Jesus," in the year 1657, loosing anchor from New-Haven for the better;

Ostendunt.*

-Sedet, ubi Fata, Quietaa

Now let his gravestone wear at least the following

EPITAPH.

New-England's glory, full of warmth and light.
Stole away (and said nothing) in the night.

8DCGES80RS.

§ 1. When the day arrived in the anniversary course for the freemen
of the colony to elect another governour in the place of the deceased

* Whore OeaUny points out eternal rest.

156

MAUNALIA CIIKISTI AMERICANA;

Eaton, Mr. Davenport preached on that passage of the divine oracle, in
Josh. i. 1, 2 : "Now after the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, it
came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses'
minister, saying, Now arise thou and all this people." The colony was
abundantly sensible that their Eaton had been a man of a Mosaic spirit ;
and that while they chose him, as they did every year of his life, among
them to be their governour, they could not chuse a better. But they now
considered that Mr. Francis Newman, who had been for many years the
secretary of the colony, was there a minister to their Moses, as he had
been otherwise his intimate friend, neighbour, companion and counsellor.
For this cause the unanimous choice of the freemen fell upon this gentle*
man to succeed in the government. And I shall here give a sufficient
history of his government ; which through death was not suffered to con-
tinue above three or four years, by only saying, "That he walked exactly
in the steps of his predecessor."

§ 2. Upon the setting of Mr. Francis Newman, there arose Mr. Wil-
liam Leet, of whom let not the reader be displeased at this brief account.
This gentleman was by his education a lawyer, and by his imployment a
register in the Bishop's Court. In that station, at Cambridge, he observed
that there were summoned before the court certain persons to answer for
the crime of going to hear sermo)is abroad, when there were none to be
heard in their own T^'\rish churches at home; and that, when any were
brought before them ior fornication or adultery, the court only made them-
selves merry with their Peccadillos; and that these latter transgressions
were as favourably dealt withal, as ever the wolf was when he came with
an auricular confession of his murders to his brother fox for absolution:
but the former found as hard measure as ever the poor ass, that had only
♦ taken a straio by mistake out of a pilgrim's pad, and yet upon confession,
was by Chancellour Fox pronounced unpardonable. This observation
extreamly scandalized Mr. Leet, who always thought that hearing a good
sermon had been a lesser fault than lying with one's neighbour's wife: and
had the same resentments that Austin sometimes had of the iniquity
which made "the transgression of a ceremony more severely reprehended
than a transgression of the law of God ;" but it made an everlasting impres-
sion upon his heart, when the judge of the court furiously demanded of
one then to be censured, " How he durst be so bold as to break the laws
of the church, in going from his own parish to hear sermons abroad?"
And the honest man answered, * Sir, how should I get faith else? For
the apostle saith. Faith comes by hearing the word preached; which faith
is necessary to salvation ; and hearing the word is the means appointed by
God for the obtaining and encreasing of it: and these means I must use,
whatever I suffer for it in this world." These words of that honest man
were blessed by God with such an effect upon the mind of Mr. Leet, that he
presently left his office in the Bishop's Court, and forsaking that " untoward

OB, THE HISTOBY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

157

ine oracle, in
? the Lord, it
Nun, Moses'
e colony was
Mosaic spirit;
s life, among
Jut they now
my years the
!s, as he had
d counsellor.
1 this gentle-
e a sufficient
fered to con-
xlked exactly

ose Mr. Wil-
Drief account,
mployment a
, he observed
to answer for
•e none to be
len any were
V made them-
ransgressions
e came with
3r absolution:
hat had only
on confession,

observation
aring a good
r'swife: and
the iniquity
reprehended
isting impres-
demanded of
•eak the laws
ms abroad?"
h else? For

which faith
appointed by
3 1 must use,

honest man
Leet, that he
it "untoward

generation of men," he associated himself with such as would go "hear
the word, that 1 • ^ <;ight get faith;" and in hearing, he did happily get
the like precious :. tth. On this, and for this, he was exposed unto the
persecution, which caused him to retire into New-England with many
worthy ministers and other Christians, in the year 1639. In that country
he settled himself under the ministry of the excellent Mr. Whitfield at
Guilford, where, being also chosen a magistrate, and then governour of
the colony; and being so at the juncture of time when the Royal Charter
did join Connecticut and New-Haven, he became next unto Governour
Winthrop, the deputy-governour of the whole; and after the death of
Mr, Winthrop, even until his own death, the annual election for about a
decade of years together, still made him governour. But in his whole
government he gave continual demonstrations of an excellent spirit, especi-
ally in that part of it where the reconciliation and* the coalition of the
spirits of the people under it was to be accomplished. Mr. Robert Treat
is the follower of his example, as well as the successor in his government.

HERMES CHRISTIANUS.-"

THE LIFE OF JOHN WINTHROP, ESQ., GOVERNOUR OF CONNECTICUT AND NEW-HAVEN UNITED.

— Et Noa aliquod Nomenque Deeuaque
Getsimut. — t

§ 1. If the historian could give that character of the best Roman
Emperor, that he was Bonus a Bono, Pius a PiOfUf. the son of a father like
himself, our history may affirm concerning a very good New-English gov-
ernour also, that b*^ was the father of a son like himself. The proverb of
the Jews which doth observe, "That vinegar is the son of wine;" and the
proverb of the Greeks, which doth observe, "That the sons of heroes are
trespassers," has been more than once contradicted in the happy experi-
ence of the New-Englanders : but none of the least remarkable contradic-
tions given to it has been in the honourable family of our Winthrops.

§ 2. The eldest son of John Winthrop, Esq., the governour of one
colony, was John Winthrop, Esq., the governour of another, in therefore
happy New-England, born February 12, 1605, at Groton in England. His
glad father bestowe ^. on him a liberal education at the university, first of
Cambridge in England, and then of Dublin in Ireland; and because travel
has been esteemed no little accomplisher of a young gentleman, he then

* The Christian Mercury (or Physician).

X The good and pioua son of a good and pious father.

t Some fame and honour we have won.

(■•■i

m^'---

158

MAGNALIA CHB18TI AMERICANA;

accomplished liimself by travelling into France, Holland, Flanders, Italy,
Germany, and as far as Turkey it self; in which places he so improved Ids
opportunity of conversing with all sorts of learned men, that he returned
home equally a subject of much experience and of great expectation.

§ 8. The son of Scipio Africanus proving a degenerate person, the
people forced him to pluck off a signet-ring which he wore with his
father's face engraven on it. But the son of our celebrated Governour
Winthrop, was on the other side so like unto his excellent father for early
wisdom and virtue, that arriving at New-England with his father's family,
November 4, 1631, he was, though not above twenty-three years of age, by
the unanimous choice of the people, chosen a magistrate of the colony,
whereof his father was the governour. For this colony he afterwards did
many services, yea, and he did them abroad as well as at home; very par-
ticularly in the year 1634, when returning for England, he was by bad
weather forced into Ireland, where being invited unto the house of Sir
John Clotworthy, he met with many considerable persons, by conferring
with whom, the affairs of New-England were not a little promoted ; but
it was another colony for which the providence of Heaven intended him
to be such another /liAer, as his own honourable ya^Aer had been to this.

§ 4. In the year 1635, Mr. Winthrop returned unto New-England, with
powers from the Lord Say and the Lord Brook to settle a plantation upon
the Long River of Connecticut, and a commissidn to be himself the gov-
ernour of that plantation. But inasmuch as many good people of the
Massachuset-colony had just before this taken possession of land for a
new-colony thereabouts, this courteous and peaceable gentleman gave them
no molestation; but having wisely accommodated the matter with them,
he sent a convenient number of men, with all necessaries, to erect a forti-
fication at the mouth of the river, where a town, with a fort, is now distin-
guished by the name of Say -Brook ; by which happy action, the planters
further up the river had no small kindness done unto them; and the
Indians, which might else have been more troublesome, were kept in awe.

§ 5. The self-denying gentleman, who had imployed his commission of
governour so little to the disadvantage of the infant-colony at Connecticut,
"vvr? himself, ere long, by election made governour of that colony. And
upon the restoration of King Charles II. he willingly undertook another
voyage to England, on the behalf of the people under his government,
•whose affairs he managed with such a successful prudence, that he obtained
a royal charter for them, which incorporated the colony of New-Haven
■with them, and invested both colonies, now happily united, with a firm
grant of priviledges, beyond those of the plantations which had been settled
before them. I have been informed, that while he was engaged in this
negotiation, being admitted unto a private conference with the King, he
presented his majesty with a ring, which King Charles I. had upon some
occasion given to his grandfather ; and the King not only accepted his

OK, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

169

iders, Italy,
iproved his
be returned
ctation.
person, the
re with his
Governour
ler for early
ler's family,
ra of age, by
the colony,
erwards did
i; very par-
was by bad
louse of Sir
jr conferring
)moted; but
itended him
en to this,
ngland, with
itation upon
elf the gov-
jople of the
' land for a
n gave them
with them,
srect a forti-
j now distin-
the planters
m; and the
kept in awe.
mmission of
Connecticut,
ilony. And
3ok another
government,
he obtained
New-Haven
with a firm
been settled
iged in this
le King, he
upon some
iccepted his

present, but also declared, that he accounted it one of his richest jeweU;
which indeed was the opinion that New-England had of the hand that
carried it. But having thus laid his colony under everlasting obligations
of gratitude, they did, after his return to Ne\» -England, express of their
gratitude, by saying to him as the Israelites did unto Gideon, "Eule thou
over us, for thou hast delivered us," chusing him for their governour twice
seven years together.

§ 6. When the governour of Athens was a phibsopher — namely, Deme-
trius — the commonwealth so flourished, that no less than three hundred
brazen statues were afterward by the thankful people erected unto his
memory. And a blessed land was New-England, when there was over part
of it a governour who was not only a Ohristian and a gentleman, but also
an Qimnent philosopher: for indeed the government of the state is then most
successfully managed, when the measures of it are, by a wise observer^ taken
from the government of the world; and very unreasonable is the Jewish
proverb, iVe Habites in urbe ubi caput nrbis est Mediaus:* but highly reason-
able the sentence of Aristotle, Ubi prceses fuerit Philosophiis, ibi Gwitas erit
Fcdix;\ and this the rather for what is truly noted by Thucydides, Magis-
trains est Civitatis A£edicus.\ Such an one was our Winthrop, whose
genius and faculty for experimental philosophy was advanced in his travels
abroad, by his acquaintance with many learned virtuosi. One effect of
this disposition in him, was his being furnished with noble medicines, which
he most charitably and generously gave away upon all occasions; inso-
much that where-ever he came, still the diseased flocked about him, as if
the healing angel of Bethesda had appeared in the place ; and so many
were the cures which he wrought, and the lives that he saved, that if Scan-
derbeg might boast of his having slain in his time two thousand men with
his own hands, this worthy person might have made a far more desirable
boast of his having in his time healed more than so many thousands; in
which beneficence to mankind, there are of his worthy children, who to this
day do follow his direction and example. But it was not unto New Eng-
land alone that the respects of this SLCcom^lished-philosopher were confined.
For whereas, in pursuance of the methods begun by that immortally
famous advancer of learning, the most illustrious Lord Chancellour Bacon,
a select company of eminent persons, usuing to meet in the lodgings of
Dr. Wilkins of Wadham Colledge in Oxford, had laid the foundation of
a celebrated society, which by the year 1663, being incorporated with a
Eoyal Charter, hath since been among the glories of England, yea, and
of mankind; and their design was to make faithful records of all the works
of nature or of art, which might come under their observation, and correct
what had heen false, restore what should be true, preserve what should be

* Nerer dwell in a city where the chief magistrate is a Physician,
t Where the king is a philosopher, the state will be prosperous,
t The magistrate is the physician of the state.

160

MAONALIA OHBISTI AMEBIOANA;

rare, and ander the knowledge of the world, as well more perfect as more
•useful; and by multiplied e:(perimeuts both of light and/ruiit, advance the
empire of man over the whole visible creation; it was the honour of Mr.
Winthrop to be a member of this Royal Society. And accordingly
among the philosophical transactions published by Mr. Oldenburgh, there
are some notable communications from this inquisitive and intelligent
person, whose insight into many parts of the creation, but especially of
the mineral kingdom, was beyond what had been attained by the most in
many parts of America. J

§ 7. If one would therefore desire an exact picture of this worthy man,
the description which the most sober and solid writers of the great philo-
sophick loork do give of those persons, who alone are qualified f< the smiles
of Heaven upon their enterprizes, would have exactly fitted him. He
was a studious, humble, patient, reserved and mortified person, and one in
whom the love of God was fervent, the love of man sincere : and he had
herewithal a certain extension of soul, which disposed him to a generous
behaviour towards those who, by learning, breeding and virtue, deserve
respects, though of a perswasion and profession in religion very different
from Ifis own; which was that of a reformed Protestant, and a New-English
Puritan. In sum, he was not more an adoptist in those noble and secret
medicines, which would reach the roots of the distempers that annoy humane
bodies, and procure an universal rest unto the archceus on all occasions of
disturbance, than he was in those Christian qualities, which appear upon
the cure of the distempers in the minds of men, by the effectual grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ.

§ 8. In the year 1643, after divers essays made in some former years,
the several colonies of New-England became in fact, as well as naiTiCj
UNITED COLONIES. And an instrument was formed, wherein having
declared, " That we all came into these parts of America with the same
end and aim — namely, to advance the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
enjoy the liberties of the gospel with purity and peace," — it was firmly
agreed between the several jurisdictions, that there should yearly be chosen
two commissioners out of each, who should meet at fit places appointed for
that purpose, with full powers from the General Courts in each, to concert
and conclude matters of general concernment for peace or war of the sev-
eral colonies thus confederated. In pursuance of this laudable confederacy,
this most meritorious governour of Connecticut colony accepted the trou-
ble of appearing as a commissioner for that colony, with the rest met at
Boston, in the year 1676, when the calamities of the Indian-wav were dis-
tressing the whole country : but here falling sick of a fever, he dyed on
April 5, of that year, and was honourably interred in the same tomb with
his honourable father.

§ 9. His father, as long ago as the year 1643, had seen cause to write unto
him an excellent letter, wherein there were these among other passages:

OB, THE HISTOBY OF NEW-ENQLAMD.

161

You are the chief of two families; I had by your mo...or three aons and three daughtere,
and I had with her a large portion of outwiu^ estate. These now are all gone; mother
gone; brethren and sisters gone; you only are left to see the vanity of these temporal things,
and learn wisdom thereby, which may be of more use to you, through the Lord's blessing,
than all that irikeritajice which might have befallen you, and for which this may stay and
quiet your heart, 'That God is able to give you more than this;' and that it being spent in
the furtherance of his work, which hath here prospered so well, through his power hitherto,
you and yours may certainly expect a liberal portion in the prosperity and blessing thereof
hereafter; and the rather, because it was not forced from you by a father's power, but freely
resigned by your self, out of a living and filial respect unto me, and your own readiness
unto the work it self. From whence as I do often take occasion to bless the Lord for you,
■0 do I also commend you and yours to his futherly blessing, for a plentiful reward to be
rendered unto you. And doubt not, my dear son, but let your faith be built upon his
premise and faithfulness, that as he hath carried you hitherto through many perils, and pro-
vidcd liberally for you, so he will do for the time to come, and will never fail you, nor for-

■nke you. My son, the Lord knows how dear thou art to me, and that my care has been

more for thee than for my self. But / know thy prosperity depends not on my care, nor on
thine own, but upon the blessing of our Heavenly Father; neither doth it on the things of
this world, but on the light of God's countenance, through the merit and mediation of our
Lord Je&us Christ It is that only which can give us peace of conscience with contentition;
which can as well make our lives happy and comfortable in a mean estate, as in a great
abundance. But if you weigh things aright, and sum up all the turnings of Divine Provi.
dence together, you shall find great advantage. — ^The Lord hath brought us to a good land;
a land where we enjoy outward peace and liberty, and, above all, the blessings of the gospel,
without the burden of impositions in matters of religion. Many thousands there are who
would give great estates to enjoy our condition. Ls'jour therefore, my good son, to increase
our thankfulness to God for all his mercies to thee, especially for that he hath revealed his
everlasting good-will to thee in Jesus Christ, and joined thee to the visible body of his
church, in the fellowship of his people, and hath saved thee in all thy travails abroad from
being infected with the vices of these countries where thou hast been, (a mercy vouchsafed
but unto few young gentlemen travellers.) Let him have the honour of it who kept thee.
He it was who gave thee favour in the eyes of all with whom thou hadst to do, both by sea
and land; he it was who saved thee in all perils; and he it is who hath given thee a gift in
understanding and art; and he it is who hath provided thee a blessing in marriage, a com-
fortable help, and many sweet children; and hath hitherto provided liberally for you all: and
therefore I would have you to love him again, and serve him, and trust him for the time to
come. Love and prize that word of truth, which only makes known to you the precious
and eternal thoughts and councils of the light inaccessible. Deny your own ii^isdom, that
you may find his; and esteem it the greatest honour to lye under the simplicity of the gos-
pel of Christ crucified, without which you can never enter into the secrets of his tabernacle,
nor enjoy those sweet things which 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor can the he.irt of
man conceive;' but God hath granted unto some few to know them even in this life. Study
well, my son, the saying of the apostle, 'Knowledge puffeth up.' It is a good gift of God,
but when it lifts up the mind above the cross of Christ, it is the pride of life, and the high
way to apostacy, wherein many men of great learning and hopes have perished.— In all the
exereise of your gifts, and improvement of your talents, have an eye to your Master's end,
more than your own; and to the day of your account, that you may then have your Quiettts
est, even 'Well done, good and faithful servant!' But my last and chief request to you
is, that you be careful to have your children brought up in the knowledge and fear of God,
and in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. This will give yon the best comfort of them,
and keep them sure from any want or miscarriage: and when you part from them, it will be
no small joy to your soul, that you shall meet them again in heaven K*

Vol. I.— 11

162

IIAQNALIA CHBI8TI AMERICANA;

Doubtless, the reader considers the hiatorical passages in this extract
. of the letter thus recited. Now, but by making this reflection upon the
rest, that as the propftetical part of it was notably fulfilled in the estate
whereto the good providence of Qod recovered this worthy gentleman
and his family, so the monitory port of it was most exemplarily attended
in his holy and useflil conversation. I shall therein briefly sum up the
life of a person whom we shall call a second unto none of our worthies,
but as we ciiUl him our second Winthrop.

BPITAPHIUM. ^ ■

Abi Viator;
Bt Luge pluret nutgutratut in Uno periitte. '' ''\

Rrdi Viator.
JVoR Periit, td.ad Cakitem Soeietutem
Segim MngU Ktgiam,
Vtre Adeptut,
Abiit!
WiNTHKOFUS, iVon minor magnit M«iorihu.*

•''-'in

U iLtl) iDdt Jb <L Ju Jit lAi X iL •

ASSI8TBNT8.

MAGISTRATES OF CONNECTICUT COLONT,

BEFORE NEW-RATEN COLONY WAS ACTUALLY ANNEXED tJNTO IT, WERE, BESIDES THE TWO ALTERNATILr

FOR THE MOST FART ELECTED OOVERNOVRS, HOPKINS AND HAINES,

Roger Ludlow,

IIKM.

William Ludlow,

1640.

Matthew Allyn,

1658.

John SievI,

1638.

William Hopklni,

1643.

Richard Treat,

loss.

Wllllun Pli«4|i«,

1038.

Henry Wooktul,

1643.

Thomas Baker,

i6se.

WllUnm WtniwiMMl,

lOM.

aoorgo Foi.wick,

1644.

Mulford,

165R.

AmlrowWard, *

1636.

Coaraore,

1647.

Alexander Knowlea,

1658.

ThomM Wulltr

1637.

John Howel,

1647.

John Welh,

1658.

!'"lam 8wit}-n,

1637.

John Culliok,

1648.

Robert Band,

1659.

Alatthow Mltohol,

1637.

Henry Clark,

16S0.

^wirnnr

1601.

Guurgo Hum

1037.

John winthrop,

16S1.

John Allyo,

1003.

WllllHm WlilUng,

1637.

Thomas Topping,

1651.

Daniel Clark,

1003.

John Mwnn,

16S7.

JohnTaloot,

16M.

Bamuel Sherman,

1003.

Gaorge VVIlUt,

16311.

John Ogden,

1656.

John Young,

1064.

Juhu U'ulMtor,

1630.

Nathan Gold,

1657.

QISTRATKS OF NEW-

HAVEN COLONY, BEFORE CONNECTICUT COLONY

COULD ACCOMPLISH ITS

COALITI

THEREWITH, WERE,

BESIDES THE OOVERNOVRS ELSEWHERE MENTIONED,

BIrphon OiKMlyMT,

1637.

Bei\Jamin Fen,

10S4.

Thomas Crlgaun,

1637.

William Fowler,

1637.

Matthew Gilbert,

1058.

Rlchunl Malbun,

J«S7.

Francis Newman,

16S3.

Jasper Crane,

1058.

William l*«U

1637.

Astwood,

1653.

Robert Treat,

1050.

John OMburuugh,

1637.

Samuel Eaton,

1654.

William Jones,

1609.

•EPITAPH.

Go, Traveller;

And mourn the loss of muny magistrates In the person of one.

Return, Traveller;

Ho la not dead, bat haa gone to Join a society In Heaven, more rofl than the Royal Society:

Winthrop, not inferior to his own noble ancestors.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

168

ALTBRllATILr

16.W.

loss.

16BB.

1658.

)Wlea«

1658.
1658.

1659.

1661.

1603.

1602.

an,

1603.
1664.

SH ITS COALITIOK

».

1
Brt,

lOM.
1058.
1658.

1650.

»l

looa.

MAOISTKATn ArRR THE TWO

John WInihrop, Oob. 1605.

John Maaon, 1605.

Mstlhew Allyn, 1005.

Pamuel Willys, 1605.

Nathan GuM, 1605.

John Talcot, 1005.

Honry Woolcot, 1605.

John Allyn, 1005.

Samuel Shorman, 1065.

Jainos RIchardR, 1665.

William Leot, 1605.

COLORIU WERE CONTENT,
ONE, WERE,

William Jonot,
Bonjamin Fen,
Jaaper Crane,
Daniel Clark,
Alexander Bryana,
James Bishop,
Anthohy Howklna,
Thomas Wells,
John Nosh,
Robert Treat,

ACCORnlNO TO THEIR CHARTER, TO BECOME

1005, Thomas Topping, 1074.

IflOS. Matthew Gilbert, 1077.

1005. Andrew Leet, 1078.

1666. John Wodsworth, 1079.

1008. Robert Chapman, 1081.

1608. James Filch, 1081.

1668. Samuel Mason, 1083.

1008. Benjamin Newbury, 1688.

1073. Samuel Talcot, 1085.

1S73. Giles Hamlin 108S.

While the colonies were clusters of rich grapes, which had a blessing in
them, such leaves as these (which ia, in the proverbs of the Jewish nation,
a name for magistrates) happily defended them from the storins that
molest the world.

Those of the. least character among them, yet camo up to what the
Eoman commonwealth required in their magistrates :

Pupulut Homanut delegit Magiatratua, quaai RtipMiea Villieoa, in quibua, at qua prtcterea
tat Ara, facile patitur; tin minua, tirtute eorum et Inmeentia Contentua e$t.—Cic. Orat.

Pro Plan.*

A , ■ >'■ - •

* The Roman people selected iaetr magisirates as if they were to be stf wards of the Republic. Profloiency, in
other departments, it it existed, they gladly tolerated ; bur if snch additional accomplishments were lacking, they
were content with the Tirtue and honesty of their public servants.

PIETAS IN PATRIAM.*

THE LIFE OF HIS EXCELLENCY SIR WILLIAM PHIPS, KNT.,

LATE CAFT'N-OENERAL AND OOVERNOUR IN CHIEF OF THE PROVINCE OF THE HASSACHU8BT BAT.

CONTAIMINO THE MEMORABLE CHANGES UNDERGONE, AND ACTIONS PERFORMED BY HDL
WRITTEN BY ONE INTIMATELY ACQUAINTED WITH UIM.

Diteite Virtutem ex Hoe, verumque Laborem.i

The author of the followinjr narrative, is a person of such well-known integrity, prudence
and veracity, that there is not any cause to question the truth of what he here relates. And
moreover, this writing of his is adorned with a very grateful variety of learning, and doth
contain such surprizing workings of Providence, as do well deserve duo notice and observa>
tion. On all which accounts, it is with just confidence recommended to the publick by

Nath. Mather,
John Howe,
jpHi 87, iao7. Matth, Mead.

To hit Exeelleney the Earl of Bellomont, Baron v' Coloony in Ireland, General Governour
of the Province of Matsaehusete in New England, and the Province* annexed.

Mat it please your Excellency: The station in which the hand of the God of heaven
hath disposed his Majesty's heart to place your honour, doth so manifestly entitle your
Lordship to this ensuing narrative, th.it its being thus presented to your Excellency's hand,
is thereby both apologized for and justified. I believe hud the writer of it, when he penned
it, had any knowledge of your Excellency, he would himself have done it, and withal would
have amply and publickly congratulated the people of New-England on ncuount of their
huvhig such a governour, and your Excellency on account of your being mnde governour
over them. For though as to some other things it may possibly be a place to some perfions
not so desirable, yet I believe this character may be justly given of them, that they ore the
best people under heaven ; there being among them not only less of open profaneness, and
less of lewdness, but also more of the serious profession, practice, and power of Chris-
tianity, in proportion to their number, than is among any other people upon the face of the
whole earth. Not but I doubt there are many bod persons among them, nnd too many dis-
tempered humours, perhaps even among those who are truly good. It would be a wonder
if it should be otherwise; for it hath of late years, on various accounts, and some very
singular and unusual ones, been a day of sore temptation with that whole people. Never-
theless, as I took upon it as a favour from God to those plantations, that he hath set your
Excellency over them, so I do account it a favour from God to your Excellency, that he
hath committ«d and trusted in your hand so great a part of his peculiar treasure and pre-
cious jewels, as are among that people, Besides, that on other accounts the Lord Jesus
hath more of a visible interest in New-England, than in any of the outgoings of the English
nation in America. They have at their own charge not only set up schools of lower learn-
ing up and down the country; but have also erected an University, which hath been the
happy nursery of many useful, learned, and excellently accomplished persons. And more-
over, from them hath the blessed gospel been preached to the poor, barbarous, savage
heathen there; and it hath taken such root among them, that there were lately four-and-

• DoToted love of ooTmUy.

t From him leam virtue and lifet truest work.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

165

twenty sMcmblict In which the name of the Lord htm wm constantly called en, and cele-
brated In their own language. In theae things Now.£ngland outahineth all the colonies of
tlio EngUah In tiioae goings down of the sun. I know your Excellency will Ikvour and
countenanco tli t University, and olso the propagating of the gospel among the natives;
for the Interest of Christ in ''ut port of the earth la much concerned in them. That the
Ood of the Hpirlts of all flesli would abundantly replenish your Exi'ellem<y with a suitable
spirit for the service to which he hath called your Lordship, tlwt h« would give your honour
a prosperous voyage thither, and when there, make your Excellency a rkh bleaaing to that
people, and them a rejoicing to your Excollonoy, is the prayer of.

My Lord, Your Excellency's most humble servant,
jfrit 97, 1007. Nath. Mather.

il Govertwur
nexed.

Sod of heaven
ir entitle your
tllcncy's hand,
icn he penned
withal would
;ount of their
ide governour
some persons
it they are the
ofaneness, ond
»wer of Chris-
he face of the
too many dis-
be a wonder
ind some very
pople. Never-
hath set your
lency, that he
insure and pre-
tho Lord Jesus
of the English
if lower lenm-
hath been the
And morc-
barous, savage
lately four-and-

n truest work.

^■%

E "'.

THE LIFE OF HIS EXCELLENCY SIR WILUAM PIUPS, KOT.

§ 1. If such a renowned chymiat as Quercctanua, with a whole tribe
of "labourers in the fire," since that learned man, find it no easie thing to
make the common part of mankind believe that they can take a plant in
its more vigorous consistence, and after a due vmKrati'on, fenufntaU'on and
separation, extract the salt of that plant, which, as it were, in a chaos^ invis-
ibly reserves the fotin of the whole, with its vital principle; and, that
keeping the salt in a glass hermetically sealed, they can, by applying a soji
Jire to the glass, make the vegetable rise by little and little out of its ashes,
to surprize the spectators with a notable illustration of that >r.*f»nw6on, in
the faith whereof the Jews, returning from the graves of their friends, pluck
up the grass from the earth, using those wonls of the Scripture thereupon,
"Your bones shall flourish like an herb:" 'tis likely, that all the observa-
tions of such writers as the incomparable BoroUus, will find it hard enough
to produce our belief that the essential salts of animals may be so prepared
and preserved, that an ingenious man may have the whole ark of Noah
in his own study, and raise the fine shape of an animal out of its ashes at
his pleasure: and that, by the like method from the easenfial salts rf
humane dust, a philosopher may, without any criminal necromancy, call up
the shape of any dead ancestor from the dust whereinto his IkhIv has been
incinex-ated. The resurrection of the dead will be as just, as great an arti-
cle of our creed, although the relations of these learned men should pass
for incredible romances : but yet there is an anticipation of that blessed
resurrection, carrying in it some resemblance of these curiosities, which is
performed, when we do in a hook, as in a glass, reserve the history of our
departed friends; and by bringing our ivann ajfectioi^ unto such an history,
we revive, as it were, out of their asJies, the true shajie of those friends,
and bring to a fresh view what was memorable and imitable in them.
Now, in as much as mortality has done its part upon a considerable person,
with whom I had the honour to be well acquainted, and a person as
memorable for the wonderful changes which befel him, as imitable for his
virtues and actions under those changes; I shall endeavour, with the

166

MAUN A LI A CIIUISTI AMERICANA}

chymistry of an impartial historian, to mUe my friund bo far out of bis
ashes, as to shew him again unto the world; and if the character of horo-
ick virtue bo for a man to deserve well of mankind, and be great in the
purpose and success of essays to do so, I may venture to promise my
reader such example of heroick virtue, in the story whereto I invito him,
that he shall say, it would have been little short of a vice in me to have
withheld it from him. Nor is it any partiality for the memory of my
deceased friend, or any other sinister design whatsoever, that has invited
me to this undertaking; but I have undertaken this matter from a sincere
desire that the ever-glorious Lord Jesus Ciiuist may have the glory of
his poiver and goodness, and of his providence, in what he did for such a
person, and in what he disposed and assisted that person to do for him.
Now, may he assist my writing, even he that prepared the subject whereof
I am to write !

§ 2. So obscure was the original of that memorable person, whose actions
I am going to relate, that I must, in a way of writing like that of Plutarch,
prepare my reader for the intended relation, by first searching the archives
of antiquity for a parallel. Now, because we will not parallel him with
Eumenes, who, though he were the son of a poor carrier, became a gov-
ernour of mighty provinces; nor with Marius, whose mean parentage did
not hinder his becoming a glorious defender of his country, and seven
times the chief magistrate of thcichiefest city in the universe; nor with
Iphicratcs, who became a successful and renowned general of a great peo-
ple, though his father were a cobler ; nor with Dioclesian, the son of a
poor scrivener; nor with Bonosus, the son of a poor school-master, who
yet came to sway the scepter of the Roman empire; nor, lastly, Avill I
compare him to the more late example of the celebrated Mazarini, who,
though no gentleman by his extraction, and one so sorrily educated that
he might have wrote man before he could write at all ; yet ascended unto
that grandeur, in the memory of many yet living, as to umpire the most
important affairs of Christendom: we will decline looking any further in
that hemisphere of the world, and make the "hue and cry" througout the
regions of America, the New World, which he that is becoming the subject
of our history, by his nativity, belonged unto. And in America, the first
that meets me is Francisco Pizarro, who, though a spimoits offspring,
exposed when a babe in a church-porch, at a sorry village of Navarre,
and afterwards employed while he was a boy in keeping of cattel, yet, at
length, stealing into America, he so thrived upon his adventures there,
that upon some discoveries, which with an handful of men he had in a
desperate expedition made of Peru, he obtained the King of Spain's com-
mission for the conquest of it, and at last so incredibly enriched himself
by the conquest, that he was made the first Vice-roy of Peru, and created
Marquess of Anatilla.

To the latter and highest part of that story, if any thing hindred his

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

167

Excellency Sir William Pirrrs from affording of a parallel, it woa not the
want either of design, or of counige, or of conduct in himself, but it was
t' ; fate of a premature imrtality. 1? or my reader now being satisflcd that
a person's being obscure in his drij^inal is net always a just prejudice to
an expectation of considcru')!© mature from him, I siuill now inform him
that this our Phips was bor, February 2, A. D. 1050, at a despicable
plantation on the river of Kenncbc(!k, and ahnost the furthest vilhigt; of
the eastern settlement of New-Englund. 1 'id as the father of that man
which was as great a blessing as England had in the age of that man was
a smith, so a gun-smith — namely, James Phij)8, once of Bristol — had the
honour of being the father to him wiiom we shall presently see made by
the God of Heaven as great a blessing to New-England as that country
could have had, if they themselves had pleased. His fruitful mother, yet
living, had no less than twenty-six children, whereof twenty-one were
sons; but equivalent to them all was William, one of the youngest, whom
his father, dying, left young with his mother, and with her he lived,
"keeping of sheep in the wilderness," until he was eighteen years old;
at which time he began to feel some further dispositions of mind from that
providence of God which "took him from the sheepfolds, from following
tho ewes great with young, and brought him to feed his people." Header,
enquire no further who was his father? Thou shalt anon see that he was,
as the Italians express it, "a son to his own labours I"

§ 8. His friends earnestly solicited him to settle among them in a plant-
ation of the east ; but he had an unaccountable impulse upon his mind,
perswading him, as he would privately hint unto some of them, "that he
was born to greater matters." To come at those "greater matters," his
first contrivance was to bind himself an apprentice unto a ship carpenter
for four years; in which time he became a master of the trade that once,
in a vessel of more i\\a.n forty thousand tuns, repaired the ruins of the earth;
Noah's, I mean ; he then betook himself an hundred and fifty miles fur-
ther a field, even to Boston, the chief town of New-England ; which being
a place of the most business and resort in those parts of the world, he
expected there more commodiously to pursue the Spes Majorum et Melio-
rum* — hopes which had inspired him. At Boston, where it was that he
now learned first of all to read and write, he followed his trade for about
a year; and, by a laudable deportment, so recommended himself, that he
married a young gentlewoman of good repute, who was the widow of one
Mr. John Hull, a well-bred merchant, but the daughter of one Captain
Roger Spencer, a person of good fashion, who, having suffered much
damage in his estate, by some unkind and unjust actions, which he bore
with such patience, that for fear of thereby injuring the publick, he would
not seek satisfaction, posterity might afterward see the reward of his
patience, in what Providence hath now done for one of his own. posterity.

* Hopes of greater and better things.

168

MAGNALIA QHBISTI AMEBICANA;

1:11

Within a little while after his marriage, he indented with several persons
in Boston to build them a ship at Sheeps-coat River, two or three leagues
eastward of Kennebeck; where having launched the ship, he also pro-
vided a lading of lumber to bring with him, which would have been to
the advantage of all concerned. But just as the ship was hardly finished,
the barbarous Indians on that river broke forth into an open and cruel
war upon the English ; and the miserable people, surprized by so sudden
a storm of blood, had no refuge from the infidels but the ship now finish-
ing in the harbour. Whereupon he left his intended lading behind him,
and, instead thereof, carried with him his old neighbours and their fami-
lies, free of all charges to Boston ; so the first action that he did, afl«r he
was his own man, was to save his father's house, with the rest of the neigh-
bourhood, from ruin ; but the disappointment which befel him from the
loss of his other lading, plunged his affairs into greater embarrassments
with such as had employed him.

§ 4. But he was hitherto no more than beginning to make scaffolds for
further and higher actions/ . He would frequently tell the gentlewoman
his wife that he should yet be captain of a King's ship; that he should
come to have the command of better men than he was now accounted him-
self; and that he should be owner of a fair brick-house in the Green-lane
of North-Boston ; and that, it may be, this would not be all that the prov-
idence of God would bring him to. She entertained these passages with
a sufficient incredulity ; but he had so serious and positive an expectation
of them, that it is not easie to say what was the original thereof. He was
of an enterprizing genius, and naturally disdained littleness: but his dispo-
sition for business was of the Dutch mould, where, with a little shew of wit,
there is as much wisdom demonstrated, as can be shewn by any nation.
His talent lay not in the airs that serve chiefly for the pleasant and sud-
den turns of conversation ; but he might say, as Themistocles, "Though
he could not play upon a fiddle, yet he knew how to make a little city
become a great oup." He would prudently contrive a weighty undertaking,
and then patiently pursue it unto the end. He was of an inclination cut-
ting rather like a hatchet than like a razor; he would propose very consid-
erable matters to himself, and then so cut through them, that no difficulties
could put by the edge of his resolutions. Being thus of the true temper
for doing of great things, he betakes himself to the sea, the right scene for
such things ; and upon advice of a Spanish wreck about the Bahamas, he
took a voyage thither; but with little more success than what just served
him a little to furnish him for a voyage to England; whither he went in '
a vessel, not much unlike that which the Dutchmen stamped on their first
coin, with these words about it: Inccrtum quo Fata ferant.* Having first
informed himself that there was another Spanish wreck, wherein was lost
a mighty treasure, hitherto undiscovered, he had a strong impression upon

* Nono can tell where Fate will bear me.

OB, THE HISTORY OF AEW-ENGLAND.

f#9

persons
leagues
Iso pro-
been to
Snisbed,
id cruel
I sudden
w finish-
ind him,
eir fami-
after he
he neigh-
from the
:as3ments

iffolds for
tlewoman
ae should
Qted him-
jreen-lane
the prov-
sages with
xpectation
; He was
his dispo-
lew of wit,
ttiy nation.
; and sud-
" Though
little city
idertaking,
nation eat-
ery consid-
difficulties
rue temper
ht scene for
ahamas, he
just served
he went in '
n their first
laving first
sin was lost
ession upon

his mind that he must be the discoverer; and he made such representations
of his design at White-Hall, that by the year 1688 he became the captain
tfa King's ship, and arrived at New-England commander of the Algier-
ilose, a frigot of eighteen guns and ninety -five men.

§ 5. To relate all the dangers through which he passed, both by sea
and knd, and all the tiresome trials of his patience, as well as of his couv'
age, w'aile year after year the most vexing accidents imaginable delayed
the success of his design, it would even tire the patience of the reader:
for very great was the experiment that Captain Phips made of the Italian
observation, " He that cannot suffer both good and evil, will never come
to any great preferment." Wherefore I shall supersede &\\ journal of his
voyages to and fro, with reciting one instance of his conduct, that showed
him to be a person of no contemptible capacity. While he was captain
of the Algier-Rose, his men growing weary of their unsuccessful enterprize,
made a mutiny, wherein they approached him on the quarter-deck, with
drawn swords in their hands, and required him to join with them in run-
ning away with the ship, to drive a trade of piracy on the South Seas.
Captain Phips, though he had not so much of a weapon as an ox-goad, or
a jaw-bone in his hands, yet, like another Shamgar or Samson, with a
most undaunted fortitude, he rushed in upon them, and with the blows
of his bare hands, felled many of them, and quelled all the rest. But this
is not the instance which I intended : that which I intend is, that (as it
has been related unto me) one day while his frigot lay careening, at a des-
olate Spanish island, by the side of a rock, from whence they had laid a
bridge to the shoar, the men, whereof he had about an hundred, went all
but about eight or ten to divert themselves, as they pretended, in the
woods; where they all entred into an agreement, which they signed in a
ring, That about seven o'clock that evening they would seize the captain,
and those eight or ten which they knew to be true unto him, and leave
them to perish on this island, and so be gone away unto the South Sea to
seek their fortune. Will the reader now imagine that Captain Phips, having
advice of this plot but about an hour and half before it was to be put in
execution, yet within two hours brought all these rogues down upon their
icnees to beg for their lives? But so it was! for these knaves considering
that they should want a carpenter with them in their villanous expedition,
.sent a messenger to fetch unto them the carpenter, who was then at work
upon the vessel; and unto him they shewed their articles: telling him
what he must look for if he did not subscribe among them. The carpenter
being an honest fellow, did with much importunity prevail for one half
hour's time to consider of the matter; and returning to work upon the
vessel, with a spy by them set upon him, he feigned himself taken with a
fit of the cholick, for the relief whereof he suddenly run unto the captain
in the great cabbin for a dram; where, when he came, his business was
only, in brief, to tell the captain of the horrible distress which he wjis

H r

MAGNALIA CIIKISTI AMERICANA;

fallen into; but the captain bid him as briefly return to the rogues in the
woods, and sign their articles, and leave him to provide for the rest. The
carpenter was no sooner gone but Captain Phips, calling together the fev
friends (it may be seven or eight) that were left him aboard, whereof ihe
gunner was one, demanded of them, whether they would stand by hitn
in the extremity which he informed them was now come upon him;
whereto they replied, "They would stand by him, if he could save them;"
and he answered, "By the help of God he did not fear it." All their
provisions had been carried ashoar to a tent, made for that purpose there;
about which they had placed several great guns to defend i6, in case of
any assault from Spaniards, that might happen to come that way. Where-
fore Captain Phips immediately ordered those guns to be silently drawned
and turned; and so pulling up the bridge, he charged his great guns
aboard, and brought them to bear on every side of the tent. By this time
the army of rebels comes out of the woods ; but as they drew near to the
tent of provisions, they saw such a change of circumstances, that they
cried out, "We are betrayed I" And they were soon confirmed in it, when
they heard the captain with a stern fury call to them, "Stand off, ye
wretches, at your peril!" He quickly saw them cast into a more than
ordinary confusion, when they saw him ready to fire his great guns upon
them, if they offered one step further than he permitted them : and when
he had signified unto them his resolve to abandon them unto all the des-
olation which they had purposed for him, he caused the hrideje to be again
laid, and his men begun to take the provisions aboard. When the wretches
beheld what was coming upon them, they fell to very humble entreaties;
and at last fell down upon their knees, protesting, "That they never had
any thing against him, except only his unwillingness to go away with the
Bang's ship upon the South-Sea design : but upon all other accounts, they
would chuse rather to live and die with him than with any man in the
world: however, since they saw how much he was dissatisfied at it, they
would insist upon it no more, and humbly begged his pardon." And when
he judged that he had kept them on their knees long enough, he having
first secured their arms, received them aboard; but he immediately

weighed anchor, and arriving at Jamaica, he turned them off. Now, with
a small company of other men he sailed from thence to Ilispaniola, where,
by the policy of his address, he fished out of a very old Spaniard (or Por-
tuguese) a little advice about the true spot where lay the wreck which he
had been hitherto seeking, as unprosperously as the chymists have tlieir
aurisick stone: that it was upon a reef of shoah^ a few leagues to the north-
ward of Port de la Plata, upon Hispaniola, a port so called, it seems, from
the landing of some of the shipwrecked company, with a boat full of plate,
saved out of their sinking frigot: nevertheless, when he had searched very
narrowly the spot, whereof the old Spaniard had advised him, he had not
hitherto exactly lit upon it. Such thorns did vex his affairs while he

OB, THE HI8T0EY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

171

waa in the Rose-frigot; but none of all these things could retund the edge
of his expectations to find the wreck; with such expectations he returbed
then into England, that he might there better furnish himself to prosecute
a new discovery; for though he judged he might, by proceeding a little
further, have come at the right spot; yet he found his present company
too ill a crew to be confided in.

§ 6. So proper was his behaviour, that the best noblemen in the king-
dom now admitted him into their conversation ; but yet he was opposed
by powerful enemies, that clogged his affairs with such demurrages, and
such disappointments^ as would have wholly discouraged his designs, if
his patience had not been invincihle. " He who can wait, hath what he
desireth." Thus his indefatigable ^aiie/ice, with a proportionable diligence,
at length overcame the difficulties that had been thrown in his way; and
prevailing with the Duke of Albemarle, and some other persons of quality,
to fit him out, he set sail for the fishing-ground, Avhich had been so well
baited half an hundred years before: and as he had already discovered
his capacity for business in many considerable actions, he now added unto
those discoveries, by not only providing all, but also by inventing many
of the instruments necessary to the prosecution of his intended fishery.
Captain Phips arriving with a ship and a tender at Port de la Plata, made
a stout canoo of a stately cotton-tree, so large as to carry eight or ten
oars, for the making of which periaga (as they call it) he did, with the
same industry that he did every thing else, imploy his own hand and adse,
and endure no little hardship, lying abroad in the woods many nights
together. This periaga, with the tender, being anchored at a place con-
venient, the periaga kept busking to and again, but could only discover a
reef of rising shoals thereabouts, called "The Boilers," — which, rising to
be within two or three foot of the surface of the sea, were yet so steep,
that a ship striking on them, would immediately sink down, who could
say how many fathom, into the ocean? Here they coulJ get no other pay
for their long peeping among the boilers, but only such as caused them to
think upon returning to their captain with the bad news of their total dis-
appointment. Nevertheless, as they were upon the return, one of the
men looking over the side of the periaga, into the calm water, he spied a
sea feather, growing, as he judged, out of a rock; whereupon they bad one
of their Indians to dive, and fetch this feather, that they might, however,
carry home something with them, and make, at least, as fair a triumph as
Caligula's. The diver bringing up the feather, brought therewithal a sur-
prizing story, that he perceived a number of great guns in the ivatery
ivorld where he had found his feather; the report of which great guns
exceedingly astonished the whole company ; and at once turned their des-
pondencies for their ill success into assurances that they had now lit upon
the true spot of ground which they had been looking for; and. they were
further confirmed in these assurances, when, upon further diving, the

s;-
11

I''

172

MAGNALIA CIIRI8TI AMERICANA;

Indian fetcht up a soiv, as they stiled it, or a lump of silver worth perhaps
two or three hundred pounds. Upon this they prudently buoyed the place,
that they might readily find it again ; and they went back unto their cap-
tain, whom for some while they distressed with nothing but such bad news
as they formerly thought they must have carried him : nevertheless, they
so slipt in the sow of silver on one side under the table, where they were
now sitting with the captain, and hearing him express his resolutions to
wait still patiently upon the providence of God under these disappoint-
ments, that when he should look on one side, he might see that odd thing
before him. At last he saw it ; seeing it, he cried out with some agony,
"Why! what is this? whence comes this?" And then, with changed
countenances, they told him how and where they got it. "Then," said
he, "thanks be to God! we are made;" and so away they went, all hands
to work ; wherein they had this one further piece of remarkable prosperity,
that whereas if they had first fallen upon that part of the Spanish wreck
where the pieces of eight had been stowed in bags among the ballast,
they had seen a more laborious, and less enriching time of it : now, most
happily, they first fell upon that room in the wreck where the bullion
had been stored up ; and they so prospered in this neio fishery^ that in a
little while they had, without the loss of any man's life, brought up thirty-
two ttins of silver; for it was now come to measuring of silver by tuns.
Besides which, one Adderly, of Providence, who had formerly been very
helpful to Captain Phips in the search of this wreck, did, upon former
agreement, meet him now with a little vessel here ; and he, with his few
hands, took up about six tuns of silver; whereof, nevertheless, he made
so little use, that in a year or two he died at Bermudas, and, as I have heard,
he ran distracted some while before he died. Thus did there once again
come into the light of the sun a treasure which had been half an hun-
dred years groaning under the loaters : and in this time there was grown
upon the plate a crust like limestone, to the thickness of several inches;
which crust being broken open by iron contrived for that purpose, they
knocked out whole bushels of rusty pieces of eight which were grown
thereinto. Besides that incredible treasure of plate in various forms,
thus fetched up, from seven or eight fathom under water, there were vast
riches of gold, and peayfe and jewels, which they also lit upon ; and, indeed,
for a more comprehensive invoice, I must but summarily say, "All that a
Spanish frigot uses to be enriched withal." Thus did they continue ^/ii'ny
till their provisions failing them, 'twas time to be gone ; but before they
went. Captain Phips caused Adderly and his folk to swear, that they
would none of them discover the place of the wreck, or come to the place
any more till the next ycr, when he expected again to be there himself.
And it was also remarkable, that though the sows came up still so fast,
that on the very last day of their being there they took up twenty, yet it
was aflerwards found, that they had in a manner wholly cleared that room
of the ship where those ma.isy things were stowed.

OE, THE III8T0KY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

178

But there was one extraordinary distress which Captain Phips now
found himself plunged into: for his men were come out with him upon
seamen's wages, at so much per month; and when they saw such vast
litters of silver sows and^ij/s, as they called them, come on board them at
the captain's call, they knew not how to bear it, that they should not share
all among themselves, and be gone to lead "a short life and a merry," in
a climate where the arrest of those that had hired them should not reach
them. In this terrible distress he made liis vows unto Almighty God, that
if the Lord would carry him safe home to England with what he had now
given him, "to suck of the abundance of the seas, and of the treasures hid
in the sands," he would for ever devote himself unto the interests of the
Lord Jesus Christ and of his people, especially in the country which he did
himself originally belong unto. And he then used all the obliging arts
imaginable to make his men true unto him, especially by assuring them
that, besides their wages, they should have ample requitals made unto
them ; which if the rest of his employers would not agree unto, he would
himself distribute his own share among them. Relying upon the word of
one whom they had ever found worthy of their love, and of their trust,
they declared themselves content; but still keeping a most careful eye upon
them, he hastened back for England with as much vioney as he thought he
could then safely trust his vessel withal ; not counting it safe to supply
himself with necessary provisions at any nearer port, and so return unto
the wreck, by which delays he wisely feared lest all might be lost, more
Avays than one. Though he also left so much behind him, that many from
divers parts made very considerable voyages of gleanings after his harvest;
which came to pass by certain Bermudians compelling of Adderly's boy,
whom they spirited away with them, to tell them the exact place where the
wreck was to be found. Captain Phips now coming up to London in the
year 1687, with near three hundred thousand pounds sterling aboard him, did
acquit himself with such an exemplary honesty, that partly by his fulfilling
his assurances to the seamen, and partly by his exact and punctual care to
have his employers defrauded of nothing that might conscientiously belong
unto them, he had less than sixteen thousand pounds left unto himself; as
an acknowledgment of which honesty in him, the Duke of Albemarle made
unto his wife, whom he never saw, a present of a golden cup, near a thou-
sand pound in value. The character of an honest man he had so merited in
the whole course of his life, and especially in this last act of it, that this,
in conjunction with his other serviceable qualities, procured him the favours
of the greatest persons in the nation; and "he that had been so diligent
in his business, must now stand before Kings, and not stand before mean
men." There were indeed certain mean men — if base, little, dirty tricks,
will entitle men to meanness — who urged the King to seize his whole cargo,
instead of the tenths, upon his first arrival ; on this pretence, that he had
not been rightly informed of the true state of the case when he granted

;i:l

174

MAGNALIA CIIRI8TI AMERICANA;

the patent, under the protection whereof these particular men had made
themselves masters of all this mighty treasure; but the King replied, that
he had been rightly informed by Captain Phips of the whole matter, as
it now proved; and that it was the slanders of one then present ^vhich
had, unto his damage, hindred him from hearkning to the information ;
wherefore he would give them, he said, no disturbance; they might keop
what they had had got; but Captain Phips, he saw, was a person of that
honesty, fidelity and ability, that he should not want his countenanco.
Accordingly the King, in consideration of the service done by him, in
bringing such a treasure into the nation, conferred upon him the honour
of knighthood; and if we now reckon him a knight of the golden fleece, the
stile might pretend unto some circumstances that would justifie it. Or
call him, if you please, "the knight of honesty;" fi^r it was honesty with
industry that raised him ; and he became a mighty river, without the run-
ning in of muddy water io make him so. Reader, now make a pause, and
behold one raised by God/

§ 7. I am willing to employ the testimonies of others, as much as may
be, to support the credit of my history : and therefore, as I have hitherto
related no more than what there are others enough to avouch ; thus I shall
chuse the words of an ingenious person, printed at London some years
ago, to express the sum of what remains, whose words are these:

"It has always been Sir Willinm Phips' disposition to seek the wealth of his people with
as great zeal and unweariedness, ns our publicans use to seek their loss and riiitu At first
it seems they were in hopes to gain this gentleman to their party, as thinking him good-
natured, and easie to be Hi.ttered out of his understanding; and the more, because they hud
the advantage of some no very good treatment, that Sir William had formerly met with
from the people and government of New-Engliind. But .r William soon shewed them that
what they expected would be his temptation to lead them into their little tricks, he embraced
as a glorious opportunity to shew his generosity and greatness of mind; for in imitation of
the ;reatest worthies that have ever been, he rather chose to join in the defence of his coun-
try, with some persons who formerly were none of his friends, than become the head of a
faction, to its ruin and desolation. It seems this noble disposition of Sir William, joined
with that capacity and good success wherewith he hath been attended, in raising himself by
such an occasion as it may be, all things considered, has never happened to any before him,
makes these men apprehensive ; — and it must needs heighten their trouble to see that he
neither hath, nor doth spare himself, nor any thing that is near and dear unto him, in pro-
moting the good of his native country."

When Sir William Phips was, pei' ardua ct aspera* thus raised into an
higher orb, it might easily be thought that he could not be without charm-
ing temptations to take the way on the left hand. But as the grace of
God kept him, in the midst of none of the strictest company, unto which
his affairs daily led him, from abandoning himself to the lewd vices of
gaming, drinking, swearing, and whoring, which the men "that made
England to sin" debauched so many of the gentry into, and he deserved
the salutations of the Roman poet:

* Along steep find nigged paths.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

176

Cuta Tu, inter gcabiem tantam et Contagia Lucri,
Nil purvum aapiaa, et adhuc Subltmia cure:*

Thus he was worthy to pass among the Instances of heroick vertue for
that humility that still adorned him : he was raised, and though he pru-
dently accommodated himself to the quality whereto he was now raised,
yet none could perceive him to be lifted up. Or, if this were not heroick,
yet I will relate one thing more of him that must certainly be accounted
so. He had, in his own country of New-England, met with provocations
that were enough to have alienated any man living, that had no more
than flesh and blood in him, from the service of it; and some that were
enemies to that country now lay hard at him to join with them in their
endeavours to ravish away their ancient liberties. But this gentleman
had studied another way to revenge himself upon his country, and that
wius to serve it, in all its interests, with all of his, even with his estate, his
time^ his care, \\\s, friends, and his very life! The old heathen vertue of
PiETAfj IN PATRiAM, or, Lovc to one's country, he turned into Christian;
and so notably exemplified it, in all the rest of his life, that it will be an
essential thread which is to be now interwoven into all that remains of
his history and his character. Accordingly, though he had the Oij.-rs of a
very gainful place among the commissioners of the navy, with many other
invitations to settle himself in England, nothing but a return to New-
England would content him. And whereas the charters of New-England
being taken away, there was a governour imposed upon the territories
with as arbitrary and as treasonable a commission, perhaps, as ever was
heard of — a commission, by which the governour, with three oi four
more, none of whom were chosen by the people, had power to make what
laws they would, and levy taxes, according to their own humours, upon
the people — and he himself had power to send the best men in the land
more than ten thousand miles out of it, as he pleased; and in the execu-
tion of his power, the country was every day suffering intoUerable inva-
sions upon their proprieties, yea, and the lives of the best men in the
territory began to be practised upon : Sir William Phips applied himself
to consider what Wf'.a the most significant thing that could be done by
him for that poor people in their present circumstances. Indeed, when
King James offered, as he did, unto Sir William Phips an opportunity to
ask what he pleased of him, Sir William generously prayed for nothing
but tins, "That New-England might have its lost priviledges restored."
The King then replied, " Any thing but that!" Whereupon he set him-
self to consider what was the next thing that he might ask for the service,
not of ^imself^ but of his country. The result of his consideration was,
that by petition to the King, he obtained, with expence of some hundreds
of guineas, a Patent, which constituted him the high-sheriff of that country;

• Thnt sprendiii? leproeiy, the I.uat ofnain,
Thy iioblur spirit dares not to pollute ;

But wiser wishes in thy henrt remain,
And dignify thy life's sublime pursuit,— HoR.

176

UAQNALIA CIIRI8TI AMERICANA;

hoping, by his deputies in that office, to supply the country still with
consciencious juries, which was the only method that the New-Englandera
had left them to secure any thing that was dear unto them. Furnished
with this patent, after ho had, in company with Sir John Narborough,
made a second visit unto the tvreck^ (not so advantageous as the former,
for a reason already mentioned,) in his way he returned unto New-Eng*
land in the summer of the year 1688, able, after five years' absence,
to entertain his lady with some accomplishment of his predictions ; and
then built himself a *' fair brick house" in the very place which we fore-
told, the reader can tell how many sections ago. But the infamous gov-
ernment then rampant there, found a way wholly to put by the execution
of his patent; yen, he was like to have had his person assassinatied in the
face of the sun, before his own door, which, with some further designs
then in his mind, caused him within a few weeks to take another voyage
for England.

§ 8. It would require a long summer's day to relate the miseries which
were come, and coming in upon poor New-England, by reason of the
arbitrary government then imposed on them; a government wherein,
as old Weudover smys of the time, when strangers were domineering over
subjects in Enghmd, Judicia committehantur Injustis, Leges Exlegibiis, Pax
Discoi-ihntibus, Justith fujunosis;*^ end foxes were made the administrators
of justice to the jf)o»//»ry; yet some abridgment oi them is necessary for
the better understanding of the matters yet before us. Now, to make
this abridgment imp;i 'tial, I shall only have recourse unto a little book,
printed at London, under the title of "T'/ie -Revolution of New-England
Justified ;^^ wherein wo have a "narrative of the grievances" under the
maleadministrations of that government, written and signed by the chief
gentlemen of the governour's council ; together with the sworn testimo-
nies of many good men, to prove the several articles of the declaration,
which the New-Englanders published against their oppressors. It is in
that book demonstrated :

"Thiit tlio govornour, noglcctiiig the greater number of hia council, did adhere principally
to the advice of a few stntngers, who were persona without any interest in the country, but
of declared prejudice against it^ and had plainly laid their designs to make an unreasonable
profit of the poor people: and four or five persons had the absolu*-e rule over a territory,
the most considerable of any belonging to the crown.

That when laws were proposed in the council, though the major part at any time dissented
from them, yet, if the governour wore positive, there was no fair counting the number of
counsellors consenting, or dissenting, but the laws were immediately engrossed, published
and executed.

That this Junto made a law, which prohibited the inhabitants of any town to meet .ibout
their town aiTaira above once in a year; for fear, you must note, of their having any oppor-
tunity to complain of grievances.

That they made another law, requiring all masters of vessels, even shallops and wood-
boats, to give security that no man should be transported in them, except his name had been
• Btgbts wero untnutmt lo iiivait(>rs of rtKlit— Inwa to Ihu lo\vIos»— peace to poace-bruukcrs— and jiistico to tlic unjust.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

177

1 witli
andera
nished
rough,
former,
w-Eng*
bsenee,
is; and
ve fore-
US gov-
:ecution
i in the
designs
voyage

!S which
1 of the
wherein,
ing over
bus, Pax
listrators
issary for
to make
;le book,
■England
nder the
the chief
testimo-
edaration,
It is in

3 principally

Eountiy, but

nreasonable

a territory,

ne dissented
number of
d, publislied

meet about
J any oppor-

s and wood-
mc had been
Icp to lUo unjust.

■0 many days posted up : whereby the pockets of a few leeches hbd been filled with feex,
but the whole trade of the country destroyed; and all attempts to obtain a redrew of these
things obstructed ; and wlicn this act had been strenuously opposed in coun *; Boston,
they carried it as far as New-York, where a crew of them enacted it.

That without any assembly, they levied on the people a penny in t!ie pound of all their
estates, und twenty-pence per head as poll-money, with a penny in the pound for goods
imported, besides a vast excise on wine, rum, and other liquors. .

That when among the inhabitants of Ipswich, some of the principal persons modestly
gave reasons why they could not chuso a commissioner to tax the town, until the King
should first be petitioned for the liberty of an assembly, they were committed unto gaol
for it, as an "high misdemeanor," and were denied an habeas corpus, and were dragged many
mik's out of their own county to answer it at a court in Boston ; where jurors were pickt for
the turn, that were not freeholders — nay, that were nicer sojourners; and when the prisoners
pleaded the priviledges of Englishmen, "That they should not be taxed without their own
consent;" they were told, "That those things would not follow them to the ends of the
earth;" as it had been before told them in open council, no one in the council contradicting
it, " You have no more priviledges left you but this, that you are not bought and sold for
slaves :" and, in fine, they were all fined severely, and laid under great bonds for their good
behaviour; besides all which, the hungry officers extorted fees from them that amounted
unto an hundred and threescore pounds; whereas in England, upon f j like prosecution, the
fees would not have been ten pounds in all. After which fivshion the townsmen of many
other places were also served.

That these men, giving out that the charters being lost, all the title that the people had
unto their lands was lost with them ; they began to compel the people evoiy where to take
patenla for their lands: and accordingly torits of inimsion were issued out against the chief
gentlemen in the territory, by the terror whereof, many were actually driven to petition for
patents, that they might quietly enjoy the lands that had been fifty or sixty years in their
possfssion ; but for these patents there were such exorbitant prices demanded, that fifty
pounds could not purchase for its owner an estate worth two hundred, nor could all the
money and moveables in the territory have defrayed the charges of patenting tiie lands
at the hands of these crocodiles ; besides the considerable quit-rents for the King. Y'ca»
the governour caused the lands of particular persons to be measured out, and given to his
creatures: and some of his council petitioned for the commons belonging to several town»;
and the agents of the towns going to get a voluntary subscription of the inhabitants to
maintain their title at law, they have been dragged forty or fifty miles to answer aa criminals
at the next assizes; the officers in the mean time extorting three pounds per man for
fetching them.

Tliat if these harpies any time, were a little out of money, they found ways to imprison
the best men in tlie c> ry; and there appeared not the least information of any crime
exhibited against them, yet they were put unto intolerable oxpences by these greedy
oppressors, and the henefit of an habeas corpus not allowed unto them.

That packt and pickt juries were commonly made nsc of when, under a pretended y;;rrn of
law, the trouble of some honest and worthy men wiis aimed at; and these also were hurried
out of their own counties to be tried, when juries for the turn were not like to be found
there. The greatest rigour being used still towards the soberest sort of people, whilst ii\
the mean time the most horrid enormities in the world, committed by others, were overlooked.

That the publick ministry of the gospel, and all schools of learning were discountenanced
unto the utmost."

And several more such abominable things, too notorious to be denied,
even by a Randolphian impudence it self, are in that book proved against
that unhappy government. Nor did that most ancient set of the Phoeni-
Vol. I.— 12

^V^l

■- ■

i ft

178

MAQNALIA CHRISTI AMEBIOANA;

cian shepherds, who scrued the government of Egypt into their hands, as
old Manethon tells us, by their villanies, during the reigns of those tyrants,
make a shepherd more of an abomination to the Egyptians in all after
ages, than these wolves under the name of shepherds have made the remem-
brance of their French government an abomination to all posterity among
the Nevv-Englanders: a government, for which, now, reader, as fast as
thou wilt, get ready this epitaph :

Nulla gu<Bnta Scelere Potenlia diuturna.*

It was under the resentments of these things that Sir William Phipa
returned into England in the year 1688, in which twice rvonder/ul-year such
a revolution was wonderfully accomplished upon the whole government
of the English nation, that New-England, which had been a specimen of
what the whole nation was to look for, might justly hope for a share in
the general deliverance. Upon this occasion Sir William offered his best
assistances unto that eminent person who a little before this revolution
betook himself unto White-Hall, that he might there lay hold on all
opportunities to procure some relief unto the oppressions of that f ftiioted
country. But seeing the New-English affairs in so able an hand, he
thought the best stage of action for him would now be New-Engiand it
self; and so with certain instructions from none of the least considerable
persons at White-Hall, what service to do for his country, in the spring
of the year 1689 he hastened back unto it. Before he left London, a
messenger from the abdicated king tendered him the government of New-
England, if he would accept it ; but as that excellf c.^ attorney general,
Sir William Jones, when it was proposed that the iVlantations niight he
governed without assemblies, told the King "that he could no more grant
a commission to levy money on his subjects there, without their consent
by an assembly, than they could discharge themselves from their allegiance
to the English crown;" so Sir William Phips thought it his duty to
refiise a government ivithout an assembly, as a thing that was treason in the
very essence of it; and instead of petitioning the succeeding princes, that
his patent for high sheriff might be rendered effectual, he joined in peti-
tions, that New-England might have its own old patent so restored, as to
render ineffectual that, and all other grants that might cut short any of its
ancient priviledges. But when Sir William arrived at New-England, he
found anew face of things; for about an hundred Indians in the eastern
parts of the country, had unaccountably begun a war upon the English in
July, 1688, and though the governour then in the western parts had imme-
diate advice of it, yet he not only delayed and neglected all that was
necessary for the publick defence, but also when he at last returned, he
manifested p. most furious displeasure against those of the council, and all-
others thac had forwarded any one thing for the security of the inhabit-

* Power achieved by wicked BucccMes, con never be lactiog.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-KMOLANO

IS, as

ants,
after
nem-
nong
mt as

Phipa

r such

ninent

men of

lare in

lis best

oVition
on a\l

[iftiictcd

and, he

giand it

iderable

a spring

mdon, a

of New-
general,

night he

jre grant

• consent

illcgiance
duty to
on in the
nces, that

•,d in pcti-
>red, as to
any of its
igland, he
he eastern
inghsii in
lad imme-
that was
turned, he
cil, and all
le inhabit-

ants; while at the same time he dispatolied some of his oreatures upon
secret errands unto Canada, and set at liberty some of the most murder-
ous Indians which the English had seized upon.

This conduct of the governour, which is in a printai remonstrance of
some of the best gentlemen in the Council comphiinetl of, did cxtreamly
dissatisfie the suspicions people; who were doubtk\ss more extroam in some
of their suspicions, than there was any m?/ tHxttsion for: but the governour
at length raised an army of a tliousand English to conquer this himdred
Indians; and this army, whereof some of the chief commanders were
Papists, underwent the fatigues of a long and a cold winter, in the most
Caucasiean regions of the territory, till, without tho killing of one Indian,
there were more of the poor people killed than they had enemies there
alive ! This added not a little to tho dissatisfaction of the people, and it
would much more have done so, if they had seen what tho world had not
yet seen of the suggestions made by the Irish Catholicks ujjto the late King,
published in the year 1691, in the "Aceoutit of the state of the Protestants
in Ireland, licensed by the Earl of Nottingham," whereof one article runs
in these express terms, "That if any of the /mA cannot have their lands
in specie, but money in lieu, some of them ma}' transport themselves into
America, possibly near New-England, to check tho growing Indepeiuhnts
that country :" or if they had seen what was afterwards seen in a letter
from K. James to his Jfolincss (as they stile his /(X)/*'.s7i »&>>•) the Pope of
Kome; that it was his full purpose to have set up Kiunan-Catholick religion
in the English plantations of America: though, after all, there is cause to
think that there was more made of the susju'cioiut then tlying like wild-fire
about the country, than a strong clutriti/ would have countenanced. When
the people were under these /rights^ they had got by the edges a little intima-
tion of the then Prince of Orange's glorious undertaking to deliver England
from the feared evils, which were already /i7/ by New-England; but when
the person who brought over a copy of the Prince's thvhimtion was impris-
oned for bringing into the country a tretisomthk paj)ei\ and the governour,
by his proclamation, required all persons to use their utmost endeavours
to hinder the landing of any whom the Prince might send thither, tJu's put
them almost out of patience. And one thing that plunged the more con-
siderate persons in the territory into uneasie thoughts, was t\ic faulty action
of some soldiers, who upon the common suspicions, deserted their stations
in the army, and caused their friends to gather together here and there in
little bodies, to protect from the demands of the governour their poor
children and brethren, whom they thought bound for a W<W// sticrifice;
and there were also belonging to the Rose-frigot some that buzzed sur-
prising stories about Boston, of many mischiefs to be thenee expected.
Wherefore, some of the principal gentlemen in Boston, consulting what
was to be done in this extraordinary juncture, they all agreed they would,
if it were possible, extinguish all essays in tho people towards an insuirec-

fli

i:m

180

kAONALIA CIIRISTI AM HICANA;

ti&n, in daily hopes of orders from England for their safety : but that if the
country people, by any violent motions, pushed the matter on so far ns to
make a rcvobiiion uniivoidablc, then, to prevent the shedding of blood by
an ungoverned mooile, some of the gentlemen present should appear at
the head of the action with a declaration accordingly prepared. By the
eighteenth of April, 1689, things were pushed on so far by the people, that
certain persons first seized the captain of the frigot, and the rumor thereof
running like lightning through Boston, the whole town was immediately
in arms, with the most unanimous retiolntion perhaps that ever was known
to have inspired any people. They then seized those wretched men, who
by their innumerable extortions and ubmes had made themselves the
objects of universal hatred; not giving over till the governour himself
was become their prisoner; the whole action being managed without tl.c
least bloodshed or plunder, and with as inucii order as ever attended any
tumult, it may be, in the world. Thus did the New-Englandcra assert their
title to the common rights of Englishmen ; and except the plantations are
willing to degenerate from the temper of true Englishmen, or except the
revolution of the whole English nation be condemned, their action must so
far be justified. On their late oppressors, now under just confinement, they
took no other satisfaction, but sent them over unto AVhite-IIuU for the justice
of the King and Parliament. And when the day for the an!iiversary elec-
tion, by their vacated charter, drew near, they had many debates into what
form they should cast the government, which was till then.administrcd by
a "committee for the conservation of the peace," composed of gentlemen
whose hap it was to appear in the head of the late action ; but their debates
issued in this conclusion: that the governour and magistrates, which were
in power before the late usurpation, should resume their places, and apply
themselves unto the "conservation of the peace," and put forth what "acts
of government" the emergencies might make needful for them, and thus
to wait for further directions from the authority of England. So was there
accomplished a revolution which delivered New-England from grievous
oppressions, and which was most graciously accepted by the King and
Queen, when it was reported unto their Majesties. But there were new
matters for Sir William Phips, in a little while, now to think upon.

§ 9. Behold the great things which were done by the sovereign God,
for a person once as little in his own eyes as in otlier men's. All the returns
which he had hitherto made unto the God of his mercies, were but prelimi-
naries to what remain to be related. It has been the custom, in the churelies
of New-England, still to expect from such persons as they admitted unto
constant communion with them, that they do not only publickly and
solemnly declare their consent unto the "Covenant of grace," and particu-
larly to those duties of it, wherein a, particular clnirch-statc is more innne-
diately concerned, but also first relate unto the pastors, and by them unto
the brethren, the special impressions which the grace of God has made

bapt

und€

the

his

it, w

OK, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

181

upon their souls in bringing them to this consent. By this ciattom and
caution, though th(!y cannot keep lii/pocritcn from their sacred fellowship,
yet tliey go as far as they can to render and preserve themselves "churches
of saints," and they do further very much edille one another. When Sir
William Phips was now returned unto his own house, he began to bethink
himself, like David, concerning the house of the Ooti who had surrounded
him with so rn; uy favours in his own; and accordingly he applied himself
u.ito the North Church in Boston, that with his open profession of his hearty
subjection to tho gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, he might have the
ordinances and priviledges of the gospel added unto his other enjoyments.
One thing that quickned his resolution to do what might be in this matter
expected from him, was a passage which he heard from a minister preach-
ing on the title of the fifly-urst Psalm:

"To mnke a publick and nn open profesaic. of repentnni'e, is a thing not misbecnmingf
tho grcnteat mnn ulivo. It is an tionour to be fnunil nmon^ tlio ropi-ntinj^ people of God,
though they be in cireumstjinue!! never so full of suflfering. A famous Knight going with
other Christians to be crowned with martyrdom, observed that his fellow-sufferers were in
chains, from which tho Huciificers hud, because of his quality, exeuHcd him; whereupon he
demanded, that ho might wear chains as well as they. 'For,' said he, 'I would bo a Knight
of that order to.' TIktc is among ourselves a repi-ntiiig people of God, who by their coiu
fessions nt their admissions to his table, do nignalize their being so; nnd thanks be to God
that we have so little of suffering in our circumstances. But if any man count himself
grown too big to be a Knight of that order, the Lord Jesus Christ himself will one day be
ashamed of that man!"

Upon this excitation. Sir William Phips made his address unto a Con-
gregational-church, and he had therein one thing to propound unto himself,
which few persons of his age, so well satisfied in infant-baptism as he was,
have then to ask for. Indeed, in the primitive times, although the lawful-
ness of infant-baptism, ^ the precept and pattern of Scripture for it, was
never so much as once made a question, yet we find baptism was fre-
quently delayed by persons upon several superstitious and unreasonable
accounts, against vliich we have such fathers as Gregory Nazianzen,
Gregory Nyssen, Ikisyl, Chrysostom, Ambrose, and others, employing a
variety of argument. But Sir William Phips had hitherto delayed his
baptism, because the years of bis childhood were spent where there was
no settled minister, and therefore he was now not only willing to attain a
good satisfaction of his own internal and practical Christianity, before his
receiving that mark thereof, but he was also willing to receive it among
those Christians that seemed most sensible of the bonds which it laid them
under. Offering himself therefore, first unto the baptism, and then unto
the sup2Jer of the Lord, he presented unto the pastor of the church, with
his own hand- writing, tHe following instrument; which, because of the
exemplary devotion therein expressed, and the remarkable history which
it gives of several occurrences in his life, I will here faithfully transcribe
it, without adding so much as one word unto it

' *l

182

MAGNALIA CHKISTI AMERICANA;

"The first of God'a making me sensible of my sins, was in tlie year 1674, by hearing
your father preach concerning, 'The day of trouble near.' It pleased Almighty Gud to
smite me with a deep sence of my miserable condition, who had lived until then in the
world, and had done nothing for God. I did then begin to think ' what I should do to be
saved?' and djd bewail my youthful days, which I had spent in vain: I did think lliut I
would begin to mind the things of God. Being then sometime under your father's ministry,
much troubled with my burden, but thinking on that scripture, ' Come unto me, you that
are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest;' I had some thoughts of drawing us
near to the communion of the Lord Jesus as I could; but the ruins which the Indian warn
brought on my affairs, and the entanglements which my following the sea laid upon me,
hindred my pursuing the welfare of my own soul as I ought to have done. At length God
was pleased to smile upon my outward concerns. The various providences, both merciful
and afflictive, which attended me in my travels, were sanctified unto me, to make me acknowl-
edge God in all my ways. I have divers times been in danger of my life, and I have been
brought to see that I owe my life to him that has given a life so often to me: I thank God
he hath brought me to see my self altogether unhappy without an interest in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and to close heartily with him, desiring him to execute all his offices on my behalf.
I have now, for some time, been under serious resolutions that I would avoid whatever I
should know to be displeasing unto God, and that I would 'serve him all the days of my
life.' I believe no man will repent the service of such a master. I find my self unable to
keep such resolutions, but my serious prayers are to the Most High, that he would enable
me. God hath done so much for me, that I am sensible I owe my self to him; to him
would I give my self, and all that he has given to me.' I can't express his mercies to me.
But as soon as ever God had smiled upon me with a turn of my affairs, I had laid my self
under the vows of the Lord, 'That I would set my self to serve his people and churches
here unto the utmost of my capacity.' I have had great offers made mc in England ; but the
churches of New-England were those which my heart was most set upon. I knew that if
God had a people any where, it was here: and I resolved to rise and fall with them;
neglecting very great advant.iges for my worldly interest, that I might come and enjoy the
ordiiiances of the Lord Jesus here. It has been my trouble that, since I came home, I have
made no more haste to get into the house of God, where I desire to be: especially having
heard so much about the evil of that omission. I can do little for God, but I desire to wait
upon him in his ordinances, and to live to his honour and glory. My being born in a p»rt
of the country where I had not in my infancy enjoyed the first sacrament of the New-Testa-
ment, has been something of a stumbling-block unto me. But though I have hud profers
of baptism elsewhere made unto me, I resolved rather to defer it, until I might enjoy it in
the communion of these churches ; and I have had awful impressions from those words of
the Lord Jesus in Matth. viii. 38, 'Whosoever shall bo ashamed of me, and of my words,
of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed.' When God had blessed me with something
of the world, I had no trouble so great as this, ' lest it should not be in mercy ;' and I trembled
at nothing more than being 'put off with a portion here.' That I mfiy make sure of better
things, I now offer my self unto the communion of this church of the Lord Jesus."

Accordingly on March 23, 1690, after he had in the congregation of
North-Boston given himself up, "first unto the Lord, and then unto his
people," he was baptized, and so received into the communion of the
faithful there.

§ 10. Several times, about, before and after this time, did I hear him
express himself unto this purpose :

"I have no need at all to look after any further advanttiges for my self in this world; I
may sit still at home, if I will, and enjoy my ease for the rest of my life; but I believe that

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

183

I should offend God in my doing so: for I nm now in the prime of my age and strength,
and, I thanlt God, I ciiii undergo hardship: he only knows how long I have to live; but I
think 'tis my duty to venture my life in doing of good, before an useless old age cornea
upon me: wherefore I will now expose my self, while I am able, and as far as I am able,
for the service of my country: I was born for others, as well as my self."

I say, many a time have I heard him so express himself; and agreeable
to this generous disposition and resolution was all the rest of his life.
About this time New-England was miserably hriarcd in the perplexities of
an Indian war; and the salvages, in the east part of the country, issuing
out from their inaccessible swamps, had for many months made their cruel
depredations upon the poor English planters, and surprized many of the
plantations on the frontiers into ruin. The New-Englanders found that
while they continued only on the defensive part, their people were thinned,
and their treasures wasted, without any hopes of seeing a period put unto
the Indian tragedies : nor could an army greater than Xerxes' have easily
come at the seemingly contemptible handful of tawnies which made all this
disturbance; or Tamerlain, the greatest conqueror that ever the world
saw, have made it a business of no trouble to have conquered them : they
found that they were like to make no weapons reach their enswamped
adversaries, except Mr. Milton could have shown them how

To have pluckt up the hills with all their load —
Rocks, waters, woods — and by their shaggy tops,
* Up-lifiing, bore them in their hands, therewith
The rebel host to 've over-whelni'd.

So it was thought that the English subjects, in these regions of America,
might very properly take this occasion to make an attempt upon the
French, and by reducing them under the English government, put an
eternal period at once unto all their troubles from the Frenchified pagans.
This was a motion urged by Sir William Phips unto the General Court
of the Massachuset-colony ; and he then made unto the court a brave offer
of his own person and estate, for the service of the publick in their pres-
ent extremity, as far as they should see cause to make use thereof.
Whereupon they made a first essay against the French, by sending a naval
force, with about seven hundred men, under the conduct of Sir William
Phips, against L'Acady and Nova Scotia; of which action we shall give
only this general and summary account: that Sir William Phips set sail
from Nantascot, April 28, 1690, arriving at Port Royal, May 11, and had
the fort quickly surrendered into his hands by the French enemy, who
despaired of holding out against him. He then took possession of that
province for the English Crown, and having demolished the fort, and sent
away the garrison, administred unto the planters an oath of allegiance to
King William and Queen Mary, he left what order he thought convenient
for tlie government of the place, until further order should be taken by
the governour and council of the Massachuset-colony, unto whom he

til

184

MAQNALIA CHBI8TI AMERICANA;

returned May 30, with au acceptable account of his expedition, and accepted
a place among the magistrates of that colony, to which the freemen had
chosen him at their anniversary election two days before.

Thus the country, once given by King James the First unto Sir William
Alexander, was now by another Sir William recovered out of the hands
of the French, who had afterwards got the possession of it; and there was
added unto the English empire a territory, whereof no man can read Mon-
sieur Denys' '■^Description Oeographique et Historique des Costes de V AviC'
rique Septentrionale"* but he must reckon the conquest of a region so
improvable, for lumber, for fishing, for mines, and for furrs, a very con-
siderable service. But if a smaller service has, e'er now, ever merited a
knighthood. Sir William was willing to repeat his merits by actions of
the greatest service possible:

Nil Actum credena, si quid gnpereaaet agendum.i

§ 11. The addition of this French colony to the English dominion, was
no more than a little step towards a greater action, which was first in the
design of Sir William Phips, and which was, indeed, the greatest action
that ever the New-Englanders attempted. There was a time when the
Philistines had made some inroads and assaults from the northward upon
the skirts of Goshen, where the Israelites had a residence, before their
coming out of Egypt. The Israelites, and especially that active colony
of the Ephraimites, were willing to revenge these injuries upon their
wicked neighbours; they presumed themselves powerful and numerous
enough to encounter the Canaanites, even in their own country ; and they
formed a brisk expedition, but came off unhappy losers in it; the Jewish
Rabbins tell us, they lost no less than eight thousand men. The time was
not yet come; there was more haste than good speed in the attempt; they
were not enough concerned for the counsel and presence of God in the
undertaking; they mainly propounded the plunder to be got among a
people whose trade was that wherewith beasts enriched them; so the
business miscarried. This history the Psalmist going to recite says, "I
will utter dark sayings of old." Now, that what befel Sir William Phips,
with his whole country of New-England, may not be almost forgotten
among *' the dark sayings of old," I will here give the true report of a
very memorable matter.

It was Canada that was the chief source of New-England's miseries.
There was the main strength of the French ; there the Indians were mostly
supplied with ammunition ; thence issued parties of men, who, uniting with
the salvages, barbarously murdered many innocent New-Englanders, with-
out any provocation on the New-English part, except this, that Nf;w-
England had proclaimed King William and Q. Mary, which they said

• "Geographlcol ond Historical Description of the Son-Coast of North Amorica."
t Colling nothing dune while any thing remained to be done.

OR, THE HIS'^ORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

185

were usurpers; and as Cato could make no speech in the senate without
that conclusion, Deknda est Carthago^* so it was the general conclusion of
all that argued sensibly about the safety of that country, " Canada must
be reduced." It then became the concurring resolution of all New-Eng-
land, with New- York, to make a vigorous attack upon Canada at once,
both by sea and land.

And a fleet was accordingly fitted out from Boston, under the command
of Sir William Phips, to fall upon Quebeque, the chief city of Canada.
They waited until AugTist for some stores of war from England, whither
they had sent for that purpose early in the spring; but none at last
arriving, and the season of the year being so far spent. Sir William could
not, without many discouragements upon his mind, proceed in a voyage,
for which he found himself so poorly provided. However, the ships
being taken up, and the men on board, his usual courage would not permit
him to desist from the enterprize ; but he set sail from Hull near Boston,
August 9, 1690, with a fleet of thirty-two ships and tenders; whereof
one, called the Six Friends, carrying forty-four great guns, and two hun-
dred men, was admiral. Sir William, dividing the fleet into several
squadrons, whereof there was the Six Friends, Captain Gregory Sugars
commander, with eleven more of the admiral's squadron, of which one
was also a capital ship, namely. The John and Thomas, Captain Thomas
Carter commander; of the vice-admirals, the Swan, Captain Thomas Gil-
bert commander, with nine more ; of the rear-admir.is, the America-Mer-
chant, Captain Joseph Eldridge commander, with nine more, and above
twenty hundred men on board the whole fleet; he so happily managed
his charge, that they every one of them arrived safe at anchor before
Quebeck, although they had as dangerous, and almost untrodden a path^
to take un-pildtedj for the whole voyage, as ever any voyage was under-
taken with. Some small French prizes he took by the way, and set up
English colours upon the coast, here and there, as he went along; and
before the month of August was out, he had spent several days as far
onward of his voyage as between the island of Antecosta and tlie Main.
But when they entred the mighty river of Canada, such adverse winds
encountred the fleet, that they were three weeks dispatching the way,
which might otherwise have been gone in three days, and it was the fifth
of October, when a fresh breeze coming up at east, carried them along by
the north shore, up to the isle of Orleans ; and then haling southerly they
passed by the east end of that island, with the whole fleet approaching
the city of Quebeck. This loss of time, which made it so late before the
fleet could get into the country, where a cold and fierce winter was already
very far advanced, gave no very good prospect of success to the expedition ;
but that which gave a much ivorse, was a most horrid mismanagement^
which had, the mean while, happened in the west. For a thousand Eng-

* Cartbugti must be destroyed.

' l|

186

MAGNALIA CHEI8TI AMERICANA;

lish from New- York and Albany, and Connecticut, with fifteen hundred
Indians, were to have gone over-land in the west, and fallen upon Mount-
Royal, while the fleet was to visit Quebeck in the east; and no expedition
could have been better laid than this, which was thus contrived. But those
Englisli companies in the west, marching as far as the great Lake that was
to be passed, fouud their canoos not provided, according to expectation ;
and the Indians also were [Jiowf God knows, and will one day judge 1]
dissuaded from joining with the English; and the army met with such
discouragements, that they returned.

Had this western army done but so much as continued at the lake, the
diversion thereby given to* the French quartered at Mount-Royal, would
have rendred the conquest of Quebeck easie and certain ; but tie govern-
our of Canada being informed of the retreat made by the western-army,
had opportunity, by the cross winds that kept back the fleet, unhappily
to get the whole strength of all the country into the city before the fleet
could come up unto it. However, none of these difficulties hindred Sir .
William Phips from sending on shoar the following summons, on Monday
the sixth of October:

" Sir William Phips, Knight, General arid Commander in Chief, in and over their Majesties
Forces of Netr-England, by Sea and Land, to Count Frontenac, Lieutenant-General and
Governour for the French King at Canada; or, in his absence, to his Deputy, or him or
them in chief command at Quebeck :

"The war between tlie crowns of Engla-^d and France doth not only sufficiently u-arran/,
but the destruction made by tlie French and Indians, under your com:nand and encourage-
ment, upon the persons and estates of tlieir Majesties' subjects of New-England, without
provocation on tlicir part, hath put them under the necessity of this expedition, for their
nv,n security and satisfaction. And although the cruelties and barbarities used against
them by the French and Indians might, upon the present opportunity, prompt unto a severe
revenge, yet, being desirous to avoid all inhumane and unchristian-like actions, and to pre-
vent shedding of blood as much as may be:

"I, the aforesaid William Phips, Knight, do hereby, in the name and in the behalf of their
most excellent Majesties Willaim and Mary, King and Queen of England, Scotland, Franco
and Irelarid, Defenders of the Faith, and by order of their said Majesties' government of the
Massachiistt-colony in New-England, demand a present surrender of your .orts and castles,
undemolished, and the King's and other stores, unimbezzled, with a seasonable delivery of
nil captives; together with a surrender of all your persons and estjites to my dispose: upon
the doing whereof you may expect mercy from me, as a Christian, according to what shall
be found for their Majestl-s' service and the subjects' security. Which if you refuse forthwith
to do, I am come provided, and am resolved, by the help of God, in whom I trust, by force of
arms to revenge all wrongs and injuries offered, and bring you under subjection to the crown
of England ; and, when t<>o late, make you wish you had siccepted of the favour tendered.

"Your answer positive in an hour, returned by your own trumpet, with the return of mine,
is required, upon the peril that will ensue."

The summons being delivered unto Count Frontenac, his answer was:

"That Sir William Phips and those with him were hercticks and traitors to their King, and
liud taken up with that Ihiirjwr the Prince of Orjinge, and had made a revolution, which, if it
had not been made, New-England and the French had been all om : and that no otiier answer
wa8 to be expected from him but what should be from the moufli of his cannon"

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

187

General Phips now saw that it must cost him dry bhws, and that he must
roar his perswasions out of the mouths of gi-eat guns, to make himself
master of a city which had certainly surrendered it self unto him, if he
had arrived but a little sooner, and summoned it before the coming down
of Count Frontenac with all his forces, to command the oppressed people
there, who would have been, many of them, glader of coming under the
English government. Wherefore on the seventh of October, the English,
that were for the land service, went on board the lesser vessels, in order
to land; among which there was a bark, wherein was Captain Ephraim
Savage, with sixty men, that ran a-ground upon the north shoar, near two
miles from Quebeck, and could not get off, but lay in the same distress
that Scaeva did, when the Britains poured in their numbers upon the bark
wherein he, -.vith a few more soldiers of Csesar's army were, by the disad-
vantage of tht tide, left ashoar : the French, with Indians, that saw them
lye there, came near, and fired thick upon them, and were bravely answered ;
%nd when two or three hundred of the enemy at last planted a field-piece
against the bark, while the wind blew so hard that no help could be sent
unto his men, the general advanced so far as to level two or three great
guns conveniently enough to make the assailants fly ; and when the flood
came, the bark happily got off, without the hurt of one man aboard. But
so violent was the storm of wind all this day, that it was not possible for
them to land until the eighth of October: when the English, counting
every hour to be a week until they were come to battel, vigorously got
ashoar, designing to enter the east end of the city. The small-pox had
got into the fleet, by which distemper prevailing, the number of effective
men which now went ashoar, under the command of Lieutenant General
Walley, did not amount unto more than fourteen hundred ; but four com-
panies of these were drawn out asfoi-lorns, whom, on every side, the enemy
fired at ; nevertheless, the English rushing with a shout at once upon them,
caused them to run as fast as legs could carry them : so that the whole
English army, expressing as much resolution as was in Caesar's army,
when they first landed on Britain, in spight of all opposition from the
inh".bitants, marched on until it was dark, having first killed many of the
French, with the loss of but four men of their own ; and frighted about
seven or eight hundred more of the French from an ambuscado, where
they lay ready to fall upon them. But some thought that by staying in
the valley, they took the way never to get over the hill: and yet for them to
stay where they were till the smaller vessels came up the river before
them, so far as by their guns to secure the passage of the army in their
getting over, was what the council of war had ordered. But the violence
of the weather, with the general's being sooner plunged into the heat of
action than was intended, hindred the smaller vessels from attending
that order. And this evening a French deserter coming to them, assured
them that nine hundred men were on their march from Quebeck to meet

1 'I

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P.ii

188

MAQNALIA CIIBISTI AMERICANA;

them, already passed a little rivulet that lay at the end of the city, but
seeing them land so suddenly, and so valiantly run down those that
first encountered them, they had retreated: nevertheless, that Count
Frontenac was come down to Quebeck with no fewer than thirty hundred
men to defend the city, having left huififiy soldiers to defend Mount-Real,
because they had understood, that the English army on that side were
gone back to Albany. Notwithstanding this dis-spiriting information,
the common soldiers did with much vehemency beg and pray that they
might be led on; professing that they had rather lose their lives on the
spot, than fail of taking the city ; but the more wary commanders con-
sidered how rash a thing it would be for about fourteen hundred raw
men, tired with a long voyage, to assault more than twice as many expert
sold'ers, who were Oalli in suo sterquilinio, or "cocks growing on their
own dunghil." They were, in truth, now gotten into the grievous case
which Livy describes when he says, Ibi grave est helium gerere, nhi non
consistendi aut procedendo locus, quocumque aspexeris Hostilia sunt omnia ;^-
look on the one side or the other, all was full of hostile difficulties. And,
indeed, whatever popular clamour has been made against any of the com-
manders, it is apparent that they acted considerately, in making n pause
upon what was before them; and they did a greater kindness to their
soldiers than they have since been thanked for. But in tiiis time General
Phips and his men of war, with their canvas icings, flew close up unto the
west-end of the- city, and there he behaved himself with the greatest
bravery imaginable; nor did the other men of war forbear to follow his
brave example; who never discovered himself more in his element than
when, (as the poet expresseth it,)

, The slaughter-breathing brass grew hot, and spoke

In flames of lightning, and in clouds of smoke.

He lay within pistol-shot of the enemies' cannon, and beat them from
thence, and very much battered the town, having his own ship shot
through in almost an hundred places with four-and- twenty pounders, and
yet but one man was killed, and only two mortally wounded aboard him
in this hot engagement, which continued the greatest part of that night
and several hours of the day ensuing. But wondring that he saw no
signal of any effective action ashore at the east-end of the city, he sent
that he might know the condition of the army there; and received answer
that several of the men were so frozen in their hands and feet as to be
disabled from service, and others were apace falling sick of the small-pox.
Whereupon he ordered them on board immediately to refresh themselves,
and he intended then to have renewed his attack upon the city, in the
method of landing his men in the face of it, under the shelter of his great
guns; having to that purpose provided also a considerable number of well

* tt bi'comes n xriovoiiB thing: to pnieecute a war, when there ii no opportunity either to go forward or
draw buck ; and whtui, wherever we luuic, we nre conrronled with signs of hostiltty.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

189

but

shaped wheel-barrows, eacli of them carrying two Petarraros apiece, to
march before the men, and make the enemy fly, with as much contempt
as overwhelmed the Fhilistines, when undone hy foxes with torches in their
tails; (remembred in an anniversary diversion every April among the
ancient Eomans, tauglit by the Phenicians.)

While the measureu to be further taken were debating, there was made
an exchange of prisoners, the English having taken several of the French
in divers actions, and the French having in their hands divers of the
English, whom the Indians had brought captives unto them. The army
now on board continued still resolute and courageous, and on fire for the
conquest of Quebeck; or if they had missed of doing it by storm, they knew
that they might, by possessing themselves of the isle of Orleans, in a little
while have starved them out. Incredible damage they might indeed have
done to the enemy before they embarked, but they were willing to preserve
the more undefensible parts of the country in such a condition as might
more sensibly encourage the submission of the inhabitants unto the Crown
of England, whose protection was desired by so many of them. And still
they were loth to play for any lesser game than the immediate surrender
of Quebeck it self But ere a full council of ivar could conclude the next
steps to be taken, a violent storm arose that separated the fleet, and the
snow and the cold became so extream, that they could not continue in
those quarters any longer.

Thus, by an evident hand of Heaven, sending one unavoidable disaster
after another, as well-formed an enterprize as perhaps was ever made by
the New-Englanders, most happily miscarried; and General Phips under-
went a very mortifying disappointment of a design which his mind was,
as much as ever any, set upon. He arrived November 19, at Boston,
where, although he found himself, as well as the pnblick, thrown into
very uneasie circumstances, yet he had this to comfort him, that neither
his courage nor his conduct could reasonably have been taxed; nor could
it be said thai any man could have done more than he did, under so many
emharassments of his business, as he was to fight withal. He also relieved
the uneasiness of his mind by considering that his voyage to Canada
diverted from his country an horrible temj^est from an army of Boss-Lopers,
which had prepared themselves, as 'tis afiirraed, that winter, to full upon
the New-English colonies, and, by falling on them, would probably have
laid no little part of the country desolate. And he further considered
that, in this matter, like Israel engaging against Benjamin, it may be, we
saw yet but the hcjjiuniiig of the matter: and that the way to Canada now
being learnt, the foundation of a victory over it might be laid in what had
been already done. Unto this purpose likewise he was heard sometimes
applying the remarkable story reported by Bradwardine :

"There was an hermit, who, being vexed with blasphemous injections about the justice
and wisdom of Divine Providence, an angel in humane shape iiiyited him to travel with

i 11

190

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

him, 'that ho might bpo tho hidden jtidf^ments of God.' Lodging nil night nt the house
of a man who kindly iMilortaincd them, tho nngol toolc away a valuable cup from their hoHt,
nt their going away in tho morning, and bentowcd this cup upon a very wicked man, w ith
whom they KMlgod tho night ouHUing. Tlio third night they wero most lovingly treated ut
the liouRo of a very godly man, fVom whom, when they went in the morning, tho angel,
meeting n servant of his), tlirew him over tho bridge into tho water, where he was drowned.
And the fourth, lioing in like manner most courteously treated at the house of a very godly
man, tho angel bef«iro niornii',g did unaccountably kill his only child. Tho companion of
the journey being wonderfiilly oflendcd nt these things, would have left his guardian: but
the ungi'l then thus addressed him: 'Understand now tho secret judgments of God! The
Ifirst man that ontert^iined us, did inordinately affect that cup which I took from him; 'twas
for tae advantage of his intorinur that I took it away, and I gave it unto the impious man,
as tho present n^ward of his good works, which is all tho reward ho is like to have. As for
our third host, the servant which I slew had formed a bloody design to have slain his mas-
tor; but now, you see, I have saved tho life of the muster, and prevented something of
growth unto the eternal punishment of tho murderer. As fur our fourth host, before his
child was born unto him, he was a very lilH>rnl and bountiful person, and ho did abundance
of good with his esttte ; but when ho saw ho was like to leave such an heir, he grew covet-
ous; wherefore the soul of the infant is translated into paradise, but the occasion of sin is,
you see, mervifully ttiken away from tho piu^nt.'"

Thus General Phips, though he had been used unto diving in his time,
would say, "That tho things which had befallen him in this expedition,
were too deep to bo dived into!"

§ 12. From tlie time that General Pen made his attempt upon Ilispaniola,
with an army that, like the New-English forces against Canada, miscarried
after an expectation of having little to do but to possess and plunder; even
to this day, tho general disaster which hath attended almost every attempt
of the European colonies in America to make any considerable encroach-
ments upon their neighbours, is a matter of some close reflection. But of
the disaster which now bofel poor New-England in particular, every one
will easily conclude none of the least consequences to have been the extream
debts which that country was now plunged into; there heing forty thousana
pounds, more or less, now to be paid, and not a penny in the treasury to
pay it withal. In this extremity they presently found out an expedient,
which may serve as an example for any people in other parts of the world,
whose distresses may call for a sudden supply of money to carry them
through any iniportant expedition. The general assembly first passed an
act for the levying of such a sum of money as was wanted, within such a
term of time as was judged convenient; and this act was a. fund, on which
the credit of such a sum should be rendered passable among the people.
Hereupon there was appointed an able and faithful committee of gentlemen,
who printed, from copper-plates, a just number of bills, and flourished,
indented, and contrived them in such a manner, as to maVe it impossible
to counterfeit any of them, without a speedy discovery of the counterfeit:
besides which, they were all signed by the hands of three belonging to that
committee. These bills being of several sums, from two shillings to ten

81 i-

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

191

pounds, did confess the Mnssachuset-coiony to be endebtcd unto the person
in whose hands they were, the sums therei'^ expressed; and provision
was made, that if any partrcular bilk were irrecoverably lost, or torn, or
worn by the owners, they might be recruited without any damage to the
whole in general. The public . Jebts to the sailors and soldiers, now upon
the point o{ mutiny, (for, Arma Tenenti, Omnia dat, qui Jnsta negat!)* were
in these bills paid immediately: but that further credit might be given
thereunto, it was ordered that they should be accepted by the treasurer,
and all officers that were subordinate unto him, in all publick payments,
at five per cent, more than the value expressed in them. The people
knowing that the tax-act would, in the space of two years at least, fetch
into the treasury as much as all the bills of credit thence emitted would
amount unto, were willing to be furnished with bills, wherein it was their
advantage to pay their taxes, rather than in any other specie ; and so the
sailors and soldiers put off their bills, instead of money, to those with
whom they had any dealings, and they circulated through all the hands
in the colony pretty comfortably Had the government been so settled,
that there had not been any doubt of any obstruction, or diversion to be
given to the prosecution of the tax-act, by a total change of their afiaira,
then depending at White-Hall, 'tis very certain, that the bills of credit
had been better than so much ready silver; yea, the invention had been
of more use to the Ncvv-Englanders, than if all their copper mines had
been opened, or the mountains of Peru had been removed into these parts
of America. The Massachuset bills of credit had been like the bank bills
of Venice, where, though there were not, perhaps, a ducat of money in the
bank, yet the bills were esteemed more than twenty per cent, better than
money, among the body of the people, in all their dealings. But many
people being afraid that the government would in half a year be so over-
turned as to convert their bills of credit altogether into waste paper, the
credit of them was thereby very nmch impaired ; and they who first received
them could make them yield little more than fourteen or sixteen shillings
in the pound; from whence there arose those idle suspicions in the heads
of many more ignorant and unthinking folks concerning the use thereof,
which, to the incredible detriment of the province, are not wholly laid aside
unto this day. However, this method of paying the publick debts did
no less than save the publick from a perfect ruin : and ere many months
were expired, the governour and council had the pleasure of seeing the
treasurer burn before their eyes many a thousand pounds worth of the bills
which had passed about until they were again returned unto the treasury ;
but before their being returned, had happily and honestly, without a far-
thing of silver coin, discharged the debts for which they were intended.
But that which helped these bills unto much of their credit, was the gener-
ous offer cf many worthy men in Boston to run the risque of selling their

" Those who refuse Just indemaity when it Is simply demanded, ore ready to surrender every thing io armnd force.

•..

192

MAGNALIA CIIRI8TI AMERICANA;

goods reasonably '^ tLem ; and of these I think I may say that General
Phips was in some sort the leader; who, at the very beginning, meerly to
recommend the credit of the bills unto other persons, cheerfully laid down
a considerable quantity of ready money for an equivalent parcel of them.
And thus in a little time the country waded through the terrible debts which
it was fallen into: in this, though unhappy enough, yet not so unhappy as
in the loss of men., by which the country was at the same time consumed.
'Tis true, there was very little blood spilt in the attack made upon Quebeck,
and there was a great hand of Heaven seen in it. The churches, upon the
call of the government, not only observed a general fast through the
Colony, for the welfare of the army sent unto Quebeck, but also kept the
wheel of prayer in a continual motion, by repeated and successive agreements
for days of prayer with fasting in their several vicinities. On these days
the ferventest prayers were sent up to the Qod of armies, for the safety
and success of the New-English army gone to Canada: and though I never
understood that any of the faithful did in their prayers arise to any assu-
rance that the expedition should 2irosper in all respects, yet they sometimes,
in their devotions on these occasions, uttered their perswasion that Almighty
God had heard them \vi.tliis thing, "that the English army should not
fall by the hands of the French enemy." Now they were marvellously
delivered from doing so; though the enemy had such unexpected advan-
tages over them ; yea, and though the horrid winter was come on so far,
that it is a wonder the English fleet, then riding in the river of Canada,
fared any better than the army which a while since besieged Poland,
wherein, of seventy thousand invaders, no less i\iVLn forty thousand suddenly
perished by the severity of the cold, albeit it were but the month of
November with them. Nevertheless, a kind of campfever, as well as the
small-pox, got into the fleet, whereby some hundreds came short of home.
And besides this calamity, it was also to be lamented that although the
most of the fleet arrived safe at New-England, whereof some vessels indeed
were driven off by cross winds as far as the West-Indies before such arrival,
yet there were three or four vessels which totally miscarried : one was never
heard of, a second was wrecked, but most of the men were saved by another
in company ; a third was wrecked, so that all the men were either starved,
or drowned, or slain by the Indians, except one, which a long while after
was by means of the French restored; and a. fourth met with accidents
which, it may be, my reader will by and by pronounce not unworthy to
have been related.

A brigantine, whereof Captain John Rainsford was commander, having
about threescore men aboard, was in a very stormy night, October 28,
1690, stranded upon the desolate and hideous island of Antecosta, an
island in the mouth of the mighty river of Canada; but through the
singular mercy of God r. ^o them, the vessel did not immediately stave
to pieces, which, if it u„.. happened, they must have one way or another

OB, THE UI8T0RT OF NEW-ENGLAND.

193

cneral
jrly to
I down
' them.
I which
ppy aa
sumed.
lebeck,
pon the
,gh the
ept the
sements
so days
) safety

I never
ly assu-
[letimes,
Imighty
>uld not
■ellously
1 advan-
n so far,
Canada,
Poland,
uddeuly
lonth of

II as the
of home.
3ugh the
s indeed

arrival,
ras never
another
starved,
lile after
accidents
iTorthy to

r, having
tober 28,
costa, an
ough the
ely stave
another

quickly perished. There thoy lay for divers days, under abundance of
bitter weather, trying and hoping to get oil' their vessel; and they sol-
emnly set apart one day for prayer with /listing, to obtain the smiles of
Heaven upon them in tho mitlst of their distresses; and this especially,
that if they must go ashoar, they nugiit not, by any stress of storm, lose
the provisions which they were to C4irry with tliein. Thoy were at last
convinced that thoy must continue no longer on IknirI, and therefore, by
the seventh of November, they applied themselves, all hands, to got their
provisions ashoar upon the dismal island, where thoy had nothing but a
sad and cold winter before them ; which being accomplished, their vessel
overset so as to take away from them all expectation of getting off tho
island in it. Ilere they now built themselves nine small chimnryless Uuwjs
that they called houses; to this purpose employing such boanls and planks
as they could get from their shattered vessel, with the help of trees,
whereof that squalid wilderness had enough to servo them; and they
built a particular store-house, wherein thoy can^fuUy lodged and locked the
poor quantity of provisions, which, though scarce enough to serve a very
abstemious company for one month, must now be so stintetl as to hold out
six or seven; and the allowance agreed among them could bo no better
than for one man, "two biskets, half a pound of jn^rk, half a pound of
flower, one pint and a quarter of jioaso, and two salt fishes per week."
This ]i'*le handful of men were now a sort of comnionuxulth, extraordi-
narily and miserably separated from all the rest of nninkind ; (but I believe
they thought little enough of an Utopia:) whorefoi-e they consulted, and
concluded such laws among themsolvos i\s thoy judged nceossiiry to their
subsistence, in the doleful condition whereinto tho providence of God had
cast them ; now

— Penitua toto divito* Otbe,*

they set up good orders, as well as they could, among themselves; and
besides their daily devotions, they observed tho Ix>rd'3 da3's with more
solemn exercises of religion.

But it was not long before thoy began to feel the more mortid eflecta
of the straits whereinto they had been reduced: their short commons,
their drink of snow-water, their hard, and wot, and smoaky lodijings, and
their grievous despair of mind, overwhelmed some of them at such a rate,
and so ham-stringed them, that sooTier than bo at the pains to go abroad,
and cut their own fuel, they would lye after a sottish manner in the cold ;
these things quickly brought sicknesses among them. Tho fi -st of their
number who died was their doctor, on the 20th of Doeeniber; and then
they dropt away, one after anotiior, till between thirty and forty of the
sixty were buried by their disconsolate friends, whereof every one looked
still to be the next that should lay his bones in that foi'saken region.
These poor men did therefore, on Monda}', the 27th of January, keep a

* Sopiirattnl lh)in tho whole world.

Vol. I.— 13

i, '■

1, r-a
1 ."

194

MAONALIA CIIBISTI AMKBIOANA;

sacred fast (as they did, in some Hort, a civil one, every day, all this while)
to beseech of Alrniglity Ood that his anger might be turned from them, that
ho would not go on to cut them off in his anger, that the extremity of the
season might be mitigated, and that they might be prospered in some essay
to get relief as the spring should advance upon them ; and they took notice
that God gave them a gracious answer to every one of these petitions.

But while the hand of God was killing so many of this little nation
(and yet uncapable to become a nation, for it was lies unius yl'Jtatis, ^/jpu-
lus viromml)* they apprehended that they must have been under a most
uncomfortable necessity to kill one of their company.

Whatever penalties they enacted for other crimes, there was one for
which, like that of parricide among the antients, they would have prom-
ised themselves that there should not have been occasion for any punish-
ments; and that was the crime of stealing from the common-stock of their
provisions. Nevertheless they found their store-house divers times broken
open, and their provisions therefrom stolen by divers unnatural children
of the Leviathan, while it was not possible for them to preserve their
feeble store-house from the stone-wall-breaking madness of these unreason-
able creatures. This trade of stealing, if it had not been stopped by some
exemplary severity, they must in a little while, by lot o^c force, have come to
have cannibally devoured one another ; for there was nothing to be done,
either at fishing, or fowling, or hunting, upon that rueful island, in the
depth of a frozen winter; and though they sent as far as they could upon
discovery, they could not find on the island any living thing in the world
besides themselves. Wherefore, though by an act they made stealing to
be so criminal that several did run the gauntlet for it, yet they were not
far from being driven, afler all, to make one degree and instance of it
capital. There was a wicked Irishman among them, who had such a vora-
cious devil in him, that afler divers burglaries upon the store-house, com-
mitted by him, at last he stole, and eat with such a pamphagous fury, as to
cram himself with no less than eighteen biskets at one stolen meal, and he was
fain to have his belly stroked and bathed before the fire, lest he should other-
wise have burst. This amazing, and indeed murderous villany of the Irish-
man brought them all to their wit's ends how to defend themselves from the
ruin therein threatened unto them ; and whatever methods were proposed,
it was feared that there could be no stop given to his furacious exorbi-
tancies any way but one; he could not be past stealing, unless he were past
eating too. Some think therefore they might have sentenced the wretch
to die, and after they had been at pains, upon Christian and spiritual
accounts, to prepare him for it, have executed the sentence by shooting
him to death: concluding matters come to that pass, that if they had not shot
him, he must have starved them unavoidably. Such an action, if it were
done, will doubtless meet with no harder a censure, than that of the seven

* A commonweaUh but a tiogle ceotury old— yet a nation of beroes.

OB, THE UI8T0BY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

105

bile)
tliat
f tho

383Uy

notice

IS.

latton

, most

no for
prom-
mnish-
[ their
)roken
hildren
e their
reason-
ly some
3omo to
>e done,
, in the
Id upon
e world
nling to
v^ere not
ce of it
I a vora-
ise, com-
r?/, as to
1 he was
Id other-
le Irish-
from the
roposed,
exorbi-
yrere past
e wretch
spiritual
shooting
not shot
f it were
;he seven

Englishmen, who, being in a boat corried off to sea from St. Christoplicra,
with but oiie day's provision aboard for seventeen, singled out some of their
number by lot, and slew them, and ate them ; for which, when they were
afterwards accused of murder, the court, in consideration of the inevitable
necessity, acquitted them. Truly the inevitable necessity of starving, without
such an action, sufficiently grievous to them all, will very much plead for
what was done (whatever it werel) by these poor Antecostians. And .starved
indeed they must have been for all this, if they had not contrived and per-
formed a very desperate adventure, which now remains to be related.
Tliere was a very diminutive kind of boat belonging to their briguntine,
which they recovered out of the wreck, and cutting this boat in two, they
made a shift, with certain odd materials preserved among them, to lengthen
it so far, that they could form a little cuddy, where two or three men might
be stowed, and they set up a little mast, whereto they fastened a little sail,
and accommodated it with some other little circumstances, according to
their present poor capacity.

On the twenty-fifth of March, five of the company shipped themselves
upon this doughty jly-hoat, intending, if it were possible, to carry unto
Boston the tidings of their woeful plight upon Antecosta, and by help
from their friends there, to return with seasonable succours for the rest.
They had not sailed long before they were hemmed in by prodigious
cakes of ice, whereby their boat sometimes was horribly wounded, and it
was a miracle that it was not crushed into a thousand pieces, if indeed a
tJiousand pieces could have been splintered out of so minute a cock-boat.
They kept labouring, and fearfully weather-beaten, among enormous rands
of ice, which would ever now and then rub formidably upon them, and
were enough to have broken the ribs of the strongest frigot that ever cut
the seas ; and yet the signal hand of Heaven so preserved this petty boat,
that by the eleventh of April they had got a quarter of their way, and
came to an anchor under Cape St. Lawrence, having seen land but once
before, and that about seven leagues off, ever since their first setting out ;
and yet having seen the open and ocean sea not so much as once in all this
while, for the ice that still encompassed them. For their support in this
time, the little provisions they brought with them would pot have kept
them alive; only they killed scale upon the ice, and they melted the
upper part of the ice for drink ; but fierce, wild, ugly sea-horses would
often so approach them upon the ice, that the fear of being devoured
by them v»-as not the least of their exercises. The day following,
they weighed anchor betimes in the morning, but the norvvest winds
persecuted them, with the raised and raging waves of the sea, which
almost continually poured into them ; and monstrous islands of ice, that
seemed almost as big as Antecosta it self, would ever now and then come
athwart them. In such a sea they lived by the special assistance of God,
until, by the thirteenth of April, they got into an island of land, where

1 1 u

196

MAGNALIA CIIBISTl AMERICANA;

they made a fire, and killed some fowl and some seale, and found some
goose-eggs, and supplied themselves with what billets of wood were neces-
sary and carriageable for them ; and there they stayed until the seven-
teenth. Here their boat lying near a rock, a great sea hove it upon the
rock, so that it was upon the very point of oversetting, which if it had, she
had been utterly disabled for any further service, and they must have
called that harbour by the name which, I think, one a little more north-
ward bears, " the Cape without hope." There they must have ended their
weary days! But here the good hand of God again interposed for them;
they got her off; and though they lost their compass in this hurry, they
sufficiently repaired another defective one they had aboard. Sailing from
thence, by the twenty-fourth of April, they made Cape Britioon ; when a
thick fog threw them into a new perplexity, until they were safely gotten
into the Bay of Islands, where they again wooded, and watred, and killed
a few fowl, and catched some fish, and began to reckon themselves as good
as half ivay home. They reached Cape Sables by the third of May, but
by the fiflh all their provision was again spent, and they were out of sight
of land; nor had they any prospect of catching any thing that lives in
the Atlantick: which, while they were lamenting one unto another, a stout
halibut comes up to the top of the water, by their side ; whereupon they
threw out the fishing-line, and the fish took the hook ; but he proved so
heavy, that it required the help of several hands to hale him in, and a
thankful supper they made on it. By the seventh of May seeing no land,
but having once more spent all their provision, they were again grown
almost wholly hopeless of deliverance, but then a fishing shallop of Cape
Ann came up with them, fifteen leagues to the eastward of that cape. And
yet before they got in, they had so tempestuous a night, that they much
feared perishing uj)on the ;'ocks after all: but God carried them into Boston
hjirbour the ninth of May, unto the great surprize of their friends that were
in mourning for them : and there furnishing themselves with a vessel fit
for their undertaking, they took a course in a few weeks more to fetch
home their brethren that they left behind them at Antecosta.
But it is now time for us to return unto Sir William I
§ 13. All this while Canada was as much written upon Sir William's
heart as Callice, they said once, was upon Queen Mary's. He needed not
one to have been his daily monitor about Canada; it lay down with him,
it rose up with him, it engrossed almost all his thoughts; he thought the
subduing of Canada to be the greatest service that could be done for New-
PJngland, or for the crown of England, in America. In pursuance whereof,
after he had been but a few weeks at home, he took another voyage for
England, in the very depth of winter, when sailing was now dangerous;
conflicting with all the difhculties of a tedious and terrible passage, in a very
little vessel, which indeed was like enough to have perished, if it had not
been for the help of his generous hand aboard, and his fortunes in the bottom.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

197

Arriving — j^^'' tot Discrimina* — at Bristol, he hastned up to London;
and made his applications to their Majesties and the principal Ministers of
State for assistance to renew an expedition against Canada, concluding his
representation to the King with such words as these:

" If your IMiijfsty shall grnciuusly please to commission and assist me, I am ready to ven-
ture my life again in your service. And I doubt not, by the blessing of God, Cnnuda may
be added unto the rest of your dominions, whiuh will (ull ciruumstunces considered) be of
mure advantage to the crown of England, than all the territories in the West Indies are. ^

" The Reatons here subjoined, are humliy offered unto your Majesty's consideration:

" First, The success of this demgn will greatlv add to the glory and interest of the Eng-
lish crown tind nation ; by the addition of the Bever-trade, and securing the Hudson's bay
company, some of whose factories have lately fallen into the hands of the French; and
increase of English shipping and seamen, by gaining the fishery of Newfoundland ; and by
consequuncc diminish the number of French seamen, and cut off a great revenue from the
French crown.

" Secondly, The cause of the English in New-England, their failing in the lote attempt
upon Canada, was their waiting fur a supply of ammunition from England until August;
their long passage up that river; the cold season coming on, and the small-pox and fevers
being in the army and fleet, so that they could not sfciy fourteen days longer; in which time
probably they might have tiken Quebeck ; yet, if a few frigots be speedily sent, they doubt
not of an hnppy success ; the strength of the French being small, and the planters desirous
to be under the English government.

" Thirdly, Tiie Jcsuites endeavour to seduce the Maquas, and other Indi.in3 (as is by them
affirmed), suggesting the greatness of King Lt;wis, and the inability of King William to do
any thing against the French in those parts, thereby to engage them in their intercEts: in
which, if they should succeed, not only New-England, but all our American plantations,
would be endangered by the great increase of shipping, for the French (built in New-EngKand
at eiisie rates) to the infinite dishonour and prejudice uf the English nation."

But now, for the success of these applications, I must entreat the patience
of my reader to wait until we have gone thro' a little more of our history.

§ 1-i. The Reverend Increase Mather beholding his country of New-
England in a very deplorable condition, under a governour that acted by
an illegal, arbitrary, treasonable commission, and invaded lihertij awdi prop-
erty after such a manner, as thut no man could say anything was his own^
he dill, with the encouragement of the principal gentlemen in the country,
but not without much trouble and hazard unto his own person, go over to
Whitehall in the summer of the year 1688, and wait upon King James,
with a full representation of their miseries. That King did give him liberty
of access unto him, whenever he desired it, and with many good ivorils
promised him to relieve the oppressed people in many riisiances that were
proposed: but when the revolution had brought the Prince and Princess of
Orange to the throne, Mr. Mather having the honour divers times to wait
upon the King, he still prayed for no less a favour to New-England, than
the full restoration of their charter-priviledgcs: and Sir William Phips

* Aftur 8u inniiy vurivlivs uf rortuna.

198

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

happening to be then in England, very generously joined with Mr. Mather
in some of those addresses: whereto his Majesty's answers were always
very expressive of his gracious inclinations. Mr. Mather, herein assisted
also by the Right Worshipful Sir Henry Ashurst, a most hearty friend of
all such good men as those that once filled New-England, solicited the
leading men of both houses in the Convention-Parliament, until a bill for
the restoring of the charters belonging to New-England, was fully passed
by the Commons of England: but that Parliament being prorogued and
then dissolved, all that Sisyphaean labour came to nothing. The uisap-
pointments which afterwards most wonderfully blasted all the hopes of
the petitioned restoration, obliged Mr. Mather, not without the concurrence
of other agents, now also come from New-England, unto that method of
petitioning the King for a neio charter, that should contain more than all the
priviledges of the old; and Sir William Phips, now being again returned
into England, lent his utmost assistance hereunto.

The King taking a voyage for Holland before this petition was answered :
Mr. Mather, in the meanwhile, not only waited upon the greatest part of
the Lords of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, offering them
a paper of "reasons for the confirmation of the charter-priviledges granted
unto the Massachuset-colony ;" but also having the honour to be introduced
unto the Queen, he assured her Majesty that there were none in the world
better affected unto their Majesties' government than the people of New-
England, who had indeed been exposed unto great hardships for their
being so; and entreated that, since the King had referred the New-English
affair unto the two Lord Chief Justices, with the Attorney and Solicitor
General, there might be granted unto us what they thought was reasonable.
Whereto the Queen replied, that the request was reasonable : and that she
had spoken divers times to the King on the behalf of New-England ; and
that for her own part, she desired that the people there might not meerly
have justice, but favour done to them. When the King was returned,
Mr. Mather, being by the Duke of Devonshire brought into the King's
presence on April 28, 1691, humbly prayed his Majesty's favour to New-
England ; urging, that if their old charter-priviledges might be restored
unto them, his name would be great in those parts of the world as long as
the world should stand ; adding,

" Sir : Your suLjects there have been willing to venture their lives, that they may enlarge
your dominions; the expedition to Canada was a great and noble undertaking.

"May it please your Majesty, in your great wisdom also to consider the circumshmces of
that people, as in your wisdom you have considered the circumstances of England and of
Scotland. In New-England they differ from other plantations; they are called 'Congrega-
tional* and 'Presbyterian.' So that such a governor will not suit with the people of New-
England as may be very proper for other English plantations."

Two days after this, the King, upon what was proposed by certain
Lords, was very inquisitive, whether he might, without breach of law,

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

199

set a governour over New-England; whereto the Lord Chief Justice and
some others of the council, answered, that whatever might be the merit
of the cause, inasmuch as the charter of New-England stood vacated by
a judgment against them, it was in the King's power to put them under
yfhat/orm of government he should think best for them.

The King then said, "That he believed it would be for the advantage
of the people in that colony, to be under a governour appointed by him-
self: nevertheless, (because of what Mr. Mather had spoken to him,) he
would have the agents of New-England nominate a person that should be
agreeable unto the inclinations of the people there: and notwithstanding
this he would have charter-priviledges restored and confirmed unto them."

The day followiag, the King began another voyage to Holland; and
when the attorney general's draught of a charter, according to what he
took to be his Majesty's mind, as expressed in council, was presented at
the council-board, on the eighth of June, some objections then made, pro-
cured an order to prepare minutes for another draught, which deprived
the New-Englanders of several essential priviledges in their other charter.
Mr. Mather put in his objections, and vehemently protested, that he would
sooner part with his life than consent unto those minutes, or anything else
»,L '*■ should infringe any liberty or privilege of right belonging unto his
i n'lt /: but he was answered, that the agents of New-England were not
^Lu^occntiaries from another sovereign state; and that if they would not
submit unto the King's pleasure in the settlement of the country, they
must "take what would follow."

The dissatisfactory minutes were, by Mr. Mather's industry, sent over
unto the King in Flanders ; and the ministers of state then with the King
were earnestly applied unto, that every mistake about the good settlement
of New-England might be prevented ; and the Queen her self, with her
own royal hand, wrote unto the king that the charter of New-England
might either pass as it was drawn by the attorney general, or be deferred
until his own return.

But after all, his Majesty's principal secretary of state received a signi-
fication of the King's pleasure that the charter of New-England should
run in the main points of it as it was now granted : only there were sev-
eral important articles which Mr. Mather by his unwearied solicitation
obtained afterwards to be inserted.

There were some now of the opinion, that instead of submitting to this
new settlement, they should, in hopes of getting a reversion of the judg-
ment against the old charter,, declare to the ministers of state that they
had rather have no charter at all, than such an one as was now proposed
unto acceptance. But Mr. Mather advising with many unprejudiced per-
sons, and men of the greatest abilities in the kingdom, noblemen, gentle-
men, divines and lawyers, they all agreed that it was not only a lawful,
but, all circumstances then considered, a needful thing, and a part of duty

■f|;

' ■ ■ .11

200

MAONALIA OHBISTI AMEBICAI7A;

and wisdom to accept what was now offered, and that a peremptory refusal
would not only bring an inconveniency, but a fatal and perhaps a final ruin
upon the country ; wt-jreof mankind would lay the blame upon the agents.

It was argued, that such a submission was no surrender of any thing;
that the judgment, not in the court of King's-bench, but in chancery against
the old charter, standing on record, the patent was thereby annihihited ;
that all attempts to have the judgment against the old charter taken off,
would be altogether in vain, as men and things were then disposed.

It wid further argued, that the ancient charter of New-England Avas
in the opinion of the lawyers very defective, as to several poiversy which
^ et were absolutely necessary to the subsistence of the plantations ; it gave
the government there no more power than the corporations have in Eng-
land ; power in capital cases was not therein particularly expressed.

It mentioned not an house of deputies, or an assembly of representatives;
the govemour and company had thereby (they said) no power to impose
taxes on the inhabitants that were not freemen, or to erect courts of admi-
ralty. Without such powers the colony could not subsist; and yet the
best friends that New-England had of persons most learned in the law,
proiessed, that suppose the judgment against the Massachuset-charter might
be reversed, yet, if they should again exert such powers as they did before
the Quo Warranto against their charter, a new writ of Scire Facias would
undoubtedly be issued out against them.

It was yet further argued, that if an act of parliament should have
reversed the judgment against the Massachuset-charter, without a grant of
some other advantages, the whole territory had been, on many accounts,
very miserably incommoded: the Province of Main, with Hampshire,
would have been taken from them ; and Plymouth would have been
annexed unto New-York ; so that this colony would have been squeezed
into an atom, and not only have been rendered insignificant in its trade,
but by having its militia also, which was vested in the King, taken away,
its insignificancies would have become out of measure humbling; whereas
now, instead of seeing any relief by act of parliament, they would have
been put under a govemour, with a commission, whereby ill men, and the
King's and country's enemies might probably have crept into opportuni-
ties to have done ten thousand ill things, and have treated the best men
in the land after a very uncomfortable manner.

It was lastly argued, that by the new charter very great privileges were
granted unto New-England ; and in some respects greater than what they
'formerly enjoyed. The colony is now made a province, and their general
court has, with the King's approbation, as much power in New-England,
as the King and parliament have in England. They have all English
liberties, and can be touched by no law, by no tax, but of their own
making. All the liberties of their holy religion are for ever secured, and
their titles to their lands, once for want of jorae forms of legal convey-

OR, THE HISTOKY OF NEW-ENGL At, D.

201

anco, contested, are now confirmed unto them. If an ill governour should
happen to be imposed on them, what hurt could he do to them? None,
except they themselves pleased; for he cannot make one counsellor, one
judge, or one justice, or one sheriff to serve his turn : disadvantages enough,
one would think, to discourage any ill governour from desiring to be sta-
tioned in those uneasie regions. The people have a negative upon all the
executive part of the civil government, as well as the legislative, which is
a vast priviledge, enjoyed by no other plantation in America, nor by Ire-
land — no, nor hitherto by England it self. Why should all of this good
be refused or despised, because of somewhat not so good attending it?
The despisers of so much good will certainly deserve a censure, not unlike
that of Causabon, upon some who did not value what that learned man
counted highly valuable: Vix illis optari quidquam pejus potest^ quam ui
fatuitate sua fruantur :* — Much good may do them with their madness I
All this being well considered. Sir William Phips, who had made so many
addresses for the restoration of the old charter, under which he hrtd seen
his country many years flourishing, will be excused by all the world from
any thing of a fault, in a most unexpected passage of his life, which is
now to be related.

Sir Henry Ashurst and Mr. Mather, well knowing the agreeable dispo-
sition to do good, and the King and his country service, which was in Sir
William Phips, whom they now had with them, all this while prosecuting
his design for Canada, they did unto the council-board nominate him for
the GOVERNOUR of New-England. And Mr. Mather being by the Earl of
Nottingham introduced unto his Majesty, said :

"Sir: I do, in the behalf of New-England, most humbly thank yoar Maji^sty, in that
you have been pleased by a Charter to restore Englisli Liberties unto them, to confirm them
in their properties, and to grant them some peculiar priviledgcs. I doubt not, but that your
subjects there will demean themselves with that dutiful aflfeetion and loyalty to yoi^r Majesty,
U8 that you will see cause to enlarge your royal favours towards them. And I do most
humbh thnnk your Majesty in that you have been pleased to give leave unto those that are
coii. crned fur New-England to nominate their Governour.

"Sir William Phips has been accordingly nominated by us at the Council-Bourd. He
hath done a good service for the crown, by enlarging your dominions, and reducing of Nova
Scotiu to your obedience. I know that he will faithfully serve your Majesty to the utmost
of his capacity ; and if your Majesty shall think fit to confirm him in that place, it will be a
further obligation on your subjects there."

The effects of all this was, that Sir William Phips was now invested
with a commission under the King's broad-seal to be captain -general and
governour in chief over the province of the Massachuset-bay in New-Eng-
land: nor do I know a person in the world that could have been proposed
more acceptable to the body of the people throughout New-England, and
on that score more likely and able to serve the King's interests among the

* One could hardly wiih them txsj wonie fortuno than to enjoy the frulta of their own fully.

202

UAGNALIA OHBISTI AMEBICANA;

people there, under the changes in some things unacceptable, now brought
upon them. He had been a Gideon, who had more than once ventured
his life to save his country from their enemies: and they now, with uni-
versal satisfaction said, " Thou shalt rule over us." Accordingly, having
with Mr. Mather kissed the King's hand on January Sd, 1691, he hastned
away to his government; and arriving at New-England the I4th of May
following, attended with the Non-such frigot, both of them were welcomed
with the loud acclamations of the long shaken and sAa/^ec? country, whereto
they were now returned with a settlement so full of happy priviledges.

§ 15. When Titos Flaminius had freed the poor Grecians from the
bondage which had long oppressed them, and the herald proclaimed among
them the articles of their freedom, they cried out, " A saviour! a saviour 1"
with such loud acclamations, that the very birds fell down from heaven
astonished at the cry. Truly, when Mr. Mather brought with him unto
the poor New-Englanders, not only a charter, which though in divers
points wanting what both he and they had wished for, yet for ever delivers
them from oppressions on their Christian and English liberties, or their
ancient possessions, wherein ruining writs of intrusion had begun to invade
them all, but also a governour who might call New-England his own •
country, and who was above most men in it, full of affection to the inter-
ests of his country; the sensible part of the people then caused the sence
of the salvations thus brought them to reach as far as heaven it self. The
various little humours then working among the people, did not hinder
the great and general court of the province to appoint a day of solemn
Thanksgiving to Almighty God, for "granting" (as the printed order
expressed it) "a safe arrival to his Excellency our Governour, and the
Reverend Mr. Increase Mather, who have industriously endeavoured the
service of this people, and have brought over with them a settlement of
government, in which their Majesties have graciously given us distinguish-
ing marks of their royal favour and goodness."

And as the obliged people thus gave thanks unto the God of heaven, so
they sent an address of thanks unto their Majesties, with other letters of
thanks unto some chief ministers of state, for the favourable aspect herein
cast upon the province.

Nor were the people mistaken, when they promised themselves all the
kindness imaginable from this governour, and expected, "under his shadow
we shall live eaaie among the heathen :" why might they not look for hal-
cyon-days, when they had such a Xing' s-fisher for their governour?

Governour Phips had, as every raised and useful person must Lave, his
envious enemies; but the palest envy of them who turned their ■worst enmity
upon him, could not hinder them from confessing, "That, according to the
best of his apprehension, he ever sought the good of his country :" his
country quickly felt this on innumerable occasions; and they had it emi-
nently demonstrated, as well in his promoting and approving the council's

OB, THE BISTORT OF NEW-ENOLAND.

208

choice of good judges, justices and sheriffs, which, being once established,
no sticcessor could remove them, as in his urging the general assembly to
make themselves happy by preparing a body of good laws as fast as they
could, which being passed by him in his time, could not be nulled by any
other after him.

He would often speak to the members of the General Assembly in such
terms as these: "Gentlemen, you may make your selves as easie as you
will for ever; consider what may have any tendency to your welfare; and
you may be sure, that whatever bills you offer to me, consistent with the
honour and interest of the Crown, I'll pass them readily; I do but seek
opportunities to serve you: had it not been for the sake of this thing, I
had never accepted the government of this province; and whenever you
have settled such a body of good laws, that no person coming after me
may make you uneasie, I shall desire not one day longer to continue in
the government." — Accordingly he ever passed every act for the welfare
of the province proposed unto him ; and instead of ever putting them upon
buying his assent unto any good act, he was much forwarder to give it,
than they were to ask it; nor indeed had the hungtir of a salary any such
impression upon him as to make him decline doing all possible service for
the publick, while he was not sure of having any proportionable or hon-
ourable acknowledgments.

But yet he minded the preservation of the King's lights with as careful
and faithful a zeal as became a good steward for the crown ; and, indeed,
he studied nothing more than to observe such a temper in all things as
to extinguish what others have gone to distinguish — even the pernicious
notion of a separate interest. There was a time when the Roman empire
was infested with a vast number of governours, who were infamous for
infinite avarice and villany ; and, referring to this time, the apostle John
had a vision of "people killed with the beasts of the earth."

But Sir William Phips was none of those governours ; wonderfully con-
trary to this wretchedness was the happiness of New-England, when they
had Governour Phips, using the tenderness of a father towards the people ;
and being of the opinion, Ditare magis esse Regmm quam Ditescere* that it
was a braver thing to enrich the people, than to grow rich himself. A
father, I said; and what if I had said an angei too? If I should from
Clemens Alexandrinus, from Theodoret, and from Jerom, and other?
among the ancients, as well as from Calvin, and Bucan, and Peter Martyr,
and Chemnitius, and BuUinger, and a thousand more among the moderns,
bring authorities for the assertion, "That each country and province is
under the special care of some angel, by a singular deputation of heaven
assigned thereunto ; " I could back them with a far greater authority than
any of them all. The Scripture it self does plainly assert it : and hence
the most learned Grotius, writing of commonwealths, has a passage to this

* It it more truly princely to enrich than to be enriched.

204

MAQNALIA C1IRI8TI AMEBICANA;

purpose: Hia singulis suos AUn'butos, esse Angelas, ex Dantete, magno con-
sensu, et Judm et Chmtiani veteres colligebant.*

But New-England had now, besides the guardian-angel who more invis-
ibly intended its welfiire, a governour that became wonderfully agreeable
thereunto, by Ills whole imitation of such a guurdian-angel. He employed
his whole strength to guard his people from all disasters which threatncd
them either by sea or land ; and it was remarked that nothing remarkably
disastrous did bofal that people from the time of his arrival to the govern-
ment, until there arrived an order for his leaving it: (except one thing
which was begun before he entred upon the government:) but instead
thereof, the Indians were notably defeated in the assaults which they now
made upon the English, and several French ships did also very advan-
tageously fall into his hands; yea, there was by his means a peace restored
unto the province, that had been divers years languishing under the hectio
feaver of a lingring war.

And there was this one thing more that rendred his government the
more desirable: that whereas 'tis impossible for a meer man to govern
without some error, whenever this governour was advised of any error in
any of his administrations, he would immediately retract it, and revoke it
with all possible ingenuity ; so that if any occasion of just complaint arose,
it was usually his endeavour that it should not long be complained of.

— (>,/<riicc« nimi'um, sua ti Bona, norint, Nov-Angli.f—

But having, in n ^Hirejit/jecfw, newly intimated that his Excellency, when
he entered on his government, found one thing that was remarkably dis'
astrom begun upon it; of that one thing we will now give some account.

Header, prepare to bo entertained with as prodigious matters as can be
put into any history I And let him that writes the next Thaumatographia
Pneurnaiiva^X ftHow to these prodigies the chief place among the wonders.

§ 16. About the time of our blessed Lord's coming to reside on earth,
we read of so many "possessed with devils," that it is commonly thought
the numlter of such miserable energumens was then encreased above what
has been usual in other ages; and the reason of that increase has been
made a matter of some enquiry. Now, though the devils might herein
design by pretcrnatuivJ ojnirations to blast the miracles of our Lord Jesus
Christ, which point they gained among the blasphemous Pharisees; and
the devils might ^verein also design a villanous imitation of what was com-
ing to pjiss ill the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein God came
to dwell injksh; yet 1 am not without suspicion, that there may be some-
thing further in the conjecture of the learned Bartholinus hereupon, who
says, It was Quod judtvi pnvter vwdum, Artibus Magicis dediti Doimonem

* That to Mtch of thnw lU own (tuardiarcanKol it aaslgned, Is plainly to be Inferred fh>m tbe book of DanieL
■ocording tu the unaiiimoii* JiidKinwil of both the Jews and the Chrittiana of the early ages,
t O thrleo-bU>iM>il NfW-Kni^laniltM'a, if they but uuderttood their own good fortunel
X The Wuudruua Wwrkt of tbo Splriu

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

205

Advocaverint — the Jew3, by the frequent use of magical tricks, called in th«
devils arnong them.

It is very certain, there were hardly any people in the world grown
more fond of sorceries than that uribappy people: the Talmuds tell us of
the little parchments with words upon them, which were their common
amulets, and of the charms which they muttered over loounds, and of the
various enchantments which they used against all sorts of disasters whatso-
ever. It is affirmed in the Talmuds, that no less than twenty-four scholars
in one school were killed by witchcraft; and that no less than fourscore
persons were hanged for witchcraft by one judge in one day. The gloss
adds upon it, " That the women of Israel had generally fallen to the prac-
tice of witchcrafts;" and therefore it was required, that there should be
still chogen into the council one skilful in the arts of sorcerers, and able
thereby to discover who might be guilty of those black arts among such
as were accused before them.

Now, the arrival of Sir William Phips to the government of New-Eng-
land, was at a time when a governour would have had occasion for all
the skill in sorcery that was ever necessary to a Jewish Counsellor; a
time when scores of poor people had newly fallen under a prodigious
possession of devils, which it was then generally thought had been by
witchcrafts introduced. It is to be confessed and bewailed, that many
inhabitants of Nevz-England, and young people especially, had been led
away with little sorceries, wherein they "did secretly those things that
were not right against the Lord their God;" they would often cure hurts
with spells, and practice detestable conjurations with sieves, and keys, and
pease, and nails, and horse-shoes, and ^iher implements, to learn the things
for which they had a forbidden and impious curiosity. Wretched books
had stoln into the land, wherein fools were instructed how to become able
fortune-tellers : among which, I wonder that a blacker brand is not set upon
that fortune-telling wheel, which that sham-scribler that goes under the
letters of R. B. has promised in his ^'^ Delights for the Ingenious,^^ as an
honest and pleasant recreation: and by these books, the minds of many had
been so poisoned, that they studied this finer witchcraft; until 'tis well if
some of them were not betrayed into what is grosser, and more sensible
and capital. Although these diabolical divinations are more ordinarily
committed perhaps all over the whole loorld, than they are in the country
of New-England, yet, that being a country devoted unto the worship and
service of the Lord Jesus Christ above the rest of the world, he signalized
his vengeance against these wickednesses, with such extraordinary dispen-
sations as have not been often seen in other places.

The devils which had been so played withal, and, it may be, by some
few criminals more explicitly engaged and imployed, now broke in upon
the country, after as astonishing a manner as was ever heard of. Some
scores of people, first about Salernj the centre and first-born of all the

206

llAONALIA OHBIBTI AMERICANA;

towns in the colony, and afterwards in several other places, were arrested
with many preternatural vexations upon their bodies, and a variety of cruel
torments, which were evidently inflicted from the dtemons of the invmble
world. The people that were infected and infested with such daomons, in
a few days' time arrived unto such a refining alteration upon their eyes,
that they could see their tormentors: they saw a devil of a little stature^
and of a tawny colour ^ attended still with spectres that appeared in more
humane circumstances.

Tliese tormentors tendred unto the afflicted a book, requiring them to sign
it, or to toiich it at lenst, in token of their consenting to be listed in the
service of the devil ; which they refusing- to do, the spectres under the
command of that hlachnan, as they called him, would apply themselves to
torture them with prodigious molestations.

The alflicted wretches were horribly distorted and convulsed; they were
pinched black and blue : pins would be run every where in their flesh ;
they would be scalded until they had bliaters raised on them ; and a thou-
sand other things before hundreds of witnesses were done unto them,
evidently preternatural: for if it were preternatural to keep a rigid fixst for
nine, yea, for fijleen days together; or if it yrcre preternatural to have one's
hands ti/id close together with a rope to be plainly seen, and then by unseen
hands presently pulled up a great way from the earth before a croud of
people; such jtreternatural things were endured by them.

But of all the preternatural things which bcfel these people, there were
cone more unaccountable than those wherein the prestigious dajmons would
ever now and then cover the most corporeal things in the world with a
finscinating mist of invisibility. Aa now; a person was cruelly assaulted
by a spectre, that, she said, run at her with a spindle, though no body else
in the room could see either the spectre or the spindle r at last, in her ago-
nies, giving a snatch at the spectre, she pulled the spindle away ; and it
was no sooner got into her hand, but the other folks then present beheld
that it was indeed a real, proper, iron spindle ; which, when they locked
up very safe, it was nevertheless by the dcemons taken away to do farther
mischief.

Again, a person was haunted by a most abusive spectre, which came to
her, she said, with a sheet about her, though seen to none but her self.
After she had undergone a deal of teaze from the annoyance of the spectre,
she gave a violent snatch at the sheet that was upon it ; where-from she
tore a corner, which in her hand immediately was beheld by all that were
present, a palpable corner of a sheet: and her father, which was now hold-
ing of her, catched, that he might keep what his daughter had so strangely
seized ; but the spectre bad like to have wrung his hand off, by endeav-
ouring to wrest it from him; however, he still held it, and several times
this odd accident was renewed in the family. There wanted not the oaths
of good credible people to these particulars.

OB, THl HISTORY OP NEW-INOLAR t>.

207

Also, it is well known, that tkcso wicked (tpeotrea did proceed so far as
to steal several quantities of money firom divers people, part of which
individual money was dropt sometimes out of the air, before suillcient
spectators, into the hands of thu nflliuted, while the 8{)cctrc8 were urging
them to subscribe their covenant with death. Moreover, poiaoua to the
8tanders*by, wholly invisibly, were sometimes forced upon the afllicted;
which when they have with much retuotanoy swolloweil, they have suxtln
presently, so that the common medicines for poisons have been found
necessary to relieve them: yea, sometimes the spectres, in the strugrjles,
have so dropt the poisons, that the standers-by have smelt them, and
viewed them, and beheld the pillows of the miserable stained with them.

Yet more: the miserable have complained bitterly of burning rags run
into their forceably distended mouths; and though nolxxly could see any
such clothes, or indeed any fires in the chambers, yet presently the scalds
were seen plainly by every body on the mouths of the complainers, and
not only the smell, but the smoke of the burning sensibly filled the chamber*.

Once more: the miserable exclain\ed extreamly of branding irons heat-
ing at the fire on the heartl\ to mark them. Now, though the standers-by
could see no irons, yet they could see distinctly the print of them in the
ashes, and smell them too as they were carried by the not-seen furies unto
the poor creatures for whom they were intended ; and those poor creatures
were thereupon so stigmatized with them, that they will bear the marks
of them to their dying day. Nor are these the tenth part of the prodigies
that fell out among the inhabitants of New-England.

Flashy people may burlesque these things, but when hundreds of the
most sober people in a country where they have as much motJier-iuit cer-
tainly as the rest of mankind, know them to be triw, nothing but the
absurd and froward spirit of Sadducism can question them. I have not
yet mentioned so much as one thing that will not bo justified, if it be
required by the oaths of more considerate persons than any that can ridi-
cule these odd phenomena.

But the worst part of this astonishing tragedy is yet Iwhind; wherein Sir
William Phips, at last being dropt, as it were from the machin of heaven,
was an instrument of easing the distresses of the land, now "so darkened
by the wrath of the Lord of Hosts." There were very worthy men upon
the spot where the assaidt from hell was first made, who apprehended
themselves called from the God of heaven to sift the business unto the
bottom of it; and, indeed, the continual impressions, which the outcries
and the havocks of the afflicted people that lived nigh unto them caused on
their minds, gave no little edge to this apprehension.

The persons were men eminent for wisdom and virtue, and they went
about their enquiry into the matter, aa driven unto it bv a conscience of
duty to God and the world. They did in the first place take it for granted
that there are witches, or wicked children of men, who upon covenanting

208

MAONALIA CilRISTI AMERICANA;

with, and commissioninfj of evil spirits, are attended by their ministry to
accomjjlish the things desired of them: to satisfie them in which pe^
Bwasion, they had not only the aaaertiona of the holy Scriptures — assertions
which the witch-advocates cannot evade without shifts, too foolish for the
prudent, or too profane for ony honest man to use — and they had not only
the well-attested relations of the gravest authors, from Bodin to Bovet, rnd
from Binsfield to Brombal and Baxter — to deny all which, would bo as
reasonable as to turn the chronicles of all nations into romances of ^^Don
Quij'ote" and the ^^ Seven Champions f^ but they had olso an ocular demon-
stration in one who, a little before, had been executed for witchcraft, when
Joseph Dudley, Esq. was the chief-judge. There was one whose magical
imatjes were found, and who, confessing her deeds, (when a jury of doctors
returned her compos mentis) actually shewed the whole court by what cer-
emonies used unto them she directed har familiar spirits how and where to
cruciate the objects of her malice; and the experirnent being made over
and over again before the whole court, the effect followed exactly in the
hurts done to the people at a distance from her. The existence of such
witches was now taken for granted by those good men, wherein so far the
generality of reasonable men have thought they ran well; and they soon
received the confessions of some accused persons to confirm them in it: but
then they took one thing more for granted, wherein 'tis now as generally
thought they tvent out of the ivay. The afllicted people vehemently accused
several persons in several places that the spectres which afflicted them,
did exactly resemble them; until the importunity of the accusations did
provoke the magistrates to examine them. When many of the accused
came upon their examination, it was found that the dcemons then a thou-
sand ways abusing of the poor afflicted people, had with a marvellous
exactness represented them; yea, it was found, that many of the accused,
but casting their eye on the afflicted, the afflicted, though their faces were
never so much another way, would fall down and lye in a sort of a swoon,
wherein they would continue, whatever hands were laid upon them, until
the hands of the accused came to touch them, and then they would revive
immediately; and it was found, that various kinds oi natural actions, done
by many of the accused in or to their own bodies, as leaning, bending,
turning awry, or squeezing their hands, or the like, were presently
attended with the like things preternaturally done upon the bodies of the
afflicted, though they were so far asunder, that the afflicted could not ut, all
observe the accused.

It was also found, that the flesh of the afflicted was often bitten at such
a rate, that not only the print of teeth would be left on their flesh, but the
very slaver of spittle too; and there would appear just such a set of teeth as
was in the accused, even such as might be clearly distinguished from other
peoples. And usually the afflicted went through a terrible deal of seem-
ing difflculties from the tormenting spectres, and must be long waited on

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

209

iding,

all

such
It the
eeth as

other
I seetn-
led on

l>eft)ro they could get a breathing space from thoir tormeiita to give in their
testimonies.

Now, many good men took up an opinion, that the providence of God
would not perinit an innocent person to come under such a spectral repro-
Bcntntion; and that a concurrence of so many circumstances would prove
an accused person to bo in a confederacy with the diemons thus afllicting
of the neighbours; they judged that, except these things might amount
unto a conviction, it would scarce be possible ever to convict a ivitc/i: and
they hud some philosophical schemes of toitchcraji, and of the method and
manner wherein irnvjical poisons operate, which further supported them in
their opinion.

Sundry of the accused persons were brought unto their trial, while this
opinion was yet prevailing in the minds of the judges and the juries, and
perhaps the most of the people in the country, < icn mostly suffering; and
though against some of them that were tried there came in uo much other
evidence of their diabolical compacts, that some of the most hidicious, and
yet vehement opposers of the notions then in voi;'ie, puV'-ckly de"'ared,
"Had they themselves been on the bench, they could not have ac 'itted
them;" nevertheless, divers were condemned, against whom ihi chief
evidence was founded in the spectral exhibitions.

And it happening that some of the accused coming t>> confess them-
selves fjnilty, their shapes were no more seen by any of th>^ afllieted, though
the confession had been kept never so secret, but instead thereof the
accused themselves became in all Vexations just like the afflicted; this yet
more confirmed many in the opinion that had been taken up.

And another thing that quickened them yet more to act upon it, was,
that the afllieted were frequently entertained with apparitions of f^iosts at
the same time that the spectres of the supposed witches troubled them;
which ghosts always cast the beholders into far more consternation than
any of the spectres; and when they exhibited themselves, they cried out
of being murdered by the witchcrafts, or other violences of the persons
represented in the spectres. Once or twice V r'^e apparitions were seen by
others at the very same time that they shewt- i : icmselves to the afflicted;
and seldom were they seen at all but when something unusual and suspi-
cious had attended the death of the party thus appearing.

The afflicted people many times had never heard any thing before of
the persons appearing in gliost, or th o persons accused by the apparitions;
and yet the accused upon examination have confessed the murders of those
very persons, though these accused also knew nothing of the apparitions
that had come in against them ; and the afflicted persons likewise, without
any private agreement or collusion, when successively brought into a room,
have all asserted the same apparitions to be there before them: these
murders did seem to call for an enquiry.

On the other part, there were many persons of great judgment, piety
Vol. I.— 14

210

MAQNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

and experience, who from the beginning were very much dissatisfied at
these proceedings; they feared lest the devil would get so far into the faith
of the people, that for the sake of many truths which they might find him
telling of them, they would come at length to believe all his lies; where-
upon what a desolation of names — ^yea, and of lives also — would ensue, a
man might, without much witchcraft, be able to prognosticate; and they
feared, lest in such an extraordinary descent of wicked spirits from their
high places upon us, there might such principles be taken up, as, when put
into practice, would unavoidably cause the righteov^ to perish with the wiclced,
and procure the blood-shed of persons like the Gibeonites, whom some
learned men suppose to be under a false pretence of witchcraft, by Saul
exterminated.

However uncommon it might be for guiltless persons to come under such
unaccountable circumstances, as were on so many of the accused, they
held "some things there are, which, if suffered to be common, would sub-
vert government, and disband and ruin humane society, yet God sometimes
may sufier such things to evene, that we may know thereby how much we
are beholden to him for that restraint which he lays upon the infernal
spirits, who would else reduce a world into a chaos." They had already
known of one at the town of Groton hideously agitated by devils, who in
her fits cried out much against a very godly woman in the town, and when
that woman approached unto her, though the eyes of the creature were
never so shut, she yet manifested a violent sense of her approach : but
when the gracious woman thus impeached, had prayed earnestly with and
for this creature, then, instead of crying out against her any more, she
owned, that she had in all been deluded by the ckvil. They now saw, that
the more the afflicted were hearkened unto, the more the number of the
accused encreased; until at last many scores were cried out upon, and among
them, some who, by the unblameableness — yea, and serviceableness — of
their whole conversation, had obtained the just reputation of good people
among all that were acquainted with them. The character of the aiflicted
likewise added unto the common distaste; for though some of iliein too
were good people, yet others of them, and such of them as were most
flippent at accusing, had a far other character.

In fine, the country was in a dreadful ferment, and wise men foresaw a
long train of dismal and bloody consequences. Hereupon they first
advised that the afflicted might be kept asunder in the closest privacy ;
and one particular person, (whom I have cause to know,) in pursuance of
this advice, offered himself singly to provide accommodations for any six of
them, that so the success of more than ordinary grayer with fasting might,
with patience, be experienced, before any other courses were taken.

And Sir William Phips arriving to his government, after this ensnaring
horrible storm was begun, did consult the neighbouring ministers of the
province, who made unto his Excellency and the council a return, (drawn

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

211

Tip at their desire by Mr. Mather the younger, as I have been informed)
wherein they declared: ,

"We judge, that in the prosecution of these and all such wUckcrafls, there is need of a
very critical and exquisite caution : lest by too much credulity for things received only upon
the deviJ!s authority, there be a door opened for a long train of miserable consequences, and
Satan get an advantage over us ; for we should not be ignorant of his devices.

" As in complaints upon wilchcrafls, there may be matters of enquiry, which do not amount
unto matters of presumption; and there may be matters of presumplion, which yet may not
be reckoned matters of conviction; so 'tis necessary that all proceedings thereabout be muff-
aged with an exceeding tenderness towards those that may be complained of: especiiiliy if
they have been persons formerly of an unblemished reputation.

"When thejirst enquiry is made into the circumstances of such as may lye under any just
suspicion of witchcrafts, we could wish that there may be admitted as little as is possible of
such noise, company, and openness as may too hastily expose them that are examined : and
that there may nothing be used as a test for the trial of the suspected, the lawfulness whereof
may be doubted among the people of God: but that the directions given by such judicious
writers as Perl^ins and Bernard, be consulted in such a case.

" Presumptions, whereupon persons may be committed, and much more convictions, where-
upon persons may be condemned as guilty of witchcrafts, ought certainly to be more consider-
able, than barely the accused person's being represented by a spectre to the afflicted: inasmuch
ns it is an undoubted and a notorious thing, that a dicmon may, by God's permission, appear
oven to ill purposes in the shape of an innocent, yen, and a virtuous man : nor can we esteem
alterations made in the sufferers, by a look or touch of the accused, to be an infallible evidence
of guilt: but frequently liable to be abused by the devits legerdemains,

" We know not whether some remarkable affronts given to the devils, by our dis-believing
of those testimonies whose whole force and strength is from them alone, may not put a period
unto the progress of a direful calamity begun upon us, in the accusation of so many persons,
whereof, we hope, some are yet clear from the great transgression laid unto their charge."
•

The ministers of the province also being jealous lest this counsel should

not be duly followed, requested the President of Harvard-Colledge to
compose and publish (which he did) some cases of conscience referring to
these difficulties: in which treatise he did, with demonstrations of incom-
parable reason and reading^ evince it, that Satan may appear in the shape
of an innocent and a virtuous person, to afflict those that suffer by the
diabolical molestations: and that the ordeal of the sirjht^ and the touchy is not
a conviction of a covenant with the devil, but liable to great exceptions
against the lauifulness, as well as the evidence of it: and that either a free
and fair confession of the criminals, or the oath of two credible persons
proving such things against the person accused, as none but such as have
a familiarity with the devil can know, or do, is necessary to the proof of
the crime. Thus,

Cum migit Natura Feras, et Monstra per Orbem,
Misit et Alciden qui f era Monstra domet.*

The Dutch and French ministers in the province of New- York, having
likewise about the same time their judgment asked by the Chief Judge of

* Twns Nature sent these monslers; Nature, too,
Bent Hercules, the mousters to subdue.

212

MAGNALIA CIIKISTI AMERICANA;

that province, who was then a gentleman of New-England, tney gave it
in under their hands, that if we believe no vemfick witchcraft, we must
renounce the Scripture of God, and the consent of almost all the world ;
but that yet the apparition of a person afflicting another, is a very insuffi-
cient proof of a witch; nor is it inconsistent with the holy and righteous
government of God over men, to permit the affliction of the neighbours,
by devils in the shape of good men ; and that a good name, obtained by a
good life, should not be lost by meer spectral accusations.

Now, upon a deliberate review of these things, his Excellency first
reprieved, and then pardoned many of them that had been condemned; and
there fell out several strange things that caused the spirit of the country
to run as vehemently upon the acquitting of all the accused, as it by mis-
take ran at first upon the condemning of them. Some that had been zeal-
ously of the mind, that the devils could not in the shapes of good men
afflict other men, were terribly confuted, by having their own shapes, and
the shapes of their most intimate and valued friends, thus abused. And
though more than twice twenty had made such voluntary, and harmonious,
and uncontroulable confessions, that if they were all sham, there was therein
the greatest violation made by the efficacy of the invisible world, upon the
rules of understanding humane affairs, that was ever seen since "God made
man upon the earth," yet they did so recede from their confessions, that it
was very clear, some of them had been hitherto, in a sort of a, preternatural
dream, wherein they had said of themselves, they kneio not ivhat themselves.

In fine, the last courts that sate upon this thorny business, finding that
it was impossible +o penetrate into the whole meaning of the things that
had happened, and that so many unsearchable cheats were interwoven into
' the conclusion of a mysterious business, which perhaps had not crept there-
into at the beginning of it, they cleared the accused as fast as they tried them ;
and within a little while tiie afflicted were most of them delivered out of
their troubles Jilso; and the land had peace restored unto it, by the "God
jf peace, treading Satan under foot." Erasmus, among other historians,
does tell us, that at a town in Germany, a daemon appeared on the top of
a chimney, threatned that he would set the town on fire, and at length
scattering some ashes abroad, the whole town was presently and horribly
burnt unto the grou <1.

Sir William Phips now beheld such daemons hideously scattering fire
about the country, in the exasperations whicn the minds of men were on
these things rising unto ; and therefore when he had well canvased a caitse,
which perhaps might have puzzled the wisdom of the wisest men on earth
to have managed, without any error in their administrations, he thought,
if it would be any er7'or at all, it would certainly be the safest for him to
put a stop unto all future prosecutions, as far as it lay in him to do it.

lie did so, and for it he had not only the printed acknowledgments of
the New-Englanders, who publicUly thanked him, "As one of the tribe of

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGL ANi>.

218

"God

Zebulun, raised up from among themselves, and spirited as well as commis-
sioned to be the steers-man of a vessel befogged in the mare irortuum of
tvitchcraft, who aow so happily steered her course, that she escaped ship-
wrack, and was safely again moored under the Cape of Good Mope; and
cut asunder the Circaean knot of enchantment, more difficult to be dissolved
than the famous Gordiau one of old."

But the Queen also did him the honour to write unto him those gracious
letters, wherein her Majesty commended his conduct in these inexplicahle
matters. And I did right in calling these matters inexplicable. For if,
after the kingdom of Sweden (in the year 1669, and 1670,) had some hun-
dreds of their children by night often carried away by spectres to an hellish
rendezvous^ where the monsters that so spirited them, did every way tempt
them to associate with them ; and the Judges of the kingdom, after extra-
ordinary supplications to Heaven, upou a strict enquiry, were so satisfied
with the confessions of more than twenty of the accused, agreeing exactly
unto the depositions of the afflicted, that they put several scores of witches
to death, whereupon the confusions came unto a period; yet after all, the
chiefest persons in the kingdom would question whether there were any
%oilchcrafts at all in the whole affair; it must not be wondered at, if the
people of New -England are to this hour full of doubts, about the steps
which were taken, while a tear from the invisible world was terrifying of
them ; and whether they did not kill some of their oion side in the smohe
and noise of this di;{jadful war. And it will be yet less wondred at, if we
consider, that we have seen the whole English nation alarumed with a
plot, and both Houses of Parliament, upon good grounds, voting their
sense of it, and many persons most justly hanged, drawn, and quartered, for
their share in it: when yet there are enough who to this day will pretend
that ih^y cannot comprehend how much of it is to be accounted credible.
However, having related these wonderful passages, whereof, if the vei'ocity
of the relator in any one point be contested, there are whole clouds of wit-
nesses to vindicate it, I will take my leave of the matter with an wholesome
caution of Lactantius, which, it may be, some other parts of the world
besides New-England may have occasion to think upon : Ejjiciunt Doemo-
nes, ut quce non sunt, sic tamen, quasi sint, conspiciznda Hominihus exhibeant*

But the devils being thus vanquished, we shall next hear, that some of
his most devoted and resembling children are so too.

§ 17. As one of the first actions done by Sir William, after he came to
the age of doing, was to save the lives of many poor people from the rage
of the diabolical Indians in the eastern parts of the country, so now he
was come to the government, his mind was very vehemently set upon
recovering of those parts from the miseries which a new and a long war
of the Indians had brought upon them. His birth and youth in the east,
had rendered him well known unto the Indians there; he had hunted

* It U one uf the chief arts of evil spirits, to make things which have .'lo reality seem real to those who witness them.

1 lE

214

MAGNALIA CHKISTI AMERICANA;

and fished many a weary day in his childhood with them; ana when those
rude salvages had got the story by the end, that "he had found a ship full
of money, and was now become all one-a-kingi" they were mightily aston-
ished at it: but when the}'- farther understood that he was become the
governour of New-England, it added a further degree of consternation to
their astonishment. He likewise was better acquainted with the scitiia-
tion of those regions than most other men ; and he considered what vast
advantages might arise to u^ less than the whole English nation, frcjni.
the lumber, and fishery, anr n. ^ al-stores, which those regions might soon
supply the whole nation v ha , if once they were well settled with good
inhabitants.

Whene'ure Governour Phips took tho first opportunity to raise an army,
with which he travelled in person, under the East-Country, to find out
and cut off the barbarou?, enemy, which had continued for near four years
together making horrible havock on the plantations that lay all along the
northern frontiers of New-England; and having pursued those worse than
Scythian wolves till they could be no longer followed, he did with a very
laudable skill, and unusual speed, and with less cost unto the crown than
perhaps ever such a thing was done in the Avorld, erect a strong fort at
Pemmaquid.

This fort he contrived so much in the very heart of the country now
possessed by the enemy, as very much to hinder the several nations of
the tawnies from clannmg together for the common disturbance; and his
design was, that a sufficient garrison being here posted, they might from
thence, upon advice, issue forth to surprize that ferocient enemy. At the
same time he would fain have gone in person up the Bay of Funda, with
a convenient force, to have spoiled the nest of rebellious Frenchmen, who,
being rendezvouzed at St. Johns, had a yearly supply of ammunition from
France, with which they still supplied the Indians, unto the extream detri-
ment of the English ; but his friends for a long time would not permit him
to expose himself unto the inconveniences of that expedition.

However, he to„k such methods, tho,t the Indian Kings of the East,
within a little while had their stomachs brought down to sue and beg for
a peace: and making their appea'-ance at the new-fort in Pemmaquid,
August li, 1693, they did there sign an instrument, wherein, lamenting
the miseries which their adherence to the French counsels had brought
them into, they did for themselves, and with the consent of all the Indians
from the river of Merrimack to the most easterly bounds of all the prov-
ince, acknowledge their hearty subjection and obedience unto the Crown
of England, and solemnly covenant, promise and agree, to and with Sir
William Phips, Captain General and Governour in Chief over the province,
and his successors in that place, "That they would for ever cease all acts
of hostility towards the subjects of the Crown of England, and hold a
constant friendship with all the English. That they would utterly aban-

OK, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

215

don the Frencli interests, and not succour or conceal any enemy Indians,
from Canada or elsewhere, that should come to any of their plantations
within the English territories: that all English captives, which they had
among them, should be returned with all possible speed, and no ransom
or payment be given for any of them: that their Majesties' subjects the
English, now should quietly enter upon, and for ever improve and enjoy
all and singular their rights of lands, and former possessions, within the
eastern parts of the province, without any claims from any Indians or
being ever disturbed therein : that all trade and commerce, which hereafter
might be allowed between the English and the Indians, should be under a
regulation stated by an act of the General Assembly, or as limited by the
governour of the province, with the consent and advice of his Council.
And that if any controversie hereafter happen between any of the Eng-
lish and the Indians, no private revenge was to be taken by the Indians,
but proper applications to be made unto his Majesty's government, for
the due remedy thereof: submitting themselves herewithal to be governed
by his Majesty's laws."

And for the manifestation of their sincerity in the submission thus made,
the hi/ppcritical ivretches deWvered hostages for their fidelity : and then set
their marks and seals, no less than thirteen Sagamores of them, (with names
of more than a Persian length) unto this instrument.

The first rise of this Indian war had hitherto been almost as dark as that
of the river Nil us : 'tis true, if any wild English did rashly begin to provoke
and affront the Indians, yet the Indians had a fairer way to obtain justice
than by bloodshed: however, upon the New-English revolution, the state
of the tear became wholly 7iew: the government then employed all possi-
ble ways to procure a good understanding with the Indians; but all the
English offers, kindnesses, courtesies were barbarously requited by them,
with new acts of the most perfidious hostility. Notwithstanding all this,
there were still some nice people that had their scruples about the "justice
of the v/ar;" but upon this new submission of the ludians, if ever those
rattle-snakes (the only rattle-snakes which, they say, 'vore ever seen to the
northward of Merimack-river) should stir again, the most scrupulous per-
sons in the world must own, that it must be the n\ost unexceptionable piece of
justice 'in the icorldfor to extinguish them.

Thus did the God of heaven bless the unwearied applications of Sir
"William Phips, for the restoring of peace unto New-England, when the
country was quite jut of breath in its endeavours for its own preservation
from the continual outrages of an inaccessible enemy, and by the poverty
coming in so lib' an armed man, from the unsucces."fp.iness of their former
armies, that it could not imagine how to take one .tep further in its wars.
The most happy respite of peace beyond Meririack-river being thus pro-
cured, the governour immediately set himself to use all possible methods,
that it might be "peace like a river," nothing short oi everlastivg.

ft;''

216

MAONALIi^ OIIRISTI AMERICANA;

He therefore prevailed with iwo or three gentlemen to join with him
in sending a supply of necessaries for life unto the Indians; until, the Gen-
eral Assembly oould come together to settle the Indian-trade for the advan-
tage of the publick, that the Indians might not by necessity be driven
again to become a French propriety; although by this action, as ihe gen-
tlemen themselves were great h!;trs in their estates, thus he hinisclF deolarmi
unto the members of the Gcnei;*! Assembly, that he would upon " ,' !,h giv3
an account unto them of all hia own gains, and coimt hinisolf a jrniner,
if in lieu of all they would give him one heaver-hat. The sr-ijie generosity
also caused him to take many a tedious voyago, accoinpanie' I sometimes
with his Fidus Achates* and veiy dear fiiond, kinsman and neighbour,
Colonel John Philips, between Boston and i*cmmaquid ; and this in the
bitter weeks of the New-English, which is almost a Russian v.'inter.

He was a sort of confessor under such tormenfa of coM, as once made
the ifJMj'tyrdom of Muria, and others, commemorated ia orationa of O^a
an^'isnts; and Lhc auow and ice which Pliny calls, 'Tlu; punishment of
mountains," he r-hoorfuUy endured, without any other pro/i<: unto himself,
but only the putcsure of thercly establishing and continuing unto the
people, the liberty to shrp quietly in their warm nests at home, while he
was thus coneornod <ot them abroad. Non mihi sed popnh, the motto of
tijo Empeior ilndrian, was engraved on the heart of Sir William: NOT
FOR MYSELF; HUT FOii MY PEOPLE ; or that of Maximin, Quo major, hoc
Lahoriosior — the more honourable, the more laborious.

Indeed, the restlessness of his travels to the southern as well as the eastern
parts of the country, when the publick safety called for his prcnence, would
have made one to think on the translation which the King of Portugal,
on a very extraordinary occasion, gave the fourth verse in the hundred
and twenty-first Psalm: "He will not slumber, nor will he suffer to sleep
the keeper of Israel." Nor did he only try to cicurate the Indians of the
easi, by other prudent and pi >per treatments ; but he also furnished him-
self with an Indian preacher of the gospel, whom he carried unto the
eastward, with an intention to teach them the principles of the Protestant
religion, and unteach them the mixt Paganry and Popery which hitherto
diabolued them. To unteach them, I say; for they had been taught by
ihe French priests this among other things, that the mother of our blessed
Saviour was a French lady, and that they were Englishmen by whom our
Saviour was murdered ; and that it was therefore a meritorious thing to
destroy the English nation. The name of the preacher whom the govern-
our carried with him, was Nahauton, one of the natives ; and because the
passing of such expressions from the mouth of a poor Indian may upon
some accounts be worthy of remembrance, let it be rememberedj that when
the governour propounded unto him such a mission to the eastern Indians,
he replied, "I know that I shall probably endanger my life by going to

* FaitbfUI adviser.

OB, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

217

preach the gospel among the Frenchified Indians; but I know that it will
be a service unto the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore I will venture to go."

God grant that his behaviour may be in all things, at all times, accord-
ing to these his expressions! While these things were doing, having intel-
ligence of a French man of war expected at St. Johns, he dispatched awav
the Non-such frigot thither to intercept him ; nevertheless, by the grosi.^
neglijeii'C, and perhaps cowardice of the captain, who had lately come from
England with orders to take the command of her, instead of one who had
been by Sir William a while before put in, and one who had signalized
himself by doing of notable service for the King and country in it, the
Frenchman arrived, unladed, and went away untouched. The governour
was extremely offended at this notorious dejiciency; it cust him into a great
impatience to see the nation so wretchedly served; and he would himself
have gone to Saint Johns with a resolution to spoil that harbour of spoj,ler$^
if he had not been taken off, by being sent for home to Whitehall, in the
very midst of his undei !;akings.

But the treacherous Indians being ^oiso>ierf with the French enchantments^
and furnished with brave new coats, and new arms, and all new incentives
to war, by the mail of war newly come in ; they presently and perfidiously
fell upon two English towns, and butchered and captived many of the
inhabitants, and made a neio war, which the Nev/'-Englanders know not
whether it will end until either Canada become an English Province, or
that state arrive, vherein they "shall beat swords into ploughshares, and
spears into pruning-hooks." And no doubt, the taking off Sir William
Phips was no small encouragement unto the in' uis in this relapse into
the villanies and massacres of a new invasion upon the country.

§ 18. Reader, 'tis time for us to view a little more to the life, the picture
of the person, the actions of whose life we have hitherto been looking upon.
Know then, that for his exterior, he was one tall, beyond the common set
of men, and thick as well as tall, and strong as well as thick: he was, in all
respects, exceedingly robnst, and able to conquer such difficulties of diet and
of travel, as would have killed most men alive: nor did ihefct, whereinto he
grew very much in his later years, take away the vigour of his motions.

He was well set, and he was therewithal of a very comely, though a
very manly countenance: a countenance where any true skill in physiog-
nomy would have read the characters of a generous mind. Wherefore
passing to his interior, the very first thing which there offered it self unto
observation, was a most incomparable generosity.

And of this, besides the innumerable instances which he gave in his
usual hatred of dirty or little tricks, there was one instance for which I
must freely say, "I never saw three men in this world that equalled him:"
this was his wonderfully /orr/tViH.^ spirit. In the vast variety of business,
through which he raced in his time, he met with many and mighty inju-
ries: but although I have heard all that the most venemous malice could

218

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

ver Jiiss at his memory, I never did hear unto this hour that he aid ever
once deliberately ivventje an injury.

Upon certain njjhmts ho has made sudden returns that have shewed
chokr enough, and he hj\s by blow, as well as by ivord, chastised incivilities :
he was, indeed, sufheiontly impatient of being put upon; and when base
men, surpri/ing him at some disadvantiujes (for else few men durst have
done it) have sometimes drawn upon him, he has, without the wicked mad-
ness of a formal duel, made them feel that he knew how to correct fools.
Nevertheless, he ever declined a deliberate revenge of a wrong done unto
him; though few men upon earth have, in their vicissitudes, been fur-
nished with such frequent opportunities of revenge as Heaven brought
into the hands of this gentleman.

Under great provocations, he would commoriy say, "'Tis no matter; let
them alone ; some time or other they'll see their weakness and rashness,
and nave occasion for me to Jo them a kindness; and they shall then see
I have quite forgotten all their baseness." Accordingly, 'twas remarkable
to see it, that few men ever did him a mischief, but those men afterwards
had occasion for him to do tliem a kindness: and he did the kindness with
as forgetful a bravery, as if the mischief had never been done at all. The
Emperor Theodosius himself could not be readier to forgive; so worthily
did he verilio that observation :

Quo quisque fat mtyor, mngis est placabilia ira,
Et fatilet motus mcna generoaa eapit.*

In those jilaces of power whereto the providence of God by several
degrees raised him, it still fell out so, that before his rise thereunto he under-
went such things as ho counted very hard abuses, from those very persons
over whom the Divine Providence afterwards gave him the ascendant.

By such trials, the wisdom of Heaven still prepared him, as David
before him, for successive advancements; and as he behaved ? jmself with
a marvellous lonfj-suijerinff, when he was tried by such mortifications, thus
when he eamo to be advanced, he convinced all mankind that he had
perfectly buried all the old olfences in an eternal amnesty. I was my self
an ear-nu'tncss that one who was an eye-witness of his behaviour under such
probations of his patience, did, long before his arrival to that honour, say
unto him, "Sir, forgive those that give you these vexations, and know
that the God of heaven intends, before he has done with you, to make
you the governour of New-England !" And when he did indeed become
the govori' jur of New-England, he shewed that he still continued a gov-
ernour of himself, in his treating all that had formerly been in ill terms
with him, with as much favour and frealom as if there had never happened
the least exjwperations: though any governour that kens Hobbianism, can
easily contrive ways enough to wreak a spite, where he owes it.

• Tlu' luihlost wml Ib nc'ur rejenlful long,
Ami with on easy iiiHtliict pardons wrung.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

219

can

It was with some Christian remark that he read the Pagan story of the
renowned Fabius Maximus, who, being preferred unto the highest office
in the commonwealth, did, through a zeal for his country, overcome the
greatest contempts that any person of quality could have received. — Min-
utius, the master of the horse, and the next person in dignity to himself,
did first privately tru'ace him, as one that was no soldier, and less poli-
ticmi; and he afterwards did, both by speeches and letters, prejudice not
only the army, but also the senate against him, so that Minutius was now
by an unpresidented commission brought into an equality with Fabins.

All this while the great Fabius did not throw up his cares for the com-
monwealth, but with a wondrous equality of mind endured equally the
malice of the judges and the fury of the commons; and when Minutius
a while after was with all his forces upon the point of perishing by the
victorious arms of Hannibal, this very Fabius, not listening to the dictates
of revenge, came in and helped him, and saved him ; and so, by a rare
virtue, he made his worst adversaries the captives of his generosity.

One of the antients, upon such an history, cried out, "If heathens can
do thus much for the glory of their name, what shall not Christians do
for the glory of Ileavenl" And Sir William Phips did so much more than
thus much, that besides his meriting the glory of such a name, as PiiiP-
Pius Maximus, he therein had upon him the symptoms of a title to the
glory of heaven, in the seal of his own pardon from God. Nor was this
generosity in his Excellency the Governour of New-England, unac-
companied with many other excellencies; whereof the piety of his carriage
towards God is worthy to be first mentioned.

It is true, he was very zealous for all men to enjoy such a liberty of con-
science as he judged a native right of mankind: and he was extreamly
troubled at the over-boiling zeal of some good men, who formerly took
that wrong way of reclaiming hereticks by persecution. For this gener-
osity, it may be, some would have compared him unto Gallio, the gov-
ernour of Achaia, whom our preaohers, perhaps with mistake enough,
think to be condemned in the Scripture for his not appearing to be a
judge in matters which indeed fell not under his cognizance.

And I shall be content that he be compared unto that gentleman;
for that Gallio was the brother of Seneca, who gives this character
of him: "That there was no man who did not love him too little, if
he could love him any more;" and, "that there was no mortal so dear
to any, as he was to all;" and, "that he hated all vices, but none more
than flattery."

But while the generosity of Sir William caused him to desire a liberty
of conscience, his piety would not allow a liberty of prophaneness, either
to himself or others. He did not affect any mighty sliow of devotion ;
and when he saw any that were evidently careful to make a show, and espe-
cially if at the same time they were notoriously defective in the duties of

m^&i

220

MAGNALIA OIIRISTI AMERICANA;

common justice or goodness, or the duties of the relations wherein God had
stationed them, he had an extream aversion for them.

Nevertheless he did show a conscientious desire to observe the laws of
the Lord Jesus Christ in his conversation; and he conscientiously attended
upon the exercises of devotion in the seasons thereof, on lectures, as well
as on Lord's days, and in the daily sacrifice, the morning and evening
service of his own family; yea, and at the private meetings of the devout
people kept every fortnight in the neighbourhood.

Besides all this, when he had great works before him, he would invite
good men to come and fast and pray with him at his house for the success
thereof; and when he had succeeded in what he had undertaken, he would
prevail with them to come and keep a day of solemn timnhsgiving with him.
His love to Almighty God, was indeed manifested by nothing more than
his love to those that had the image of God upon them ; he heartily, and
with real honour for them, loved all godly men ; and in so doing, he did
not confine godliness to this or that party, but wherever he saw the/e«r of
God, in one of a Congregational, or Presbyterian, or Antiptedobaptist, or
Episcopalian perswasion, he did, without any difference, express towards
them a reverent affection.

But he made no men more welcome than those good men whose office
'tis to promote and preserve goodness in all other men ; even the ministers
of the gospel: especially when they were such as faithfully discharged
their office: and from these, at any time, the least admonition or intimation
of any good thing to be done by him, he entertained with a most obliging
alacrity. His religion, in truth, was one principle that added virtue unto
that vast courage which was always in him to a degree heroical. Those
terrible nations which made their descents from the northern on the south-
ern parts of Europe, in those elder ages, when so to swarm out was more
frequent with them, were inspired with a valiant contempt of life, by the
opinion wherein their famous Odin instructed them: "That their death
was but an entrance into another life, wherein they who died in warlike
actions, were bravely feasted with the god of war for ever;" 'tis inex-
pressible how much the courage of those fierce mortals was fortified by*
that opinion.

But when Sir William Phips was asked by some that observed his
"valiant contempt of death," what it was that made him so little afraid
of dying, he gave a better grounded account of it than those Pagans could ;
his answer was, "I do humbly believe, that the Lord Jesus Christ shed liis
precious blood for me, by his death procuring my peace with God : and
what should I now be afraid of dying for?"

But this leads me to mention the humble and modest carriage in him
towards other men, which accompanied this his piety. There were certain
pomps belonging to the several places of honour through which he passed ;
pomps that are very taking to men of little souls: but although he rose from

OB, THE IIISTOKY OF NEW-ENQLAND.

221

ired hi3

afraid

could ;

led his

d: and

BO little^ yet ho discovered a nuirvelloua contempt of tLoso niry things, and,
as far as he handsomely could, ho declined Iwing ceremoniously, or any
otherwise than with a Dutch modesty, waited uiwn. And it might more
truly be said of him, than it wi\a of Aristidcs, " lie was never seen the
prouder for any honour that was done him from his countrymen."

Hence, albeit I have read that complaint, made by a worthy man, "I
have often observed, and this not without some blushing, that even good
people have had a kind of shame upon them to acknowledge their low
beginning, and used all arts to hide it, I could never olvservo the least of
that fault in this worthy man; but ho would sjwak of his own lou) kijin-
ning with as much freedom and fivquency, as ii' ho hail been afraid of
having it forgotten.

It was counted an humility in King Agathocles, the son of a potter, to
be served therefore in earthen tvAwfe, as Plutarch hath informed us: it
was counted an humility in Archbishop Willigis, the son of a Wheelright,
therefore to have wheeb hung about his bed-chamber, with this inscription,
Becole ^lmle Veneris, i. e. "Remember thy original." But such was the
humility and hicliness of this mm// nmn! Not only did he after his return
to his country in his greatness, one day, make a splendid feast for the
shi/p-carpcnters oi 'RosXow, among whon\ he was willing at his table to com-
memorate the mercy of God unto him, who had once lieen a ship-carpenter
himself, but he would on all occasions inrmit, yea, stmiy to have his mean-
nesses remembered.

Hence, upon frequent occasions of uneasiness in his government, he
would chuse thus to express himself: ''Gentlemen, were it not that I am
to do service for the publick, I should be much easier in returning unto
my broad-ax again I" And hence, according to the affhltle courtesie which
he ordinarily used unto all sorts of persons, ((juito contrary to the asperity
which the old proverb expects in the misetl,) he would particularly when
sailing in sight of Kennebeck, with armies under his command, call the
young soldiers and sailors upon deck, and speak to them after this fashion:
"Young men, it was upon that hill that I kept sheep a few years ago; and
since you see that Almighty tiod has brought me to soniething, do you
learn to fear God, and be honesty and mind your business, and follow no
bad courses, and you don't know what you may come to!" A temper not
altogether unlike what the advanced shepherd hud, when he wrote the
twenty-third Psalm; or when he imprinted on the coin of his kingdom
the reinembrance of his old condition ; ft>r Christianus Gerson, a Christian-
ized Jew, has informed us that on the one side of David's coin were to be
seen his old pouch and cro(^k, the instrument of shepherdy; on the other
side were enstamped the towel's of Zion.

In fine, our Sir William w as a person of so sweet a temper, that they
who were most intimately acquainted with him, would commonly jiro-
uouuce him, "The best conditioned gentleman in the world!"' And bv the

•'IP
m

222

MAUNALIA CIIU18TI A M KK IC A N A{

continual discoveries niul expressions of such n temper, ho s*. incvl tho
hearts of them who waited upon him in any of his expeditions, that tiiey
would commonly i)rofe8a themselves willing still, "to have gone with him
to the end of the world."

But if all other people found him so kind a neighbour, we may easily
infer what an husband ho was unto his lady. Leaving unnientioned that
virtue of his chastity, which tho prodigious deijravation brought by tho
late reigns upon the manners of the nation has made worthy to be men-
tioned as a virtue somewhat extraordinary, I shall rather pass on to say,
that tho love, even to fondness, with which he always treated her, was a
matter not only of! oLseri'ii I ion, but even of audi adininition, that every one
said, "the age aflbrded not a kinder husband!"

But wo must now return to our story.

§ 19. When persons do by studies full of cunoniti/ seek to inform them-
selves of things about wiiieh the God of Heaven hath forbidden our curious
euquiries, there is a marvellous imitression, which the diemons do often make
on tho minds of those their votaries, about the future or secret matters
unlawfully enquired after, and at last there is also an horrible possetifiion,
which those Fatkiic dicmons do take of them. The snares of hell, hereby
laid for miserable mortals, have been such, that when I read the laws wiiich
Angellius affirms to have been made, even in Pagan Borne, against tho
Vuticinatores* I wonder that no English nobleman or gentleman signalizes
his regard unto Christianity, by doing what even a Roman Tully would
have done, in promoting an Act of Parliament against that Paganisli
practice of judicud mtrology, whereof, if such men as Austin were now liv-
ing, they would assert, " The devil first found it, and they that profess it
are enemies of truth and of God."

In the mean time, I cannot but relate a wonderful experience of Sir
William Phips, by the relation whereof something of an antidote may bo
given against ajioison which tho diahoWnxl fi'jure-Jlinijers and fortune-tellera
that swarm all the world over may insinuate info the minds of men.
Long before Mr. Phips came to be Sir AVilliam, while ho sojourned in
London, there came into his lodging an old ostroloycr, living in the neigh-
bourhood; who, making some observation of him, though he had small or
no conversation with him, did (howbeit by him wholly undesircd) one day
send him a paper, wherein he had, w ith pretences of a rule in astrology for
each article, distinctly noted the most material passages that were to befal
this our Phips in the remaining part of his life; it was particularly asserted
and inserted, that he should be engaged in a design, wherein, by reason
of enemies at Court, he should meet with much delay; that nevertheless
in the thirty-seventh year of his life, he should find a mi'jhty-treasure ; that
in the forty-first year of his life, his King should employ him in as great a
trust beyond sea as a subject could easily have; that soon after this he should

• Astrulugttrs.

OB, THE H18T0HY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

228

undergo an hard storm fVom the endeavours of UIh adversaries to roproach
him and ruin him; that his adversaries, though tiioy should go very
near gaining the point, should yet rniis of doing so; that ho shoukl hit
upon a vostly richer vmttcr than any ho had hitherto met withal ; that ho
should continue thirteen years in his {)ublick station, full of aetion and full
of hurry; and the rest of his days he should spend in the satislUetion of
a jieacfdhle retirement,

Mr. Phips received this undesired paper with trouble and with contfrnpt,'
and threw it by among certain loose papers in the bottom of a trunk,
where his lady some years after accidentally lit upon it. Ili.s lady with
admiration saw, step after step, very much of it acconiplished; but when
she heard from England that Sir William was coming over with a commis-
sion to be governour of New-England, in that very year of his life which
the paper specifled, she was afraid of letting it lyo any longer in the house,
but cast it into t\io fire.

Now, the thing which I must invite my reader to remark is this, that
albeit Almighty God may permit the devils to jiredict, and perhaps to /;er-
form very many particular things to men, that shall by such a "presump-
tuous and unwarrantable juggle as astrology" (so Dr. Hall well calls it!)
or any other divination, consult them, yet the devils which foretel many true
things, do commonly /yrete^ some that ura/ahie, and, it may be, propose by
the things that are true to betray men into some fatal misbelief and mis-
carriage about those that are false.

Very singular therefore was the wisdom of Sir William Phips, that as
ho ever treated these prophesies about him with a most pious neylect, so
when he had seen all but the two last of them very punctually fulfilled,
yea, and seen the beginning of a fulfdment unto the last hut one also, yet
when I pleasantly mentioned them unto him, on purpose to t)'i/ whether
there were any occasion for me humbly to give him the serious advice
necessary in such a case to anticipate the devices of Satan, he prevented
my advice, by saying to me, "Sir, I do believe there might be a cursed
snare of Satan in those prophesies: I believe Satan might have leave to
foretel many things, all of which might come to pass in the beginning, to
lay me asleep about such things as are to follow, especially about the main
chance of all; I do not know but I am to die this year: for my part, by
the help of the grace of God, I shall endeavour to live as if I were this
year to die." And let the reader now attend the event!

§ 20. 'Tis a similitude which I have learned from no less a person than
the great Basil: that as the eye sees not those objects which are applied
close unto it, and even lye upon it; but when the objects are to some dis-
tance removed, it clearly discerns them: so we have little sense of the
good which we have in our enjoyments, until God, by the removal thereof,
teach us better to prize what we once enjoyed. It is true, the generality
of sober and thinking people among the New-Englanders, did as higlUy

224

MAGNALIA CIIEISTI AMERICANA;

I!' I

I '
i' i

value tlie government of Sir William Phips whilst he lived, as they do his
memm-y since his death ; nevertheless, it must be confessed, that the bless-
ing which the country had in his indefatigable zeal to serve the publick
in all its interests, was not so valued as it should have been.

It was mentioned long since as a notorious fault in Old Egypt, that it
was Loquax et ingeniosa in contumeliam prcBfectorum provincia: si quis forte
vitaverit culpam^ "ontumeliam non effugit:* and New-England has been at
"♦the best always too faulty, in that very character, "a province very talk-
ative, and ingenious for the vilifying of its publick servants."

But Sir William Phips, who might in a calm of the commonwealth have
administered all things with as general an acceptance as any that have
gone before him, had the disadvantage of being set at helm in a time as
full of storm as ever that province had seen ; and the people having their
spirits put into a tumult by the discomposing and distempering variety of
disasters, which had long been rendring the time calamitous, it was natural
for them, as 'tis for all men then, to be complaining; and you may be sure,
the rulers must in such cases be always complained of, and the chief com-
plaints must be heaped upon those that are commanders in chief. Nor has
a certain proverb in Asia been improper in America, "He deserves no
man's good word, of whom every man shall speak well."

Sir William was very hardly handled (or tongued at least) in the liberty
which people took to make most unbecoming and injurious reflections
upon his conduct, and clamour against him, even for those very actions
which were not only necessary to be done, but highly beneficial unto them-
selves; and though he would ordinarily smile at their fvwardness, calling
it his country 2>ay, yet he sometimes resented it with some uneasiness; he
seemed unto himself sometimes almost as bad as rolled about in liegulus'
barrel; and had occasion to think on the Italian proverb, "To wait for
one who does not come; to lye a bed not able to sleep; and to find it
impossible to please those whom we serve; are three griefs enough to
kill a man."

But as froward as the people were, under the epidemical vexations of the
age, yet there were very few that would acknowledge unto the very last,
"It will be hardly possible for us to see another governour that shall more
intirel y love and serve the country :" yea, had the country had the choice
of their own governour, 'tis judged their votes, more than forty to one,
would have still fallen upon him to have been the man : and the General
Assembly therefore on all occasions renewed their petitions unto the King
for his continuance.

Nevertheless, there was a little party of men who thought they must
not "sleep till they had caused him to fall:" and they so vigorousl}^ prose-
cuted certain articles before the Council-board at Whitehall against him,

* A province, very free-spoken and ingenious in dispnrai^ingf its public (ifflcers: so that if one uf tliem should
be 80 furtiiMulH us to avoid iil conduct, he would not bo Jucliy enough to escapo un ill name.

IIB'I

OR, THE HISTOBY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

225

sy do his
he bless-
■publick

t, that it

luis forte

been at

ery talk-

iltb have
bat have
a time as
ing their
ariety of
iS natural
J be sure,
liief com-
Nor has
lerves no

le liberty

eflections

y actions

ito them-

j.s, calling

uess; he

Kegulus'

wait for

o find it

[lough to

ns of the
cry last,
lall more
le choice
Y to one,
General
the King

ley must
3I3' prose-
inst him,

them should

that they imagined they had gained an order of his Majesty in Council to
suspend him immediately from his government, and appoint a committee
of persons nominated by his enemies, to hear all depositions against him;
and so a report of the whole to be made unto the King and Council.

But his Majesty was too well informed of Sir William's integrity to
permit such a sort of procedure ; and therefore he signified unto his most
honourable Council that nothing should be done against Sir William, until
he had opportunity to clear himself; and thereupon he sent his royal com-
mands unto Sir William to come over. To give any retorting accounts
of the principal persons who thus adversaried him, would be a thing so
contrary to the spirit of Sir William Phips himself, wh^ at his leaving of
New-England bravely declared that he "freely forgave them all;" and if
he had returned thither again, would never have taken the least revenge
upon them, that this alone would oblige me, if I had no other obligations
of Christianity upon me, to forbear it; and it may be, for some of them,
it would be "to throw water upon a drowned mouse."

Nor need I to produce any more about the articles which these men
exhibited against him, than this: that it was by most men believed that,
if he would have connived at some arbitrary oppressions too much used by
some kind of officers on the King's subjects, /e«/; perhaps, or none of those
articles hjid ever been formed; and that he apprehended himself to be
provided with a full defence against them all.

Nor did his Excellency seem loth to have had his case tried under the
brazen tree of Gariac, if there had been such an one as that mentioned
by the fabulous Murtadi, in his prodigies of Egypt, a tree which had iron
branches with sharp hooks at the end of them, that when any false accuser
approached, as the fabel says, immediately flew at him, and stuck in him,
until he had ceased injuring his adversary,

AVherefore, in obedience unto the King's commands, he took his leave
of Boston on the seventeenth of November, 1694, attended with all proper
testimonies of respect and honour from the body of the people, which he
had been the head unto; and with addresses unto their Majesties, and the
chief Ministers of State from the General Assembly, humbly imploring
that they might not be deprived of the happiness which they had in
such an head.

Arriving at Whitehall, he found in a few days that, notwithstanding all
the impotent rage of his adversaries, particularly vented and printed in a
viUanous h'bel, as well as almost in as many other ways ns there are mouths,
at which Fyal sometimes has vomited out its infernal fires, he had all
humaw assurance of his returning in a very few weeks again the governour
of New-England.

Wherefore there wore especially two designs, full of service to the whole
English nation, as well as his own particular country of New-England,
which he applied his thoughts unto. Fir'^t, he had a new scene of action
Vol. I.— 15

m ^

' >

^fi

223

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

I !

t' I.

opened unto him, in an opportunity to supply the Crown with all naval
stores at most easie rates, from those eastern parts of the Massachuset prov-
ince, which, through the conquest that he had made thereof, came to be
inserted in the Massachuset-charter. As no man was more capable than
he to improve this opportunity unto a vast advantage, so his inclination to
it was according to his capacity.

And he longed with some impatience to see the King furnished from
his own dominions with such floating and stately castles, those "wooden-
walls of Great Britain," for much of which he has hitherto traded with
foreign kingdoms. Next, if I may say next unto this, he had an eye upon
Canada ; all attempts for the reducing whereof had hitherto proved abortive.

It was but a few months ago that a considerable fleet, under Sir Francis
Wheeler, which had been sent into the West-Indies to subdue Martenico,
was ordered then to call ai New-England, that being recruited there, they
rnight make a further descent upon Canada ; but Heaven frowned upon
that expedition, especially by a terrible sickness, the most like the plague
of any thing that has been ever seen in America, whereof there died, ere
they could reach to Boston, as I was told by Sir Francis himself, no less
than thirteen hundred sailors out of twenty-one, and no less than eighteen
hundred ^.iers out of twenty-four.

It was ^vv thei'cfore his desire to have satisfied the King that his whole
interest in America lay at stake while Canada was in French hands; and
therewithal to have laid before several noblemen and gentlemen how ben-
eficial an undertaking it would have been for them to have pursued the
Canadian-business, for which the New-Englanders were now grown too
feeble; their country being too far now, as Bedc says Plngland once was,
Omni Milite d floridar Juventutis Alacritate spoliata*

Besides these tivo designs in the thongiits of Sir William, there was a
third, which he had hopes that the King would have given him leave to
have pursued, after he had continued so long in his government, as to have
obtained the more general welfare which he designed in the former instances.
I do not mean the making of New-England the seat of a Spanish trade,
though so vastly profitable a thing was likely to have been brought about
by his being one of an honourable company engaged in such a project.

But the Spanish wreck, where Sir William had ma(^e his first good
voyage, was not the only, nor the richest wreck, that he knew to be lying
under the water. He knew particularly that when the ship which had
Governour Boadilla aboard, was cast away, there was, as Peter Martyr
says, an entire table of gold of three thousand three hundred and ten pound
toeight.

The Duke of Albermarle's patent for all such wrecks now expiring. Sir
William thought on the motto which is upon the gold medal, bestowed
by the late King, with his Knighthood upon him, Semper 'l%i pendeat

* Drained o( all ite aoUlicry niiU \U young und active cUlzviia.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

227

ill naval
set prov-
ne to bo
xhle than
nation to

led from
wooden -
ded with
eye upon
abortive,
r Francis
'artenico,
ere, they
led upon
le plague
died, ere
f, no less
1 eighteen

bis whole
lids; and
how ben-
sued the
own too
)nce was,

re was a

leave to

s to have

nstances.

\\ trade,

;ht about

'ojcct.

rst good

je lying

ich had

Martyr

)i pound

ring. Sir
)cstowed
pe)ideat

ffamus;* and supposing himself to have gained sufficient information of
the right way to such a wreck, it was his purpose, upon his dismission
Irom his government, once more to have gone unto his old fishing-trade^
upon a mighty shelf of rocks and banks of sands that lye where he had
informed himself.

But as the prophet Ilaggai and Zechariah, in their psalm upon the grants
made unto their people by the Emperors of Persia, have that reflection,
"Man's breath goeth forth, he returns to his earth; in that very day his
thoughts perish," my reader must now see what came of all these consid-
erable thoughts. About the middle of February, 1694, Sir William found
himself indisposed with a cold, which obliged him to keep his chamber;
but under this indisposition he received the honour of a visit from a very
eminent person at Whitehall, M^ho upon sufficient assurance, bade him
" Get well as fast as he could, for in one month's time he should be again
dispatched away to his government of New-England."

Nevertheless, his distemper proved a sort of malignap+ feaver, whereof
many about this time died in the city; and it suddenly put an end at once
unto his days and thoughts, on the eighteenth of February ; to the extream
surprize of his friends, who honourably interred him in the church of St.
Mary Woolnoth, and with him, how much of New England's happiness I

§ 21. Although he has now "no more a portion for ever in any thing
that is done under the sun," yet justice requires that his memory he not for-
gotten. I have not all this while said he was faidtless, nor am I unwilling
to use for him the words which Mr. Calamy had in his funeral sermon for
the excellent Earl of Warwick, "It must be confessed, lest I should prove
a flatterer, he had his infirmities, which I trust Jesus Christ has covered
with the robe of his righteousness: my prayer to God is, that all his infirm-
ities may be buried in the grave of oblivion, ;md that all his virtues arid
graces may supervive;" although perhaps th<. .e were no infirmities in that
noble person, which Mr. Calamy counted so.

Nevertheless, I must also say, that if the anguish of his publick fatigues
threw Sir William into any faults of p.^'^sion, they were hwtfaidts o^ passion
soon recalled: and spots being soonest seen in ermin, there was usually the
most made of them that could be, by those that were least /ree themselves.

After all, I do not knov/ that I have been, by any personal obligations
or circumstances, charmed into any partiality for the memory of this
worthy man ; but I do here, from a real satisfliction of conscience concern-
ing him, declare to all the world, that I leckon him to have been really a
very worthy man; that few men in the world, rising from so mean an
original as he, would have acquitted themselves with a thousandth part
of his capacity or integrity; that he left unto the world a notable example
of a disposition to do good, and encountred and overcame almost invincible
temptations in doing it.

• Let the barb hang from thee always.

^: m

t I

i|:L:i

228

MAQNALIA CIIEISTI AMERICANA;

And I do most solemnly profess, that I have most conscientiously
endeavoured the utmost sincerity and veracity of a Christian, as w«!ll as
an historian, in the history which I have now given of him. I have not
written of Sir William Phips, as they say Xenophon did of Cyrus, Non
ad llistoricn Fidem, sed ad Effifjiem veri iinpcrii:* what sliotdd have been,
raiher than what really ivas. If the envy of his few enemies be not now
quiet, I must freely say it, that for many weeks before he died, there was
not one man among h\9, personal enemies whom he would not readily and
chearfully have done all the kind offices of a friend unto: wherefore,
though the gentleman in England that once published a vindication of
Sir William Phips against some of his enemies, chose to put the name of
publicans upon them, they must in this be coimted worse than the Public-
ans of whom our Saviour says, "They love those that love them."

And I will say this further, that when certain persons had found the
sladl of a dead man, as a Greek writer of -epigrams has told us, they all
fell a weeping, but only one of the company, who laughed and flouted,
and through an unheard-of cruelty, threw stones at it, which stones won-
derfully rebounded back upon the face of him that threw them, and
miserably wounded him: thus, if any sliall be so unchristian^ — ^yea, so
inhumane — as libellously to throw stones at so deserved a reputation as this
gentleman has died withal, they shall see n,jusi reho^ind of all their calumnies.

But tlic name of Sir William Phips will be heard honourably men-
tioned in the trumpets of immortal fame, when the names of many that
antipathic.d him will either be buried in eternal oblivion, without any
sacer lafesf to preserve them; or be remembered, but like that of Judas
in the gospel, or Pilate in the creed, with eternal infamy.

The old Persians indeed, according to the report of Agathias, exposed
their dead friends to be torn in pieces by wild beasts, believing that if they
lay long nnuwried, they had been nmcorthy persons; but all attempts of
surviving malice to demonstrate in that wa}' the worth of this dead gen-
tleman, give me leave to rate off with indignation.

And I must with a like freedom say, that great was the fault of New-
England no more to value a person whose opportunities to serve all their
interests, though vcr}'' eminent, yet were not so eminent as his inclinntions.
If this wliolc continent carry in its very name of America an unaccount-
able iiif/ntiitKde unto that brave man who first led any numbers of Euro-
peans thither, it must not be wondred at, if now and then a particular
country in tliat continent afford some instances of ingratitude: but I
must believe that tlie ingratitude of many, both to God and man, for
such benefits as that country of New-England enjoyed from a governour
of their f^wn, by whom they enjoyed, great quietness, with very ivortlii/ deeds
done %adu that nation hy his providence, was that which hastned the removal
of such a beneflictor from them.

* N'^t with hirttoric accuracy, but to iMustrale his Idoa of a well-governed empire. t Consccrnted bard.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

229

entjously
8 wtill as
have not
Tus, Non
ive been,
not now
;here was
idily and
therefore,
cation of
name of
e Public-
I.

bund the
i, they all
I flouted,
ones won-
hem, and
— yea, so
[on as this
;alumnies.
Eibly nicn-
nany that
hout any
of Judas

, exposed
at if they
cmpts of
dead gen-

of New-
all their
ch'.naiions.
naccount-
of Euro-
particular
e: but I
man, for
r^overnour
^•/Jii/ deeds.
.) removal

'iited bard.

"^^

However, as the Cyprians buried their friends in Aojiey, to whom they
gave gall when they were born; thus whatever gall might be given to this
gentleman while he lived, i hope none will be so base as to put any thing
but honey into their language of him now after his decease. And, indeed,
since 'tis a frequent thing among men to wish for the presence of our friends,
when they are dead and gone, whon, while they were present with us, we
undervalued; there is no wry for us to fetch back our Sir William Phips,
and make him yet livinj; with us, but by setting up a statue for him, as
'tis done in these pages, that may out-last an ordinary inonument.

Such was the original design of erecting statues, and if in Venice there
were at once no less than an hundred and sixty-two marble, and twenty-
three brazen statues, e re-ted by the order, and at the expence of the pub"
lick, in honour of so mo.iy valiant soldiers, who had merited well of tha ,
commonwealth, I tm sure New-England has had those whose merits call
for as good an acknowledgment; and, whatever they did be/ore, it will be
well, if after Sir William Phips, they find many as meritorious as he to be
BO acknowledged.

Now I cannot my self provide a better statue for this memorable per-
son, than the words uttered on the occasion of his death in a very great
assembly, by a person of so diffused and embalmed a reputation in the
church of God, that such a character from him were enough to immor-
talize the reputation of the person upon whom he should bestow it.

The Grecians employed still the most honourable and considerable per-
sons they had among them, to make a funeral oration in commendation
of soldiers that had lost their lives in the service of the publick: and
when Sir William Phips, the Captain-G-^neral of New-England, who had
often ventured his life to serve the publick, did expire, that reverend per-
son, who was the president of the only University then in the P]nglish
America, preached a sermon on that passage of the sacred writ, Isa. Ivii.
1: "Merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous
are taken away from the evil to come;" and it gave Sir William Phips
the following testimony:

"This province la beheaded, and lyes a bleeding. A Governour is taken away, who was a
merciful man ; some think too merciful ; and if so, 'tis best erring on that hand ; and a right-
eous man; who, when he had great opportunities of gaining by injuslice, did refuse to do so.

"He was a known friend unto the best interests and unto the Churches of God: not
ashamed of owning them. No: how often have I heard him expressing his desires to be an
instrument of good unto theio! He was a zealous lover of his country, if any man in the
world were ho: he exposed himself to serve it; he ventured his life to save it: in that, iitr\i&
Nchemiah, a governour that "sought the welfare of his people."

" He was one who did not seek to have the government cast upon him : no, but instead
thereof, to my knowledge, he did several times petition the King that this people might always
enjoy the 'great privilege of chusing their own governour;' and I heard him express his
desires that it might be so to several of the chief ministers of stsite in the Court of England.

"He is now dead, and not capable of being Jlatlered : but this I must testifio concerning
him, that though by the providence of God I have been with him at homo and abroad, near

P ij

I 1

I'll!

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

at home and afar off, by land and by sea, / never saw him do any evil action, or heard him
speak any thing unbecoming a Christian.

"The ciruumstanccs of Ina death seem to intimate the anger of God, in that he was 'in
the midst of his days' removed; and I know (though few did) that he had great purjmses in
his heart, whioh probably would have taken eifect, if he had lived a few months longer, to
the great advantage of this province ; but now ho is gone, there is not a man living in the
world capacitated for those undertakings; New-England knows not yet what they have lost!"

The recitation of a testimony so great, whether for the author or the mat-
ter of it, has now made a statue for the governour of New-England, which

Nee poterit Ferrum, nee edax abolere telustaa."

And there now remains nothing more for me to do about it, but only
to recite herewithal a well-known story related by Suidas, That an envious
man, once going to pull down a statue which had been raised unto the
memory of one whom he maligned, he only got this by it, that the statue,
l.uling, knocked out his brains.

But Poetry as well as History must pay its dues nnto him. If Cicero's
poem, intituled, ^'Quadrigce,^' wherein he did with a poetical chariot extol the
i.xploits of Cajsar in Britain to the very skies, were now extant in the world,
' would have borrowed some flights of that at least, for the subject now to
be adorned. But instead thereof, let the reader accept the ensuing Elegy.

UPON THE DEATH OF SIR WILLIAM PHIPS, KNT.

[ATE CAPTAIN GENERAL AND GOVERNOUR IN CHIEF OF THE PROVINCK OF THK MASSACHUSET-iJAY IN
NEW-ENGLANU, WHO EXPIRKD AT LONDON, FEBRUARY, lBM-6.

And to Mortality a sacrifice

Falls lie, whuse deeds must him immortalize'.

Rsjoin, McetxeuTi ; NetopB, rejoice ; HiB truv,
Ye Philistines, none will rejoice but you ;
Ijuving of alt he dy'd ; who love Aiin not
Now, huve the gnice of puhlicuns forKOt.
Our AliiinnackB foretold a great eclipse,
This they foresaw not. of our greater Pnipa.
Phips our (treat friend, our wonder, and our iflor".
Th',' terror of our I'oeu, the world's rare story.
England will boiuit him loo, whose noble mind
Impell'd by Anzelf- diJ those treasures flud,
Ijong in the bottom of the ocean laid,
Which her three bandred thousand richer made,
By silver yet nc'w canker'd. nor defli'd
By Honour, nor Ixetruyert whcr Forluuc smil'd.
Since this brii^t Phcebus visile.' nur shonr.
We saw no /cm but what were rais'd boforf :
Tho»e vanish'd t4M»; hara»s'd by bliHidy warsi
Our land saw peace, by his most Keiierous cares.
The wiiltl!<h PaKiins. at nit ilri'iulud name,
Tam'd, shruiili before him. and his dogs became t
FeP Moxus and fierce Docliawando fall,
Chnrm'd i.t the feet of our brave general.

Fly-blow the dead, pale F.njiy : let h'm not
(What hern ever did V) tMcapo a blot
All is dinliirl with an inchautud eye,
.\nd htighth will make what's right still stand awry.
He wiu*— Oh that A« vat !—h\a faults we'll tell,
8uch/au/(« as these we knew, and /I'i'U them well.

Jurt t<i an injury ; denying none
Their dues ; but se/f-dcnt/ing oft his own.

Good to a miniciv ; resolv'd to do
GiH>d unto all, whether they would or no.
To make us good, g.-ual, wine, and all things else,
lie wanted but the gift of miracles.
On him. vain Mob, thy mischiefs cease to throw;
Bad, but alone in this, the times were so.

Htout to a prodigy ; living in pain
To send bacic Q'lebeck-buliets once again,
ThiiiKler, his niiiHick, swwUer than the spheres,
Cliim'd roaring canons in his martial ears.
Frigaui of armed men could not withstand,

'Twos tryed, the force of his one iwordless hand —

Hand, which in one, all of Briareus hod.

And Herculus' twelve toils but pleasures made.

Too humble ; in brave stature not so tall.
As low in carriage, stooping unto all,
Rais'd in estate, in figure and renown.
Not pride ; higher, and yet not prouder grown.
Of pardons full ; ne'er to revenge at all,
Was that which he would satisfaction call.

True to his mute ; from whom though often flown,
A stntnger yet to every love but one.
Write him not childless, whose whole people were
Son.i, orphans now, of his paternal care.

Now le.it ungrateful brands we should incur.
Your jalary we'll pay in tears, orkat Sir!

To England ofti'ii blown, and by ti\» Prlnc0
Often sent laden with prrfrrments uheiice.
Preferr'd each time he went, when all was done
That earth could f.t, heaven I'etch'd him to a cn>wn.

'TIS he : with him inlerr'd how great designs I
Stand fearless now, ye eastern firs and pines.
With naval stores not to enrich the nation.
Stand, for the universai conflagration.
Mines, opening unto none but him, now stay
Ckjse under lock and key, till the last day :
In thiF like to the grand aurijic'c stone,
By a: ut ^rraf .tou/t not to bt known,
Aud iiDii, rich table, with Kodllla lost,
'ii tne liiir (lale<in, on our Spanish coast,
In weight three thousand and three hundrm) pound,
But of pure ma^sy gold, lye tAuu, not found,
Safe, since he's laid under the earth asleep.
Who iearni!<l where thou dost under water keep.
But thou, chief loser, poor Nkw-Enulano, spualt
Thy dues to such as diii thy welfare seek.
The governour that vowed to rise and fait
With thee, thy fate shows in Ai> funeral.
Write wiiv Ai» epitaph, 'twill be thine own.
Lei it be this, a i-rni.irE spirit's oonk.
Or, hut name P111P.S ; more needn not \k exprest;
Both Eoglands, a.id next ages, tell the rest.

• "Nor aword, nor rust of time shall o'er destroy."— Uviu. Met*morph. XV.

P O L y B I u s.

THE THIRD BOOK

THE NEW-ENGLISH HISTORY:

CONTAINING

THE LIVES

MANY REVEREND, LEARNED, AND HOLY DIVINES,

(ARRIVING SUCH FROM EUROPE TO AMERICA,)

BY WHOSE EVAKGELICAL MINISTRY THE CHURCHES OF N. ENGLAND HAVE BEEN ILLUMINATED.

BT COTTON MATHER.

Tettor, Christianum dt Christiano vera freftrre.

[I bear witness that a Christian here relates the truth concerning other Christians,]

TIaiirci)i> Kara Qtov wo\tTtvaanevo>v 'o 0tos rois ivat^tar.v 'u^tXi/itiirarof, 't^' ^noitiyna fiovor
4\Xa KOt napan'Xriatt, iwap^uv irpos dpiriju. — Simton Metapkrast. in Vila Chr^iestomi.

[The livex of those who rule in the fear of God are profitable to pious men, inasmuch as the; are
not only exemplars of virtue, but incentives to it.]

Equidtm efftror ttudio Patrea vestros, quoi eolui, et dilezi, videndi,
["I urn transported with a desire to see your fiUbers, whom I have cherished and lovtKl."]

OlcCRO, di SentetuU.

HA'RTFORD:

SILAS ANDBUS & SON.
1853.

1:;-

!l'i

i! !•

'11!

INTRODUCTION.

What was it that obliged Jerom to write his book, De Viris lUxutribusI* It was the com*
nion reproach of old cast upon the Christians, "That they were all poor, weak, unlearned
men." The sort of men sometime called Puritans, in the English nation have been
reproached with the same character; and as a malignant Stapleton counted the terms of an
ass, iind a fool, good enough to treat our incomparable Whitaker. No less basely are the
best of Protestants often termed and thought, by the men who know no Christianity but
ceremony. There hath been too much of that envy, that Sapientior sis Socrate, Doctior
Augustiiw, Calvenianus si modd dicare, clam, vel propalam, mox Tartans, Moscis, Afris,
Tvrcisque sa:vientibus,jacebis execratior.\ A wretchedness often seen in English; I shall
not Englisii it. This is one thing that has laid me under obligation here to write a book*
De Viris Illustribus: in tho whole whereof I will, with a most conscientious and religious
regard of truth, save our hintory from any share in that old complaint of Melchior Canus,
DolerUer hoc dico, muUd d Laertio severius Vitas Philosophorum scriptas esse, qiidm A Chris-
lianis. Vitas Christianorum ;{ the lives of philosophers more truly written, than the lives of
Christians.

Reader, behold these examples; admire and follow what thou dost behold exemplary in
them. They are ofl'ered unto the publlck, with the intention sometimes mentioned by Greg>
ory: Ut qui Prccceptis rum accendimur, saltern Exemplis incitemur; atque ac Appelitu Recti-
tudinis nil sibi mens nostra difficile mstimel, quodperfecle peragi ab aliis videt:\ that patterns
may have upon us the force which precepts have not.

If a man were so absurd as to form his ideas of the primitive Christians from the mon-
strous accusations of their adversaries, he would soon perswade himself, that their God was
the Deus Christianorum Anonychites,\\ whose image was erected at Rome. And if a man
should have no other ideas of the Purit^in Christians in our days, than what the tory-pens of
the sons of Bolsecus have given them, we would think that it was a just thing to banish
them into the cold swamps of the North-America. But when truth shall have liberty to
speak, it will be known, that Christianity never was more expressed unto the life, than in
the lives of the persons that have been thus reproached among the legions of the accuser of
the brethren. It speaks in the ensuing pages! Here, behold them, of whom the world was
not worthy, wandring in desarts!

Arnobius was put upon an apology, against our particular calumny, among the rest, "That
at the meetings of the Christians, a dog, tyed unto the candlestick, drew away the light,
whereupon they proceeded unto the most adulterous confusions in the world." And a great

■|.F«

* Concerning Illustrious Men.

f Though you are wiser than Socrates, morn accomplished than Augustine, if you are only called a Calvinist,
secretly or openly, you will soon be more execrably odious than Tartars, Muscovites, Moors, and bloody Turks.

X I confess with grief, that the Lives of Philosophers are written by liaertius with a far more strict adherence
to tntth, than the Lives of Christians by Christians.

% So that, if not influenced by precepts, we may be affected by examples, and that in our zeal for virtue we
miiy esteem nothing too difficult for us to achieve, which has already been exemplified by others.

I The God without claws.

\ ^ |:

234

INTBODUrnON.

mun in hU writings does affirm, " I have hear/i thia very thing, told more than once, with no
■nutll confidence concerning the Puritans."

Reader, thou shult now nee what sort of men they were: Zion is not n city of fouln. As
Ignatius, in his famous cpi-^tles to the Trallians, mentioning their pastor, I'olybiust, reports
him, "A mun of so good and just a reputation, that the very Atheists i!! J ttand in fuur of
him," I liope our Polybius, will afford many deserving such a characti^r.

It was mentioned as the business and blessedness of John Baptist, "To turn the hcnrts
of the fathers to the children." AfU'T a deal of more ado about the sence of the pnttsnge
thus translated, I contented my self with another translation, " to turn the liearts of the
fathers with the children;" becitiiMo I iind the preposition, 'nn, as well as the prteiix 3, in
Mai. iv. 6, whence the passage is taken, to be rundred with, rather than ^>. The sencc there-
fore I took to be, that John should convert both old and youiy^. But further thought Imtli
offered unto me a further gloss upon it: "to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,"
is to turn the children by putting the hearts of the fathers into them; to gi\e them suiii hearts
as were in Abraham, and others of thuir famous and faithful /a/hers.

Reader, the book now in tiiy hands is to managit^ the design of a John Baptist, and convey
the hearts o{ the fathers unto- the children,

Archilocus being denirous to give prevailing and effectual advice unto Lycambes, by an
elegant Prosajxtpaia, brought in his dead father, us giving the advice he was now writing,
and as it were put liis pen into nis /a/Aer's hands. Cicero being to rend a lecture of temper-
ance ond modesty unto Clodiii, raised up her father A plus Cuius from the gmve, and in his
name delivered his directions. And now by introducing the fathers of Mew- England, with-
out the least fiction, or figure of rlietorick, 1 hope the plain history of their lives will be a
powerful way of propounding their fatherly counsels to their posterity. A stroke with the
hand of a dead man, has before now been a remedy for a malady not easily remedied.

THE THIRD BOOK.

DE VIRIS ILLUSTRIRUS.

IN POUR PARTS.

CONTAININ9

THE LIVES OF NEAR F!FTY DIVINES,

CONSIDEnAlir.K IX THE CHI" '^J* OP NKW-KXOIAND.

Credunt de nobit qua non probantur, el noluni abtmtur non tttt, f uit malunt

CTtdidii**.* — '

'* Having entertained my readers witii a more imperfect catalogue "Of

„ many persons whose memories deserve to be entbalmed in aciV(7 history j*^

'M I must so far consider, that it is an wdt mistical history which I have under-
taken, as to hasten unto a fuller and larger account of those persons who
have been the ministers of the gospel, that fed the "flocks in the wilder-
ness ;" and, indeed, New-England having been iu some sort an ecclesias-
tical country above any in this world, those men that have here appeared
most considerable in an ecclesiastical capacity, may most reasonably chal-
lenge the most consideration in our histor}'.

Take then a catalogue of New-England's first ministers, who, though
they did not generally affect the exercise of church-government, as confined
unto classes, yet shall give me leave to use the name of classes in my mar-
shal ling of them.

THE FIUST CLASSI3.

It shall be of such as were in the actual exercise of their ministry when
they left England, and were the instruments of bringing the gospel into
this wilderness, and of settling churches hero according to the order of
the gospel.

UM'^VH'] oniDPi: OR, ovR FIRST GOOD MRN.

1. Mr. Thomas Allen, of CkarUf-tuien,

2. » Juhn Allen, of liedham.

3. « Avory, of MarUrkead,

4. " Adam Blackmail, of Stntfonl,

5. " Richard Bllninaii,o/O<o<;r«trr.

6. " Briicy, of BrainforJ.

7. " Edmund Brown, of Stulburg.

8. « Pater Bulkly, of Cvnconl.

0. " Jonathan Burr, of Dorekealer,

10. " Charlus Chaiincpy, of StituaU,

11. " Thomas Coblwl. o/ 7,y».
13. " Juhn Cotton, <</ Ituslon.

13. Mr. Tln^othy nalton, of llamploti,

U. u Johit Itavvnpurt, •/ AVir-l/aveii.

15. » Kichnnl Dvnton, .•/ Statuford.

16. " llvnry Diiinlar, >\f Ckmbriilft,

17. " SaniiH>l Katun, •/ A>ir-//a>(ii,

18. u John Klliot, i^f Hotbxrs.
la. » John Fisk, •/ CAfimsforJ.

90. » llttnry Klint, nf Rramtrt*.

91. " — — Fonlhain, •/ '^outkampton.
99. u iintn, ^f Hnulinf.

93, " John Harvard, of Cknntt^oiKn.

94. " Fnuicl* llljiKinsun, ^f Saltm.

• They [the people of Rome] believe of us [Christians] things that arc not provoil, auU the Imth of which
Uiey are reluctant tu test, lest they should Hud that tu be ftilse which they love to believe.

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286

UAONALIA CHBISTI AMESIGANA;

as. Mr. WUIIrai Hook, »t MmffTavt*. \

83.

Mr. Philips, of Dtdham.

30.

•« Thomu Hooker, of Martftrd.

53.

" Abraham Pierson, of Sovtiiampton,

** F^er Hobvt, 0/ Uingkam.

54.

•< Peter Prudden, «/ .HiV/vrd

as.

« Ephraim Huet, •/ mndtor.

55.

« Reyner, •/ P/|r«iaiit*.

».

u Hull, of the Mt of Skolot.

50.

» Ewkiel Rogers, •/ liM«{y.

30.

u Junes, 0/ CkaWwtom.

57.

« Nathaniel Rogers, «/l>«wieA.

31.

58.

<• Baxton, •/ &i(iial«.

•• Kn^g^tt, of Top^eld.

50.

w Thomas Bhepard, of Cambridfe.

S3.

00.

M Zaeharjr Symms, of CharltM-toun.

34.
3S.

01.

•» 8kelton,«/5ai(iii.

« Ralph Smith, «/ P/ysioiiiA.

M John Lotbrop, </ JVariMteM*.

03.

30.

•• Riehard Mather, «/ Z>areJk««(er.

03.

" Bmlih, of mthtrsjldd.

37.

04.

u Samuel Stone, •//larVor<(.

3B.

•• Mnytiriek, of Dorthuttr.

OS.

« Nicholas Street, g/AVw/laiira.

SB.

» John Umjo, of Botton.

00.

« William Thompson, of Brtintree.

« John Millar, of Yarmotitk.

07.

'< William Waltham,«/JirarM«*(a<<.

41.

<* Moxon, of SpringJlM.

08.

M Nathanael Ward, of Ipiwieh, and his

4S.

Mr. John Want, of Haverkil.

43.

« Itorrih of Salewk

00.

« John Wcrbam, •/ fTfaibvr.

44.

<• John Norton, «/ it»«(«ii.

70.

« Weld,i>/li«z»ary.

4S.

* James Nojrse, of M'ewberrji.

71.

" Wheelright,«/&/»»«fy.

40.

** Thomas Parker, a/JVewtcrry.

" Henry Whitfleld, of Guilford.

47.

<* Ralph Partridge, of Dtzburf.

73.

" Samuel Whileing, «/ /.ya.

48.

« Peck, •/ WivAaM.

74.

<' John Wilson, o/JlMtini.

49.

« Hugh Peters, of Saltm.

75.

" Witherel, of Seituate.

801

** Thomas Peters, of Safbrook

70.

o WiUiam Worcester, «/ 5aiif»ary.

51.

M George PhiUips, •/ HUM-tMcii.

77.

** Young, «/S(.»a(>/<t

Behold, one seven more than seven decads of persons, who, being devoted
unto the sacred ministry of our Lord, were the first that enhghtened the
dark regions of America with their ministry ! Know, reader, that it was
by a particular diversion given by the hand of Heaven unto the intentions
of that great man. Dr. William Ames, that we don't now find his name
among the first in the catalogue of our JSTew-English worthies. One of the
most eminent and judicious persons that ever lived in this world, was
intentionally a New-England man, though not eventually^ when that^rq/bttnc?,
that sublime, that svbtil, that irrefragahle, — yea, that angelical doctor, was
designing to transport himself into New-England ; but he was hindred by
that Providence which afterwards permitted his widow, his children, and
his library, to be translated hither. And now, "our fathers, where are
they? These prophets, have they lived for ever?" 'Twas the charge of
the Almighty to other Kings, "Tduch not mine anointed, and do my
prophets no harm?" But the King of Terrors, pleading an exemption
from that charge, has now touched every one of these holy men ; however,
all the harm it has done unto them, has been to carry them from this pres-
ent evil world unto the "spirits of just men made perfect." I may now
write upon all these old ministers of New-England the epitaph which the
apostle hath left upon the priests of the Old Testament, "These were not
suffered to continue, by reason of death ;" adding the clause which he hath
left upon the patriarchs of that Testament, "These all died in faith."

Wherefore we pass on to

THE SECOND CLASSIS.

It shall be oi young scholars, whose education for their designed ministry

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

28i

not being finished, yet came over from England with their friends, and
had their education perfected in this country, before the College was oome
unto maturity enough to bestow its laurels.

1, Mr. Samul AmoM, of MariliiiM,
9. " John Bishop, 0/ Stamford,

» Edward Bulkly, 0/ Contord.

« Carter, of Wobum.

4.
9.
«.
7.

** Francis Dean, of Andover,
«• James Filch, o/Aiortere*.
•» H unfold, of Jfongatk.

& Mr. Jobn HIgginson, 0/ Satim.

9, " Hough, a/ AMdiiy.

** Jamet, «/ fMUflMf ton.

10.
11.
13.
13.
14.

•' Roger Newton, 0/jri'/«rrf.

'^ John Sherman, of Wattrtomn,

" Thomaa Tbachor, of Bottom.

u JohnWoodbridge,a/JVcic»«rry.

Of these two sevens, almost all are gone, where to be is, hyfar, the best of
all. But these were not come to an age for service to the church of God,
before the wisdom, and prudence of the New-Englanders did remarkably
signifie it self, in the founding of a college, from whence the most of
their congregations were afterwards supplied ; " a river, the streams whereof
made glad the city of God." From that hour Old England had more min-
isters from New, than our New-England had since then from Old; never-
theless after a cessation of ministers coming hither from Europe, for twenty
years together, we had another set of tJiem, "coming over to help us;"
wherefore take yet the names of two sevens more.

We will now proceed unto

THE THIRD CLASSIS.

It shall be of such ministers as came over to New-England after the
re-establishment of the ^wcopaZ-church-government in England, and the
persccMfibn which then hurricanoed such as were non-conformists unto that
establishment.

1. Mr. James Allen, of Boston.

S. " John Bailey, of Watertoten.

3. " Thomas Baily, of Watertoun,

A. " Barnet, 0/ JWio-^anJeN.

5. " James Brown, of Sicanaey.

e. •' ThomusGiibLTt,A/ro;iji/!r/d.

7. » James Keith, of BriJgewater,

8, Mr. Samuel Lee, of Bristol.

0. » Charles Morton, of Ckarle$-town,

10. u Charles Nicholet, 0/ SoieiR.

11. John Oxenhrldge, of Boston.
13. " Thomas Thornton, of Yarmouth.

13. " Thomas Wailey, of Barnstable.

14. " William Woodrop, of Lancaster.

inistry

It is well known that, quickly after the revival of tue English Hier-
archy, those whose consciences did not allow them to worship God, in
some ways and modes then by law established, were pursued with a violence
which doubtless many thousands of those whom the Church of England,
in its national constitution, acknowledges for her sons, were so far from
approving or assisting, that they abhorred it. What spirit acted the party
that raised this persecution, one may guess from a passage which I find in
a book of Mr. Giles Firmiua. A laily assured him that she, signifying unto
a parliament-man her dislike of the "act of uniformity," when they were
about it, and saying, "I see you are laying a snare in the gate," he replied,
"Ay, if we can find any way to catch the rogues, we will have them I"
It is well known that near five-and-twcnty hundred faithful ministers of
the Gospel were now silenced in one black day, because they could not com-

288

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMEBICANA;

ply with some things, by theipselves counted sinful, but by the imposers
confessed indifferent. And it is affirmed that, by a modest calculation, this
persecution procured the untimely death of three thousand non-conformists,
and the ruine of threescore thousand families, within five-and-twenty years.
Many retired into New-England, that they might have a little rest at noon,
with the flocks of our Lord in this wilderness; but setting aside some
eminent persons of a New-English original, which were driven back out
of Europe into their own country again, by that storm, these few were
the most of the ministers, that fled hither from it. I will not presume to
give the reasons why no more; but observing a glorious providence of
the Lord Jesus Christ in moving the stars to shine where they were most
wanted, I will conclude, lamenting the disaster of New-England, in the
interruption which a particular providence of Heaven gave unto the
designs of that incomparable person Dr. John Owen, who had gone so far
as to ship him cself, with interns to have taken this country in his way to
his eternal rest: it must have been our singular advantage and ornament,
if we had thus enjoyed among us one of the greatest rnen that this last
age produced.

BEMARKS,

ESPECIALLY UPON TBB FIRST CLASS, IN OUR CATALOGUE OF MINISTERS.

I. All, or most, of the ministers that make up our two first classes, came
over from England within the two first lustres of years, after the first set-
tlement of the country. After the year 1640, that part of the Church of
England which took up arms in the old cause of the "long Parliament,"
and which, among all its parliament-men — commanders, lord-lieutenants,
major-generals, and sea-captains — had scarce any but conformists; I say,
tfiat part of the Church of England, knowing the Puritans to be generally
inclinable unto those principles of such writers as Bilson and Hooker,
whereupon the Parliament then acted ; and seeing them to be generally
of the truest English spirit, for the preservation of the English liberties
and properties, for which the Parliament ther blared, (although there
were some non-conformists in the King's amy . •) it was found neces-
sary to have the assistance of that considerable people. Whereupon ensued
such a change of times, that instead of Old England's driving its best people
into New, it was it self turned into Nev^. The body of the Parliament and
its friends, which were conformists in the beginning of that miserable war,
before the war was ended, became such as those old non-conformists, whose
union with them in political interests produced an union in religious. The
Romanizing Laudians miscarried in their enterprize ; the Anglicane church
could not be carried over to the Gallicane. This was not the first instance
of a shipwreck befalling a vessel bound for Rome; nor will it be the last:
a vessel bound such a voyage must be shipwrecked, though St. Paul
himself were aboard.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

289

II. The occasion upon which these excellent ministers retired into an
horrid wilderness of America, and encountred the dismal hardships of such
a wilderness, was the violent persecution wherewith a prevailing party in
the Church of England harassed them. In their own land they were
hereby deprived, not only of their livings, but also of their liberty to exer-
cise their ministry, which was dearer to them than their livings — yea, than
their very lives: and they were exposed unto extreme suflferings, because
they conscientiously dissented from the use of some things in the worship
of God, which they accounted sins. But I leave it unto the consideration
of mankind, whether this forbidding of such men to do their duty, were no
ingredient of that iniquity which, immediately upon the departure of these
good men brought upon Great Britain, and especially upon the greatest
authors of this persecution, "a wrath unto the uttermost," in the ensuing
desolations. All that I shall add upon it is, that I remember the prophet,
speaking of what had been done of old by the Assyrians to the land of
the Chaldveans, uses an expression which we translate, in Isa. xxiii. 12:
"He brought it unto mine:" but there is a Punic word, Mapatra, which
old Festus (and Servius) affirm to signify cottages; according to Philar-
gyrius, it signifies, Casas in Eremo hahitantium:* now that is the very word
here used, nSaa f and the condition of cottagers in a wilderness is meant by
the mine there spoken of. Truly, such was the ruine which the ceremoni-
ous persecutors then brought upon the most conscientious non-conformists
unto their unscriptural ceremonies. But as the "kingdom of darkness"
uses to be always at length overthrown by its own policy, so will be at
last found no advantage unto that party in the Church of England, that the
orders and actions of the '^hurches by them thus produced, become an history.

III. These ministers of the gospel, which were (without any odious com-
parison) as faithful, painful, useful ministers as most in the nation, being
thus exited from a sinful nation, there were not known to be left so many
non-conformist ministers as there were counties in England: and yet they
were quickly so multiplied, tha' a matter of twenty years after, there
could be found far more than twenty hundred, that were so grounded in
their non-conformity, as to undergo the loss of all things, rather than
make shipwreck of it. When Antiochus commanded all the books of sacred
Scripture to be burnt, they were not only preserved, but presently after
they appeared out of their hidden places, being translated into the Greek
tongue, and carried abroad unto many other patrons. It was now thought
there was effectual care taken to destroy all those men that made these books
the only rule of their devotions; but, behold, they presently appeared in
greater numbers, and many other nations began to be illuminated by them.

IV. Most, if not all, of the ministers who then visited these regions, were
either attended or followed with a number of pious people, who had lived
within the reach of their ministry in England. These, who were now also

* Cuttaget of dwellers In the wllderaeM. t Desert lodgns.

240

MAOMALIA GHBISTI AMERICANA;

become generally non-conformists, having found the powerful impressions
of those good men's ministry upon their souls, continued their sincere
affections unto that ministry, and were willing to accompany it unto those
utmost "ends of the earth." Indeed, the ministers of New-England have
this always to recommend them unto a good regard with the Crown of
England, that the most flourishing plantation in all the American dominions
of that crown, is more owing to them than to any sort of men whatsoever.

v. Some of the ministers, and many of the gentlemen that came over with
the ministers, were persons of considerable estates; who therewith chari-
tably brought over many poor families of godly people, that were not of
themselves able to bear the charges of their transporfation •; and they were
generally careful also to bring over none but godly servants in their own
families, who afterwards, by God's blessing on their industry, have arrived,
many of them, unto such plentiful estates, that they have had occasion to
think of the advice which a famous person gave in a public sermon at their
first coming over: "You (said he) that are servants, mark what I say: I
desire and exhort you to be kind a while hence unto your master's chil-
dren. It won't be long ->efore you that came with nothing into the country,
will be rich men, when your masters, having buried their rich estates in the
country, will go near to leave their families in a mean condition ; where-
fore, when it shall be well with you, I charge you to remember them."

VI. The ministers and Christians by whom New-England wak first
planted, were a chosen company of men ; picked out of, perhaps, all the
counties in England, and this by no human contrivance, but by a strange
xoorh of God upon the spirits of men that were, no ways, acquainted with
one another, inspiring them, as one man, to secede into a wilderness, they
knew not where, and suffer in that wilderness, they knew not what. It
was a reasonable expression once used by that eminent person, the pre-
sent lieutenant-governour of New-England in a very great assembly, "God
sifted three nations, that he might bring choice grain into this wilderness."

VII. The design of these refugees, thus carried into the wilderness, was,
that they might there "sacrifice unto the Lord their God:" it was, that
they might maintain the^t^^er of godliness and practise the evangelical wor-
ship of our Lord Jesus Christ, in all the parts of it, without any human
innovations and impositions: defended by charters, which at once gave
them so far the protection of their King, and the election of so many of
their subordinate rulers under him, as might secure them the undisturbed
enjoyment of the church-order established amongst them. I shall but
repeat the words once used in a sermon preached unto the general court
of the Massachuset-colony, at one of their anniversary elections :

"The question was often put unto our predecessors, ' What went ye out into the wilder-
ness to seel' And the answer to it is not only too excelkrU, but also too notorious, to be
dissembled. Let all mankind know, that we came into the wilderness, because wc would
worship God without that Episcopacy, that common-prayer, and those unwarrantable ceremo-

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-SNOLAND.

241

mes, ^vith which the 'land of our forefuthen' aepulchres* has been defiled; we came hither
because we would have our posterity settled under the pure and full dispetuations cf the
gospel; defended by rulers that should be of our selves.**

VIII. None of tlie least concerns that lay upon the spirits of these reform-
ers, was the condition of their posterity: for which cause, in the first con-
stitution of their churches, they did more generally with more or less
expressiveness take in their children, as under the churchwatch with them-
selves. They also did betimes endeavour the erection of a College, for
the training up of a successive ministry in the country; but because it
was likely to be some while before a considerable supply could be expected
from the college, therefore they took notice of the younger, hopeful schol-
ars,* who came over with their friends from England, and assisted their
liberal education; whereby being fitted for the service of the churches,
they were in an orderly manner called forth to that service. Of these we
have given you a number; whereof, I think, all but one or two are now
gone unto their fathers.

IX. Of these ministers, there were some few, suppose ten or a dozen,
that after divers years returned into England, where they were eminently
serviceable unto their generation; but by far the biggest part of them
continued in this country, "serving their generation by the will of God."
Moreover, I find near half of them signally blessed with sons, who did
work for our Lord Jesus Christ, in the ministry of the gospel ; yea, some
of them — as Mr. Chancy, Mr. Elliot, Mr. Hobart, Mr. Mather — had (though
not like R. Jose, a wise man among the Jews, of whom they report that
he had eight sons, who were also celebrated for wise men among them;
yet) not less than^&wr or five sons a piece thus employed: and though Mr.
Parker, living always a single man, had no children, yet he was instru-
mental to bring up no less than twelve useful ministers. Among the Jews,
they that have been instructed by another, are called Ihe sons of their
instructor. We read, "These are the generations of Aaron and Moses;"
when we find none but the sons of Aaron in the enumerated generations.
But in the Talmud, it is thus expounded, Hos Aaron genuii, Moses vero
docuit, ideoqite ejus nomine censentur.* (Thus the sons of Merob are called
the sons of Michael, as the Talmud judges, because by her educated.) And
on this account no less than twelve were the sons of Mr. Parker. I may
add, that some of our ministers, having their sons comfortably settled,
at or near the place of their own ministry, the people have thereby seen a
comfortable succession in the affairs of Christianity ; thus, the writer of
this history hath, he knows not how often, seen it; that his grand/atfier
baptized the grand-parent, hia fatJier baptized the^arcn^, and he himself has
baptized the children in the same family.

X. In the beginning of the country, the ministers had their frequent
meetings, which were most usually afl;er their publick and weekly or

• Tbeae were beguUen by Amoo, but •duostcd by Mows, utd therefore bear the name of the latter.

Vol. 1.-16

242

MAGNALIA OHBISTI AMSBICANA;

monthly lectures, wherein they consulted for the welfare of their churches;
nor had they ordinarily any difficulty in their churches, which were not
in these meetings offered unto consideration, for their mutual direction
and assistance; and these meetings are maintained unto this day. The pri-
vate Christians also had their private meetings, wherein they would seek
the face, and sing the praise of God; and confer upon some questions of
practical religion, for their mutual edification. And the country still is
full of those little meetings; yet they have now mostly left off one circum-
stance, which in those our primitive ti)nes was much maintained ; namely,
their concluding of their more sacred exercises with suppers; whereof, I
sincerely think, I cannot give a better account than Tertullian gives of the
suppers among the faithful, in his more primitive times: "Therein their
spiritual gains countervailed their worldly costs; they remembered the
poor, they ever began with prayer [and other devotions] ; in eating and
drinking they relieved hunger, but showed no excess. In feeding at sup-
per, they remembered they were to pray in the night In their discourse,
they considered that God heard them; and when they departed, their
behaviour was so religious and modest, that one would have thought we
had rather been at a sermon than at a supper." Our private meetings of
good people to pray and praise God, and hear sermons, either preached
perhaps by the younger candidates for the ministry, (who here use to form
themselves, at their entrance into their work,) or else repeated by exact
writers of short hand after their pastors; and sometimes to spend whole
days in fasting and prayer, especially when any of the neighbourhood are
in affliction, or when the communion of the Lord's table is approaching;
those do still abound among us; but the meals that made meatings of them,
are generally laid aside. I suppose 'twas with some eye to what he had
seen in this country, that Mr. Firmin has given this report, in a book
printed 1681:

"Plain mechanicks have I known, well catctihised, and humble Christians, excellent in
practical piety : they kept their station, did nut aspire to be preachers, but for gifts of prayer,
few clergy>men must come near them. I have known some of them, when they did keep
their fasts, (as they did often,)they divided the work of prayer; the first begun with confes-
tion; the second went on with petition for thenwelves; the third with petition for church and
kingdom; the fourth with thanksgivii^ ; every one kept his own part, and did not meddle
with another part. Such excellent matter, so compacted without tautologies ; each of them
for a good time, about an hour, if not more, a piece; to the wondering of those which joined
with them. Here was no reading of liturgies: tlieso were old Jacob's sons, they could
wrestle and prevail with God."

XI. Besides the ministers enumerated in the three classes of our cata-
logue, there might a fourth class be offered, under the name of anomalies
of New-England. There have at several times arrived in this country
more than a score of ministers from other parts of the world, who proved
either so erroneom in their principles, or so scandalous in their practices,

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

248

or BO disagreeable to the church order for which the country was planted,
that I cannot well croud them into the company of our xoorOuea:

t <^ji

Non bent eonvtniunt, nee in una «ede morantitr.*

And, indeed, I had rather my Church History should speak nothing, than
speak not well of them that might else be mentioned in it: being entirely
of Plutarch's mind, that it is better it should never be said there was such
a man as Plutarch at all, than to have it said, that he was not an honest
and a worthy man. I confess, there were some of those persons whose
names deserve to live in our book for their piety, although their pariioular
opinions were such as to be disserviceable unto the declared and supposed
interests of our churches. Of these there were some godly Anabaptists;
as namely, Mr. Hanserd Knollys, (whom one of his adversaries called
Absurd Knowless,) of Dover, who afterwards removing back to London,
lately died there, a good man, in a good old age. And Mr. Miles, of
Swansey, who afterwards came to Boston, and is now gone to his rest.
Both of these have a respectful character in the churches of this wilder-
ness. There were also some godly Episcopalians ; among whom has been
commonly reckoned Mr. Blackstone, who, by happening to sleep first in
an hovel, upon a point of land there, laid claim to all the ground where-
upon there now stands the metropolis of the whole English America, until
the inhabitants gave him satisfaction. This man was, indeed, of a partic-
ular humour, and he would never join himself to any of our churches,
giving this reason for it: "I came from England, because I did not like
the lord-bishops; but I can't join with you, because I would not be under the
lord-brethren.^^ There were some likewise that fell into gross miscarriages,
and the hunter of souls having stuck the darts of some extreme disorder
into those poor hearts, the whole flock pushed them out of their society.
Of these, though there were some so recovered that they ixjcame true
penitents; yet, inasmuch as the wounds which they received .) their falls
were not in all regards thoroughly cured, I will choose rathei to forbear
their names, than write them with any bhts upon them. For the same
cause, though I have his name in our catalogue, yet I will not say whicli
of them it was that for a while became a Seeker, and almost a Quaker,
and seduced a great part of his poor people into h\a bewildring errors; at
last the grace of God recovered this gentleman out of his errors, and he
became a very good and sound man, after his recovery: but, alaal it was
a perpetual sfing unto his penitent soul, that he could not now reduce his
wandring flock, which he had himself seduced into the most unhappy
aberrations. They wandred on obstinately still in their errors; and being
irrecoverable, he was forced thereby unto a removal from them, taking
the charge of a more orthodox flock, upon Long-Island.

* They mate not well ; tbcjr sU not on one aent.

244

MAONALIA OHBISTI AMBBIOAMA;

Nor know I where better than among these anomaliea, to mention one
Mr. Lenthal, whom I find a minister at Weymouth, about the year 1687.

He had been one of good report and repute in England; whereas, here,
he not only had imbibed some Antinomian weaknesses, IVx>m whence he was
by conference with Mr. Cotton soon recovered ; but also ho set himself to
oppose the way of gathering churches. Many of the common people eagerly
fell in with him, to set up a church atcUe, wherein all the baptized might be
communicants, without any further trial of them; for which end many
hands were procured unto an instrument, wherein they would have declared
against the New-England design of church-reformation; and would have
invited Mr. Lenthal to be their pastor, in opposition thereunta

Mr. Lenthal, upon the discourses of the magistrates and minbters before
the General Court, who quickly checked these disturbances by sending
for him, as quickly was convinced of his error and evil, in thus disturbing
the good order of the country. His conviction was followed with his oott*
fission; and in open court he gave under his hand a laudable retractation;
which retractation he was ordered also to utter in the assembly at Wey>
mouth, and so no further censure was passed upon him.

In Four Parts we will now pursue the design before ua.

'' y

JOHANNES INEREMO.*

MEMOIRS RELATING TO THE LIVES

or TBI IVU-MKMOBABLC

MR. JOHN COTTON, WHO DIED II D. 10 M. 16S2;
MR. JOHN NORTON, WHO DIED ( D. 2 M. 1661;
MR. JOHN WILSON, WHO DIED 7 D. 6 M. 1667;
MR. JOHN DAVENPORT, WHO DIED 15 D. 1 M. 1670;

JMmtmU m4 R*Mit*ti MUiiter* af tht Oatptt, all, in th§ mart ImmtdiaU Strvit$ •/ On$ Ckurtk, in Bii$Um,

AND

MR. THOMAS HOOKER, WHO DIED 7 D. i M. 1647,

Pailtr of tkt Chunk at Hartford, M'lwEngland.

PRESERVED BT COTTON MATHER.

THE FIRST PART.

Forte nimit Videor Laudea Cantare Meorum ;
Forte nimii einerea Videor celehrare repoatoa;
Non ita me Faeilem Sine Vera Credite /t

TOTHEREADER.

That little part "the earth which this age has known by the name of New-Englnnd, has
been an object of very signal both frowns and favours of Heaven. Besides those "stars of
the first magnitude," which did sometimes shine, and at last set in this horizon, there have
been several men of renown, who were preparing and fully resolved to transport themselves
hither, had not the Lord seen us unworthy of more such mercies. It is still fresh in the
memory of many yet living, that that great man. Dr. John Owen^ had given order for his
passage in a vessel bound for Boston ; being invited to succeed the other famous Johns, who
had been burning and shining lights in that which was the first candlestick set up in this
populous town: but a special providence diverted him. Long before that, Dr. Ames (whose
family and whose library New-England has had) was upon the wing for this American
des.irt: but God then took him to the h'^avenly Canaan. Whether he left his fellow upon
earth I know not: such ocuteness o( judgment, and affectionate zeal, as he excelled in, sel-
dom does meet together in the same person. I have often thought of Mr. Paul Bayne, his
farewel words to Dr. Ames, when going for Holland; Mr. Bayne perceiving him to be a man
of extraordinary parts, "Beware (said he) of a strong head and a cold heart." It is rare for
a scholastical wit to be joined with an heart warm in religion: but in him it was so. He has
sometimes said that he could be willing to walk twelve miles on his feet, on condition he
might have an opportunity to preach a sermon: and he seldom did preach a sermon without
tears. When he lay on his death-bed, he had such tastes of the "first-fruits of glory," as that
ii learned physitian (who was a Papist) wondring, said, Num Protestanles sic solent mori:

* John Baptist in the wildernew.

t Perchance I now shall seem to overpraise I Believe it not I— believe not that I could

My liindred, and too much extol their dust. | 80 easily forsake the paths of Truth.

il
1

■i fi

246

MAONALIA CIIRIBTI AMERICANA;

(i« the latter end of Prt)teatunta like this man's t) But although lome cxcvllent porsonii hav«
by A divine hand been Icept ftt>in coining into these "ends of the earth,** yet there have been
others who, whilst living, mode this land (which before their arrival was an hell nf darkne$$)
to be a place full of light and glory ; amongst whom the champions whose lives are here
described are worthy to be reckoned na those that have attained to ihefirtt three.

There are many who have (and some to good purpose) endeavoured to collect the memo-
rable passages that have occurred in the liven of eminent men, by means whereof posterity
has hnd the knowledge of them. Hierom of old, wrote De Virin Illuttrilmi: the like liiis
been done by Oennadius, Epiphaniiis, Isidore, Prochorus, and other am-ient authors. Of
later times, Schopflus, his Academia Chritti; Meursius, his Alheruc Batava; Verheiden, his
Ebigia Theolagorumt Melchier Adums, Livei of Modern Divines, have preserved the memo-
ries of some that did worthily, and were in their day famous. There are two ioarnod men
who have very lately engaged in a service of this n^iture, viz: Paulus Freherus, who has
published two volumes in folio, with the title of Theatrum virorvm Entditione elarorum, ad
hac uMque Thnpora.* He proceeds ns far as the year 1680. The u.ner is Henningus Wit*
ten, who hos written Memoria Theoltigorum nostri seculi.f It is a trite (yet a true) assertion,
that historical studies are both profitable and pleasant And of all historical narratives, thoso
which give a faithful account of the lives of eminent snints, must needs be the most edifying.
The greatest part of the sacred writings are historical ; and a considerable part of them is
taken up in relating the actions, speeches, exemplary /ties, and deaths, of such as hud been
choice instruments in the hand of the Lord, to promote his glory in the world. No doubt
but that the commemoration of the remarkable providences of God towards his servants, will
be some part of their work in heaven fur ever, that so he may have eternal pruiscs fur the
wonders of his grace in Christ towards them. It must needs therefore be, in it self, u thing
pleasing to God, and a special act of obedience to the Fifth Commandment, to eiidnivour the
preservation of the names and honour of them who have been fathers in Israel. On which
account, I cannot but rejoice in what is here done. Although New-England has beqn
favoured with many faithful and eminent ministers of God, there are only three of them all
whose lives have been as yet published, viz: Mr. Cotton, whose life was written by his
immediatu successor, Mr. Norton; and my father Matlier, whose was done by another hand,
and is republished in Mr. Sam. Clark's last volume; and Mr. Eliot, whose was done by the
same hand which did these, and has been several times reprinted in London. Here the reader
has presented to him^ie of them who were amongst the chief of the /a/Aerx in the churches
of New-England. The same hand has done the like office of love and duty for many others
who were the worthies of New-England, not only in the churches, but in the civil state, whom
the Lord Christ saw meet to use as instruments, in planting the heavens, and laying the
foundation of the earth, in this new world. If these find a candid acceptance, those may pos-
sibly see the light in due time.

Whether what is herewith emitted and written by my son be, as to the manner of it, well
performed, I have nothing to say, but shall leave it unto others to judge, as they shall seo
cause; only as to the matter of the history, I om aacerttuncd that things are truly related.
For although I had little of personal acquaintance with Mr. Cotton, being a child not above
thirteen years old when he died, I shall never forget the lust sermon which he preached at
Cambridge, and his particular application to the scholars there, amongst whom I was then n
student newly admitted; and my relation to his family since, has given me an opportunity
to know many observable things concerning him. Both Bostons have reason to honour his
memory; and New-England-Boston most of all, which owcth its name and being to him,
more than to any one person in the world : he might say of Boston, much whut as Augustus
said of Rome, Lateriliam reperi, marmoream reliqui :J he found it little better than a wood
or wilderness, but left it a famous town with two churches in it I remember, Ur. Lightfoot,

* The Theatre of Men of Learning, down to the pretent time.
% I found It of brick, and left it of marble.

t Memoirs of Modern Theologians.

OR, THS HISTORT OF NEW-ENOLAND.

247

in hononr to hia patron, Sir Roland Cotton, called one of hh lona Cotton: it doth not repent
me that I gave my eldest aon that name, in honour to hia grandfather: and Uio Lord grant
that both of ua may htfoiloweri nf him, at htfoUoieed Chritt.

Aa for the other three worthiea who have taught the word of Ood in thia place, they had
their peculiar excellencies.

Mr. Wilson (like John the apostle) did excel in love; and he wm also strong in/ai(^ In
the time of the Pequod war, he did not only hope, but hod niMurniico thnt God would make
the Engliah victorious. He declared that he was on rvrtnin of it, as if he hnd with his eyes
seen the victoriea obtained ; which cnroe to pass according to his faith. I well remember
that I heard him once say, that when one of his daughters was sick, and given up oa dead,
paat recovery, he desired Mr. Cotton to pray with that child; "And (raid he) whileat Mr.
Cotton wos praying, I was sure that child should not then die, but live." That daughter did
live to be the mother of many children; two of which are now useful ministers of CliriHt:
and she is still living, a pious widow, another Anna, "serving God day anil night." When
Mr. Norton was called from the church of Ipswich to Bonton, Mr. Nathanael Rogers (that
excellent man, who was son to the famous Mr. Rogers of Dedham, in Essex, and pastor of
the church of Ipswich, in N. E.) opposed Mr. Norton's removal from Ipswich: some saying,
that Mr. Wilson would by his argument, or rhetorick, or both, get Mr. Norton fVom them at
last; Mr. lio,.8rs replied, "That he was nfruid of his fiiith more than his arguments." Some*
times he was transported with a prophetical afflatus, of which there were marvellous instances.
His conversation was both pleosant and profitable; in that he could relate many memorable
protidenceii, which he himself had the certain knowledge of. Whilst I am writing this, there
comes to my mind one very pleasant, and yet very serious story, which ho told me, and I do
not remember that ever I met with it any where but from him. It wus this : there was one
Mr. Snape, a Puritan minister, who was by the Bishops cast into prison for his non-conform«
ity ; when his money was spent, the jailor was unkind to him ; but one day, as Mr. Snape
was on his knees at prayer, the window of his chamber being open, he perceived something
was thrown into his chamber; but resolved he would finish hia work with God before ho
would divert to see what it was. When he arose from his knees, he saw a purse on the
chamber-floor, which was full of gold, by which ho could make his keeper better natured
than he had been. Many such passages could that good man relate.

Mr. Norton was one whose memory, I must acknowledge, I have peculiar cause to lovo
and honour. I was his pupil several years. He had a very scholastical genius. In the doc-
trine of grace he was exceeding cle.ir ; indeed, another Auntin. He loved and admired Dr.
TwisB more than any man that this age has produced. He has sometimes said to me, "Dr.
Twiss is Omni exceptione major."* He was much in prayer: he would very often spend
whole days in prayer, with fasting before the Lord alone in his study. He kept a strict daily
watch over his own heart. He was an hard student. He took notice in a private dinry how
he spent his time every day. If he found himself not so much inclined to diligence and study
as at other times, he would reflect on his heart and ways, lest haply some unobserved sin
should provoke the Lord to give him up to a slothful, listless frame of spirit In his diary,
ho would sometimes have these word6, Leie desiderium ad studendum: Forsan ex peccato
admisso.j I bless the Lord that ever I knew Mr. Norton, and that I knew so much of him
as I did.

As for Mr. Davenport, I have, in a preface to hia sermon on the Canticles, which are tran«
scribed for the press, and now at London, given what account I could then obtain, concerning
the remarkable passages of his life. I sever.il times desired him to imitate Junius, and somo
others, who had written their own lives. He told me he did intend it: but I could not find
any thing of that nature among his manuscripts, when many years ago I hnd an occasion to
seek after it. Hu was a princely preacher, I have heard some suy, who knew him in his

* Superior to every imperftction.

1 1 have HUIe inellnation to study ; perhaps it it due to some gin I have harboured In my iKMom.

248

MAONALIA CIIBISTI AMERICANA;

younger years, that he was then very fervent and vehement, as to the manner of hia delivery:
but in his later times he did very much imitate Mr. Cotton, whom, in the gravity of liis coun>
tenance, he did somewhat resemble. Sic ilk manus, sic oraferehat.*

The reader will find many observable things in what is here related concerning Mr. Hooker.
Yet great pity it is that no more can be collected of the memorahles relating to so good and
80 great a man as he was; than whom Connecticut never did, and perhaps never vnll, see a
greater person. Mr. Cotton, in his preface to Mr. Norton's answer to ApoUonius, says of
Mr. Hooker, Dominatur in Concionibus,^ Dr. Ames used to say, " He never knew his equal :"
there was a great intimacy between them two. I remember my father told me, that Mr.
Hooker was the author of that large preface which is before Dr. Ames, his Fresh Suit against
Ceremonies. He would sometimes say, " That next to converting grace, he blessed God for
his acquaintance with the principles and writings of that learned man, Mr. Alexander Richard*
son." It was a black day to New-England, when that great light was removed.

There are some who will not be pleased that any notice is taken of the hard measure
which these excellent men had from those persecuting prelates, who were willing to have
the world rid of them. But it is impossible to write the history of New>England, and of the
liveo of them who were the chief in it, and yet be wholly silent in that matter. Tiiat emi-
ncnt person. Dr. Tillotson (the late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury) did, not above four years
ago, sometimes express to me his resentments of the injury which had been done to the
first planters of New>England, and his ^'reat dislike of Arch-Bishop Laud's spirit towards
them. And to my knowledge there are Bishops at this day of the same Christian temper and
moderation with that great and good man, lately dead. Had the Sees in England, fourscore
years ago, been filled with such Arch-Bishops and Bishops as those which King William
(whom God grant long to live and to reign) has preferred to Episcopal dignity, there had
never been a New-England. It was therefore necessary that it should be otherwise then,
than at this day, th.it so the gospel, in the power and purity of it, might come into these dark
corners of the earth, and that here might be seen a specimen of the new heavens and a new
earth, wherein dwells righteousness, which shall ere long be seen all the world over, and
which according to his promise we look for.

Increase Matheb.

Boiton, XtwEngland, May 16, 1095.

INTRODUCTION.

{ 1. When the God of Heaven had carried a nation into a wilderness, upon the designs
of a glorious reformation, he there gave them a singular conduct of his presence and spirit,
in a certain pillar, which by day appeared as a cloud, and by night as a fire before them; and
the report of the respect paid by the Israelites unto this pillar, became so noised among the
Gentiles, that the pagan poets derided them on this account:

Nil prieter Nvbes ct cceli Lumen adorant,

[Which is, I suppose, the true reading of that fiimous verse in Juvenal: and I thus trans-
late it,]

Only the clouds and fires of Heaven they do worship at all times.

But I must now observe unto my reader, that more than a score of years after the begin-
ning of the age which is now expiring, our Lord Jesus Christ, with a thousand wonders of
his providence, carried into an American wilderness a people persecuted for their desire to
see and seek a reformation of the church, according to the Scripture : of which matter I can-

* A oounterport in gvsture and in mien.

f He swayB popular aaaemblies.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

249

not give a briefer, and yet fiUkr history, than by reciting the memorable words of that great
man, Dr. John Owen, who in his golden boolc of Communion toith Ood, thus expresses it:

«Thoy who hold effmmniirffii with the Lord Jesui Chriat, will admit nothing, practice notking. In the wonhip of
God, but what they have bis warrant tor; unless it comeR in bis name, with a 'Thus saith the Lord Jesus,' they
will not hear an angel from keaten : thny Icnow the aposUet themselves were to teach the saints only ' what he
commanded them :' and you know, how many in this very nation, in the days not long since passed, yea how many
tiuunandt, left their native aoyl, and went into a vast and howling wilderness, in the uttermost parts of the world,
to lieep their souls undeQled and chaste unto their Lord Jesus, as to this of his worship and institutions."

Now, though the reformed church thus fled into the wildernes, enjoyed not the miraculous
pillar, vouchsafed unto the erratick church of Israel, for about forty years together; yet for
that number of years we enjoyed many a ferson, in whom the good spirit of God gave a
conduct unto ua, and mercifully dispensed those directing, defending, refreshing influences,
which were as necessary for us, as any that the celebrated pillar of cloud, and Are, could
have uflbrded. The great and good Shepherd of the church favoured his distressed flocks
in the wilderness with many pastors that were learned, prudent, and holy, beyond the common
rates, and "men after his own heart:" and it would be an ingratitude many ways pernicious,
if the chui-ches of New-Englund should not, like those of the primitive times, have their dip>
tychs, wherein the memory of those eminent confessors may be recorded and preser\'t'd.

{ 2. Four or Ave of those eminent persons are now to have their lives described unto us,
and oflcred unto the contemplation and imitation, especially of the generation which are now
rising up, after the death of Cotton, and of the elders that ouUlived him, and had seen all
the great works of the Lord, which he did for New-England. I saw a fearful degeneracy,
creeping, I cannot say, but rushing in upon these churches; I saw to multiply cuntinually
our dangers, of our losing no small points in ow first faith, as well as our ^rs^ loce, and of
our giving up the essentials of that church order, which was the very end of these colonies;
I saw a visible shrink in all orders of men among us, from that greatness, and that goodness,
which was in the first grain that our God brought from three sifted kingdoms, into this land,
when it was a land not sown ; that while the Papists in Europe have grown better of late
years, by tiie growth of Jansenism among them, the Protestants have prodigiously waxed
worse, for a revolt unto Pelagianism, and iSocinianism, or what is half way to it, has not been
more surprising to me, than to see that in America, while those parts which were at first
peopled by tiie refuse of the English nation, do sensibly amend in the regards of sobriety
and education, tiiose parts which were planted with a more noble vine, do so fast give a pros-
pect of affording only the degenerate plants of a strange vine. What should be done for the
stop, tliu turn of this degeneracy ? It is reported of the Scythians, who were, doubtless, the
ancestors of the Indians first inhabiting these regions, that in battels, when they came to
stand upon the graves of their dead fathers, they would there stand immovable, 'till they died
upon the spot: and, thought I, why may not such a method now eftectually engage the Eng.
lish in these regions, to standfast in t\\eit faith and their order, and in the poioer of godliness?
I'll shew them the graves of their dead fathers ; and if any of them do retreat unto a contempt
or ncglcL't of learning, or unto the errors of another gospel, or unto the superstitions of will-
worship, or unto a worldly, a selfish, a little convei"sation, they shall undergo the irresistible
rebukes of their progenitors, here fetched from the dead, for their admonition; and I'll there-
withal advertise my New-Englanders, that if a grand-child of a Moses become an Idolater, he
shall (as the Jews remark upon Judg. xviil. 30) be destroyed, as if not a Moses, but a Man-
asseh, had been his father. Besides, Plus Vimtur Exemplis quam prccceptis !*

{ 3. Good men in the Church of England, I hope, will not bo offended at it, if the unrea-
sonable impositions, and intolerable persecutions, of certain little-souled ceremony mongers,
which drove these worthy men out of their native country into the horrid thickets of Amor-
icii, be in their lives complained and resented. For distinguishing between a Romanizing
faction in the Church of England, and the true Protestant Reforming Church of England,

* Cboracter is formed more by example than by precept.

«4 :

' ', t

f: '.J

!.*

UAGNALIA CnBISTI AMERICANA;

(things that are different ns a jewel from a heylin, or a Grindnl from a Laud!) the first planters
of Ncw>England, at their first coming over, did in a pnblick nnd a printed address call the
Church of England their dear moilier, desiring their friends therein to " recommend them unto
the mercies of God, in their constant prayers, as a Church now springing out of their own
bowels :" nor did they thinl(, that it was their mother who turned them out of doors, but some
of their angry brethren, abusing the name of their mother, who so harshly treated them. As
for the Romanizing faction in the Church of England, or that party who resolving (nlto<
gether contrary to the desire of the most eminent persons, by whom the "common prayer''
was made English) that the reformation should never proceed one jot further than the first
essay of it in the former century, did make certain unscriptunil canons, whereby all that
could not approve, subscril>e, and practise, a multitude of (by themselves confessed purely
humane) inventions in the worship of God, were accursed, and ipso facto excommunicate;
and, by the ill-obtained aid of bitter laws to b:\ck these canons, did by fines and gaols
and innumerable violences, contrary to the very magna charta of the nation, mine mnny
thousands of the soberest people in the kingdom : nnd who continually mnde as many Shib-
boleths as they could, for the discovering and the extinguishing of till real godliness, and
never gave over prosecuting their tripartite plot, of Arminianism, and a conciliation with the
patriarch of the west, and arbitrary government in the stsite, until at last they^hrcw till into
the lamentable confusions of a civil war; the churches of New-England sny, "Come not into
their secret, O my soul." We dare not be guilty of the schism, which we charge upon that
party in the Church of England: and if any faction of men will require the assent and con-
sent of other men, to a vast number of disputable and uninsfituted things, and, it may be, a
mathematical falsehood among the first of them, and utterly renounce nil Christian communion
with all that shall not give that assent and consent, we look upon those to be sepiiratists;
toe dare not to be so nurrow-spiritcd ; the churches of New England profess to make only
the subslantials of the Christian religion to be the terms of our snercd fellowship: we dare
make no ditfercnce between a Pres yterian, a Congregational, an Episcopalian, and an Anti-
ptedo-baptist, where their visible piety makes it probable that the Lord Jesus Clirist has
received them. And such reverend names as Hall and Kidder, most worthy Bishops now
adorning the English Church, as well as the names of such reverend and excellent persons,
among the Dissenters, as Bates, Annesly, How, Mead and Alsop, (with mnny others,) are, on
that score, together precious unto this part of the Christian America. On the other side, the
tnie Protestant Reforming Church of England, contains the whole " body of the faithful,"
scattered through the English dominions, though of different perswaslons about some rites
and modes, and lesser points of religion: and nil the friends of the last reformation, who,
whether they think there needs a further progress in that work or no, yet nre willing to make
the word of God the rule of their serving him, do eome under this denomination.

Those divines who, with Arch-Bishop Usher in the head of them, did more than fifty years
ago give in a paper touching the innovations of doctrine nnd of discipline in the Cluneh of
England, nnd make near forty exceptions against things in the Liturgy, were still ns good
members of the church, ns they thnt "hated to be reformed;" and the assembly of divines
at Westminster, which made the catechisms now used among us, were as genuine sons of
the church after they became non-conformists, ns wliile they lived in conformity, which every
one of them, except eight or nine, did when they first come together. One who is at this
day a Right Reverend Bishop, hns, in his Irenicum, well expressed the sense which I believe
the biggest party of Christians in the realm, three to one, have of those matters, which have
been, "the apples of strife" among us:

"That Chriat, who camo to take away the insupportable yoke of the Jewish ceremonies, certainly did never
Intend to gall the necks of the disciples with another instead of it ; and It would be strange the church would
require more than Christ himself did, and make more terms of commimion, than our Saviour did of discipieship.
The grand caniMiMian the apostles were sent out with, was only to ' leach what Christ had commanded them ;' not
the least intimation of any potcer given them to Impose or require any thing beyond what he himself had spoken
to them, or they wore directed to, by the Immediate giUdanoe of the «jii'rit of God."

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

251

And (speaking- of the reanon why our first compilers of the common-prayer took ia so
much of the Popish scrvV •

"Certainty, those holy muri 'tld aeek by any means to draw In othen, at auch a distance ttom thotr prin<
ciples as the Papists were, dl<) :. .uf intend, by what they did for that end, to exclude any truly tender consclenoea
ttom their communion ; that which they laid as a bait fur them, was never Intended by them aa an Aao4E for thuM
of our own profession.''

And if this be the true Church of England, give me leave to sny, the churches of New-
Engliuid are no inconsiderable part of it; and that accordingly we may have a room in it, I
may safely, in the name of them all, oifer (as did the renowned author of our Martyr-Books,
when they demanded subscription from him) to subscribe the New Testament.

Upon the whole, then, if any be displeased at my report of the unjust impositions and
persecutions, which drove into America as good Christians and Protestants as any that
were left behind them, it will not be the true Church of England ; for why should that be
called "the Church of England," which has caused thousands of as real and thorough Chris-
tians as any upon earth to say, "It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with such
an contentious and angry one!" That Church of England, which alone is worthy to b«
called so, will bewail, as I know divers excellent persons now in the Episcopal Sees have
done, the injuries offered unto our Puritan C.thers.

} 4. Let my reader, thus prepared, now entertain himself, as far as he pleases, with our
four Johns, to whose lives I have, upon the counsel and command of an cver-honour«id
parent, appendiccd the life of a famous Thomas in this publication; Johns, with whom,
among the five or six hundred noted persons of that name, celebrated by one historian, I
find not many that were worthy to be compared ; Johns, fuller of light and grace and the
good spirit, than all those four or fivc-and-tweiity of that name, who have sat in the chair
that pretends to infallibility. And, if ho pleases, let him see that old little observation con-
firmed, that as the name Henry has been happy in kings, Elizabeth in queens, Edward in
lawyers, William in physicians, Francis in scholars, Robert in soldiers and state-men, so
John has been happy in divines. Even a divine Jehojadah, when he comes to be reckoned
among the priests of the Lord, must have put I'pon him the name of John [1 Chron. vi, 9.]
But let him consider these lives, as tendered unto the publick, upon an account no less than
that of keeping alive, as far as this poor essay may contribute thereunto, the interests of
dying religion in our churches. I remember a learned man's conjecture, that [in 1 Tim. iii.
15] it is Timothy, and not the church, which is called "The pillar and ground of Faith:"
such able, holy, and faithful ministers as Timothy are the great proclaimers and preservers
o( truth, for the Church of God ; such were these f imous Johns while thoy lived, and now they
are dead, I have done my endeavour that they may still be such unto the churches, unto
whom I owe my all. I'll say but this, the last words of the most renowned prebend of
Canterbury, Dr. Peter du Moulin, who died a very old man, about eleven years ago, were,
"Since Calvinism is cried down [Actum est de Religione Chrisli apud Anglos] Christianity
is in danger to be lost in the English nation." Alluding to what he said, about his John
Calvin, I will take leave to say with respect unto our John Cotton, and the rest tint here
accompany him, "Christianity will be lost among us, if their faith and zeal must all be buried
with them ;" which God forbid ! as there would be an hazard that the early and better
times of New-England would have the true story thereof, within a while, as irrecoverably
lest as the story of the world, relating to those times, which Varo di.stiiignished unto
Incognit and fat) ulous, preceding the historical, and we should shortly have as wretched
narratives of the first persons and actions in this land, as Justin gives of the Jews, when he
makes Moses the son of ' ^eir Joseph, and the sixth of their kings, or when he makes them
expelled from Egypt, because the gods would not otherwise allay a plague that raged there;
or such as are given by Pliny, when he makes Moses a magician; or Strabo, that makes
him an Egyptian priest; if no speedy care be fciken to preserve the memorubles of our first
Bettlement; so I wish, the laudable principles and practices of that first settlement may be

1 %

I I;

252

MAGNALIA GHBISTI AMEBICA17A;

kept from utterly being lost in our apoatasiui, by the care which is now tiilcen thus to
preserve what was memorable of the men that have delivered them down unto us.

} 6. Finally; when the apostles hod set before Christians the saints which were a ** cloud
of vritnesses," by imitating of whose exemplary behaviour we might "enter into rest," he
concludes with a "looking unto Jesus," or, according to the emphasis of the original, "a
looking off [from them] unto Jesus," as the incomparably most perfect of all. So let my
reader do, when all that was imitable in the lives of these worthy men, has had his conteni>
plation and admiration; they all yet had their defects, and therefore, "look off unto Jesus,"
foBmeing them no farther than tiwy foUowed him. It is a notable passage, [in Luke vii. 28,]
which we mis-translate: "The least in the kingdom of God, is greater than John." In the
Greek, what we translate, "The least," is, "he th.nt is lesser," that is, "he that is younger."
[Minor still has been the same with junior.] Our Lord means himself, who was lesser,
that is, younger than John his fore-runner ; but, greater than he ! Truly, whatever was excel-
lent in these our Johns, I would pray that the minds of all that see it, may be raised still
to think our precious Lord Jesus Christ is greater than these Johns: nil their excellencies
are in him transcendantly, infinitely, as they were from him derived. High thoughts of the
Lord Jesus Christ, provoked by reading the descriptions of these his excellent servants, that
had in them a little of him, and were no farther excellent than as they had so, will make me an
abundant recompence for all the difficulties and all the temptations with which my ivriting is
attended. And as it quickens the joys of my hastening death, when I have through grace a
prospect of being then in that stiite whereto the spirits of these "just men made perfect"
are all of them gathered, so I would have this now to out>do all those joys, "to be with
Jesus Christ," that surely is by far the best of all.

Monumenta Sepulchralia Juitit non faeiunt, nam Dicta eorum Sunt MemoritB Eorum.*

Sentent. Judaic, in Bcreachit. Babba.

^^^^f^^^^^^^^^t^^^^^^i^^^

C0TT0NU8 REDITIVUS; OR, THE LIFE OF MR. JOHN COTTON.

In quo Lumen Religionia et Devotionii, Fumua generatui ex Lumine Scientia non extinguit,

tile perfectua eat : Sed Quia eat Hie, ut adoremua eum ? Aloazel, in Libra Statera.

Reap. Hic ESTit

§ 1. Were I master of the pen wherewith Palladius embalmed his Chrys-
ostom, the Greek patriark, or Posidonius eternized his Austin, the Latin
oracle, among the ancients; or, were I owner of the quill wherewith,
among the moderns, Beza celebrated his immortal Calvin, or Fabius
immortalized his venerable Beza; the merits of John Cotton would oblige
me to employ it, in the preserving his famous memory. If Boston be the
chief seat of New-England, it was Cotton that was the father and glory
of Boston: upon which account it becomes a piece of ^mxq justice, that the
life of him, who above all men gave Ufe to his country, should bear no little
figure in its intended history ; and, indeed, if any person in this town or

* They ralw no sopulchral monumenU to the Just, for their words nro their memorials,
t He is perfect, In whom the flame of religion and devotion Is not stifled by the smoke which In genoratMl
from the lights of science. But who is he, that we may worship hlra? Ant. Behold him here t

ice,

was
ber,

. §^
indu(

rich,

that

I'll w

OR, THE HISTORY Ok" NEW-ENGLAND.

268

land had the blessedness which the Roman historian long since pronounced
such even, "to do things worthy to be writ, and to write things worthy
to be read," it was he who now claims a room in our pages. If it were a
comparison sometimes made of the reformers, Pomeranus was a gram-
marian, Justus Jonas was an orator, Melancthon was a logician, but Luther
was all: even that proportion, it may without envy be acknowledged, that
Cotton bore to the rest of our New-English divines; he that, whilst he
was living, had this vertue extraordinarily conspicuous in him, " that it
was his delight always to acknowledge the gifts of God in other men,"
must, now he is dead, have other men to acknowledge of him what Eras-
mus does of Jerom, In hoc uno conjunctum fail et Eximium, quicquid in aliis
partim admiramur.*

§ 2. There was a good heraldry in that speech of the noble Bomanus,
"It is not the blood of my progenitors, but my Christian profession, that
makes me noble." But our John Cotton, besides the advantage of his
Christian profession, had a descent from honourable progenitors, to render
him doubly honourable. His immediate progenitors being, by some injust-
ice, deprived of great revenues, his father, Mr. Roland Cotton, had the
education of a lawyer bestowed by his friends upon him, in hopes of his
being the better capacitated thereby to recover the estate, whereof his
family had been wronged; and so the profession of a lawyer was that
unto which this gentleman applied himself all his days. But our John
Cotton, in this happier than Austin, whose father was carefuller to make
an orator than a Christian of him, while his gracious mother was making
him on greater accounts "a son of her many tears," had a very pious
father in this worthy lawyer, as well as a pious mother, to interest him in
the covenant of God. That worthy man was indeed very singular in two
most imitable practices. One was, that when any of his neighbours desir-
ous to sue one another, addressed him for council, it was his manner, in
the most perswasive and obliging terms that could be, to endeavour a
reconciliation between both parties ; preferring the consolations of a peace-
maker, before all the fees that he might have got by blowing up of differ-
ences. Another was, that every night it was his custom to examine himself,
with reflections on the transactions of the day past; wherein, if he found
that he had not either done good unto others, or got good unto his own
soul, he would be as much grieved as ever the famous Titus was, when he
could complain in the evening, Amid, Diem Perdidi/f Of such parents
was Mr. John Cotton born, at the town of Derby, on the fourth of Decem-
ber, in the year 1585.

§ 3. The religious parents of Mr. Cotton were solicitous to have him
indued with a learned as well as a pious education ; and being neither so
rich, that the Mater ArtisiJi, could have no room to do her part, nor so ix)or
that the Bes angusta domi,^ should clog his progress, they were well fitted

* In him were combined all the exoellenees which we admire leparately and lingly In other men.
fMyfHendi, I haveluitadayl t Mother uf Art, i. «. native genius. | Straitened droumstancaa.

1 is

264

MAQNALIA 0HBI8TI AMEBICANA;

i I:

thereby to besf ;w such an education upon him. His first instruction was
under a good school-master, one Mr. Johnson, in the town of Derby;
whereon the intellectual endowments of all sorts, with which the God of
our spirits adorned him, so discovered themselves, that, at the age of thir-
teen, his proficiency procured him admission into Trinity-College in Cam-
bridge. Indeed, the proverb, "soon ripe, soon rotten," has often been too
hastily applied unto rathe ripe mta, in young people; not only CEcolanipu-
dius and Melancthon, who commenced Batchelours of Arts at fourteen years
of age, and Luther, who commenced Master of Arts at twenty; but also
our Dr. Juel sent unto Oxford, our Dr Usher sent unto Dublin, and our
Mr. Cotton sent unto Cambridge, all at the age of thirteen, do put in a bar
to the universal application of that proverb. While. Mr. Cotton .as at
the university, his diligent head, with God's blessings, made him a rich
scholar; and his generous mind found no little nourishment by that labour
which, like the sage philosopher, he found "sweeter than idleness:" inso-
much that his being elected fellow of Trinity College, as the reward of his
quick proficiency, was diverted by nothing but this, that the extraordinary
charges for their great hall, then in building, did put by their election.
And there was this remarkable in the education of this "chosen vessel"
at the university : that while he continued there, his father's practice was,
by the special providence of God, augmented so much beyond what it
had been before, as was enough to maintain him there ; upon which obser-
vation Mr. Cotton afterwards would say, " 'Twas God that kept me at the
University !" Indesd, some have said, that the great notice quickly taken of
the eminency in the son, \Ma one reason why his father not only came to be
complimented on all sides, and Omnes Omnia Bona dicere, et laudare Fortu-
nas ejus, qui Filium haberet Tali Ingenio prodditum,* but also had his clients
more than a little multiplied.

§ 4. Upon the desires of Emanuel-College, Mr. Cotton was not only
removed unto that College, but also preferred unto a fellowship in it; in
order whereunto, he did, according to the critical and laudable statutes of
the house, go through a very severe examen of his fitness for such a
station; wherein 'twas particularly remarked, that the Poser trying his
Hebrew skill by the third chapter of Isaiah, a chapter which, containing
more hard words than any one paragraph of the Bible, might therefore
have puzzled a very good Hebrician, yet he made nothing of it. He was
afterwards the Head Lecturer, the Dean, the Catechist, in that famous
College; and became a tutor to many scholars, who afterwards proved
famous persons, and had cause to bless God for the faithful, and ingenious,
and laborious communicativeness of this their tutori Here, all his academ-
ical exercises, whether in disputations or in common places, or whatever
else did so "smell of the lamp," that the wit, the strength, the gravity, and
the fulness, both of reason and of reading in them, caused him to be much

* Ererybodjr Mid •Twylbiiig that WM flatlering, ud congratulated the father on his good fortune in having
M ■caompllthed a aoa.

OB, THE HISTORY OF KEW-ENOLAND.

266

was.

admired by the sparkling wits of the universi^^. But one thing among
the rest, which caused a great notice to be taken of him throughout the
whole university, was his funeral oration upon Dr. Some, the Master of
Peter House, wherein he approved himself such a master of Pericloean
or Ciceronian oratory, that the auditors were even ready to have acclaimed,
Non vox hominem sonat!* And that which added unto the reputation thus
raised for him, was an "Univeraity-sermon," wherein, aiming more to
preach self than Christ, he used such florid strainn, as extremely recom-
mended him unto the most, who relished the ivisdom of words above the
words of wisdom: though the pompous eloquence of that sermon after-
wards gave such a distaste unto his own renewed soul, that with a sacred
indignation he threw his notes into the fire.

§ 5. Hitherto we have seen the life of Mr. Cotton, while he was not yet
alive/ Though the restraining and preventing grace of God had kept
him from such outbreakings of sin as defile the lives of most in the world,
yet, like the old man who for such a cause ordered this epitaph to be writ-
ten on his grave, "Here lies an old man, who lived but seven years," he
reckoned himself to have been but a dead man, as being "alienated from
the life of God," until he had experienced that regeneration in his own
soul, which was thus accomplished. The Holy Spirit of God had been
at work upon his young heart, by the ministry of that reverend and
renowned preacher of righteousness, Mr. Perkins; but he resisted and
smothered those convictions, through a vain perswasion that, if he became
a godly man, 'twould spoil him for being a learned one. Yea, such was the
secret enmity and prejudice of an unregenerate soul against real holiness,
and such the torment which our Lord's witnesses give to the consciences of
the earthly-minded, that when he heard the bell toll for the funeral of Mr.
Perkins, his mind secretly rejoiced in his deliverance from that powerful
ministry, by which hisijonscience had been so oft beleagured: the remem-
brance of which thing afterwards did break his heart exceedingly! But
he was, at length, more effectually awakened by a sermon of Dr. Sibs,
wherein was discoursed the misery of those who had only a negative right-
eousness, or a civil, sober, honest blamekssness before men. Mr. Cotton
became now very sensible of his own miserable condition before God; and
the arrows of these convictions did stick so fast upon him, that after ;qo
less than three year's disconsolate apprehensions under them, the grace of
God made him a thoroughly renewed Christian, and filled him with a
sacred joy, which accompanied him unto the fulness of joy for ever. For
this cause, as persons truly converted unto God have a mighty and lasting
affection for the instruments of their conversion ; thus Mr. Cotton's vener-
ation for Dr. Sibs was after this very particular and perpetual: and it
caused him to have the picture of that great man in that part of his house
where he might oflenest look upon it. But so the yoke of sore tempta-

* HU words «ra not tboM of a mw.

If te

266

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMEBIOANA;

tions and afflictions and long spiritual trials^ fitted him to be an eminently
useful servant of God in his generation!

§ 6. Some time afler this change upon the soul of Mr. Cotton, it came
unto his turn again to preach at St Maries; and because he was to preach,
an high expectation was raised, through the whole university, that they
should have a cermon, flourishing indeed, with all the learning of the
whole university. Many difficulties had Mr. Cotton in his own mind now
what course to steer. On the one side, he considered that if he should
preach with a scriptural and Christian plainness, he should not only wound
his own fame exceedingly, but also tempt carnal men to revive an old
cavil, "that religion made , scholars turn dunces," whereby the name of
God might suffer not a little. On the other side, he considered thai; it
was his duty to preach with such a plainness, as became the oracles of
God, which are intended for the conduct of men in the paths of life, and
not for theatrical ostentations and entertainments, and the Lord needed
not any sin of ours to maintain his own glory. Hereupon Mr. Cotton
resolved that he would preach a plain sermon, even such a sermon as in
his own conscience he thought would be most pleasing unto the Lord
Jesus Christ; and he discoursed practically and powerfully, but very
solidly upon the plain doctrine of repentance. The vain wits of the uni-
versity, disappointed thus, with a more excellent sermon, that shot some
troublesome admonitions into their consciences, discovered their vexation
at this disappointment by their not humming, as according to their sinful
and absurd custom they had formerly done; and the Vice-Chancollor, for
the very same reason also, graced him not, as ho did others that pleased
him. Nevertheless, the satisfaction which he enjoyed in his own faithful
soul, abundantly compensated unto him tlie loss of any human favour or
honour; nor did he go without many encouragements from some doctors,
then having a better sence of religion upon them, who prayed him to per-
severe in the good way of preaching, which he hacPnow taken. But per-
haps t. , greatest consolation of all was a notable effect of the sermon then
preached! The famous Dr. Preston, then a fellow of Queen's College in
Cambridge, and of great note in the university, came to hear Mr. Cotton
with the same itching ears as others were then led withal. For some good
while afler the beginning of the sermon, his frustrated expectation caused
him to manifest his uneasiness all the ways that were then possible ; but
before the sermon was ended, like one of Peter's hearers, he found himself
"pierced at the heart:" his heart within him was now struck with such
resentments of his own interior state before the God of heaven, that he
could have no peace in his own soul, till with a wounded soul he had
repaired unto Mr. Cotton; from whom he received those further assist-
ances, wherein he became a spiritual faOier unto one of the greatest men
in his age.

§ 7. The well-disposed people of Boston in Lincolnshire, afler this,

OB, THE HISTORY OF KEW-ENGLAND.

257

this,

invited Mr. Cotton to bccorio their minister; with which invitation, out
of a sincere and serious desire to serve our Lord in his gospel, after the
solemnest addresses to heaven fur guidance in such a solemn affair, be com-
plied. At this time the mayor of the town, with a more corrupt party,
having procured another scholar from Cambridge, more agreeable to them,
would needs have him to preach before Mr. Cotton : but the church-warden
pretending to more of influence upon their ecclesiastical matters, ov*
ruled it. However, when the matter came to a vote, amongst those to
whom the right of election did by charter belong, there was an equi-vote
for Mr. Cotton and that other person ; only the mayor, who had the cast-
ing vote, by a strange mistake, pricked for Mr. Cotton. When the mayor
saw his mistake, anew vote was urged and granted; wherein it again
proved an equi-vote; but the mayor most unaccountably miitook again, as
he did before. Extreamly displeased hereat, he pressed ibr a Uw-d vote;
but the rest would not consent unto it; and so the election fell upon Mr.
Cotton, by the involuntary cast of that very hand which had most opposed
it. This obstruction to the settlement of Mr. Cotton in Boston being thus
conquered, another followed ; for the Bishop of the Diocess, having under-
stood that Mr. Cotton was infected with Puritanism, set himself immedi-
ately to discourage his being there; only he could object nothing, but,
*' That Mr. Cotton being a young man, he was not so fit, upon that score,
to be over such a numerous and such a factious people." And Mr. Cotton
having learned no otherwise to value himself than to concur with the
apprehensions of the Bishop, intended therefore to return unto Cambridge:
but some of his friends, against his inclination, knowing the true way of
doing it, soon charmed the Bishop into a declared opinion that Mr. Cotton
was an honest and a learned man. Thus the admission of Mr. Cotton
unto the exercise of his ministry in Boston was accomplished.

§ 8. Mr. Cotton found the more jieaceahle reception among the people,
through his own want of internal peace; and because his continual exor-
cises, from his internal temptations and afilictions, made all people see, that
instead of serving this or that party, his chief care was about the salvation
of his own soul. But the stirs, which had been made in the town, by the
Arminian controversies, then raging, put him upon further exercises;
whereof he has himself given us a narrative in the ensuing words:

"When I wns first called to Boston in Lineoliisliiro, so it \v;is, that Jlr. Baron, son of Dr.
Biiron, (the divinity reader of Cambridge,) first broached that which was then ea'led LutiicN
anism, since Arminianism; as being indeed himself learned, acute, plausible in discoui'se, and
fit to insinuate into the hearts of his neighbours. And though he were a physltian by pro-
fession, (and of good skill in that art,) yet lie spent the greatest strength of his studies in
clearing and promoting the Arminian tenets, VViiencc it came to pass, that in nil the groat
feasts of the town, the chiefest discourse nt the tiible, did ordinarily fall upon Arminian
points, to the great offence of godly ministers, both in Boston, and neighbour-towns. I
coming among them, a ynung man, thought it a part both of modesty and prudence not to
speak much to the points, at first, among strangers and ancients: until afterwards, after

Vol. I.— 17

■ii'i

258

MAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

hearing of many dincouraea, in public meetlnga, and much private diiwoune with the doetor«
I had learned at length where all the great ttrenglh of the doctor lay. And then obaer\-in(
(by the itrength of Christ) how to avoid auvh oxprv aaiona iih gave him any advniittigv in the
expressiona of othert, I began publlckly to prouch, und in privtitt* nu'clingH to dvfvnd the doe*
trine of Ood's eternal election, before aW/orenght of good or evil, in the ere.tnrv; and the
redemption (ex gra'ia) c:i'y of the elect ; the efftwtuul wtcatinn of n ninner, Per irmi$tibitem
gratitt vim*, without ail respect of the preparation of/ref will; and finally, the im|KMMihility
o( the full of a aincore believer, either totally or finally, tVom a tiale (/ grace. lIun>upon,
when the doctor h»d objected many things, and heard my unawers tt> thotte scrufilrs which
he was wont most plausibly to urge ; presently ufli^r, our pubiiuk feasts und neighlmurly
meetings were silent from all further debates about predestination, «>r any of the |M>inta which
depend thereupon, and all matters of religion were carried on calmly and peoi^eably.**

About half a year after Mr. Cotton had been at Boston, thus usefully
employed, he visited Cambridge, that he might then and there proceed
Batchellor of Divinity, which he did: and his Ooucio ad Ckntm\ on Matt.
V. 13, Vos estia Sal TemvX was highly esteemed by the judicious. Nor
was he less admired for his very singular acutencss in dispuUition^ when
he answered the divinity act in the schools; whei*ein he had fur his oppo*
nent a most acute antagonist — namely, Dr. Chappel — who was afterwards
Provost of Trinity -Colledge in Dublin; and one unhappily successful io
promoting the new Pelagianism.

§ 9. Settled now at Boston, his dear friend, holy Mr. Bayns, recom-
mended unto him a pious gentlewoman, one Mrs. Elizabeth Ilorrooks, tho
sister of Mr. James Horrocks, a famous minister in Lancashire, to become
his consort in a married estate. And it was remarkable that on the very
day of his wedding to that eminently vertuous gentlewoman, he first
received that assurance of God's love unto his own sow/, by the spirit of
God, effectually applying his promise of eternal grace and life unto him,
which happily kept with him all the rest of his days: for which cause ho
would afterwards often say, "God made that day, a day of double marriage
to mel" The wife, which by the favour of God he had wow found, was a
very great help unto him, in the service of God; but especially upon <Aw,
among many other accounts, that the people of hor own sex, olisorving
her more than ordinary discretion, gravity, and holiness, would still improve
the freedom of their address unto her, to acquaint her with the exercises
of their own spirits; who, acquainting her husband with convenient inti-
mations thereof, occasioned him in his publick ministry more jHirticularly
and profitably to discourse those things that were of everlasting benefit.

§ 10. After he had been three years in Boston, his careful studies and
prayers brought him to apprehend more of evil remaining unnfornwd in
the Church of England than he had heretofore considered ; and from this
time he became a conscientious non-conformist, unto the unscripturtil cer-
emonies and constitutions yet maintained by that church ; but such was
his interest in the hearts of the people, that his non-conformity, instead of

* By the irreaisUble power of Grace. t Addreu to the Clergy. ) Yo are the mlt of the esHh.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

269

being disturbed, was indeed embraced by the greatest part of the town.
However, at last, complaints being made against him unto the Bishop's
courts, he was for u tohile then put under the circumstances of a silenced
minister; in all w ich while, he would still give his presence at the publick
sermons, though never at the ommon prayers of the conformable. lie was
now offered, not only the liberty of his ministry, but very great prefei'ment
in it also, if he would but conform to the scrupled rites, though but in one
act, and but for one time; nevertheless, his tender soul, afraid of being
thereby polluted, could not in the least comply with such temptations. A
storm of many troubles upon him was now gaOvering; but it was very
strangely diverted 1 For that y^ry man who had occasioned this affliction
to him, now became heartily afflicted for his own sin in doing of it; and a
stcdfust, constant, prudent friend ; presenting a pair of gloves to a proctor
of an higher court, then appealed unto that proctor without Mr. Cotton's
knowledge, swore. In Animam Domini,^ that Mr. Cotton was a conformahle
man; which things issued in Mr. Cotton's being restored unto the exercise
of his ministry.

§^11. The storm of 2)ersecution being thus blown over, Mr. Cotton enjoyed
rest for many years. In which time he faithfully employed his great
abilities, not in gaining men to this or that ^)a/7^ of Christians, but in
acquainting them with the more essential and substantial points of Chris-
tianity. In the space of twenty years that he lived at Boston, on the
LonVs days in the afternoons, he thrice went over the body of divinity in a
catechistical way; and gave the heads of his discourse to young scholars,
and others in the town, that they might answer to his questions in the
congregation; and the answers he opened and applied unto the general
advantage of the hearers. Whilst he was in this way handling the sixth
commandment, the words of God which he uttered were so quick and pow-
erful, that a woman among his hearers, who had been married sixteen
years to a second husba7id, now in horror of conscience, openly confessed
her murdering her former husband, by poison, though thereby she exposed
herself to the extremity of being burned. In the forenoons of the Lord's
days, he preached over the first six chapters in the Gospel of John, the
whole book of Ecclesiastes ; the prophecy of Zephaniah ; the prophecy of
Zechariah, and many other scriptures. When the Lord's Supper was
administred, which was once a month, he handled the eleventh chapter in
the first epistle to the Qorinthians, and the thirteenth chapter in the sec-
ond book of the Chronicles : and some other pertinent paragraphs of the
Bible. In his lectures, he went through the whole first and second Epistles
of John; the whole book of Solomon's Song; the Parables of our Saviour
to the seventeenth chapter of Matthew. His house also was full of young
students; whereof some were sent unto him out of Germany, some out of
Holland, but most out of Cambridge; for Dr. Preston would still advise

* In the apirit of the Lord.

lit

260

IIAONALIA OHRIBTI AMERICANA;

his near fledged pupiln, to go live with Mr. Cotton, that they might be
fitted for publick service; insomuch tlint it was grown almost a proverb,
"That Mr. Cotton was Dr. Preston's 8«.'a8onitig vessel:" and of those that
issued from this learned family, famous and useful in their genernliun, the
well-known Dr. Hill was not the least. Moreover, ho kept a daibj lecture
in his house, which, as very reverend eor-witncsses have expressed il,
"He performed with much grace, to the ediflcation of the hearers:" and
unto this lecture many pious people in the town would constantly resort,
until upon a suspicion of some inconveniency, which might arise from the
growing numerousness of his auditory, he left it off. However, besides his
ordinary lecture every Thursday, he preached thrice more; every week,
on the week-days; namely, on Wednesday % and Thursdays, early in the
morning, and on Saturdays at three in the afternoon. And besides these
immense labours, he was frequently employed on extraordinary days, kept
Pro Temporia et Causia,* whereon he would spend sometimes no less than
aix houra in the word ond prayer. Furthermore, it was his custom, once
a year, to visit liis native-town of Derby, where he was a notable excep-
tion to the general rule of ''A prophet without honour in his own country ;"
and by his vigilant cares this town was for many years kept supplied with
able and faithful ministers of the gospel. Thus was this good man a most
indefatigable doer of good.

§ 12. The good spirit of God, so plentifully and powerfully accompanied
the ministry of this excellent man, that a great reformation was thereby
wrought in the town of Boston. Profaneness was extinguished, superstition
was abandoned, religion was embraced and practised among the body of the
people; yea, the mayor, with most of the magistrates, were now called
Puritans, and the iixtanical party was become insignificant. As to the
matter of non-conformity y Mr. Cotton was come to forbear the ceremonies
enjoyned in the Church of England; for which he gave this account:

"The grounds were two: first, Tlie significacy and efficacy put upon them, in the preface
to the book of Common-Prayer: That *thcy were neitlior dumb nor dark, but apt to stir up
the dull mind of man, to the remembrance of his duty to God, by somo notable and speciiul
signification, whereby he may be edified ;' or words to tlie like purpose. The second was
the limitation of chu ■••■i-powcr, even of the highest apostolical commission, to the 'observa-
tion of the commandments of Christ,' Mat. xxviii. 20. Which made it appear to me utterly
unlawful for any church-power to enjoyn the observation of indifferent ceremonies, whicli
Christ had not commanded: and all the ceremonies were alike destitute of the commandment
of Christ, though they had been indijereni otherwise; which indeed others have justly
pleaded they were not."

But this was not all: for Mr. Cotton was also come to believe, that Scrip-
ture bishops were appointed to rule no larger a diocess than a particular
congregation; and that the ministers of the Lord, with the keys of eccle-
siastical government, are given by him to a congregational church. It

gers,

sion;
fenny
ii. 20.
but con

According to the exigencies of the times.

OB, THE HISTORY OF N KW-ENO L A N D.

261

hence came to pass, that our Lord Jcaus Christ was now worshipped in
Boston, without tho use of the Utur;/>/, or of those vealmml«, which are by
Zaiu'I'^' called Exccrabiles Ve-stes;* yea, tli»» sign of tho cross was laid aside,
not ouiy in baptism, but also in tho mayor's iiia''-e, as worthy to bo made a
Nehushtan, because it had been so mueli al)uscd unto idol'ttry. And besides
all this, there were some scores o'" pious pc .(ile in the town, who more
exactly formed themselves into an Evangelical Cliurcli-Stato, by entring
into covenant with God, and with one atu^ther, "to follow aftiT the Lord,
in the purity of his worship." However, tho a.ain bent and aim of Mr.
Cotton's ministry was, "to preach a crucified Christ;" and the inhabitants
of Boston observed, that God blessed them in their secular concernments,
remarkably the more, through his dwelling among them; for many stran-
gers^ and some, too, that were gentlemen <}f good quality, resorted unto
Boston, and some removed their habitations thither on his account;
whereby the prosperity of the place was very much promoted.

§ 13. As his desert of it was very high, so the rcsjtect which ho met
withal was far from loio. The best of his hearers loved him greatly, and
the worst of them feared him, as " knowing that ho was a righteous and
".n holy man." Yea, such was the greatness of his learning, his wisdom,
bis holiness, that great men took no little notice of him. A very honour-
able person rode thirty miles to see him ; and afterwards professed, " That
he had as lievo hear Mr. Cotton's ordinary exposition in his family, as
any minister's publick preaching that he knew in England." Whilst he
continued in Boston, Dr. Preston would constantly come once a year to
visit him, from his exceeding value for Mr. Cotton's friendship. Arch-
Bishop Williams did likewise greatly esteem him for his incomparable
parts; and when he was keeper of the great seal, ho recommended Mr.
Cotton to the royal favour. Moreover, the Earl of Dorchester and of
Lindsey had much regard unto him : which happened partly on this occa-
sion; the Earl's coming into Lincolnshire, about the dreining of some
fenny grounds, Mr. Cotton was then in his course of preaching on Gal.
ii. 20. Intending to preach on the duties of "living by faith in adversity;"
but considering that these noblemen were not much acquainted with affile
tions, he altered his intentions, and so ordered it, that when they came to
Boston, he discoursed on the duties of "living by faith in prosperity:"
when the noblemen were so much taken with what they heared, that they
assured him, if at any time he should want a friend at court, they would
improve all their interest for him. And when Mr. Cotton did plainly,
but wisely admonish them, of certain pastimes on tfie Lord's day, whereby
they gave some scandal, they took it most kindly from him, and prom-
ised a reformation. But none of the roses cast on this applauded actor,
smothered that humble, that loving, that gracious disposition, which was his
perpetual ornament.

* Execrable gownt.

262

MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMEKICANA;

§ 14. At length, doubtless to chastise the seldom unchastised evils of
divisions^ crept in among the Christians of Boston, it pleased the God of
Heaven to deprive them of Mr. Cotton's ministry, by laying a tertiim
ague upon him for a year together. But being invited unto the Earl of
Lincoln's, in pursuance to the advice of his physicians, that he shoiild
change the air, he removed thither; and thereupon he happily recovered.
Nevertheless, by the same sickness he then lost his excellent wife; wlio
having lived with him childless for eighteen years, went from him now,
to be for ever with the Lord; whereupon he travelled further a field, unto
London, and some other places, whereby the recovery of his lost health
was further perfected. About a year after this, he practically appeared in
opposition to Tertullianism, by proceeding unto a second marriage ; wherein
one Mrs. Sarah Story, a vertuous widow, very dear to his former wife,
became his consort ; and by her he had both sons and daughters.

§ 15. Although our Lord h.ath hitherto made the discretion and vigil-
ancy of Mr. Thomas Leveret (afterwards a doubly honoured elder of the
church, in another land) the happy occasion of diverting many designs to
molest Mr. Cotton for his non-conformity, yet when the sins of the place
had ripened it for so dark a vengeance of heaven as the removing of this
eminent light, a storm of persecution could no longer be avoided. A
debauched fellow in the town, who had been punished by the magistrates
for his debaucheries, contrived and resolved a revenge upon them, for their
justice: and having no more effectual way to vent the cursed malice of
his heart, than by bringing them into trouble at the High Commission
Court, up he goes to London, with informations to that court, that the
magistrates did not kneel at the sacrament^ nor observe some other ceremo-
nies by law imposed. When some that belonged unto the court signified
unto this informer that he must put in the minister's nam^: "Nay," (said
he) "the minister is an honest man, and never did me any wrong:" but
it being farther pressed upon him, that all his complaints would be insig-
nificant, if the minister's name were not in them, he then did put it in:
and letters missive were dispatched incontinently, to convent Mr. Cotton
before the infamous Hi^^h Commission Court. But before we relate what
became of Mr. Cotton, we will enquire what became of his accuser. The
renowned Mr. John Rogers of Dedham, having been on his lecture day,
just before his going to preach, advised that Mr. Cotton was brought into
this trouble, he took occasion to speak of it in the sermon, with just
lamentations for it; and among others he used words to this purpose : " As
for that man, who hath caused a faithful pastor to be driven from his flock,
he is a wisp, used by the hand of God for the scowring of his people : but
mark the words now spoken by a minister of the Lord! I am verily per-
swaded, the judgments of God will overtake the man that has done this
thing: either he will die under an hedge, or something else, more than
the ordinary death of men shall befal him." Now, behold, how this pro-

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

268

diction was accomplished: this miserable man, quickly after this, dyed of
the phgue, under an AedSye, in Yorkshire; and it was a long time ere any
one could be found that would bury him. This 7w to turn persecutor.

§ 16. Mr. Cotton, knowing that letters missive were out against him, from
the High Commission Court, and knowing that if he appeared there, he
could expect no other than to be choaked with such a perpetual impris-
onment as had already murdered such men as Bates and Udal, he con-
cealed himself, as well as he could, from the raging pursevants. Appli-
cation was made, in the mean time, to the Earl of Dorset, for the fulfil-
ment of his old engagement unto Mr. Cotton; and the earl did indeed
intercede for him, until the Arch-bishop of Canterbury, who would often
w^ish, "Oh! that I could meet with Cotton I" rendred all his intercessions
both ineffectual and unseasonable. Hereupon that noble person sent word
unto him, that if he had been guilty of drunkenness^ or uncleanness, or
any such lesser fait, he could have obtained his pardon; but inasmuch as
he had been guilty of non-conformity, and puritanism, the crime was
unpardonable; and therefore, said he, "you must fly for your safety."
Doubtless, it was from such unhappy experiments that Mr. Cotton afterwards
published this complaint: "The ecclesiastical courts are like the courts of
the high-priests and Pharisees, which Solomon by a spirit of prophecy
stileth, dens of lions, and mountaitis of leopards. And those who have to
do with them, have found them markets of the sins of the people, the cages
of uncleanness, the forges of extortion, the tabernacles of bribery, and they
have been contrary to the end of civil government, which is the punish-
ment oi evil-doers, and ihQ praise of them which do well."

§ 17. Mr. Cotton, therefore, now, with supplications unto the God of
Heaven for his direction, joined consultations of good men on earth ; and
among others, he did, with some of his Boston friends, visit old Mr. Dod,
unto whom he laid open the difficult case now before him, without any
intimation of his own inclination, whereby the advice of that holy man
might have been at all forestalled. Mr. Dod, upon the whole, said thus
unto him: "I am old Peter, and therefore must stand still, and bear the
brunt ; but you, being young Peter, may go whether you will, and ought,
being persecuted in one city, to flee unto another." And when the Boston
friends urged, " that they would support and protect Mr. Cotton, though
privately ; and that if he should leave them, very many of them would
be exposed unto extreme temptation:" he readily answered, "That the
removing of a minister was like the draining of a fish pond : the good fish
will follow the water, but eels, and other baggage fish, will stick in the
mud." Which things, when Mr. Cotton heard, he was not a little confirmed
in his inclination to leave the land. Nor did he forget the concession of
Cyprian, that a seasonable flight is, in effect, "a confession of our faith:"
for it is a profession that o\xv faith is dearer unto us, than all the enjoyments
from which we fly. But that which is further memorable in this matter

.1 4

'Mi
1

264

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

'■

is, that as the great God often makes his tmth to spread by the sufferings
of them that profess the truth, four hundred were converted by the death
of one persecuted Cecilia: and the Scotch Bishop would leave off burning
of the faithful, because the smoke of Hamilton infected as many as it blew
upon. Thus the silencing and removing of Mr. Cotton, which was to him
a thing little short of martyrdom, was an occasion of more thorough
repentance in sundry of his bereived people, who now began to consider
that God, by taking away their minister, was punishing their former
unjruitfulness under the most fruitful ministry which they had thus long
enjoyed. And there was yet another such effect of the matter, which is
now to be related.

§ 18. To avoid them that thirsted for his mine, Mr. Cotton travelled
under a changed name and gar\ with a full purpose of going over for Hol-
land; but when he came near the place where he would have shipped
himself, he met with a kinsman, who vehemently and effectually perswaded
him to divert into London. Here the Lord had a ivorh for him to do,
which he little thought of. Some reverend and renowned ministers of
our Lord in that great city, who yet had not seen sufficient reason to
expose themselves unto persecutions for the sake of non-conformity, but
looked upon the imposed ceremonies as indifferent and sufferable trifles,
and weighed not the aspect of the second commandment, upon all the parts
and means of instituted worship, took this opportunity for a conference with
Mr. Cotton; being perswaded, that since he was "no passionate, but a very
judicious man," they should prevail with him rather to conform, than to
leave his work and his land. Unto the motion of a conference Mr. Cotton
most readily yielded; and first, all their arguments for conformity, together
with Mr. Byfield's, Mr. Whately's and Mr. Sprint's, were produced; all
of which Mr. Cotton answered, unto their wonderful satisfaction. 'Then
he gave his arguments for his non-conformity, and the reasons why he
must rather forgo his ministry, or at least his country, than wound his con-
science with unlawful compliances; the issue whereof was, that instead of
bringing Mr. Cotton back to what he had now forsaken, he brouglit them
off altogether from what they had hitherto practised : every one of those
eminent persons — Dr. Goodwin, Mr. Nye, and Mr. Davenport — now became
all that he was, and at last left the kingdom for their being so. But Mr.
Cotton being now at London, there were three places which offered tliem-
selves to him for his retreat; Holland, Barbadoes, and New-England. As
for Holland, the character and condition which famous Mr. Hooker had
reported thereof, took off his intentions of removing thither. And Barba-
does had not near such encouraging circumstances, upon the best accounts,
as New-England; where our Lord Jesus Christ had a more than ordinary
thing to be done for his glory, in an American wilderness, and so would
send over a more than ordinary man, to be employed in the doing of it.
Thither, even to that religious and reformed plantation, after the solemn-

OE, THE IIISTOKY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

2Co

est applications to Heaven for direction, this great person bent his resohi-
tions: and letters procured from the church of Boston, by Mr. Wiuthrop,
the governour of the colony, had their influence on the matter.

§ 19. The God that had carried him through the fire of persecution was
now graciously with him in his passage through the water of the Atlantic
ocean, and he enjoyed a comfortable voyage over the "great and wide
sea." There were then three eminent ministers of God in the ship;
namely, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Hooker, and Mr. Stone ; which glorious triumvi-
rate coming together, made the poor people in the wilderness, at their
coming, to say, that the God of heaven had supplied them with what
would in some sort answer their three great necessities; Cotton for their
clothing^ Hooker for i\iG\v fishing, and Stone for their building: but by one
or other of these three divines in the ship, there was a sermon preached
every day, all the while they were aboard; yea they had three sermons,
or expositions, for the most part every day : of Mr. Cotton in the morning,
Mr. Hooker in the afternoon, Mr. Stone after supper in the evening. And
after they had been a month upon the seas, Mr. Cotton received a mercy,
which God had now for twenty years denied unto him, in the birth of his
eldest son, whom he called Sea-horn, in the remembrance of the never-to-
be-forgotten blessings which he thus enjoyed upon the seas. But at the
end of seven weeks they arrived at New-England, September 3, in the year
1633; where he put a shore at New-Boston, which in a few years, by tlio
smile of God — especially upon the holy wisdom, conduct, and credit of
our Mr. Cotton — upon some accounts of growth, came to exceed Old Boston
in every thing that renders a town considerable. And it is remarkable
that his arrival at New-England, was just after the people there had been,
by solemn fasting and prayer, seeking unto God, that inasmuch as they
had been engaging to walk with him in his ordinances, according to \\\a
word, he would mercifully send over to them, such as might be "eyes
unto them in the wilderness," and strengthen them in discerning and tbl-
lowing of that word.

§ 20. There were divers churches gathered in the country, before the
arrival of Mr. Cotton ; but upon his arrival, the points of church-order
were with more of exactness revived, and received in them, and further
observed in such as were gathered after them. He found the whole
country in a perplexed and a divided estate, as to their civil constilittion, but
at the publick desires, preaching a sermon on those words, (Hag. ii. 4,)
"Be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, Joshua, sou
of Josedoch the high-priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith
the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts." The
good spirit of God, by tliat sermon, had a mighty influence upon all ranks
of men, in the infant-plantation; who from this time, carried on their
affairs with a new life, satisfaction, and unanimity. It was then requested
of Mr. Cotton that he would, from the laws wherewith God governed his

%4%

i,A

MAGNALIA 0HR18TI AMERICANA;

ancient people, form an abstract of such as were of a moral and a lasting
equity; wliich he performed as acceptably as judiciously. But inasmucli
as very much of an At/ientan democracy was in the mould of the govern-
ment, by the royal charter which was then acted upon, Mr. Cotton elFect-
ually recommended it unto them that none should be electors, nor eltTted
therein, except such as were visible subjects of our Lord Jesus Christ, per-
sonally confederated in our churches. In these, and many other ways, ho
propounded unto them an endeavour after a tfuvn'acy, as near as might
be, to that which was the glory of Israel, the "})eculiar people."

But the ecclesiastical constitution of the country was that on which he
employed his peculiar cares; and he was one of those olive-trees which
allbrded a singular measure of oyl for the illumination of our sanctuary.

§ 21. "The churches now had rest, and were edified: and there were
daily added unto the churches those that were to be saved." Now, though
the poor people were fed with "the bread of adversity, and the waters of
aflliction," yet they counted themselves abundantly compensated by this,
that "their eyes might see such teachers" as were now to be seen among
them. The faith and the order in the churches was generall}' glorious,
whatever little popidar confusions, might in some few places eclipse the
glory. But the warm sunshine will produce a swarm of insects; whilst
matters were going on thus prosperously, the cunning and malice of Satan,
to break the prosperity of the churches, brought in a generation of hypo-
crites, who "crept in unawares, turning the grace of our God into lasciv-
iousness." A company of Antinomian and Familistical sectaries were
strangely crouded in among our more orthodox planters; by the artifices
of which busie ojyinionists there was a dangerous blow given, first unto the
faith, and so unto the peace of the churches. In the storm thus raised,
it is incredible what obloquy came to be cast upon Mr. Cotton, as if he
had been the patron of these destroyers; merely because ihey, willing to
have a "great person in admiration, because of advantage," faJsly used the
name of this "great person," by the credit thereof to disseminate and dis-
semble their errors; and because the chief of thein, in their private con-
ferences with him, would make such fallacious profession of gospel-truths,
that his Christian and abused charity would not permit him to be so hasty
as many others were in censuring of them. However, the report given of
Mr. Cotton on this occasion, by one Baily, a Scotchman, in a most scan-
dalous pamphlet, called, "^1 Disswasive,^^ written to cast an odium on the
churches of New-P]ngland, by vilifying him, that was one of their most
eminent servants, are most horrid injuries; for there being upon the encour-
agement of the success which the old Nicene, Constantinopolitan, Ei)h('sine,
and Chalcedonian councils had, in the extinguishing of several suecessivo
heresies, a council now called at Cambridge, Mr. Cotton, after some deh;itcs
with the Reverend Assembly, upon some controverted points o^ justifica-
tion, most vigorously joined with the other ministers of the country iu

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

267

testifying against the hateful doctrines, whereby the churches had been
troubled. Indeed, there did happen paroxisms in this hour of lemptatiofi
between Mr. Cotton and some other zealous and worthy persons, which,
though they did not amount unto the heat and hevjhth of those that hap-
pened between Chrysostom and Kpiphanius, or between Ilicron and Ruf-
finus, yet they inclined him to meditate a removal into another colony.
But a certain scandalous writer, having publickly reproached Mr. Cotton
with his former inclination to remove, there was thereby provoked his pub-
lick and patient answer; which being a summary narrative of this whole
business, I shall here transcribe it:

"There was n gcncnition of Futnilists in our own and other towns, who, under pretence
of holding forth whut I hud tuught, touching union with Christ, and evidencing that union,
did secretly vent sundry and dangerous errors and heresies, denying all inherent righteous-
ness, and all evidencing of a good estate thereby in any sort, and some of them also denying
thn immortality of the smil, and the resurrection nf the body. When they were questioned by
some brethren about those things, they carried it as if they had held forth nothing but what
they had received from me: wiiereof, when I was advised to clear my self, I publickly preachf^d
against those errors. Then said the brethren to the erring party, ' See, your teaclu-r declares
himself clearly to differ from you.' *No matter,' (say the other) 'what he saith in publick;
we understinid him otherwise, and we know whut he suith to us in private.' Yea, and I my
self could not easily believe that those erring brethren and sisters were so corrupt in their
judgments us they were reported; they seeming to me forward Christians, and utterly denying
any such tcncnts, or any thing else, but what they received from my self. All which bred
in sundry of tlie country a jealousic that I was in secret a fonienter of tlie spirit of fumilism,
if not leavened my self that way. Which I discerning, it wrought in me thoughts (as it did
in many other sincerely and godly brethren of our church) not of a separatum from the
churches, but of u removal to New-IIaven, as being better known to the pastor, nnd some
others there, than to such as were at that time jealous of me here. The true ground whereof
was an inward louthness to be troublesome unto godly minds, and a fear of the unprofitable-
ness of my ministry there, where my way was suspected to be doubtful and dangerous. I
chose therefore rather to mcdiUite a silentMepurture in peace, than by tarrying here, to make
way for the breaking forth of temptations. But when, at the Synod, I had discovered the
corruption of the judgment of the erring brethren, and saw their fraudulent pretence of holding
forth no other but what they received from me, (when as indeed they plead for gross errors
contrary unto m^ judgment,) I thereupon did bear witness against them; and when in a
private conference with some chief magistrates and elders, I perceived thut my removal upon
such ditfercnces wns unwelcome to them, and that such points need not to occasion any dis-
tance (neither in place nor in heart) amongst brethren, I then rested satisfied in my abode
amongst them, and so have continued, by the grace of Christ, unto this day."

'Tis true, such was Mr. Cotton's holy ingenuity, that when he perceived
the advantage which erroneous and heretical persons in his church had
from his abused charity taken to spread their dangerous opinions, before
he was aware of them, he did publickly sometimes with tears bewail it,
"That the enemy had sown so many tares whilst he had been asleep."
Nevertheless, 'tis as true, that nothing ever could be baser than the disin-
gennity of those pamphleteers, who took advantage hence to catch these
teai's in their venemous ink horns, and employ them for so many blots

'|i? i]

268

MAQNALIA CIIRI8TI AMERICANA;

upon the memory of a righteous man, *' worthy to be had in everlasting
remembrance." * *

§ 22. When the virulent and violent Edwards had been after a most
unchristian manner bespattering the excellent Burroughs, that reviled
saint, in his answer, had that passage: "The extreme eagerness of some
to asperse our names, makes us to think that God hath made more use of
our names than we were aware of." — " We see by their anger, even almost
to madness, bent that way, that they had little hope to prevail, with all
their argument against the cause we profess, till they could get down our
esteem (such as it was) in the hearts of the people." — "But our names are
not in the power of tiieir tongues and pens; they are in the hands of
God, who will preserve them so far as he hath use of them; ftnd further,
we shall have no use of them our selves." That bitter spirit in Baily
must for such causes expose the name of the incomparable Cotton unto
irreparable injuries: for, from the meer hearsays of that uncharitable
writer, hastily published unto the world, the learned and worthy Dr. Iloorn-
beck, not much less against the rules of chanty, printed a short account
of Mr. Cotton, whereof an ingenious author truly says, there was in it,
" Quot fere Verha^ tot Errores famosissimi; neque tantiun qitot Capita, tot
Carpenda, sed quot fere Sententiarum piinctula, tot IHspunyenda.^''* That
scandalous account, it is pity it should be read in English, and greater
pity that ever that reverend person should make it be read in Latin;
but this it was: "COTTONUS, horrore Ordinis Episcopalis, in AUudJCxtremum
prolap)sus, Omnia plehi absque Vinculo Ecclesiarum conccdebat. — CoTTOXUS
iste, primum in Anglia, alterius Longe Sentential fucrat, unde et pluriinorum
Error um J/eresiumque Reus, Mascimus Ordinis istius, vel potius Ataxias,
promptor extitit; habuitque secum, quemadmodum Montaxus olim Maximil-
LAM, suani Hutchinson AM, de qua va^-ia et proi ,yiosa vmlta rcferunt."f
From these miserable historians, who would imagine what a slur has been
abroad cast upon the name of as holy, as learned, as orthodox, and emi-
nent a servant of our Lord, in his Reformed Churches, as was known in
his age! Among the rest, it is particularly observable how a laborious
and ingenious foreigner, in his '■'■ Bibliotheca Anglorum Theologica,^^ having
in his index mentioned a book of this our Mr. Cotton, under the stile of
^'Johannis Cotloni, VlA VlT^, Liber Utilissinius,''^^ presently adds, ^' Alius
Johannes Cottonus make Notoi llomo:"^ whereas 'twas only by the misre-
presentations of contentious and unadvised men, that John Cotton, the

• AlmoBt «8 many notable errors as words; and not only roprchensiblo notions enough to mnlch the number
of chapter*, but such an abundance of matters worthy ur being utterly expunged, as almost to uiKimmber the
punctuation-marks.

t Cotton, driven by his horror of the Episcopal order into the opposite extreme, gave up every thing to those
out of the pale of the Church. This Cotton, who had cherished widely dillVrent sentiments in England, becoming
afterwards guilty of very mnny errors and heresies, was the greatest promoter of this new order, or rather disorder ;
and had by his side his Ann Hutchinson, as Montunus once had his Maxilla, about whom they tell many and
various marvels.

X John Cotton'i " fVay of Life " is a most useful work. g The other John Cotton was a man of evil repute.

■

OR, THE HlfiTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

269

experimental aullior of such an useful book, must be branded with a note
of infamy. But if the reader will deal justly, he must join these gross
calumnies upon Cotton with the fables of Luther's devil, Zuinglius' dreams,
Calvin's brands, and Junius' cloven foot. If lloornbeck ever saw Cotton's
mild, but full reply to Baily, which, as the good spirited Beverly says,
would have been esteemed a sufiicient refutation of all these wretched
slanders, Nisi Fratnim quonindam aures erunt ad veritatem, tanquam Aspi-
dum, obduratce* 'tis impossible to excuse his wrongful dealings with a ven-
erable minister of our Lord 1 Pray, sir, charge not our Cotton with an
Horror Ordinis Episcopalis ; until you have chastised your friend IJono-
rins Reggius, that is Georgius 1/ornius, for telling us, as Voetius quotes it:
'■^ Multorum Animos Subiit Jivcordatio illius, quod Venerahilis JJeza, non sine
Prophetice Spirilu, dim rescripsit JCnoxo, Ecdesicv Scoticce lieformatori: iSicitt
Epu<copi Papalum jiepererunt^ ita Octdis pcene ipsis jam cernitur, Pseiuh-Eptis-
capos, papains Reliquias, Epicureismum Terris Invecturos. Atque hccc prce-
mittere F/amw, tit eo mani/estius esset Britanniam diutius Episcopos non
2wtuisse jerre, nisi in Papismnm et Atheismam Labi vcllety\ Charge not our
Cotton with an Omnia Plebi absque Vinculo Aliarum Ecclusiarum concede-
but; until, besides the whole scope and scheme of his ecclesiastic"! writ-
ings, which allow no more still unto the fraternity, than Parker, Ames,
Cartwright; and advance no other than that aristocrasie that Bcza, Zan-
chy, Whitaker, Bucer, and Blondel pleaded for; you have better construed
his words in his golden preface to Norton's answer unto the Sylloge Quchs-
tionum, "iVt'g^e nos Regimen proprte dictum alibi quam j^tmcs Prtsbyteres
stabilendum Cupimus: Convenimus ambo in Subjedo Pegiminis Ecclesiadici:
Convenimus etlam in Pegula Pegiminis, ut Administrcntur Om)iia Juxta
Canonem &icrarum Scri2)turarum: Gonvcnimu-s etiam in Fine Regiminis, ut
Omnia Transigantur ad Edijicationem Ecclcsioi, non ad Pompam aut Luxum
Secidarem: Sijnodos nos, una Vobi,scum, cum opus fuerit, et iSuscijjimus et
veneramur. Quantillam est, quod Rostat, quod Distat! Actus Regiminis, quos
vos a tS'gnodis peragi Velletis, cos a iSi/nodis porrigi Ecclcsiis, et ab Ecclesiis,
ex /Si/nodali Dioin'iiosKT, peragi peteremm!' \. Charge not our Cotton with
an Ataxias Promotor Extitit, until you, your self, Doctor, have revoked
your own two concessions, which are all the Ataxies that ever could, with

• Unless Iho oars of tlio brethren phnll bo n» (loaf as those of adders to the tnith,

t Many were reminded of wliiit tlie veiiernble Ilez:i, not willioiil the spirit el' propliocy, formcily wi-nte to
Knox, the Reformer of the Sootlish ohiireh : " Ax Die bishops besot papacy, so now It is almost visible to llie eyo
itself that pseudo-bishops, tlie relies of papacy, lire al)OHt to introduce Kpicureanisin among mankind.'' And it
seemed to e^ciipo tiim that, for this very reason, it whs more evident that Britain could not endure bisliops longer,
unless she was prepared to reliipse into papacy and atheism.

X Nor do . desire to csliiblish the doctrine, that clunch government is not properly claimeil elsewlu^re than
among Presbyterians. We both u^-reo in tho rule of church government, that all things should bn conducted
according to the canon of the Holy Scriptures. We agree also C(uiceriiiiig the proper end of church govenim'uit,
that all things should be done for the ediflcation of tho church, not for show or luxury. We, as well as you, botli
convoke and venerate Councils ^Hynotis) when they liec<mve necessary. How narrow then is the lino which sepa-
rates us! Those acts of church govenunent which you wish to see adminisered by PyivKls. we disire to see trans-
ferred from tlio Pyuod.s to the churches, luid by tho cluircheB adiuinislertd with all the precision of u Synod Itself.

270

MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

80 much na the least pretence, be imputed unto this renowned person:
^^Ecclesia particularis qtuelibet Suhjectum est AilLvqualum et proprium pknoe
jwtestatis Ucclesiasticce ; nee Congrue dicitur ejus Si/nodo Dependent la., iind,
Neque enim Synodi in alias Ecdesiiis ^wtestatein /talent Jinjjerantem, qua!
Superiorum est, in Inferiores sihi Subditos; Non-Communionis Sententia Pot-
estatem Summam denotat.^^* As for the Cottonns Plurimorinn Errorwn
II eresiumque Reus, were old Austin alive, he would hnve charged no
less a crime than that of sajcriledge upon the man that thus, without all
colour, should rob the church of a name which would justly be dear unto
it; for, as the great Caryl hath expressed it, "The name of Cotton is as
an ointment poured forth." But for the top of all these calumnies, Cutloni
Ilutckinsona, instead of a resemblance to MonU.vii Maxiniilla, the truer
comparison would have been, Mulier isla, quie per Culnmnium notissimam
Objiciebatur Athanasio;jf all the favour which that prophetess of Thyatira
had from this angelical man, was the same that the provoked Paul showed
unto the Pythoniss. In fine, the histories which the world has had of the
New-English churches, under the influence of Mr. Cotton, I have some-
times thought much of a piece with what we have in the old histories of
Lysimachus; that when a leprous, a scabby sort of people were driven out
of Egypt into the wilderness, there was a certain man called Moses, who
counselled them to march on in a body, till they came to some good soyl.
This Moses commanded them to be kind unto no man; to give bad advice
rather than good, upon all occasions; and to destroy as many temples as
they could find; so, after much travel and trouble, they came to a fruitful
soyl, where they did all the miscliief that Moses had recommended, and
built a city, which was at llrst called Jlierosyla, from the spoiling of the
temples; but afterwards, to shun the disgrace of the occasion, they changed
it into llierosolyme, and bore the name of JL'erosolymitans, But thus must
a bad report, as well as a good nport, follow such a man as Mr. Cotton,
whose only fault, after all, was that with which that memorable ancient
Nazienzen was taxed sometimes; namely, the fault of j]fansuctude.

§ 23. These clouds being thus happily blown over, the rest of his days
were spent in a more settled peace; and Mr. Cotton's growing and spread-
ing flime, like Joseph's bough, "ran over the wall" of the Atlantic ocean,
unto such a degree, that in the year 1041 some great persons in Ilngland
were intending to have sent over a ship on purpose to fetch him over,
for the sake of the service that such a man as he might then do to the
church of God, then travelling in the nation. But although their doultt
of his willingness to remove caused them to forbear that method of obtain-
ing him, yet the principal members in both houses of parliament wrote
unto him, with an opportunity for his return into England; which had

• Each particular church Is a fit and proper depository of plenary I'ccli'slnatical powur, nor can it bo ju«ily
ptyled a deptndancy of the Synod. Nor liavo Synwln any such ruling aulliorily over tliu cliiirclics ns a superior
exercises over an inferior. The ri^ht of dccreeinx non-communion indicates independent sovereignty.

t That woman whom an Infamous calumny connocluU with (ho name of Athaniisius,

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

271

prevailed with him, if the dismal showers of blood, quickly after broakinar
upon the nation, had not made such afflictive impressions upon him as to
prevent his purpose. He continued therefore in Boston unto his dving
day ; counting it a great favour of Heaven unto him, that ho was deh cd
from "the unsettledness of habitation," which was not among the least
of the calamities that exercised the apostles of our Lord. Nineteen years
and odd months he spent in this place, doing of good publiekly and pri-
vately, unto all sorts of men, as it became "a good man full of faith, and
of the Holy Ghost." Here, in an expository way, he went over the Old
Testament once, and a second time as far as the thirtieth chapter of Isaiah ;
and the whole New Testament once, and a second time as far as the elev-
enth chapter to the Hebrews. Upon the Lord's-days and lecture-days, he
preached thorow the Acts of the Apostles; the prophesies of Haggai and
Zechariah, the books of Ezra, the Revelation, Ecclcbiastos, Canticles,
second and third Epistles of John, the Epistle to Titus, botli Epistles to
Timothy; the Epistle to the Romans; with innumerable other scriptures
on incidental occasions. Though he had also the most remarkable facultv,
perhaps of any man living, to 7neet every remarkable occasion with perti-
nent reflections, whatever text he were upon, without ever wandring out of
sight from his text: and it is possible there might sometimes be a particu-
lar operation of providence, to make the works and icords of God meet in
the ministry of his holy servant. But thus did he " abound in the works
of the Lord 1"

§ 24. At length, upon desire, going to preach a sermon at Cambridge,
(which he did on Isa. liv. 13: "Thy children shall bo all taught of the
Lord;" and from thence gave many excellent councils unto the students
of the college there) he took wet in his passage over the ferry ; but he
presently felt the effect of it, by the failing of his voice in sermon-time;
which ever until noio had been a clear, neat, audible voice, and easily
heard in the most capacious auditory. Being " found so doing," as it had
oftf n been his declared wish, " That he might not outlive his work !" (saying
upon higher principles than once Curius Dentatus did, JUallc esse «; ^for'
timm, quam Vivere: that he had rather be dead, than live dvad; and with
Seneca, UUiimim inaloriim est ex vivorum Namero exire, ante quam inoria'
ris:)* his illness went on to an inflammation in his lungs; from whence ho
grew somewhat asthmatical ; but there was a complication of other scor-
butic effects, which put him under many symptoms of his approaching end.
On the eighteenth of November he took in course, for his text, the four
last verses of the second Epistle of Timothy, giving this reason for his
insisting on so many verses at once, "Because else (he saiil) T sliall not
live to make an end of this Epistle;" but he chiefly insisted on those
words, "Grace be with you all." Upon the Lord's day following, he
preached his last sermon on Joh. i. 14, about that "glory of the Lord

* It is the extreme of all evils to depart from life, before Uoath.

'}y. - >i

.t 1'

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272

MAONALIA CIIB18TI AMEUICANA;

Josus Christ," from the faith to tho siyht whereof ho wiis now hastening.
After tiiis, in that study which liaJ been jHT/tiuicd with many such t/tn/.*
before, he now spent a day in secret Iminiliations ami snuplioations before
tho Lord; seeking tho special assistance of the Holy Spirit for the j!;reat
work of dying, that was now before him. AVhat glorions fitvmwtious
might one have heard passing between the J^ord Jesus Christ and an
excellent servant of his, now coming unto hin>, if he could have had an
Jieari II r/ place behind the hangings of the chamber, in such a day ! liut hav-
ing liuisliod the duties of the day, he took his leave of his beloved i^tiuh/,
Frying to his consort, "I shall go into that room no more!" And he had
all along premies in his heart that (lod would, by his present siekuess,
give him "an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of the Lord Jesus
Christ." Wherefore, "setting his house in order," he was now so far from
unwilling to receive the ineivi/ utrol-e of tleat/i^ as that he was desir«.)us to bo
with Him, "with whom to be, is by far the best of all." And altiiougli
the chief ground of his readuiess to be gone, was from the uni.tterably
sweet and rich entertaininaitti which he did Xiy JontaMc as well as hy pront'
isc, know that the Lord had reserved in the heaveidy regions for him, \ ot
he said it contributed unto this readiness in him, when he considered t!io
saints, whose company and communion ho was going unto; partieularly
Perkins, Ames, Preston, Ilildersham, ])od, and others, which had l>eeu
peculiarly dear unto himself; besides the rest, in that i/tiunil (fwtw*/*///.

§ 25. "While he thus lay sick, the magistrates, the ministers of tho
country, and Christians of all sorts, resorted unto him, as unto a puhHrh
father, full of sad apprehensions at tho withdraw of sueli a pnfilirl- /»/.«,■>••
inj; and the "gracious words that ju'oceeded out of his i.outh,'' while ho
had strength to utter tho profitable conceptions of his mind, cinscd them
to reckon these their visits tho gaiufakd that ever they had made. Among
others, the then president of the college, with many tears, desin^d <.A' Mr.
Cotton, before his departure, to bestow his blessing on him: saying, "I
know, in my heart, they whom you bless shall be blessed." And not lonij
before his death, he sent for the elders of the ehnreh, whereof he iiimsolf
also was an elder; who having, according to the apostolical direction,
prayed over him, ho exhorted them to "feed the Hock over which they
were overseers," and increase their watch against those dcclcnfUms which ho
saw the pmfi^ssors of religion falling into: adding. "1 have How, thmugh
grace, been more than forty years a servant unto the Lord Jesus Christ,
and have ever found him a good master." AVhcn his colleague, Mi, Wil-
son, took his leave of him with a wish that God wmild lill up tho "light
of his countenance" upon him, ho instantly replied, "(Jod hath done it
already, brothcrl" lie then called for his children, with whom he lelt tho
gracious covenant of God, as their never-failing jiorlion* and now desired
that he might be )ih private the rest of his minutes, for the more freedom
of his ai)[)licatio:is unto the Lord. So lying fpachkas a few hours, ho

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

278

breathed his blessed soul into the hands of his heavenly Loi . <'u the
twenty-third of December, 1652, entring on the sixty-eighth year of his
own ago: and on the day — yea, at the hour— of his constant weekly
labours in the lecture, wherein he had been so long serviceable, even to
all the churches of New-England. Upon Tuesday, the twenty-eighth of
December, he was most honourably interred, with a most numerous con-
course of people, and the most grievous and solemn funeral that was ever
known perhaps upon the American strand; and the lectures in his church,
the whole winter following, performed by the neighbouring ministers, were
but so many funeral sermons upon the death and worth of this extraor-
dinary person: among which, the first, I think, was preached by Mr.
Richard Mather, who gave unto the bereaved church of Boston this great
character of their incomparable Cotton: "Let us pray that God would
raise up some Eleazar to succeed this Aaron : but you can hardly expect
that so large a portion of the spirit of God should dwell in any one, as
dwelt in this blessed man I" And generally in the other churches through
the country, the expiration of this general blessing to them all, did produce
funeral sermons full of honour and sorrow; even as many miles above an
hundred, as New-Haven was distant from Massachuset-bay, when the
tidings of Mr. Cotton's decease arrived there, Mr. Davenport with many
tears bewailed it, in a publick discourse on that in 2 Sam. i. 26, "I am
distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan, very pleasant hast thou been
unto me." Yea, they speak of Mr. Cotton in their lamentations to this day !

It is a memorable saying of Algazel, In quo Lumen ReUgionis el Devolio-
nis, Fumus generatus ex Lumine Scientice non extinguit^ Hie 2^crfedus est:
Scd quis est hie, ut adoremus eumf* Reader, I will show thee such a man;
one in whom the light of learning accompanied the^re of goodness, met in
an high degree: but thou shalt adore none but the Lord Jesus Christ, who
made him such a man.

§ 26. How vast a treasure of learning was laid in the grave, which Avas
opened on this occasion, can scarce credibly and sufficiently be related.
Iklr. Cotton was indeed a most universal scholar, and a living system of the
liberal arts, and a walking library. It would be endless to recite all his
particular accomplishments, but only three articles of observation shall
be offered. First, for his grammar, he had a very singular skill in those
three languages, the knowledge whereof was the inscription on the cross of
our Saviour, proposed unto the perpetual use of his church. Tiic IJebrcw
he understood so exactly, and so readily, that he was able to discourse in it.
In the Greek he was a critic, so accurate and so well versed, that ho need
not, like Austin, to have studied in his reduced age. Thus, if many of
the ancients committed gross mistakes in their interpiretations of the Scrip-
tures, through their want of skill in the originals, Mr. Cotton was better
qualified for an interpreter. He both wrote and spoke Latin also with

* For truiulalion, soe page S53.

Vol. L— 18

*-^

■II.,

mumm

274

MAONAMA C1IKI8TI AMEUICANA;

great facility; and with a moBt Ciceronian elcgiu.cy, exemplified in one
published compoHuro. Next, for his Iwjic ho was compleatly furnished
therewith to encounter the subtilest adversary of the truth. But although
he had been educated in the jjerijuitcthk way, yet, like tiie other puritans
of thoae times, he rather affected the liatnaen discipline; and chose to f(*l-
low the methods of that excellent liumus, who, like Justin of old, was
not only a p/nlosoj)her, but a Christian, and a martyr also; rather th..n the
more empty, trifling, altercativo notions, to which the works of the Pagan
Aristotle, derived unto us through the mangling hands of the apostate
Porphyrie, have disposed his di8cii)lei<. Lastly, for his Thcolxjic, there
'twas that he had his greatest extraortlinari)iess, and most of all, his Text-
ual Divinity. His abilities to expound the Scriptures, caused him to bo

* admired by the ablest of his hearers. Although his incomparable modesty
would not permit him to speak any more than the Icmt of hiinselj] yet

• unto a private friend he hath said, "That he knew not of any didicult
place in all the whole Bible, which he had not weighed, some what unto
satisfaction." And hence, though he ordinarily bestowed much pains
upon his publick sermons, yet he hath sometimes preached most admir-
ably, without any warning at all; and a new note upon a text beft)re him,
occurring to his mind, but just as he was going into the assembly, has
taken up his discourse for that hour, so pertinently and judiciously, that
the most critical of his auditors imagined nothing extemporaneous.
Indeed, his library was vast, and vast was his acquaintance with it; but
although amongst his readings he had given a special room unto i\\(i fathers,
and unto the school-men, yet at last he preferred one Calvin above them
all. If Erasmus, when offered a bishoprick to write against Luther, could
answer, "There was more divinity in a page of Luther, than in all Thomas
Aquinas," 'tis no wonder that Salmasius could so venerate Calvin as to
say, "That he had rather be the author of that one book, Uhe Institutions,^
written by Calvin, than have written all that was ever done by Grotius."
Even such a Calvinist was our Cotton! Said he, "I have read the fathers
and the school-men, and Calvin too; but I find that he that has Calvin,
has them all." And being asked, why in his latter days he indulged noc-
turnal studies more than formerly, he pleasantly replied, "Because I love to
sweeten my mouth with a piece of Calvin before I go to sleep."

§ 27. Indeed, in his common preaching, he did as Basil reports of
Ephrem Syrus, Plurimum distare a Mundana S(qiientia:^^ and tuough he
were a great scholar, yet he did conscientiously forbear making to the
common people any ostentation of it. He had the art of concealing his art;
and thought with Sobinus, Nbn minus est Virtus Populariter quarn Aryute
Loqui,^ and Mr. Dod , " That Latin for the most part was flesh in a ser-
mon." Accordingly, when he was handling the deepest suhjects, a speech

!!i

* He abitained ttom (llRplays of wurldly wisdom.

t Bpoaking so aa to reach the popular understanding, is no less an accomplishmcut than oluquonco itself.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

275

of that import was frequent with him, "I desire to speak so as to be under-
stood by tlio meanest capacity I" And ho would sometimes give the same
reason for it, which the great Austin gave: "If I preach more scholastic-
ally, then only the learned, and not the unlearned, can so understand ns
to profit by me; l)Ut if I preach plainly, then both learned and unlearned
will understand nu", and so 1 shall profit all." When a golden ke// of ora-
tory would not so woU open a mystery oi Christianity, he made no stick to
take an iron one, tluu should bo less rhetorical. You should hear few terms*
of art, few latinities, ro exotic or obsolete phrases, obscuring of the truths
which ho was to brir g unto the people of God. Nevertheless, his more
judicious and observing hearers could, by his most untnmmeil /sermons,
perceive that he was a man of more than ordinary abilities. Hence, when
a Dutchman of great learning hoard Mr. Cotton preach at Boston, in Eng-
land, he professed, "That he never in his life saw such a conjunction of
learning and plainness as there vras in the preaching of this worthy man."
The ylory of God, and not his own glory, was that at which he aimed in
his labours; for which cause, at the end of his notes, he still inserted that
clause, Tibi Domine: or, "For thy glory, God 1" For this delivery, though
it were not like Farel's, noisy and thundering, yet it had in it a very awful
majesty, set off with a natural and becoming motion of his riyht hand; and
the Lord was in the still voice at such a rate, that Mr. Wilson would say,
"Mr. Cotton preaches with such authority, demonstration, and life, that
methinks, when he preaches out of any prophet or apostle, I hear not him;
I hear that very prophet and apostle ; yea, I hear the Lord Jesus Christ
himself speaking in my heart." And the success which God gave to these
pluin labours of his faithful, humble, diligent servant, was beyond what
most ministers in the country ever did experience: there have been few that
have seen so many and miL,' y effects given to the "travels of their souls."
§ 28. He was even from his youth to his age an indefatigable student,
under the conscience of the apostolical precept, "Be not slothful in busi-
ness, but fervent in spirit serving the Lord." He was careful to redeem
his hours, as well as his days; and m'ght lay claim to that character of
the blessed martyr, '' Sparing of sleep, more sparing of words, but most
sparing of time." 1 1' any came to visit him, he would be very civil to
them, having learned it as his duty, "To use all gentleness towards all men :"
and 3'et he would often say v/ith some regret, after the departure of a
visitant, "I had rather have given this man an handful of money, than
have been kept thus long out of my study:" reckoning, witii Pliny, the
time not spent in study, for the most part, siceeled away. For which cause
he went not much abroad; but he judged ordinarily that more benefit was
obtained, according to the advice of the wise King, by conversing with
the dead [in books'] than with the living [in talks/] and that needless visits
do commonly unframe our spirits, and perhaps disturb our comforts. He
was an early riser, taking the morning for the Muses; and in his latter

I I;

i I-

*;v^

276

MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

days forbearing a supper, he turned his former supping- time into a read
ing, a thinking, a praying-time. Twelve hours in a day he commonly

studied, and would call that a scholar's day; resolving rather to wear out
with using than with rusting. In truth, had he not been of an healthy
and hearty constitution, and had he not made a careful, though not curi-
ous diet serve him, instead of an Hippocrates, his continued labour must
have made his life, as well as his labour, to have been but of a short con-
tinuance. And, indeed, the work which lay upon him could not have
been performed without a labour more than ordinary. For besides his
constant preaching, more than once every week, many cases were brought
unto him far and near, in resolving whereof, as he took much time, so he
did much good, being a most excellent castmt. He was likewise very
deeply concerned in peaceable and effectual disquisitions of the contro-
versies about church-government, then agitated in the Church of God.
And though he chiefly gave himself to reading, and doctrine, and exhort-
ation, depending much on the ruling elders to inform him concerning the
state of his particular flock, that he might the better order himself in "the
word and prayer," yet he found his church-work, in this regard also, to
call for no little painfulness, watchfulness, and faithfulness.

§ 29. He was one so "clothed with humility," that, according to the
emphasis of the apostolical direction, by this livery his relation as a dis-
ciple to the lowly Jesus was notably discovered; and hence he was patient
and peaceable, even to a proverb. He had a more than common excellency
in that cool spirit, which the oracles of wisdom describe as "the excellent
spirit in the man of understanding;" and therefore Mr. Norton would
parallel him with Moses among the patriarchs, with Melancthon among the
reformers. He was rather excessive than defective in self-denial, and had
the Nimia Humilitas,* which Luther sometimes blamed in Staupicius;
yea, he was at last himself sensible, that some fell very deep into the sin
of Corah, through his extreme forbearance, in matters relating to his own
just riyhts in the church of God. He has, to a judicious friend, thus
expressed himself: " Angry men have an advantage above me ; the people
dare not set themselves against such men, because they know it wont be
born ; but some care not what they say or do about me, because they know
I wont be angry with them again." One would have thought the ingenuity
of such a spirit would have broke the hearts of men, that had indeed the
hearts of men in them ; yea, that the hardest flints would have been broken,
as is usual, upon such a soft bag of Cotton! But, alas! he found it other-
wise, even among some who pretended unto high attainments in Chris-
tianity. Once Particularly, an humorous and imperious brother, following
Mr. Cotton home to his house, after his publick labours, instead of the
grateful respects with which those holy labours were to have been encour-
aged, rudely told him that his ministry was become generally either daik

* BxooHtve meeknen.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

277

or flat: whereto this meek man, very mildly and gravely, made only this
answer: "Both, brother, it may be, both: let me have your prayers that
it may be otherwise." But it is remarkable, that the man sick thus of
wanton singularities, afterwards died of those damnable heresies, for which
he was deservedly excommunicated. — Another time, when Mr. Cotton had
modestly replied unto one that would much talk and crack of his insight
into the revelations: "Brother, I must confess my self to want light in those
mysteries." The man went home, and sent him a pound of candles: upon
which action this good man bestowed only a silent smile. He would not
set the beacon of his great soul on Jire at the landing of such a little cock-
boat. He learned the lesson of Gregory, " It is better, many times, to fly
from an injury by silence, than to overcome it by replying:" and he used
that practice of Grynaaus, *' To revenge wrongs by Christian taciturnity."
I think I may not omit, on this occasion, to transcribe a remarkable
passage, which that good man, Mr. Flavel, reports, in a sermon on gospel-
unity. His words are these:

" A company of vain, wiuked men, having inflamed their blood in a tavern at Boston, and
seeing that reverend, meel{, and holy minister of Ciirist, Mr. Cotton, coming along the
street, one of them tells his companion. Til go, saith he, 'and put n trick on old Cotton.'
Down he goes, and crossing his way, whispers these words into his ear: 'Cotton,' said he,
'thou art an old fool.' Mr. Cotton replied, 'I confess I am so: the Lord make both me and
thee wiser than we are, even wise unto salvation.' He relates this passage to his wicked
companions, which cast a great damp upon their sports, in the midst of a frolick."

And it may pass for a branch of the same temper in him, that he
extremely hated all Albtrio Episcopacy: and though he knew, as practically
as most men in the world, " That we have a call to do good, as often as we
have power and occasion ;" yet he was slow of apprehending any occasion
at all, though he might have had never so much power to meddle for
good, any where but within the sphere of his own proper calling. As
he understood that Leontius blamed Constantino for interposing too far in
ecclesiastical affairs, thus Mr. Cotton, on the other side, had a great aver-
sion from engaging in any civil ohqs. He would religiously decline taking
into his cognisance all civil controversies, or umpirages, and whatever
looked heterogeneous to the calling of one whose whole business 'twas
to feed the flock of God. Nevertheless, in the things of God, of Christ,
of conscience, his condescending temper did not hinder him from the most
immoveable resolution. He would not so "follow peace with all men," as to
abandon or prejudice, one jot, the interests of holiness.

§ 30. His command over his own spirit was particularly observable in
his government of his family, where he would never correct any thing in
a passion ; but first, with much deliberation, shew what rule in the holy
word of God had been violated by the fault lately committed. He was
indeed one that "ruled well his own house," He therein morning and
evening read a chapter, with a little applicatory exposition, before and

4<i

\ 1

278

MAQNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

after which he made a prayer; but he was very short in all, accouiitinf;
as Mr. Dod, Mr. Bains, and other great saints did before him, "That it
was a thing inconvenient many ways to be tedious in family duties." He
also read constantly a portion of the Scripture alone, and he prayed over
what he read: prayed, I say; for he was very much in prayer, a very
man o*" prayer; he would rarely sit down to study, without a prayer over
it, referring to the presence of God accompanying what he did. It was the
advice of the ancient. Si vis esse Semper cum Deo, Semper Ora, Semper
Lege:* and agreeably hereunto, Mr. Cotton might say with David, "Lord,
I am still with thee." But he that was with God all the week, was more
intimately with him on his own day, the chief day of the week, which he
observed most conscientiously. The Sabbath he began the evening before :
for which keeping of the Sabbath, from evening to evening, he wrote argu-
ments before his coming to New-England : and, I suppose, 'twas from his
reason and practice that the Christians of New-England have generally
done so too. When that evening arrived, he was usually larger in his
exposition in his family than at other times: he then catechised his chil-
dren and servants, and prayed with them, and sang a psalm ; from thence
he retired unto study and secret prayer, till the time of his going unto liis
repose. The next morning, after his usual family-worship, he betook him-
self to the devotions of his retirements, and so unto the publick. From
thence towards noon, he repaired again to the like devotions, not permit-
ting the interruption of any other dinner, than that of a small repast
carried up unto him. Then to the publick once more; from whence
returning, his first work was closet-prayer, then prayer with repetitions
of the sermons in the family. After supper, he still sang a psalm ; which
he would conclude with uplifted eyes and hands, uttering this doxology —
"Blessed be God in Christ our Saviour!" Last of all, just before his going
to sleep, he would once again go into his prayerful study, and there briefly
recommended all to that God, whom he served with a pure conscience.

But there was one point of Sabbath-keeping, about which it may not be
unuseful for me to transcribe a passage, which I find him writing to Mr.
N. Eogers, in the year 1630 :

" Studying for a sermon upon the Sabbath-day, so far as it might bo any wearisome hibour
to invention or memory, I covet (when I can) willingly to prevent it; and would rather
attend unto the quiclining of my heart and affections, in the meditation of what I am to
deliver. My reason is, much reading, and invention, nnd repetition of things to commit
them to memory, is a weariness to the Jlesh and spirit too ; whereas the Sabbath-^:iy doth
rather invite unto an holy rest. But yet, if God's providence have straitned my time in the
week days before, by concurrence of other business, not to be avoided, I loubt not but the
Ijord, who allowed the priests to employ their labour in killing the sacrifices on the Sabbath>
day, will allow us also to labour in our callings on the Sabbath, to prepare our snctfice f >r
the people."

* If thou wouldst alwaya And tbyaelf in the Bociety of God, spend all thine hours in prayer and studjr.

OR, THE IIISTCRY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

879

These were his ordinary Sabbaths: but he also kept extraordinary onos^,
upon the just occasions for them. He was in fasting often, and would
often keep whole days by himself, wherein he would with solemn humil-
iations and supplications, implore the wanted mercies of Heaven ; yea, ho
would likewise by himself keep whole days of thanksgiving unto the Lord :
besides the many days of thi; kind which he celebrated in publick assem-
blies with the people of God. Thus did this man of God continually.

§ 31. Without liberality and hospitality, he had been really as unde-
serving of the character of "a minister of the gospel," as the sacrilegiou3
niggardliness of the people does often endeavour to make ministers uncap-
able of answering that character. But Mr. Cotton was most exemplary
for this virtue; wherein there are of his children that have also learned of
him. The stranger and the needy were still entertained at his table, Epis-
copaliter et Benigne* as was the phrase instructively used, for a charitable
entertainment of old. It might be said of him, as once it was of the
generous Corinthian, Semper aliquis in Cottoni Domo :\ he was ever shewing
of kindness to some-body or other. What Posidonius relates of Austin,
and what Peter Martyr aflfirms of Bucer, was very true of our Cotton :
*' His house was like an inn, for the constant entertainment which he gave
upon the account of the gospel." And he would say, "If a man want
an heart for this charity, it is not fit such a man should be ordained a
minister:" consenting therein to the great canonist, Hospitalitas usque adeo
Episcopis est necessarta, utsiab ea inveniantur alicni, Jure prohihentur ordi-
nari.X While he lived quietly in England, he was noted for his bountiful
disposition, especially to ministers driven into England by the storms of
persecution, then raging in Germany: for which cause Libingus, Saumer,
Tolner, and others of the German sufferers, in their accounts of him,
would stile him, Fautor Doctissimus, Glarissimus, Fidelissimus, plurimumque
Jlonorandics.^ It was remarkable that he never omitted inviting unto his
house any minister travelling to or through the town, but only that one
man who perfidiously betrayed Mr. Hildersham, with his non-oonformiat
associates, into the hands of their enemies. And after he came to New-
England, he changed not his mind with his air; out with a Quantum ex
Quantillo!\\ continued his benejicence upon all occasions, though his abilities
for it ,\ere much diminished; which brings to mind a most memorable
story. A little church, whereof the worthy Mr." White was pastor, being
by the strange and strong malice of their prevailing adversaries, forced of
Barmudas in much misery, into a desart of America, the report of their
distresses came to their fellow-sufferers, though not alike sufferers, at New-
England. Mr. Cotton immediately applied himself to obtain a collection

* With the hospltnlity becoming n bishop. f Some guest was always by the hoarth of Cutten.

X Hospitality is m cssentiul n qualiflcation of a bishop, that if a candidate should l>e found averse to it, h«
would be denied ordiiiution,

J A must lenrni'd, loiiowned, fnllhful and hniinured patron.

I How much can bu luiidu out of very little !— t, (. a faculty of accomplishing much good with small meani.

'IM

1 'i

I. I;

280

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

for the relief of those distressed saints ; and a collection of about £700
was immediately obtained, whereof two hundred was gathered in that one
church of Boston, where there was no man who did exceed, and but one
man who did equal, this "deviser of liberal things," in that contribution.
But behold the wonderful providence of God! This contribution arrived
unto the poor people on the very day after they had been brought unto a
personal division of the little meal then left in the barrel ; upon the spend-
ing whereof, they couid foresee nothing but a lingering death ; and on
that very day when their pastor had preached unto them upon that most
suitable text, Psal. xxiii. 1 : " The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."

§ 32. The reader that is inquisitive after the prosopography of this great
man, may be informed, that he was a clear, fair, sanguine complexi )n, and
like David of a ^^ ruddy countenance.'^ He was rather low than tall^ and
rather fat than leati, but of a becoming mediocrity. In his younger years
his hair was brown, but in his latter years as white as the driven snow.
In his countenance there was an inexpressible sort of majesty, which com-
manded reverence from all that approached him: this Cotton was indeed
the Cato of his age, for his gravity; but had a glory with it which Cato
had not. I cannot indeed say, what they report of Hilary, that "serpents
were not able to look upon him ;" nevertheless, it was commonly observed,
that the worser sort of serpents would, from the awe of his presence keep
in their poisons. As the keeper of the inn where he did use to lodge,
when he came to Derby, would profanely say to his companions, that ho
wished Mr. Cotton were gone out of his house; for "he was not able to
swear while that man was under his roof;" so other wicked persons could
not show their wickedness whilst this holy and righteous man was in the
company. But the exacter picture of him is to be taken from his printed
works, whereof there are many, that "praise him in the gates," though
few of them were printed with his own knowledge or consent.

We will mention a catalogue of his v'orks, because (as it was said of
Calvin's),

Chara quibua fucrat Cottoni Vita, laborum
Gratior rjusdem Vita perennis erit.*

The children of New-England are to this day most usually fed with hia
excellent catechism, which is entituled, ^' Milk for Babe^."

His well-known serm>jfls on the First Epistle of John, in folio, have had
their acceptance with the church of God; though being preached in his
youth, and not published by himself, there are some things therein which
he would not have inserted.

There are also of his abroad, sermons on the thirteenth of the Eevela-
tions, and on the viab, and on Rev. xx. 5, 6, and 2 Sam. vii., last in quarto.

As also, a savory treatise, entituled, " The Way of Life." The reverend

* His life was precious, fur be did God's will :
UU works live after him, more precious slUl.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

281

prefacer whereto saith, "Ever since I had any knowledge of this judicious
author, I have looked upon him as one intrusted with as great a part of
the church's treasure, as any other whatsoever."

Several volumes of his expositions upon Ecclesiastes and Canticles, are
also published in octavo.

As likewise, "A Treatise of the New Covenant:" which being only a
posthumous piece, and only notes written after him, is accordingly to be
judged of.

And there have seen the light, an answer to Mr. Ball, about forms of
prayer. A discourse about the grounds and ends of infant-hajjtism. A
discourse about singing of psalms, proving it a gospel-ordinance. An
*^ Abstract of laws^^ in Christ's kingdom, for civil government. A treatise
about the holiness of church-members; proving that visible saints are the
matter of a chuich. Another discourse upon things indifferent, proving
that no church-go vernours have power to impose indifferent things upon
the consciences of men. Add hereto, the way of the churches in New-
England: and that golden discourse of "TAe Keys of the Kingdom of
Heaven:" in a written copy whereof, yet in our hands, there were some
*things which were never printed, maintaining that, in the government of
the church, authority is peculiar to the elders only; and answering all the
Brownistical arguments to the contrary. But whereas there may occur a
passage in his book of "T'/te Way of the Churches" which may have in it
a little more of the Morellian tang, reader, 'twas none of Mr. Cotton's ;
Mr. Cotton was troubled when he saw such a passage, in an imperfect copy
of his writings, exposed unto the world, under his name, against his ivill:
and he took an opportunity, in the most publick manner, to declare as
much unto the world.

He was also sometimes put upon writing yet more polemically. Indeed
there was one occasion of so writing, which he declined meddling withal ;
and that was this: Mr. Cotton having in his younger years, written to a
private friend some things, tending (at his desire) to clear the doctrine of
reprobates from the exceptions of the Arrainians ; and this manuscript fall-
ing into Dr. Twiss' hand, that learned man published it, with his own con-
futation of certain passages in it, which did not agree so well with the
doctor's own Supralapsarian scheme. Now when Mr. Cotton saw himself
reviled for this cause by Baily, as being Pelagian, he only made this meek
reply: "I hope God will give me opportunity ere long to consider of this,
the doctor's labour of love. I bless the Lord, who has taught me to be
willing to be taught of a far meaner disciple than such a doctor, whose
scholastical acuteness, pregnancy of wit, solidity of judgment, and dex-
terity of a/gument, all orthodox divines do highly honour, and whom all
Arminians and Jesuites do fall down before, with silence. God forbid I
should shut my eyes against any light brought to me by him. Only I desire
I may not be condemned as a Pelagian or Arminian before I be heard."

'" ' u

! i If

282

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

Moreover, Mr. Cawdry fell hard upon him; to whom he prepared an
answer, which was afterwards published and seconded by Dr. Owen. But
besides these, ho was twice compelled unto some other KrisUcal writings:
once in answer to Baily; another time in answer to Williams: in both of
which, like Job, he "turned the books which his adversaries had written
against him, into a crown." I believe never any meer man, under such
open and horrid injuries as these two reporters heaped upon Mr. Cotton,
did unswer with more Christian patience: his answers are indeed a pattern
for all answerers to the world's end. But it was particularly remarkable
that, in this matter, certain persons, who had fallen under the censures of
the civil authority in the country, singled out Mr. Cotton for the object of
their displeasure, although he had, most of all men, declined interesting
himself in the actions of the magistrate, and had also done 7nore than all
men to obtain healing and favour for those ungrateful delinquents. How-
ever, the venomous tongues all this while only licked a file, which made
themselves to bleed; h'xa fame, like the j^fc, remained invuliierable; and
if Mr. Cotton would, from his own profitable experience, have added
another book unto this catalogue, it might have been on the subject han-
dled by Plutarch, De Capienda ex Jlostibiis Utilitate* This is the ElenchuS
of Mr. Cotton's published writings; wheupon we might make this conclusion :

Digna Legi Scribia, Facia et Dignisrima Scribi :
' Scripta probant Voctum, Tc, Facta, probum.i

§ 33. The things which have been related, cause us to account Mr. Cot-

ton an extraordinary person.

Divti eras Donis, tiiamque fidrli$ in Utu,
IjUcratus Duniino multa Taltnla tuo.

Mttltun eras Stuiliis, multiisque Laboribua : una,
Te, Fora, Tcmpla, Domus, 7>, cupiere frui,

Multa l.uborihua Scribendo, Malta Docendo,
JnrigilanJ Operi, JVocte Dieque, Dei.

Multa /.aboribus Scribendo, Multa Fi:rendo,
Quit 11X31 Cotlono, vit Subeunda forent,

Tu nun unus eras, sed Mulli ; Multus in una,
Multorum l)o»i» praditus Unus eras,

Una Te amis.io, Mulloa .Imiaimua in Te,
Sed ntque per Multoa Kestituendua eria.f

These were some of the lines which the renowned Bulkly justly wept
upon his grave. Yea, we may, on as many accounts as these days will
allow, reckon him to have been a "prophet of the Lord:" and when we
have entertained ourselves with a memorable demonstration of it, in one
surprizing and stupendious article of our Church-History, we will put a
period unto this part of it.

At the time when some unhappy persons were just going from hence
to England, with certain ^>e<<V<o?Js, which had a tendency to disturb the

* The art of profiting by enmity.

f Thou wrilest what is worthy to be read,
And wurtliy to be written are thy deeds ;

t HiR gins were bounteous, and he used them well ;

II i» talent hath made many for his ''.ord.
In pulpit, furum and at home the B|)ell

His genius wrought was felt in every word.
He wrote much—thought much— necking stiU the way
To do bis Master's work both night and day.

Thy words win I.eaming'a honours for thy hood;
Thy works shall merit Virtue'a nobler meeds.

In swift succession sped thy toilsome hours;

Thy labours could bo borne by none but thee.
Thou wast not one, but many ; and the powers

Of many seemed iu thee combined to be.
In losing tlieo, the loss of more we trace.
Vet many more could not thy losit replace.

t \

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

288

good order of things in both church and state, then settling among ua,
Mr. Cotton in the ordinary course of his lectures, on the CanticleSj preachud
on Cant. ii. 15: "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, which destroy the
vines." Having thence observed, "That when God has delivered his
church from the dangers of tie persecuting bear and lyon, then there were
foxes that would seek by pclicy to undermine it;" and, "that all those
who go by a fox-like policy to undermine the churches of the Lord Jerus
Christ, shall be taken and overtaken by his judgments;" he came at length
to his application^ where, with a more than ordinary majesty and fervency,
he after this manner expressed himself:

"First, Let such na live in tliis country tnko heed, how they go al)out in any indirect way
or course to prejudice the churches of the Lord Jesus Clirist in the land, or the government
of the land. If you c/o, the ' keeper of Isrtiel, who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth,' will
not take it well at your hands, ile thut brouglit this people hither, and preserved them
from the nnge of persecution, and made tliis wilderness an hiding-plare for them, whilst he
was cliastising our nation, with the other nations round about it, and htis manifested his
gracious presence in the midst of these his 'golden candlesticks,' and secured us from the
plots of the late Archbishop, and his confederates abroad, and from the plots of the heathen
hero at homo; there is no question but He will defend us from the underminings of false
brethren, and such as are joined with them. Wherefore let such know, that this is, in many
respects, Immanuers land, and they shall not prosper that rise up against it, but shall be
taken every one of them in the snares they lay for it. This I speak as a po</r prophet of the
Lnrd, according to the word of his grace iww l>efore us! But in the second place, whereas
many of our brethren are going to England, let me direct a word unto them also. I desire
the gracious presence of our God may go with you, and his angels guard you, not only from
the dangers of the se.is, while you are thereupon, but also from the errors of the times, when
you arrive. Nevertheless, if there bo any amon<> you, my brctiuen, as 'tis reported there are,
that have a petition to prefer unto the High Court of Parliament, that may conduce to the
distraction and annoyance of the peace of our ehun'hes, and the weakening the government
of the land where wo live, let such know, the Lord will never suffer them to prosper in their
subtil, malicious, desperate undertakings against his people, who are as tender unto him as
the ' apple of his eye.' But if there bo any such among you, who are to go, I do exhort
you, and I would advise you in the fear of God, that when the terrors of the Almighty shiiil
beset the vessel wherein you are, when the heavens shall frown upon you, and the billows
of the sea shall swell above you, and the dangers of death shall threaten you, as I am verily
perswaded they will, I would have you then to 'consider your ways.' I will not give the
counsel that was taken concerning Jonns, to cast such a person into the sea; God forbid!
but I counsel such to come then unto a resolution in themselves to desist from their entor-
prizcs, and cast their petitions itito the sea. It may be that hardness of heart and stoutness
of spirit may cause you to persist, and yet in men-y to some gracious persons among you,
the Lord may deliver the ship from utter destruction for their sakes. But the Lord hath
further judgments in store: ho is the God of the land, as well as of the sea. I speak this
also as an unworthy prophet of the LardC^

These things were then uttered by a person that was as little of an
enthusiast as most men in. the v,'orld. Now attend the event I

That ship, after many stresses of weather in the harbour, puts out to
sea ; but at sea it had the terriblest passage, perhaps, that ever was heard
of; the mariners not being able to take any observation of either sun or

wmmi.

284

MAQNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

Star for seven hundred leagues together. Certain well disposed persons
aboard, now calling to mind the words of Mr. Cotton, thought it necessary
to admonish the persons who were carrying over the malignant papers
against the country ; and some of those papers were bv them thereupon
given to the seamen, who immediately cut them in pieces and threw
them over. The storm forthwith abated; however, there afterwards camo
up neio storins, which at la«'t hurried the ship among the rocks of Scilly;
where they yet received a deliverance, which most of them that considered
it, pronounced miracidoxts. When the rude Cornish men saw how mirac-
ulously the vessel had escaped, they said, " God was a good man to save
them sol" but the most instructed obliged pafscngers kept a day of sol-
emn Thanksgiving to God ; in which even the profanest persons on board,
under the impression of what had happened, then bore a part. However,
the corn-fields in New-England, still stood undisturbed, notwithstanding
the various names affixed unto the taiks of petitions against their liberties.
For, as Mr. Cotton elegantly expressed it, "God then rocqued three nations,
with shaking dispensations, that he might procure some rest unto his
people in this wilderness!"

§ 34. This was Mr. Cotton 1 what more he was, let these lines, taking
no license but from the real truth, delineate :

UPON THE TOMB OF TOE MOST REVEREND MR. JOHN COTTON,

LATE TEACHER OF THE CHURCH OF BOSTON IN NEV.'- ENGLAND.
Hbri lle« magnanimous humility ;
Majesty, mtekneti ; Christian apathy
On son afftctiont ; liberty in thrall;
A noble spirL, servant unto all ;
Learning's great maiter-pieee, wlio yet wouid tit
As a disciple, at his echotart' feet :
A simple serpent, or serpentine dove.
Made up of wisdom, innocence and love:
NeAtnesa embruiderM with i( «r// alone,
And civils canoniied in a gown;
Embracing old and young, and low and high,
Elhiet imlradyed in divinity ;
jfmti'fiau* to b"* loitett, and to ruiso
His brethren's honour on his own decays ;
(Thus doth the lun retire into his bed,
That being gone the stars may shew their head ;)
Could wound at argument without division.
Cut to the quicic, and yet make no iiieuiaii :
ReHdy to sacriflce domestiek notions
To churhes' peace, and ministers' devotions t
Himself, indeed (and singular in that)
Whom all admired he admired not:
Iiiv'd liiie on angel of a mortal birth,
Convers'd in heaven while he was on earth .*
Though not, as Moses, radiant with light
Whose glory dezzell'd the beholder's sight,
Yet so divinely beautified, you'ld count
He had been born and bred upon the moiiiit :
A living, breathing Bible ; tables where
Both eovenants, at large, engraven were;
Oospel and lavi, in's heart, had each its column ;
His head an index to the sacred volume ;
His very name a title^oge ; and next,
His life a eommenta/y on the text.

O, what a monument of glorious worth,
When, in a ne» edition, he comes forth.
Without erratas, may we think he'll be
In leaves and covers of eternity I
A moil of might, at heavenly eloquence,
To llx the ear, and charm the conscience;
As if Apollos were reviv'd in him.
Or he hod learned of n seraphim :
Spake many tongues in one : one voice and sense
Wrought joy and sorrow, fear and confidence :
Rocks rent befoi-e him, blind receiv'd their sight;
Souls leeelVd to the dunghill, stood upright :
Infkimal /Hri>« burst with rage to see
Thuir prisoners captiv'd into liberty :
A star that in our eastern England rose.
Thence hurry'd by the blast of stupid foes.
Whoso foggy darkness, and beiiutnmetl senses,
Broukt not his doz'ling fervent influences :
Thus did he move on earth, from east tu west ;
There he went down, and up to heaven for rest.
Nor (torn himself, whilst living, doth he vary,
Ills death hath made him an ubiquitury :
Where is his sepulchre is hard to say.
Who, in a thousand sepulchres, doth lay
(Tlioir hearts, I mean, whom he hath left behind.
In tliem) his sacred reliq\ies, now, enshrin'd.
Rut let his mourning flock be comforted.
Though Moses be, yot Joshua is not deud :
I mean renowued Norton ; worthy be,
Successor to our Moses, is to be.
O happy Israel in America,
In tuoit • Moses, such a Joshua.

B. WOODBRIDGE.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

285

§ 35. Three sons and three daughters was this renowned " walker with
God" blessed withal.

His eldest son did spend and end his days in the ministry of the gospel,
at Hampton : being esteemed i: thorough scholar, and an able preacher ;
and though his name were Sea-born, yet none of the lately revived heresies
were more abominable to him, tLau that of his rame-sake, Pelagius [or,
Morgan] of whom the witness of the ancient poet is true :

Peatifero Vomuit coluber Sermone Britannua.*

His second son was a minister of the gospel, at Plymouth ; and one by
whom not only the English, but also the Indians of America, had the
"glad tidings of salvation" in their own language carried unto them.

Of his two younger daughters, the first was married unto a merchant
of good fashion, whose name was Mr. Egginton; but she did not long
survive the birth of her first child, as that child also did not survive many
years after the death of her mother. The next is at this time living the
consort of one well known in both Englands, namely Increase Mather,
the President of Harvard Colledge, and the teacher of a church in Boston.

The yoinvjest of his sons, called Koland, and the eldest of his daughters,
called Sarah, both of them died near together, of the small-})ox, which
was raging among the inhabitants of Boston, in the winter of the year
16-49. The death of those two lovely children, required the /(«"//t of an
Abraham, in the heart of their gracious father; who indeed most exem-
plarily expressed what was required. On this occasion, I find, that on a
spare leaf his almanack, he wrote in Greek letters these English verses:

IN SARAM.f

Furowol, dcnr daughter S«rn, now thoii'pt gone, d

(Whither thou much desiredst) to thine home ; d

Tray, my duar l&ther, let me now go home t" d

Were the last words thou spakM to mo lUone.
Go then, Bwuet Sara, tnkn thy sahbatk reft^
With thy groat Lord, and ull In heaven bleak

Our eldest dnuphtvr, and our younitest son.
Within nine diiya, both have their full race run.
On Ih' twentieth of th' eleventh, died she,
And on the twenty-ninth day died he.

IN ROLANDUM.:|:

Both in their lixea were lovely and Miiited,
And in their deatha they wore not much divided.
Christ gave them both, and ho lakes both again
To live with him ; blest bo his holy name.

"Suffer," snith Christ, "your littte ones,

To come forth, me unto.
For of such ones my kingdom is,

Of grace and glory too."
We do not only suffer them,

Dut offer them to thee :

IN UTKUMQUE.g

Now, blessed Lord, lot us believe,

Accepted, that they be :
That thou host took them. In thino arms,

And on them put thine hand,
And blessed them with sight of thoo,

Wherein our blessings gtiutd.

But he has at this day five grandsons, all of them employed in the
publick service of the gospel; whereof, let the reiK^.er count him the
meanest, that is the toriter of this history; and accept further one little
piece of history, relating hereunto.

The gathering of the second church in Boston, was evidently very

i'l

I".

' m

iiii

* The British serpen,' breathed his poisoned speech. f To Sarah. X To Roland,

I To both.

i I

286

MAONALIA CIIR18TI AMKRICANA;

much to the disiul vantage of Mr. Cotton, in many of hia interests. Bat
ho was a John, wliw icuKoncd hia joy fullllletl in this, that in his own
decrease the interests of the Lord Jeaua Christ wouhl iiirrtmf; and there-
fore, with an exemplary self-denial, divesting himself of all eurntd reajwet-*,
he set himself to encourage the foundation of that cluireh, out of respect
unto the service and worship of our common Lord. Now, it has plea.sed
the Lord so to order it, that, many years after his decease, that self-don ial
of his holy servant, has turned unto some account, in the opportujutiea
which that very church has given unto his children to glorify the Lord Jesus
Christ, in the conduct of it: his son-in-law has beeii for more than thrico
ten years, and his grandson for more than twice seven years, the nunistcrs
of the gospel, in that very church, accommodated with happy opportunities,
"to serve their generation."

EPITAPHIUM.

JOHANNES COTTONUS,

Ctv'u* Ultima Laut «•(,
Quodfuerit inter NovAnglo9 Primu:*

\j diw wui X X JLi Jug Ju JL •

NOBTONUS lI0N0RATU8,t THE LIFE OF MR. JOHN NORTOIY.

§ 1. There was a famous John whoso achievements are by our Lt>rd
emblazoned in those terms: "lie was a burning and a shining light" In
the tabernacle of old, erected by the onler and for the worship of (rod,
there were those two things, a candlestick and ati altar; in the one a lif/ht
that might never go out, in the other tLjire that might never be extin-
guished; and yet such an affinity between these, that there wjis nfiir in the
light of the one, and a light in the Jire of the other. Such a nnxturo of
both faith and love should be in those that are employed about the sorvieo
of the tabernacle: and though the tabernacle erected for our Lord in this
wilderness, had many such " burning and shining lights," yet among the chitf
of them is to be reckoned, that John which wo hail in our blessed Xorton.

§ 2. He was born the sixth of May, KJOO, at Stirford in Hart foixlsh ire;
descended of honourable ancestors. In his early childhood he diseovetvd
a ripeness of wit, which gave just hopes of his proving e.vtraonlinary;
and under Mr. Strange in the school of Bunningford, he nmde such a
proficiency, that he could betimes write good Latin, with a more than
common elegancy and invention. At fourteen years of age, being sent

* John Cotton, whose hlKhest { -vise it ia that he was the (Imt man In Ni>w-Gni;la.<td.
t Norton duly honoiiriHl.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

unto Peter-houso, he staid there till after hia taking of his first degree;
where a Romish emissary, taking a curious and exact observation of hia
notable accomplishments, used all the methods he could think of to have
seduced him over unto the Romish irreligion : but God intending him to be
a pillar in his own temple^ mercifully prevented his hearkening unto any
temptations to become a support unto the tower of Babel. '

§ 8. In his youth he was accustomed unto some youthful vanities; espe-
cially unto card-playing ; an evil which he did first ponder and reform
upon a serious admonition, which a servant of his flvthcr's gave unto him.
When he came to consider that a lot is a solemn appeal unto the God of
heaven, and even by the rudest Gentiles counted a sacred thiwj, he thought
that playing with it, was a breach of the Third Commandment in the laws
of our God; it should be used, he thought, rather j^^'dyirfuUy than sport-
fidly. lie considered, that the Papists themselves do not allow these
games in ecclesiastical persons, and the fathers do reprove them with a
vehement zeal in all sorts of persons. He considered, that when the
Roman empire became Ciiristian, severe edicts were made against these
games, and that our Protestant reformers have branded them with an infam-
ous character; wherefore, inclining now to follow "whatsoever things are
of a good report," he would no longer meddle with games that had so
much of a scandal in them.

§ 4. An extreme disaster befalling his father's estate, he left the Uni-
versity, and b-ijcame at once usher to the school, and curate in the church
at Starford: where, a lecture being maintained by a combination of sev-
eral godly and able ministers, he on that occasion fell into acquaintance
with several of them; especially Mr Jeremiah Dyke, of Epping, by whose
ministry the Holy Spirit of God gave him a discovery of his own manifold
sinfulness and wretchedness in an unregenerate state, and awakened him
unto such a self-examination, as drove him to a sorrow little short of despair;
but after some time, the same Holy Spirit enabled him to receive the
Christ and grace, tendered in the promises of the gospel, with an unspeak-
able consolation. Whereupon, he thought himself concerned in that advice
of heaven, "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren!"

§ 6. Having before this been well studied in the tongues and arts, he was
the better fitted for the higher studies of divinity ; whereto he now wholly
addicted himself: and being in his own happy experience acquainted with
faith, and repentance, and holiness, he did from that experience now make
lively sermons on those points unto his hearers. He soon grew eminent m his
ministry; setting off the truths he delivered, not only with such ornaments
of laconic and well-contrived expression as made him worthy to be called
" the master of sentences, " but also with such experimeyital passages of devo-
tion, as made him admired for "a preacher seeking out acceptable words."

§ 6. His accomplishments rendered him as capable of p*e/tr?)2e?ite, as
most in his age ; but preferments were then so clogged with troublesome

!'Ni|(

288

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

and Bcruplcsotne impoaitions, thut Mr. Norton, as well as other conscien-
tious young ministers, his contemporaries, declined mcdling with them.
His aversion, and indeed antipathy to Arminiunism (after he was, as Brad-
wordin speaks, Qratioi Radio Visitatus,)* and his dislike of the ceremonies,
particularly hindered him from a considerable benefice, whereto his unkle
might have helped him. Dr. Sibs also, the master of Katharine Hall, in
Cambridge, taken with his abilities, did earnestly solicite him, to have
accej)ted of a fellowship in that College; but his conscience being now
satisHed in the unkiw/ulnesa of some things thcii required in order thero-
unto, would not permit him to do it. One asked once a great prelate at
court, how it came to pass, that such a preacher, (an ancient chaplain
there,) a wise, grave, holy man, did not rise? — meaning by way of prefer-
ment: the prelate answered him, "Truly, let me tell you, that I verily
think he never will rise until the resurrection." Truly, let me now tell
the world, that such were the principles of Mr. Norton, there was no like-
lihood of his rising in this world, as things then went in the world.
Wherefore he contented himself with a more private life, ns chaplain in
two Knights' house, at Uigh Lever in Essex, namely. Sir William Mash-
am's; there waiting, till God might furnish him with unexceptahle oppor-
tunities for his more publick preaching of the gospel. But, generally,
all those who had any taste of his ministry, had a very high opinion of
it; nor was there any man in that part of the country more esteemed
than he was, for all sorts of excellencies; insomuch, that when ho came
away, an ancient minister said, "He believed there was not more grace
and holiness left in all Essex, than what Mr. Norton had carried with Inm."

§ 7. His natural temper had a tincture o£ choler in it; but as the sowrost
and harshest fruits become the most pleasant, when tempered with a due
proportion of sweetness added thereunto, so the grace of God su-cetncd the
disposition of this good man, into a most affable, courteous, and complais-
ant behaviour, which rendered him exceeding amiable. Indeed, when the
apostle sjjcaks of the spirit, and soul, and body, being sanctijkd, some do by
spirit understand the natural temper or humour; and accordingly i\\Q,sjiirit
of this quick man being sanctified, he became a man of an excellent spirit.

§ 8. Vast Was the treasure of learning in this reverend man. He was
not only a most accurate grammarian, which is abundantly manifested by
his printed works in divers languages; but an universal scholar: never-
theless, 'twas as a school-man that he showed himself the most of a scholar.
He accounted that the excellency of a scholar, lay more in diatinctness
of judgment, than in elegancy of language; and therefore, though he had
a neater style than most other men, yet he was desirous to furnisli him-
self ad pugnam,^ rather than ad pompam.X Hence, having intimately
acquainted himself with the subtilties of scholastic diviait}', ho made all
to illustrate the doctrine of Christ and of grace, unto which he made all the

* Viiitcd by a beitm of Divine grace.

t For batUe.

X For show.

OB, THE UISTOIIY OF NEW-ENC .AND.

289

Bpoils of tlio schools gloriously subservient. Ho was a most elegant
preftchcr, and the true follower of Dr. Sibst

§ 9. But let his excellencies have been what they will, there was in those
days a set of men resolved that the church of Ood should lose the benefit
of all those excellencies, except the person which had them could comply
with certain uninstituted rites in the worship of God; which our Mr.
Norton could not; and it was that which made him ours. This drove
him to the remote regions of America, where ho hoped, as well he mighty
that there would never be done so unreasonable a thing, as to obstruct
that evangelical worship of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the sake whereof
those regions have been added unto the English dominions. Wherefore
in the year 1634, having married a gentlewoman both of good estate and
of good esteem, he took shipping for New-England, acompanicd in the
same ship with the famous Mr. Thomas Shepard.

§ 10. In the road betwixt Harwich and Yarmouth, he very narrowly
escaped a terrible shipwrack: for by the vehemency of a storm all their
anchors gave way, so that they were driven within a cable's length of
the sands ; but yet the anchor of their hope in God, held fast unto the last.
Mr. Shepard having taken the mariners above decks, Mr. Norton took the
passengers between decks, and each of them with their company, applied
themselves unto fervent prayer, whereto the Almighty God gave a present
answer in their wonderful deliverance. After this tempest, which disap-
pointed their voyage to New-England for that season, Mr. Norton returned
unto his friends in Essex, where Mr. Dyke welcomed him, as one come from
the dead ; professing to him, " That he would have given many pounds
for such a tryal of his faith, as this his friend had newly met withal."

§ 11. The next year Mr. Norton renewed his voyage to New-England;
but intervening accidents made it very late in the year before he could begin
the voyage: and so, coming upon the American coast in the month of Octo-
ber, they encountred with another very terrible storm, which lasted eight-
and-forty hours with great extremity, and had broken the vessel to pieces, if
it had not had a strength more than ordinary. One wave remarkably washed
some of the sea-men overboard on one side, and then threw them in again on
the other : and so vehement was the storm, that they were forced at length to
undergird the ship with the cable, that they might keep her sides together.
But within ten days after this, they were brought safe into Plymouth liarbour.

§ 12. There had been some overtures between him and Mr. AVinslow,
the agent of Plymouth, now on board with him, about his accepting of a
settlement in that plantation; and the people of Plymouth now courte-
ously and earnestly invited him, accordingly to continue with them.
Nevertheless, the state of things in the Massachuset-colony, was more
agreeable unto him ; and the church of Ipswich made their speedy appli-
cations unto him, to take the pastoral charge of them. This occasioned
his deliberation with his friends in the bay what course to steer.
Vol. I.— 19

'.il

290

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

§ 13. While he sojourned in his unsettled state at Boston, he came into
acquaintance with the ministers thereabouts, who entertained him with a
very high opinion of him; especially Mr. Mather of Dorchester, who,
though of longer standing than he, yet consulted him as an oracle, in
matters of greatest consequence unto him ; and found him so accomplished
and experienced a person, that he maintained a most valuable friendship
with him to the last. Yea, though he were yet a young man, and short
of thirty, when he first came into the country, yet the magistrates of ihe
colony soon became so sensible of his abilities, as to make use of him in
some of their most arduous affairs. And there happened several occa-
sions to try the scholastick eminencies whereto he was arrived ; one of
which was, when there was in these parts a French friar, who found in
Mr. Norton a Protestant equal to his own school-men, and well acquainted
with them all. Indeed, there was in him the union of two excellencies^
which do not always meet. It was the character of Hortensius, that he
was weak in writing, and yet able to speak: it was the character of Aber-
icus, that he was weak in speech, and yet able in writing: but our Norton
was in both of these a very able person.

§ 14. It was the church of Ipswich that our Lord gave so rich a thing
as his eminent servant Norton: but' besides the constant labours of this
holy and fruitful man, in that particular church, he there did several great
services of a more extensive influence to the whole Church of God;
whereof one was this : Gulielmus ApoUonii, at the direction of the divines
in Zealand, in the year 1644, sent over to New-England a number of
questions, relating to our way of church-government; whereto the minis-
ters of New-England unanimously imposed upon Mr. Norton the task of
drawing up an answer, which he finished in the year 1645, and it was, I
suppose, the first Latin book that ever was written in this country. What
satisfaction it gave, may be gathered, not only from the attestations of Dr.
Goodwin, Mr. Nye, Mr. Sympson, thereunto ; but also from the expressions
of Dr. Hornbeck, who frequently magnifies the reason, and the candour
of our New-English divine, even in those points wherein he does himself
dissent from him. Nor is it amiss to add the words in Dr. Fuller's Church-
History, hereupon; which are: "Of all the authors I have perused con-
cerning these opinions, none to me was more informative than Mr. John
Norton, one of no less learning than modesty, in his answer to Apollonius,
pastor in the church of Middleburgh."

§ 15. It will do no hurt for me to repeat one passage on this occasion,
which to me seemed worthy of some remark. While Mr. Norton was
deeply engaged in writing his Latin account of our church-discipline,
some of his more accurate and judicious hearers imagined that his publick
sermons wanted a little of that exactness which did use to attend them ;
whereof one said something to that Mr. Whiting whom I may well call
the angel in the church of Lyn. Mr. Whiting hereupon, in a very respect-

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

291

ful and obliging manner, spoke to Mr. Norton, saying, "Sir, there are some
of your people who think that the services wherein you are engaged for
all the churches, do something take off the edge of the ministry, wherein
you should serve your own particular church ; I would entreat you, sir,
to consider this matter ; for our greatest work is to preach the gospel unto
that flock whereof we are overseers." Our great and good man took the
excellent oyl of this intimation with the kindness which became such a
man, and made it serviceable unto his holy studies.

§ 16. Another considerable service, which then called for the studies
of this excellent man, was the advising, modelling, and recommending
the Platform of Church-Discipline, agreed by a Synod at Cambridge, in the
year 1647. Into that Platform he would fain have had inserted certain
propositions concerning the watch which our churches are to have over the
children born in them; which propositions were certainly the first principles
of New-England; only the fierce oppositions of one eminent person caused
him that was of a peaceable temper to forbear urging them any further ; by
which means, when those very propositions came to be advanced and
embraced in another Synod, more than twice seven years after, many
people did ignorantly count them novelties. Moreover, when the Synod
first assembled, it was a thing of seme unhappy consequence that the
church of Boston would not send any messenget's unto it: but Mr. Norton
preaching the next lecture theie, wherein he handled the nature of coumilsy
and the power of civil magistrates to call such assemblies, and the duty of
the churches in regarding their advice, the church of Boston were there-
withal so satisfied, as to testifie their communion with the rest of the
churches, by sending three messengers to accompany their elders now in
the Synod. And when the result of the Synod came to try its acceptance
in the churches, he did his part, especially in his own, with a prudent
and pious diligence to obtain it; which was happily accomplished.

§ 17. There was yet one comprehensive service more, which this learned
man here did for the church of God; and that was this: a gentleman of
New-England had written a book, entituled, 'T/ie Meritorious Price of
Man's Bedeinptionf wherein he pretends to prove, "That Christ suffered
not for us those unutterable torments of God's wrath, which are commonly
called hell-torments, to redeem our souls from them: and that Christ bore
not our sins by God's imputation, and therefore also did not bear the curse
of the law for them." The General Court of the colony, concerned that
the glorious truths of the gospel might be rescued from the confusions
whereinto the essay of this gentleman had thrown them, and afraid lest
the church of God abroad should suspect that New-England allowed of
such cxhorhitant aberrations, appointed Mr. Norton to draw up an answer
to that erroneous treatise. This work he peformed with a most elaborate
and judicious pen, in a book afterwards published under the title of, "^
Discussion of that great point in Divinity, THE SUFFERINGS OF Christ: and

202

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

the Questions about his Active and Passive Righteousness^ and the Imputation
tJiereof. " In that the true principles of the gospel are stated with so much
demonstration, as is indeed unanswerable. The great assertion therein
explained and maintained, is, (according to the express words of the
reverend author,) "That the Lord Jesus Christ, as God-man, and Mediator,
according to the will of the Father, and his own voluntary consent, fully
obeyed the law, doing the command in a way of works, and suffering the
essential punishment of the curse, in a way of obedient satisfaction unto
divine justice, thereby exactly fulfilling the first covenant: which acti\
and passive obedience of his, together with his original righteousness, as a
surety, God, of his rich grace, actually imputeth unto believers: whom,
upon the receipt thereof, by the grace o/faitli, he declareth and accepteth, as
perfectly righteous, and acknowledgeth them to have a right unto eternal life.^^

And in every clause of this position, the author expressed not his own
sence alone, but the sence of all the churches in the country: in testimony
whereof, there published at the end of the book an instrument signed by
five considerable names, Cotton, Wilson, Mather, Symmes, and Tompson,
who :n the name of others, declare, "As they believe, they do also profess,
that the obedience of Christ to the whole law, which is the law of righteous-
ness, is the matter of our justification: and the imputation of our sins to
Christ (and thereupon his suffering the sence of the wrath of God, upon him
for our sin) and the imputation of his obedience and sufferings to "us, are
ihe formal cause of our justification: and that they who deny this, do now
take away both of these, both matter and/orw of our justification, which is
the life of our souls and of our religion, and therefore called ikiQ justification
of life."

This being the primitive doctrine of jusU'jkation, among the churches
of New-England the things that were judged opposite hereunto, in the
renowned Eichard Baxter's '^Aphorisms of Justification,^^ did then give a
great and just offence unto the faithful in this country: yea, they looked
upon many things in his writings, to be, as Photius has it, upon some
things in Clemens Alexandrinus; that is to say, things eapressed, sx' uyiwj,
not safely and soundly; albeit, the other more practical and savorj' books
of that holy man, were highly valued in these American regions ; and not
a few have here blessed God for him and for his labours. And as in those
elder days of New-England, the esteem which our churches had for that
eminent man, did not hinder them from rejecting that neiv covenant of
works, with which they thought he confounded that most important article,
upon the notions whereof the church either stands or falls: thus it is a
grief of mind unto our churches at this day, to find that great and good
man, in some of his last tvorks, under the blinding heat of his indignation
against some which we also account unjustifiable, yea, dangerous opinions
and expressions of Dr. Crisp, reproaching some of the most undoubted
points in our common faith. We read him unaccountably enumerating

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

293

among errors, which, he says, have "corrupted Christianity," and "sub-
verted the gospel," such things as these:

"They /eig-n, that God mode a covenant with Adnm, that if ho stood, God would eontinue
him and his posterity ; and if iie fell, God would take it, as if all his posterity then pvrson-

ally sinned in him. Feigning God to make Adam, not only the natural father and root

of mankind, but also arbitrarily, a constituted representer of all the persons that should spring
from him. Whence they infer, that Christ was by God's imposition, and his own sponsion,
made the legal represenlative person of every one of the elect, taken singularly: so that what
he did for them, God reputeth them to have done by him. Hereby they falsly make the
person of the SIcdiator, to be the legal person of the sinner.

" They /orgre a law, that God never made, that saith, *Thou or thy surety shall obey per-
fectly, or die."

"They/eig^re God to have ma/ie tin eternal covenant with his Son.

^They feign Christ to have made such an exchange with the elect, as that, having taken
all their sins, he hath given then; all his righteousness; not only the fruit of it, but the thing
in it self.

"They say that, by the imputation of Christ's righteousness, habitual and actual, we are
judged perfectly just,

"They tsxlk of justification in meer ignorant confusion. They say, that to jttstijie is

not to make righteous, but to judge righteous.

"They err grosly, saying, that by [faith imputed for righteousness] and [our being justified
by faith] is not meant, the act, or habit of faith, but the object, Christ's righteousness: not
sticking tf *>y to turn such texts into worse than noiisence.

[All tiiese are Mr. Baxter's words, in his ^^ Defence of Christ," chap. II.]
These things, which our churches with amazement behold Mr. Baxter
thus ctd\ingJictio)is, falsehoods, forgeries, ignorant confusions, and. gross errors,
were defended by Mr. Norton, as the "faith once delivered unto thesiiints:"
nor do our churches at this day consider them, as any other, than "glori-
ous truths of the gospel;" which, as they were maintained by Mr. Norton.
So two divines, which were the scholars of Mr. Norton, well known in
both Englands, Nathanael and Increase Mather, {Fratrum duke Pur;)*
and a third, a worthy minister of the gospel, Mr. Samuel Willard, now
living in the same house from whence Mr. Norton went, unto " that not
made with hands," have in their printed labours most accurately expressed
them and confirmed them. Hence, although us, on the one side, I have
this passage of Mr. Baxter's in a letter from him, written but a few moiiths
before he died, "I am as zealous a lover of the New-England churches as
any man, according to Mr. Norton's and the Synod's model:" so, on the
other side, the memory of Mr. Baxte^' is on many accounts zealousli/ loved
among the churches of New-England, yet espousing the principles for
their establishment, wherein Mr. Norton had appeared : nevertheless, inas-
much as Mr. Baxter, just before his entrance into his "everlasting rest,"
requested of my parent, then in London: "Sir, if you know of any crroi.^
in any of my writings, I pray you to confute them after I am dead." I

* A charming pair of brotben.

■) 1

p-ri

294

MAGNALIA CHBI8TI AMERICANA;

tiiought it not amiss to regard so far the gospel-truths oi justification at thi-J
day labouring, as to take occasion from the mention of Mr. Norton's book,
to say, that in that one book of his, there is a confutation of Mr. Baxtei",
who seems to oppose those things, which the churches of New-England
judge cannot be denied without corrupting of Christianity, and subverting
of the gospel. But waving any further mention of the book, I cannot leave
unmentioned a couple of passages in the preface of it, which is dedicatory
to the General Court of the Massachuset colony. One is this: "I appeal
to any competently judicious and sober-minded man, if the denial of rule
in the Prcdbytery, of a decisive voice in the Synod, and of the power of
the magistrate in matters of religion, do not in this point translate the
Par>al power unto the brotherhood of every congregation." Another is this :
"You have been among the first of magistrates, which have approved and
practised the Congregational way; no small favour from God, nor honour
to your selves, with the generation to come, when that shall appear to be
the way of Christ."

§ 18. But we say nothing of Norton, if we don't speak of an orthoi.iox
evangelist. Being himself such an one, he digested the subtleties of the
school-u-en into solid and wholesome Christianity, which he published in
a treatise entituled, " The Orthodox Evangelist;" wherein he handles the
abstrrae points of the existence and subsistence, and efficience of God, and
the person of Christ, and the methods of the Spirij in uniting us to him ;
and the doctrine of justifi/:ation, with the future and hapjiy state of the
saints; all in such a manner, that Mr. Cotton saw cause to say in his pre-
face to this treatise, "Clusters of ripe grapes passing under the press, are
fit to be transported unto all nations; thus, such gifts and labours passing
under the press, may be fitly communicated to all churches. The physi-
cians do speak, there are Pillulce sine Quibus esse nolo;* so there are Lihelli
sine quibus, 'some books,' Si7ie quibus esse nolo;f and this is one of them."
This book he dedicated unto his own church, in Ipswich; and in the close
of his dedication, I cannot forget this emphatical passage : *' You are our
glory and joy: forget not the emphasis in the word, our: ministers, com-
pared with other Christians, have little to joy in in this world: it is not
with the ministers of the present, as with the ministers of late times; nor
with your exiles, as with some others. Let this our, or if you please your
condition, for therein you have been both partakers with us and sup-
porters of us, be your provocation." Thus, and more than thus useful,
was this Bradwardin of New-England, while Ipswich had him.

§ 19. When Cotton, that "man of God," lay sick of the sickness whereof
he died, his church desired that he would nominate and recommend a fit
person to succeed him; and he advised them to apply themselves unto
Mr. Norton, hoping that the church of Ipswich, being accommodated with
such another eminent person as Mr. Eogers, would, out of respect unto

t aioolu I cannot dispeuae with.

* Pilli which I do not like to be without.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

295

the general good of all the people of God 'throughout the land, so far
deny themselves, as to dismiss him from themselves. That which gave
encouragement unto this business, was not a dream of Mr. Cotton's, though
it was indeed a strange thing, that Mr. Cotton in his illness, being solicit-
ous what counsel to give unto his church, he dreamed that he saw Mr.
Norton riding unto Boston, to succeed him, upon a white horse, in circum-
stances that were exactly afterwards accomplished: and when Mr. Wilson,
with his flock, saw the thing accomplished, it caused them to look upon
Mr. Norton, almost with the same eye that old Narcissus, with the church
at Jerusalem, did upon Alexander, when upon the warning of a voice
from heaven, to take him, whom they should so flnd, they found him out
of the city, provided for them. But it was a design which Mr. Norton
bad of returning for England: a design which he had so laid before his
people, as to obtain their grant, that if upon staying a twelvemonth longer
among them, there did occur no occasion for him to alter his purposes,
they would not oppose his going. Now when the agents of the church at
Boston made this motion to the church of Ipswich, there was much debate
about it ; wherein at length an honest brother made this proposal : " Breth-
ren, a case in some things like to this was once that way determined: 'we
will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth:' wherefore I propose, that
our teacher himself be enquired of, whether he be inclined to go?" They
then put that question to Mr. Norton himself, who being troubled at the
oft'er of the question unto him, answered, "That if they judged such rea-
sons as caused his removal from Europe into America, now called for his
removal from Ipswich to Boston, he should resign himself; but he could
not be active." However, at length, they consented that he should for
the present go sojourn at Boston, to try and see how far the will of God
about this matter, might be afterwards discovered; but after Mr. Norton
was gone, many of the people fell into a very unreasonable indisposition
towards Mr. Rogers, as if he had not been active enough, although he had,
indeed, been as active as he well could be to retain his collegue among
them. The melancholly temper of Mr. Rogers felt so deep an impression
^•' m those paroxisms, and murmurings of the people, that it is thought his
end was thereby hastned ; but the church, upon the death of Mr. Rogers,
renewing their demands of Mr. Norton's return, a council was upon that
occasion called ; which council advised Ipswich to grant Mr. Norton a fair
dismission unto the service of Boston, and in Boston, of all New-England.
However, divers lesser councils, that were successively called on this occa-
sion, corld not comfortably procure this dismission, till at last the govern-
our and magistrates of the colony called a council for this end ; in their
order for which, they intimate their concern lest, while the two churches
were contending which of them should enjoy Mr. Norton, they should
both of them, and the whole country with them, lose that reverend person,
by his prosecuting his inclination to remove into England. Hereupon

K i.'i

296

MAQNALIA CHRI8TT AMERICANA;

such a dismission could not be denied; but now Boston joyfully receiving
Mr. Norton, Ipswich applied themselves unto Mr. Cobbet, who afterwards
continued a rich blessing among them. And Mr. Norton did indeed the
part of a surviving brother for Mr. Cotton, in raising up, or at least keep-
ing up the name of that great man, by publishing a most elegant account
of his life, part whereof was afterwards transcribed by Sam. Clark into
his collections.

§ 20. Mr. Norton being now transplanted into that garden which our
Lord had in Boston, did there bring forth much of that fruit whereby the
"Heavenly Father was glorified." There he preached, he wrote, he prayed,
and maintained without any prelatical Episcopacy, a care of all the churches.
And New-England being a country whose interests were most remarkably
and generally enwrapped in its ecclesiastical circumstances, there were
many good offices, which Mr. Norton did for the peace of the whole coun-
try, by his wise counsels upon many occasions, given to its counsellors. In
truth, if he had never done any thing, but that one thing of preventing
by his wise interposition, the acts of hostility which were like to pass
between our people, and the Dutch at Manhatoes, that alone were well
worth his coming into the station which he now had at Boston. But the
service which now most signalized him, was, his agency at White-hall ;
for it being found necessary to address the restored King; the worshipful
Simon Bradstreet, Esq. and this reverend Mr. John Norton, were sent
over as agents from the colony, with an address unto his Majesty; wherein
there were, among others, the following passages :

"We supplicate your Majesty for your gracious protection of us, in the continuance both
of our civil, and of our religious liberties ; according to the grantees' Itnown end of suing
for the patent, conferred upon tliis plantition by your royal father. 'Our liberty to wallt in
the faith of the gospel, with all good conscience, according to the order of the gospel,' was
the cause of our transporting our selves, with our wives, our little ones, and our substance,
from that pleasa.it land, over the Atlantick Ocean, into tiie vast wilderness ; choosing ratiier
the pure Scripture-worship, with a good conscience, in this remote wilderness, than the plea-
sures of England, with submissions to the impositions of the then so disposed, and so far
prevailing hierarchy, which we could not do without an evil conscience."——" We are not
seditious as to the interests of Caesar, nor schismatical as to the matters of religion. We
distinguish between churches, and their impurities." "We could not live without the pub-
lick worship of God, nor be permitted the public worship, without such a yoke of subscription
and conformity, as wo could not consent unto without sin. That we might, therefore, enjoy
divine worship, free from human mixtures, without offence to God, man, and our own con-
sciences, we, with leate, but not without tears, departed from our country, kindred, and
fathers' houses, into this Patmos."

It was in February, 1661-2, that they began their voyage, and it was
in September following that they returned: Mr. Norton's place being the
mean time supplied by the neighbouring ministers, taking of their turns.
And by their hands the country received the King's letters, wherein ho
signified, that the expressions of their loyalty and affection to him, were

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

297

very acceptable, and that confirming to them their privileges^ he would
cherish them with all manner of encouragement and protection.

§ 21. Such has been XhQ jealous disposition of our New-Englanders about
their dearly bought privileges^ and such also has been the various under-
standing of the people about the extent of those privileges, that of all the
agents which they have sent over unto the Court of England, for now
forty years together, I know not any one who did not, at his return, meet
with son^e very froward entertainment among his country-men : and there
may be the loisdom of the holy and righteous God, as well as the malice
of the evil one, acknowledged, in the ordering of such temptations. Of
these temptations, a considerable share fell to Mr. Norton; concerning
whom there were many who would not stick to say, that "he had laid the
foundation of ruine to all our liberties;" and his melancholly mind ima-
gined that his best friends began therefore to look awry upon him.

§ 22. In the spring before his going for England, he preached an excel-
lent sermon unto the representatives of the whole colony, assembled at
the Court of Election, wherein I take particular notice of this passage :
" Moses was the meekest man on earth, yet it went ill with Moses, 'tis said,
for their sakes. How long did Moses live at Meribah ? Sure I am, it
killed him in a short time; a man of as good a temper as could be expected
from a meer man ; I tell you, it will not only kill the people, but it will
quickly kill Moses too ! " And in the spring after his return from England,
he found his own observation in himself too much exemplified. It was
commonly judged that the sinoHiered griefs of his mind, upon the uiilcind
resentinents which he thought many people had of his faithful and sincere
endeavours to serve them, did more than a little hasten his end ; an end
whereat John Norton went, according to the anagram of his name into
HONNOR. But he had the privilege to enter into immortality, without such
a formal and feeling death, as the most of mortals encounter with ; for
though in the forenoon of April 5, 1663, it was his design to have preached
in the afternoon, he was that afternoon taken with a sudden lypothymie,
which presently and easily carried him away to those glories, wherein
the "weary are at rest;" but it was &dark night which the inhabitants of
Boston had upon the noise of his death ; every corner of the town was
filled with lamentations, which left a character upon that night, unto this
day not forgotten! His dearest neighbour, Mr. Richard Mather, wept over
him at his funeral, which was on the next lecture day, a sermon most
agreeable to the occasion ; and the son of his fellow-traveller, Mr. Thomas
Shepard, was one of the many who bestowed their elegies upon him;
using this, among his other strokes :

Tub Bohoolnien'g Dottor; whomioeVr Ihey call,
Subtil, aeraphick, or angelieal ;
Dull Buiilat Ihelr taperi burnt exceeding dim;
They might lo school again, tu learn of him.

lAjmbard must out of date ; we now profon
Kurtun the maittr oftki i*nt»Hcu ;

Scutua, dunte to him ; should we compare
Aquinas here, none to bo named are.

Of a more heavenly strain his notions were;
More pure, sublime, scholasttcal, and clear.
More like th' Apostles Paul and John, I wist,
Was this our trtkodoz Evangelist.

■>■! '■

f- f:'

I'H

298

MAGNA LI A CHRIST I AV.RRICANAj

Which lines accompanied with Mr. Wilaon'a anagrammatising of Johan-
nes NoRTONUS into Nonne is llonoraimf* will give him his deserved
character.

§ 23. He that shall read the tragical romances, written by that brazen-
faced lyar Bolseous, concerning the deaths of such men as Calvin and
Beza, or such monstrous writings as those of Tympius, Cochleus, Genebard,
and some others, who would boar the world in hand, that Luther and
(Ecolampadius learned the Protestant religion of the devil^ and were at
last killed by him; and that Bucer had his guts pulled out and cast about
by the devil; will not wonder if I tell him that, after the death of Mr,
Norton, the Quakers published a lihel^ by them called, 'M Jiepresentation
to King and Parliament ;^^ wherein, pretending to report some, "remarkable
judgments upon their persecutors," they insert this pa.ssage: "John Norton,
chief priest in Boston, by the immediate power of the Lord, was smitten,
and as he was sinking down by the fire-side, being under just judgment,
he confessed the hand of the Lord was upoa him, and so he died." —
Which they mention as & judgment upon & persecutor. Whereas, the death
of this good man was attended with no circumstances but what, unto a
good man, might be eligible and com/ortahkf and circumstanced far otherwise
than it was by those revilers represented. But it was necessary for that
enchanted people thus to revenge themselves upon one who, amongst
his other services to the church of God, already mentioned, had, at the
desire of the General Court, written a book, entituled, " 2'he Heart of Neiv-
England rent at the Blasphemies of the Present Generation ; or, a Bruf T'ract'
ate concerning the Doctrine of the Qttakers:'^ which doctrine was in this tract'
ate solidly confuted. And perhaps, it had been better if tfiis had been all
the confutation; which I add, because I will* not, I cannot make my self
a vindicator for all the severities with which the zeal of some eminent men
hath sometimes enraged and increased, rather than reclaimed those miserable
hereticks: but wish that the Quakers may be treated as Queen Elisabeth
directed the Lord President of the North to treat the Papists; when she
advised him to convince them with argument, rather than suppress them
with violence; to that purpose using of the words of the prophets, Nolo
Mortem Peccatoris.\

§ 24. Not long after his death, his friends published three sermons of
his, which for the circumstances of them could have been entituled,
"These were the last words of that servant of the Lord." The first of
the sermons, was the hst sermon which he preached at the Court of Elec-
tion at Boston, It is on Jer. x. 17, entituled, "Sion the Out-cast healed
of her Wounds:" and there are two or three passages in it, which I cannot
but recommend unto the peculiar consideration of the present generation :

"To differ from our orthodox, pious, and learned bretliren, is auch an affliction to a Chris-
tian and an ingenuous spirit, as notliing but lovo to the truth could ann a man of pence
■ b he not honoured? f I would not die the death of a trunsgrouor.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

299

against. Our profession being in a way dlflfering from these and those, it concerns us, that
our wallting be very cautelous, and that it be without giving any just uflunco."

Again. — ^"In matters of state and church, let it be shown that wo are his disciples, who
said, ' give unto Ceesar the things that are Cuisar's, anc* give unto Gud the things that are
God's;' and in matters of religion, let it be known, that we are for reformation, and not
for Heparution."

Onco more. — " I may sny thus much (and pardon my speech) a more yielding ministry
unto the people than ours' I belii've is not in the world. I beseech you, lot not Ciesar be
killed in the senate, after ho hath conquered in the Jield. Let us acknowledge the order of
tbe eldership in our churches, in their way, and the order of councils in thvir way, duely
backed and encouraged: without which experience will witness that these churches cannot
long consist."

The second of the sermons, was the last sermon which he preaclied on
the LonVs day. It is on Joh. xiv. 8, entituled, " The Believer's Consolation
in the remembrance of his Heavenly Mansion, prepared for him by Ohrist."

The third of the sermons was the last sermon which he preached on
his lecture. It is on Heb. viii. 5, entituled, " The Evangelical Worshipper,
subjecting to the prescription and sovereignty of Scripture Pattern.''^

§ 25. The three sermons thus published as the last, or the dropt mantle
of this Elias, are accompanied with the translation of a letter, which was
composed in Latin by Mr. Norton, and subscribed by more than forty
of the ministers, on this occasion. The famous John Dury having, from
the year 1635, been most indefatigably labouring for a pacifcation between
the reformed churches in Europe, communicated his design to the minis-
ters of New-England, requesting their concurrence and countenance unto
his generous undertaking. In answer to him, this letter was written;
and there are one or two passages which I chuse to transcribe from it,
because as well the spirit of our Norton, as the story of our country,
is therein indigitated:

" Redeunt in Memoriam, et redeunt quidem non sine Sanction Sympathia, BeaicR

illcR AnimcB, Melancthonis et Parei NYN EN AriOI2, hie inter Reformatos, ille

inter Bvangelicos, Vir Consummatissimus. Quorum Alter Haganoam iterfaciens,

ita Ingemuit :

" Viximua in Synodis, et jam nwriemur in illi».

** Alter Vera, Super Erislica Eucharistica Meditabundus, in hcec Verba Erupit,
Defessus sum Disputando. Nimirum, illis Judicihis, Orandum potius quam —
Disputandum ; Vivendum, non Litigandum. Forsitan et Consilia Pacts, qute. Slim-
ulanti recenli Ira hactenus, minus grata fiiere, ulriusque partis Theologi Rixis diu-
tumiorihus aliquando fessi et Subacti, aquis animis Suscipire, non molestc fcrunt :
Mare pacificum Aquis Meribanis, Longo Rerum usu Edocti, anteferentes"

"We may here call to mind, and not without some sacred sympathy, those blessed souls,
Melancthon and Pareus, now among the blessed — the one no less famous among the Reformed,
than the other among the Evangelkks. Of those, the one going towards Haganoa, with sighs
fHtered these words:

" In Synods hitherto we lived have,
And now in them, return unto the grave.

: 1 '

I t

)
I >

800

MAONALIA CURISTI AMERICANA;

"Tlie other serluusly meditntlng on the controveray uf tlio Ruvharist, brtiko forth into
these words: 'I am weary with diHputing.' Thus, if Ihese niiglit bo judgvs, we ou|{ht rather
to pray than difpute, and study to Ike n\thQr than contend. And perhaps the divines of either
part, aitor they have been wearied and brolie in their spirits with daily and continual conten*
tion, will more readily accept of the 'counsels of peace,' which hitherto have bi*en Icm nn<ept>
able, while the sense of anger has been spurring of them : oflcr they have been taught by
long use, they may prefer the waters of the Pacific Sea, before those of Meriboli."

** Gr alias agimus Domino Dureo, cut JospphI Longe lerra mariquf a fralribiu
Distantia, meminisse Cordifuil: Qui nos Mi.neUos, in Cillicio, Cillioio aulrm ipai
conjidimus Evangel ico Mi/itantes, tarn Auspicalo Nuncio invisere dignalua est:
Qui Novam Angliam, quasi particulam aliquam Fimbriie Veslintenli Aroiiici,
unguento pradiviti delibutam, in Album Syncretlsmi Longe cehberrimi adseribere
non adspematur : Qui porro Litteris ad Syncretisinum horlatoriis, sttbinde nobis
Ansam prabuit Testimonium hoc, quale quale, perhibendi Communionis noslrte fra^
terme, cum universa Cohorte Protestant! um,^r/''m Jcsu Christi projitentium, Ittgenue
enimfatemur, Iranquilla tarn quum erant Omnia, ncc Signora Minanlia signis ad-
hue nobis conspiciebanlur ; quippe quibus, Episoopis, il/a Tempeslate Rvrum Dom-
inis, publico Ministerio Defungi, necdum Sacrisfrui, sine Suhsoriptiono ct onntorin*
itate, {ut loqui solenl) utque adeo Humanarum Adinvcnlionum in Divinis Commix-
tione, non Liceret, el satius visum est, vel in Lottginquas, ct Incultas Terrarun
Oras, Cultus purioris Ergo concessisse, quam Oneri Miorarchico, ciiwi Rcrum
Omnium Affluentia, Conscienlia aulem Dispendio, succubuisse. At jMtriamfugi.
endo, nos Ecclesiarum Evangelicarum Communiotu Nuncium misisse, hoc vero tst
quodfdenicr et Sancle pemegamus."

"Wo give tlianlis to Mr. Dury into whose heart it came to remombor Joseph scftarate fn^m
his bretheren at so great a distiince both by sea and land : and who hath vouchiuifed with so
comfortable a message to visit us poor people, cloittlied in sackcloth, for our warfare; yet, iis
we trust, the sackcloth of the gospel : who hath nut refusinl to put New.England as |Kirt of
the skirt of 'Aaron's garment,' upon which hnth descended some of the 'prei'ious oyl,' into
the catalogue of the so much famed 'agreement:' and who hath by his letter exhorting to
such agreement given us an occasion to bring in this testimony, such as it in, for our 'broth-
erly communion' with the whole company of Protestants professing the faith of Christ Jesus.
For we must ingenuously confess, that then, when all things were quiet, and no thrt>atning
signs of war appeared, seeing wo could not bo pcrmitti>d by the Bishops at that time prevaiU
ing to perform the office of the ministry in publick, nor yet to enjoy the holy oniinaiwcs,
without subscription and conformity (as they were wont to speak) nor without the mi.vluru
of 'humane inventions' with 'divine institutions,' we choso rather to deiiart into the riMnoto
and unknown parts of the earth, for the sake of a purer trorship, than to ly down tuider the
Hierarchy in the abundance of all things, but with jtryudice of conscience. But that in Hying
from our country, we should renounce communion with such churches as profess the gospel^
is a thing which we confidently and solemnly deny."

" Quoscunque apud Ccetus, per Universum Evangelicorum chorum, Fundamcnta.
lia Doctrinro et Essentialia Ordinis, Vigeant, quamvis in pferisque Controversiro
Theologicaj Apicibus nobiscum juxta minus Sentiant, illos tame.^ r,d unum Omnes
pro Fratibus agnoscimus, Usque catera pacificis, et Ordinate incedcntibus, .IKXIAS
KOINnNIAS in Domino porrigere paratissimos nos esse hisce palamjacimus.^*

"In whatever assemblies amongst the whole company of those that profess the goapi^l,
the fundamentals of doctrine, and essentials of order, are maintained, though in many nico*

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-KNOLAND.

801

ties of controversial divinity they are at less agreement with us, we do hereby make it man-
ifest, that we do oclcnowleidge them all and every one for brethren, and that we shall be
ready to give unto them the right hand of fellowship in the Lord, if in other things they be
IH'Huouble, and walk orderly."

§ 26. This was our Norton 1 and we might have given yet a fuller
account of him, if we could have seen the Diary, which he kept of hi?
daily walk. However, he was well known to be a great example of holi-
ness, tvatchfulness, and extraordinary wisdom; and though he left no chil-
dren, yet he has a better name than that of sons and of dawjhters. Moreover,
there was one considerable part of ministerial ivork, wherein he not only
went beyond most of his age, but also proved a leader unto many followers.
Though the ministers of New-England counted it unlawful for them,
ordinarily, to perform their ministerial acts of solemn and publick prayer
by reading or using any "forms of prayer" composed by other persons for
them; they reckoned "an ability to express the case of a congregation in
prayer," to be a ministerial gift, which our Lord forbids his ministers to
neglect; they supposed that a minister who should only read "forms of
sermons" composed for him, would as truly discharge the duty of preach-
ing, as one that should only read such "forms of prayers," would the
duty of praying, in it: they could not find that any humane "forms of
prayers" were much used in any part of the church, until about /o?/r
hundred years after Christ, nor any made for more than some single prov-
ince, until six hundred years', nor any imposed until eight hundred, when
all manner of "ill-formed things" began to be found in the temple of God;
nevertheless, very many of our greatest ministers, in our more early times,
did not use to expatiate with such a significant and admirable variety in
their prayers before their sermons, as many of our later times have attained
unto; nor indeed then did they, nor still do we, count all "forms of prayer"
simply unlawful. But the more general improvements and expressions
of " the gift of prayer," in our ministers have since been the matter of
observation; and particularly Mr. Norton therein was truly admirable 1
It even transported the souls of his hearers to accompany him in his
devotions, wherein his graces would make wonderful salleys into the vast
field oi entertainments, and acknowledgements, with which we are furnished
in the new-covenant, for our prayers. I have heard of a godly man in Ips-
wich, who, after Mr. Norton's going to Boston, would ordinarily travel on
foot from I[)swich to Boston, which is about thirty miles, for nothing but
the weekly lecture there; and he would profess, " That it was worth a great
journey, to be a partaker in one of Mr. Norton's prayers. This pattern
of prayer in Mr. Norton, had some influence upon it, that since his time,
o\iT pulpits have been fuller than ever of "experimental demonstrations,"
that the ministers of the gospel may on all occasions present their suppli-
cations before God, in the discharge of their ministry, with more pertinent,
more affecting, more expanded enlargements, than any forin could afford

I li

802

MAGNAIIA CI1RI8TI AMERICANA;

unto them. New-England can show, even young ministers, who never did
in all things repeat one jtrayer twice over, in that part of their ministry
wherein we ore "first of all, to make supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and thanksgivings;" and yet sometimes, for much more than an hour
together, they pour out their souls unto the Almighty God in such a fer-
vent^ copious, and yet proper manner, that their most critical auditors, can
complain of nothing disagreeable^ but profess themselves extreamly edifyed.
But our praying Norton, who, while he was among us, "prayed with
the tongue of angels;" is now gone to "praise with the angels" for ever.

EPITAPIIIUM.

JOHANNES NORTONUS.

Quit fuerat, Ultra ti quarat,
Dignut u qui Neieiat.*

HEHORIA WIL80NIA, THE LIFE OF MB. JOHN WILSON.

§ 1. Such is the natural tendency in humane minds to poetry, that as
'tis observed, the Boman historian, in the very first line of his history, fell
upon a verse,

Urbem Romam, In Principio Beget habuere;f

So the Roman orator, though a very mean poet, yet making an oration

for a good one, could not let his first sentence pass him, without a perfect

hexameter.

In Qua me non Infieior, mediocriter Eaie. t

If, therefore, I were not of all men the most unpoetical, my reader might
now expect an entertainment altogether in verse; for I am going to write
the life of that New-English divine, who had so nimble a faculty of putting
his devout thoughts into verse, that he signalized himself by the greatest
frequency, perhaps, that ever man used, of sending ^oems to all persons, in
all places, on all occasions; and upon this, as well as upon greater accounts,
was a David unto the flocks of our Lord in the wilderness :

Quiequid tentabat Dicere, Versut erat ;$

Wherein, if the curious relished the piety sometimes rather than the
poetry, the capacity of the most, therein to be accommodated, must be con-
sidered. But I intend no further account of this matter than what is given
by his worthy son, (reprinting at Boston in the year 1680, the verses of his

* If you need to ask who he wiu, you ought not to know.
} In which, I do not deny, that I am moderately versed.

t Rome, at the flrst, was niled by kings.

§ " He lisped in numbers," whensuu'er he spoke.

•did

8try
ions,
hour
fer-
caii
yed.
with
iver.

it as
,fell

tioti
rfect

ight
rrite
ting
itest
in
ints,

the
con-
iven
Phis

I
I

OR, THE HISTORY OF N EVV-ENO L AND.

808

father upon his famous deliverances of the English nation, printed at Ixjn-
don, OS long ago as the year 1626,) whose words are, " What volumes hath
he penned, for the help of others, in their several changes of condition I
How was his heart full of good matter I And his verses past, like to the
handkerchiefs carried from Paul to uphold the disconsolate, and heal their
wounded souls!" For indeed this is the least thing that we have to
relate of that great saint; and, accordingly, it is under a more considerable
character that I must now exhibit him, even as a father to the infant
colonics of New-England.

§ 2. Mr. John Wilson, descending from eminent ancestors, was born at
"Windsor in the wonderful year 1688, the third son of Dr. William Wilson,
a prebend of St. Paul's, of Rochester and of Windsor, and rector of Cliff:
having for his mother a neece of Dr. Edmund Grindale, the most wort'iily
renowned Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. Uis exact education under his
parents, which betimes tinged him witl\ an aversatioi.. to vice, and, above
all, to the very shadow of a lye, fitted him to undergo the further educa-
tion which he received in Eton Colledge, under Udal (and Langlej ) whom
now we may venture, after poor Tom Tusscry to call, "the severe v of men,''
Here he was most remarkably delivered twice from drowning: but at b ;-
book he made such proficiency, that while he was the least boy in ihe
school, he was made a propositor; and when the Duke of Bi- n, embas-
sador from the French King Henry IV. to Queen Elizabetb, vif ited the
school, he made a Latin oration, for which the Duke bestowed three angels
upon him. After four years' continuance at Eton, he was removed unto
Cambridge, between the fourteenth and fifteenth year of his age; and
admitted into King's Colledge in the year 1602. When he came to stand
for a fellowship in that Colledge, his antipathy to some horrid wickedness,
whereto a detestable wretch that had been acquainted with him would
have betrayed him, caused that malicious wretch by devised and accursed
slanders to ruin so far the reputation of this chast youth with the other
fellows, that had not the Provost, who was a serious and a reverend person,
interposed for him, he had utterly lost his priviledge ; which now by the
major vote he obtained. But this affliction put iuiii upon many thoughts
and prayers before the Lord.

§ 6. He had hitherto been, according to his good education, very civilly
and soberly disposed: but being by the goo^I hand of God led unto the
ministry of such holy men as Mr. Bains, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Chaderton, ho
was by their sermons enlightened, anu awakened unto more solicitous
enquiries after "the one thing yet lacking in him." The serious disposi-
tions of his mind were now duch, that besides his pursuance after the
works of repentance in him self, he took no little pains to pursue it in
others; especially the malefactors in the prisons, which he visited with a
devout, sedulous, and successful industry. Nevertheless, being forestalled
with prejudices against the Puritans of those times, as if they had held ho

! ( ! i .V3

804

MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

knew not well what odd things^ he declined their acquaintance; although
his good conversation had made him to be accounted one of them himself.
Until going to a bookseller's shop, to augment his well-furnished library, he
lighted upon that famous book of Mr. Richard Rogers', called, " The Seven
Treatises-'^ which when he had read, ho so affected, not only the matter,
but also the author of the book, that he took a journey unto Wethersfield,
on purjiose to hear a sermon from that Boanerges. When he had heard
the heavenly passages that fell from the lips of that worthy man, privately
as well as publiekly, and compared therewithal the writings of Green-
ham, of Dod, and of Dent, especially, " The Pathway to lleaven,^^ written
by tlie author last mentioned, he saw that they who were nicknamed
Puritans, were like to be the desirablest companions for one that intended
his own everlasting happiness; and pursuant unto the advice Avhich he
had from Dr. Ames, he associated himself with a pious company in the
university ; who kept their meetings in Mr. Wilson's chamber, for prayer,
fasting, holy conference, and the exercises of true devotion.

§ 4. But now perceiving many good men to scruple many of the rites
practised and imposed in the Church of England, he furnished himself
with all the books that he could find written on the case of conformity^
both pro and con, and pondered with a most conscientious deliberation
the arguments on both sides produced. He was hereby so convinced of
the evil in con/onnity, that at length, for his observable omission of cer-
tain uninstituted ceremonies in the worship of God, the Bishop of Lincoln,
then visiting the university, pronounced upon him the sentence of Quin-
deniim; that is, that besides other mortifications, he must within fift;cen
days have been expelled, if he continued in his offence. His father being
hereof advised, with all paternal affection, wrote unto him to conform;
and at the same time interceded with the Bishop, that he might have a
quarter of a year allowed him; in which time, if he could not be reduced,
he should then leave his fellowship in the Colledge. Hereupon he sent him
unto several Doctors of great fame, to get his objections resolved ; but when
much discourse and much writing had passed between them, he was rather
the more confirmed in his principles about church-reformation. Wherefore
his fotlier, then diverting him from the designs of the ministry, disposed
him to the inns of court; where he fell into acquaintance with some young
gentlemen, who associated with him in constant exercises of devotion:
to -.vhich meetings the repeated sermons of Dr. Gouge were a continual
entertainment: and here it was that he came into the advantageous knowl-
edge of the learned Scultetus, chaplain to the Prince Palatine of the Rhine,
then making some stay in England.

§ 5. When he had continued three years at the inns of court, his father
discerning his disposition to be a minister of the gospel, permitted iiis
proceeding Master of Arts, in the university of Cambridge: but advised
him to address another colledge than that where he had formerly met with

OB, THE IIISTOBT OF NEW-ILNGLAND.

805

ithcr
his

f'ised
ath

difficulties. Dr. Carey, who was then Vice-chancellor, understanding hia
former circumstances, would not admit him without 8ub8cri2)tion ; but he
refused to avbscribe. In this distress he repaired unto his father, at whose
house there happened then to be present the Countess of Bedford's chief
gentleman, who had business with the Earl of Northampton, the Chancellor
of the university. And this noble person, upon the information which
that gentleman gave him of the matter, presently wrote a letter to the
Vice-chancellor, on the behalf of our young Wilson; whereupon he
received his degree, and continued a while after this in Emanuel-Colledge ;
from whence he made frequent and useful visits unto his friends in the
counties adjoining, and became further fitted for his intended service. But
while he was passing under these changes, he took up a resolution which
he thus expressed before the Lord: "That if the Lord would grant him a
liberty of conscience, with purity of worship, he would be content, yea,
thankful, though it were at the furthermost end of the world." A most
prophetical resolution 1

§ 6. At length, preaching his first sermon at Newport, "he set his hand
unto that plough, from whence he never afterwards looked back:" not
very long afler which, his father lying on his death-bed, he kneeled, in
his turn, before him for his blessing, and brought with him for a share in
that blessing, the vertuous young gentlewoman, the daughter of the Lady
Mansfield, (widow of Sir John Mansfield, master of the Minories, and the
Queen's surveyor) whom he designed afterwards to marry: whereupon
the old gentleman said, "Ah, John, I have taken much care about thee,
such time as thou wast in the university, because thou wouldest not con-
form; I would fain have brought thee to some higher preferment than
thou hast yet attained unto: I see thy conscience is very scrupulous, con-
cerning some things that have been observed and imposed in the Church :
nevertheless, I have rejoiced to see the grace and fear of God in thy heart:
and seeing thou hast kept a good conscience hitherto, and walked according
to thy light, so do still; and go by the rules of God's holy word: the
Lord bless thee, and her whom thou hast chosen to be the companion of
thy life!" — Among other places where he now preached, Moreclake was
one; where his non-conformity exposed him to the rage of persecution;
but by the friendship of the Justice — namely. Sir William Bird, a kins-
man of his wife — and by a mistake of the informers, the rage of that
storm was moderated.

§ 7. After this he 11 /cd as a chaplain successively in honourable and
religious families; and at last was invited unto the house of the most pious
Lady Scudamore. Here Mr. Wilson observing the discourse of the gentry
at the table, on the Lord's day, to be too disagreeable unto the devout
frame to be maintained on such a day,^t length he zealously stood up at
the table, with words to this purpose: "I will make bold to speak a word
or two: this is the Lord's holy day, and we have been hearing his word,
Vol. L— 20

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MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMEBICAXA;

and after the word preached, every one should think, and speak about
such things as have been delivered in the name of God, and not lavish
out the time in discourses about hawks and hounds." Whereupon a gentle-
man then present made this handsome and civil answer: "Sir, we deserve
all of us to be thus reproved by you; this is indeed the Sabbath-day, and
we should surely have better discourse: I hope it will be a warning to
us." Notwithstanding this, the next Lord's day, the gentry at the table
were at their old notes; which caused Mr. Wilson again to tell them, "That
the hawks which they talked of, were the birds that picked up the seed
of the word, after the sowing of it;" and prayed them, "That their talk
might be of such things as might sanctifie the day, and edifie their own
souls;" which caused the former gentleman to renew his former thankful-
ness for the admonition. But Mr. Leigh, the lady's husband, was very
angry ; whereof when the lady advised Mr. Wilson, wishing him to say
something that might satisfie him, he replied, "Good madam, I know not
wherein I have given any just offence; and therefore I know of no satis-
faction that I owe : your ladyship has invited me to preach the good word
of God among you; and so I have endeavoured according to my
ability: now such discourse as this, on the Lord's day, is profane and
disorderly: if your husband like me not, I will be gone." When the
lady informed her husband how peremptory Mr. Wilson was in this
matter, he mended his countenance and carriage; and the eft'ect of
this reproof was, that unsuitable discourse, on the Lord's day, was cured
among them.

§ 8. Removing from this family, after he had been a while at Henly,
ho continued, for three years together, preaching at four places by turns,
which lay near one another, on the edges of Suftblk — namely, Bumsted,
Stoke, Clare, and Candish. Here some of Sudbury happening to hear
him, they invited him to succeed the eminent old Mr. Jenkins, with which
invitation he cheerfully complied, and the more cheerfully because of his
opportunity to be near old Mr. Richard Rogers, from whom afterwards,
when dying, he received a blessing among his children; yea, to encourage
hii acceptance of this place, the very reader of the parish did subscribe,
with many scores of others, their desires of it; and yet he accepted not
the pastoral charge of the place, without a solemn day of prayer with
fasting, (wherein the neigl bouring ministers assisted) at his election : great
notice was now taken of the success which God gave unto his labours in
this femous town ; among other instances whereof, one was this : a trades-
man much given to stealing, as well as other profane and vicious practices,
one day seeing people flock to Mr. Wilson's lecture, thought with himself,
"Why should 1 tarry at home to work, when so many go to hear a ser-
mon?" Wherefore, for the sake of company, he went unto the lecture
too; but when he came, he found a sermon, as it were, particularly directed
unto himself, on Eph. iv. 28: "Let him that hath stole, steal no more;"

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

807

irage
[jribe,
not
[with
rreat
in
lades-
iicea,
iself,
ser-
Icture
lected
)re;"

and such was the impression thereof upon his heart, that from this time
he became a changed and pious man.

§ 9. But if "they that will live godlily, must suffer persecution," a
peculiar share of it must fall upon them who are zealous and useful instru-
ments to make others live so. Mr. Wilson had a share of this persecution ;
and one A— n, was a principal author of it. This A — n had formerly
been an apprentice in London, where the Bishops detained him some years,
under an hard imprisonment, because he refused the oath ex officio^ which
was pressed upon him, to tell " Whet tier he had never heard his master
pray against the Bishop?"

The charity of well-disposed people now supported him, till he got
abroad, recommended by his hard sufferings, unto the good affections of
the Puritans, at whose meetings he became so conversant, and thereupon
such a forward and zealous professor, that at length ho took upon him,
under the confidence of some Latinity, whereof he was owner, to be a sort
of preacher among them. This man would reverence Mr. Wilson as his
father, and yet upon the provocation of seeing Mr. Wilson more highly
valued and honoured than himself, he not only became a conformist him-
self, but also, as apostates use to be, a malignant and violent persecutor
of those from whom he had apostatized. By his means Mr. Wilson was
put into trouble in the Bishop's courts; from whence his deliverance was
at length obtained by certain powerful mediators. And once hy his tricks,
the most noted pursivant of those times was employed for the seizing of
Mr. Wilson ; but though he seized upon many scores of the people coming
from the lecture, he dismissed the rest, because he could not meet with
Mr. Wilson himself, who by a special providence went out of his direct
way, to visit a worthy neighbour, and so escaped this mighty hunter.

Afterwards an eminent lady, happening innocently to make some com-
parisons between the preaching of Mr. Wilson and one Dr. B. of B., the
angry Doctor presently applied himself unto the Bishop of London, who
for a while suspended him. And when that storm was over, he, with sev-
eral other worthy ministers, came to be wholly silenced in another, that
was raised upon complaints made by one Mr. Bird, unto the Bishop of
Norwich against them. Concerning this ill Bird, there happened one pas-
sage hereupon, which had in it something extraordinary. Falling very
sick, he had the help of a famous and skilful physician, one Dr. Duke of
Colchester ; who having left his patient, in his opinion, safely recovered,
gave Mr. Wilson a visit, with an account of it. "Recovered!" says Mr.
Wilson; "you are mistaken Mr. Doctor; he's a dead man!" The Doctor
answered, " If ever I recovered a sick man in my life, that man is recov-
ered." But Mr. Wilson replied, "No, Mr. Doctor, he's a dead man; he
shall not live: mark my words!" The doctor smiled; but for all that,
before they parted, the news was brought them that the man was dead
indeed, and "the Lord known by the judgment which he executed." —

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MAONALIA CURISTI AMERICANA;

But at last Mr. Wilson obtained from the truly noble Earl of Warwick,
to sign a letter, which the Earl bid himself to draw up, unto the Bishop,
on his behalf; by the operation of which letter, his liberty for the exercise
of his ministry was again pnxjured. This Bishop was the well-known
Dr. Harsnet, who a little whilf; after this, travelling northward, u[ion
designs of mischief against the reforming pastors and Christians there, cer-
tain ministers of the south set apart a day hr solemn fasting and prayer,
to implore the help of Heaven against those designs; and on that very
day he was taken with a sore auu an odd fit, which caused him to stop at
a blind house of entertainment n "he road, where he suddenly died.

§10. At last, "being persi >te \ in one country, he must flee into
another." The plantation of a New-English colony was begun; and Mr.
Wilson, with some of his neighbours, embarked themselves in the fleet,
which came, over thither in the year 1630, where he applied himself with
all the vigour imaginable, to encourage the poor people, under the diffi-
culties of their new plantation. This good people buried near two hundred
of their number, within a quarter of a year afl«r their first landing; which
caused Mr. Wilson particularly to endeavour their consolation, by preaeli-
ing on Jacob's not being disheartned by the death of his nearest friends
in the way, when God had called him to remove. And how remarkably,
perhaps I might say, excessively liberal he v/as, in employing his estate for
the relief of the needy, every such one so beheld him, as to reckon him
"the father of them all:" yea, the poor Indians themselves also tasted of
his bounty. If it were celebrated, as the glory of Bellarmine, that he would
sell his goods, to convert them into alms for the poor; yea, that Qiiadam
die proprium Atrameniarium Argenteolum, ut ditaret Inopes, inter pignora
ohligavit:* our Mr. Wilson, though a greater disclaimer of merit than Bel-
larmine was, not only in his writings, but on his death-bed it self, yet came
not behind Bellarmine for the extension of his charity. To give instances
of his, even over-doing liberality, would be to do it injuries; for indeed
tliey were innumerable: he acted as if the primitive agreement of having
'all things in common," had been of all things the most agreeable unto
him. I shall sum up ill, in the lines of an elegant elegy, which Mr. Sam-
uel Bache, an ingenious merchant, made upon him, at his death:

When u the poor want succour, where Is he

Oui aajr all can be taid txtempnre 1

Via with the lightning, and melt down to th' quick

Their 8oul», and malte themaelves their poclcetg pick 7

Where 'i such a leader, thus has got tlie sieight

V teach Aa/y kandi to war, fingtrt to fight 7

Their arrow hit? BoucU ia boKilt meant It,

(>od, Christ, and saints, accept, but Wilson sent It.

Which way so e'or the propositions move,

The ergo of his syllogism 's love.

So bountiful to all : but if the poor

Wm Christian too, all 's money went, and mont,

His coat, rug, blanket, gloves ; he thought their diM

Was all his money, garments, one of two.

But he was most set upon the main business of this new plantation :
which was, "to settle and enjoy the ordinances of the gospel, and worship
the Lord Jesus Christ according to his own institutions;" and accordingly,

* On one occasion he pawned his own silver inkstand to raise money for some poor people.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND,

809

he, with the governour, and others that came with him on the same account
combined into a church-state, with all convenient expedition.

§ 11. Mr. Wilson's removal to New-England was rendred the more
difficult, by the indisposition of his dearest consort thereunto; but he
hoping, that according to a dream which he had before his coming hitber,
"That he saw here a little teinple rising out of the ground, which by
degrees increased into a very high and large dimensions," tiie Lord had a
temple to build in these regions; resolved never to be discouraged from
his undertaking. Wherefore having first sent over an encouraging account
of the good order, both civil and sacred, which novr began to be estab-
lished in the plantation, he did himself return into England, that he might
further pursue the effect thereof: and accordingly he made it his business,
where-ever he came, to draw as many good men as he could into this
country with him. His wife remained unperswadable, till upon prayer
with fasting before the Almighty turner of hearts, he received an answer,
in her becoming willing to accompany him over an ocean into a wilderness.
A very sorrowful parting they now had from their old friends in Sudbury,
but a safe and quick passage over the Atlantick ; and whereas the church
of Boston, observing that he arrived not at the time expected, had set
apart a day of fmmiliation on his behalf, his joyful arrival before the day
caused them to turn it into a day of thanksgiving. But Mrs. Wilson being
thus perswaded over into the difficulties of an American desart, I have
heard that her kinsman, old Mr. Dod, for her consolation under those dif-
ficulties, did send her a present with an advice, which he had in it, some-
thing of curiosity. He sent her, at the same time, a brass counter, a silver
crow7i, and a gold jacohus; all of them severally wrapped up; with this
instruction unto the gentleman who carried it: that he should first of all
deliver only the counter, and if she received it with any shew of discontent,
he should then take no fui ther notice of her; but if she gratefully resented
that small thing, for the sake of the hand it came from, he should then go
on to deliver the silver, and so the gold: but withal assure her, " That such
would be the dispensations of God unto her, and the other good people
of New-England : if they would be content and thankful with such little
things as God at first bestowed upon them, they should, ir. time have silver
and gold enough. Mrs. Wilson accordingly, by her cheertul entertainment
of the least remembrance from good old Mr. Dod, gave the gentleman
occasion to go through with his whole present, and the annexed advice;
which hath in a good mcisure been accomplished.

§ 12. It was not long before Mr. Wilson's return to England once more
was obliged by the derth of his brother, whose will, because it bequeathed
a legacy of a thousciid pounds unto New-England, gave satisfaction unto
our Mr. Wilson, though it was otherwise injurious: unto himself A
tedious and winter- voyage he now had ; being twice forced into Ireland,
where first at Galloway, then at Kingsale, afterwards at Bandon-Bridge,

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he occasionally, but vigorously and successfully, served the kingdom of
God. At last he got safe among Itii old friends at Sudbury ; according to
the prediction which ho had let fall in his former farewel unto them: "It
may be John Wilson may come and see Sudbury once again." From
whence, visiting Mr. Nathanael Rogers at Assington, where he arrived
before their morning prayers; Mr. Rogers asked him to say something
upon the chapter that Wits read, whi<;h happened then to be the fi rat chapter
in the first book of Chronicles ; and from a paragraph of meer proper wmes,
that seemed altogether barren of auy edifying matter, he raised po many
fruitful and useful notes, thai, a pious person then present, ama;-.efl thci\ :it,
could have no rest without going over into America after him. Having
dispatched his affairs in England, he again embarked for Kew-Engiand, in
company with four ministers and near two hundred passengers, whereof
some wore persons of considerable quality : but they had all been lust by
a Lrge leak sprang in the ship, if God had not, on a day of solemn fasting
and pra) er, kept on board ibr that purpose, mercifully discovered tbi'
dangeictus i«ak unto them.

§ 13. That Phob-nx of his age, Dr. Amos, would say, "That if he might
have his option of Mc best condition that he could propound unto him-
self on this side heavt;!., i^ would be, that he might be the teacher of a
congregational church, wujreof Mr. Wilson should be the pastor." This
happiT)ess, this* privilcidge, now had Mr. Cotton in the church of Boston.
But Saian, envious at the prosperity of that flourishing cbisrch, raised a
storm of Antinomian, and Familistical errors, which had like to have
thrown all inlo an irrecoverable confusion, if the good God had not
remarkably blessed the endeavours of a Synod; and Mr. Wilson, for a
while, met with hard measure for his early opposition to those errors,
until, by the help of that Synod, the storm was weathered out. At the
beginning of that assembly, after much discourse against the unscriptural
enthiisiusms, and revelations, then by some contended for, Mr. Wilson pro-
posed, " You that are against thtic things, and that are for the spirit and
the word together, hold up»your hands!" And the multitude of hands
then held up, was a comfortable and encouraging introduction unto the
other proceedings. At tne conclusion of that assemhhj, a catalogue of the
errors to be condemned was produced; whereof when one asked, "What
shall be done with them?" the wonted zeal of Mr. Wilson made this
blunt answer, "Let them go to the devil of hell, from whence they came."

In the midst of these temptations also, he was by a lot chosen to accom-
pany the forces, then sent forth upon an expedition against the Pequod
Indians; which he did with so much faith and joy, that he professed him-
self "as fully satisfied that God would give the English a victory over
those enemies, as if he had seen the victory already obtained." And the
whole country quickly shared with him in the consolations of that remark-
able victory.

OB, TnS UISTOKY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

811

this

§ 14. In the wilderness lie met with his difficulties; for besides the loss
of houses, divers times by /re, which yet he bore with such a cheerful sub-
mission, that once one that met him on the road, informing of him, " Sir,
I have sad news for you; while you have been abroad, your house is burnt;"
his first answer was, "Blessed be God: he has burnt this house, because
he intends to give me a bettor." (Which accordingly came to pass.)

He was also put upon complying with the inclinations of his eldest son
io travel; \\\io accordingly travelled, first into Holland, then into Italy,
where he proceeded a doctor of physick, and so returned into England,
excellently well adorned with all the accomplishments of a most pious
and useful gentleman. But this worthy person died about the year 1658.
And this hastned the death of his mother, ere the year came about; which
more than doubled the grief of his father. And these afflictions were yet
further embittered by the death of his eldest daughter, Mrs. Rogers, in
child-bed with her first child ; at whose interment, though he could not
but express a deal of sorrow, yet he did it with so much patience, that " In
token," he said, "of his grounded and joyful hopes, to meet her again in
the morning of the resurrection, and of his willingness to resign her into
the hands of him who would make all things work together for good,"
he himself took the spade, and threw in the first shovelful of earth upon
her. And not long after, he buried three or four of his grand children by
another daughter, Mrs. Danforth (yet living with her worthy son-in-law,
Edward Bromfield, Esq. in Boston) whereof one lying by the walls, on a
day of publick thanksgiving, this holy man then preached a most savoury
sermon on Job i. 21: "The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken
away : blessed be the name of the Lord." The nex child, although so
weakly that all despaired of its life, his prophetical grand-father said,
"Call him John; I believe in God, he shall live, and be a prophet top,
and do God service in his generation 1" which is, at this day, fulfilled in
Mr. Joliu Danforth, the present pastor to the church of Dorchester. En-
countriiig with such, and many other exercises, his years rolled away, till
he had served New-England, Ovrcc years before Mr. Cotton's coming over,
twenty years with him ; ten years with Mr. Norton, and four years after him.

§ 15. In his younger time, he had been used unto a more methodical
way of preaching, and was therefore admired above many, by no less
auditors than Dr. Goodwin, Mr. Burroughs, and Mr. Bridge, when they
travelled from Cambridge into Essex, on purpose to observe the ministers
in that county; but after he became a ^jostor, joined with such illuminating
teachers, he gave himself a liberty to preach more after the primitive man-
ner ; without any distinct propositions, but chiefly in exhortations and admo-
nitions, and good wholesome councils, tending to excite good motions in
the minds of his hearers; (but upon the same texts that were doctrinally
handled by his colleague instantly before:) and yet sometimes his pastoral
discourses had such a spirit in them, that Mr. Shephard would say, "Me-

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812

MAONALIA CIirtlSTI AMERICANA;

thinks I hear an apostle, when I hear this man :" yea, even one of his
ex'tempore sermons has been since his death counted worthy to be published
nnto the world. The great lecture of Boston, being disappointed of him
that should have preached it, Mr. Wilson preached that lecture on a text
occurring in the chapter that had been read that morning in his family,
Jer. xxix. 8 : " Neither hearken to your dreams, which you cause to be
dreamed ;" from whence he gave a seasonable warning unto the people
against the dreams, wherewith sundry sorts of opinionists have been
endeavouring to seduce them. It was the last Boston lecture that ever he
preached, (November 16, 1665,) and one who writ after him, in short hand,
about a dozen years after published it But his last sermon he preached
at Roxbury lecture, for his most worthy son-in-law Mr. Danforth; and
aft;er he had read his text, which was in the beginnings and conclusions of
sundry of the last psalms, with a seraphical voice, he added, " If I were
sure this were the last sermon that ever I shouli^. preach, and these the
last words that ever I should speak, yet I would still say, Hallelujah, IlaU
lelujah! praise ye the Lord!" Thus he ended his ministry on earth, thus
he began his possession of heaven with Hallelujahs.

§ 16. Indeed, if the picture of this go<xl, and therein great man, were to
be exactly given, great zeal, with great love, would be the two principal
strokes that, joined with orthodoxy, should make up his pourtraiture. He
had the zeal of a Phineas, I had almost said of a seraphim, in testifying
against every thing that he thought offensive unto God. The opinionists,
which attempted at any time to debase the Scripture, or confound the
order, embraced in our churches, underwent the most pungent animadver-
sions of this his devout zeal; whence, when a certain assembly of people,
which he approved not, had set up in Boston, he charged all his family
that they should never dare so much as once to enter into that assembly ;
"I charge you," said he, "that you do not once go to hear them; for
whatsoever they may pretend, they will rob you of ordinances, rob you
of your souls, rob you of your God." But though he were thus lik«' John,
a Son of Thunder against seducers, yet he was like that blessed and beloved
apostle also, all made up of love. He was full of affection, and ready to
help and relieve and comfort the distressed; his house was renowned for
hospitality, and his purse was continually emptying it self into the hands
of the needy : from which disposition of love in him, there once happened
this passage: when he was beholding a great muster of soldiers, a gentle-
man then present said unto him, "Sir, I'll tell you a great thing; here's a
mighty body of people, and there is not seven of them all but what loves
Mr. Wilson;" but that gracious man presently and pleasantly replied, "Sir,
I'll tell you as good a thing as that: here's a mighty body of people, and
there is not so much as one of them all but Mr. Wilson loves him." Thus
he did, by his own example, notably preach that lesson which a gentle-
man found in the anagram of his name, Wish no one ill: and thus did he

OB, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

818

continue, to do every one good, until his death gave the same gentleman
occasion thus to elegize upon him :

N w may celestial opirits sing yet highert
^ Since one more's added to their ucrod quire;

Wilson the holy, whose good name doth still.
In language sweet, bid us [ (Vi$h no ill.]

§ 17. He was one that, consulting not only his own ediflcation, but the
encouragement of the ministry, and of religion, with an indefatigable dill*
gence visited the congregations of the neighbouring towns, at their weekly
lectures, until the weaknesses of old age rendered him uncapablc. And
it was a delightful thing then to see, upon every recurring opportunity, a
large company of Christians, and even magistrates and miuisters among
them, and Mr. Wilson in the head of them, visiting the lectures in all the
vicinage, with such heavenly discourses on the road, as caused the hearts
of the disciples to burn within them: and indeed it was remarked, that
though the Christians then spent less time in the shop, or Jield, than they
do now, yet they did in both prosper more. But for Mr. Wilson, I am
saying, that a lecture was a treasure unto him ; he prized it, he sought it,
until old age at length brought with it a sickness, which a long while con-
fined him. In this illness he took a solemn farewel of the ministers, who
had their weekly meetings at his hospitable house, and were now come
together from all parts, at the anniversary election for the government of
the colony. They asked him to declare solemnly what he thought might
be the sins which provoked the displeasure of God against the country.
Whereto his answer was, "I have long feared several sins;" whereof, one,
he said, was Corahism; "That is, when people rise up as Corah against
their ministers, as if they took too much upon them, when indeed they do
but rule for Christ, and according to Christ; yet it is nothing for a brother
to stand up and oppose, without Scripture or reason, the word of an elder,
saying [I am not satisfied!] and hence, if he do not like the administration,
(be it baptism or the like,) he will turn his back upon God and his ordi-
nances, and go away. And for our neglect of baptising the children of
the church, those that some call grand-children, I think God is provoked
by it. Another sin (said he) I take to be the making light of, and not
subjecting to the authority of Synods, without which the churches cannot
long subsist."

§ 18. Afterwards, having solemnly with prayer, and particnlarhj and
very prophetically blessed his relations and attendants, he now thus com-
forted ainiself, " I shall ere long be with my old friends. Dr. Preston, Dr.
Sibs, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Gouge, Dr. Ames, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Norton, my Inns
of Court friends, and my consort, children, grand-children in the kingdom
of God." And when some then present magnified God, for making him
a man of such use, and lamented themselves in their own loss of him, he

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814

MAC. X A LI A CHRIST I AMKRICANA;

replied, "Alas, alas!

for I have boon

le no Euch words concerning r
an unprofitable servant, not worthy to bo called a servant of the Lort^:
but I must say, 'The Lord be merciful to mo a sinner I' and I must say,
' Let thy tender mercies come unto me, Ix)rd, even thy salvation accord*
ing to thy word.' " The evening before ho died, his daughter asked him,
"Sir, how do you do?" lie held up his hand, and said, "Vanishing things!
vanishing things 1" but he then made a most aHcctionate prayer, with and
for his friends; and so quietly /eW aakep on August 7, 1667, in the seventy-
ninth year of his age. Thus expired that reverend old man: of whom,
when he left England, an eminent personage said, "New-England shall
flourish, free from all general desolations, as long as that good man liveth in
it!" which was comfortably accomplished. lie was interred with more than
ordinary solemnity; and iiia neighbour Mr. Richard Mather of Dorchester,
thereat lamented the publick loss in his departure, with a sermon ujwn Zcch.
i. 5 : " Your fat 1 lers, where are they, and the prophets, do they live for ever?"

§ 19. Being a man of prayer, he was very much a man of God; and a
certain prophetical afflatus, which often directs the speeches of such men^
did sometimes remarkably appear in the speeches of this holy man. In-
stances thereof have been already given. A few more shaH now Ih» added.
Beholding a young man extraordinarily diitiftdy in all possible ways of
being serviceable, unto his aged mother, then xceaf- in body, and ^wr in
estate, he declared unto some of his family what he had beheld; adding
therewithal, "I charge you to take notice of what I say; God will cer-
tainly bless that young man; John IIuU (for that was his name) shall
grow rich, and live to do God good service in his generation!" It came to
pass accordingly that this exemplary person became a very rich, m well
as emphatically a (jood man, and afterwards diod a magistrale of the colony.

AVhen one Mr. Adams, who waited on him iVom Hartford unto AVcathcrs-
field, was followed with the news of his daughter's being fallen suddenly
and doubtfully sick, Mr. Wilson, looking up to heaven, began mightily
to wrestle with Gcd for the life of the yoimg woman: "Lord," said he,
"wilt thou now take away thy servant's child, when thou seest he is attend-
ing on thy poor unworthy servant in most ( 'iristian kindness? Oh! do it
not!" And then, turning himself about unt») Mr. Adams, "Brother," said
he, "I trust your daughter shall live; I believe in God she shall recover
of this sickness!" And so it marvellously came to pass, and she is now
the fruitful mother of several desirable children.

A Pequot-Indian, in a eanoo, was espied by the English, within gun-
shot, carrying away an English maid, with a design to dvsl)vy\\OT or uhusc
her. The soldiers fearing to kill the maid if they shot at the Indian,
asked Mr, Wilson's counsel, who forbad them to fear, and assured them
"God will direct the bullet!" They shot accordingly; and killed the
Indian, though then moving swiftly upon the water, and saved the nuiid
fice from all harm whatever.

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENOLAND.

815

Upon the death of the first a >^ only child (being an infan;) of his
daughter Mrs. Danforth, he made ;i poem, wherein there were these lines
among the rest:

What irihey part «l(h thrlr betored one,
Their flrat begotten and their oii/y ion 1
What*! thli to that which Father Abram lulTer'd,
When hi* own hands his ontj/ darling iiflbr'df
In whom was bound up all hlsjojr in this
Life present, and his hope of future bilaaf
And what If God their other chilUren call-

Second, third, fourth— suppose it should be tilt
What's this to holy Job, his triiils sad,
Who neither thtte nor toother comforts had T
Ills life was only given him for a prey,
Yet sjl his troubles were to heaven the way ;
Yea, to tu greater biteeinge on the earth,
The Lord rewarding all his teart with mirth.

And behold, as if thijt he had been a Vates, in both senses of it, a poet
and a prophet^ it pleased God afterwards to give his daughter a second a
tJiird, and a fourth child, and then to take them all away at once, even in
one fortnight's time ; but afterwards happily to make up the loss.

Once passing over the ferry unto a lecture, on the other side of the
water, he took notice of a young man in the boat, that worded it very
unhandsomely unto his aged father: whereat this faithful seer, being much
troubled, said unto him, "Young man, I advise you to repent of your
undutiful, rebellious carriage towards your father; I expect else to hear
that God has cut you oft' before a twelve-month come to an end 1" And
before this time expired, it came to pass that this unhappy youth, going to
the southward, was there hacked in pieces by the Pequod Indians.

A company of people in this country, were mighty hot upon a project
of removing to Providence, an island in the "West-Indies; and a venerable
assembly of the chief magistrates and ministers in the colony was addressed
for their council about this undertaking; which assembly laid before the
company very weighty reasons to diss wade them from it. A prime ri: g-
leader in that business was one Venner, a cooper of Salem, the mad blade
that afterwards perished in a nonsensical uproar which he, with a crew of
Bedlamites, possessed like himself, made in London. This Venner, with
some others, now stood up and said, "That notwithstanding what had been
ofibred, they were clear in their call to remove:" whereupon Mr. Wilson
stood up, and answered, "Ay, do you come to ask council in so weighty
a matter as this, and to have help from an ordinance of God in it? and
are you aforehand resolved that you will go on? Well, you may go, if
you will; but you shall not prosper. What! do you make a mock of
God's ordinance?" And it came to pass accordingly; the enterprize was
not long after dashed in pieces ; and Venner's precipitating impulses, after-
wards carried him to a miserable end.

A council sitting at a town, where some ecclesiastical dift'erences called
for the assistances of the neighbours to compose them, there was one man
observed by Mr. Wilson, to be extreamly perverse, and most unreasonabl}^
troublesome and mischievous to the peace of the church there; whereupon
Mr. Wilson told the council he was confident, "That the jealousy of God
would set a mark upon that man, and that the ordinary death of men

r f-
)

816

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

should not beful him." It happened shortly after that the man wa" > r*
barously butchered by the salvages I

While Mr. Wilson was minister of Sudbury in England, there was a
noted person who had been absent for some while among the Papists.
This man returning home, offered himself to the communion; whereat
Mr. Wilson, in the open assembly, spoke unto him after this manner:
"Brother, you here present yourself, as if you would partake in the Holy
Supper of the Lord. You cannot be ignorant of what you have done in
withdrawing your self from our communion, and how you have been much
conversant for a considerable while with the Papists, whose religion is
antichristian. Therefore, though we cannot so absolutely charge you, God
knows, who is the searcher of all hearts; and if you have defiled yourself
with their worship and way, and not repented of it, by offering to partake
at this time in the Holy Supper with us, you will eat and drink your own
damnation ; but if you are clear, and have nothing wherewith to charge
your self, you your self know, upon this account you may receive." The
man did then partake at the Lord's table, professing his innocency. But,
as if the devil had entered into him, he soon went and hanged himself.

In the circumstances of his own children, he saw many effects of an
exlraordinari/ faith.

His eldest son, Edmund, while travelling into the countries which the
bloody Popish inquisition has made a clime too torrid for a Protestant,
was extreamly exposed: but the prayers of the young gentleman's contin-
ually distressed father, for him, were answered with signal preservations.
When he was under examination by the inquisitors, a friend of the chief
among them suddenly arrived; and the inquisitor not having seen this
friend for many years before, was hereby so diverted and mollified, that
he carried the young Mr. Wilson to dinner with him ; and, though he had
passed hitherto unknown by his true name, yet this inquisitor could now
call him, to his great surprize, by the name of Mr. Wilson, and report
unto him the character of his father, and his father's industry in serving
the hereticks of New-England. But that which I here most of all design,
is an account of a thing yet more memorable and unaccountable. For, at
another time, his father dream't himself transported into Italy, where he
saw a beautiful person in the son's chamber, endeavouring with a thousand
enchantments to debauch him; whereupon the old gentleman made, and
was by his bed-fellow overheard making, first, prayers to God full of agony,
and then warnings unto his tempted son, to beware of defiling himself with
the "daughter of a strange god." Now, some considerable while afler
this, the young gentleman writes to his father, that on such a night (which
was upon enquiry found the very same night) a gentlewoman had caressed
him, thus and so, (just according to the vision,) and that his chastity had
been conquered, if he had not been strongly possessed with a sense of

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

817

hid {aiher^B prat/era over bim, and xcarninga unto him, for his escape from
the pits, whereinto do fall the "abhorred of the Lord."

Ilia other son, John, when a child, fell upon his head fVom a lofl four
stories high, into the street; from whence he was taken up for dead, and
BO battered and bruised and bloody with his fall, that it struck horror into
the beholders; but Mr. Wilson had a wonderful return of his prayers in
the recovery of the child, both unto life and unto sense; insomuch, that he
continued unto old age, a faithful, painful, useful minister of the gospel;
and but lately went from the service of the church in Medfleld, unto the
glory of the church triumphant.

After Mr. Wilson's arrival at New-England, his wife, who bad left off
bearing of children for many years, brought him another daughter; which
lamb was indeed unto him cw a daughter; and he would present her unto
other ministers, for their blessing, with great affection, saying, "This is
my New-England token 1" But this child fell sick of a malignant fever,
wherein she was gone so far, that every one despaired of her life ; except
her father, who called in several ministers, with other Christians, unto a
fast on that occasion; and hearing the prayers of Mr. Cotton for her, found
his heart so raised, that he confidently declared, "While I heard Mr. Cot-
ton at prayer, I was confident the child should live I" And the child
accordingly did live; yea, she is to this day alive, a very "holy woman,
adorned like them of old time, with a spirit of great price 1"

The blessings pronounced by Mr. Wilson, upon many persons and affairs,
were observed bo prophetical^ and especially his death-bed blessings upon
his children and grand-children were so, that the most considerable persons
in the country thought it not much to come from far, and bring their chil-
dren with them, for the enjoyment of his patriarchal benedictions. For
which cause, Mr. Thomas Shepard, in an elegy upon him at his death,
pathetically thus expressed it:

Whuio of Abraham, Moaet, Samuel, reada,
Or of Elijah'i or Elitha's deeda,
Would Burely say, their tpirit and povtr waa hii,
And think there were a Mettmp$ycko$i$,

Aa aged John th* apoatle uied to Utit
The people, which they Judged their happlnata,
Bo did we count it worth our pUgrimagt
Unto him for hia Utiiingf in hia age.

These were extraordinary passages; many of them are things which
ordinary Christians may more safely ponder and wonder, than expect in our
days 1 though sometimes great reformers, and great sufferers, must be signal-
ized with them. I know very well what Livy says, Datur hcec Venia
Antiquitatis, ut miscendo Humana Divinis, Primordia Urbium Augustiora
fadat:* but I have been far from imposing the least fable upon the world
in reporting such extraordinary passages of Mr. Wilson, or any other great
confessor, by whom the beginnings of this country were made illustrious;
there are witnesses enough yet living of them.

• It is the privilege of antiquity to throw an air of grandeur around the origin of Statea, by introducing
mj tbic traditiuus about the gods among the real facts of history.

;'!'!

! "•,.'«

818

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

§ 20. There is a certain little sport of wit, in anagrammatizing the names
of men ; which was used as long ago at least as the days of old Lycophron :
and which sometimes has aflforded reflections very monitory, as Alstedius
by his just admirers changed into Sedulitas;* or very characterising, ad
Benatus Cartesius, by his disciples turned into, Tu scis res Naturce,"f or very
satyrical, as when Satan ruleth me, was found in the transposed name of a
certain active persecutor: and when, Lo, a damned crew, was found in the
name of one that made a figure among the Popish plotters against the
nation. Yea, 'tis possible that they who affect such grammatical curiosities,
will be willing to plead a prescription of much higher and elder antiquity
for them ; even the temurah, or mvMtion, with which the Jews do criticise
upon the oracles of the Old Testament. "There," they say, "you'll find
the anagram of our Jirst father's name Haadam, to express Adamah, the
name of the earth, whence he had his original." An anagram of a good
signification, they'll show you [Gen. vi. 8,] and of a had one [Gen. xxxviii.
7,] in those glorious oracles ; and they will endeavour to persvvade you,
that Maleachi in Exodus is anagrammatically expounded Michael, in Daniel.
But of all tlie anagrammatizers that have been trying their fa7icies, for the
two thousand years which have run out, since the days of Lycophron —
yea, or for the more than five thousand, since the days of our first father
— I believe there never was man that made so many, or so nivibly, as our
Mr. Wilson; who, together with his quick turns, upon the names of his
friends, would ordinarily fet^h, and rather than hse, would even force
devout instructions out of his anagrams. As once, upon hearing my
father preach a sermon about "the glories of our Lord Jesus Christ," Mr.
Wilson immediately gave him that anagram upon his name, Crescentius
Mather us,X anagr. En! Christus Merces tua:^ so there could scarcely occur
the name of any remarkable person, at least, on any remarkable occasion
unto him, without an anagram raised thereupon ; and he made this poet-
ical and peculiar disposition of his ingenuity a subject whereon he grafted
thoughts far more solid, and solemn, and useful, than the stock it self.
Wherefore metboughts, it looked like a piece of injustice that his own
funeral produced (among the many poems afterwards printed) no more
anagrams upon his name, who had so often thus handled the names of
others; and some thought the Muses looked very much dissatisfied, when
they saw these lines upon his hearse:

JOHN WILSON.

Anagr. — JOHN WILSON.

Oh! change it not: no sweeter nnme or thing.
Throughout the world, within our ears shall ring.

There was a little more of humour in the fancy of Mr. Ward, the well-
known "simple cobler of Agawam," as that witty writer stiled himself,

* Attiduity. t Thou duat understand the things of nature. i Increase Mather. ( Go, Christ is thy mward.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

819

who, observing the great hospitality of Mr. Wilson, in conjunction with
his meta-grammatising temper, said, " That the anagram of John Wilson

was I PRAY, COME IN: YOU ARE HEARTILY WELCOME."

To make up this want, I might conclude the life of this good man with
an anagram which he left on and for himself:

Johannea Wilaonut. '' . ' ' i

Anaor. — In uno Jeau, not Salvi.

VEL

' Non in uno Jeau Salu»?

An non in Jesu, Credentum, figitur, uno,
Tata Salusi Hie eat, hie Sita Tbta Stdua.*

' § 21. But it is to the last place in our history of this worthy man, that
I reserve that part of his character which lay in his disposition to allot
unto himself the last place among all worthy men ; for his low opinion of
himself, was the top of all his other excellencies. His humility not only
caused him to prefer the meanest of his brethren above himself, but also
to comply with the meanest opportunities of being serviceable. He might
justly be reckoned the name's sake of that John, the Bishop of Alexandria,
who was called not only Johannes Eleemosynarius,'f but also Humilis Johan-
nes.X Hence 'twas, that when his voice in his age did so fail him, that his
great congregation could be no longer edified by his puhlich labours, he
cheerfully and painfully set himself to do all the good that he could by
his private visits; and such also as he could not reach with sermons, he
often found with verses: hence 'twas that when that plea was used with
the church of Ipswich, to resign Mr. Norton unto the church of Boston,
after the death of Mr. Cotton; because it was said, "Let him that hath
two coats, give to him that hath none:" and a person of quality replied,
"Boston hath one," [meaning Mr. Wilson:] this good man answered,
"Who? me! lam nothing!" Yea, hence 'twas, that when malefactors
had been openly scourged upon the just sentence of authority, he would
presently send for theia to his house, and having first expressed his bounty
to them, he would then bestow upon them such gracious admonitions and
exhortations, as made them to become, instead of desperate, remarkably
penitent. Indeed, I know not whether his humility might not have some
excess, in some instances, charged upon it; at least once, when he had prom-
ised unto a neighbouring minister to preach a sermon for him, and after
his promise came in season to that minister, saying, "Sir, I told you that
I would preach for you, but it was rashly done of me; I have on my knees
begged the pardon of it from the Lord ; that I should offer thus to deprive
his people of your labours, which are so much better than any of mine
can be : wherefore, sir, I now come seasonably to tell you that I shall fail
you!" And accordingly, there was no perswading of him to the contrary.

* John Wilgon, Anagram : "In Jesus alone are we saved ;" or, " Is there not salvation in Jesus alone?"

What other name in earth or heaven is known,

Whereby we may be saved, save Christ's alone?

t John the Compoasionate. X '°^'> ^^ Humble.

li »i'

in'

.. If

820

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMEBICANA;

But from the like humility it was, that a good kinsman of his, who
deserves to li\e in the same story, as he now lives in the same heaven
with him — namely, Mr. Edward Rawson, the honoured secretary of the
Massachuset colony — could not by all his entreaties perswade him to let his
picture be drawn ; but still refusing it, he would reply, " What 1 such a
poor vile creature as I ami shall my picture be drawn? I say, no; it
never shall I" And when that gentleman introduced the limner, with all
things ready, vehemently importuning him to gratifie so far the desires of
his friends, as to sit a while, for the taking of his effigies, no importunity
could ever obtain it from him. However, being bound in justice to employ
my hand for the memory of that person by whose hand I was myself bap-
tised, I have made an essay to draw his picture, by this account of hia
life; wherein if I have missed of doing to the life, it might be made up
with several expressive passagea which I find in elegies written and
printed upon his death: whereof there were many composed, by those
whose opinion was well signified by one of them:

Sure vcrtelett he does mean to's grave to go.
And well deserves that now no verge can show.

But waving tne rest, let the following poem, never before printed, offer
some odours for ' eader's further entertainment:

SOME OFFERS TO EMBALM THE MEMORY OF THE TRULY REY'D. AND RENOWNED JOHN WILSON,

THE FIRST PASTOR OF BOSTON, IN NEW-ENGLAND:
Interred (and a great part of hi* country'! gloiy with him) August 11, 1667, nged 79.

Had we the costly alainiter bor,

MlsHT Aaron's rod (such /miera/* mayn't be dry)
But broach the rock, 'twould gush pure etrgy,
To round the wilderneM with purling layt,
And toll the world the great Saint Wilson's praise.

Here's one— pearls are not in great clusters found-
Here's one, the skill of tonguti and arts had crown'd ;
Here's one (by frequent martyrdom was try'd)
That could forego skill, pelf, and life beside,
For Christ: both Englands' darling, whom in swarms
They press'd to see, and hear, and felt his charms,
Tls one (when will it rise to number two?—
The world at once can but one Phoenix show :)
For truth a Paul, Cephas fi>r teal, for love
A John, inRpir'd by the coelestial dove.
Abram's true son (or faith ; and in his (eat
Angels on had their taUe and content.

So h%imble, that alike on 's charity,
Wrought eztracl gent ; with extract rudii
Pardou tbit fault ; his great excess lay tAer«,
He'd trade, for heaven, with all he came a near;
His meat, clothes, cash, he'd still for ventures send
Consign'd, per Brother Lazarus, his Oiend.

Mighty in prayer, his hands uplifled reach'd

Mercy's high throne, and thence strange bounties fetch'd

Once and again, and oft : so felt by all.

Who weep his death, as a departing Paul.

.4/<— yua, baptix'd with tears, lo! children come

( Their baptism he maintuln'd !> unto his tomb.

Twlxt an apostle and evangelist,

Let stand hii order iu the heavenly list.

What's left we'd s|>«ud on thin Now-English Knox;
True Knox, flII'd with that great reformer's grace,
In (ni(A'« Just cause " fearing no mortal's face."

Christ's Kord, it was his /i/«— Christ's church, his «ir«y
And so^eac with him his least brethren were.
Not heat nor cold— not rain, or frost, or snow —
Could hinder, but he'd to their sermons go ;
Aaron's bells chimed (Tom fur, he'd run, and then
His rovish'd soul echoed .4mra, wlmen/

He travors'd oft the flurce Atlantick sea,

But, Patmos of confessors, 'twas for thee.

This voyoge lands him on the wished shore.

From whence this father will return no more,

To sit the moderator of thy sages.

But tell his zeal for thee to after ages.

His care lo guide bis Jtock and feed his .' :mbs.

By words, teorks, prayers, psalms, alms, and anagram:

Those anagrams, iu which he made to start

Out of meur nothings, by creating art.

Whole teord* of counsel ; did to motes unfold

M'ames, till they lessons gave richer than gold,

And every angle so exactly fay,

It should out-shiue the brightest solar ray.

Sacred his verse, writ with a eheruVs quill ;
But those wing'd choristers of Zion-hill,
Pleased with the notes, call'd him a part to bear
With (Arm, whero he his anagram did henr,
" / pray come in ; heartily welcome, sir I"

I I

REV. JOHN DAVENPORT.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

EPITAPHIUM.

821

Thinking what epitaph I should offer unto the grave of this worthy
man, I called unto mind the fittest in the world, which was directed for
him, immediately upon his death by an honourable person, who still con-
tinues the same lover, as well as in3tance, of learning and vertue, that he
was when he then advised them to give Mr. Wilson this

EPJTAPH.

And now aS:d 9 faith, hope, and charity,
But chat ity 'a the greatest of the three.

To which this might be added, from another hand:

Aurea, qua iphatupeo referent !) Primava VetuaUu
Condidit Aromo. Sscula Apostolica,
Officiia Doniique '.tidem Sanctiseimus Heros,
WiLSONUS tf.citig Protulit ex Tenebria.*

CHAPTER I?.

PURITANISMUS NOT-ANGLICADiUSif THE LIFE OF MB. JOHN

DAVENPORT.

§ 1. A noted author of more than twice seven treatises, and chaplain
to two successive Queens of England, was that Christopher Davenport,
whose assumed name was, Franciscus d, Sanda Clara.X And in Mr. Rush-
worth's collection of speeches, made in the celebrated parliament, 1640,
I find Sir Benjamin Rudyard using these words: "Sancta Clara hath
published, that if a Synod were held, Non intermixtis Puriianis — 'setting
Puritans aside' — our articles and their relig\on would soon be agreed.
They have so brought it to pass, that undor the name of Puritans, all our
religion is branded. Whosoever squares his actions by any rule, either
divine or humane, he is a Puritan; — whosoever would be governed by
the King's laws, he is a Puritan.''' Whether this account of matters
be allowed or no, there was, though not a brother, (as a certain uvoddeii
historian, in his Athence Oxonienses,^ has reported,) yet a kinsman of that
Sancta Clara, who was among the most eminent Puritans of those days:
and this was our holy and famous Mr. John Davenport: one of whom I
may, on many accounts, use the eulogy, with which the learned still mention
Salmasius, Vir nunquam satis Laudatus, nee Tcmere sine Laude nominandus.l

§ 2. Mr. John Davenport was born at Coventry, in the year 1597, of

* ThR ancient apostnlic Age of Gold, I Our WiLsoNPast in apostolic mould,

Obscured so sadly in tiie mists of Time, | Seoms to restore in all its pristine prime.

+ New-England Puritanism. % Francis of St. Clair. % Oxford AtheM,

I A man never yet praised enough, and never to be named without praise.

Vol. L— 21

"1 if

it,

[

822

\rAONALIA CHBISTI AMEBICANA;

worthy parents; a father who was mayor of the city, and a pious mother,
who, having lived just long enough to devote him, as Hannah did, her Sam-
uel, unto the service of the sanctuary, left him under the more immediate
care of Heaven to fit him for that service. The grace of God sanctified
him with good principles, while he had not yet seen two sevens of yeara
in an evil world; and by that age he had also made such attainments in
learning, as to be admitted into Brasen-Nose CoUedge, in Oxford. From
thence, when he was but nineteen years old, he was called unto publick
and constant preaching in the city of London, as an assistant unto another
divine; where his notable accomplishments for a minister, and his cour-
agious residence with, and visiting of his flock, in a dreadful plagiie-Hme,
caused much notice to be quickly taken of him. His degree of Master
of Arts he took not, until, in course, he was to proceed Batch el lor of
Div ..':A . and then with universal approbation, he received both of these
laurels together.

§ 8. This pious man was both an hard student and a great preachei*.
His vustom was to sit up very late at his lucubrations; whereby, though
be f'oi \d no sensible damage himself, and never felt his head ach, yet his
counsel was, that other students would not follow his example, liut the
effect J r,f his industry were seen by all men, in his approving himself
upoi. all occasions, an universal scholar. As for the smaons wherewith
he fed the church of God, he lorote thera for the most part more largely
than the most of ministers; and he spoke them with a gravity, an energy,
an acceptableness, whereto few mini.^lers ever have arrived: indeed, his
greatest enemies, when they heard him, would acknowledge him to be
among "the best of preachers." The ablest men about London were his
nearest friends ; among whom he hi ^'1 a very particular correspondence
with Dr. Preston: he, when he dyed, . 1 his notes with Mr. Diivenport,
tay him to be published; and accordingly, with Dr. Sibs, you'll find Mr.
Davenport signing some of their dedications.

§ 4. About the year lf}26, there were several eminent persons, among
whom were two Doctors of Divirdty, with two other divines, and four
lawyers, whereof one the King's Serjeant at law, and f-ur citizens, whereof
one the Lord Mayor of London, engaged in a design to procure a purchase
of impropriations, and with tho prof *s thereof to maintain a constant, able,
and painful ministry in those ^.^arts of the kingdom where there was most
want of such a ministry. The divines concer :d in this design, were Dr.
Gouge, Dr. Sibs, Mr. Offspring, and our Mr. Davenport; and such an
incredible progress was made in it, that it is judged all the impropriations
in England would have been honestlj^ and easily recovered unto the imme-
diate service of the reformed religion. But Bishop Laud, looking with a
jealous eye on this undertaking, least it might in time give a secret growth
to non-conformity., he obtained a bill to be exhibited in the Exchequer
Chamber, by the King's Attorney -General, against the Feofiees that had

OR, THE HISTORY OF KTEW-ENOLAND.

828

lad

the management of it Upon this occasion, I find this great man writing
in his great Bible the ensuing passages: > ^ i ;'

*'Feb. II, 1633. The business of the feoffees being to be heard the third time at the
Exchequer, I prayed earnestly that God would assist our counsellors in opening tlie casei
and be pleasiHi to grant, that they might get no advantage against us, to punish us as evil
doers; promising to observe what answer ho gave. Which seeing he hath graciously done,
and delivered me from the thing I feared, I record to these ends:

"I. To be more industrious in my family.
" 3. To check my unthankfulness.
"3. To quicken my self to thankfulness.

"4. To awaken my self to more watchfulness for the time to come, in 'remem-
brance of his mercy."
"Which I beseech the Lord to grant; upon whose faithfulness in his covenant I cast my
self, to be made faithful in my covenant John Davekfort.**

The issue of the business was this: the court condemned their proceed-
ings as dangerous to the church and state ; pronouncing the gifts, feoff-
ments, and contrivances, made to the uses aforesaid, to be illegal, and so
dissolved the same, confiscating their money unto the King's use. Yet
the criminal jMirt referred unto, was never prosecuted in the star-chamler ;
because the design was generally approved, and multitudes of discreet and
devout men extrcamly resented the ruine of it

§ 5. It happened that soon after this, the famous Mr. John Cotton was
fallen under such a storm of persecution for his non-conformity, as made
it necessfiry for him to propose and purpose a removal out of the land;
whereupon Mr. Davenport, with several other great and good men, consid-
ering the eminent learning, prudence, and holiness of that excellent per-
son, could be at no rest until they had by a solemn conference informed
themselves of what might move him to such a resolution. The issue of
the cotiference was, that instead of their disswading him from exposing
himself to such sufterings as were now before him, he convinced tJiem of
the truth in the came for which he suffered; and they became satisfied
both of the evil in sundry matters of tcorship and order iinposed upon them,
and of the duty which lay upon them, in their places to ende-'ivour the
reformation of things in the church, according to the word of God. Mr.
Davenport's inclination to non-conformity, from this time, fell under the
notice and anger of his diocesan; who presently determined the marks of
his vengeance for him: of which being seasonably and sufficiently adver-
tised, he convened the principal persons under his pastoral charge in Cole-
man-street, at a general vestry, desiring them on this occasion to declare
what they would advise ; for acknowledging the right which they had in
him as their pastor, he would not by any danger be driven from any service
which they should expect or demand at his hands; but he would imitate
the example of JiUthor, who, upon letters from the church of Wittenberg,
from whence he had withdrawn for his security, upon the direction of the

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824

MAGNALIA 0HRI8TI AMEBICANA;

Duke of Saxony, retiirned unto the couragious exercise of his ministry.
Upon a serious deliberation, they discharged his conscientious obligation,
by agreeing with him that it would be best for him to resign ; but although
he now hoped for something of a quiet life, his hope was -disappointed;
for he was continually dogged by raging busie pursuivants, from whom
he had no safety but by retiring into Holland.

§ 6. Over to Holland he went, in the latter end of the year 1683, where
the messengers of the church, under the charge of Mr. Paget, met him in
his way to Amsterdam, inviting him to become the colleague of their aged
pastor. But Mr. Davenport had not been long there, before his indispo-
sition to the promiscuous baptising of children, concerning whom there
was no charitable or tolerable testimony of their belonging to Christian
parents, was by Mr. Paget so improved against him, as to procure him the
displeasure of the Dutch classes in the neighbourhood. The contention on
this occasion proceeded so far, that though the Dutch ministers had under
their hands declared : — " Wo desire nothing more, than that Mr. Daven-
port, whose eminent learning and singular piety is much approved and
commended of all the English our brethren, may be lawfully promoted
unto the ministry of the English church: we do also greatly approve of
his good zeal and care, of his having some precedent private examination
of the parents and sureties of children to be baptised in the Christian
religion." Yet the matter could not bo accommodated; Mr. Davenport
could not be allowed, except he would promise to baptise the children of
such whose parents and sureties were, upon examination, found never so
much unchristianized, ignorant, or scandalous. He therefore desisted from
his publick ministry in Amsterdam about the beginning of the year 1635,
contenting himself to set up a catechetical exercise in the family, where he
sojourned on the afternoon of the Lord's days, an hour after the publick
sermons were over. But some considerable number of people, at length,
resorting to this exercise, a jealousie was pretended by his adversary, that
the design of it was to promote such sects as, indeed, the chief design of it
was to prevent; and upon this pretence he was hindered, even from this
lesser opportunity of doing service also. The fuller story of these uncom-
fortable and unreasonable branglos, the reader may iind in an Apologetical
Discourse of Mr. Davenport's, j)ublishcd for his own vindication ; wherein
he does with a learned pen handle several points much controverted in
the reformed churches, and shew himself a divine well studied in the con-
troversies of the present and the former ages. But the upshot of all was,
that he returned back to London; where he told his friends, ''That he
thought God carried him over into Holland, on purpose to bear witness
against that promiscuous bajHism, which at least bordered very near upon
a profanation of the holy institution."

§ 7. He observed, that when u re/onnaiion of the church has been brought
about in any part of the world, it has rarely been a/terivards carried on

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENQLAND.

825

>ht
on

any one step further than the first reformers did succeed in their first
endeavours; he observed that as easily might the ark have been removed
from the mountains of Ararat, where it first grounded, as a people get any
ground in reformation, after and beyond ihQ first remove of the reformers.
And this observation quickned him to embark in a design of reformation,
wherein he might have opportunity to drive things in the first essay, as
near to the precept and pattern of Scripture^ as they could be driven. The
plantation of New-England afforded him this opportunity, with the chief
undertakers whereof he had many consultations, before he had ever taken
up any purpose of going himself into that part of the world ; and he had,
indeed, a very great stroke in the encouraging and enlivening of that noble
undertaking. He was one of those by whom the patent for the Massachu-
set colony was procured ; and though his name were not among the pat-
entees, because he himself desired it might be omitted, lest his enemy, the
Bishop of London, then of the King's privy council, should upon his
account appear the more fiercely against it; yet his purse was in it, his
time was in it, and he contributed unto it all manner of assistances : this
he did before his going to Holland. And while he was in Holland, he
received letters of Mr. Cotton from the country whereto ho had thus been
tkfiither; telling him, 'That the order of the churches and the common-
wealth was now so settled in New-England, by common consent, that it
brought into his mind the new heaven and the new earth, wherein dwells
righteousness." Wherefore, soon after his return for London, he shipped
himself, with several eminent Christians, and their families, for New-Eng-
land ; where, by the good hand of God upon them, they arrived in the
summer of the year 1637.

§ 8. Mr. Cotton welcomed Mr. Davenport, as Moses did Jethro, hoping
that he would be "as eyes unto them in the wilderness." For by the
cunning and malice of Satan, all things in this New-English wilderness
were then surprised into a deal of confusion, on the occasion of the Anti-
nomian opinions then spread abroad ; but the learning and wisdom of this
worthy man in the Synod then assembled at Cambridge, did contribute
more than a little to dispel the fascinating mists which had suddenly dis-
ordered all our affairs. Having done his part in that blessed work, (as we
have elsewhere more fully related) he, with his friends, who were more fit
for Zebulon's ports than for Issachar's tents, chose to go farther westward ;
where they began a plantation and a colony, since distinguished by the
name of New-Haven; and endeavoured, according to his understanding,
a yet stricter conformity to the word of God, in settling of all matters, both
civil and sacred, than he had yet seen exemplified in any other part of the
world. There the famous chw^h of New-Haven, as well as the other
neighbouring towns, enjoyed his ministry, his discipline, his government,
and his universal direction for many years together: even till afler the
restoration of King Charles II. Connecticut and New-Haven were by one

826

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA*,

charter incorporated. And here, with whut hoUnesa^ with whnt icaUh/itlnrx.^
with what usefulness he discharged his miuidtry, it is worthy of a r< luoni-
brance amonpr all that would propose unto theniselves a worthy e.vitmph;
Nevertheless, all that I shall hero preserve of it, is this one article: A
young minister once receiving of wise and good councils from ti.;^ guo^l
and wise and great man, ho received this among the rest, "Tlrd \m shouM
be much in ejaculatory prayer ; for, indeed, ejaculatory prayers, as arrows
in the hand of a mighty man, so are they^ liappy is the man that has liid
quiver full of them I" And it was believed, by some curious oWrvers,
that Mr. Davenport himself was well used unto that sacred skill of "walk-
ing with God," and "having his eyes ever towards the Lord," and "being
in the fear .>»f the Lord all the day long," by the use oi rjaculatont prayers,
on the innumerable occasions which every turn of our lives does bring for
those devotions. He was not only constant 'u\ more settled, whether social
or secret prayers, but als(^ in the midst of all besieging incumbrances, tying
the wishes of his devout soul unto the arrows of ejaculatory jtrayers, ho
would shoot them awuy unto the heavens, from whence he still expected all
his help. With such a glory, with such a defence, vas New-Haven blossod!
§ 9. But his influences were not confined unto his own colony of New-
Haven ; they were extended as far as his general and generous care of all
the churches could carry him. And hence, I find him in a particular man-
ner, expressing his good affections unto the IrcnM designs and studies,
which were in those days managing by some great men, for the restoring
of communion among f iio <livided churches of the irformatiou. Perhaps
I cannot give an exuotcr character of this eminent person's disposition,
than by my transcribing aad my translating of a few passages in a letter
to the famoii!- Dury, ly him composed, and by the rest of the ministers in
his colony subscribed :

^* Flagrante Schismatis Incendio, Ecclesias, quas oportcbat Arctissimo Pads et
Unitatis Vinculo Colligari, tniscras in secias Invisn Deo Lneernbat Erinnys; ttsque
adeo ut qtii rrutuam contra communes Hostes opem conferrenl, proh dolor! con-
certaiiones Midiuniticas invicem agunt ; Sictit enim Juvencs, quos ad Dimicandum
Ahnerus Provocahat, se mutuis Vulneribus Confecerunt; sic, quorundam Vitio,qui
partes potius eigunt male Disputantium, quum bene Evangoliznntium, Jurgia, Li/rs,
Animorum Divortia, Schismata et Scandala, in Ecclesiis Et-angelicis Suboriuntur,
rum sine gravi Injirmorum Offendiculoy nee sine summo bonorum omnium Mcerore,
ae Inimicorum EvangeliccR Veritatis Oblectamento,"——

"While the fire o( schism has been raging, the hateful fury hna miserably torn to pieces
the churches that should have been hold together in tlio atrietesit bonds of love and unity ;
insomuch that they who should have united for uuitiml help against the common enemy,
alas, have even fallen upon one another, as in the day of Midian. As the young men, upon
the provocation. of Abner, wounded one another to death; thus, by the fault of some, who
do the part rather of bad wranglers than of jrixW pnachers, there do arise in the ri'forined
churches those broils, and stn/es, and animosities, and scAi,<>-ni.s and soandnls, whieh offend tliu
weak and afflict the good, and are no little Siitiafuotion to the enemies of gos\tel-truiK^

(

OB, THE 1II8T0KT OF NEW-ENOLAND.

827

"IVimc Vero, Postquam Gustos Israelis, Dous Paois, dcdit in Corda tot Eccleai'
arum et Magistratuum, ut Vulneribua ialit Medicinam faciendam ease, Neceaaarium
Judic&rint, En ! Bonorum omnium Animi, in Spem erecli, Malorum iatorum Sal-
utarem Clauaulam Expectant, et Votia intimia, Patrem Miaericordiarum Vobiscum
invocant, ut Spiritua .tui Gratia, Secundum Verbum Suum, Conailia el octionea
Servorum Suorum dirigere, ad Sancti Nominia Sui Gloria n dignetur."

"But now that the 'Keeper of Israel,' the 'Ood of peace,' hath put it into the hearts of
many churches and rulers, to apprehend it necessary that a cure should be sought for these
wounds, behold 1 the minds of all good men do with a raised hope expect an happy close of
these mischiefs; and with most hearty prayers do beseech the Father of Merciua, that ho
would, by the grace of his Spirit, according to his v.nTd, please to direct the counsels and
actions of his servants, for the glory of his own )< name."

"/Zec/e quidem fecisti, Reverende Fra
cum Corpore, Sub eodem Capite Jeau i
Sanctorum Communione Promovendum,/

f^p. quod noa etiam in eodem Vobia-
ititutoa, ad Negotium hoc^ in
tAsti."

"You have done right well, reverend brother, i that yuu have, after a brotherly manner,
unto the promoting of this affair, in the communion of saints invited us, who belong to the
same mystical body with your selves, under one head, our Lord Jesus Christ."

" Dica Vero non eat Orthodoxis impingenda, quaai Optatissima. illi Paci, qua
inter Scisaaa Evangelicas Ecclesias quceritur, Offendiculum posucrint et remoram,
qui, Necessitate Postulante, ea utuntur Libertate Refutandi Errores, quam Pax non
debet impedire : adeoque auo Exemplo futuram pacem prcemuniunt, d Vitiia in

Excessu positia." " Quippe quod sincere de Erroribua Judicare, et Errorea

tamen in Fratribus Infirmis Tolerare, Utrumque Judicamua esse Aposlolica DoC'
frincB Consonum. Toleratio Vero Fratrum Infirmorum, non debet esse adsqtte
Redargutione, Sed tantum absque Rejectione."

"Nevertheless, 'tis not to be made an article of complaint against the orthodox, as if they
would hinder or delay the peace desired so much among the reformed churclies, because they
dv, as necessity shall call for it, use thot liberty of refuting errors, which peace ought to be
no bar unto ; and by their example, would rescue the future peace from the extremes where-

with it would be rendred faulty." ^"Por we reckon that as well to judge what things are

errors, as to bear with such errors in weaker brethren, are both of them agreeable to what
we have been taught by the apostles. The toleration of our erroneous brethren should not
be without rebuking, but it should be without rgecling of those brethren."

§ 10. It is a notable expression, and a wonderful concession of that
great Cardinal Bellermine, the last Goliah of the Romish Philistines:
Ecdesia ex Intentione Fideles tantum Colligit, et si nosset Impios et incredulos,
eos aut nunquam admitteret, ant casu Admissos Excluderet: " The church" (he
says) '^intentionally gathers only true believers, and if she knew who were
tcicked and faithless, either she would not admit them at all, or, if they were
accidentalli/ admitted, she would exclude them. " Our Davenport, conceiving
it a shame that any Protestant should protest for less church purity than
what the confessions of a learned Papist allowed, ere he was aware, to be
contended for, did now at New-IIaven make church purity to be one of his
greatest concernments and endeavours. It was his declared principle, that
more is required of men, in order to their being members of an instituted

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WEBSTER, NY. 14580

(716)872-4503

828

MAGNALIA GHBISTI AMEBIOANA;

churchy than that they profess the Christian faiik^ and ask the visible seaU
of the covenant in the fellowship of the church; all which may be done
by persons notoriously scandalous in their lives, from whom the command
is, "turn away;" but only such persons may be received as members of
a particular church, who (according to Matt. xvi. 18, 19,) make such a
publick profession of ihea faith, as the church may, in charitable discre-
tion, judge has blessedness annexed unto it, and such as flech and blood
hath not revealed. In pursuance of this principle, he was, like his dear
friend, that great man. Dr. Thomas Goodwin, perswaded, "that (as he
speaks) there are many rules in the word, whereby it is meet for us to
judge who are saints; by which rules those who are betrusted to receive
men unto ordinances in churches, are to be guided, and so to separate
between the precious and the unclean, ns the priests of old were enabled
and commanded by ceremonial diflferences, which God then made to typifie
the like discrimination of persons." And, therefore, making the marks of
a repenting and a believing soul, given in the word of God, the rules of
his tryals, he used a more than ordinary exactness in trying those that
were admitted unto the communion of the church: indeed, so vei^ thor-
oughly, and, I had almost said, severely strict, were the terms of his com-
munion, and so much, I had well nigh said, overmuch, were the golden
snuffers of the sanctuary employed by him in his exercise of discipline
towards those that were admitted, that he did all that was possible to
render the renowned church of New-Haven like the New-Jerusalem ; and
yet, after all, the Lord gave him to see that in this wor?d it was impossible
to see a church state, whereinto there "enters nothing which defiles." This
great man hath himself, in one of his own treatises, observed it: "The
' officers and brethren of the church are but men, who judge by the outward
appearance. Therefore their judgment is fallible, and hath deceived; as
we see in the judgment of the apostles, and the church at Jerusalem, con-
cerning Ananias and Sapphira ; and in that of Philip and the church in
Samaria, concerning Simon Magus. Their duty is to proceed as far as men
may, by rule, with due moderation and gentleness, to try them who offer
themselves to fellowship, whether they be believers or not; refusing known
hypocrites: though when they have done all they can, close hypocrites
will creep in." And now I might entertain my reader, I hope, with a
profitable, I am sure with a very prodigious history: I will on this occa-
sion relate most "horrible things done in the land;" which this good man
saw, to confirm his own observation : but I will take a fitter occasion for it.
§ 11. After this, the remaining days of this eminent person were worn
away under the unhappy temptations of a wilderness. It so happened
that the most part of the first church in Boston, the metropolis of the
colony, out of respect unto his vast abilities, had applied themselves unto
him, to succeed those famous lights, Cotton, and Norton, and Wilson, who
having from that "golden candlestick" illuminated the whole country,
were now gone to shine in an higher orb. His removal from New-Haven

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

829

yna ologged with many temptatious difficulties: (for, MiracuK instar, vita
Jkrai longum, sine Gffensione Percurrere:*) but he broke through them all,
in expeotation to do what he judged would be a more comprehensive service
unto the churches of New-England, than could have been done by him
in his now undistinguished colony. On this occasion, if I should mention
that lamentable o><servation of old Epiphanius, who says, "I have known
some confessors, who delivered up their body and their spirit for the Lord,
and, persevering in confession and charity, obtained great proof of the
sincerity of their faith, and excelled in piety, humanity, and religion, and
were continual in fastings, and in a word, flourished in vertue: and these
very men were blemished with some vice, as either they were prone to
reproach men, or would swear profanely, or were over talkative, or were
prone to anger, or got gold and silver, or were defiled with some such filth:
which nevertheless detract not from the just praises of their vertue." —
1 must add upon it, that Mr. Davenport was a confessor flourishiDg in
vertue, upon whom they that, upon the score of his removal, were most
of all dissatisfied at him, would not yet charge those unhappy blemishes:
and if any good men, in the sifiiiftg times, did count him either too straight,
or too high, in some of his apprehensions; nevertheless, these things also
detract not from the just praises of his vertue.

§ 12. So rich a treasure of the best gifts as was in our Davenport, was
well worth coveting by the considerablest church of the land. He was a
most incomparable preacher, and a man of more than ordinary accom*
plishments; a prince of preachers, and worthy to have been a preacher to
princes: he had been acquainted with great men, and great things, and
was great himself, and had a great fame abroad in the world ; yea, now he
was grown old, like Moses his "force was not abated." And the character
which I remember that old pagan historian, Diodorus the Sicilian, gave
of our Moses, every body was ready to give of our Davenport, "He was a
man of a great soul, and very powerful in his life." But his removal did
seem too much to verifie an observation, by the famous Dr. Tuckney thus
expressed; "It is ill transplanting a tree that thrives in the soil;" for
accepting the call of Boston-Church, in the year 1667, that church, and
the world, must enjoy him no longer than till the year 1670: when on
March 15, aged seventy two years, he was by apoplexy fetched away to that
glorious world, where the spirits of Cotton and Davenport are together in
heaven, as their bodies are now in one tomb on earth.

§ 13. His constant and various employments otherwise, would not permit
him to leave many printed effects of his judicious industry, besides those
few already mentioned: although he were so close and bent a student, that
the rude Pagans themselves took much notice of it, and the Indiaa salv-
ages in the neigbourhood would call him, "So big study man." Only there
is in the hands of the faithful a savoury treatise of his, entituled, " The
Si.xints' Anchor- Hold ;^^ in the preface whereof, a Duumvirate of renowned

* It would be K mirado if one should nuke so long a Journey or life without encountering some stumbiinK-stono.

880

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMEBICANA;

men; to wit, Mr. Hook, and Mr. Caryl, give this attestation : "As touching
the author of this Treatise, in whose heart the text waa written by the
finger of God, before the discourse was penned by his own hand; his piety,
learning, gravity, experience, judgment, do not more commend him to all
that know him, than this work of his may commend it self to them that
read it." The Christian faith has also been solidly and learnedly main-
tained by him, in a discourse long since published, for the "demonstration
of our blessed Jesus, to be the true Messias." Nor would I forget a sermon
of his on 2 Sam. xxiii. 3, at the anniversary court of election at Boston,
1669, afterwards published. Among the many which he hath prefixed
unto the books of other authors, I know not whether his excellent epistle
before Mr. Scudder's '^Daily-walk" may not, for the worth of it, be reck-
oned it self a hoohf as the hook it self was the directory of his own daily
walk. Moreover, there is published a treatise of his under this title, " The
Power of \yongregational Churches;^* in the preface whereof Mr. Nathanael
Mather, (at this time the worthy and well-known Pastor of such a church
in the city of London,) has these very significant expressions concerning
him : " Certain it is, tae principles held forth in this treatise cost the rev-
erend author not only many sufferings, but also many, very many sad
searchings, and much reading and study, on set purpose, accompanied with
manifold prayers and cries to the Father of Lights, for light therein. After
all which, he was more confirmed in them, and attained to such comfort-
able clearness therein, as bore him up with much inward peace and satis-
faction, under all his afflictions, on the account of his perswasion in these
points. And so perswaded, lived, and so died this grave and serious
spirited man." There is likewise published, "A Discourse about Civil
Government, in a New Plantation, whose design is Religion:''^ in the title
page whereof the name of Mr. Cotton is, by a mistake, put for that of Mr.
Davenport. And there was lately transcribed for the press, from his
notes, a large volume of accurate and elaborate sermons, on the whole
book of Canticles. But the death of the gentleman chiefly concerned in
the intended impression, proved the death he impression it self.

§ 14. To conclude: there will be bu*; f njust account given of the
things preached and written by this reverend man, if we do not mention
one singular favour of Heaven unto him. It is well known that, in the
earliest of the primitive times, the faithful did, in a literal sense, believe
the "second coming" of the LordOesus Christ, and the rising and reigning
of the saints with him, a thousand years before the "rest of the dead live
again ;" a doctrine which, however, some of later years have counted it
heretical; yet, in the days of Irenseus, was questioned by none but such
03 were counted hereticks. 'Tis evident, from Justin Martyr, that this
doctrine of the Chiliad was in his days embraced among all orthodox Chris-
tians ; nor did this kingdom of our Lord begin to be doubted until the
kingdom of antichrist began to advance into a considerable figure; and
then it fell chiefly under the reproaches of such men as were fain to deny

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

881

the divine authority of the book of Revelation, and of the second Epistle
of Peter. He is a stranger to antiquity who does not find and own the
ancients generally of the perswasion, which is excellently summed up in
those words of Lactantius: Veniet Summi et maximi Dei Filius. Verum
tile, cum deleverit injtistitmm, Judiciumqiui maximum fecerit^ ac Justos, qui a
Principio fuerunt, ad vitam Bestauraverit, Mille Annas inter Homines Versa-
bitur, eosque Justissimo Tmperio reget* Nevertheless, at last men came,
not only to lay aside the modesty expressed, by one of the first considerable
Anti-Millenaries — namely, Jerom — when he said, Quae licet non sequamur,
tamen condemnare non joossumus, eo quod multi Virorum Ecclesiasticorum et
Martynim, ista dixerint;f but also with violence to persecute the millenary
truth as an heretical pravity. So the mystery of our Lord's "appearing in
his kingdom," lay buried in Popish darkness, till the light thereof had a
fresh dawn, since the antichrist entred into the last half time of the period
allotted for him; and now, within the last few sevens of years, as things
grow nearer to accomplishment, learned and pious men, in great numbers
every where, come to receive, explain, and maintain the old faith about it.
But here was the special favour of Heaven to our Davenport, that so many
years ago, when in both Englands the true notion of the Chiliad was
hardly apprehended by as many divines of note as there are mouths of
Nilus, yet this worthy man clearly saw into it, and both preached and
wrote those very things about the future state, and coming of the Lord, the
calling of the Jews, and the first and second resurrection of the dead, which
do now of late years get more ground against the opposition of the oilier-
wise minded, and find a kinder entertainment among them that "search
the Scriptures:'' and whereof he afterwards, when he was an old man,
gave the world a little taste, in a judicious preface before a most learned
and nervous treatise, composed by one that was then a young man, about
"the mystery of the salvation of Israel." Even, then, so long ago it was,
that he asserted, "A per.ional, visible, powerful, and glorious coming of
the Lord Jesus Christ uii*;o judgment, long before the end of the world."
But thus we take our leave of this renowned man, and leave him rest-
ing in hope to stand in his lot at that end.

BPITAPHIUM.

JOHANNES DAVENPORTUS:

In Portum Delatu».
Vivtu, NoT-Anglin, ae Ecclesige Omamentum,

Mortuus, Utriutque Tritte Deriderium.t

* The Son of the Most High snd Mighty ahall come. And He, when he ihall have overcome iqiastiee, tuti
established universal righteousness, and shall have raised up fh)m tlie dead all the saints who have existed flrom
the beginning of the world, shall dwell iri person among men for a thousand years, and shall govern them with
moet righteous sway.

t Though we may nut cordially assent to all these doctrines, we cannot condemn them, for they have been
affirmed by many of the heroes and martyrs of the Church,

X EriTAFR.— John Davbhport : Safely in port In life, the ornament of New-England and the Church :
dead, the object of their common regret.

i[-'

( t:

APPENDIX.

THE LIGHT OF THE WESTERN CHURCHES;

OR, THE LIFE OF MR. THOMAS HOOKER, , , v^'

THE RENOWNED PASTOR OF HARTFORD CHURCH, AND PILLAR OF CONNECTICUT COLONT,

, / IN NEW-BNOLAND. \ * /.

ESSAYED BY COTTON MATHER. '

Quod n digna Tua minut ett mea Pagina Laude,
At voluiate aat ett.*

TO THE CHURCHES IN lAE COLONT OF COVNECTICUTi

Although the providence of Heaven, whereby the bounds of people are set, hath carried
you 80 far westward, that some have pleasantly said, "the last conflict with antichrist must
be in your colony;" yet, I believe, you do not reckon your selves removed beyond the reach
of temptation and corruption. Tis a great work that you have done, for our Lord Jesus
Christ, in forming a colony of evangelical churches for him, where Satan alone had reigned
without controul in all former ages ; but your incomparable Hooker, who was one of the
greatest in the foundation of that work, was in his day well aware that Satan would make
all the haste he could, unhappily to get all buried in the degeneracies of ignorance, world-
liness, and profanity. To advise you of your dangers, and uphold the life of religion among
you, I presume humbly to lay before you the life of that excellent man, who, for learning,
wisdom, and religion, was a pattern well worthy of perpetual consideration. Having served
my own province with the history of no less than four famous Johns, all fetched from one
church, I was, for certain special causes, unwilling to have it complained, as once it was of
the disciples, "Thomas was not with them:" wherefore I was willing to make this appendix
unto that history, confessing that through want of information I have underdone in this,
more than in any part of the composure ; yet so done, that I hope the good hand of the
Lord, whom I have designed therein to gloriiie, will moke what is done to be neither unac«
ceptable nor unprofitable unto his people. Cotton Mather.

♦utfTtif Tuv 'ExxXijrfiwv Itfiriiiiuv.f The Life of Mr. Thomas Hooker.

§ 1. "When Toxaris met w'tb his countryman Anacharsis in Athens, he
gave him this invitation, ''Come along with me, and I will shew thee at
once all the wonders of Greece:" whereupon he shewed him Solon, as the
person in whom there centered all the glories of that city or country. I
shall now invite my reader to behold at once the " wonders" of New-Eng-
land, and it is in one Thomas Hooker that he shall behold them : even in

* Worthy of thee my praise may never be:
I vould it were I— let that auffice Ibr me.

t The lamp of the Weatem Churehei.

.♦

OB, THE HISTOBT OF NEW-ENGLAND.

888

world-

amung
earning,
g served
rom one

was of
appendix

in tliis,
of the

cbM.

that Hooker, whom a worthy writer would needs call "Saint Hooker,"
for the same reason, (he said) and with the a&me freedom that Latimer would
speak of Saint Bilnej, in his commemorations. 'Tis that Hooker, of whom
I may venture to say, that the famous Bomahist, who wrote a book, De
Tribus Thomis; or, Of Three Thomases — meaning Thomas the Apostle,
Thomas Becket, and Sir Thomas More — did not a thousandth part so well
sort his Thomas's, as a New-Englander might, if he should write a book,
De DvxJbm Thomis: or Of Two Thomas's; and with Thomas the Apostle,
joyn our celebrious Thomas Hooker: ray one Thomas, even our apostolical
Hooker, would in just balances weigh down two of Stapelton's rebellious
Archbishops or bigoted Lord Chancellors. 'Tis he whom I may call, as
Theodoret called Irenaeus, "The light of the western churches."

§ 2. This our Hooker was born at Marfield, in Leicestershire, about the
year 1586, of parents that were neither unable nor unwilling to bestow
upon him a liberal education; whereto the early and lively sparkles of
wit observed in him did very much encourage them. His natural temper
was cheerful and courteous; but it was accompanied with such a sensible
grandeur of mind, as caused his friends, without the help of astrology, to
prognosticate that he was born to be considerable. The influence which
he had upon the reformation of some growing abuses, when he was one
of the proctors in the university, was a thing that more eminently signal-
ized him, when his more publick appearance in the world was coming on :
which was attended with an advancement unto a fellowship in Emanuel
Colledge, in Cambridge; the students whereof were originally designed
for the Ptudy of divinity.

§ 8. With what ability and fidelity he acquitted himself in h\a fellowsJiip,
it was a thing sensible unto the whole university. And it was while he
was in this employment that the more effectual grace of God gave him the
experience of a true regeneration. It pleased the qtirit of God very pow-
erfully to break into the soul of this person with such a sense of his being
exposed unto the just wrath of Heaven, as filled him with most unusual
degrees of horror and anguish, which broke not only his rest, but his
heart also, and caused him to cry out, " While I suffer thy terrors, O Lord,
I am distracted I" While he long had a soul harassed with such distresses,
he had a singular help in the prudent and piteous carriage of Mr. Ash,
who was the Sizer that then waited upon him; and attended him with
such discreet and proper compassions, as made him afterwards to respect
him highly all his days. He afterwards gave this account of himself,
"That in the time of his agonies, he could reason himself to the rule, and
conclude that there was no way but submission to God, and lying at the
foot of his mercy in Christ Jesus, and waiting humbly there, till he should
please to perswade the soul of his favour: nevertheless, when ho came to
apply this rule unto himself in his own condition, his reasoning would fail
him, he was able to do nothing." Having been a considerable while thus

884

MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

i i

troubled with such impressions for the "spirit of bondage," as were to fit
him for the great services and enjoyments which Qod intended him, at
length he received the "spirit of adoption," with well-grounded perswa*
sions of his interest in the new covenant It became his manner, at his
lying down for sleep in the evening, to single out some certain promise of
God, which he would repeat and ponder, and keep his heart close unto it,
until he found that satisfaction of soul wherewith he could say, "I will
lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou, Lord, makest me dwell in
assurance." And he would afterwards counsel others to take the same
course; telling them, "That the promise was the boat which was to carry
a perishing sinner over unto the Lord Jesus Christ.

§ 4. Mr. Hooker being now well got through the storm of soul, which
had helped him unto a most experimental acquaintance with the truths of
the gospel, and the way of employing and applying those truths, he was
willing to serve the Church of God in the ministry, whereto he was
devoted. At his first leaving of the university, he sojourned in the house
of Mr. Drake, a gentleman of great note, not far from London; whose
worthy consort being visited with such distresses of soul as Mr. Hooker
himself had passed through, it proved an unspeakable advantage unto
both of them that he had that opportunity of being serviceable; for indeed
he now had no superiour^ and scarce any equal^ for the skill of treating a
troubled soul. When he left Mr. Drake's family, he did more publickly
and frequently preach about London ; and in a little time he grew famous
for his ministerial abilities, but especially for his notable faculty at the
wise and fit management of vxmnded spirits. However, he was not ambi-
tious to exercise his ministry among the great ones of the world, from
whom the most of preferment might be expected; but in this, imitating
the example and character of our blessed Saviour, of whom 'tis noted that,
according to the prophesie of Isaiah, by him, "The poor had the gospel
preached unto them;" he chose to be where great numbers of Uie poor
might receive the gospel from him.

§ 5. About this time it was that Mr. Hooker grew into a most intimate
acquaintance with Mr. Eogers of Dedham; who so highly valued him for
his multifarious abilities, that he used and gained many endeavours to get
him settled at Colchester; whereto Mr. Hooker did very much incline,
because of its being so near to Dedham, where he might enjoy the labours
and lectures of Mr. Rogers, whom he would sometimes call, '* The prince
of all the preachers in England." But the providence of God gav°, an
obstruction to that settlement; and, indeed, it was an observation which
Mr. Hooker would sometimes afterwards use unto his friends, "That the
providence of God often diverted him from employment in such pl.iees as
he himself desired, and still directed him to such places as he had no
thoughts of." Accordingly, Chelmsford in Essex, a town of great con-
course, wanting one to "break the bread of life" unto them, and hearing

ii :li

OB, THE HIBTOBT OF MEW-ENOLAND.

886

the fame of Mr. Hooker's powerful ministry, addressed him to become
their lecturer; and he accepted their offer about the year 1626, becoming
not only their lecturer, but also on the Lord's days an assistant unto one
Mr. Mitchel, the incumbent of the place, who, though he were a smaller^
yet being a godly person, gladly encouraged Mr. Hooker, and lived with
him in a most comfbrtable amity.

§ 6. Here his lecture was exceedingly frequented, and proportionably
succeeded; and the light of his ministry shone through the whole county
of Essex. There was a rare mixture of pleasure and profit in his preach-
ing; and his hearers felt those penetrating impressions of his ministry
upon their souls which caused them to reverence him, as "a teacher sent
from God." He had a most excellent faculty at the applications of his
doctrine; and he would therein so touch the consciences of his auditors,
that a judicious person would say of him, " He was the best at an use that
ever he heard." Hereby there was a great reformation wrought, not only
in the town, but in the adjacent country, from all parts whereof they came
to "hear the wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ," in his gospel, by this
worthy man dispensed: and some of great quality among the rest, would
often resort from far to his assembly ; particularly the truly noble Earl of
Warwick, whose countenance of good ministers procured more prayers
to God for him than most noble-men in England.

When he first set up his lecture, there was more profanencss than devo-
tion in the town ; and the multitude of inns and shops in the town pro-
duced one particular disorder, of people's filling the streets with unsuitable
behaviour, after the publick services of the Lord's day were over. But
by the power of his ministry in publick, and by the prudence of his car-
riage in private, he quickly cleared the streets of this disorder, and the
Sabbath came to be very visibly sanctified among the people.

§ 7. The joy of the people in this light was "but for a season." The
conscientious non-conformity of Mr. Hooker to ./.ne rites of the church
of England, then vigorously pressed, especially upon such able and use-
ful ministers as were most likely to be laid aside by their scrupling of
those rites, made it necessary for him to lay down his ministry in Chelms-
ford, when he had been about four years there employed in it. Hereupon,
at the request of several eminent persons, he kept a school in his oum
hired hoi(se, having one Mr. John Eliot for his usher, at little Baddow,
not far from Chelmsford ; where he managed his charge with such discre-
tion, with such authority, and such efiicacy, that, able to do more with a
word or a look than most other men could have done by a severer disci-
pline, he did very great service to the church of God, in the education of
such as afterwards proved themselves not a little serviceable. I have in
my hands a manuscript, written by the hands of our blessed Eliot,
wherein he gives a very great account of the little academy then main-
tained in the house of Mr. Hooker; and, among other things, he says:

I-

886

MAONALIA 0HBI8TI AlfERIOANAi

"To this place I was called, through the infinite riches of God's mercy in
Christ Jesus to my poor soul : for here the Lord said unto my dead soul,
live; and through the grace of Christ, I do live, and I shall live for ever!
When I came to this blessed family I then saw, and never before, the
power of godliness in its lively vigour and efficacy."

§ 8. While he continued thus in the heart of Essex, and in the hearts
of the people there, he signalized his usefulness in many other instances.

The godly ministers round about the country would have recourse
unto him, to be directed and resolved in their difficult cases; and it was by
his means that those godly ministers held their menthly meetings^ foT fasting
and prayer, and profitable conferences. 'Twas the effect of his consultations,
also, that such godly ministers came to be here and there settled in several
parts of the country ; and many others came to be better established in
some great points of Christianity, by being in )aa neighbourhood and
acquaintance. He was indeed a general blessing to the church of Godl
But that which hindred his taking his degree of Batchellor in Divinity, must
also, it seems, hinder his being a preacher of Divinity ; namely, his being
a non-conformist unto some things, whereof true divinity could not approve.
And indeed that which made the silencing of Mr. Hooker more unac-
countable, was, that no less than seven-and-forty conformable ministers of
the neighbouring towns, understanding that the Bishop of London pre-
tended Mr. Hooker's ministry to be injurious or offensive to them, sub-
scribed a petition to the Bishop for his continuance in the ministry at
Chelmsford ; in which petition, though he was of a perswasion so different
from them, yet they testifie, in so many words, " That they esteem and
know the said Mr. Thomas Hooker to be for doctrine, orthodox; for life
and conversation, honest; for disposition, peaceable, and in no wise turbu-
lent or factious." And yet all would not avail: Bonus vir Hookerus,
sed ideo malus, quia Puritanus.*

§ 9. The ground-work of his knowledge and study of the arts, was in
the talks of Mr. Alexander Eichardson, whom he closely followed, admir-
ing him for a man of transcendent ability, and a most exalted piety;
and would say of him, "That he was a master of so much understanding,
that, like the great army of Gideon, he was too many to be employed in
doing what was to be done for the church of God." This most eminent
Richardson leaving the university, lived a private life in Essex, whither
many students in Cambridge resorted unto him, to be illuminated in the
abstruser parts of learning; and from him it was that the incomparable
Doctor Ames imbibed those principles, both in philosophy and in divinity.
which afterwards not only gave clearer methods and measures to all the
liberal arts, but also fed the whole church of God with the choicest
marrow. Nevertheless, this excellent man, as he lived, so he died in a
most retired obscurity ; but so far as a metempsychosis was attainable, the

* Hooker ii a good man, but, in being ■ Puritan, ii a bod man.

OB, 'iill HISTOBY or ItEW-SNGLAND.

887

ioul of him — ^I mean the notions, the accomplishments, the dispositions of
that great soul — transmigrated into our most Richardsonian Hooker.

§ 10. As his person was thus adorned with a well-grounded learning,
so his preaching was notably set off with a liveliness extraordinary : inso-
much that I cannot give a fuller, and yet briefer description of him, than
that which I find given of Bucholtzer, that pattern of preachers, before
him : Vivida in eo omnia fuerunt, vivida vox, vividi oculi, vividce manus,
gestus omnes vividi:* he was all that he was, and he did all that he did,
unto the life/ He not only had that which Quintilian calls, "A natural
moveableness of soul," whereby the distinct images of things would come
so nimbly, and yet so fitly into his mind, that he could utter them with
fluent expressions, as the old orators would usually ascribe unto a special
assistance of Heaven, [Deum tunc Adfuisse, veteres Oratores aiebaniW and
counted that men did therein theios leoein, ot speak divinely; but the
rise of this fluency in hi:n, was the divine relish which he had of the things
to be spoken, the sacred panting of his holy soul after the glorious objects
of the invisible world, and the true zeal of religion giving Jire to his dis-
courses. Whence, though the ready and noisy performances of many
preachers, when they are, as Plato speaks, theatkou mestoi, or full of
the theatre, acting to the height in the publick for their applause, may be
ascribed unto very mechanical principles ; yet the vigour in the ministry of
our Hooker, being raised by a "coal from the altar" of a most real devo-
tion, touching his heart, it would be a wrong unto the good Spirit of our
God, if he should not be acknowledged the author of it That Spirit
accordingly gave a wonderful and unusual success unto the ministry
wherein he breathed so remarkably. Of that success there were many
instances ; but one particularly I find mentioned in Clark's examples, to
this purpose: A profane person, designing therein only an ungodly diver-
sion and merriment, said unto his companions, "Come, let us go hear what
that bawling Hooker will say to us;" and thereupon, with an intention to
make sport, unto Chelmsford lecture they came. The man had not been
long in the church, before the quick and poiverful word of God, in the mouth
of his faithful Hooker, pierced the soul of him ; he came out with an
awakened and a distressed soul, and by the further blessing of God upon
Mr. Hooker's ministry, he arrived unto a true conversion; for which cause
he would not afterwards leave that blessed ministry, but went a thousand
leagues to attend it and enjoy it. Another memorable thing of this kind,
was this: it was Mr. Hooker's manner once a year to visit his native
county; and in one of those visits, he had an invitation to preach in the
great church of Leicester. One of the chief burgesses in the town much
opposed his preaching there; and when he could not prevail to hinder

* In him every thing wu full of life: there was life in his voice, in bis ajre. In his hand, In his motions,
t "The Deity animnted him," the ancient orators were wont to say.

Vol. I.— 22

ill

^■

tri\

888

IIAOMALIA 0HBI8TI AMERICANA;

it, he set certain fidlera at work to disturb him in the church>poroh or
churoh-yard. But such was the vivacity of Mr. Hooker, as to proceed in
what he was about, without either the damping of his mind, or the drown*
ing of his voice; whereupon the man himself went unto the church-door
to over-hear what he said. It pleased Ood so to accompany some words
uttered by Mr. Hooker, as thereby to procure, first the aUention and then
the conviction of that wretched man; who then came to Mr. Hooker with
a penitent confession of his wickedness, and became indeed so penitent
a convert, as to be at length a sincere professor and prwiiser of the godliness
whereof he had been a persecutor.

§ 11. The spiritual court sitting at Chelmsford, about the year 1680, had
not only silenced Mr. Hooker, but also bound him over in a bond of fifty
pound to appear before the high commission, which he could not now attend,
because of an ague then upon him. One of his hearers — namely, Mr. Nash,
a very honest yeoman, that rented a great farm of the Earl of Warwick
at Much-Waltham — was bound in that sum for his appearance; but as Paul
was advised by his friends that he would not venture into the theatre at
Ephesus, thus Mr. Hooker's friends advised him to forfeit his bonds, rather
than to throw him self any further into the hands of his enemies. Where-
fore, when the day for his appearance came, his honest surety being reim-
bursed by several good people in and near Chelmsford, sent in the forfeited
sum into the court; and Mr. Hooker having, by the Earl of Warwick,
a courteous and private recess provided for his family at a place called Old
Park, for which I find the thanks of Dr. Hill afterwards publickly given
in his dedication of Mr. Fenner's treatise about impetxitency, he went over
to Holland. In his passage thither, he quickly had occasion to discover
himself, when they were in eminent hazard of shipwreck upon a shelf of
sand, whereon they ran in the night; but Mr. Hooker, like Paul, with a
remarkable confidence, assured them that they should be preserved ; and
they had as remarkable a deliverance. I have also heard that when he fled
from the pursevants, to take his passage for the Low-Countries, at his last
parting with some of his friends, one of them said, "Sir, what if the wind
should not be fair, when you come to the vessel?" Whereto he instantly
replied, "Brother, let us leave that with Him who keeps the wind in the
hollow of his hand :" and it was observed that, although the wind was cross
until he came aboard, yet it immediately then came about fair and fresh,
and he was no sooner under sail, but the officer arrived at the sea-side, hap-
pily too late now to come at him; which minds me of what befel Dr. Good-
win, not long afler. That great man lay wind-bound in hourly suspicions
that the pursevants would stop his voyage, and se:ze his person before the
wind would favour his getting away for Holland. In this distress, humbly
praying to the Lord Jesus Christ for a more propitious wind, he yet said,
"Lord, if thou hast at this time, any poor servant of thine that wants this
wind more than I do another, I do not ask for the changing of it; I sub-

OR, THl HIBTOBY OF NEW-BNOLAND.

889

cross
freah,
3, hap-
iGood-
picions
\Te the
imbly
|t said,
this
11 sub*

mit unto it" And immediately the wind came about unto the right point,
and carried him clear from his pursuers.

§ 12. Arriving in Holland, he was invited unto a settlement with old
Mr. Paget; but the old man being secretly willing that Mr. Hooker should
not accept of this invitation, he contrived many ways to render him sus-
pected unto the classis on a suspicion that he favoured the Brownists; unto
whom he had, indeed, an extream aversion. The misunderstandings oper*
ated so fur as to occasion Mr. Hooker's removal from Amsterdam ; not-
withstanding he had so fully expressed himself when, in his answer to one
of Mr. Paget's questions, he declared in these words, "To separate from
the faithful assemblies and churches in England, as no churches, is an error
in judgment, and sin in practice, held and maintained by the Brownists;
and therefore to communicate with them in their opinion or practice is
sinful and utterly unlawful; and care should be taken to prevent offence,
either by encouraging them in their way, or by drawing others to a further
approbation of that way than is meet." Going from Amsterdam, he went
unto Delft; where he was moat kindly received by Mr. Forbs, an aged and
holy Scotch minister, under whose ministry many English merchants were
then settled. The text whereon he first preached at his cutning thither,
was Phil. i. 29, "To you it is given not only to believe, but also to suffer;"
and after that sermon Mr. Forbs manifested a strong desire to enjoy the
fellowship of Mr. Hooker in the work of the gospel ; which he did for
about the space of two years; in all which time they lived so like brethren,
that an observer might say of them, as they said of Basil and Nazianssen,
"They were but one soul in two bodies;" and if they had been for any
little while asunder, they still met with such friendly and joyful congratu-
lations, as testified a most affectionate satisfaction in each other's company.

§ 18. At the end of two years, he had a call to Rotterdam; which he
the more heartily and readily accepted, because it renewed his acquaint-
ance with his invaluable Dr. Ames, who had newly left his place in the
Frisian University. With him he spent the residue of his time in Hol-
land, and assisted him in composing some of his discourses, which are,
"ITw Fresh Suit against the Ceremonies:" for such was the regard which
Dr. Ames had for him, that notwithstanding his vast ability and experi-
ence, yet,, when it came to the narrow of any question about the instituted
rvorship of Ood, he would still profess himself conquered by Mr. Hooker's
reason ; declaring that, " though he had been acquainted with many scholars
of divers nations, yet he never met with Mr. Hooker's equal, either for
preaching or for disputing." And such was the regard which, on the other
side, he had for Dr. Ames, that he would say, "If a scholar was but well
studied in Dr. Ames his Medulla TheohgioB* and Casus Conscienti(K^\ so as to
understand them thoroughly, they would make him (supposing him versed
in the Scriptures) a good divine^ though he had no more books in the

m '

* Marrow of Theology.

t Caaes of CuoKience.

840

MAGNALIA OHBISTI AMEBICANA;

world." But having tarried in Holland long enough to see the state of
religion in the churches there, he became satisfied that it was neither eligible
for him to tarry in that country, nor convenient for hisfriei^ds to be invited
thither after him. I have at this time in my hands his letter from Rotter-
dam to Mr. Cotton, wherein are these words:

"The state of these provinces, to my weak eye, seems wonderfully ticklish and miserable.
For the better part, heart reli^on, they content themselves with very forms, though much
blemished; but the power of godliness, for ought I can see or hear, they know not; and if
it were thoroughly pressed, I fear least it will be fiercely opposed. My ague yet holds me;
the ways of God's providence, wherein he has walked towards me, in this long time of my
sickness, and wherein I have drawn forth many wearyish hours, under his Almighty hand
(blessed be his name) together with pursuits and banishment, which have waited upon me,
as one wave follows another, have driven me to an amazement: his paths being too secret
and past finding out by such an ignorant, worthless worm as my self. I have looked over my
heart, and life, according to my measure; aimed and guessed as well as I could: and entreatra
his Majesty to make known his miud, wherein I missed; and yet methinks I cannot sp i\\ out
readily the purpose of his proceedings; which I confess have been wonderful in miseries, and
more than wonderful in mercies to me and mine."

Wherefore, about this time, understanding that many of his friends in
Essex were upon the wing for a wilderness in America, where they hoped
for an opportunity to enjoy and practise the pure worship of the Lord Jesus
Christ, in churches gathered according to his direction, he readily answered
their invitation to accompany them in this undertaking. Dr. Ames had
a design to follow Mr. Hooker; but he died soon after Mr. Hooker's
removal from Rotterdam. However, his widow and children afterwards
came to New-England; where, having her house burnt, and being reduced
unto much poverty and affliction, the charitable heart of Mr. Hooker (and
others that joined with him) upon advice thereof, comfortably provided
for them.

§ 14. Returning into England in order to a further voyage, he was
quickly scented by the pursevants, who at length got so far up with him
as to knock at the door of that very chamber where he was now discours-
ing with Mr. Stone, who was now become his designed companion and
assistant for the New-PJnglish enterprize, Mr. Stone was at that instant
smoking of tobacco, for which Mr. Hooker had been reproving him, as
being then used by few persons of sobriety; being also of a sudden and
pleasant wit, he stept unto the door, with his pipe in his mouth, and suoh
an air of speech and look, as gave him some credit with the officer. The
officer demanded, Whether Mr. Hooker were not there? Mr. Stone replied
with a braving sort of confidence, " What Hooker? Do you mean Hooker
that lived once at Chelmsford!" The officer answered, "Yes, he!" Mr.
Stone immediately, with a diversion like that which once helped Athana-
sius, made this true answer, "If it be he you look for, I saw him about
an hour ago, at such an house in the town; you had best hasten thitlier
after him." The officer took this for a sufficient account, and went his

OR, THE HI8T0KY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

841

waj' ; but Mr. Hooker, upon this intimation, concealed himself more care-
fully and securely, till he went on board at the Downs, in the year 1683,
the ship which brought him, and Mr. Cotton, and Mr. Stone to New-Eng-
land: where none but Mr. Stone was owned for a preacher, at their first
coming aboard; the other two delaying to take their turns in the publick
worship of the ship, till they were got so far into the main ocean, that
they might with safety discover who they were.

§ 15. Amongst Mr. Fenner's works, I find some imperfect and shattered,
and I believe, injurious notes of a farewel sermon upon Jer. xiv. 9, "We
are called by thy name, leave us not:" which farewel sermon was indeed
Mr. Hooker's, at his leaving of England. There are in those fragments
of a sermon, some very pathetical and most prophetical passages, where
some are these:

him

"It is not gold and prosperity which makes God to be our God; there is more gold in the
West-Indies than there is in uli Christendom; but it is God's ordinances in the vertue of
them, that show the presence of God."

Again, "Is not England ripe? Is she not weary of God? Nay, she is fed fat for the
slaughter."

Once more, " England hath seen her best days, and now evil days are befalling us."

"And, thou, England, which hast been lifted up to heaven witli means, shall bo abased
and brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been
done in India or Turkey, they would have repented ere this."

These passages I quote, that I may the more etfectually describe the
apprehensions with which this worthy man took his farewel of his native
country.

But there is one strange passage in that sermon, that I know not what
well to think of; and yet it is to be thought of. I remember, 'tis a passage
in the life of the reverend old Blackerby, who died in the year 1648,
"That he would often say it was very probable the English nation would
be sorely punished by the French: and that he believed Popery would
come in, but it would not last, nor could it recover its former strength."
The notable fullihnent which that passage hath seen, would carry one to
consider the unaccountable words which our Hooker uttered in h\& farewel
sermon. 'Tis very likely that the scribe has all along wronged the sermon ;
but the words now referred unto, are of this purport, "That it had been
told him from God, that God will destroy England, and lay it waste ; and
that the people should be put unto the sword, and the temples burnt, and
many houses laid in ashes." Long after this, when he lived at Hartford
in New-England, his friends that heard that sermon, having the news of
the miseries upon England, by the civil wars, brought unto them, enquired
of him, " Whether this were not t'^e time of God's destroying England,
whereof he had spoken?" He ijpaed, "No; this is not the time; there
will be a time of respite after these wars, and a time wherein God will fur-
ther try England; and England will further sin against him, and shew an

Si! ■■

'ill

\ 1'

842

MAONALIA OHBISTI AMERICANA;

I 1

ill

antipathy against the government of the Lord Jesus Christ in his church;
his roysd power in the governing thereof will be denied and rejected.
There will therefore a time come, when the Lord Jesus Christ will plead
his own, and his own cause, and the cause of them who have suffered fur
their fidelity to her institutions: he will plead it in a more dreadful way,
and break the nation of England in pieces, like a potter's vessel. Then
a man shall be precious as the gold of Ophir; but a small remnant shall
be left: and afterward God will raise up churches to himself, after his own
heart, in his own time and way." God knows what there may be in this
prediction.

§ 16. Mr. Hooker and Mr. Cotton were, for their different genius, the
Luiher and Melancikcm of New-England; at their arrival unto which coun-
try, Mr. Cotton settled with the church of Boston, but Mr. Hooker with
the church of New-Town, having Mr. Stone for his assistant. Inexpres-
sible now was the joy of Mr. Hooker, to find himself surrounded with his
friends, who were come over the year before, to prepare for his reception ;
with open arms he embraced them, and uttered these words, "Now I live,
if you stand fast in the Lord." But such multitudes flocked over to New-
England after them, that the plantation of New-Town became too straight
for them; and it was Mr. Hooker's advice that they should not incur the
danger of a Sitna, or an Esek, where they might have a Kehoboth. Ac-
cordingly, in the month of June, 1636, they removed an hundred miles
to the westward, with a purpose to settle upon the delightful banks of
Connecticut River: and there were about an hundred persons in the first
company that made this removal; who not being able to walk above ten
miles a day, took up near a fortnight in the journey; having no pillows
to take their nightly rest upon, but such as their father Jacob found in
the way to Padan-Aram. Here Mr. Hooker was the chief instrument of
beginning another colony, as Mr. Cotton, whom he left behind him, was
of preserving and perfecting that colony where he left him ; for, indeed,
each of them were the oracle of their several colonies.

§ 17. Though Mr. Hooker had thus removed from the Massachuset-bay,
yet he sometimes came down to visit the churches in that bay : but when
ever he came, he was received with an affection like that which Paul found
among the Galatians; yea, 'tis thought that once there seemed some inti-
mation from Heaven, as if the good people had overdone in that affection :
for on May 26, 1639, Mr. Hooker being here to preach that Lord's day in
the afternoon, his great fanae had gathered a vast multitude of hearers from
several other congregations, and, among the rest, the governour himself,
to be made partaker of his ministry. But when he came to preach, he
found himself so unaccountably at a loss, that after some shattered and
broken attempts to proceed, he made a full stop ; saying to the assembly,
"That every thing which he would have spoken, was taken both out of
his mouth and out of his mind also;" wherefore he desired them to sing a

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

848

the

»nd
of

psalm, while he withdrew about half an hour from them: returning then
to the gregation, he preached a most admirable sermon, wherein he
held th . . for two hours together in an extraordinary strain both of per*
tinenoy and vivacity.

After sermon, when some of his friends were speaking of the Lord's
thus withdrawing his assistance from him, he humbly replied, "We daily
confess that we have nothing, and can do nothing, without Christ; and
what if Christ will make this manifest in us, and on us, before our con-
gregations? What remains, but that we be humbly contented? and what
manner of discouragement is there in all of this?" Thus content Aras he
to be nullified, that the Lord might be magnified 1

§ 18. Mr. Hooker, that had been bom to serve many, and was of such
a publick spirit that I find him occasionally celebrated in the life of Mr.
Angier, lately published, for one who would be continually inquisitive
how it fared with the church of God, both at home and abroad, on purpose
that he might order his prayers and cares accordingly: [which, by the
way, makes me think on Mr. Firmin's words: "I look on it (saith he) as
an act of a grown Christian, whose interest in Christ is well cleared, and
his heart walking close with God, to be really taken up with the publick
interest of Christ"] He never took his opportunity to serve himself, but
lived a sort of exile all his days, except the last fourteen years of his life,
among his own spiritual children at Hartford; however, here also he was
an exile. Accordingly, where-ever he came, he lived like a stranger in
the world I When at the Land's-end, he took his last sight of England,
he said, "Farewel, England! I expect now no more to see that religious
zeal, and power of godliness which I have seen among professors in that
land!" And he had sagacious and prophetical apprehensions of the
declensions which would attend "reforming churches," when they came
to enjoy a place of liberty: he said, "That adversity had slain its thou-
sands, but prosperity would slay its ten thousands!" He feared, "That
they who had been lively Christians in the fire of persecution, would soon
become cold in the midst of universal pearia, except some few, whom God
by sharp tryals would keep in a faithful, watchfUl, humble, and praying
frame." But under these pre-apprehensions, it was his own endeavour to
beware of abating his own first love! and of so watchful, so prayerful, so
fruitful a spirit was Mr. Hooker, that the spirit of prophecy it self did
seem to grant him some singular afflations. Indeed, every wise man is a
prophet; but one so eminently acquainted with Scripture and reason, and
church-history, as our Hooker, must needs be a seer, from whom singular
prognostications were to be expected. Accordingly, there were many
things prognosticated by him, wherein the future state of New-England,
particularly of Connecticut, has been so much concerned, that it is pity
they should be forgotten. But I will in this history record only two of
hid predictions. One was, "That God would punish the wanton spirit of

844

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMEBICANA;

the professors in this country, with a sad want of able men in all ordent."
Another was, "That in certain places of great light here sinned against,
there would break forth such horrible sins, as would be the amazement
of the world.

§ 19. He was a man of prayer, which was indeed a ready way to become
a man of God. He would say, " That prayer was the principal part of a
minister's work; 'twas by this, that he was to carry on the rest. Accord-
ingly, he still devoted one day in a month to private prayer, with fasting,
before the Lord, besides the publick fasts, which often occurred unto him.
He would say, "That such extraordinary favours, as the life of religion,
and the power of godliness, must be preserved by the frequent use of such
extraordinary means as "prayer with fasting; and that if professors grow
negligent of these means, iniquity will abound, and the love of many wax
cold." Nevertheless, in the duty of prayer, he affected strength rather
than length ; and though he had not so much variety in his publick pray*
ing as in his publick preaching, yet he always had a seasonable respect
unto present occasions. And it was observed that his prayer was usually
like Jacob's ladder, wherein the nearer he came to an end, the nearer he
drew towards heaven ; and he grew into such rapturous pleadings with
God, and praisings of God, as made some to say, "That like the master
of the feast, he reserved the best wine until the last." Nor was the won-
derful success of his prayer, upon special concerns, unobserved by the
whole colony; who reckoned him the Moses, which turned away the wrath
of God from them, and obtained a blast from heaven upon their Indian
Amalekites, by his uplifted hands, in those remarkable deliverances which
they sometimes experienced. It was very particularly observed, when
there was a battel to be fought between the Narraganset and the Monhe-
gin Indians, in the year 1643. The Narraganset Indians had complotted
the mine of the English, but the Monhegin were confederate with us; and
a war now being between those two nations, much notice was taken of
the prevailing importunity, wherewith Mr. Hooker urged for the accom-
plishment of that great promise unto the people of God, "I will bless them
that bless thee, but I will curse him that curses thee." And the effect of
it was, that the Narragansets received a wonderful overthrow from the
Monhegins, though the former did three or four to one for number exceed
the latter. Such an Israel at prayer was our Hooker! And this praying
pastor was blessed; as, indeed, such ministers use to be, with a praying
people: there fell upon his pious people a double portion of the Spirit
which they beheld in him.

§ 20. That reverend and excellent man, Mr. Whitfield, having spent
many years in studying of hooks, did at length take two or three years to
study men; and in pursuance of this design, having acquainted himself
with the most considerable divines in England, at last he fell into the
acquaintance of Mr. Hooker; concerning whom, he afterwards gave this

sp
hs
tif

((1

OB, THE HI8T0BY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

845

ct of

the

ceed

ying

ying
pirit

pent
rs to
iself
the
ithi3

testimony: "That he had not thought there had been such a man on
earth ; a man in whom there e^one so many excellencies, as were in this
incomparable Hooker; a man in whom learning and wisdom were so
tempered with zeal, holiness, and watchfulness." And the same observer
having exactly noted Mr. Hooker, made this remark, and gave this report
more particularly of him, " That he had the best command of his own
spirit which he ever saw in any man whatever." For though he were
a man of a cholerick disposition, and had a mighty vigour and fervour of
spirit, which as occasion served was wondrouA useful unto him, yet he
had ordinarily as much government of his choler as a man has of a mas-
tiff dog in a chain; he "could let out his dog, and pull in his dog, as
he pleased." And another that observed the heroical spirit and courage
with which this great man fulfilled his ministry, gave this account of him,
"He was a person who, while doing his Master's work, would put a king
in his pocket."

Of this there was an instance, when the Judges were in their circuit
present at Chelmsford, on a fast kept throughout the nation, Mr. Hooker
then, in the presence of the Judges, and before a vast congregation,
declared freely the sins of England, and the plagues that would come for
such sins; and in his prayer he besought the God of heaven to set on the
heart of the King what his own mouth had spoken, in the second chapter
of Malachi, and the eleventh and twelfth verses, [in his prayer he so dis-
tinctly quoted it I] "An abomination is committed, Judah hath married
the daughter of a strange God, the I<ord will cut off the man that doeth
this." Though the Judges turned unto the place thus quoted, yet Mr.
Hooker came into no trouble; but it was not long before the kingdom did.

§ 21. He was indeed of a very condescending spirit, not only towards
his brethren in the ministry, but also towards the meanest of any Christians
whatsoever. He was very willing to sacrifice his own apprehensions into
the convincing reason of another man; and very ready to acknowledge
any mistake, or failing, in himself. I'll give one example: there happened
a damage to be done unto a neighbour, immediately whereupon, Mr.
Hooker meeting with an unlucky boy, that often had his name up for
the doing of such mischiefs, he fell to chiding of that boy as the doer of
this. The boy denied it, and Mr. Hooker still went on in an angry man-
ner, charging of him; whereupon said the boy, "Sir, I see you are in a
passion, I'll say no more to you:" and so ran away. Mr. Hooker, upon
further enquiry, not finding that the boy could be proved guilty, sent for
him; and having first by a calm question, given the boy opportunity to
renew his denial of the fact, he said unto him: "Since I cannot prove the
contrary, I am bound to believe; and I do believe what you say:" and
then added: "Indeed, I was in a passion when I spake to you before; it
wjis my sin, and it is my shame, and I am truly sorry for it: and I hope
iu God I shall be more watchful hereafter." So, giving the boy some

846

HAGNALIA CHBISTI AMEBIOAKA;

' i il

go^u 'jounsel, the poor lad went away extreamly affected with such a cai^
riage in so good a man; and it proved an occasion of good unto the soul
of the lad all his days.

On this occasion it may be added, that Mr. Hooker did much abound in
acts of charity. It was no rare thing for him to give sometimes five pound,
sometimes ten pound at a time, towards the support of widows and orphans,
especially those of deceased ministers.

Thus also, when the people at Southampton, twenty leagues from Hart*
ford, wanted corn, Mr. Hooker, and some few that joined with them, sent
them freely a whole bark's load of corn of many hundred bushels, to
relieve them. Thus he had those that Chrysostom calls 2uXXoyi(rf*ouc dymirtg.
ftrouc, unanswerable sytogisms, to demonstrate Christianity .

§ 22. He had a singular ability at giving answers to cases of conscience ;
whereof happy was the experience of some thousands: and for this work
he usually set apart the second day of the week; wherein he admitted all
sorts of persons, in their discourses with him, to reap the benefit of the
extraordinary experience which himself had found of Satan's devices.
Once, particularly, Mr. Hooker was addressed by a student in divinity,
who entring upon his ministry, was, as the most useful ministers at their
entrance thereupon use to be, horridly buffeted with temptations, which
were become almost intolerable: repairing to Mr. Hooker in the distresses
and anguishes of his mind, and bemoaning his own overwhelming fears,
while the lion was thus roaring at him, Mr. Hooker answered, "I can
compare with any man living for fears! My advice to you is, that you
search out, and analyse the humbling causes of them, and refer them to
their proper places; then go and pour them out before the Lord; and
they shall prove more profitable to you than any books you can read."
But Mr. Hooker, in his dealing with troubled consciences, observed that
there were a sort of crafly and guileful souls, which he would find out
with an admirable dexterity; and of these he would say, as Paul of the
Cretians, " They must be reproved sharply, that they may be found in the
faith ; sharp rebukes make sound Christians." Indeed, of some he had
compassion, making a difference; and others he saved with fear, pulling them,
out of the fire.

§ 23. Although he had a notable hand at the discussing and adjusting
of controversal points, yet he would hardly ever handle any polemical
divinity in the pulpit; but the very spirit of his ministry lay in the points
of the most practical religion, and the grand concerns of a sinner's pre-
paration for, implantation in, and salvation by, the glorious Lord Jesus
Christ. And in these discourses he would frequently intermix most
affectionate warnings of the declensions which would quickly befal the
churches of New-England. . .

His advice to young ministers may on this occasion be fitly mentioned.
It was, that at their entrance on their ministry, they would with careful

anc

OB, THE HISTORY OF MEW-ENOLAND.

847

isting
smical
joints

pre-
iJesus

most
kl the

loned.
xreful

8tudy preach over the whole body of divinity methodically, (even in the
Amesian method,) which would acquaint them with all tiie more intelli"
gible and agreeable texts of Scripture, and prepare them for a fUrthor
acquaintance with the more difficult, and furnish them with abilities to
preach on whole chapters, and all occasional subjects, which by the pro*
vidence of God they might be directed unto.

Many volumes of the sermons preached by Him were since printed;
and this account is to be given of tbem:

While he was fellow of Emanuel-Gollege, he entertained a special incli-
nation to those principles of divinity which concerned the application of
redemption ; and that which eminently fitted him for the handling of those
principles was, that he had been from his youth trained up in the expe*
rience of those humiliations and consolations, and sacred communiona, which
belong to the new creature, and he had most critically compared his own
experience with the accounts which the quick and powerful word of God
gives of those glorious things. Accordingly, he preached first more
briery on these points, while he was a catechist in Emanuel-CoUege, in a
more scholastick way; which was most agreeable to his present station;
and the notes of what he tlien delivered were so esteemed, that many
copies thereof were transcribed and preserved. Afterwards he preached
more largely on those points, in p more popular way, at Chelmsford, the
product of which were those books of preparation for Christ, contrition,
humiliation, vocation, union with Christ, and communion, and the rest, which
go under his name; for many wrote after him in short-hand; and some
were so bold as to publish many of them without his consent or knowl-
edge; whereby his notions came to be deformedly misrepresented in
multitudes of passages; among which I will suppose that crude passage
which Mr. Giles Firmin, in his ^^Beal Christian," so well confutes, ''That
if the soul be rightly humbled, it is content to bear the state of damna-
tion." But when he came to New-England, many of his church, which
had been his old Essex hearers, desired him once more to go over the
points of God's regenerating works upon the soul of his ekct; until, at last,
their desires prevailed with him to resume that pleasant subject. The sub-
ject hereby came to have a third concoction in the head and heart of one
as able to digest it as most men living in the world; and it was his design
to perfect with his own hand his composures for the press, and thereby
vindicate both author and matter from the wrongs done to both, by sur-
reptitious editions heretofore. He did not live to finish what he intended;
yet a worthy minister, namely, Mr. John Higginson, one richly able him-
self to have been an author of a not unlike matter, transcribed from his
manuscripts near two hundred of these excellent sermons, which were sent
over into England, that they might be published ; but, by what means I
know not, scarce half of them have seen the light unto this day. How-
ever, 'tis possible the valuableness of those that are published, may at some

848

MAONALIA CHBI8TI AKEHICANA;

time or other awaken some enquiries after the unknown hands wherein
the rest are as yet concealed.

§ 24. But this was not all the service which the pen of Mr. Ilooker did
for the church of Godl It was his opinion that there were tivo great
reserves of enquiry for this age of the world; the first, wherein the spiritual
rule of our Lord's kingdom does consist, and after what manner it is inter-
nally revealed, managed and maintained in the souls of his people? The
second, after what order the government of our Lord's kingdom is to be
externally managed and maintained in his churches? Accordingly, hav-
ing done his port for delivering the former subject from pharisaical for-
mality, on the one hand, and from familistical enthusiasm on the other, he
was, by the solicitous importunity of his friends, prevailed withal to com-
pose a treatise on the other subject also. Upon this occasion, he wrote
his excellent book, which is entituled, 'M iSurveyof Church Discipline;"
wherein having, in the name of the other ministers in the country, as well
as his own, professed his concurrence with holy and learned Mr. Kutber-
ford, as to ^he number and nature of church-ofTicers ; the right of people
to call their own officers; the unfitness of scandalous persons to be mem-^
bers of a visible church ; the unwarrantableness of separation from churches
for certain defective circumstances; the lawfulness, yea, needfulness of a
consociation among churches ; and calling in the help of such consociations,
upon emerging difficulties; and the power of such consociations to proceed
against a particular church, pertinaciouf^iy offending with a sentence of
non-communion; he then proceeds to'consider, a church coivfregational
comphatly constituted with all its ojfkers, having full power in its self to exercise
all church discipline^ in all the censures thereof; and the interest which the
consent of the people is to have in the exercise of this discipline. The first
fair and full copy of this book was drowned in its passage to England,
with many serious and eminent Christians, which were then buried by
shipwrack in the ocean: for which cause there was another copy sent
afterwards, which, through the pre-mature death of the author, was not
so perfect as the former; but it was a reflection which Dr. Goodwin made
upon it, "The destiny which hath attended this book, hath visited my
thoughts with an apprehension of something like omen to the cause h self:
that after the overwhelming of it with a fltH>d of obloquies, and disadvan-
tages and misrepresentations, and injurious oppressions cast out after it,
it might in the time, which God alone hath put in his own power, be
again emergent." He adds, "I have looked for this; that this truth, and
all that should be said of it, was ordained as Christ, of whom every truth
is a ray, to be as a seed corn, which, unless it fall to the ground and die,
and this perhaps together with some of the persons that profess it, it brings
yet forth much fruit." However, the ingenious Mr. Stone, who was col-
league to Mr. Hooker, accompanied this book with a little epigram, whereof
these were the concluding disticks:

OB, THE HIBTOBY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

849

irherein

ker did
oo great
ipiritual
is inter-
I? The
is to be
;ly, hav
lical foT'
>ther, he
to com-
be wrote
icipUne;^*
f, OS well
. Rutber-
jf people
be mem-
churches
iness of a
(ociations,
,o proceed
itence of
iregational
to exercise
■hich the
The first
England,
(uried by
sopy sent
, was not
'in made
Lsited my
ise io self:
iisadvan-
[t after it,
>wer, be
^ruth, and
•ery truth
and die,
I, it brings
was col-
i, whereof

IT wjr to Ihii pla^ftrm can nply
With better muon, let thli volume die;

But lietter ■rgumentii If none eaa glTe,
Then Thomai UooKis'i polley ihell live.

§ 25. In his administration of church discipline there were several
things as imitable as observable. As he was an hearty friend unto the
consociation of churches — and hence all tlie time that he lived, the pastors
of the neighbouring churches held their frequent meetings for mutual
consultation in things of common concernment — so, in his own particular
church, he was very careful to have every thing done with a Christian
moderation and unanimity. Wherefore he would have nothing publickly
propounded unto the brethren of the church, but what had been first
privately prepared by the elders; and if he fewed the happening of any
debate, his way aforehand was, to visit some ol the more noted and lead-
ing brethren, and having engaged them to second what he should move
unto the church, he rarely misSed of a full ojncurrence: to which purpose
he would say, "The elders must have a church in a church, if they would
preserve the peace of the church:" and he would say, "The debating
matters of difierence, first before the whole body of the church, will doubt-
less break any church in pieces, and deliver it up unto loathsome con-
tempt." But if any difficult or divided agitation was raised in the church,
about any matter offered, he would ever put a stop to that publick agita-
tion, by dela3'ing the vote until another meeting; before which time, he
would ordinarily, by private conferences, gain over such as vvrere unsatisfied.
As for the admission of communicants unto the Lord's table, he kept the
examination of them unto the elders of the church, as properly belong-
ing unto their work and charge; and with his elders he would order them
to make before the whole church a profession of a repenting faith, as they
were able or willing to do it. Some, that could unto edification do it, he
put upon thus relating the manner of their conversion to God ; but usu-
ally they only answered unto certain probatory questions wl.ich were ten-
dered them; and so after their names had been for a few weeks before
signified unto the congregation, to learn whether any objection or excep-
tion could be made against them, of any thing scandalous in their conver-
sations, now consenting unto the covenant, they were admitted into the
church communion. As for ecclesiastical censures, he was very watch-
ful to prevent all procedures unto them, as far as was consistent with the
rules of our Lord; for which cause (except in grosser abominations) when
offences happened, he did his utmost that the notice thereof might be
extended no further than it was when they first were laid before him; and
having reconciled the offenders with sensible and convenient acknowl-
edgements of their miscarriages, he would let the notice thereof be con-
fined unto such as were aforehand therewith acquainted; and hence there
was but one person admonished in, and but one person excommunicated
from, the church of Hartford, in all the fourteen years that Mr. Hooker
lived there. He was much troubled at the too frequent censures in some

,1-

■ n

850

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMEBICANA{

:MI

Other ohuTohcs; and he would say, "Church censures are things wherewith
neither we nor our fathers have been acquainted in the practice of them ;
and therefore the utmost circumspection is needful, that we do not spoil
the ordinances of God by our management thereof." In this point he was
like B'iza, who defended the ordinance of excommunication against Eras*
tus; and yet he, with his colleagues, were so cautelous in the use of it, that
in eleven years there was but one excommunication passed in all Geneva.

§ 26. He would say, '* that he should esteem it a favour from God, if he
might live no longer than he should be able to hold up lively in the work
of his place; and that when the time of his departure should come, God
would shorten the time ;" and he had his desire. Some of his most observant
hearers observed an astonishing sort of a chud in his congregation, the
last Lord's day of his publick ministry, when he also administred the
Lord's supper among them; and a most unaccountable heaviness and
sleepiness, even in the most watchful Christians of the place, not unlike
the drowsiness of the disciples when our Lord was going to die; for which
one of the elders publickly rebuked them. When those devout people
afterwards perceived that this was the last sermon and sacrament wherein
they were to have the presence of the pastor with them, 'tis inexpressible
how much they bewailed their unattentiveness unto his farewel dispensa-
tions; and some of them could enjoy no peace in their own souls until
they had obtained leave of the elders to confess before the whole congre-
gation with many tears, that inadvertency. But as for Mr. Hooker him-
self, an epidemical sickness, which had proved mortal to many, though at
first small or no danger appeared in it,< arrested him. In the time of his
sickness he did not say much to the standers-by; but being asked that he
would utter his apprehensions about some important things, especially
about the state of New-England, he answered, "I have not that work
now to do; I have already declared the counsel of the Lord:" and when
one that stood weeping by the bed-side said unto him, "Sir, you are going
to receive the reward of all your labours," he replied, "Brother, I am
going to receive mercy 1" At last he closed his own eyes with his own
hands, and gently streaking his own forehead, with a smile in his counte-
nance, he gave a little groan, and so expired his blessed soul into the
arms of his felbiv-servants, the holy angels, on July 7, 1647. In which
last hours, the glorious peace of soul, which he had enjoyed without any
interruption for near thirty years together, so gloriously accompanied
him, that a worthy spectator, then writing to Mr. Cotton a relation thereof,
made this reflection, "Truly, sir, the sight of his death will make me
have more pleasant thoughts of death, than ever I yet had in my life I"

§ 27. Thus lived and thus died one of the first three. He, of whom
the great Mr. Cotton gave this character, that he did, Agmen ducere et domi-
)xari in Concionibiis, gratia Spiritus Sancti et virtute plenis:* and that he

* liud the Christian band and ruled In the assembly, by the grace of the Huly Rplrit and ihu abundance of liis virtues.

OB, TBI BISTOBT OF NSW-ENOLAND.

861

rewith
them ;
t spoil
he waa
t Eros-
it, that
Geneva,
d, if ho
le work
le, God
servant
ion, the
red the
ess and
; unlike
»r which
t people
wherein
jressible
dispensa-
lis until
congre-
cer him-
lough at
le of his
that he
ipecially
[at work
d when
re going
jr, I am
Ihis own
counte-
into the
which
[out any
ipanied
[thereof,
lake me
llifel"

whom
\et domi-
Ithat he

r his virtues.

was, Vir Solertia et Acerrimi jvdicii ;* and at length he uttered his lament-
Ations in a funeral elegy, whereof some lines were these :

*TwM orOanern's heroM lald with wonder,
(TboM wertkie* (/. t) Fabil wm Wont to thunder,
ViniT like r»ln on lender irait to ihow'r.
But Calvin lively oraoles to pour.

All theie In Hookbk'i iplrit did remain,
A ton of Tkunitr and a thowV of rain ;
A pturtr ftrtk of lively oraclea,
In wving luul, th* tem <^ miVm/m.

This was he of whom his pupil, Mr. Ash, gives this testimony: "For
his great abilities and glorious services, both in this and in the other Eng-
land, he deserves a place in the first rank of them whose lives are of late
recorded." And this was he of whom his reverend contemporary, Mr,
Ezekiel Rogers, tendered this for an epitaph ; in every line whereof me-
thinks the writer deserves a reward equal to what Virgil had, when for
every line, referring to Marcellus in the end of his sixth JUneid^ he received
a sum not much less than eighty pounds in money, or as ample a requital
as Cardinal Bichlieu gave to a poet, when he bestowed upon him two thou-
sand sequins for a witty conceit in one verse of but seven words, upon
his coat of arms: .

America, although ihe do not boaat
or all the gold and tiVeer ttom that eoott,
iMti to her siiter Europe's need or pride ;
(For that repaid her, with much gain beeide,

In one ritk p*arl, which Heaven did thence aflbrd,
At piuu* Hvrbert gave his honest word ;)
Yet thinks, she in the catalogue may come
With Europe, AMok, Asia, for one tomb.

But as Ambrose could say concerning Theodosius, Non Totus recessit;
reliquit nobis Liheros, in quibus eum debemtts agnoscere^ et in quibus eum Cer-
nimua et Teneiinxts;^ thus we have to this day among us, our dead Hooker
yet living in his worthy son, Mr. Samuel Hooker, an able, faithful, useful
minister, at Farmington, in the colony of Connecticut.

EPITAPHIUM.

THOMAS HOOKER.
Heu! PietMS Heul priaca Fidet.t

Or, for a more extended epitaph, we may take the abridgement of his
Life, as offered in some lines of Mr. Elijah Corlet that memorable old
school-master in Cambridge, from whose education our colledge and coun-
try has received so many of its worthy men, that he is himself wortJiy to
have his name celebrated in no less a paragraph of our church history, than
that wherein I may introduce him, endeavouring to celebrate the name of
our great Hooker, unto this purpose:

Sk' mia eum vntris valuisient vota, Nov-Angli,
HookeruB Tarda viterat JIttra Oradu.

Te, Revercftde Scnex, Sie to dilezimus omnetf
tpia Inviia forent vt tibi Jura poll.

JUorte Tua Infandum Cogor Rencvare dolortm^
Quippe Tua vidtat Terra Nov-Angla suam.

Digitus erai, Aqullm «'mi7i«, Renovdase Juventamt

Et Fato in Territ Condidiore frui.
TV Domui Emanuel, Soror Jlugustiitima, Jfater

MilU Propketarum, TV miki Testis r.-is.
Te Testem appello, quondam ChelmsfoniiB Cali«

Prozima ; Te prtco Sustulit ills Tuus,

* A man of profound and acute Judgment

t He has not altogether departed : he hns left us his children, in whom we ought to recognise him, and in
whose persons we seem both to see and to possess him.

t "Alas I for piety and ffelMried (Utb
Departed."

8sa

MAONALIA OUBISTI AMKSIOANAi

M* In Amm ; ChalcMi Ar*i§ Pkmt4pu »mir H §,

AVm fpul» <)wi»< it* «M M«r« vMit.
^M<l It It Hilrii OinU prmdUir* —tim

Ballm futif <■• Car<«(iin 7VU R«Mlto «ral.
({««M l>alH« •x<vr"« /"*' MmM« EptoeopiMt JfMM«

MUM m^iiiK, la BaUvIa, mmI aaiar* rabrlt.
^««t •«riM M«iM, Qiuutcia IfoT-Angll*, tmudim

Hamifir' indi TiU Dif OotumlM iiniU
nil Tai OwliH OnMi, r«M<lf M FldalM,

/,a«4<*«« InnumrU »Hit H Uli 1\tti,

ItmUii Am1«w «r«l, PMlon|M Iniigniit H .VHa

/>•!<»•«, JUcfuto, JVarOM, Inftmit.
fnk PuJtr I ICnptum U vi9i tUtmui, H wm

Kitiiiurm Auimm Btrutimui IniiUiui I
AmMiVm fritibui, /Aurjfmiiimi firinmittUf mndl

SimUa imliilii lU UU tUuitfinU
Sid tVuitr* kme mi4Uirl-'
JLuitra pir Hnoimvi lir futafiM Vlalur irat ; Jm»

Cmlutim fttriam PoMtdal HI* lutm.

If to nnr pnijren the boon w« wk won (Ivan,

Our llooiiR had nut paaaad aoaoon to haaront

Wa lovwl M) lm\j, that wn IWn would lUy

Bit blltaAil Irantll lu the raalma of dajr,

TIm IhouRhl will eiimPt whan o*ar him Ihiia wo moan,

Thi*. In hi* RDive New-Enirland llndi her own.

Worthy wci Ihim to ilam the flight ofTlrots
And, like the eBfle, lo renew thy prime!
To spread afresh the triumph* of thy worth,
And win • loftier dratlny on earth.

Emanuel Colletcn! who duet fltly ihlne,
Mother of Ihnuannd* of the prophet-line ;
And happy Chelmifurd t brouffht niaal ni>nr to haaTMi,
When Hooker to thy eacrad court* wa« vlven {
Bear witneia lo that excellence, which grew
In daily bvauty to your raptured view.

Yet did hi* country spurn hi* hallowed life;
Hi* Mcred oflloe waa a theme of strifti ;
Nor did e'en Chalcaa, tho<igh a heathen leer,
nnd TraOx tniplre ao Uttia wholaaoma fear

•mgatng, made tir Ihia IdWsK)

Aa did o«r llooKia, who proelalm'd that Gno
WoaM make rebelllou* Enoland feel HIa r«>d.
Epiaeopaey drove him from hi* homo,
Btrieken In heart, in foreign ellme* to roam t
Leia kindly than the fever, which o'ereame.
On llolkuM)'* ooaat, hi* much-enAwbled Oamn.
And then, Naw-EaaLARnl o'er the ooaaii'* bruMt
He eama to thee— a dove of peace and rest.
To thine elect he seemed their Joy an<l crown,
And added honour to thy young renown i
A gentle Mend, a piutor true and kind,
Rich in the gifts of heart and tongue and mlad.

We saw thee ready, waiting, to depart.
Yet, save with prayer* and tear* that wrung the heart,
Strove not to stay from its eeleatial goal
Thy struggling, thine emancipated *onl.

For seventy-live long years he lingered here,
A weary pilgrim on this earthly sphere i
Now to his •* Father's mansions" Is he coma,
MThe better oountry," bla •tmrnal home.

Ui.;'^ "" I

a— apt

OB, TUE HISTORY OF NEW. ENGLAND.

858

SEPIIER JEREIM; «• «• LIBER DEUM TIMENTIUM:*

OR,

OBAD ABBL8 YET SPBAKIH6, illD 8P0IER OF.

IN THE UI8T0RT Or

MR. FRANCIB HIOOINSON, MR. JOHN AM"Y, MR. JONATHAN DITRR, MR. GEORnC PIIILIPfl,

MR. THOMAS SHEPARD, MR. PETER PRLDDEN, AND SEVERAL. OTHERS OF NEW HAVEN

COLONY, MR. PETER BUI.KI.V, MR. RALPH PARTRIDGE, MR. HENRV DITN8TER, MR. EZB*

lEL ROGERS, MR. NATIIANAEL ROGERS, MR. SAMUEL NEWMAN, MR. SAMl'EL

STONE, MR. WILLIAM THOMPSON, MR. JOHN WARHAM, MR. HENRY FLINT, MR.

RICHARD MATHER, MR.ZECHARIAH SYMMES, MR. JOHN ALLIN, MR. CHARLES

CHAUNCEY, MR. JOHN FI8K, MR. THOMAS PARKER, MR. JAMES NOYES,

MR. THOMAS THACHER, MR. PETER IIOHART, MR. SAMUEL WHITING,

MR. JOHN SHERMAN, MR. THOMAS COBBET, MR. JOHN WARD,

EVINENT ItlNISTEUS OF THE 008PEL IN THE CHURCHES OF NEW-ENGLAND.

t . BY COTTON MATHER.

^ THE SECOND PART.

Siilu* Honor Merito qui dalur, ille datur.i }

Thus thine, ye glorie$ of your age, while we
Wait to fill up your martyrologie.

Bono ettote Animo, (Dileeti Fratret.) appropinquut Temput quando eril Nominum aqui ae
Corporum Re$urrectio.t — Wir.xiNSON. Concion. ad Academic.

INTRODUCTION.

When tho incoinparablo Hcvclius wns preparing for the worid his new, and rare, and most
nceurtite " Selenography" his duHign wns tu udvanee into the heavens the names of the most
meritorious astronomers, by nnining from them the several distinguishable parts of the planet
which was to be described by him ; so that in tho moon there would now have been seen, an
Oceanus Ciyperniceus, an Oceanus Tychonicus, a Mare Kepleriannm, a Laciis Gallikci, a Palu$
Mccstlini, an Insula Scheiveriana, a Peninsula Oassendi, a Mons Mersenni, a Vallis Bullialdi,
a Sinus Wendelini, a Promonlorium Crugerianum, a Desertum Linnemannifi and other such
denominations. But, upon second thoughts, he saw that this could not be done without
envy and offence; for there were certain places more eminent than others, and he might hap.
pen to assign them unto such persons as were less eminent in the opinions of mankind about
their merits: wherefore he chose rather geographical denomnations for the Macule Lunares,\\
which were now to be distinguished.

Reader, there is a number of divines now before us, demanding their places in our Church-
History; their souls are in the heavens; their names also should be there. I was thinking
to have ranked them according to their merits; I would have assigned their places, according

* The lliatury of Men who feared God. f Honour desorved is honour conferred.

X Tie of |{uud cheer, beloved brethren : the time draws near when your names, like your bodies, shall be raised
up In glor}'.

( Copernicus Ocean, Tycho Bmhe Ocean, the Kepler Sea, Loke Galiileo, the Msatlins' Marsh, the Sehuiver
I-lund, the Peninsula of Gu8)«ndi, Mount Mersenni. the Buliialdl Valley, the Gulf of Wendelinus, the Cruger
Promontory, the Linnemann Desert. I Spots on the Moon.

Vol. 1.— 23

III!

854

MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

to their eminencies in the church of God. But finding thnt this attempt would have been
invidious, I will have them to take their places, as in the history of lives uses to be done,
secundum annorum emortualim seriem — according to the years wherein they died.

What I write shall be written with all Christian veracity ani fidelity. Heaven forbid thnt I
should indulge my pen in such flourishing flatteries ns All the lives of the Lutheran divines, in
the collections that Witten has made of the " Memoricc Theologarum nostri sa:culi Clarissi-
morum renocata:.^* Heaven forbid thnt I should in any one instance deserve to be thought
B writer of such legends, as they generally (nnd it may be sometimes tmrighteously) have
reproached the lives of the ancients, written by Simeon Mctuphrastes: for I will now confess
to my reader one thing that has encouraged me in my endeavour to preserve the memory
of these worthy men.

I read in Prov. x. 7, " The memory of the just is blessed ;" or, for a blessing : and I know the
common glosses upon it But I have met with a note of Dr. Jermyn's thereupon, which I will
now count as worthy to be transcribed, as I have heretofore counted it worthy to be pondered:

"The very remembring of them [saith be] shall bring a bleiaing to such as do remember them. God will bless
thoae that honour the memory of his servants: and besides, tho memory of them will make them imitated, which
is a bleeting that will be rewarded with bleitedneti,"

I will odd, that examples do strangely charm us into imitation. When holiness is pressed
upon us, we are prone to think, that it is a doctrine calculated for angels and spirits, whose
dwelling is not with flesh. But when we rend the lives of them thnt excelled in holiness,
though they were persons of like passions with our selves, the conviction is wonderful and
powerful. Reader, behold loud calls to holiness from those who said, not, Ite tUuc,'f but,
Venite huc^ when the culls were uttered.

LJLXArXil!i<u !•

JANUS N0V-AN6LICANUS;§ THE LIFE OF MR. FRANCIS

HIGGINSON.

Semper Honor, Nomenque Tuum, Laudesque it/(ine&un(.||

§ 1. Without recourse to any fabulous, whether Egyptian or Grecian
shams o^ antiquity^ we have other intimations enough, that our father Noah,
after a neio uorld began to be peopled from him, did remove with his
eldest son Japhet, from his own, and his old country of Ogyge, or Pales-
tine, into the country which is now called Italy. And it is particularly
remarkable that his great grandson Dodanim, removing with a colony of
his increasing posterity into Epirus, he built a city, which, with the whole
province, was called by the name of Dodona; where he built a temple, in
which the people did assemble to worship God, and hear the precepts of
the Patriarch preached upon. But it was not long before a fearful degen-
eracy overtaking the posterity of these planters, they soon left and lost the
religion of their progenitors; and in that very place where Dodanim had

* New Memoirs of the most distinguished Divines of our era.
I The Janus of New-England.

f Go there. | Come hilhor.

I Immortal shall thy name and praises b«.

OE, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

855

his church, there succeeded the Dodoncean oracles. Now, among the
memorable names, which in other monuments of antiquity, besides those
of Tuscany, exposed by Inghiramius, we find put upon our illustrious
father Noah one is that of Janus, which at first they pronounced Janes,
from the Hebrew word, pt, Jajm, for wine, which was the true original of
it; and so his famous vineyard was therein commemorated. For which
cause Cato also tells us, Jantis primxis invenit Far et Vinum, et oh id duct\Li>
fuit Priscus (Enotritis:* and Antiochus Syrncusanus mentions the (Enotrii,
which Noah carried with him. Of this Janus, the Thuscians employed a
ship, as a memorial ; they had a ship on his coins, doubtless with an eye to
the arh of Noah ; but there was also on the reverse, as Ovid relates, Altera
Forma Biceps ;\ and this double face was ascribed unto Janus, because of
the view which he had of the two worlds, the old and the new. The cov-
enant which God established with Noah, was by after-ages referred unto,
when they feigned Janus to be the president of all covenant and concord;
and the figure which Noah made among mankind was confessed by them,
when they gave Janus the sir-name of Pater, as being so to all the heroes
who obtained a place among the gods. Moreover, the mythical writers tell
us, that in the reign of this Janus, all the dwellings of men were hedged
in with piety and sanctity; in which tradition the exemplary righteoitsness
of Noah seems to have been celebrated : and hence in their old rituals, he
was called Cerus, Manus, which is as much as to say, Sanctus et Bonus.^
But without pursuing these curiosities any further, I will now lay before
my reader the story of that worthy man ; who, when 'tis considered that
he crossed the sea with a renowned colony, and that having seen an old
world in Europe, where a flood of iniquity and calamity carried all before
it, he also saw a nero ivorld in America; where he appears the first in a
catalogue of heroes, and where he with his people were admitted into the
covenant of God; whereupon an hedge oi piety and sanctity continued
about that people as long as he lived ; may therefore be called the Noah
or Janus of New-England. This was Mr. Francis Higginson.

§ 2. If, in the history of the church for more than four thousand years,
contained in the Scriptures, there is not recorded either the birth-day of any
one saint whatever, or the birth-day of him that is the Lord of all saints;
I hope it will be accounted no defect in our history of this worthy man,
if neither the day, nor the place of his birth can be recovered. We will
therefore begin the history of his life, where we find that he began to live.

Mr. Francis Higginson, after he had been educated at Emanuel Colledge,
that seminary of Puritans in Cambridge until he was Mastex of Arts; and
after that the true Emanuel, our Lord Jesus Christ, had by the work of
regeneration upon his heart, instructed him in the better and nobler arts of
living unto God; he was, by the special providence of Heaven, made a

* Janus first invented flour and wine, and on that account was called Prisciu (Knotrlua (the ancient vinc-dresser).
t Anullier flguru with two heads. t Huly and good

urn

I :''

, :|: .|l.

}I|J

856

MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

servant of our Emanuel, in the ministry of the gospel, at one of the five
parish-churches in Leicester. The main scope of his ministry was now to
promote, first a thorough conversion, and then a godly conversation, among
his people : and besides his being, as the famous preacher in the wilderness
was, a voice, and preaching lectures of Christianity by his whole Christian
and most courteous and obliging behaviour, he had also a most charming
voice, which rendered him unto his hearers, in all his exercises, another
Ezekiel; for *'Lo, he was unto them, as a very lovely song of one that
hath a pleasant voice, and can play well upon an instrument;" and from
all parts in the neighbourhood they flocked unto him. Such was tlio
divine presence with, and blessing on the ministry of this good man, in
this place, that the influence thereof, on the whole town, was quickly
become a matter of observation ; many were turned from " darkness to
light, and from Satan to God;" and many were "built up in their most
holy faith ;" and there was a notable revival of religion among them. And
such were his endeavours to conform unto the example of our Lord Jesus
Christ, our grand Exemplar, in the whole course of his ministry, that we
might easily have written a hook of those conformities.

% 3. For some years he continued in his' corformity to the rites then
required and practised in the Church of England; but upon his acquaint-
ance with Mr. Arthur Hildersham and Mr. Thomas Hooker, he set himself
to study the controversies about the evangelical church-discipline, then
agitated in the church of God : and then the more he studied the Scripture,
which is the sole and full rule of church-administrations, the more ho
became dissatisfied with the ceremonies which had crept into the worehip
of the Lord Jesus Christ, not only without the allowance of Scripture, but
also without the countenance of the earliest antiquity. From this time he
became a conscientious non-conformist; and therefore he was deprived of
his opportunit}"- to exercise his ministry, in his parish-church : neverthe-
less, his ministry was generally so desirable unto the people, that they
procured for him the liberty to preach a constant lecture, on one part of
the Lord's day ; and on the other part, as an assistant unto a very aged
parson that wanted it. lie was now maintained by the voluntary contri-
bution of the inhabitants; and though the rest of the ministers there con-
tinued conformists, yet they all freely invited him unto the use of their
pulpits, as long as they could avoid any trouble to themselves by their so
doing: hy which means he preached successively in three of tlie parish-
churches, after that he had been by non-conformity made incapable. He
preached also at Belgrave, a mile out of the town ; but, under God, the
chief author of these more easie circumstances unto such a non-conformist,
was the generous goodness and candour of Dr. Williams, the Bishop of
Lincoln, to whose diocoss Leicester belonged. It continued until tho/m?/
between that Bishop, and Laud, the Bishop of London, who set himself

■ 111™.,

1,11 IP

OR, THE IIISTOFY OF NEW-EN6laXD.

857

to extirpate and extinguish all the non-conformists, that were Williams'
favourites, among whom one was Mr. Higginson.

§ 4. The signal blessing of God, which accompanied the ministry of
Mr. Uigginson in Leicester, was followed with two very contrary conse-
quences. On the one side, a great multitude of Christians, then called
Puritans, did not only attend the worship of God more publickly in their
assemblies, and more secretly in their families, but also they frequently had
their ^nVote meetings, for prayer (sometimes with fasting) and repeating of
sermons, and maintaining of profitable conferences, at all which Mr. Higgin-
son himself was often present: and at these times, if any of their society
were scandalous in their conversation, they were personally admonished,
and means were used with them to bring them unto repentance. On the
other side, there was a profane party, filled with wolvish rage against the
flock of the Lord Jesus Christ, and especially against this good man, who
was the pastor of the flock : whose impartial zeal in reproving the common
sins of the time and place, did more than a little add unto the exaspera-
tions of that party ; but also divers of them turned persecutors hereupon,
yet many raitarkable providences laid a restraint upon them, and the malig-
nants were smitten with a dread upon their minds, "That the judgments
of God would pursue those that should go to harm such a follower of him
that is good."

§ 5. Even the Episcopal party of the English nation, among whose thirty-
nine articles, one is, "That the visible church is a congregation of faithful
men, where the word of Christ is duly preached, and the sacraments be
rightly administered;" have concluded it, as a godly discipline in the prim-
itive church, " that notorious sinners were put to open penance." And in
the rubric before the communion, have ordered ministers to advertise all
notorious evil livers, and such as have wronged their neighbours by word
or deed, or such as have malice and hatred reigning between them, that
"they should not presume to come to the Lord's table, till they have openly
declared themselves to have truly repented." Under the encouragement
hereof, Mr. Higginson, before he became a non-conformist, professed this
principle, "That ignorant and scandalous j:)erson5 are not to be admitted
unto the Lord's Supper: and as far as he could, he practised what he pro-
fessed. Wherefore he did catechise and examine persons about theu" fitness
for the communion; and if any persons were notoriously scandalous, he
not only told them of their sins in private, but also in publick declared
that they were not to be admitted unto the Lord's Supper, until the con-
gregation had some testimonies of their serious repentance.

It was a good courage of old Cyprian, to declare: "If any think to join
themselves unto the church, not by their humiliation and satisfaction, when
they have scandalized the brethren, but by their great words and threats,
let them know, that the church of God will oppose them, and the tents of
Christ will not be conquered by them." And no less was the good metal

ru'^

I ^y-M

858

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

in :

in our Higginson. Accordingly, after a sermon on those words of onr
Saviour, "Give, not that which is holy unto dogs," unto this purjiose
applied, going to administer the Lord's Supper unto the communicants,
now come into the chancel, he espied one that was known unto them nl
to be a common drunkard and swearer, and a very vicious person; he told
that man before them all, "That he was not willing to give the Lord's
Supper unto him, until he had professed his repentance, unto the satisfac-
tion of the congregation:" and therefore he desired the man to withdraw.
The sinner withdrew, but went out full of such passion and poison against
Mr. Higginson, and horror in his own conscience, that he fell sick upon
it; and while he lay sick he was visited, as well by good people that
endeavoured his conversion, as by bad people that had been his old com-
panions, and now threatned what they would do against Mr. Higginson.
The wretch continued in an exorbitant frame for a few days, and at last
roared out, " That he was damned, and that he was a dog, and that he
was going to the dogs for ever." So he cried, and so he died : and this
was known to all people.

§ 6. There were many such marvellous judgments of God, which came
like fire from heaven, to restrain and revenge the wrongs which were
offered unto this faithful loitness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Particularly,
there was a pious gentlewoman, the wife of a very profane gentleman,
dwelling in another parish, who would frequently go to attend upon Mr.
Higginson's ministry, both in the publick and private exercises of o r
holy religion ; whereat her husband, after many other expressions of his
deep displeasure, vowed, that he would be revenged on Higginson; and
accordingly he resolved upon a journey to London, there to exhibit a com-
plaint against this good man, at the High-Commission Court: but when
he had got all things ready for his journey, just as he was mounting his
horse, he was by an immediate hand of Heaven smitten with an intoler-
able torment of body and horror of conscience, and was led into his house,
and laid upon his bed; where within a few hours death did his office
upon him.

§ 7. And unto the remarkable appearances of Heaven, on the behalf
of ikA^ faithful man, may be enumerated tliat which befel a famous Doctor
of Divinity, prebend of a cathedral, and chaplain to his majesty, who
then lived in Leicester: this gentleman preached but very seldom; and
when he did at all, it was after that fashion which has been sometimes
called gentleman-preaching: after a flaunting manner, and with such a
vain ostentation of learning, and affectation of language, as ill became the
oracles of God ; the people generally flocking more to the more edifying
ministry of Mr. Higginson, than to these harangues. Our Doctor so
extreamly resented it, that both publickly and privately, on all opportu-
nities, he expressed his indignation against Mr. Higginson, and vowed,
"That he would certainly drive him out of the town." Now, it so fell out,

th
th
th
ow
he

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

that the Sheriff appointed this Doctor to preach at the General Assizes
there, and gave him a quarter of a year's time to provide a sermon for
that occasion : but in all this time he could not provide a sermon unto his
own satisfaction ; insomuch, that a fortnight before the time was expired,
he expressed unto some of his friends a despair of being well provided ;
wherefore his friends perswaded him to try ; telling him that if it came to
the worst, Mr. Higginson might be procured to preach in his room; he
was always ready. The Doctor was wonderfully averse unto this last pro-
posal; and therefore studied with all his might, for an agreeable sermon;
but he had such a blast from Heaven upon his poor studies, that the very
night before the Assizes began, he sent his wife to the devout Lady Cave,
who prevailed with Mr. Iligginson to supply his place the day ensuing;
which he did, with a most suitable, profitable, and acceptable sermon;
and unto the great satisfaction of the auditory. When the Lady Cave had
let it be known how this thing, which was much wondred at, came about,
the common discourse of the town upon it so confounded the Doctor,
that he left the town, vowing, "That he would never come into it again."
Thus Mr. Higginson was left in the town 1 but, I pray, who was driven out?
§ 8. We lately styled Mr. Higginson a faithful man; and innumerable
were the instances, wherein he so approved himself, particularly there
was a time when many courtiers, lords, and gentlemen coming in a frolick
to Leicester, which was counted a puritanical town, resolved that they
would put a trick upon it. Wherefore, they invited the Mayor and Alder-
men, whereof divers were esteemed puritans, unto a collation; and over-
come them to drink a number of healths, with the accustomed ceremonies
of drinking upon their knees, till they all became shamefully and extreamly
drunh. This business becoming the common discourse of the town, Mr.
Higginson, from a text chosen to the purpose, in the audience of the Mayor
and Aldermen themselves, demonstrated the sinfulness of health-drinking,
and of drunkenness, and the aggravation of that sinfulness, when it is found
in magistrates, whose duty 'tis to punish it in other men: therewithal admon-
ishing them to repent seriously of the scandal which they had given.
This faithfulness of Mr. Higginson was variously resented ; some of the
people disliked it very much, and some of the Aldermen were so disturbed
and enraged at it that " they breathed out threatnings" till they were out
of breath : but the better sort of people generally approved it, as a conform-
ity to that rule, "them that sin before all, rebuke before all, that others
may fear;" and several of the Aldermen confessed their sin with a very
J enilent and pertinent ingenuity. The issue was, that Mr. Higginson was
brought into no trouble; and the God of heaven so disposed the hearts
of the Mayor and Aldermen, that after this, upon the death of old Mr.
Sacheverel, they chose Mr. Higginson to be their town-preacher, unto
which place there was annexed a large maintainance, to be paid out of
the town treasury. In answer hereunto, Mr. Higginson thanked them for

860

MAQNALIA CIIR18TI AMERICANA;

I ' i i

their good will ; but he told them, that he could not accept of it, because
there were some degrees of conformity therein required which he could
not now comply withal ; nevertheless, there being divers competitors for
the place, about whom the votes of the Aldermen were much divided, he
prevailed with them to give their votes for a learned and godly conform-
ist, one Mr. Angel ; who thereby came to be settled in it. There were
also made unto him several offers of some of the greatest and richest
livings in the country thereabouts; but the conscientious disposition to
non-conformity, now growing upon him, hindred his acceptance of them.

§ 9. While Mr. Higginson continued in Leicester, he was not only a
good man full o/Jatth, but also a good man fidl of ivork. He preached
constantly in the parish churches ; and he was called, while a conformist^
frequently to preach visitation sermons, assize sermons, and funeral ser-
mons: and as well </tcn, as ajlerwards, he was often engaged in fasts, both
in publick and private, both at home and abroad; and many repaired
unto him with ca^es of conscience, and for help about their interiour state.
Besides all this, he was very serviceable to the education of scholars,
either going to, or coming from the university ; and such as' afterwards
proved eminently serviceable to the church of God; whereof some were
Dr. Seaman, Dr. Brian, Mr. Richardson, and Mr. Howe, all of them Lei-
cestershire men, who would often say how much they owed unto Mr.
Higginson. And he was very useful in forwarding and promoting of
contributions for the relief of the Protestant-exiles, which came over from
the ruined Bohemia and the distressed Palatinate in those times; and many
other pious designs. But when (as he that writes the life of holy Mr.
Bains expresses it) "the hour and power of darkness was come from
Lambeth," or when the Bishop of Lc~ Ion prevailed, and the Bishop of
Lincoln retired, the blades of the Laudian faction about Leicester appeared,
informed and articled against Mr. Higginson, so that he lived in continual
expectation to be dragged away by the pursevants, unto the High Com-
mission Court, where a sentence o^ perpetual imprisonment wr.s the best
thing that could be looked for.

§ 10. Now, behold the interposing and seasonable providence of Heaven !
A considerable number of wealthy and worthy merchants, obtaining a
charter from King Charles I. whereby they were incorporated by the name
of, "The Governour and Company of the Massachuset-Bay in New-Eng-
land;" and intending to send over ships with passengers for the beginning
of a plantation tiiere, in the beginning of the year 1629; and resolving to
send none upon their account, but godly and honest men, professing that
religion which they declared was the end of this plantation ; these were
informed of the circumstances whereto Mr. Higginson was now reduced;
and accordingly they dispatched a couple of messengers unto him, to invite
him unto a voyage into New-England, with kind promises to support Lim
iu the voyage. These two messengers were ingenious men ; and under-

eoi

OR, THE HI8T0KY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

86L

-Eng-

istanding that pursevants were expected every hour to fetch Mr. Iliggin-
Bon up to London, they designed for a while to act the parts of pursevants:
coming therefore to his door, they knocked roundly and loudly, like fel-
lows equipped with some authority; and said, "Where is Mr. Iligginson?
we must speak with Mr. Iligginson 1" insomuch that his affrighted wife ran
up to him, telling him that the pursevants were come, and praying him
to step aside out of their way; but Mr. Higginson said, "No, I will go
down and speak with them; and the will of the Lord be done!" When
the messengers were come into the hall, they held out their papers unto
him, and with a certain roughness and boldness of address told him, "Sir,
we come from London, and our business is to fetch you up to London,
as you may see by these papers 1" which they then put into his hands;
whereat the people in the room were confirmed in their opinion that these
blades were pursevants; and Mrs. Higginson herself said, "I thought so:"
and fell a weeping. But when Mr. Higginson had lookt upon the papers,
he soon perceived that they were letters from the governour and company
inviting him to New-England ; with a copy of the charter, and proposi-
tions for managing their design of establishing and pr< ^ agating reformed
Chridlanity 'n\ the new plantation: whereupon he bad them welcome! and
there ensued a pleasant conversation betwixt him and his now undisguised
friends. In answer to this invitation, Mr. Higginson having first consulted
Heaven with humble and fervent supplications, for the divine direction
about so great a turn of his life, he advised then with several ministers,
especially with his dear friend Mr. Hildersham, who told hln, "That were
he himself a younger man, and under his case and call, he should think
he had a plain invitation of Heaven unto the voyage; and so ho camo
unto a resolution to comply therewithal.

§ 11. When Mr. Iligginson's resolution camo to be known, it made so
much noise among the Puritans, that many of them receiving satisfaction
unto the man}' enquiries which they made on this occasion, resolved that
they would accompany hitn. And now it was not long before his Jhrcivel
sermon was to be preached ! before he knew any thing about an offer of a
voyage to New-England. In his meditations about the state of England,
he had strange and strong apprehensions that God would shortly punish
England with the calamities of a war, and he therefore composed a ser-
mon upon those words of our Saviour, Lidce xxi. 20, 21, "When you seo
Jerusalem compassed with armies, then flee to the mountains." Now,
after he was determined for New-England, he did, in a vast assembly,
preach this for his fareivcl sermon; and therein having mentioned unto
them what he took to be the provoking sins of England in general, and
of Leicester in particular, he plainly told them, that he was perswadod,
God would chastise England with a war, in the suflt'erings whereof Leices-
ter would have a more than ordinary share. . How this prediction was
afterwards accomplished, is known to mankind ; and it was especially

'IK

\\ ill

'/•I I

...jL

I J

362

MAQNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

known to Leicester, which being sti-ongly fortified and garrisoned, and
having the wealth of all the country about brought into it, was besieged,
and at length carried by storm ; and the town was horribly plundered,
and eleven hundred people were slain in the streets.

But Mr. Higginson having ended his prophetical sermon, he gave thanks
to the magistrates and the other Christians of the plp.ce, for all the liberty,
countenance, and encouragement which they had given unto his ministry:
and he told them of his intended removal to New-England, the principal
end of which plantation, he then declared, was the propagation of religion;
and of the hopes which he had, that New-England might be designed by
Heaven as a refuge and shelter for the non-conformista against the storms
that were coming upon the nation, and a region where they might prac-
tise the diurch-reformation^ Avhich they had been bearing witness unto. And
so he concluded with a most affectionate prayer for the King, the church,
the state, and peculiarly for Leicester, the seat of his former labours. And
after this he took his journey, with his fjimily, for London; the streets as
he passed along being filled with people of all sorts, who bid him farewel,
with loud prayers and cries for his ivi'l/are.

§ 12. When he came to London, he found three ships ready to sail for
New-England, with two more, that were in a month's time to follow after
them : filled with godly and honest passengers, among whom there were
two other non-conformist ministers. They set sail from the Isle of Wight
about the first of May, 1629, and when they came to the Land's End, Mr.
Higginson, calling up his children and other passengers unto the stern of
the ship, to i xke their last sight <)f England, he said, "We will not say, as
the separatists were wont to say at their leaving of England, 'Farewel,
Babylon!' 'farewel, Home!' but we will say, 'farewel, dear England! fare-
wel, the Church of God in England, and all the Christian friends there 1
We do not go to New-England as separatists from the Church of England;
though we cannot but separate from the corruptions in it: but we go to
practise the positive part of church reformation, and propagate the gospel
in America.' " And so he concluded with a fervent prayer for the King,
and church, and slate, in England; and for the presence and blessing of
God with themselves, in tlieir present undertaking for New-England. At
length, by the good hand of God upon them, they arrived, after a com-
fortable passage, unto Salem harbour on the twonty-fourth of June ensuing.

§ 13. Mr. Higginson being in this voyage associated with Mr. Skelton,
a minister of the like principles with himself, they were no sooner got on
shore, but they likewise associated in pursuing their principles and inten-
tions of religion, which were the end of their coming hither. Acct^rdingly,
laying before the chief of the people their desires, and their designs of
settling a reformed congrcjutiou in the place, after a frequent converse about
tlie methods of it, they came unto a hearty concurrence to take a day in
the following August for it. In order hereunto, Mr. Higginson drew up

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

868

a "confession of faith," with a scriptural representation of the "covenant
of grace" applied unto their present purpose; whereof '^>irty copies were
taken for the thirty j^ei'sons which were to begin the woi. .ig of gatherivij
the church. The day was kept as a fast; whereii\ after the prayers and
sermons of the two ministers, these thirty persons did solemnly and sever-
ally profess their consent unto the confession and covenant then read unto
them ; and they proceeded then to chuse Mr. Skelton, Mr. Higginson their
teachers, and one Mr. Houghton, for a ruling elder. And after this, many
others joined unto the church thus gathered ; but none were admitted, of
whose 'jood conversation in Christ there was not a satisfactory testimony.
By tlie same token, that at this first church gathering, there fell out a
remarkable matter which is now to be related. At a time when the church
was to be gathered at Salem, there was about thirty miles to the south-
ward of that place a plantation of rude, lewd, mad, English people, who
did propose to themselves a gainful trade with the Indians, but quickly
came to nothing. A young gentleman belonging to that plantation being
at Salem, on the day when the church was gathered, was at what he saw
and heard so deeply affected, that he stood up, expressing with much
affection his desire to be admitted into their number, which, when they
demurred about, he desired that they would at least admit him to make his
profession before them. When they allowed this, he expressed himself
so agreeably, and with so much ingenuity and simiilicity, ;hat they were
extreamly pleased with it; and the ministers told him, that they highly
approved of Mm profession, but inasmuch as he was a stranger to them, they
could not receive him mto their communion until they had a further
acquaintance with his conversation. However, such was the hold which
the grace of God now took of him, that he became an eminent Christian
and a worthy and useful person, and not only afterwards joined unto the
church of Boston, but also made a great figure in the commonwealth of
New-England, as the major-general of all the forces in the colony ; it was
Major-general Gibbons.

§ 14. The church of Salem now being settled, they enjoyed many smiles
of Heaven upon them ; and yet there were many things that lookt like
frowns; for they were exercised with many difficulties, and almost an
hundred of good people died the first winter of their being here; among
whom was Mr. Houghton, an elder of the church. Mr. Higginson also
fell into an hectic fever, which much disabled him for the work of his
ministry ; and the last sermon under the incurable growth of this malady
upon him, was upon the arrival of many gentlemen and some hundreds
of passengers to New-England, in the beginning of the ensuing summer.
He then preached on those words of our Saviour, Matth. xi. 7, " What
went ye out into the wilderness to see?" From whence, he minded the
people of the design whereupon this plantation was erected, namely, reli-
gion : and of the streights, wants, and various trials which in a wilderness

h I

864

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

they must look to meet withal ; and of the need which there was for them
to evidence the uprujhtness of their hearts in the end of their coming hither.
After this, he was confined unto his bed, and visited by the chief persons
of the new-colony, who much bemoaned their loss of so useful a person,
but comfbrted him with the consideration of his faithfulness to the Lord
Jesus, in his former sufferings and services, and the honour which the
Lord had granted him, to begin a work of church-reformation in America.

lie replied, "I have been but an unprofitable servant; and all my own
doings I count but loss and dung: all my desire is to win Christ, and bo
found in him, not having my own righteousness 1" And he several times
declared, "That thougli the Lord called him away, he was perswaded God
would raise up others, to carry on the work that was begun, and that there
would yet be many churches of the Lord Jesu3 Christ in this wilderness."
He likewise added, "that though he should leave his desolate wife and eight
children, whereof the eldest was but about fourteen years old, in a low con-
dition, yet he left them with his God, and he doubted not. but the faithful
God would graciously provide for them." So, in the midst of many prayers,
he fell asleep; in the month of August, 1630, and in the forty-third year
of his age, and his funeral was attended with all possible solemnity.

§ 15. Reader, prepare to behold and admire and adore the faitlifulness
of our God, in providing for the children of them that fliithfully have
served him. lie moved the hearts of many charitable Christians, who yet
were spending on the stocks which they brought out of England with them,
to provide as comfortably for the widow and off-spring of this deceased
minister as if he had left them some thousands of pounds. A nd his two
sons, who had been brought up at the grammar-school in Leicester, had
a particular taste of this liberality, in the provision which was thus made
for their having such a learned education as might fit them for the service
of the church in the ministry of the gospel.

One of these, Francis by name, was for a time a school-master at our
Cambridge; but having attained as much learning as New-England could
then afford, he was desirous to visit some European university; and being
recommended unto Rotterdam, some Dutch merchants, out of respect unto
an hopeful scholar of New-England, contributal fourscore pounds in money
to assist his juvenile studies at Leyden. Afterwards having visited some
other universities in those parts, he returned into England; where he
declined a settlement in some other, which he thought more opinionative,
and so more contentious and undesireable places, to which he was invited,
and settled at Kerby-Steven in Westmoreland, hoping to do most good
among the ignorant people there. But it pleased the God of heaven to
permit .,he first out-breaking of that prodigious and comprehensive heresy,
Quakerism, in that very place; and a multitude of people being beicitched
tliPieinto, it was a great affliction unto this worthy man ; but it occasioned
his writ'ug the first book tliat ever was v/ritten against that sink of bias-

OR, THE iiisTonv OF new-enq; \kd.

866

at our
could
d being
!ct unto

pliemies, cntituled, '*77te IrreUjioa of Northern QunkersJ' Tins Itiirnt'il
person was the author of a Latin treatise, De quinq, vuixinu's JAiminibm.
De Luce Increata; De Lure creata; De Lumine Natunv^ Oralice ct (Jluriunf^
and having illuminated the house of God in that part of it where our Lord
had set him to shine^ he went away to the light of ylory, in the fifty-fifth
year of his age.

The other, named John, has been on some laudable accounts another
Origen ; for the father of Origen would kiss the uncovered breast of that
excellent youth, whilst he lay asleep, as being the temple where the spirit
of God was resident, and as Origen, after the untimely death of his father,
had his poor mother with six other children to look after; whereupon he
taught first a grammar-school, and then betook himself unto the study of
divinity; thus this other Iligginson, after a pious childhood, having been
a school-master at Hartford, and a minister at Saybrook, and afterwards
at Guilford, became at length, in the year 1659, a pastor, and a rich and
long hlessiiifji, succeeding his father in his church at Salem. This reverend
person, has been alwaj'S valued for his useful preaching and his holy liv-
ing; and besides his constant labours in the pulpit, whereby his own flock
has been edified the whole country has, by i\ic press, enjoyed some of his
comjjosures, and by his hand, the composures of some others also, passing
the j)?-t'S5, have been accompanied. Having formerly born his testimony
to '* 77<e Cause of Qod, and his People in New- England," in a sermon so
eiitituled, which he preached on the greatest anniversary solemnity which
occurred in the land, namely, the anniversary election; when he thought,
that the advances of (jld age upon him directed him to live in the hourly
expectation of death, he published a most savoury book, on " Our dying
Saviour^s Legacy of Peace to his Disciples in a troublesome world; loith a Dis-
course on the Duty of Christians, to he Witnesses unto Christ; unto which is
added, some Help) to SelfExaminationP

Nevertheless, this true Simeon is yet "waiting for the consolation of
Israel." This good old man is yet alive; (in the year 1096) arrived unto
the eightieth year of his devout age, and about the sixtieth year of his
publick work, and he that "from a child knew the holy Scriptures," does,
at those 3'ears wherein men use to be twice children, continue preaching
them with such a manly, pertinent, judicious vigour, and with so little
decay of his intellectual abilities, as is indeed a matter of just admiration.
But there was a famous divine in Germany, who on his death bed, when
some of his friends took occasion to commend his past painful, faithful,
and fruitful ministry, cried out unto them [Avferte fgneni adhuc enim puhus
habeo!] "Oh! bring not the sparks of your praises near me, as h^ng as
I have any chaff left in me!" And T am sensible that I shall receive the
like check from this my reverend fatlier, if I presume to do him the justice
which a few months hence will be done him, in all the churches; nor

• The Ave Great I.igUts: Light Uncri-iited ; Light Created ; the Light of Niitiirevof Grace, and of Glory.

m'I

I:.!.

866

MAUNALIA CHRIISTI AMERICANA;

would I deserve ot liis hands the blow which Constaiitiuo gave to him,
who Impcrutorem ausu3 est, in Os Bcatum dicere,*

§ 16. At the same time that Mr. Francis lligginaon was persecuted for
his non-conformity in Leicestershire, there was one Mr. Samuel Skclton,
who underwent the like persecution in Lincolnshire; and by mc ns hereof
they hccamo fellow-travellers in their voyage to New England, and fellow-
labourers in their service here. All the remembrance that I can recover
of this worthy man is, that he survived his colleague, "a good and faithful
servant of our Lord, well doing," until August 2, 163-4, and retired from
au evil world, then to partake with him in the "joy of thoir Lord."

EPITAPH I UM.

Jaeet $ub hoe Tumulo, Mortuui,

FllANCISCUS HIGGINSONUS:

Jaeertt tt ip»a Virtut, n mori po$iet.

Abj Viator,
£t til hujut Ordini$ FranciacanuLt

CHAPTER n.

THE DEATH OF MR. JOHN AVERT.

The divine oracles have told us, "That the judgments of God are a
great deep:" and indeed it is in Oie deep, that we have seen some of those
judgments executed.

It has been remarked, that there miscarried but one vessel of all those
great fleets which brought passengers unto New-England upon the pious
and holy designs of the first settlement; which vessel also was but a pin-
nace; nevertheless richly laden, as having in it Mr. Avery.

Mr. Avery, a worthy minister, coming into New-England, was invited
unto Marble-head; but there being no church there, and the fsliermen being
there generally too remiss to form a chujch, he went rather to Newberry,
intending there to settle.

Nevertheless, both the magistrates and the ministers of the country,
urging the common good that would arise from hih being at Marble-head,
he embarked in a pinnace, with two flimilies, his own and his 'cousin Mr.
Anthony Thacher's, which, with some others then aboard, made in all
twenty-three souls; designing in a few hours to have reached the port.

But on August 14, 1635, in the night, there came on as mighty a storm
as perhaps was ever known in these parts of the world ; a storm which

* Dared to cull him Dles8e<l Emperor to his face,

t B p I T A p II : Dead beneath this tombfitone lies Francis Hiooinson : and Virtue, if she could die, could lio
buried here with him. Away, traveller, and bencefortb be a Pranciican of bis order.

OR, THE HIBTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

drove the vessel upon a rock, and so tore it, that the poor people sat pres-
ently up to the middle in water, expecting every moment the imycj* of
death Ui ho rolling over them.

The vessel was quickly broken all to pieces, and almost the whole com-
pany drowned, by being successively washetl oft* tlio rock; only Mr.
Thaclior, having been a considerable while tossed hither and thither by
the violt ut seas, was at last very strangely cast a'ive upon the shore;
wi)ero, much wounded, he found his wife a sharer with him in the like
deliveranc 3.

While t'lese distressed servants of God were hanging about the rock,
and Mr. Thacher had Mr. Avery by the baud, resolving to die together,
and expecting by the stroke of the next wave to die, Mr. Avery lift up
his eyes to heaven, saying, "We know not what the pleasure of God is;
I fear we have been too unmindfal of former deliverances: Lord, I cannot
challenge a promise of the preservation of my life ; but thou hixst promised
to deliver us from sin and condemnation, and to bring us safe to heaven,
through the all-sufticient satisfaction of Jesus Christ; this therefore I do
challenge of thee." Which he had no sooner spoken, but he was, by a
wave sweeping him off, immediately wafted away to heaven indeed ; being
well furnished with those unpcrishahle things: whereto refers the advice of
the famous Duke of Bavaria, Ilujusmodi compamndce sunt opes^ qucn nohis'
cum possunt simul euatare in Kmifrar/io.^

The next island was therefore called Thacher's Woe, and that rock
Avenfs Fall.

Who can, without shedding tears almost enough to make a sensible addi-
tion unto the lake Leman, call to mind the fate of the incomparable Hot-
tinger, upon that 1 ike, in the year 1667? That incomparably learned and
godly man, beiu^ by the States-General of the United Provinces, after
much importunity, prevailed withal to come unto Leyden, the boat wherein
he was, with his wife and three children, and a kinsman, and another per-
son of quality, unhappily overset, by striking on an unseen rock, a little
way off the hoar. He, with the two gentlemen, got safe out of the tuater;
but seeing his luife and three children in extream danger of drowning, they
went into the water again to save them, and there he, with one of the
gentlemen, (and his three children) were drowned themselves. But eight
days before this lamentable accident, he found this verse written on the
Doctor's chair at his ascending it for the publick exercises ; whereof the
■writer could never be found:

■♦A.

I could lio

Carmina jam Mortens, Canit Exequialia Cygnua.i

Reader, from Hottinger, now return to Avery. Compare the manner
of their death ; and never forget the memorable swan-song which Avery,

* We should amass Ihose treasures which will survive our shipwreck,
t The dj'iag swan chants his own requiem.

! iMi

* i, -ikil

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

not eight days, but scarce eight seconds of a minute, before his expiration,
sang in the ears of heaven.

What was applied once to Hottinger, shall now be borrowed for Avery,
as an

EPITAPH lUM. ASD ADD,

yirtutem quit non poat Te lectetur eunitof
Firtutem guandi gloria tanta manet.*

-TSttum tenet Jlnthora portum,

JVunc hiiaris Ventot ridtt, Tumidatgue proeMat.f

that
in t
thoi

NATUS AD EIEMPIAR4 THE LIFE OF MR. JONATHAN BURR.

Exemplo mongtrante Ftam.§

§ 1. When the interests of David were carried into a wilderness^ the
respects and regards by his Jonathan had thereunto were such, that he
at last uttered this exclamation thereupon, " Thy love to me was wonder-
ful 1" The interests of our Jesus, the true David, being lodged very much
in an American wilderness, there was a Jonathan, whose love thereunto was
indeed so wonderful, that it carried him thro' the many waters of the Atlan-
tick ocean, to be serviceable thereunto; and tliis was Mr. Jonath;in Burr.

§ 2, lie was born at Redgrave, in Suffolk, about the year 1604; de-
scended of godly parents, who gratified the inclinations of this their son
with a learned education. But although literature did much adorn his
childhood, religion did so much more; for he had "from a child known
the holy Scriptures, which made him wise unto salvation." It is noted that
the rod of Aaron was made of an almond-tree; of which 'twill be no Pliny-
ism to observe (though Pliny observe it,) that it flowers the first of all
trees, even in January, in the more soutliern countries, and bears in March;
which' has been sometimes employed as an intimation how quickly those
that are designed for the ministry should hloasom towards heaven, and
be young Jeremiahs, and Johns, and Timothies. Thus did our Jonathan.
Kven in his very childhood, so studious he was, as to leave his ybo'i for his
hook, but withal so jn'ous, that he could neither morning nor evening dare
to go without praijers to God for his blosriing. And as it was his endeav-
our, whilst a school-bo3', to be every day in i\\Q fear of the Lord, so he would
on l\\(i Lord'^s t^(«?/ discover a singular measure of that year; not only by
abstaining from the liberties which others of his age then use to take, to
2:>ass the time away, but also by devoting the time to the exercises of devotion.
llis lather, observing this disposition of the child, hoped, as well he might,

• He r<illow8 Virtuo who goes after thee ;
Thy Virtue'i) fuiiie hiB certain guide shall be.
% Burn to l)e ho uxHin|>le.

t His ship lies anchored in iho port at lost,
Smiles at the billow and defies the blast,

I Example sh^'Wsi the wajr.

OK, THE HISTOBY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

869

ndeav-
would
ily bv
[ike, to
'votion.
might,

at,

St.

way.

that whatever was expended in fitting him for service^ would be well repaid
in the service which might be done by him for the church of God ; and
therefore, after due preparations for it, he sent him unto the university.

§ 3. After he had spent three or four years in academical studies, the
death of his father fetched him sooner than he would have gone into the
country ; where, though he kept a school, yet he pursued the design of
accomplishing himself with every part of learning, that when those of his
years were to take their degrees of Mcistership, he was one of the moder-
ators, which place he discharged with great acceptation. But he after-
wards would say, that the awful and humbling providence of God, in the
death of his father, which hindred him from those employments and pre-
ferments of the university for which he had a particular fondness, had an
efl'ect upon him, for which he had reason to admire the wisdom of Heaven ;
inasmuch as it reduced him to that modest, gracious, careful frame, which
made him the fitter for the work of "turning many to righteousness."

§ 4. Having for a while attended that work at llorninger, near Bury in
Suffolk, he afterwards undertook the charge of Eeckingshal, in the same
county, wherein he did most exemplarily express the spirit of a minister
of the New Testament. He would therein be sometimes ready to envy the
more easie condition of the hiuhandmen; but in submission and obedience
unto the call of God, he now set his hand unto the plough of the Lord
Jesus Christ: and therefore in the form of a solemn covenant, he obliged
himself unto the most conscientious discharge of his ministerial duties;
in which discharge he would always beg of God that, whatever exhortation,
he gave unto others, might first be shaped in his own experience: and yet
sometimes he would complain unto his friends: "Alas! I preach not what
I am, but what I ought to be."

§ 5. This gracious man, wits indeed a very humble man, and his humility
carried him even into a dejection of spirit; especially when by importuni-
ties he had been prevailed upon to preach abroad. Once particularly, there
was a person of quality, for whose conversion many prayers had been put
up to God, by those who hoped that God might have much honour from
a man of honour brought unto himself. Mr. Burr, preaching at a place
far from his own congregation, had a most happy success in the conversion
of this gentleman, who not only acknowledged this change with much
thankfulness, both to God and the instrument, but also approved himself
a changed man in the whole frame of his after-conversation. And yet,
coming home from the preaching of that sermon, Mr. Burr had a ])urticu-
l;ir measure of his lowly and modest reflections thereupon; adding, *'i
shall conclude, it is of God, if any good be done by any thing preached
by such an unworthy instrument."

§ 6. Hence, on the Lord's day, after he came home from his publick
work, it was his manner presently to retire, and spend some time in praij-
ing to God for the pardon of the sins which accompanied him in his work,
Vol. I.— 24

I f

870

HAGNALIA CHSISTI AMERICANA;

and in praising of God for enabling him to go, in any measure, through
it; with petitions for the good success of his labours.

He then would come down to his family-worship, wherein he spent some
hours iiistructing of the family, and performing of other duties; and when
his wife desired him to abate of his excessive pains, his answer would be,
'"Tis better to be worn out with work, than to be eaten out with rust."
It was indeed his joy to be spending his life unto the uttermost for God
and for his people ; yea, he would say, though he should have no temporal
rewards. Accordingly, when any that had been benefited by his ministry
sent him any tokens of their gratitude, he would (like Luther) beg of
God "That he might not have his portion in such things:" and he desired
of his grateful friends, " that if they had gotten any good of him, they
would give unto God alone the glory of it." Moreover, if he had under-
stood that any had gained in the concern of their souls by his labours,
he would mention it, in some of his private devotions, with this expres-
sion, "Lord, of thine own have I given, take then the glory unto thy self:
as for me, let my portion be in thy self, and not in the things of this
world." But when he was debarred of his liberty to preach, he was even
"like a fish out of the water;" and his very body languished through a sym-
pathy, with the resentments of his mind; saying, "That his preaching was
his life ; and if he were laid aside from that, he should quickly be dead."

§ 7. It was not on the Lord's day only, but every day, that this good
man was usually, "in the fear of the Lord all the day long." lie might
say with the Psalmist, "When I awake, I am still with God:" for at his
first awaking, he would bless God for the mercies of the night, and tlien
pray, " that he might so number his days, as to apply his heart to wis-
dom :" and if he awaked in the night, it would commonly be with some
thanhsgivings unto Heaven. Rising in the morning, he would repair to his
beloved study, where he began the day with secret prayer before the Lord :
after this, he would read a chapter in the Old Testament, spending some
time in serious, and solemn, and heart searching meditations thereupon:
he would then come down into his family, where, with his prayers, he
would then read and expound, and apply the same chapter unto his own
folks, and such of the neighbours as would come in to enjoy his medita-
tions at the usual season of them. Retiring then to his study again, he
would continue there, till called unto his dinner; and if none came to
speak with him after dinner, he would, after some diversion for a while
with his children, return to his study, where he would then have a time
to pray with his tuife; but if at any time he were invited unto a dinner
abroad, he would have a time for that service in the forenoon, before his
going out.

As the evening di*ew on, after the like manner, he would read a chap-
ter in the New Testament, making his family partakes of his rejlcctions,
with his prayer upon it. And before his going to bed, he usually walked

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

871

through

int somo
nd when
ould be,
h rust."
for God
temporal
ministry
I beg of
5 desired
im, they
i under-
labours,
expres-
thy self:
;s of this
vas even
;h a sy ra-
tling was
)e dead."
his good
[o might
}r at his
md tlien
t to wis-
ith somo
%\r to his
le Lord:
ng some
Breupon :
xyors, he
his own

medita-
igain, he
came to

a while
'0 a time
a dinner
3foro his

a chap-
ejlix'tions^
f walked

up and down the room, for half an hour or more, pondering upon some-
tiling, which his wife, desiring to know, "what it was?" he replied, "See-
ing thou art so near me, if it may do thee good, I'll tell thee: fiirst" he
said, he called himself unto an account, "how he had spent the day?"
and what sinful commissions or omissions he had been overtaken with ; for
which he then beggid pardon of God. Secondly, he reckoned up the par-
ticular mercies he had received in the day, rendring of praises to Heaven
for those mercies. Lastly, he made his petitions to God, that he might be
prepared for siuMen death : unto which third article in his thoughts, that
which gave more special occasion was the sudden death of his brother,
an eminent and excellent Christian, whom, he said, he could never forget.

§ 8. When he travelled abroad, he thought long to be at home again,
through his dissatisfaction at his not having elsewhere so convenient sea-
sons for his communion with God. And when he took any journeys
iwith his friends, it was his manner to enquire, " What good had been
done, or gained therein?" and "what good examples had been seen?"
and "what good instructions had been heard?" and that there might be
no loss of time in the journeys, he would be full of profitable discourse,
especially by way of occasional refaction upon things that then occurred
unto observation. What he was in a journey, the same he was at the
table ; even like the fire, (what was once writ of Athenodorus) 'E^airrwv
««vra TO irapox£if*eva.* So that they who would bear no part in a gracious
commxmication, would be dumb where-over he came; and some of the
roughest and rudest hearers would have tears fetched from their eyes at
the soul-melting expressions that passed from his mouth. Moreover, at a
feast he would eat more sparingly than at another time, giving us his rea-
son for his temperance, the advice of the wise man: "Put a knife to thy
throat;" and he would say, "Where there are many varieties, there are
many temptations."

§ 9. It was his wont, before the Lord's Supper, to keep a day of solemn
fasting and prayer alone, with his wife, as well to prepare themselves for
that sacred ordinance, as to obtain the manifold blessings of Heaven upon
his family and neighbourhood. Such was his piety. And as for his
charity, he seldom visited the poor, but with spirituals he communicated
also temporals unto them : for which, when some of his friends intimated
that he might err, in reserving no more for himself, he would answer, "I
often think of those words, ho that soweth sparingly, shall reap spa"-
ingly." It was also remarkable to see how much his own personal /oys and
griifs were swallowed up in the sympathy which he had with the condition
of the whole church abroad: when he heard it was well with the church,
he would say, "Blessed be God, that it goes well with them, whatever
becomes of mel" But if ill, none of his own private prosper^ity kept
him from feeling it, as a true member of that mystical body. Finally, all

* Which toucbe* every thing near It.

I riii'

I I

872

MAGNALIA CIIRISTl AMEEICANA;

the graces which thus rendred him amiable to those that were about him,
were attended with such Mosaic meekness as made him yet further ami-
able: he would be zealous when he saw dishonour cast on the name of
God, hnt patient under injury offered unto himself. If he were infoi'med
that any thought meanly of him, he would not be moved at it, but say,
"I think as meanly of my self, and therefo.'e may well be content that
others think meanly of me:" and when evil hath been charged on him,
he has replied, "If men see so much, what does God see?" Disgraceful
and unworthy speeches bestowed upon him, he would call his gains; but
it was his trouble to find himself applauded. His friends might indeed
have said of him, as Luther of Melancthon, Mihi plane videtur saltern in
hoc errare, quod Christum ipse fingat longius ahesse 'i Corde suo, quani sit
re vera: certe nimis Nullus in hoc est noster Jonathan.*

§ 10. This bright star must move westward. He, with many fellow-
sufferers for the "testimony of Jesus," being silenced in England; ani
foreseeing a dismal storm a coming upon the nation, till the overpassing
whereof he saw many praying saints directed unto America for chamhei's
of safety ; and willing to forego all worldly advantages for the enjoyment
of gospel ordinances, administered without the mixtures of humane inven-
tions; he removed into New-England, having his three children with him,
and his wife big with a fourth, in his remove ; where arriving, it refreshed
him not a little to see the escaped people of God, with "harps in their
hands," there singing the "song of Moses." He came into New-England
at a time when there wa^ not so much want of lights as of golden candle-
sticks wherein to place the lights ; but he was not long there before he
was invited by the church of Dorchester to be an assistant unto the well-
known Mr. Richard Mather.

§ 11. The evil one, disturbed at the happiness of Dorchester, very strongly
endeavoured a misunderstanding between Mr. Mather and Mr. Burr; and
the misunderstanding did proceed so far as to produce a paroxism.

It was judged by some of the brethren in the church that Mr. Burr had
expressed himself erroneously in certain points, the much agitated through-
out the country; and Mr. Mather, upon their desire, examining the prop-
ositions which this good man had written, thought he could not altogether
clear them from exceptions. Hereupon grew such alienations, that they
could not be well re-united without calling in the help of neighbouring
churches in a council; which council directing both Mr. Mather and Mr.
Burr to acknowledge what misuudcrslandings were then discovered in this
business, those two good men set apart a day for the reconciliation; and
with such exemplary expressions of humility and affection rectified all thai,
had been out of joint, that God was exceedingly glorified, and the peace
of the church eficctually restored and maintained.

* It is evident to mo timt he crrx ii> |iri't<>ii(lin|]r tlmt Cliri^^t in ruitlior from liig bcart than is roally true. Surely
In this my Juimthnn seems ti> dopnicintc liiMiHolf td iin iinrcnaunnbh extent.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

873

§ 12. This true Barnabas was not only to give the churches of New-
England a consolatory visit in his passage unto glory, that he might leave
them an example of that hve, patience, holiness, and fruitfulness^ which
would make them an happy people. Though he had not j^ersecittion to
try him in this wilderness, yet ho was not without his trials ; for, as 'tis
well observed in the discourse. Be Buplici Marti/rio* v/\nc\\ goes .under the
name of Cyprian, Si deest Tyranmis, si I'ortor, si Spoliator, non dccrit con-
ciqiiscentia, Martyrii Materiam quotidianam nobis exhluens.f The next year
after he came to New-England, he was taken sick of the small-pox ; out
of which he nevertheless recovered, and came forth as "gold that had been
tryed in the fire." He then renewed and applied the covenant of grace, by
the suitable recognitions of the following instrument:

"I, J >nathan Burr, being brought in the arms of Almighty God over the vast ocean, with
my iitmily and friends, and graciously provided for in a wilderness; and being sensible of
my own unprofitableness and self-seeking; yet of infinite mercy, being culled unto the tre-
mendous work ol' feeding souls, and being of late with my family delivered out of a great
nfHiution of the small-pox; and having found the fruit of that affliction; God tempering,
ordering, mitigating the evil thereof, so as I have been graciously and speedily delivered ; I
do promise and vow to Him that hath done all things for me; First, That I will aim tuily at
hxa glory, and tho good of souls, and not my self and vain glory: and that. Secondly, I will
walk humbly, with lower thoughts of my self, considering what a poor creature I am: a putf
of breath, sustained only by the power of His grace; and therefore. Thirdly, I will be more
watchful over my heart, to keep it in a due frame of holiness and obedience, without running
out so far to the creature; for I have seen that he is mine only help in time of need;
Fourthly, that I will put more weight upon that Jirm promise, and sure truth, that God is a
''God hearing prayer;" Fifthly, that I will set up God, more in my family, more In my self,
wife, children and servants ; conversing with them in a more serious and constant manner;
for this ,God aimed at in sending his hand into my family at this time.

" Memento Mori.J

^ In Meipso Nihil; in Chrislo Omne.^^^

Nor was his heavenly conversation afterwards disagreeable to these grate-
ful resolutions of his devout soul. By the same token, that the famous
Mr. Thomas Hooker, being one of his auditors when he preached in a
great audience at Charlestown, had this expression about him: "Surely,
this man wont be long out of heaven, for he preaches as if he were there
already." And the mo.st experienced Christians in the country found still
in his ministry, as well as in his whole behaviour, the breathing of such a
spirit as was very greatly to their satisfaction. They could not but call
him, as Dionysius was once called, ne«»vov tS? 'oupavS, — ilie bird of heaven.
Had it not been old Adam's ivorld, so innocent, so excellent, so heavenly
a person, could not have met with such exercises as be and others like him
then sometimes did, even from their truest brethren.

§ 13. Having just been preaching about the redemption of time, he foil

• TwofiiM iimrlyrUom. [iniirtyntom.

t It' there b« iiu tyrant, no torturer, no robber, there will siill be evil pnsuions, ruriiishing daily uccuHions fur
X Ke<>p death in mind. | In myself, i am nothing; in Cliriet, I am oil thiaga.

' rtei

i -^^ 1..

-.^

874

HAQNALIA CURISTI AMERICANA;

into a sickness often days' continuance; during which time, he expressed
a wonderful patience and submission upon all occasions. His wife, per-
ceiving his toilh'nfpiess to die, asked him, "whether he were desirous to leave
her and his children?" "Whereto his answer was, "Do not mistake me:
I am not desirous of that; but I bless God that now my will is the Lord's
will : if he will have me to live yet with my dear wife and children, I am
willing. I will say to you, my dear wife and children, as the apostle says,
'It is better for you, that I abide with you; but it is better for me to be
dissolved and to be with Christ.' " And perceiving his wife's disconsola-
tion, he asked her, "if she could not be willing to part with him;" where-
upon, when she intimated how hard it was, he exhorted her to acquiesce
in that God who would be better tfian ten husbands: adding, "Oar parting
is but for a time; I am sure we shall one day meet again." Being dis-
couraged by finding himself unable to put on his clothes, one of his friends
told him "his work was now to lie still:" at which he complained, "I lie
slugging a bed, when others are at work!" But being minded of God^s
will that it should be so, that quieted him. Observing how diligently his
wife tended him, he said unto her, "Don't spend so much time with me,
but go thy way and spend some time in prayer: thou knowest not what
thou mayst obtain from God; I fear lest thou luuk too much upon this
affliction." A day or two before his death, he Llessed his children ; and
the night before he died, he was overheard sometimes to say, "I will wait
until my change come;" and "Why art thou so loath to die?" A few
hours before his death, it was observed that he had a sore conflict with
the "angel of death," who was now shooting his last arrows at him; and
when one of the standers-by said, "The sting of death is taken away; the
Lord Jesus Christ has overcome death for you; this is one of Satan's last
assaults; his work is now almost at an end; though he be a subtil enemy,
and would, if it were possible, deceive the very elect;" he presently laid
hold on that last expression "if it were possible!" said he, "Blessed be
God there is no possibility!" After this, he requested the company might
withdraw, that so he might have an opportunity to pray for a while by
himself; but seeing the company loth to leave the room, he prayed in
Latin as long as he had strength to do it. When he was to appearanc i
just expiring, he called for his wife; and stedfastly fixing his eyes upon
her, he said, " Cast thy care upon God, for he careth for thee." About
half an hour afler this, when death had been for some while drawing the
curtains about him, his last words were those unto his wife, "Hold fast,
hold fast!" So he finished his pilgrimage, on August 9, 1641.

§ 14. Unto that vertuous gentlewoman his wife, he expressed himself
with great confidence, "That God would certainly provide well for her;"
and that gentlewoman, shortly after being honouraV)ly and comfortably
married unto another gentleman of good estate, namely, Richard Dummer,
Esq., once a magistrate of the colony, lived with him near forty years;

OR, THE HISTOBT OF NEW-ENGLAND.

376

and was more than forty years after alive to testify lier exi>erien<3e of the
accomplishment which God had given unto that faith of her dying hus-
band: who at his death commended his family to God, in strains not unlike
tliose of the dy ir g Widerus :

Chriate, tibi toli mea pignora Viva relinquo,

Quorum pott Morli m Tu Pater e$lo meam.
Qui eunclit Vita miterum mejugiter Annia

Pavitti, Largam dana Miki Hmper opem;
Tu quoque Paace meoa deftnd*, tuere, doeaqua
Et tandem ad Crnil gaudia tranajar. Amen.*

EPITAPHIUM.
Mortuua hie Jacet, qui in Omnium Cordilua Vivit.
Omnea Virtutea, qua Vivunt poat Funera,
In Uniua Burri Funere invenerunt Stpulrhrum.f

To make up his epitaph, I will borrow a line or two from the tomb-stone
ofVolkmarus:

Hie Jacet Exutia nimium eito Burrius Annia,

Adjuga Suggeatua, Magna Mathere, Tui.
Si magia Annoaam lieuiaaet eondire Vitam,

Ac Srriptia Animum notifieara Lihria,
Tot Verbia non aaaet opua hoe Sculpare iSoxum;
Suffieerent Quatuor, BuRXins hie aitua aat.t

CHAPTEE I?.

THE LIFE OF MR. GEORGE PHILIPS.

Vita Miniatri eat Censara et Cynoaura.^

PS upon
About

§ 1. Not only the common sign-posts of every town, but also some
famous orders of knighthood in the most famou: nations of Europe, have
entertained us with traditions of a certain champion, by the name of St
Geokge dignified and distinguished. Now, whilst inany do, with Calvin,
leckon this notable St. George, with his brother St. Kit, among the hrvn
and /oi^s of the romantic monks; others, from the honourable mention of
him in so many liturgies^ do think there might be such a man ; but then
he must be no other, neither better nor worse, in the most probable opin-
ion of Rainolds, than George the Arrian bishop of Alexandria, the antag-
onist and adversary of Athanasius; of this memorable trooper, the Arriana
feigned miracles, and with certain disguises imposed the fame of him upon
the orthodox. But the churches of New-England being wholly unconcerned

' To thee, O Christ, thia tender flock I leave ;
Be Thou their father when I am no more,
Thou ttom the morn of life until its eve

Hast fed me with the richei of Thy store:
These little ones so feed, protect, and love,
And then translate them to Thy rest above.

t E p I f A ? H : Here he lies dead, but he lives in the hearts of all.
All ihnse great virtues, which the tomb defy, | Now sleep within it, where our Burr doth lie.

And stamped his genius cm some deathlev paicn.

No sculpture need upon this stone apiiear.

Save one brief, meaning sentence; " Bukr liii bi

X Here lielh Ri:rr, whose span t,x> soon was sped
Burr, -jvhoni In life our own great Mathcr led.
Alus ! bad he liut reachiKl a riper age.

( Tlie life of the minister is a reproach to some— a guiding-star to other*.

■ f

9^mM

376

MAGNALIA GIIRIv^TI AMERICANA;

with any such a St. George, and wishing that they had been less concerned
with many Quakers, whose chief apostles have been so many of them called
Georges, but in effect so many drayons, there was one George who was
indeed among the lirst saintu of New-England! and that excellent inan of
our land was Mr. George Philips.

§ 2. lie was born at Kaymund, in the county of Norfolk; descended
of honest parents, who were encouraged by his great prolieiency at the
grammar-school to send him unto the univeraity ; where his good invention,
strong memory, and solid judgment, with the blessing of God upon all,
attained a degree of learning that may be called eminent. The diligent
reading of the/rt</iera, while he was yet himself among young men, was one
of the things that gave a special ornament unto that skill in theology,
whereto he attained ; but that which yet further fitted him to become^
divine, was his being "made partaker of the divine nature," by the sancti-
fication of all his abilities for the service of God, in a true regeneration.

§ 3. Devoting himself to the work of the ministry, his employment
befel him at Boxford in Essex; whereof he found nmch acceptance wiili
good men; as being a man "mighty in the Scriptures." But his acquaint-
ance with the writings and persons of .some old non-conformists had instilled
into him such principles about church-government, as were like to make him
unacceptable unto some who then drove the world before them. Some of
these principles he had intimated in his publick preaching; whereupon
some of his unsatisfied hearers repaired unto old Mr. liogers of Dedham,
with some intimations of their dissatisfaction. But Mr. Rogers, although
he had not much studied the controversy, yet had so high a respect for
Mr. Philips, that he said, he "believed Mr. Philips would preach nothing
without some good evidence for it from the word of God, and therefore
they should be willing to regard whatever Mr. Philips might, from that
word, make evident unto them." And as for Mr. Philips, the more he
was put upon the study and searching of the truth, in the matter contro-
verted, the more he was confirmed in his own opinion of it

§ 4. When the spirit of persecution did at length with the extreamest
violence, urge a conformity to ways and parts of divine worship, conscien-
tiously scrupled by such persons as our Mr. Philips. He, with many more
of his neighbours, entertained thoughts of transporting themselves and
their families into the desarts of America, to prosecute and propagate the
glorious designs of the gospel, and spread the light of it in those "goings
down of the sun," and being resolved accordingly to accompany the excel-
lent Mr. Winthrop in that undertaking, he with many other devout Chris-
tians, embarqued for New-ICnglaud, where they arrived in the year 1630,
through the good hand of God upon them. Here, quickly after his landing,
he lost the desire of his eyes, in the death of his d*;sir(d)le consort, who,
though an only child, had cheerfully left her parents, to serve the Lonl
Jesus Christ with her husband in a terrible wilderness. At Salem she

di«

nei

chl

mil

Gol

chl

COl

chl

fori

ver

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENOLAND.

877

thouglx

goings

exccl-

Chris-

1630,

uling,

who,

Lord

n slie

died, entering into the everlasting peace; and was very solemnly intern-d
near the Kight Honourable the Lady Arabella, the sister of the Karl ol'
Lincoln, who also took New-England in her way to heaven.

§ 6. Mr. Philips, with several gentlemen and other Christians, having
chosen a place upon C -les-River for a town, which they called Water-
Town, they resolved that they would combine into a ckurch-fellowship there,
us i\\Q\i Jirst work; and build the hou^-e of God before they could build
many houses for themselves; thus they "sought, first^ the kingdom of
God!" And, indeed, Mr. Philips being better acquainted with the true
church-discipline than most of the ministers that came with him into the
country, their proceedings about the gathering and ordering of their
church, were methodical enough, though not made in all things a pattern
for all the rest. Upon a day sot apart for solemn fasting and prayer, the
very next month after they came ashore, they entred into this holy covenant:

"July SO, 1630.

"We whose names nre hereto subscribed, having through God's mercy escaped out of
■pollutions of the world, and been tal^en into the society of Ills people, with nil thankfulness
do hereby both with heart and hand acknowledge, that his gracious goodness, and fatherly
care, towards us: and for further and more full declaration thereof, to the present and future
ages, have undertaken (for the promoting of his glory and the church's good, and tlie honour
of our blessed Jesus, in our more full and free subjecting of our selves and ours, under his
gracious goveriunent, in the practice of, and obedience unto all liis holy ordinune^'s and
orders, which he hath pleased to prescribe and impose upon us) a long and hazardous voyage
from east lo west, from Old England in Europe, to New-England in America; that we may
walk before him, and 'serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, all the days of
our lives:' and being safely arrived here, and thus fur onwards peaceably preserved by his
special providence, that we may bring forth our intentions into actions, and perfect our reso-
lutions, in the beginnings of some just and meet executions; we l)uvo separated the day above
written from all other services, and dedicated it wholly to tiie Lord in divine (Employments,
for a day of afflicting our souls and humbling our selves before the Lord, to seek him, and
at his hands, a way to walk in, by fasting and jirayer, that we might know what was good in
his sight : and the Lord was intieated of us.

"For in the end of that day, after the finishing of our publick duties, we do all, before we
depart, solemnly and with all our hearts, personally, man by man for our selves and ours
(charging tliem before Christ and his elect angels, even them that are not here with us this
day, or are yet unborn, that they keep the promise unblameably and faithfully unto the com-
ing of our Lord Jesus) promise, and enter into a sure covenant with the Lord our God, and
before him with one another, by oath and serious protestation made, to renounce all idolatry
and superstition, will-worship, all humane traditions and inventions whatsoever, in the worship
of God; and forsaking all evil ways, do give our selves wholly unto the Lord Jesus, to do
him faithful service, observing and keeping all his statutes, commands, and ordinances, in
all matters concerning our reformation; his worship, administrations, ministry, and govern-
ment; and in the carriage of our selves among our st ives, ar.d one towards another, as he
hath prescribed in his holy word. Further swearing '.o clejive unto that aloncs and the true
sense and meaning thereof to the utmost of our power, as unto the most clear light and
infallible rule, .and all-sullicient canon, in all things that concern us in this our w.iy. In wit-
ness of all, we do exanimo, and in the presence of God, hereto set our names or marks, in
the day and year above written."

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878

MAONALIA CUBISTI AMERICANA;

Abcv-t ^^.vj men, whereof the Jirst was that excellent Knight Sir Rich-
ard Sultonstal, then subscribed this instrument, in order unto their coales-
cence into a church-estate; which I have the more particularly recited,
because it was one of the Jirst ecclesiastical transactions of thifl nature
managed in the colony. But in after time, they that joined unto the
church, subscribed a form of the covenant, somewhat altered, with a
"confession of faith" annexed unto it.

§ 6. A church of believers being thus gathered at Watertown, this rev-
erend man continued for divers years among them, faithfully discharging
the duties of his ministry to the " flock, whereof he was made the over-
seer;" and as a "faithful steward giving to every one their meat in due
season." Herein he demonstrated himself to be a real divine; but not in
any thing more, than in his most intimate acquaintance with the divine
oracles of the Scripture: being fully of Jerom's perswasion, Ama Scientiam
Scripturarum, et Yitia Garnis non amabis* He had so thoroughly ])erused
and pondered them, that he was able on the sudden to turn unto any text,
without the help of Concordances; and they were so much his deli'jht, that
as it has been by some of his family affirmed, " he read over the whole
Bible six times every year:" nevertheless he did use to say, "That every
time he read the Bible, he observed or collected something, which he never
did before." There was a famous prince of Transylvania, who found the
time to read over the Bible no less than twenty -seven times. There was
a famous King of Arragon, who read over the Bible fourteen times, with
Lyra's Commentaries. A religious person, who was a close prisoner in a
dark dungeon, having a candle brought him, for the few minutes in the
day when his poor meals were to be eaten, chose then to read a little of
his Bible, and eat his necessary food when the candle was gone. Yea, the
Emperour'Theodosius wrote out the New Testament with his own band;
and Bonaventure did as much by the Old; and some have, like Zuinglius
and Bcza, lodged vast paragraphs of it in the memories. Among such
memorable students in the Scriptures, our Philips deserves to have some
remembrance : who was fully of the opinion expressed by Luther, " If the
letters of Princes are to be read three times over, surely then God's letters
(as Gregory calls the Scriptures) are to be read seven times thrice, yea,
seventy times seven, and, if it could be, a thousand times over;" and he
might say with Ridley, giving an account of how much of the Bible he
had learnt by heart, "Though in time a great part of the study departed
from me, yet the sweet smell thereof, I trust, I shall carry with me to
heaven." Indeed, being well skilled in the original tongues, he could see
further into the Scriptures than most other men ; and thereby being " made
wise unto salvation," he also became "a man of God, thoroughly furnished
unto all good works."

§ 7. Hence alt ^ he became an able disputant; and ready upon all occa-/

* . - - iOe study uf the Scriptures, and you will nul luve the vices of the flosh.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENQLAND.

879

sions to maintain what he delivered from the word of God; for whieh
cause his hearers counted him, "the irrefragable Doctor;" though ho were
so humble and modest, as to bo very averse unto disputation, until driven
thereto by extream necessity. One of his hearers, after some conference
with him about iii/ant-haptism, and several points of church-discipline,
obtained a copy of the arguments in writing for his further satisfaction.
This copy the man sends over to Slngland, which an Anabaptist there
published with a pretended confutation; whereby the truth lost nothing,
for Mr. Philips hereupon published a judicious treatise, entituled, "J.
Vindication of Infant- Baptism,^^ whereto there is added another, " Of the
Church" This book was honourably received and mentioned, by the
eminent assembly of London ministers; and a preface full of honour was
thereto prefixed by the famous Mr. Thomas Shepard; notwithstanding the
difference between him and Mr. Philips, upon one or two points, where-
about those two learned neighbours managed a controversy with so much
reason, and yet candor and kindness, that if all theological controversieji had
been so handled, we need not so much wish, Liherari ah Implacabilibua
Theologorum Odiis*

§ 8. About fourteen years continued he in his ministry at Watertown ;
in which time his ministry was blessed for the conversion of many unto
God, and for the edification and confirmation of many that were converted.
H: was, indeed, "a good man, and full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost:"
and for that cause he was not only in publick, but in private also, very
full of holy discourse on all occasions; especially on the Lord's day at
noon, the time intervening between the two exercises, he would spend in
conferring with such of his good people as resorted unto his house, at
such a rate as marvellously ministered grace imio the hearers; not wanting
any time then, as it seems, for any further preparations than what he had
still aforehand made for the publick sermons of the afternoon.

§ 9. He laboured under many bodily infirmities: but was especially
liable unto the cholick; the extremity of one fit whereof, was the wind
which carried him afore it into the haven of eternal rest, on July 1, in the
year 16-44, much desired and lamented by his church at Watertown ; who
testified their affection to their deceased pastor by a special care to pro-
mote and perfect the education of his eldest son, whereof all the country,
but especially the town of Rowly, have since reaped the benefit

EPITAPHIUM.

Hie JacKt Georoius Puiliffi.
Vir Ineomparabilis, nisi Samuelem genuitset.f

■^\'n

ni*

t^:

* To be dclivcrf^d iVom the implacable coiitentiona uf theologians.

fEriTAPu: Here lies Guorgo Philips: an incomparable man, bad he not been the father of SamiML

■ - i'-

'"^

■ li

)'m

,: * -l

■ t'.\

i ■

, ,v

880

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERIOAMA;

CxiAPTEil V.

PASTOR ETANGEIICUS;* THE LIFE OF MR. THOMAS SHEPARD.

-Nie Mirer it,

Animam lam Subild in Cmlum avnlaate, nam vieem
Alarum sibi tuppUrunt Preeea sua et Bunpiria.i

§ 1. It was the gracious and savoury speech uttered by one of the
greatest personages in England, and perhaps in all Europe, unto a grave
minister: "I have (said he) passed through many places of honour and
trust, both in church and state, more than any of my order in England,
for seventy years before. But were I assured that by my preaching, I
had converted but one soul unto God, I should herein take more comfort,
than in all the honours and olHces that have ever been bestowed upon
me." Let my reader now go with me, and I will show him one of the
happiest men that ever we saw; as great a converter of souls as has ordi-
narily been known in our days.

§ 2. Amongst those famous, whereof there were diverse, ministers of
New-England, which were born in or near the first lustre of King James'
reign, one of the least inconsiderable was our Mr. Thomas Shcpard;
whose father, Mr. William Shopard, called him Thomas, because his birth
was November 5, Anno 1605, as near as could be guessed, at the very
hour when tlio blow should have been given in the execrable gun-powder
treason; a villany, concerning which he said, "This child of his would
hardly be able to believe that ever such a wickedness could be attempted
by the sons of men." His father had six daughters and three sons, whereof
this Thomas, born in Towcester, near Northampton, was the youngest;
and as he lived a prudent, so he died a pious man, while his youngest son
was but a youth. Our Thomas had in his childhood laboured under the
discouragements, first of a bitter step-mother, and then of a cruel school-
master, till God stirred up the heart of his eldest brother to become a. father
unto him, who, for the use of his portion, brought him up.

§ 3. Bending his mind now to study, he became fit for the university
at fifteen 3'ears of age; where he was placed under the tuition of Mr.
Cockrel, a Northamptonshire man, fellow of Immanuel Colledge.

But when he had been upwards of two years in that colledge, this
young man, who had been heretofore under more inefferfual operations of
the Divine Word upon him, was now more effectually called unto a saving
acquaintance with him, that is our true Immanuel. The ministry of Mr.
Chaderton and Mr. Dickinson struck his heart with powerful convictions

* Kvnngvllcal Pii<itiir.

t Kuy, wunder not that hp, with flight so keon,

lliith entered glory : fur ho songlit the skiuk
On wings of prayer and penitential Bight.

OK, THE HISTORY OF N K W-ENO L A N I).

881

of Ilia iiiiscrios in liis nnrrffcncmri/ ; and wliilo lio shook oil' those covvir-
tiotis, it pleased God tlmt a devout scholar, walking with him, fi'll iut<»
discourses about the miseries of an unrcgcnerate man, whereby the arrows
of God were struck deeper into him. At another time, falling into a
pious company, where they conferred about t/i<; wrath nf (Jod, and the
exirtmiti/ and eternity oi it, this added unto his awakenings; and though
profane company afterwards caused him to lose much of the sense which
he had of these things, yet when Dr. Preston came thither, liis first ser-
mon on that ["Be renewed in the spirit of your mind"J so renewed the
former impressions which had been upon him, that ho soon approved
himself a person truly renewed in his own sjnrit, and converted unto God.
From this time, which was in the year 162t, ho set liimself especially on
tlie work of daily meditation^ which lio attended every evening before
supper; meditating on "the evil of sin, tho terror of God's wrath, the day
of death and judgment, the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ;" and "the
deccitfulncss of his own heart," until he found the trans/orminrj injluence
of those things upon his own soul ; a course which afterwards ho would
mightily commend unto others that consulted him; and he rested not
until coming to see that in the Lord Jesus Christ alone there wsus laid up
the full supply of all spiritual wants, ho found the grace of God enabling
him to accept of that precious Lord, and rejoice in that wisihrm, and riyht-
eousness, and sancti/ication, and redemption which lie is made unto us:
whence afterwards, drawing up a catalogue of the Divine favours unto
him, he had therein these passages among the rest, wliich are from thence
now transcribed :

"The Lord is tlie God tlmt sent, I tliink, the best ministers in the world to call me; Dr.
Preston and Mr. Goodwin. The words of the first, at the first sermon he made, when he
came into the colledgc, as m.istcr of it; I'.id divers that he preaelu'd at that time, did open
my heart, nnd convince me of my imbelief, and my total emptiness of all, and enmity
rgaitist all good. And the Lord made me honour him highly, nnd love him dearly, thongh
many godly men spake against him. And he is the God that in these ordinances convinced
me of my guilt and filth of sin, especially self seeking, and love of honour of men in all I
did; and humhkd me under both, so as to make me set an liigher price upon Christ and
grace, and loath my self the more, and so I was eased of a world of discouragement. lie
also showed mo the worth of Christ, and made my soul satisfied with him, and ele.'ive to
him, because God had made him righteousness; and hence also revealed his free justifica-
tion, jind gave mc support and rest upon and in his promises made to them that receive him
as Lord and King; which I found my hciirt long unwilling to. And this was the ground,
or rjither occasion of many horrid temjitations of Atheiim, Judaism, Familism, Popery, Des-
pair, as having sinned the unpardonable sin: yet the Lord, at last, made me yield up my
self to his condemning will, as good; which gave me great peace and (jnictriess of heart,
through the blood and pity of Christ. I have met with all kinds of temptations, but after
my conversion. I was never tempted to Arminianism, my own experience so sensibly con-
futing the freedom of will.'"

§ 4. One Dr. Wilson, having a purpose, with a most noble and pious
charity, to maintain a lecture, the ministers of Essex, in one of their

ii I

882

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

monthly fasts^ propounded unto Mr. Shepard, the service of this lecture to
be attended in the great town of Coggeshal. But the people of Earl's
Coin, on that very day, when the ministers were together in Tarling at
prayer, for the direction of Heaven in this matter, so affectionately addressed
them, for the benefit of this lecture, that it was granted unto theni, for the
three years ensuing. Mr. Shepard, having proceeded Master of Arts at
Cambridge, accepted now an invitation to Earl's Coin ; and at the end of
three years the inhabitants were so loath to let him go, that they gathered
among themselves a convenient salary to support him still amongst them :
though his lecture were gone. At Earl's Coin then he tarried, and pre-
vailed for the lecture to be settled the next three years in Towcester, the
place of bis nativity ; and for Mr. Stone to be employed in the labour of
it; which was to him an extreame satisfaction.

§ 5. Although Mr. Shepard were but a young man, yet there was that
majesty and energy in his preaching, and that holiness in his life, which was
not ordinary. And God made him a rich blessing, not only to Coin, but
unto all the towns round about; wherein there were many converted unto
God, and sundry were so affected unto this instrument of their conversion,
that they afterwards went a thousand leagues to enjoy his ministry. But
when Dr. Laud becomes Bishop of London, Mr. Shepard must no longer
be preacher at Coin: he was quickly silenced, for none but that fault,
which was then known by the name of Puritanism: and being silenced,
he withdrew to the kind family of the Harlackinden's, where, applying
himself more exactly to the study of the ceremonies in the worship of God
then imposed, the more he studied them, the less he liked them. Among
other things that signalized him, after his acquaintance with Mr. Harlack-
inden, I find one memorable passage reported by Mr. Woodcock, with
sufficient evidence, in Mr. Baxter's book about, "the worlds of spirits."
In the chamber of a toumb house, where two of Mr. Harlackinden's men
did use to lie, there was .always, at two a clock In the morning, the sound
of a great hell tolling. Mr. Harlackinden would once lie there, between his
two servants, to satisfie himself about it. At the usual time came the usual
sound, which threw the gentleman into no little consternation. But Mr.
Shepard, with some Christians, having spent a night in prayer at this place,
the noise never gave any disturbance after.

Once and again after this, finding the resolution of the bishop to ruine
him, if he did not leave the country, he seasonably received letters of Mr.
Ezekiel Rogers, minister of Rowly, in Yorkshire, encouraging him to visit
those parts, and accept employment in the house of Sir Richard Darly,
of Buttercrambe, in that county. Driven to follow this counsel, his jour-
ney proved as troublesome in all the winter-circumstances of it, as a travel-
ler could have wished for; and after ho had swam for his life, by missing
his way over some overflown bridges, he made it late on Saturday-ni^ht
before he came to York; but there having refreshed him self, he went ou

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

883

to Buttercrambe that night, which was about seven miles further, where,
wet, and cold, and late, he that night arrived.

§ 6. It added unto his discouragements when, on the first night of his
arrival, he found gross profanities prevailing both in the family and in the
neighbourhood; but God quickly made him instrumental to a blessed
change in both. The pro/anest persons thereabouts were soon touched with
the efficacy of his ministry and his conference; and prayer with fasting, as
well as other exercises of devotion, succeeded in the room of their former
wildnesses. Both Sir Richard and all his sons, as well as many others
there, had cause to bless God that ever they saw the face of that holy
man : and as a testimony of their affection for him, they encouraged his
marriage with the knigMs near kinswoman, who upon this account also
enlarged her portion, about the year 1632. But Bishop Neal here would
not allow him any liberty for his ministry, without a subscription, which
his better informed conscience could not make; and this occasioned his
removal upon a call unto a town of Northumberland, called Heddon;
where his labours were prospered unto the souls of many people. One
of the houses which he then hired was haunted with a devil, as was com-
monly conceived upon the departure of a noted witch, who had been the
former inhabitant; and the house was troubled with strange noises, till
the earnest prayers of this man of God procured a deliverance from so
extream a trouble. I5ut thither also the zeal of the bishop reached him,
and forbad his preiching there any more; no, nor durst the more ingenu-
ous Dr. Morton, the Bishop of Durham, afford him any countenance or
connivance, inasmuch as the primate of England had looked with so hard
an eye upon him.

§ 7. While he was thus denyed the liberty of preaching the truths of
the gospel, as much as in the remotest corners of the land, the removal
of Mr. Cotton, Mr. Hooker, Mr. Stone, and Mr. Weld into New-England,
had awakened many pious people, all England over, to think of the like
removal; and several of his friends already gat into New-England, as
well as others that were now going thither, invited him to accompany
them in the condition of that plantation. Wherefore he considered with
himself that he could not propose to himself the peaceable exercise of his
ministry in any part of England; that his most intimate //7ends had many
ways expressed their desires of his going with them into another country ;
that many eminent ministers, and excellent Christians, had already trans-
planted themselves; that he could not with a safe conscience comply with
the ceremonies and mixt communion at home; that it was his duty to seek
the enjoyment of divine ordinances in a further measure than was there
attainable ; and that it would be a sad thing for him, in case of mortality,
to leave his wife and son in the midst of the northern barbarities; which
considerations now disposed him for New-England. So having preached
his farewell sermon at Newcastle, he came from thence in a disguise to

iil

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884

MAGNALIA ClIRISTI AMERICANA;

Ipswich, and from thence to Earl's Coin: longing to be in a country
where he might not lose any more precious time through the inconveni-
ences of unsettlement.

§ 8. Mr. Shepard and Mr. Norton coming now together unto Yarmouth,
to take shipping for New-England, they were much way-laid by purso-
vants, employed for the trepanning and entrapping of them; and these
pursevants had proceeded so far as by a sum of money to obtain a prom-
ise from a boy, belonging to the house where they scented Mr. iShepard's
quarters, that he would open the door for them, to tak' him at a cer-
tain hour of the night. But, behold the watchful providence of God
over his faithful servants ! The gracious and serious words of Mr. Shep-
ard, in the hearing of this unlucky boy, struck him with horror to think
that he should be so wicked as to betray such an holy man. Whereupon
the convinced boy did with tears discover the whole plot unto his godly
master, who forthwith conveyed Mr. Shepard out of the way, and con-
founded the setters that would have catched him.

§ 9. It was the latter end of the year 1634, when sailing ivas noiv dan-
gerous, that Mr. Shepard shipped himself in a ship of about four hundred
tun, commanded by a very able seaman, but under a perpetual entail and
series of disasters, after some injustice had been used about her. Tiicy sot
sail from Harwich upon the edge of the winter; but after several deliver-
ances from several distresses, within a few hours of their first setting out,
the wiiuls drove them again back into Yarmouth road; where there aro,>«e
one of the most fearful storms that ever was known. Thoy thou<fht
they had lost all their anchors, and \7ith their anchors all their hopes; and
though thousands from Yarmouth walls did pity them, yet none could
relieve them: however, the compassions of an eminent ofliocr, then
amongst the spectators, were a little distinguished, when he scoiringly
said, "As for a poor collier there in the road, he pitied him very much;
but as for the Puritans in the other ship, he was not concerned; their
faith would save them." In this extremity, Mr. Shepard, with all the
mariners in one part of the ship, and Mr. Norton, with two hundred yx/.s-
sengers in the other, poured out their most fervent prayers unto Ahniglitv
God; whereupon the wind immediately so abated, that the ship stayed ;
and they found, though the upper part of the vessel was all broken, vet.
their last anchor unbroken, and themselves delivered from so great n di-ifh.

§ 10. The next day, which was the Lord''s day, he went ashore to Xxw-
raoutli, where one of his first rvorhs was to bury \\\'^ first-horti son ; tliouuh
he durst not himself be present at the burial, because his danger from the
horrid mancatcliers ashore had less of mercy and more of liorror in it.
than what he escaped from the merciless and horrible waves of the s.'a.
Mr. Bridge, of Norwich, now kindly invited him thither; whither, when
he came, the worthy ^fadam Corbet freely offered him a great house of
hers, then standing empty at Bastwick; and there ho spent all the winter.

OB, THE niSTOBY OF NEW-ENULAND.

885

in the company and with the assistance of Mr. Harlackinden, a friend
that hied htm at all tirties. In the spring he went up to London ; where
by a removal from the lodgings which he took on his first arrival there,
he again very narrowly escaped those " to whom such a shepherd was
an abomination."

The perils wherein he was continually, "from his own countrymen,"
compelled him once more to encounter the pen& at sea; so that in July
following, he sailed from Gravesend, in a bottom too decayed and feeble
indeed for such a voyage; but yet well accommodated with the society
of Mr. Wilson, Mr. Jones, and other Christians, which more significantly
made good the name of the ship, The Defence. In their first storm, the
vessel sprang a leak, which let in the water faster than both pumps were
able to turn it out; a leak eighteen inches long, and an inch wide: but it
was, though with much difficulty, found and stopped, just as they were
upon diverting into Ireland for their safety. Being thus again delivered,
they got into New-England, and on October 3, they were set ashore at
Boston; from whence, within a day or two, his friends at Cambridge
gladly fetched him.

§ 11. Mr. Hooker, with his congregation at Cambridge, now removing
to Hartford, upon Connecticut river, many comfortable dwellings and

nsidenible demesnes were hereby somewhat prepared for sale to the
'. od people which Mr. Shepard brought over with him, who were loth
to lose any more of their short lives, by more tedious removals. Accord-
ingly, taking up their station at Cambridge, Mr. Shepard, with several of
his good people, did on the first of the ensuing February, in a vast assem-
bly, wherein were present the magistrates of'the colony, with the minis-
ters and messengers of the neighbouring churches, keep a day of prayer;
in the close of which day they made a confession of their faith, with a
declaration of what regenerating impressions the grace of Grod had made
upon them; and then they entred into their covenant, whereby they
became a church; to which Mr. Cotton in the name of the rest, gave the
"right hand of fellowship." However, the ordination of Mr. Shepard
unto the pastoral charge of this church, was deferred until another day,
wherein there was more time to go through the other solemnities proper
to such a great occasion.

§ 12. Within a year after the gathering of the church at Cambridge,
and the ordaining of Mr. Shepard in that church, the country was miser-
ably distracted by a stor.i of Antinomian and Familistical opinions
then raised. The mother opinion of all the rest was, "That a Christian
should not fetch any evidence of his good state before God, from the sight
of any inherent qualification in him ; or from any conditional promise
made unto such a qualification." From the womb of ila\.s fruitful opinion,
and fi'om the countenance hereby given to immediate and unwarranted

■I

revelations, 'tis not
Vol. I.— 26

easie to relate how many monsters, worse than

i'> III

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386

MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMESICANA;

African, arose in tbese regions of America: but a synod, assembled at
Cambridge, whereof Mr. Shepard was no small part, most happily crushed
them all The vigilancy of Mr. Shepard was blessed, not only for the
preservation of his own congregation from the rot of these opinions, but
also for the deliverance of all the flocks which our Lord had in the wilder-
ness. And it was with a respect unto this vigilancy, and the enlightning
and powerful ministry of Mr. Shepard, that when the foundation of a col-
ledge was to be laid, Cambridge, rather than any other place, was pitched
upon to be the seat of that happy seminary : out of which there proceeded
many notable preachers, who were made such very much by their sitting
under Mr. Shepard's ministry.

§ 13. It has been a question of some curiosity^ what might be the dis-
temper of Hezekiah, whereof he recovered so remarkably and miracu-
lously? Now, v/hen I consider the chattering^ whereto the sick prince was
brought by his disease, and the cataplasm which he used of things discus-
sive and emollient, I in-line, with Bartholinus, to think that his distemper
might be a malignant quinsie, whereof usually the sick are either killed or
(like Hezekiah) cured on the third day. Such a distemper arrested our
holy Shepard, when, in the course of nature, and in the wish of good men
he might have yet lived with us, for much more than fifteen years; yea,
tunce fifteen more, would scarce have carried him further than the common
age of man. Eeturning home from a council at Rowly, he fell into a quin-
sie, with a symptomatical fever, 'vhich suddenly stopped a silver trumpet,
from whence the people of God had often heard Hue joyful sound. Among
other passages uttered by him, when he lay a dying, he addressed those
that were about him with these words: "Oh, love the Lord Jesus very
dearly! that little part that I have in him, is no small comfort to me now."
He died August 25, 1649, when he was forty-three years and nine months
old; and left behind him of three loives, which he successively married,
three sons, who have since been the shepherds of three several churches in
this country.

§ 14. 'Tis a good saying, Non Annis sed Factis vivunt mortales* Accord-
ingly, we will over-again measure the short life of Mr. Shepard by the great
tvark which he did in it: in all of which, the motto of Weber was the design
of our Shepard, Autori Vitoe Vivendum deo.f

Now, besides the other frequent and constant labours of his ministry,
which left their impressions on the souls of multitudes, where-ever he
came, the press has preserved some of his labours for the surviving gener-
ation; and the published composures of this laborious person are of two
sorts; namely, the more doctrinal and the more practical; though indeed
he was of such a spirit as always to gain the point of mixing both in the
game discourses.

§ 15. Among his composures of the more doctrinal sort, the hell seems

• lii^ u mewvirad not by yean, but by actions. t Mfe abuuld b« devoted to Him who garo it.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

887

to be born by his elaborate and judicious treatise, entituled, " Theses Sab'
haticoe;^^ wherein he hath handled the morality of Uie Sabbatft with a degree
of reason, reading, and religion, which is truly extraordinary. It was hia
observation,

"If any state would reduce the people under it unto all sort of superstition and impiety,
let them erect a dancing sabbath; and if the God of this world would have all professors
enjoy a total immunity from the law of God, and all manner of licentiousness allowed them
without check of conscience, let him then make an exery-day sabbath.'"

And it was an extreme grief unto his devout soul to see the extreme
ignorance and profaneness wherewith many in the English nation decried
the sacred observation of the Lord's day as a novelty no older than Perkins,
and as the stratagem of a few old disciplinarian Puritans. Wherefore, as
the most comprehensive service to be done for the true power of godlincsSj
which he saw would rise and fall with the Sabbath, lie did in these learned
tlieses maintain the morality and advise the sanctification of that sacred rest.
Having thus manifested his concern for the fourth commandment, he mani*
fested a concern for the second also by a discourse, wherein, besides a more
full opening of sundry particulars concerning liturgies, the power of the
keys, the matter of the visible church, there is more largely handled the con-
troversie concerning the Catholick visible church; tending to clear up the
old way of Christ in the churches of New-England. That which inspired
him, with Mr. John Allin of Dedham, to write this discourse, was espe-
cially a two fold consideration, expressed, among other things, in the fair
porch of this book, about the temple of God. One thing that moved hira
was his desire of reformation ; whereof he says,

"We freely confess that we think the reformation of the church doth not only consist in
purging out corrupt worship, and setting up the true, but also in purging the churches from
such profaneness and sinfulness as is scandalous to the gospel, and makes the Lord weary
of his own ordinances."

About the way of attaining which reformation, he adds,

"'Tis true, where there is no church-relation, but a people arc ready to begin a new con-
stituting of churches, reformation is to be sought in the first constitution: this is our case."
^"But where corrupted churches (such as we conceive the congregation of England gen-
erally to be) are to be reformed, there we conceive tliat such congregations should bo called
by able ministers unto repL>ntance for former evils, and confessing and bewailing their sins,
renew a solemn covenant with God to reform themselves, and to submit unto the discipline of
Christ. By wliich means such as refuse so to do, exclude themselves, and others, by the sever-
ity of discipline, should be purged out, if falling into sin they remain impenitent in the same.**

Another thing that moved him, was his regard for New-England, whereof
his words there must never be forgotten ; and the reason of my transcrib-
ing them is, because the Church-History of my country is briefly comprised
in them. Saith he,

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* The Lord knows how many longings and pantings of heart have been in many afu't the
Lord Jesus, to see hid goings in the sunctunry, as the one thing their souls desired and re<
quested of him, and that tliey might 'dwell in his house fur ever;' tlie fruit of which prayers,
and desires, this liberty of New-Enghmd, hath been taken to bi>, and thankfully received of
God. Yea, how many serious mnsuUations with one another, and with the faithful ministers
and other eminent servants of Christ, have been taken about this work, is not unknown to
some; and surely all the persons whose hear^a the Lord stirred up in this business, were
not 'rash, weak>spiritifd, inconsiderate of what they left behind, or of what it was to go into
a wilderness.' But if we were able to recount the singular workings of Divine Providence,
for the bringing on this work to what it is come unto, it would stop the mouths of all ; whatever
many may say or think, we believe aflerlimes will 'admire and adore the Lord herein, when
all his holy ends, and the ways ho has used to bring them about, shall appear.' Look from
one end of the heaven unto another, whether the Lord huth assayed to do such a work as
this in any nation; to carry out a people of his own, from so flourishing a state, to a wilder-
' ness so far distant, for such ends, and for such a work ; yea, and in few years hath done for
them, as he huth here done, for his poor despised people. When we look back, and consider
what a strange poise of spirit, he hath laid upon many of our hearts, we cannot but wonder
at our selves that so many, and some so tceak and tender, with such cheerfulness and constant
resolutions, against so many ferswasions of friends, and discouragements from the ill report
of this country, the straits, untnts, and trials of God's people in it, yet should leave our
accommodations and comforts — forsake our dearest relations, parents, brethren, sisters.
Christian friends and acquaintances — overlook all the dangers and difficulties of the vast seas,
the thoughts whereof was a terror to many — and all this, to go into a wilderness, where we
could forecast nothing but care and temptations, only in hopes of enjoying Christ in his ordi-
nances, in the fellowship of his people. Was this from a stupid sencelesness, or desperate
carelessness, what became of us or ours? or want of natural affections to our dear country or
nearest relations? No, surely: with what bowels of compassion to our dear country; with
what heart-breaking affections to our dear relations and Christian /n'ent^s, many of us .it leitst
came away, the Lord is witness. What shall wc say of the singular providence of God,
bringing so many ship-loads of his people through so many dangers, as upon eagles' wings,
with so much safety from year to year? tho fatherly care of our God,in/eec/i7jg' and cloathing
BO many in a wilderness, giving such healthfulness, and gre.it increase of posterity? What
shall we say of the work it self of the kingdom of Christ? and the form of a commonwealth
erected in a wilderness, and in so few years brought to that state, that scarce the like can
be seen in any of our English colonies, in the richest places of this America, after many more
years' standing? That the Lord hath carried the spirits of so many of his people, through
all their toilsome labours, wants, diflUcultics, losses, with such n measure of cheerfulness and
contentment. But, above all, we must acknowledge the singular pity and mercies of our
God, that hath done all this, and much more, for a people so nnwoi-thy, so sinful, that by
murmurings of many, unfaithfulness in promises, oppressions, and other evils, which arc found
among us, have so dishonoured his Majesty, exposed his work here to much scindal and
obloquy, for which we have cjiuse for ever to bo ashamed, that the Lord should yet own us,
and rather correct us in niercy, than cjist us off" in displeasure, and scatter us in this wilder-
ness; which gives us cause to say, 'Who is a God like our God, that pardons iniquities, and
passes by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage; even because he delighteth
in mercy!"*

Having almost written the life of Mr. Slicpard — yea, of many other
his fellow exiles — in transcribing this passage, I may now go on to add,
that there has been directed now unto the whole English world a most
excellent letter of ^[r. Shepard, about "the church-membership of chil-

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

889

were

when

dren, and tbeir right to baptism." This letter, like that of the glorious
martyr Philpot, written at the like time, for the like eyid, recited in Foxe'a
"^cte and Monuments,''^ was written by him, not three months before hia
going to that Lord whose charge had been, '* For little children to be con-
sidered as belonging to the kingdom of heaven:" and it was written to
one that was then wavering about the point of in/ant-baptism, but hereby
recovered and established. The son of this reverend person published
this letter, with hopes that it might have a better effect than the famous
letter of Elijah had upon Jehoram, which many think written before his
translation, and concealed until a fit season, afterwards, appeared for the
presenting of it. But I shall conclude the catalogue of his doctrinal tracts,
with the mention of another letter of his, printed at London in the year
1645, under the title of ** New-England's Lamentatmxs for Old England's
Errors.'^

% 16. But composures of a more practical sort were those to the writing
whereof he had a more lively disposition of mind. And among these, to
pass by the sermon of his, printed under the title of, " Wine for Oospel
Wantons, or Cautions against Spiritual Drunkenness,'" in which sermon, about
as long as fifty years ago, he uttered his complaint of this tenour: "Do
not we see great unsettledness in the covenant of God, walking with God
at perad ventures, and hanckerings after the whoredoms of the worlo, at
this day? and divisions and distractions? nothing done without division
and contention? certainly something is amiss!" And to pass by a treatise
of his, printed under the title of, ^^ Subjection to Christ, in all his Ordi-
nances and Appointments, the best means to preserve our liberty;'^ there are
especially three of his books, which have been more considered. The
first and least of those books is called, " The Sincere Convert:" which the
author would commonly call his ragged child; and once, even after its
fourth edition, wrote unto Mr. Giles Firmin thus concerning it: "That
which is called, ' The Sincere Convert:' I have not the book : I once saw
it: it was a collection of such notes in a dark town in England, which
one procuring of me, published them without my will or my privity.
I scarce know what it contains, nor do I like to see it; considering the
many D^aXfjiafa tijpographica,* most absurd; and the confession of him that
published it, that it comes out much altered from what was first written."
The many injudicious readers, which that useful book has found, among
devout and serious people, and the vvoful horrors which have thereby oeen
raised in many godly souls, oblige me to add the censure of Mr. Giles
Firmin, whose words in his ^'Real Christian" are:

"In short, as to that book, for the general part of it, the book is very solid, quick, and
searching; it cuts very sharply. Il is not a book for an unsound heart to delight in: I mean,
in those places where he agrees, both with tiie Scriptures and with other able divines, and
of these makes use; but for the other passages, which do not agree with either (as there are

* Typographical errors.

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MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

iome thitigs in it) I will let them go, ns being none of Mr. Shcpnrd*s, and not trouble my self
with them; and wish no Christian that is tender and sincere, to trouble himself with th(^m.
This I put in, because I hear that book hath caused much trouble in gracious Christians:
had it been to Christians in name only, unsound bcliovors, hypocrites, I should not have
troubled my 8e*f about it, for I know it is not for their tooth."

But this book was followed with a second and larger, called, •' The Sound
Believer;'" which in a more distinct, correct, and most judicious treatise of
evangelical conversion, discovers the toorko/tiie Spirit oftlieLord Jesus Christ,
in reconciling of a sinner unto God. And as, in the preface to that book,
he gives that reason for his writing it, "I considered my weak body, and
my short time of sojourning here, and that I shall not speak long to chil-
dren, friends or God's precious people; I am sure not to many in England,
to whom I owe almost my whole self, and whom I shall see in this worM
no more ; I have been therefore willing to take the season, that I might
leave some part of God's precious truth on record, that it might speak
(Oh 1 that it might be to the heart) among whom I cannot, and when I
shall not be:" so the next book of his occurring to our notice, is & posthu-
mous one. And that is a volume in folio, opening and applying tlic para-
ble of the ten virgins; and handling the dawjers incident unto the most
flourishing churches or Christians; which book is from the author's notes,
a transcript of sermons preached at his lecture, from June, 1626, to May,
1640. Whereof the venerable names of Greenhil, Calamy, Jackson, Asli,
Taylor, have subscribed the testimony, "That though a vein of serious,
solid, and hearty piety run through all this author's works, yet he hath
reserved the best wine till the last" These were the tvorks of that man,
whose "death in the Lord" has now carried him to a "rest from his labours."

§ 17. As he was a very studious person, and a very lively preacher, and
one who therefore took great pains in his preparations for his publick
labours, which preparations he would usually finish on Saturday, by two
a clock in the afternoon ; with respect whereunto he once used these words,
"God will curse that man's labours, that lumbers up and down in the
world all the week, and then upon Saturday in the afternoon goes to his
study; when, as God knows, that time were little enough to pray in and
weep in, and get his heart into a fit frame for the duties of the approaching
Sabbath." So the character of his daily conversation was a treinhling walk
with God. Now, to take true measures of his conversation, one of the
best glasses that can be used is the diary, wherein he did himself keep the
remembrances of many remarkables that passed betwixt his God and him-
self; vho were indeed a sufficient theatre to one anotJter, It would give some
inequality to this part of our church-history, if all the holy memoirs left
in the private writings of this walker with God, should here be tran-
scribed: but I will single out from thence a few passages, which might be
more agreeably and profitably exposed unto the world.

§ 18. We will begin with what his eminent successor, Mr. Mitchel, entred

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OB, TUE HISTOBY OF NEW-ENOLANlJ.

891

in his own diary, as reported by Mr. Shepard unto himself; which runs
in these Latin terms:

" Olim CantabrigiiB, Ego Horrore et Tenebris oppktus, An ad Mensam Domini
Bccederem maxime Duhitavi ; Tandem autem accessi utcunque. Cum vero Panis
et Vinam jam essent Communicanda,mihi Exeundum putavi ; tantd confiuione fui
oppressus ! Sed Deus me ibi retinuit, ac tandem hue me adegit, ut. Licet, ego nihil
passim in accipiendo Christo, ad ilium, tamen resjHcerem, ut lUe me prehenderet et
ad me veniret. Statim, tarn perspicue sensi Chrisium illueescentem Animo, quam
Holem Orientem sentire possum. Hoc tantopere me evexit, et de vita Fidei hue
usque Erudivit, ut non possum non magnipendere."* Mr. Mitchel had this of Mr.
Shepard, August 13, 1646. ,, . ..

§ 19. IIow experimentally acquainted he himself was with the practice
and 'Import of the doctrine wherein he chiefly insisted, in his preaching
unto others, will be illustrated from this most edifying record in his diary:

"April 10. — I had many thoughts which came in, to press me to give up my self to Christ
Jusus, which W!)8 the dearest thing I had: and I saw that if, when I gave my self to Christ,
he would give himself to me again, it would be a wmderful change; to have the bottomless
Fountain of all good, thus communicuted unto me! Thus, two or three days, I was exercised
about this; and ut lost (which was the day wherein I fell sick on the Sabbath) in my study
I was put to a double question ; First, Whether Christ would take me, if I gave my self to
him? Then, Whether I might tnke him again upon it? And so I resolved to seek an answer
to both, from God in meditation. So on the Saturday, April 11, 1 gave myself to the Lord
Jt^sus, thus. First, I acknowledged all I was, or had, was his own; as David spake of their
offerings, I acknowledged him the owner of all. Secondly, I resigned not only my goods
and estate, but my child, wife, church, and self unto the Lord ; out of love, as being the best
and dearest things which I have. Thirdly, I prized it as the greatest mercy, if the Lord will
take them; and so I desired the Lord tn do it Fourthly, I desired him to take all for a three-
fold end; to do with me what he would; to ice me; to honour himself by me, and all mine.
Fifthly, Because there is a secret reservation, that the Lord shall do all for the soul that giveth
up it self to the Lord ; but 'tis that God may please my will and love me, and if he doth not,
then the heart dieth ; hence I gave up my will also into the Lord's hands, to do with it what
he please. Sixthly, My many whorish lusts I also resigned, but that he would take them all
away. And Seventhly, that he would keep me also from all sin and evil. Thus, I gave my
self unto the Lord; but then I questioned, *Will the Lord take me?* In answer whereto,
First, I saw that the Lord desired and commanded me to give him my heart. Secondly, I saw
that this was pleasing to him and the contrary displeasing. Thirdly, I saw, that it was fit
for him to take me, and to do what he will with me. But then I questioned, 'Will the Lord
receive, and do me good everlastingly?' Because I gave up my friends and the whole church
to the Lord also, as I did my self; and 'will the Lord take all themf For answer, here I
saw the great privilege of it, and the wisdom of God in committing some men's souls to the
care of one godly man of a publick spirit, because he, like Moses, commends them, gives
them, returns them all to the Lord again; and so a world of good is communicated for his

* At Cftmbridge I was once so greatly OTercome by mental darknew, that I doubled whether I ooght to go to
the Lord'a Table. At lut, however, I went. Bat when the bread and wine were about to be administered, I felt
aa tr I must go out, so intense was my confusion. But God kept me there, and at length brought my mind to this
point, that although I might be unablo to receive Christ, yet I might look to him, thai he might draw me and coma
to me. At once I perceived Christ siiining into my mind, as clearly as I can perceive the rising sun. This ao
enraptured me, and instructed me so far in the life of faith, that I cannot help valuing it above all price.

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MAONALIA 0HKI8TI AMEBIOANA;

nk«, The third question waa, *But might I take the Lord?* and my answer was, 'If the
Loid did apprehend and tolce me to himself, then I might tulce hhn, for I had nu other to
lay hold on."*

§ 20. Of what thoughts and what frames he sometimes had in his prepar*
ations, for the Lord's table, we will recite but one expressive meditation :

" JuLT 10, 1641. — On the evening of this doy, before the iocrament, I saw it my duty to

sequester my self from uU other things for the Lord the next day. And now I saw my

blessedness did not lie in receiving of good and comfort from God, but in holding forth the
ghry of God, and his virtues. For 'tis, I saw, an amazing glorious object to see God in the
creature ! God speak, God act, the Deity not being the creature, and turned into it; but fill.
ing of it, shining through it; to be covered with God as with a cloud, or as a glass Innthom
to have his beams penetrate through it. Nothing is good but Ood, and I am no further good
than as I hold forth God. The devil overcame Eve to damn her self, by telling her that hHc
should be like Ood. Oh! that is a glorious thing! and should not I be holy, and be like him J
Moreover, I found my heart drawn more sweetly to close with God, thus as my end, and to
place my happiness therein. Also, 1 saw it was my misery to hold forth sin, and Satan, and
ulf, in my course. And I saw one of these two things must be done. Now because my
■oul wanted pleasure, I purposed then to hold forth God, and did hope it should be my plea*
sure so to do, as it would be my pain to do otherwise."

§ 21. How watchful he was in the discharge of his ministry, let this his
meditation intimate :

" August 16—1 sow, on the Sabbath, four evils which attend me in my ministry. First,
Either the devil treads me down by discouragement and shame; from the sense of the mean-
ness of what I have provided in private meditations, and unto this I saw also an answer;
to wit, that every thing sanctified to do good, its glory is not to be seen in it self, but in the
Lord's sanctifying of it: or, from an apprehension of the unsavouriness of peoples" spirits,
or their unreadiness to hear in hot or cold times. Secondly, or carelessness possesses nie;
arising, because I have done well, and been enlarged, and have been respected formerly, hence
it is no snch matter, though I be nut always alike ; besides, I have a natural dulness and
cloudiness of spirit, which does naturally prevail. Thirdly, Infirmities and weakness, as want
of light, vitLiit of life, want of a spirit o( power to deliver what I am affected with fur Christ;
and hence I saw many souls not set forward nor God felt in my ministry. Fourthly, Want
of success, when I have done my best I saw these, and that I was to be humbled for these.
I saw also many other sins, and how the Lord might be angry. And this day, in musing
thus, I saw, that when I saw God angry, I thought to pacify him by abstaining from all sin
for the time to come. But when I remembred. First, that my righteousness could not satisfie,
and that this was resting on my own righteousness. Secondly, I saw I could not do it.
Thirdly, I saw righteousness ready made, and already finished, fit only for that purpose.
And I saw that God's afflicting me for sin, was not that I should go and satisfie by reforming,
but only be humbled for, and separated from sin, being reconciled and made righteous by
faith in Christ, which I saw a little of that night This day also I found my heart untoward,
sad and heavy, by musing on the many evils to come ; but I saw, if I carried four things in
my mind always, I should be comforted, First, that, in my self, I am a dying, condemned
wretch, but by Christ reconciled and alive. Secondly, Ir my self and in all creatures find-
ing insufficiency, and no rest, but God all-suflieient, and enough to me. Thirdly, Feeble and
unable to do any thing my self: but in Christ able to do all things. Fourthly, Although I
enjoyed all these but in part, in this world, yet I should have them all perfect shortly in
heaven; where God will show himself fully reconciled, sufficient and efficient, and abolish
all sins, and live in me perfectly."

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

893

§ 22. How sensible he was of the least failings in himself, and how desirous
to mend those failings, may be gathered from the ensuing brief meditations:

" December 1. — A small thing troubled me. Ilonco I snw that though the Lord hod made
tne that night attain that part uf humiliation, that I deserved notiiiiig but miHery, yet I fell
short in this other part; namely, to submit unto God in any crossing providence or com-
mandment; but I hud a spirit soon touched and provoked. I saw, also, that the Lord let sin
and Stttm prevail there, tiiat I might see my sin, and be more humbled by it, and so got
strength against it."

Agaln.^" March 19. — I said, as pride was my sin, so shame should be my punishment
And many fears I had of Eli's punishment, for not reproving sin when I saw it, and that
sharply ; and here I considered that the Lord may, and doth sometimes make one good man
a terrour and dreadful example of outward miseries, that all others may fear that be godlyi
lest his commands should be slighted, as he did Eli."

Once more. — ^"October 10. — ^When I saw the gifts and honour attending them in another,
I began to nfiect such an excellency; and I saw hereby that usually in my ministry, I did
affect aa eiccellency, and hence set upon the work : whereas the Lord hereupon humbled me
for this, by letting me see this was a diabolical pride; and so the Lord made me tb^-nkful
for seeing it, and put me in mind to watch against it"

§ 23. Of how humhk and of how publick a spirit he was, we will inform
our selves, especially from two meditations, which he wrote on such days of
j?rayer as he was used unto. The first was this :

" Nov. 3. — On a fast-day at night, in preparation for the duty, the Lord made mc sensible
of these sins in the churches. 1, Ignorance of them.^ehes; because of secret evils. 2, Of
God; because most men were full of dark and doubtful consciences. 3, Not caring for Christ,
dearly, only. 4, Neglect of duties; because of our place of security. 6, Standing against
all means, because we grow not better. 6, Earthliness; because we long not to be with
Christ And I saw sin, as my greatest evil, because I saw my self wan not better than God.
I was vile, but he waa good only, whom my sin did cross; and I saw what cause I had to
loath my self, and not to seek honour unto my self. Will any desire his dunghill to be
commended? will he grieve, if it be not? if he judge so indeed of it So my heart began
to full off from it; and the Lord also gave me some glimpse of my self, and a good day and
time it was to me.

"On the end of the/as/, Ifrsl went unto God, I rested upon him as sufficient; secondly,
waited on him as efficient; and said, 'Now, Lord, do for thy churches, and help in mercy!'
In the beginning of the day, I began to consider, whether all the country did not fare the worse
for my sins J I saw it was so, and this was an humbling thought to me; and I thought if
every one in particular thought so and wus humbled, it would do well. I consider also, that
if repentance turn away Judgments, then, if the question be, ' Who they are that bring judg-
ments?' the answer would be, 'They that think their sins so small as that God is not angry
with them at all.'"

The second was this:

" April 4. — Preparing for a Fast. — May not I be the cause of the church's sorrows, which
are renewed upon us? for, what have the sheep done J

"L My heart has been long lying out from the Lord. The Lord/r*i sent a terrible storm
at sen, to awiiken me; and the deliverance from it was so sweet that I could not but think
my lite after that should be only heavenly, as being pulled from an apparent death to live a

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894

HAONALIA CIIRI8TI AMEBICANA;

III

new life. Then, immediatoly upon this my child was taken away from mo ; my firat>bom,
which made me remember, how bitter it wns to croM the Lord'a love. Thirdly, I set my
fiice to Nvw-Englnnd, where, ooniiiderinif the lil)erlies of God'M house, I resolved and thought
it fit to be wholly for the I^ord, in nil manner of holinei$, at bed, at board, every where.
Fourthly, Then the Lord took my dear wife from me, and this made me resolve to delight
no more in creaturet, but in the liord, and to seek him. Fifthly, the Lord then threutncd
blindness to my child; and this mndo (JSod's will afflicting sweet to mo, but much more crmi-
manding and promising : and then I could do his will, and leave those thi gs to himself.
But, oh! how is my 'gold become dimf and how little have I answered the Lord! consider*
ing my ship resalutinna. I have wanted remembrance, heart and strength or will to do any
of these things. And therefore, I have not cause to blame the Lord; for he has perswaded
my heart to this; but my own concupiscence and vile nature, which. Lord! that I might
mourn for! that thou mnyst restore ctrmforls to me! Apostacy from God is grievous, though
it 1)0 in a little degree ; to serve Satiin without promise ! to forsake the Lord against promise !
What evil have I found in the Lord? This brings more disgrace upon the Lord than if there
hod never been any coming to him.

"11. The people committed to me: they are not pitied so much nor prayed for, nor visited,
as ought to have been ; nor have I shewed so much love unto them.

"III. The /ami/y, I have not edified nor instructed, nor token all occasions of speech with
them.

** IV. The gospel I have preached, has not been seen in its glory ; not believed, not affecting.

"V. Not seeking to Christ for supply; so that all hath been dead works, and fniit of pride,
walking daily without Christ, and without approving my self unto him. And hence, though
I do his work, I don't mind him in it; Hit command, His presence, nor yet endeavour to grow
somewhat every day.

"My not lamenting tho falls of professors, and the condition of the country, who are not
indeed the glory of God in the world, nor the holy people. la it not hence thnt many pillars
in the church have fallen, as if the Lord would not betrnst such precious vessels to my care?
and hath not the sorrow lain upon me? and hence universal mortality f When Hezekiah'a
heart was lified up, then wrath came not only on him, but on all the rest:

" And I have now had a long sickness, as if the Lord would delight no more in me to use
me. Oh, my God, who shall be like to thee in pardoning und subduing mine iniquities!"

Behold, reader, the language of an holy soul I

But I will now take my leave of Mr. Shepard's memory, with one dis-
tick in the funeral elegy which Mr. Peter Bulkly made on him: a com-
prehensive

EPITAPH.

Nominis, Offieiique fuit Concordia Duleit;
Officio Pastor Nomine Pastor erat.*

* Fitly hi* nnme and nfflco wero the same :
Shepherd by offlce— Sbepurd, loo, by name. \-

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND. 805

CITADTT?DTrT
il £1 i I £i ii VI.

PRIIDENTIUS: THE LIFE OF MR PETER PRDDDEN,

AND SEVERAL OTHER DIVINES, FAMOUS IN THE COLONY OF NEW-HAVEN.

That greatest of peace-makers, the Son of God, has assured us, " Blessed
are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of Ood." I am
sure then, 'tis a blessed child of Ood whose name is now before us; (Prud-
den shall we call him? or. Prudent) who, besides his other excellent qual*
ities, was noted ibr a singular faculty to sweeten, compose and qualify
exasperated spirits, and stop or heal all contentions. Wheneo it was that
his town of Milford enjoyed ^eace ivith trutli all his days, not vithstanding
some dispositions to variance, which afterwards broke fovth among them.

God had marvellously blessed his ministry in England, unto many about
Herefordshire and near Wales; from whence, when ho came into New-
England, there came therefore many considerable persons with iiim.

At their arrival in this country, they were so mindful of tl. j,.* business
here, that they gathered churches before they had erected .oases for the
diurches to meet in. There were then two famouf J<-rches gathere i at
New-Haven; gathered in two days, one following upcji the other; Mr.
Davenport's and Mr. Prudden's: and this with one singular circumstance,
that a mighty barn was the place, wherein the duties of that solemnity
were attended. Our glorious Lord Jesus Christ himself being born in a
stable and laid in one of those moveable and four-squared little vessels
wherein they brought meat unto the cattel, it was the more allowable that
a church, which is the mystical body of that Lord, should thus be born in
a barn. And in this translation, I behold our Lord, " with his fan in his
hand, purging his floor, and gathering her wheat into the garner."

That holy man, Mr. Philip Henry, being reproached by his persecutors
that his meeting-place had been a ia • pleasantly answered, "No new
thing, to turn a thrashing-floor into a i- r;|,le." So did our Christians at
New-Haven.

The next year Mr. Prudden, with his church, removed unto Milford;
where he lived many years, an example of piety, gravity, and boiling zeal,
against the growing evils of 'hv. times.

And though he had a numerous family, yet such was his discretion,
that without much distraction he provided comfortably for them, notwith-
standing the difficult circumstances wherewith an infant-plantation was
encumbred.

He continued an able and faithful servant of the churches, until about
the fifty -sixth year of his own age, and the fifty-sixth of the present age ;

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MAGNALIA CUBISTI AMEBICANA;

when his death was felt by the colony as the fall of a pillar which made
the whole fabrick to shake.
Like that of Piccart, now let our Prudden lie under this

EPITAPH.

Bogmate non tantut fuit Auditoribiu Idem :
Exemplo in Vita, jam quoque morte,protit.*

But our pen having flown as far off as the colony of New-Haven, it
may not return without some remarks and memoirs of three other worthy
divines, that were sometimes famous in that colony. The reader must
excuse my ignorance of the first circumstances, if he find them to be bom
Wi^n in our history: v-. «

MR. BLACKMAN, MR. PIERSON, MR. DENTON.

CHAPTEH YIL

THE LIFE OF MR. ADAM BLACKMAN.

Among those believers who first enjoyed the name of Christians, there
v;ere several famous teachers, whereof one (Acts xiii. 1) had the name of
Niger. And in the primitive churches of New-England also, there was
among our famous teachers a good man, who wore the same sir-name: this
was our Mr. Blackman^ concerning whom none but a Eomanist would have
used that rule:

Hie niger est, hune tu Romane, caveto.i

For he was highly esteemed in the Protestant country, where he spent the
latter days of his life.

He was a useful preacher of the gospel, first in Leicestershire, then in
Derbyshire: but coming to New-England, from the storm that began to
look black upon him, he was attended with a desirable company of the
faithful, who said unto him, "Entreat us not to leave you, or to return
from following after you: for whither you go, we will go; and your God
shall be our God."

New-England having received this holy man, who, notwithstanding his
name, was for his holiness, "A Nazarite purer than snow, whiter than
milk." It was first at Guilford, and afterwards at Stratford, that he em-
ployed his talents; and if a famous modern author be known by the name
of Adamus Adamandiis,il^ our Adam Blackman was by the affections of his
people so likewise called.

* Lew on opinfoni than example bent,
nil hearers followed where their pattern went;
Hi» holy death their brightest precedent.

t He Is a Black-man : Romanist, beware I

HoRACc, Sat. I. It. 85.
X Adam, worthy to be loved.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

397

It was bis opinion, that as for our bodies, thus for our spirits also, Cibus
simplex est Optimus;* and accordingly he studied plain preaching, which
was entertained by his people with a profitable hearing. And as Luther
would say, be is the ablest preacher, Qui pueriliter, Trivialiter, Popular iter,
simplicissime docet:\ so our Hooker, for the sake of the sacred and solid
siinplicity in the discourses of this worthy man, would say, " If I might have
my choice, 1 would choose to live and die under Mr. Blackman's ministry."

There was a great person among the reformers in Germany, who had
almost the same name with our Blackman ; that was Melancthon,:}: and
indeed this good person was a Melancthon among the reformers of New-
Haven ; in this happier than he, that his lot was cast among a pious peo-
ple, who did not administer so frequent occasions as the Germans did for
the complaint, "That old Adam was too hard for his young name-sake."

For a close, I may apply to him the ingenious epitaph of Beza upon
Melancthon :

CuiN\ye\xstnto Regnabatpectore Candor; '

Unum cut Coelum ; cura laborque fuit
Nam Kogitas, qua tit diciua Ratione Melancthon]

Scilicet Euxinum, qua Ratione vacant.^

[For this is a well known sea, called Euxine, or harborous, because
there are no good harbours in it.]

.CHAPTEH ?IIL

THE LIFE OF MR. ABRAHAN PIERSON.

^■i

I ;

85.

It is reported by Pliny, and perhaps 'tis but a Plinyism, that there is
a fish called Lucerna, whose tongue doth shine like a torch; if it be a
fable, yet let the tongue of a minister be the maral of that fable ; now
such an illuminating tongue was that of our Pierson.

He was a Yorkshire man, and coming to New-England, he became a
member of the church at Boston ; but afterwards thus employed, towards
the year 1640. The inhabitants of Lyn, straitned at home, looked out
for a new plantation; so going to Long- Island, they agreed both with the
Lord Starling's agent and with the Indian proprietors for a situation at
the wcst-fiud -f that Island: where the Dutch gave them such disturbance,
that they deserted their place for another at the east-end of it. Proceed-
ing in their plantation, by the accession of near an hundred families, they

* SimplH food is best.

f Who in u child-like, unconstrained, popular and simple manner imparts instruction.

X From /iiX(i(, "black.

} Do you ask why one whose character is of snow-like purity, and whoso aspirations tend only hearenward,
should be called Melancthon? [black.] For the same reason that a certain sea is called the Euxine [the sua of
horbomj.

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MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMEIMCANA;

called Mr. Piersoa to go thither with thoiu; who, with sovon or eight
more of their company, regularly incorporated themselves into a chxtrch
state before their going; the whole company also entring at the samo
time, with the advice of the government of the Massachuset-Bay, into a
civil combination for the maintaining government among themsfjlvcs.
Thus was there settled a church at Southampton, under the pastoral
charge of this worthy man; where he did with a laudible diligoncu
undergo two of the three hard labours, Docmtis and liegcntis^''^ to make it
become (what Paradise was called) "an island of the innocent."

It was afterward found necessary for this church to be divided. Upon
which occasion Mr. Pierson, referring his case to council, his removal was
directed unto Brainford, over upon the main, and Mr. Fordham canio to
serve and to feed that part of the flock which was left at Southampton ;
but where-ever ho came, he shone.

lie left behind him the character of a pious and prudent man ; and a
*' true child of Abraham," now safely lodged in the Sinu-Ahraha.\

EPITAPIIIUM.

Terri$ diaceatit, auapirana Ga^idia cali,
Piersonus Patriam acandit ad Aatra auam.t

THE LIF£ OF MR. RICHARD DENTON.

The apostle describing the false ministers of those primitive times, ho
calls them, "clouds without water, carried about of winds." As for the
true ministers of our primitive times, they were indeed "carried about of
winds;" though not the winds of strange doctrines; yet the ivinds of hard
sufferings did carry them as far as fi'om Europe into America; the htirri-
canons of persecution, whereon doubtless the "prince of the power of the
air" had his influence, drove the heavenly chads from one part of that
heaven, the church, unto another. But they were not clouds withoid water,
where tliey came; they "same with showers of blessing, and fuincd very
gracious impri-ssioiis upon the vineyard of the Lord.

Among these clouds was our pious and learned Mr. Richard Denton, a
Yorkshire man, who, having watered Halifax in England with his fruit-
ful ministry, was by a tempest then hurried into New-England, where,
flrst at Weathersfield and then at Stamford, " his doctrine dropt as the
Jain, his speech distilled as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender
herb, and as the showers upon the grass."

* Inatructing and governing,
t In Abraham's buaum.

i PiKRtoN, while wailtng till his change ahuuld oumei
Wat but ■ pilgrim, sighing tor his hume.

OB, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENQl./ VD.

899

Though he were a little man, yet he had a great soul; his well-acoom-
plished mind, in his lesser body, was an Iliad in a nut-shell.

I think he was blind of one eye; nevertheless, he was not the least
among the fders of our Israel ; he saw a very considerable proportion of
those things which "eye hath not seen."

He was far from cloudy in his conceptions and principles of divinity :
whereof he wrote a system, entituled, ^* Solihquia Sacra ;^'^ so accurately,
considering the fourfold state of man, in his — i. Created Purity; il.
Contracted Deformity; III. Restored Beauty; IV. Cojlestial Glory — that
judicious persons, who have seen it, very much lament the churches being
so much deprived of it.

At length he got into heaven beyond clouds, and so beyond storms;
waiting the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the clouds of heaven, " when
he will have his reward among the saints."

EPITAPHIUM.

Hie Jaeet, et fruitvr Tranguilla tedt RicharduB

DentonuB, eujut Fama perennia erit.
Ineola jam eali velut Astra mieantia fulget,

Qui multi9 Fidei Lumina elara dedit.i

i I

Sir:

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THE LIFE OF MR. PETER BULKLT.

Ipse Aspeetus Boni viri delectat. — SsN-t

§ 1. It has been a matter of some reflection, that among the pretended
successors of Saint Peter, there never was any Pope that would pretend
unto the name of Peter ; but if any of them had been christened by that
name at the font, they afterwards changed it, when they came unto the
chair. No doubt, as Raphael Urbine, the famous painter, being taxed,
for maicing the face in the picture of Peter too red, replied. He did it on
purpose, that he might represent the apostle blushing in heaven to see what
successors ho had on earth: so these infamous apostates might blush to
hear themselves called Peter, while they are conscious unto themselves
of their being strangers to all the vertues of that great apostle. But the
denomination of Peter might be with an everlasting agreeableness claimed
by our eminent Bulkly, who, according to the spirit and counsel of Peter,
"fed the flock of God among us, taking the oversight thereof not by con-
straint, but willingly ; not for filthy lucre, but of a willing mind."

Sacred Soliloquies.

t Here Dknton liei; his toils and hardships past;
Whuso name uu inuinory uf dishonour mars.

On earth a light of Faith, he shines at last,
Full-orbed and glorious with the eternal itaiB.

X The wry looks of a good man are a source uf pleasure.

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MAGNALIA CIIBISTI AMERICANA;

§ 2. He was descended of an honourable family, in Bedfordshire; where
for many successive generations the names of Edward and Peter were
alternatively worn by the heirs of the family. His father was Edward
Bulky, D. D., a faithful minister of the gospel ; the same whom we find
making a supplem<'nt imto the last volume of our books of martyrs. He
was born at Woodhil (or Odel) in Bedfordshire, January 81st, 1582.

His education was answerable unto his original ; it was learned, it was
genteel, and, which was the top of all, it was very pious: at length it made
him a Batchellor oi Divinity and Fellow of Saint John's Colledge in Cam-
bridge: the colled ;e vhereinto he had been admitted, about the sixteenth
year of his age, tn( it was while be was but a Junior batchellor that he
was chosen a fellow.

§ 3. When he came abroad in the world, a good benefice befel him,
added unto the estate of a gentleman, left him by his father; whom he
succeeded in his ministry at the place of his nativity ; which one would
imagine teinj)tatiom enough to keep him out of a wilderness.

Nevertheless, the concern which his reneived soul had for the pure wor-
ship of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for the planting of evangelical churches
to exercise that worship, caused hin? to leave and sell all, in hopes of gain-
ing the "pearl of great price" among those that first peopled New-England
upon those glorious ends. It was not long that he continued in conformity
to the ceremonies of the church of England; but the good Bishop of Lin-
coln connived at his non-conformity, (as he did at his father's,) and he
lived an unmolested non-conformist until he had been three prentice-ships
of years in his ministry. Towards the latter end of this tiyne, his ministry
had a notuble success, in the conversion of many unto God; and this was
one occasion of ? latter end for this time. When Sir Nathanacl Brent was
Arch-Bishop Laud's General, as Arch-Bishop Laud was anothei'^s, com-
plaints were made against Mr. Bulkly, for his non-conformity, and he
was therefore silenced.

§ 4. To New-England he therefore came, in the year 1635; and there
having been for a while at Cambridge, he carried a good number of })lant-
ers with him, up further into the woods, where they gathered tlie twelfth
church tlien formed in the colony, and called the town by the name of
Concoid.

Here he luried a great estate, while he raised one still for almost every
person whom he employed in the affairs of his husbandry. He had many
and godly servants, whom, after they had lived with him a fit number of
years, he still dismissed with bestowing farms upon them, and so took
others after the like manner, to succeed them in their service and his kind-
ness. Thus he cast his bread both upon the waters and into the earth,
not exj)ecting the return of this his charity to a religious plantation, until
" after many days."

§ 5. He was a most excellent scholar, a very well-read person, and one

OB, THE HI8T0BY OF NEW-KNGLAND.

401

who, in his advice to young students, gave demonstrations that he knew
what would go to make a scholar. But it being essential unto a scholar to
love a scholar, so did he; and in token thereof endowed the library of
Harvard-Colledge with no small part of his own.

And he was therewithal a most exalted Christian; full of those devo-
tions which accompan;'^ a "conversation in heaven;" especially, so exact
a Sabbath-keeper, that if at any time he had been asked, "whether he
had strictly kept the Sabbath?" he would have replied, Ghnstiamts sum,
intermittere non possum* And conscientious^ even to a degree of scrupu-
hsity. That scrupulosity appeared particularly in his avoiding all novelties
of apparel, and the cutting of hair so close, that of all the famous name-
sakes he had in the world, he could have least born the sir-name of that
well known author, Petrus Crinitus.f

§ 6. It was observed that his neighbours hardly ever came into his com-
pany, but whatever business he had been talking of, he would let fall some
holy, serious, divine, and useful sentences upon them, ere they parted:
an example many ways worthy to be imitated by every one that is called
a minister of the gospel.

In his ministry he was another Farel, Quo Nemo tonuit fortius ;\ he was
very laborious, and because he was, through some infirmities of body, not
so able to visit his flock, and instruct them from house to house, he added
unto his other publick labours on the Lord's days, that of constant cate-
chising; wherein, after all the unmarried people had answered, ell the peo-
ple of the whole assembly were edified by his expositions and applications.

His first sermon was on Rom. i. 16: "I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ," At Odel he preached on part of the prophecy of Isaiah, and
part of Jonah, and a great part of the gospel of Matthew, and of Luke ;
the Epistles to the Philippians, and of Peter, and of Jude; besides many
other scriptures. At Concord he preached over the illustrious truths about
the person, the natures, the offices of Christ; [what would he have said, if
he had lived unto this evil day, when 'tis counted r^ood advice for a min-
ister of the gospel, "not to preach much on the person of Christ?"] the
greatest part of the book of Psalms: the convjision of Zachcus; Paul's
commission, in Acts xxvi. 18. His death fo'^nd him handling the com-
mandments ; and John xvi. 7, 8, 9. He expounded Mr. Perkins his six
principles, whereto he added a seventh, aud examined the young people,
what they understood and remembered of his exposition.

Moreover, by a sort of winning, and yet prudent familiarity, he drew
persons of all r.ges in his congregation to come and sit with him, when he
could not go and sit with them; whereby he had opportunity to do the
part of a faithful pastor, in considering the state of his flock.

Such was his pious conduct that he was had much in reverence by his

* I am a ChriBtian : I cannot swervo from duty.
X Tbiui wi'um no one thundereU louder.

Vol. I.— 26

f Peter the Long Haired.

' 1

11' '

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402

MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

"He thereby
elf; 3, To

people; and when at nny time he was either hasty in speaking to such an
were about him, wheroto he was disposed by his bodily pains, or severe in
preaching against some things, that others thought were no way momentous,
whereto the great exactness of his piety inclined him; yet those little
stinginesses took not away the interests which he had in their hearts; they
"knowing him to be a just njan, and an holy, observed him."

And the observance which his own people had for him was ul;50 pai i him
from all sorts of people throughout the land; but espe U-ily from the nun-
isters of the country, who would still address him iis a jother, a propU-^l a
counsellor, on all occasions.

§ 8. Upon his importunate pressing a piece of charity, disagreeable to
the will of the ruling elikr, there was occasioned an unhappy discord in tlie
church of Concord; which yet was at last healed by their calling in the
help of a council, and the ruling elder's abdication. Of tho Unrptati')n8
which occurred on these occasions, Mr. Buikiy would say,
came — 1, To know more of God; 2, To kno^v n;ore of hi
know more of men." Peace being thus restored, the s'Tiall things in the
begini-ing of the church there, increased in the hands of their faithful
Bullvly, uiitil 1)0 was translated into the regions which afford nothing but
concord ami ;7hr)/; leaving his well-fed "flock in the wilderness" unto the
past()ral care -, :;' his worthy son, Mr. Edward Bnlkly.

§ 9. It is remarked, that a man's whole religion is according to his
acquaintunce with the new covenant. If, then, any person would know
what Mr. Peter Bulkly was, let him read his judicious and savoury treat-
ise of the gospel covenant; which has passed through several editions, with
much acceptance among the people of God. Quickly after his first com-
ing into this country, he preached many sermons on Zech. ix. 11: "The
blood of thy covenant" The importunity of his congregation prevailed
with him to preach this doctrine of the covenant over again in his lectures,
and fit it for the press. He did accordingly ; and of that book the well-
known Mr. Shepard, jf Cambridge, has given this testimony: "The church
of God is bound to bless God, for the holy, judicious, and learned labours
of this aged, ^experienced, and precious servant of Jesus Christ, who hath
taken much pains to discover, and that not in words and allegories, but
in the demonstration and evidence of the spirit, the great mystery of god-
liness wrapt up in the covenant; and hath now fully opened many knotty
questions concerning the same, which happily have not been brought so
full to light until now ; which cannot but be of singular and seasonable
use to prevent apostasies from the simplicity of the covenant and gospel
of Christ."

§ 10. Having offered this particular account of a hook, which is to be
reckoned among the Jirst-bom of New-England, I may not forbear doing
my country the service of extracting from it one paragraph, which we may
reckon the dying charge of a Moses to an Israel in a wilderness:

Ullt

nine

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

408

" And thou, Ncw>Eng1und, which art exalted in privilodgcs of the guspel above many other
people, ]{now thou the ' time of thy visitution,' nnd consider ttio great tilings the Lord hath
done for thee. The gospel hnth free passage in nil places where thou dwollcst; Oh! that it
might be glorified also by thee! Thou enjoycst many faithful witnesses, which have testified
unto thee the gospel of the grace of God. Thou boat many bright stars shining in thy firm-
ament, to give thee the 'knowledge of salvation from on high, to guide thy feet in the way of
peace.' Be not high-minded because of thy priviledges, but fear because of thy danger.
The more thou hast committed unto thee, the more thou must account for. No poo|.le's
account will be heavier than thine, <,f thou do not walk worthy of the means of thy salivation.
The Lord looks fur more from thee than from other people : more zeal for God, more / /ve to
his truth, more^'u.<i/ife and equity in thy ways: thou shouldest bo a special people, ai mly
people, none like thee in all the earth. Oh! be so, in loving the gospel, and tlie ministers
of it, having them in 'singular love for their work's sake.'

" Glorifie thou the word of the Lord, which has glorified thee. Take hood, least for neglect
of either, God 'remove thy candlestick' out of the midst of ihoe; lest being now 'as a city
upon an hill,' which many seek unto, thou be left ' like a beacon upon the top of a mountain,'
desolate and forsaken. If we walk unworthy of the gospel brought unto us, the greater our
mercy hath been in the enjoying of it, the greater will our judgment bo for the contempt"

§ 11. His first wife was the daughter of Mr. Thomas Allen, of Golding-
ton : a most vertuous gentlewoman, whose nephew was the Lord Mayor
of London, Sir Thomas Allen. By her he had nine sons and two daugh-
ters. After her death, he lived eight years a widdower, and then married
a vertuous daughter of Sir Kichard Chitwood ; by whom he had three
sons and one daughter.

Age at length creeping on him, he grew much afraid of out-living his
icork; and hi<» fear he thus expressed in a short Epigram, composed March
25, 1657 :

Pigra »enr.ctutia jam venit inutilii atat,
JVU alittd nunc sum quam fere pondus inert.

Da tamen, Atme Deus, dum vivam, vivere laudi
Sternum lancti M'omini* vsque T\ii,

Aie vivam (moriar potiut !) nil uti/it JigenJo :

Fsniat oplo magia, mors properata Diet,
Vel dot I in Saneto Catu tua verba satutit,

CalesUot eanam Cantiea sacra Ckoro;
Sen vivam, moriarve, tuus aim, Chriate, fuod uni

Debita mea est, debita morsjite tibi.*

He was ill, as well as old, when he writ these verses; but God granted
him his desire. He recovered, and preached near two years after this,
and then expired, March 9, 1658-9, in the seventy-seventh year of his age.

§ 12. The Epigram newly mentioned, invites me to remember that he
had a competently good stroke at Latin poetry ; and even in his old age
affected sometimes to improve it. Many of his composures are yet in our
hands. One was written on his Birth-day, June 31st, 1654:

Vtlimua iate Diea Menaia, mi hi primus habetur;

Quo cteyi luccm ecrnere primua erat,
Septuaginta duoa ^nnita ezinde peregi.

* I've rcacheil the evening of mjr murlal day;

A sluggish mnss uf clay is this my frame;
Yitt graiiti O God, that while I live, I may

Live to the glury of Thy holy name.
And if in Ufu I may not honour Thee,
From such dishonour may Death set roe free.

t This last divy of the month is^r«( to me.
For with it dawning life began to be.
Nor have its mild returns been slow or few:

^tque tot .^nnomm eat Ultimut iate Dies,
Praterito Feterijum nunc novus intipit Wnrm

uiinam mihi sit mena nova, vila nava.f

Whether within Thy holy courts below

1 preach salvation unto dying men —
Or in Tliine Upper Temple, with the flow

Of angel-qnirings blend my raptured strain-
Living or dying, Thine I still would be :
My life and death alike are due tu Thee.

Of seventy-two long years this Is the last ;
A new year now begins, the old year passed i
Ob may my heart and lifu bu also new t

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404

MAGNOLIA CHRISTI AUEBICANA;

Another of them was written on an Earthquake, October 29, 1658:

Stfe Dti nutu Ullna pmtfacta trmmueii,

Ttrra TVmmh* wuU m( itdiiut ipsa *■<•«
Xntant fUcra Ortu, munUi eompag» itluU Ml;

Kx v^tu trad' caii(r<iiii'( ill* Dti,
Contrmaut leilui, imh e0neiu$a Cavwmi*,

Ponderiiut fuaniuam tit f wit ill» •«<*.
CbusiiC ort putru HM^a turn aumntr* vmMm,

tl»ot in vitetrikut clauserat anta tui*.

I^» trtmit 7W(«« $t»lirmm gr*9ilal* virtrum,

Siti itdtri* MMlH p»»4*r* Ttrra trtmit.
O >•« f nam iuri I Sunt f*mn pttom n»Ht ;

JVbii ttmim gtmimnt cum ^mi't ainiir tolum.
Quit (« Mvii UMlm'ti mttuit futm fhbrica ataadt

QamfM* li'mrat t»li, terraf af lata lr«aii<.
Mttikut i Ttntit aanc taudtm ttrra fuieteat,

Std tttitut pttiut triwUn* nottrnprttar.*

'The rest we will bury with him, under this

EPITAPH.

Oit'tC jam qui jamdudum nbierat Bulklain ;
Nee Patriam ilU muUvit, nee p«iie titom .•
B6 itit, qud he conaMveral, at ubi jam erat.t

THE LIFE OF MR. RALPH PARTRIDGE.

When David was driven from his friends into the wilderness, he made
this pathetical representation of his condition, '• Twas as when one doth
hunt a partridge in the mountains." Among the many worthy persons
who were persecuted into an American wilderness, for their fidelity to
the ecclesiastical kingdom of our true David, there was one that bore the
name as well as the state of an hunted partridge. What befel him, was,
as Bede saith of what was done by Fajlix, Juxta nominis sui Sacramentum.\

This was Mr. Ralph Partridge, who for no fault but the delicacy of his
good spirit, being distressed by the ecclesiastical setters, had no defence,
neither of beak nor claw, but a flight over the ocean.

The place where he took covert was the colony of Plymouth, and the
town of Duxbury in that colony.

This Partridge had not only the innocency of the dove, conspicuous in
his blameless and pious life, which made him very acceptable in his con-
versation, but also the loftiness of an eagle, in the great soar of his intel-
lectual abilities. There are some interpreters w^ho, understanding church
officers by the living creatures, in the fourth chapter of the Apocalypse,

The solid earth, before an angry God,
Shakes at the terrors of His awful nod.
The balonoe uf the mighty world is lost-
Its vast foundations, in confusion loaa'd,
Through all the hollows of its deepest cave*
kuek like a vessel foundering in the waves.
Volumes of sulphurous air, with booming sound,
Burst through the gorges of the parted ground.

lie earth doth beav«, with groanlngs of dlatreai,
Beneath '.ho weight of human sinfulness.
Shall not our eyea dr«>p penitential rain,
When ail creation travaileth in pain T
GRt4T God I who shall not (bar Thee in the hour
When heaven and earth are trembling at Thy power!
Fatiikr, to nature's tumult whisper peace.
And bid the wickedness of man to cease t

t BuLKLT hath lea us for a happier shore— I He ne'er hath slept beneath this humble sod.

Nay, rather Uogera where he waa before. | For both in lifc and death he was with Qod

t In oonformtty with hla chriateolnt.

OB, THE HISTOBT OF NEW-ENOLAND.

405

will have the teanher to bo intended by the ea/jle there, for his quick insight
into remote and hidden things. The church of Duxbury had such an
cagU in their Partridge, when they enjoyed such a teacher.

By the same token, when the Platform of Church Discipline was to be
composed, the Synod at Cambridge appointed three persons to draw up
each of them, "a model of church-government, according to the word of
God," unto the end that out of those the synod might form what should
be found most agreeable; which three persons were Mr. Cotton, and Mr.
Mather, and Mr. Partridge. So that, in the opinion of that reverend
assembly, this person did not come far behind the first two for some of
his accotiiplishments.

After he had been forty years a faithful and painful preacher of the
gospel, rarely, if ever, in all that while interrupted in his work by any
bodily sickness, he died in a good old age, about the year 1658.

Tliere was one singular instance of a weaned spirit, whereby he signal-
ized himself unto the churches of God. That was this: there was a time
when most of the ministers in the colony of Plymouth left the colony,
upon the discouragement which the want of a competent maintena^nce
among the needy and froward inhabitants gave unto them. Nevertheless
Mr. Partridge was, notwithstanding the paucity and the poverty of his
congregation, so afraid of being any thing that looked like a bird wan-
dringfrom his nest, that he remained with his poor people till he took wing
to become a bird of paradise, along with the winged seraphim of heaven.

EPITAPHIUM.

Avolavit.*

US in
con-
intel-
'hurch

ypse,

PSALTES.t THE LIFE OF MB. HENRY DUNSTEB.

Notwithstanding the veneration which we pay to the names and
worlcs of those reverend men, whom we call ilie fathers, yet even the
Roman Catholicks themselves confess, that those fathers were not infallible.
Andradiiis, among others, in his defence of the Council of Trent, has this
passage: "There can be nothing devised more superstitious, than to count
all things delivered by the fathers divine oracles^ And, indeed, it is plain
enough that those excellent men were not without errors and frailties, of
which, I hope, it will not be the part of a cham to take some little notice..
1'hus, Jcrom had his erroneous opinion of Peter's being unjustly repre-
hended ; and was fearfully asleep in the other matters, wherein he opposedj
Yigilantius. Augustine was for admitting the infants of Christians unto*

* Uo has flown away! f The PMlmodiat.

i' :

I J 'ill

406

HAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

the Lord's Supper: and, alasl how much of Babylon is there In his beat
book, *' De GiviUtte Dei.^^* Hilary denied the soul-sorrowa of our Lord in
his passion, if you will believe the report of Bellarmine. Clemens Alex-
nndrinus affirmed that our Lord neither eat nor drank from the necessities
of human life; a* id that he and his apostles, after their death, preached unto
the damned in hell, of whom there were many converted. Origen taught
many things contrary unto the true faith, and fiequently confounded the
Scriptures with false expositions. Tertullian fell into Montanism, and
forbad all second marriages. How little agreement was there between
Epiphanius and Chrysostom, Irenoeus and Victor, Cornelius and Cyprian?
And, indeed, that I may draw near to my present purpose, the erroneous
opinion of rebaptism in Cyprian, is well known to the world.

Wherefore it may not be wondred at if, among the fiTsi fathers of New-
England, there were some things not altogether so agreeable to the prin-
ciples whereupon the country was in the main established. But among
those of our fathers who differed somewhat from his brethren, was that
learned and worthy man Mr. Henry Dunster.

He was the president of our Harvard College in Cambridge, and an able
man: [as we may give some account, when the history of that college
comes to be offered.]

But wonderfully falling into the errors of Antipaedobaptism, the overseers
of the college became solicitous that the students there might not be una-
wares ensnared in the errors of their president. Wherefore they laboured
with an extreme agony, either to rescue the good man from his own mis-
takes, or to restrain him from imposing them upon the hope of the flock, of
both which, finding themselves to despair, they did, as quietly as they
could, procure his removal^ and provide him a successor, in Mr. Charles
Chauncey.

He was a very good Hebrician, and for that cause he bore a great part
in the metrical version of the Psalms, now used in our churches. But
after some short retirement and secession from all publick business, at
Scituate, in the year 1659, he vent thither, where he bears his part in
everlasting and celestial hallelujahs. It was justly counted an instance
of an excellent spirit, in Margaret Meering, that though she had been excom-
municated by the congregation of Protestants, whereof Mr. Eough was pas-
tor, and she seemed to have hard measure also in her excommunication;
yet when Mr. Rough was imprisoned for the truth, she was very serviceable
to him, and at length suffered martyrdom for the truth with him. Some-
thing that was not altogether unlike this "excellent spirit" was instanced
by our Dunster. For he died in such harmony of affection with the good
men who had been the authors of his removal from Cambridge, that he,
by his will, ordered his body to be carried unto Cambridge for its burial,
and bequeathed legacies to those very persons.

• The CHy of God.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLA ND.

407

Now, I know not wh( better than here, to insert that article of our
church-history, which concerns our metrical translation of the Psalms now
Kung in our churches.

About the year 1039, the New-English reformers, considering that their
churches enjoyed the other ordinances of Heaven in their scriptural purity,
were willing that the ordinance of "The singing of psalms," should bo
restored among them unto a share in that purity. Though they blessed
God for the religious endeavours of them who translated the Psalms into
the meetre usually annexed at the end of the Bible, yet they beheld in the
translation so many detractions from, additions to, and variations of, not only
the text, but the very sense of the psalmist, that it was an offence unto
them. Resolving then upon a new translation, the chief divines in the
country took each of them a portion to be translated: among whom wero
Mr. Welds and Mr. Eliot of lioxbury, and Mr. Mather of Dorchester.
These, like the rest, were of so different a genius for their poetry, that Mr.
Shepard, of Cambridge, on the occasion addressed them to this purpose :

You Roxb'ry poets, keep clear of the crime

or missing to give uh very good rhime.
And you of Dorchester, your verses lengthen,
But with the text's own words, you will them strengthen.

The Psalms thus turned into meetre were printed at Cambridge, in the
year 1640. But, afterwards, it was thought that a little more of art was
to be employed upon them: and for that cause, they were committed unto
Mr. Dunstcr, who revised and refined this translation; and (with some
assistance from one Mr. Richard Lyon, who being sent over by Sir Henry
Mildmay, as an attendant unto his son, then a student in Harvard College,
now resided in Mr. Dunster's house:) he brought it into the condition
wherein our churches ever since have used it.

Now, though I heartily join with those gentlemen who wish that the
poetry hereof were mended; yet I must confess, that the Psalms have never
yet seen a translation., that I know of, nearer to the Hebrew original; and
I am willihg to receive the excuse which our translators themselves do
offer us, when they say:

" If tlie vcr808 lire not alwaya so elegant as some desire or expect, let them consider th.it
God's altiir needs not our polishings ; we have respected rather a plain translation, than to
smooth our verses with tlie sweetness of any paraphrase. We have attended conscience
rather thiui elegance, fidelity rather than ingenuity; that so we may sing in Zion the Lord's
songs of praise, according unto his own will, until he bid us enter into our Master's joy, to
sing eternal hallelujahs."

Reader, when the reformation in France began, Clement Marot and
Theodore Beza turned the Psalms into French meetre, and Lewis Guadimel
set melodious tunes unio them. The singing hereof charmed the souls of
court and city, town and country. They were sung in the Lovre it self,

i, M

It , t!

408

MAQNALIA 0IIKI8TI AMEBIOAN/

08 well OS in the Protestant clmrchos: ladies, nobles. ^^I'nce? -yea, King
Henry himself— sang them. This one thing mightily c«. ' Lrll>uted unto the
downfal of Popery, and the progress of the gospel. All ranlf^ of men
practised it; a gentleman of the reformed religion would not eat a
meal without it. The popish clergy raging hereat, the cardinal of Lor rain
got the profane and obscene odes of the pagan poets to be turned into
French, and sang at the court: and the Divine Psultns were thus bunisheil
from that wicked court.

Behold, the reformation pursued in the churches of New-England by
the Psalms in a new mcetre: Qod grant the reformation may never be lost
while the Psalms are sung in our churches!

But in this matter, Mr. Dunster is to be acknowledged. And if unto
the Christian, while singing of Psalms on earth, Chrysostom could well
say, Mit' 'AyyjXwv 'a^ii;, fkir* 'Ayy»Xujv 'ufivsrf — Thou art in a consort with
angels/ — how much more may that now be said of our Dunster?

From the epitaph of Henricus Rentzius, we will now furnish our llenry
Dunster with an

EPITAPH.

Praeo, Paler, Servua; Sonui, Fori, Coluique;

Sacra, Scholam, Chriatum ; Voce, liigore, Fitle ;
Famam, Anitnam, Corpus: Diajiergit, Reereat, A'kIH;

Virtua, Chriatui, Ilumua; Laude, Salute, Sinu*

\j JuiL WW «k iL Jj Jni liit iL X X •

THE LIFE OF MR. EZEKIEL ROGERS.

Si in Doelore Eccleaia, ad irvnoKpirov irivriy, acceaaerit <rvi>c<ri( itovrtav, and Polita Eruditio, ad
Eruditionem jvya/iic Ipinivivrmii, ac Fucundia; nit hie Talia Omnibua Abaolutia videlntur. —
Melc. Adah, in Vittt Hotter!. t

§ 1. It is among the greater Prophets of Israel that we find an Ezekiel
who had in his very name. The Fortitude of God. And it is not among
the smaller Prophets of New-England that we have also seen an Ezekiel ;
one inspired with a divine fortitude, for the work of a witness prophesying
in the sackcloth of a wilderness. This was our famous Ezekiel Rogers, of
whom we have more to say than barely that he was born in the year 1590,
and that he died in the year 1660.

* A preacher, I have chanted mcred songs : a father [president of a colle|?e], I have instructed my charge with
perseverance : a servant of Christ, I have followed my Master with fidelity. Virtue signalizes my name with true
pruieo: Christ redeems my soul with his salvation: the earth hides my body in its busom.

t If in a Christian teacher, to fiiith unfeigned should be added a disposition to h«lp the needy, and elegant
Kholnrship; and to scholarship the power of Interpretation and eloquence; we should confessedly And ia tho
mitijuct of this iketcb Just euoli a man.

OR, TUE UISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

409

§ 2. Ilis father was Mr. Richard Rogers, of Weathcrsfleld in England,
the well known author of the book that is known by the name of " The
Seven Trmtises.^^ Of that Richard we will content ourselves with one pithy
I)aaHage, mentioned by his grand.son, Mr. William Jenkyns, in his exj)osi-
tion upon Jude: "That blessed saint," saith he, "was another Enoch in
his age; a man whoso 'walking with God' appeared by that incomparable
directory of a Christian life, called ' 'The Seven Trvatisrs,^ woven out of
Scripture, and his own experimental practice; he would sometimes say,
*Thut he should be sorry, if every day were not to him as his lost day.'"
It is this Ezckiel Rogers whereof wo are now to give an account. The
early sparklings of wit, judgment, and learning, in him, gave his father
no little satisfaction, and expectation of his proficiency; and at thirteen
years of age made him capable of preferment in the university; where he
proceeded Ma.ster of Arts at the age of twenty. Renioving thonco to be
chaplain in a family, famous for both religion and civility — namely the fam-
ily of Sir Francis Barrington, at Hatfield Broad Oak in Essex — ho there
had opportunity not only to do good by his profitable preaching, but also
to gel good by his conversation with persons of honour, who continually
resorted thither, and he knew and mW his opportunity to the utmost.

§ 3. Both in in-aying and preaching^ he had a very notable faculty; 'twas
accompanied with strains of oratory, which made his ministry very accept-
able, llencc, after five or six years' residence in this worshipl'ul family,
Sir Francis bestowed upon him the benefice of Rowly in Yorkshire; in
hopes that his more lively ministry might be particularly successful in
awakening those drowsy corners of the north: and accordingly the church
there, standing in the centre of many villages, there was now a great resort
unto the service therein performed.

§ 4. Nevertheless Mr. Rogers had much uneasiness in his mind about
his own experience of those truths which he preached unto others; he
feared that, notwithstanding his pathetieal expressions, wherewith his
hearers wore affected, he was himself, in his own soul, a stranger to that
faith and repentance and conversion, which he pressed upon them. This
consideration very much perplexed him; and his perplexity was the
greater, because he could not hear of any experienced minister in those
parts of the kingdom, to whom he might utter the trouble that was upon
him. At last, hoping that either from his brother of Weathersfield, or
his cousin of Dedham, he might receive some satisfaction, he took a jour-
ney into Essex on purpose to be by them resolved of his doubts, llis
design was to have came at his famous kinsman before his lecture began ;
but missing of that, he gat into the assembly before the beginning of the
sermon; where he found that, by the singular providence of God, his
doubts were as punctually and exactly resolved, as if the excellent preacher
had been acquainted with his doubts before-hand.
§ 5. Being now satisfied of his own effectual vocation, he went on in

!i:iN

,4 .j
ail

^■:i!i

IP 1

410

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

his ministry with a very signal blessing of Heaven upon it, unto the effect-
ual vocation of many more: his ministry was much frcqitented and remark-
ably successful. In the exercise whereof, he once had opportunity to
preach in the stately minster of York, on a publick occasion, which he
served and suited notably. Dr. Matthews was then the Arch-Bishop of
York, who permitted the use of those lectures, which Arch-Bishop Grindal
had erected; whereby the light of the gospel was marvellously diffused
unto many places that sat in " the region and the shadow of death." All
the pious ministers in such a precinct, had a meeting once a month, in some
noted place, when and where several of them did use to preach one after
another; beginning and concluding the whole exercise with prayer. Mr.
Rogers bore his part in these lectures, as long as Dr. Matthews lived;
from one of which, an accuser of the brethren went once unto the Arch-
Bishop with this accusation, that one of the ministers had made this peti-
tion in his prayer : " May the Almighty shut heaven against the Arch-
Bishop's grace;" whereat the Arch-Bishop, instead of being offended, as
the pick-thankly reporter hoped he would have been, fell a laughing
heartily, and answered, "Those good men know well enough, that if I
were gone to heaven, their exercises would soon be put down." And it
came to pass accordingly !

§ 6. In delivering the word of God, he would sometimes go beyond the
strength which God had given him ; for though he had a lively spirit, yet
he had a crazy body ; which put him upon studying physich, wherein he
attained unto a skill considerable. But the worst was this, that riding
far from home, some violent motion used by him in ordering of his horse,
broke a vein within him; whereupon he betook himself to his chamber,
and there kept private, that his friends might not persecute him with any
of their unseasonable kindness. But in two month's time he obtained a
cure, so that he returned unto his family and his employment; God would
not suffer that mouth to be stopped, which had so many testimonies to bear
still for his truth and ivays/

§ 7. At last, the severity wherewith subscription was then urged, put
a period unto the twenty years' publick ministry of our useful Rogers,
although the man who suspended him shewed him so much respect as to
let him enjoy the profits of his living two years after the suspension, and
let him also put in another as good as he could get. He eniplo^'^ed one
Mr. Bis/iop to supply his place in the ministrj'-, from which a Biiiiop had
confined him; nevertheless, this good man also was quickly silenced,
because he would not in publick read the censure which was passed upon
Mr. Rogers.

§ 8. Many prudent men in those times, foreseeing the storms that were
likely in a few years to break upon the English nation, did propose New-
England for their hiding-place. And of these, our Mr. Rogers was one,
who had been accompanied by Sir William Constable and Sir Matthew

Boyntor
hindred]
of his
cretion
sengers.1
with hi|
dependa
place fbj
iiither
proferec
wich.
to part
in the
Rogers;
number
on the <

§9.
to prea
sion anc
insomm
respect
church
his min
Jesus C
In th

OB, THE HISTOBT OF NEW-ENGLAND.

411

yet

put

Boynton also in his voyage hither, if some singular providences had not
hindred them. Hither did the good hand of God bring him, with many
of his Yorkshire friends, in the year 1638 — ships having been by his dis-
cretion and influence brought from London unto Hull, to take in the pas-
sengers. Arriving at New-England, he was urged very much to settle
with his Yorkshire folks at New-Haven; but in consideration of the
dependance that several persons of quality had on him to chuse a meet
place for their entertainment in this wilderness, when they should come
hither after him, he was advised rather to another place, which he was
profered very near his reverend kinsman, Mr. Nathanael Rogers of Ips-
wich. The towns of Ipswich and Newbury were willing, on easy terms,
to part with much of their land, that they might admit a third plantation
in the middle between them ; which was a great advantage to Mr. Ezekiel
Rogers; who called the town Rowly, and continued in it about the same
number of years that he had spent in that Rowly from whence he came,
on the other side of the Atlantick ocean.

§ 9. About five years after his coming to New-England, he was chosen
to preach at the Court of Election at Boston; wherein, though the occa-
sion and the auditory were great, yet he shewed his abilities to be (jreatcr;
insomuch, that he became famous through the whole country. And what
respect all the churches abroad paid him, he much more found in his own
church at home; where he was exceedingly successful, and approved in
his ministry, in which the points of regeneration and union with the Lord
Jesus Christ hy faith, were those whereon he most iiusisted.

In the management of those points, he had a notable faculty at pene-
trating into the souls of his hearers, and manifesting the very secrets of
tJieir hearts. His prayers and sermons would make such lively representa-
tions of the thought then working in the minds of his people, that it
would amaze „hem to see their own condition so exactly represented.
And his occasional discourses with his people — especially with the young
ones among them — and most of all, with such as had been, by their
deceased parents, recommended urto his watchful care — were marvel-
lously proiitable. He was a IVee of Knowledge, but so laden with fruit,
that he stoopt for the very children to pick off the apples ready to drop
into their mouths. Sometimes they would come to his house, a dozen in
an evening; and calling them up into his study, one by one, he would
examine them, Jfow they walked with God? JIoio they spent their time?
What good books tlicy read? Whether they prayed without ccasin::;?
And he would therewitlial admonish them to take heed of lemptalions and
corruptions as he thought most endangered them. And if any differences
had fallen out amongst his people, he would forthwith send for tliem, to
lay before him the roasun of their dillerences; and such was his interest
in them, that he usually healed and stopt all their little contentions, before
they could break out into any open Jlames.

ij.'ij,

ijil

412

VAGNALIA CHSISTI AMEBICANA;

§ 10. After ten or twelve years most prosperous attendance on his min-
istry in Rowly, some unhappy griefs befel him, which were thus occa-
sioned. It was thought pity, that so great an ability as that wherewith
Mr. Rogers was talented, should be confined unto so small an auditory as
that whereto his Lord's day labours were confined ; and he was perswadcd
tlierefore to set up a lecture, once in a fortnight, whereto the inhabitants of
other towns resorted with no small satisfaction. A most excellent young
man was, upon this increase of his labours, obtained for his assistj\nt: but
through the devices of Satan there was raised a jealousy in the hearts of
many among the people, that their old pastor was not real and forward
enough in prosecuting the settlement of that assistant; and this jealousy
broke forth into almost unaccountable dissatisfactions between him and
them ; which, though they were afterwards cured, yet the cure was in
some regards too palliative.

§ 11. The rest of this good man's time in the world was winter; he
saw more nights than days, and in vicissitudes of aflliction, "the clouds
returning after the rain." He buried his first wife, and all the children
he had by that wife. He then married a virgin daughter of the well-
known Mr. John Wilson, in hopes of issue by her; but God also took
her ' way, with the child she had conceived by him.

r this, he married once more a person in years agreeable to him ;
but cuat very night a fire burnt his dwelling-house to the ground, with all
the goods that he had under his roof. Having rOhuilt his houso, ho
received iifall from liis horse, which gave to his right arm such a bruise,
as made it ever after useless unto him; upon which account he was now
put upon learning to write with his left hand.

— PoUchat mira Dexteritate tamen* —

Thus having done the will of God, he was put upon further trial of his
imticncc! But there was tliis comfortable in his trial, that tlie good spirit
of God enabled him to bear his crosses cheerfully, and rejoice in his
tribulatiovis.

§ 12. The natural constitution of his body was but feeble and era/.v:
nevertheless, by a prudent attendance to the ndes of health, his life was
lengthened out considerably: but at last a lingring sickness endod his
days, January 23, 1660, in the seventieth year of his age. His books
wherewith he had recruited his library, after the fire, which consumed
the good library that he had brought out of England, he bestowed upon
Harvard College,

His lands, the greatest part of them, with his house, he gave to the
town and church of liowly.

§ lo. Because it will give some illustration unto our church-history, as
well as notably describe the excellent and exemplary spirit of this good

• Nevertliclcae, ho used his Angers with marTelloue dexterity.

man,

tL>laris\

unto

IIO

OR, THE HI8T0BY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

418

man, and it hath been sometimes noted, Optima Historia, est Historia Epis-
tolaris* I will here insert one of his letters, written (with his hft hand)
unto a worthy mi/iister in Charlestown, the 6th of the 12th month, 1657 :

Dbak Brother: Though I hiive now done my errand in the other paper, yet methinks I
am not satisfied to leave you so suddenly, so barely. Let us hear from you, T pray you ;
liow you do. Doth your ministry go on comfortably? And you fruit of your labours? are
new converts brought in? Do your children and fiimily grow more godly? I find greatest
trouble and grief about the rising generation. Young people are liUla stirred here; but they
strengthen one another in evil, by example, by counsel. Much ado I have with my own
family; hard to get a servant that is' glad o{ catechising, or family-duties: I had a rare bless-
ing of servants in Yorkshire; and those that I brought over were a blessing: but the young
brood doth much afflict me. Even the children of the godly hero, and elsewhere, make a
woful proof. So that, I tremble to think, what will become of this glorious work that we
have begun, when the ancient shall be gathered unto their fathers. I fear ^race and blessing
will die with them, if the Lord do not also show more signs of displeasure, even in our
days. — We grow worldly every where ; methinks I see little godliness, but all in a hurry
about the world; every one for himself, little care of public or common good.

"It hath been God's way, not to send sweeping judgments, when the chief magistrates
are godly and grow more so. I beseech all the Bay-ministers to call earnestly upon magis-
trates (that are often among them) tell them that their godliness will be our protection: if
they fail, I shall fear some sweeping judgment shortly. The clouds seem to be gathering.

"I am hastning home, and grow very asthmatical, and short-breathed. Oh! that I might
see some signs of good to the generations following, to send me away rejoicing ! Thus I
could weary you and my self, and my left hand; but I break off suddenly. O, good brother,
I thank God, I am near home ; and you too are not far. Oh, the weight of glory that is
ready waiting for us, God's poor exiles! We shall sit next to the martyrs and confessors.
O, tlie embraces wherewith Christ will embrace us! Cheer up your spirits in the thoughts
thereof; and let us be zealous for our God and Christ, and make a conclusion. Now the
Lord bring ub well through our poor pilgrimage.

" Your affectionate brother, "Ez. Rogers."

EPITAPH.

A resurrection to Immortality i" here expected,

for what was mortal of iLi' I.evere.id

EZEKIEL ROGERS,

Put ofT. January 23, 1660.

Whon preachers die, what rules the pulpit gavs
or living, are still preached from the grave.

The faith and life, which your dead pnttor taught
Nuw in one grave with hiic, sirs, bury not.

Abi, Viator.
A Mortuo disce Vivere ut Mnriturua ;
E Tenia disce Cogilare de Ccelis.i

ll: i--;

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• The best history is history in the epistular}' form,
t Traveller, depart!

Stand by his grave, and learn that thou must die;

Tlieo trace his shining path to yonder sky.

MAONALIA CliBISTI AMEBICANA'

CWA'DT'P'D T 1 IT
EULOGIUSi" THE LIFE OF MR. NATfiANAEL ROGERS.

In Jesu mea Vita meo, mea Clausula Vita
Eat, el in hoc Jesu Vita perentiis erit.f

§ 1. It is a reflection, carrying in it somewhat of curiosity, that as in the
Old Testament, God saw thojirst sinners under a tree, so in the Nisw Testa-
ment, Christ saw one of the Jirst believers under a tree, with a particular
observation. The sinner hid himself among the trees of the garden, assisted
with fig-leaves, but it was a false covert and shelter whereto he trusted ; the
Most High discovered him. The believer also hid himself under a fig-tree,
where, nevertheless, the shady leaves hindred not our Lord from seeing
of him. Tiie sinner, when he was discovered, expressed his fear, saying,
"I heard thy voice, and I was afraid." The believer seen by onr Lord,
expressed \mfaitJi, saying, "Master, thou art the Son of God." The name
of this believer was Nathanael. At the beginning of the law under the
Old Testament, you have nature in an Adam under a tree; at the beginning
of the gospel, under the Xew Testament, you have grace under a tree in a
Nathanael. Truly, at the beginning of New-England, also, among the first
believers that formed a church for our God in the country, there was a
famous Nathanael, who retired into these American woods, that he might
serve the King of Israel: this was our Nathanael Rogers. One of the first
English arch-bishops assumed the name of Deus dedit,");. and the historian
says, he answered the name that he assumed. Our Nathanael was not in
the rank of arch-bishops; but as teas his name, A Gift of God, so ivashef

§ 2. Cornelius Tacitus, who is by the great Budieus called, "the wick-
edest of all writers," reports of the Jews, that they adored an ass's head;
because by a direction from a company of asses, errorem sitimque depide-
rant;^ and this report, received by him from a railing Egyptian, became so
received, that no defence against it would be allowed. That excellent
company of divines which led tho people of God unto the sweet waters of
his institutions, in the wilderness of New-England, whereinto they were
driven, have been esteemed no better than a company of asses, by the
Roinishly affected writers of this age. But those heads which are justly
admired (though not adored) among that people, had more o{ angels than of
asses in them: the English nation had few better Christians Xhun most, and
it had not many better scholars than some who then retired into these ends
of the earth. Now, among all those great fncn. who submitted themselv(>s
unto all the littleness of a, wildernef-s, there is a very high rank 'o be
assigned unto one, who is now to be described.

• The PnncKvrisl. I + •" Chrlrt my life (ind end of life Rhiill lie,

I CddV liithi*. I '^'x' Christ thull bu eturual life lo luu.

I Tliuy liad uiidRd thoir wanderings, and quonchod their thimt.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

415

He was the second son of that famous man, Mr. Joim Rogers of Dedham;
and born while his father was minister of Ilaveril, about the year 1598.
Ho was educated at tli? grammar school in Dedham, till he was near four-
teen years old, and then he was admitted into Emanuel College in Cam-
bridge. There he became a remarkable and incomparable prolicient in all
academick learning; but some circumstances of his lather would not per-
mit him to wait for preferments, afer he was become capabie of cntphi/ments
in other places. His usual manner there, was to be an earli/ and exact stu-
dent; by which means he was quickly laid in with a good stock of bjiini-
ing; but unto all his other learning, there was that glory added, the fear
of Ood, for the crown of all; the principles whereof were instilled into his
young soul with the counsels of his pious mother, while he yet sat on her
knees, as well as his holy father, when he came to riper years. From his
very childhood he wfi exemplary for the success which God gave u .^o
the cares of his parents, to principle him with such things, as rendred him
"wise unto salvation."

§ 8. Having from his youth been used unto the most religious exercises,
not only social, but also secret, nevertheless the hurries of avocation carried
him abroad one morning before he had attended his usual devotions in his
retirements; but his horse happening to stumble in a plain road, it gave
him a bruising, bloody, dangerous/*^/; which awakened him so to con-
sider of his omission in the morning, that for the rest of his life, he was
wondrous careful to omit nothing of his daily duties : wherein at length
he so abounded, that as Carthusian speaks, Dulcissiino Deo totus immergi
cupis et inviscerari*

§ 4. Though he were of a pleasant and cheerful behaviour, yet he was
therewithal sometimes incliued unto nelancholy ; which \\Si» attended mi\\,
and perhaps jsrorfudi've of, some dejections in his own mind, about his inter-
est in the favour of God. Whence, -jven after he had been a preacher of
some standing, he had sometimes very sore despondencies and objections
in his own soul, about the evidences of his own regeneration; he would
conclude that no grace of God had ever been wrought in him. Where-
upon a minister, that was his near friend, gave him once that advice, "To
let all go for lost, and begin again upon a new foundation ;" but upon his
recollecting himself, he found that he could not forego, he might not
renounce all his former blessed experience. And so his doubts expired.

§ 5. The first specimen that he gave of his ministerial abilities, was as
a chaplain in the house of a person of quality ; whence, after a year or
two thus fledged, he adventured a flight unto a great congregation at Dock-
ing, in Essex, under Dr. Barkham ; not without the wonder of many,
how the son of the most noted Puritan in England should come to be
employed under an Episcopal Doctor, so gracious with Bishop Laud; but
this Dr. Barkham was a aood preacher himself, and he was also willing to

good pn

Thou desirest to be wholly batbod and incorporated in thy bvlovvd Lord.

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MAONALIA CHKISTI AMERICANA;

"*?:

jratifie his parishioners, who were many of them religiously disposed:
hence, though the Doctor would not snare a tenth-part of his revenues,
which, from his divers livings, amounted unto near a thousand a year, to
one who did above three-quarters of his work, yet he was otherwise very
courteous and civil to our Mr. Rogers, whom his parishioners handsomely
maintained out of their own purses, and shewed what a room he had in
their hearts by their doing so.

§ 6. All this while, Mr. Kogers had, like his father, applied his thoughts
only to the main points of "repentance from dead works," and "faith
towards God;" and he had never yet looked into the controverted points
of di^cijtline. Indeed, the disposition of his famous father towards those
things, I am willing to relate on this occasion; and I will relate it in his
own words, which I will faithfully transcribe, from a MS. of his now in
my liands:

**If ever I I'ome into trouble [ho writes] for want of conformity, I resolve with my self,
by God's nssisUnu-o, to come iiway with a elear coiiwioncc, and yield to nothing in present
until I have- pniyod and tasted, and conferred : and though the liberty of my ministry be pre-
cious, yet buy it not with a guilty conscieivce. I am somewliat troubled sometimes at my
subscription, but I siiw sundry men of good gifts, and good hetiris, as I thought, that did so.
And I could n >t prove that there svns any thing contrary to the word of God; though I mis.
liked them much, and I knew them ' unproiitablt burthens to the Church of God.' But if I
be urged unto the use of them, I am nither resolved never to yield thereto. They are to
me very irksome thing!^ ; yet seeing I was not able to prove them flatly unlawful, or eon-
trary to God's word, I thcrcft re thought better to save my liberty with subscribing, (seeing
I did it not agjunst my c(>n«;cience,) than to lose it, for not yielding so far. Yet this was
some small trouble to nuv Mi.it I did it, when I w:is in no special peril of any present trouble;
which yet I thought I were as good do of my self, as when I should be urged to it. But,
it may be, I niiglil not iiave been urged of u long time, or not at all; but miglit have escaped
by friends and money, as b<'fore; which yet I feared; but it was my weakness, as I now con-
ceive it; which I beseech l'>< '<> [wi-don unto me. Written 1627. This I smarted for 1631.
If I had read tliis, it may be, i 1 not done what I did."

Sewicr, in this one pas^nge thou hast a large history of the thoughts,
and fears, und cares, with which the Puritans of those times were exercised.

But Mr. Hooker, now lecturer at Chelmsford, umderstanding that this
young preacher wtu* iho son of a father whom he most highly respected,
he comiuanicated unto him the grounds of his own dissatisfaction at the
ceremonies then imposed. Quickly after tliis, the D(jctor of Bocking being
present at the fiaeral *" sonie etninent per-son there, he observed that Mr,
Rogers forbore U) put on the snr -tlice, in the exercise of his ministr' on
that occasion; wliich inspired hiia with as much di.sgust against his • arate,
as his curate had against tlie surplice it self Whereupon, though the
Doctor were so much a gentleman as to put no publick aifront upon Mr.
Rogers, yet he gave him his private advice to provide for himself in some
other place.

§ 7. See the providence of our Lord! about that very time, Assington,
in Suffolk, being void by ibe deatii of the former incumbent, the patron

i •

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

417

thereof was willing to bestow it upon the son of his honoured friend in
Dedham; whither he now removed, after that Booking had for four or
five years enjoyed his labours. The inhabitants of Bromly, near Colches-
ter, were at the same time extreamly discontented at their missing of him.
However, see again the providence of our Lord I the Bishop of Norwich
let him live quietly five years at Assington, which the Bishop of London
would not have done at Bromly. This was the charge now betrusted with
our Rogers; concerning whom, I find an eminent person publishing unto
the world this account: " Mr. Nathanael Rogers, a man so able and so judi-
cious in soul-work, that I would have betrusted my soul v/ith him as soon
as with any man in the Church of Christ."

§ 8. Here his ministry was both highly respected and greatly prospered,
among persons of all qualities, not only in the town it self, but in the
neighbourhood. He was a lively, curious, florid preacher; and by his
holy livifif/, he so farther preached, as to give much life untiO all his other
preaching. He had usually, every Lord's day, a greater number of hear-
ers than could croud into the church; and of these many ignorant ones
were instructed, many ungodhj ones were converted, and many sorroiiiful
ones were comforted. Though he had not his father's notable voice, yet
he had several ministerial qualifications, as was judged, beyond his father;
and he was "one prepared unto every good work;" though he was also
exercised with bodily infirmities, which his labours brought upon him.
'Tis a thing I find observed by Mr. Firmin, "John Rogers was not John
Chrysostoni ;" and yet God honoured no man in those parts of England
with the conversion of souls more than him. And good Bishop Brown-
rig would say, "John Rogers will do more good with his loild notes, than
we shall do with our set musick.''^ But our Nathanael Rogers, was a " fisher
of men," who came with a sil/cen line, and a golden hook, and God prospered
him also. He was an Apollo, who had his harp and his a^roivs; and the
arrows his charming and piercing eloquence, which had i-^og xai Ba»of* in
it, were "arrows in the hand of a mighty man." He not only knew how
to build the temple, but also how to carve it: and he could say, witii Lac-
tantius, (his very name's-sake) Vellem mihi dari Eloquentiam, vel quia magis
credunt Homines veritati ornatce, vel ut ipsi siiis Armis vincantur.\

§ 9. But a course was taken to extinguish these lights as fast as any
notice could be taken of them. It was the resolution of the Hierarchy,
that the ministers who would not conform to their impositions, must be
silenced all over the kingdom. Our Mr. Rogers perceiving the api)roaches
of the storm towards himself, did out of a particular circumspection in his
own temper, choose rather to jvevent than to receive the censures of the
ecclesiastical courts ; and therefore he resigned his place to the patron, that

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• Iiofliucss and weight.

t I wiiiild tiint I wero gifted win. eloquence, both because men lend readier credence to truth omameDtott,
and becausu tliey miglit so be ovvrcumo by tlieir own weapons.

Vol. I.— 27

t'^

418

MAQNALIA CIIBISII AMERICANA;

80 some godly and learned conformist might be invested with it: never-
theleis, not being free in his conscience wholly to lay down the exercise
of his ministry, he designed a removal into New-England; whereunto ho
WM the rather moved by his respect unto Mr. Ilooker, for whom his value
was extraordinary. Reader, in all this there is no reproach cast upon tbia
oxcellent Rogers. K xT»iyopia roiaurt) JyxwjAiov stfr iv.*

§ 10. He had married the daughter of one Mr. Crane of Cogcshal, a
gentleman of a very considerable estate, who would gladly have maintained
this his worthy son-in-law, with his family, if he would have tarried in
England ; but observing the strong inclination of his minu unto a New-
English voyage, he durst not oppose it. Now, though Mr. Rogers were
a person very unable to bear the hardships of travel, yet the impression
which God had made upon his heart, like what he then made upon the
hearts of many hundreds more, perhaps as weakly and feeble as he, carried
him through the enterprize with an unwearied resolution ; which resolution
was tried, indeed, unto the utmost. For whereas the voyage from Graves-
end unto Boston uses to be dispatched in about nine or ten weeks, the
ships which came with Mr. Rogers were fully twenty-four weeks in the voy-
age ; and yet in this tedious passage not one person did miscarry. After
they had come two-thirds of their way, having reached the length of
Newfound-land, their wants were so multiplied, and their ivinds were so
contrary, that they entred into a serious defnite about returning back to
England: but upon their setting apart a day for solemn fasting and prayer,
the weather cleared up ; and in a little time they arrived at their desired
port; namely, about the middle of November, in the year 1636.

§ 11. It was an extream discouragement unto him, at his arrival, to find
the country thrown into an horrible combustion, by the Familistical opin-
ions, which had newly made such a disturbance, as to engage all persona
on one side or the other of the controversies all the country over. But God
blessed the prayers and pains of his people, for the speedy stopping of that
fjangreen; and settled the country in a comfortable peace, by a Synod con-
vened at Cambridge the next year; whereto our Mr. Rogers, and Mr. Par-
tridge, who came in the same ship with him, contributed not a little by
their judicious discourses and collations.

§ 12. His first invitation was to Dorchestc ; but the number of good
men who came hither, desirous of a settlemont under his ministry, could
not be there accommodated; which caused aim to accept rather of "an invi-
tation to Ipswich, where he was ordained pasior of the church, on February
20, 1638. At his ordination, preaching on 2 Cor. ii. 16, "Who is sufficient
for these things:" a sermon so copious, judicious, accurate, and it,

that it struck the hearers with admiration. Here was a renowned cnurch
consisting mostly of such illuminated Christians, that their pastors in the
exercise of their ministry, might (as Jcrom said of that brave woman Mar-

* Such oeuiUK it pnlM.

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

419

oella) Sentire se no7i tarn Discipuhs habere quam Judicea.* His colleague
liere, was the celebrious Norton ; and glorious was the church of Ipswich
now, in two such extraordinary persons, with their different gifts, but
united hearts, carrying on the concerns of the Lord's kingdom in it.
While Qur humble Rogers was none of those who do, Taj twv adsX(pwv Xaj*.
irpoTigraf, iauTuv clfxaupwtfsif vojai^siv, — "Think the brightness of their brethren
to shadow and obscure themselves." But if Norton were excellent, there
are persons of good judgment, who think themselves bound in justice to
say, that Rogers came not short of Norton, in his greatest excellencies.

§ 13. While he lived in Ipswich, he went over the five last chapter.^
of the epistle to the Ephesians in his ministry ; the twelfth chapter to the
Hebrews; the fourteenth chapter of Hosea; the doctrine oi self-denial and
walking with God; and the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah ; to the great satis-
faction of all his hearers, with many other subjects more occasionally
handled. It was counted pity that the public should not enjoy some of
his discourses, in all which he was, ix <ruv J(j.8vtuv dXXa tuv dxpiSsvrwv /f but
his physician told him, that if he went upon transcribing any of hi , com-
posure, his disposition to accuracy would so deeply engage him in it as to
endanger his life: wherefore he left few monuments of his ministry but
in the hearts of his people, which were many. But though they were so
many, that he did justly reckon that well-instructed and well-inclined
people his crown, yet in the paroxism o[ temptation among them, upon Mr.
Norton's removal, the melancholy heart of Mr. Rogers thought for a while
they were too much a crown of thorns unto him.

§ 14. It belongs to his character that he "feared God above many,"
and "walked with God," at a great rate of holiness: though such was his
reservedness^ tliat none but his intimate friends knew the particularities of
his zvalk, yet such as were indeed intimate with him could observe that
he was much in fasting, and prayer, and meditation, and those duties
wherein the power of godliness is most maintained: and as the graces of
a Christian, so the gifts of a minister, in him, were beyond the ordinary
attainments of good men. Yea, I shall do a wrong unto his name, if I do
not freely say, that he was one of the greatest men, that ever set foot on
the American strand. Indeed, when the Apostle Paul makes that just
boast, " I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles :" he does not
speak (as we commonly take it) in respect of such as were true apostles,
but in reference to those false apostles, who had nothing to set them out
but their own lofty words, with an unjust slight of hiin. Whereas our
blessed Rogers, I may, without injury or odium, venture to compare with
the very best of the true m.inisters, which made the best days of New-England,
and say, "he came little, if at all, behind the very chiefest of them all."

§ 15. He was much troubled with spitting of blood ; wherein he would

- * Feel as if their flocks were rather their Judges than their disciple*,
t Not one of the loose babblers, but of the accurate investigntoi*.

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420

MAONALIA CUUISTI AM;;UI 'ANA;

comfort himself with the sayincj of one Mr. Price, upon such an occasion,
"That though he should !:i;)it out his own blood, by which his life was to
be maintained, yet he shouM never, Expuere Sanyuinem Christi^* or lose
the benefits of Christ's blood, by which he was redeemed." He was also
subject unto the Flatus ITypocondriuciis^f even from liis youth; wherewith
when he was first surprized, he thought himself ;; (■Yt/i(/ man; but a good
physician and a long experience convinced him th;u it was a more chron-
ical distemper. And while he was under the early discouragements of this
distemper, I find the famous Mr. Cotton, in a letter dated March 9, 1631,
thus encouraging of him :

"I bless the Lord with you, wlio supporteth your fceblr body to do him service, niul menu
while purfecteth the power of liis gnice in your weakness. You know who said it, 'Uninor-
tified strength posteth hard to hell, but sanctified weakness creepeth fast to hea\en.' liot
not your spirit faint, though your hudy do. Your soul is precious in (lod'a sight; your
'hairs are numbered,' and the number and measure of your fainting fits, and wearisome
nights, are weight'<d and limited by his bjiind, who hath given you his Lord Jesus Clirist, to
'take upon Iiiin your infirmities,' ond 'bear your sicknesses.'"

Nor was it this distemper which at last ended his days; but it was a
Rood of rheum, occasioned partly by his disuse of tobacco, whereto he
had formerly accustomed himself, but now left it of!" because he found
himself in danger of being enslaved unto it; which lie thought a thing
below a Christian, and much more a minister. He had often been seized
with fits of sickness in the course of his life : and his last seemed no more
threatening than the former, till the last morning of it. An epidemical
sort of CO 'jgh had arrested most of the families in the country, which
proved most particularly fatal to bodies, before labouring with rheum-
atic indispositions. This he felt; but in the whole time of his illness, he
was full i^f heavenly discourse and counsel, to those that came to visit him.
One of the last things he did, was to bless the three children of his only
daughter, who had purchased his blessing by her singular dutifulness
unto him. It is a notable passage in the Talmuds, that the inhabitants
of Tsippor, expressing an extreme unwillingness to have the death of 11.
Judah (whom they surnamed The Holy.) reported unto them, he that
brought the report, thus expressed himself, "Holy men and angels took
hold of the tables of the covenant, and the hand of the angels prevailed,
so that they took away the tables!" And the people then perceived the
meaning of the parabolizer to be, that holy men would fain have detained
R. Judah still in this world; but the angels took him away. Reader, I
am as lothe to tell the death of Rogers the Holy; and the inhabitcnts of
Ipswich were as lothe to hear it: but I must say, the "hand of the angels
prevailed," on July 3, 1655, in the afternoon, when he had uttered those
for his last words, " My times are in thy hands."

§ 16. He was known to keep a diary; but he kept it with so much

* Bpum »t the blood of CbrUk t Fainting fit: bypocbondriaoal paaelon.

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

421

New-England unto a member
Westminster, in the year 16
Mundi Nbrmam Eejnorum et i
accommodarc ;* lie patheticall}

reservation, that it is not known that ever any one but himself did read
one word of it: and he determined that none ever should; for he ordered
a couple of his intimutu friends to cast it all into the fire, without ever
looking into the contents of it.

Surely, with the loss of so incomparable a person, the survivors must
lament the loss of those experiences, which mif:'iit in these rich papers have
kept him, aftei a sort, still alive unto usl but as they would have proved
him an incarnate seraphim, so the other seraphim, who carried him away
with them, were no strangers to the methods, by which he had ripened
and winged himself to become one of their society.

I cannot find any composures of this worthy man's offered by the presa
unto the world, except one, an<^ is only a letter which he wrote from

honourable House of Commons, at
'in observing. That Eccksiam ad
tponcre, est mere Domum Tapetihus
^^a1, l. it the Parliament would confess
the guilt of neglecting, yea, rejecting motions of reformation in former
Parliaments, and proceed now more fully to answer the just expectations
of Ileaven. But I have in my hands a brief manuscript, written in a
neat Latin style, whereof he was an incomparable master. 'Tis a vindi-
cation of the Congregational church-government; and there is one pass-
age in it, by transcribing whereof, I will take the leave to address the
present age.

"Nan rard Reformationem impedit Dijicultas Reformandi, et Ecclesias vera
DiscipUna Conformes reddendi. Jehoshaphat excelsa non amovebat quia Populus
non Comparaverat Animum Deo. Non defuerunt {inquit Bucerus,) intra has
Triginla Annos, qui Videri voluerint Justam Evangelii Prcedicationem plane
amplecli, alque Religionis Christi rile Consliluendce pr<tcipuam Curam suscipere,
propter quam eliam non parum periclitali sunt. Verum perpauci adhuc reperti sunt,
qui se Christi Evangelio et Regno omnino subjecissent. Multo vero minus per-
tnissam fuit fidis, probatisque Ecclesiarum Ministris, nee adeo muUi Ministro.
rum voluissent id sihi concedi, ul qui Privatis Admonitionibus non acquievissent,
atque a vianifeslis peccatis suis recipere se noluissent, eos una cum Ecclesim Seni.
oribus ad hoc electis, nomine totius Ecclesice, ad Poenilentiam Vocassent et Ligas.
sent ; eosque, qui et hoc Salutis su<b respuissent, cum assensu Ecclesice pro Elhnicis
et Publicanis habendos Publice pronunciassent. Cujus Rationem etiam posuit
Peter Martyr : ' Videntnr aliqui subvereri Tumultus, et Turbas, quod sua Tran-
quillilaii consulant, sihique jingant atque somnient, quandam Tranquillilatem in
Ecclesia, quam impossihile est ut habeant, si Gregem Christi rede pasci voluerint.''
Hinc Re/^ula Prudentiaj yro Regula Prajcepti proponitur; et Quceritur potius quid
fieri convenienter possit, quam quid debeat. Fallit hcec Regula ; cum mulla Deus
efficiat per Zelotas {quos vocant,) qua Politicis ImpossibiHa Visa fuerint ; Puta
Hezekiam, Josiam, et Edvardum Sextum, Angliae Regem. Cum videas unum
Ezram, Cinere et Cilicio, fictu et Jejiinio, tarn Spissum et Arduum Opus superasse,

* To conform the church to the standards of worldly power and rank is like fitting a bouse to its tapestries.

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422

MAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

quo Carissimas Conjuges, et Uberos denderatissimos, e Maritorum Gremio et Pater,
nis Genibus, revulsit et abiegavit; eorumque non tantum infima Plebis; rtinni
Manus ipsorum Principum et Antistitum prima fuit in Preevaricatione ista ; Qr//.?
inqtuim, Jidelis Minister adeo ihiyoift(froe est, ut in repurganda Ecclesia, nihil non
audeat, cum Bono Deo? Magna quidem est Veritatis et Sanctiialis Vi^ et Majp/t.
ias : Fidelis et Efficax est Assistentia SpirUus iis, qui Zelo accensi Ghria Dei
sedulo incumbunt. Tempori quidem aliquando est cedendum; sed Operi Dei non
est supersedendum.*'* .,

God will one day cause these words to be translated into English !

In the mean time, go thy way, Nathan ael, until the end; for thou
bhalt rest — ^and on thy resting place I will inscribe the words of Luther
upon his Nesenus, for thy

, EPITAPH.

^, O Natranael, Si miki datum etaet Donum

MiraeuloBum Excitandi Mortuot,
Et n ullum utiquam Exeitaiaem,
TE nunc Exeitarem.^

And for the same use borrow the words, in the epitaph of Brentius,
the younger.

Morte Pia rapitur, Calique fit Ineola: Semper

Audiet, O mogno digna propago Patre.t \

* Frequently • Refonnatlon is embamueed by the difficulty of malting churches confonn to a strand system of
gorernment. Jebobbapbat did not "take away the high places, fur as yet the people had not prepared their
hearts unto the God of their fothers.

Within the lost thirty years (snya Bucer) men hove not been wanting who have been willing openly to embrace
the true preaching of the Gosi>el, niid to make the right establishment of the Christian roligiun the chief object of
their care, and in so doing have even incurred much peril. But very few have yet been found who have submitted
themselves entirely to the gospel and kingdom of Christ. Indeed, even the faithful and approved ministers of the
churches have not been permitted, (and very few have desired such a privilege,) to Join with the elders of the
church, who ai« appointed for this very object, in calling and holding to repentance, in the name of the whole
church, those who have not heeded private admonitions and abstained from open scandal : or publicly to denounce,
with the assent of the church, those who reject this lost stage of salutary discipline, as strangers to the cove-
nant and no better than heathen. The true explanation of this condition of things is given by Peter Martyr.
"Some disciples," says he, "seem to dread tumult and dissension, and prefer to provide for their own tranquillity,
and coi^ure up to their own imaginations a sort of tranquillity in the church, which is totally irreconcilable with
the lUthful ministration of truth to the flock of Christ I Hence it appears that the rule of prudence is set up as
the rule of duty, and the inquiry is rather what is expedient than what is right. This standard will fliil : for God
■ooompUshes many things through men who are called enthusiasts which seem totally impracticable to calculating
Khomers : take, for instance, Hezekiah, Josiah, and Edward VI. King of England. When you see an Ezra, single-
handed, by weeping and fasting in sackcloth and ashes, accomplish so intricate and arduous a task, as to compel
husbands to put away the wives of their bosoms, and parents to renounce their beloved children, and this not
only among the low populace, fur "the hand of the princes and rulers was chief in the trespass;" what faithful
minister, I ask. Is of so little Mth as to shrink flrom any method of purifying the Church, while God is on his side ?
Great is the power and majesty of truth and holiness: faithful and efficient is the aid of the Spirit, to those who
With glowing zeal strive to advance the glory of God. Some allowance is to bo made for times and seasons: but
the work of God must not be stayed.

f Should Heaven this feeble will endower
With strength the bars of death to burst,
And I were Mn tu use the power,
I wouM evoke NATUANABt first.

X When flesh shall fliil, and heart is riven,
And through death's door he reaches heaven,
This welcome shall his soul Inspire:
"O, worthy son of holy sire."

tius.

OB, THE HISTOBY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

APPENDIX.

428

The invaluable diary of Mr. Nathanael Rogers is lost; something of
his father's is not so: we will do something towards repairing our loss out
of that: some secret papers of old Mr. John Rogers are fallen into my
hands: I will make them as publick as I cun; and I will annex them to
the life of his excellent son, because that son of his did live over the life
of his renowned father. Thus, father and son shall live here together;
and by offering the reader an extract of some observable " memorials for
a godly life," contained in reserved experiences of Mr. John Rogers of
Dedham, I shall also describe the very spirit of the old Puritans, in the
former age, by the view whereof I hope there will more be made in that
age which is to come. Sirs, read these holy memorials, and let it not be
said of us, according to the complaint which the Talmuds thus utter: Si
prisci fvjerimt Filii R^um, nos sumus Filii Eominum Vulgarium; et si
jyrisci fuerunt Homines Vulgares, tios sumus velut Asini.* Let it not be said,
'•.s it uses to be by the Jewish Rabbi's, Ulegantior est Sermo familiaris
Patrum, quam Lex Filiorum.\

SIXTY SIBMORIALS FOR A OODLY LIFE.
A COVENANT.

I. I HAVE firmly purposed, (by God's grace,) to make my whole life, a meditation of a better
life, and godliness in every part ; that I may from point to point, and from Btep to step, with more
watchfulness, walk, with the Lord. — Oh, the infinite gain of it! No small help hereto is daily
meditation and often conference. Therefore, since the Lord hath given me to see in some sort the
coldness of the half-service that is done to his majesty, by (Ae moat, and even by my aelf, I renew
my covenant more firmly with the Lord, to come nearer unto the practice of godlinees, and oftener
to have my conversation in heaven, my mind scldomer and more lightly set upon the things of thia
life, to give to my self less liberty in the secretest and smallest provocations to evil, and to endeav-
our after a more continual watch from thing to thing, that as much as may be I may walk with
the Lord for the time of my abiding here below.

A FORM OF DIRECTION.

II. This resolutely determine. That God be always my glory through the day ; and, as occasic-.i
shall be offered, help forward such as shall repair to me, or among whom, by God's providence, I
shall come: and these two being regarded, that I may tend my own good, going forward, (my own
heart, I mean, calling and life, and my family and charge) looking for my change, and preparing
for the cross — yea, for death it self: and to like little of mine estate, when I shall not sensibly
find it thus with me: and whiles God affordeth me peace, health, liberty, an heart delighting in
him, outward blessings with the same, to beware that godliness seem not pleasant to me, for earthly
commodity, but for it self: if in this course, or any part of it, I should halt, or mislike, not to admit
of any such deceit : and for the maintenance of this course, to take my part in all the good helpi,
appointed by God for the same ; as these : first, to begin ihe day with meditation, thanksgiving, confes-
sion and prayer: to put on my armour: to watch and pray oft and earnestly in the day for holding
fast this course : to hearten on my s>!lf hereto by mine own experience (who have ever seen, that it

* irthe ancleiitn were the sons of kings, we are the sons of common men; and if the ancients were oommoa
men, we ore mere nmes.

t The familiar speech of Ihe fathers is more elegant than the law of their soni.

.'li

Ir'

-Si

424

MAONALIA GHRISTI AMESIOANA;

goeth well with thoie which "walk after this rule," 1 Pet. iii. 13; Gal. vi. 16,) and by the exam,
pie of others (Heb. xHi. 7). And for the better helping my self forward, still in this course, my
purpose and desire is, to learn humility and meekness more and more, by God's chastisements, and
encourage my self to this course of life, by his daily blessings and mercies: and to make the same
use of all exercises in my family. And faithfully to peruse and examine the several parts of my
life every evening, how this course hath been kept of me, where it hath to keep it still, where it
hath not, to seek pardon and recovery ; and all behaviour that will not stand with this, to hold me
from it, as from bane.

A FORM FOR A MINISTER'S LIFE.

III. In tolitarineu, to be least solitary : in company, taking or doing of good ; to wife, to family,
to neighbours, to fellow-ministers, to all with whom I deal, kind; amiable, yet modest ; low in mine
own eyes; oft with the sick and afflicted; attending to reading; painful for my sermons; not
easily provoked unto anger ; not carried away with conceits hastily ; not wandring in fond dreams,
•bout ease and deceivable pleasures ; not snared in the world, nor making lawful liberties my delight ;
helpful to all that need my help, readily, and all those that I ought to regard : and all this, with
continuance, even all my days.

IV. Chief eorruptiotu to be watched agair r, be, sourness, sad u ess, timorousness, forgetfulncss,
fretting, and inability to bear wrongs.

V. I am very backward to pritate vititing of neighbours' houses, which doth much hurt : for
thereby their love to me cannot be so great as it would be ; and I know not their particular wants
and states so well, and therefore cannot speak so filly to them as I might.

VI. A minister had need look, that he profit by all his preaching himielf, because he knows not
what others do: mt^ny, he knows, get no good; of many more he is uncertain: so that if he get
no good himself, his labour and travail shall be in vain.

VII. Begin the day with half an hour's meditation and prayer. And let me resolutely set my
self to walk with God through the day : if any thing fall out amiss, recover again speedily, by
humble confession, hearty prayer for pardon, with cofidencc of obtaining. And so proceed.

VIII. Oh! mildneit, and eheerfulneis, with reverence, how sweet a companion art ihou !

. IX. Few rare and worthy men continue so to their end ; but, one way or other, fall into coldness,
gross sin, or to the world: therefore beware!

X. Count not the daily direction nor Christian life to be bondage: but count it the sweetest
liberty, and the only way of true peace. Whensoever this is counted hard, that state that is
embraced instead thereof, shall be harder.

XI. Worldly dealingt are great lets to fruitfulness in study and cheerful proceeding in our
Christian course.

XII. One can never go about ttudy, or preaching, if any thing lie heavy on the eonieience.

XIII. The worst day wherein a man keeps his watch, and holds to the daily rules of directions, is
freer from danger, and brings more safety than the best day, wherein this is not known or prac

XIV. I am oft, I confess, ashamed of my self, when I have been in company, and seen gt
knowledge iu many careless, unconscionable, and odd ministers; which (with better rfccsuns) uu
stirred up a desire oft-times in me that I could follow my studies. Yet I would never h&ve been
willing to have changed with them : for what is all knowledge, without a sanctified and comfort-
able use of it, through love ; and without fruit of our labour, in doing good, and winning and build-
ing up of souls, or at least a great endeavour after it.

XV. Many tninistere set their minds much upon thie world, either profit or preferment, for
which they venture dangerously, and some of them are "soon snatched away." Therefore, God
keep me ever from setting my foot on such a path as hath no continuance, and is not without much
danger in the end.

XVI. It is good for a man to delight in that wherein he may be bold to delight without repentance :
and that is, to be always doing or seeking occasion to do some good. The Lord help me Iierein !

XVII. When God hedgcth in a man with many mercies, and gives him a comfortable condition,
it is good to acknowledge it often, and be highly thankful for it. Else God may soon bring a man
go low, as he would think that state happy that he was in before, if now he had it again. There-
fore, God make me wise!

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

425

XVIII. Right good men have complained that thejr are oft-timea in very bad eoH, their hearta
duwrdered and distempered very aore, for want of taking to themielvea a certain direction for the
government of their lives.

XIX. Idle and unprofitable talk of bif-mattert is a canker that eonaumeth all good, and yet <mr
heart much luateth after it: therefore, resolve firmly against it.

XX. A necessary and most comely thing it is for a minister to carry himself so wisely and ami-
ably unto all, as he may do good unto all sorts ; to bring back them that be fallen off, in meeknesa and
kindness, to pass by an offence in those that have wronged them, which is an high point of honour,
and not to keep from them, and estrange himself from their acquaintance, and so suffer them to fiiU
further, to be lowly towards the meaner sort of Christians ; to keep the credit of his ministry with all.
—I am perawaded, if my light did shine more clearly, and mine example were seen more mani-
festly, in these and such things, (which are of no small force to prrswade the people,) that both
my ministry would be of more power, and that I should draw them also to be better.

XXI. Look that I lie not down in bed but in peace with God any night, and never my heart
rest until it relent truly for any thing that hath passed amiss in the day.

XXII. It is good for a minister not to deal much with his people about worldly matters, yet not
to be ttrange to them : nor to be a stumbling-block unto the people, by worldliness or any other
fault, else he deprives himself of all liberty and advantage of dealing with them for their errors.

XXIII. Buffetinga of Satan, though they be grievous, yet they are a very good medicine against
pride and security. v

XXIV. Chriat't death, and Goia mercy, is not sweet, but where «tn is sour.

XXV. It is an hard thing for a man to keep the "rules of daily direction," at times of sickness
or pain. Let a man labour to keep out evil, when he wants fitneaa, atrength, and oceaaion, to do
good, and that is a good portion for a sick body. Also in sickness that is sore and sharp, if a man
can help himself with short and oft prayers to God, for patience, contentment, meekness, and obe>
dience to his holy hand, it is well, though he can't bend the mind much or earnestly upon any thing.

XXVI. Innocence is a very good fence and fort against impatience in false accusations or great
afflictions. Let them that be guilty fret and vex themselves, and shew bitterness of stomach against
such as speak ill of them ; but they that look carefully to their hearts and ways, (without looking
at men's eye,) let them be still, and of a "meek and quiet spirit."

•XXVII. Besides the use of the "daily direction," and following strictly the rules thereof, yet
there must be now and then the use of fasting, to pui^e out weariness and commonness in the
use of it.

XXVIII. 'Tis a rare thing for any man so to use proaperity, as that his heart be drawn the nearer
to God. Therefore, we had need in that estate to watch diligently, and labour to walk humbly.

XXIX. Oh, frotoardneaa .' how unseemly and hurtful a thing to a man's self and others! Ami-
able cheerfulneaa, with watchfulness and sobriety, is the best estate, ind meetest to do good, espe-
cially to others.

XXX. Follow my calling: lose no time at home or abroad; but be doing some good: mind my
going homeward: let my life never be pleasant unto me when I am not fruitful, and fit to be
employed in doing good, one way or other.

XXXI. It is a great mercy of God to a miniater and a thing much to be desired, that he be well
moved with the matter that he preaches to the people; either in his private meditation, or in his
publick delivery, or both: better hope there b then that the people will be moved therewith: which
we should ever aim at.

XXXII. If the heart be heavy a: any time, and wounded for any thing, shame our selves, and
be humbled for our sin, before we attempt any good exercise or duty.

XXXIII. It's a very good help, and most what a present remedy, when one feels himself dull,
and in an ill condition, straightway to confess it to God, accuse himself, and pray for quickning.
God sends redress.

XXXIV. There is as much need to pray to be kept in old age, and unto the end, as at any time.
And yet a body would think that he that hath escaped the danger of his younger, should have
no great fear in his latter daya, but that his experience might prepare him against any thing. How-
ever, it is not so: for many that have done well, and very commendably for a while, hive shrewdly
fallen to great hurt. This may moderate our grief, when young men of great hopes be taken away.

ill ■■i
■II ii

'r !■

iilfl

■■- *■!

426

MAONALIA OHBISTI AlfXBIOANA;

^^h! how much nther had I die in peace quiclily, than live to diegrace the goapel, and be a
atumbling-blocli to anjr, and live with reproach !

XXXV. What a sweet life ia it when every part of the dajr hath some work or other alluttrd
onto it, and this done constantly, but without commonneBa, or cuatomarineia of spirit in the doing it !

XXXV!. When a man is in a drowsie, unprofitable course, and is not humbled for it, God oft
lets him fall into some fteneibU at'ti, to shame him with, to humble his heart, and drive him more
thoroughly to God, to bewail and repent of both.

XXXVII. A true godly man, hath never his life joyful unto him, any longer than his conversation
ia holy and heavenly. Oh ! let it be so with me !

XXXVIII. It is some comfort for a man whose heart is out of order, if he seeth it, and that
with hearty mistake, and cannot be content until it be bettered.

XXXIX. I have seen of others, (which I desire to die rather than it should be verified of me !)
that many ministers did never seem grossly to depart from God, until they grew wealthy and great.

XL. How much better is it to reatst sin, when we be tempted thereunto, than to repeni of it after
we have committed it !

XLI. Whatsoever a juiUfied man doth by direction of Grocfa vord, and for which he hath either
precept or promise, he pleases God in it, and may be comfortable in whatsoever falls out thereupon.
But where ignorance, rashness, or our own will carry us, we offend.

XLII. Let no man boast of the grace he hath had ; for we stand not now by that, but it must be
daily nourished ; or else a man shall become at other men, and fall into noisome evils : for what
are we but a lump of sin of our selves?

XLIII. If God in mercy arm us not, and keep us not in compass, Lord, what stuff will break
from us! for what a deal of poison is in our hearts, if it may have issue! and therefore what need
of watchfulness continually T

XLIV. The teor«( day (commonly) of him that knoweth, and endeavoureth to walk by xYm
" daily direction" is freer from danger, and passed in greater safety, than the hett day of a godly
man, that knows not this " direction."

XLV. Many shew themselves /oru)ar<i Chrittiana in company abroad, that yet where they should
shew most fruits (as at home) are too secure ; either thinking they are not marked, or, if they be,
do not much regard it. This ought not to be.

XLVI. Be careful to mark what falls out in the day, in heart, or life ; and be sure to look over
all at night, that hath been amiss in the day ; that so I may lie down in peace with God and con-
science. The contrary were a woful thing, and would cause hellish unquietness. Be sure therefore
that none of the malicious subtleties of the devil, nor the naughtiness of my own heart, do carry
me further than at night I may sleep with quiet to God-ward.

XLVII. When God saith, (Deut. xii. 7,; " That hit may rejoice before him, in all that they put
their hands unto," it's a great liberty, and enjoyed of but few. No doubr many of our sorrows
come through our own default, which we might avoid. And as for godly sorrow, it may stand with
this rejoicing. If therefore we may in all thingt rejoice, then from one thing to another, from our
walking to our sleeping: first, in our first thoughts of God in the morning; then in our prayer;
after, in our calling, and while we are at it; then at our meat, and in company, and alone, at home
and abroad, in prosperity and adversity, in meditation, in dealings and affairs: and lastly, in shut-
ting up the day in examination, and viewing it over. And what hinders? if we be willing and
resolved to do the will of God, throughout the day, but that we may " rejoice before him in all we
put our hand unto."

XLVIII. He that makes conscience of his ways, and to please God his only way, is to take him
to a "dally direction," and some tet rulei, thereby looking constantly to his heart all the day: and
thus, for the most part, he may live comfortably : either not falling into any thing that should much
disquiet him, or soon returning by repentance to peace again. But if a man tie not himself thus to
rules, his heart will break from him, and be disguised one way or another, which will breed continual
wound unto his conscience, and so he shall never live any time together in peace. The cause why
many Christians also give themselves great liberty, in not accusing themselves for many offences,
is the want of some certain direction to follow in the day.

XLIX. When we feel unfitness to our ordinary duties, we either begin to be discouraged, or else
jrield to «orruption, and neglect our duties ; neither of both which should be, but without discour-

OB, THE HISTOBY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

427

•gement we ahould mist our untowordnen, and shake it oiT, and flee to God by prayer, even Jurt*
our selves to pray for grace and fitness to pray ; and being earnest, and praying in laith, we may
be assured that we shall obtain life 'and grace.

L. AVhen the mind is distracted any way, unsettled, unquiet, or out of order, then get alone, and
muse, and see what hath brought us to this pass; consider how irksome a state this is, and unproflt*
able ; pray to God, and work with thy own heart, until it be brought in frame. An hour or two
alone, shall do a man more good thar any other courses or duties.

LI. Aim (if it be possible) to spend one afternoon in a week in visiting the neighbour's houses |
great use there is of it: their love to me will be much increased ; much occasion will be ministered
unto me for direction to speak the more fitly in my ministry. I am exceedingly grieved that I am
so distracted with journeyings about, that I cannot bring this to pass.

LII. I never go abroad, (except I season my mind with good meditations by the way, or read,
or confer) but besides the loss of my time, neglecting my ordinary taok at home, at my ^ludy, I
come home weary in body, unsettled in mind, untoward in study. So that I have small cause to
rejoice in my goings forth, and I desire God to free me more and more from them : so may I also
attend my own neighboura more diligently, which is my great desire; and the contrary hath been
and is my great burthen.

Lin. I have ever observed that my journeyings and distractions of divere kinds, in these my
later times, and by too often preaching in my younger yean, I have been held from using meana
to get knowledge, and grow therein : which I counted ever the just punishment of God upon me,
for the neglect of my young time, when I should and might have furnished my self.

LIV. When I am in the best estate my self, I preach most zealously and profitably for the people.

LV. It breeds an incredible comfort and joy when one hath got power over some such corru(,iion,
as in former times hath used to get the mastery over him. This is a good provocatiou to atrive
hard so to do, and a cause of great thankfulness when it so comes to pass.

LVI. If we be at any time much dejected for sin, or otherwise disquieted in our minds, the best
way that can be, is to settle and quiet them by private meditation and prayer. PrtAatum <•(.

LVII. The humble man is the ttrongeet man in the world, and surest to stand, fur he goes out
of himself for help. The proud man is the tceakeat man, and surest to foil : for he trusts to his
own strength.

LVIII. It is good in all the changes of our life, whatsoever they be, to hold our own, and be not
changed therewith from our goodness; as Abraham, wheresoever he came (after his calling) atill
built his altar to the true God, and " called upon his name :" he changed his place, but never
changed his God.

LIX. Our whole life under the gospel should be nothing but thankfulness and fruitfulneia. And
if we must judge ourselves for our inward lustre and corruptions of pride, dulness in good duties,
earthliness, impatience. If we make not conscience of, and be not humbled for these, God will
and doth oft give us up to open sins, that stain and blemish our profession.

LX. The more we judge our selves daily, the less we shall have to do on our aick-beds, and
when we come to die. Oh, that is an unfit time for thief we should have nothing to do then, but
bear our pain wisely, and be ready to die. Therefore, let us be exact in our accounta every day!

Header, having thus entertained thee with the memorials of the famous
Mr. John Eogers, I will conclude them with transcribing a remark, which
I find in a hook published by Mr. Giles Firmin, 1681 :

" Some excellent men at home conformed, but groaned under the burden ; ns, I remember,
Mr. John Rogers of Dedham, an eminent saint; though he did conform, I never saw him
wear a surplice, nor heard him use but a few prayers; and those, I think, he said mvnorikr,
he did not read them; but this he would in his preaching, draw his finger about his throat,
and say, 'Let them take me and hang me up, so they will but remove those stumbling<blocks
out of the church.' But how many thousands of choice Christians plucked up their stakes
here, forsook their dear friends and native country, shut up themselves in ships, (to whom
a prison for the time had been more eliirible,) went remote into an howling wilderness, there

'1^

\ u

428 MAONALIA OHBISTI AMEBIOANA;

underwent great hardships, water was their common drinlc, and glad if they might have had
but that which they had given at their doors here (many of them): and all this suffering
was to avoid your impositions, and that they might dwell in the House of God, and enjoy
all things therein, according to his owi> appointment"

• i, .. .; r i

■'•'"' CHAPTER Xv, • M ', ' I

BIBIIANDER N T-AN 6 LI G U 8:* THE LIFE OF MR. SAMUEL

NEWMAN.

Nulla Tuat unquam Virtutet ne$eiet JEtat; "* ' '*

-' iVon Jua in Laudea Mora habet Atra Tuaa.f '

* § 1. None of the least services which the pens of ingenious and indus-
trious men have done for the Church of God, hath been in the writing
of Concordances for that miraculous Book, where, Quicqmd docetur est

Veritas; Quicquid j^t'c^cipitur, Bonitas; Quicquid promittitHr, FivUcitas.X
The use of such concordances is well understood by all that "search the
Scriptures," and "think thereby to have eternal life:" but most of all by
those Bezaleek, whose business 'tis (as one speaks) "to out and set in gold
the diamonds of the divine word."

And therefore there have been many concordances of the Bible since
that Origen first led the way for such composures, and divers languages;
whereof, it may be, the Maximce el ahsoliitissimte Concordantice,% most com-
pleat, have been those that were composed by the two Stephens, Robert
the father, and Henry the son ; these, as their name signifies a crown, so
in this work of theirs, like Demosthenes in his oration, De Corona,\\ have
carried away the garland from all that went before them.

Now, in the catalogue of concordances, even from that of R. Isaac
Nathans, in Hebrew, to all that have in many other derived languages
imitated it, there is none to be compared unto that of Mr. Samuel New-
man, in English. Indeed, first Marbeck in a concordance which pointed
unto diajiterSf but not unto verses; then Cotton, who, though no clergy-
man himself, yet by his more, but not quite perfect concordance and his
diligence, obliged all clergy-men ; and afterwards Bernard, who yet (no
more than his name's sake) "saw not all things;" and then Downham,
Wickens, Bennet, and how many more? have "done vertuously ;" but thou,
Newman, " has excelled them all !" It hath been a just remark, sometimes,
made by them, who are so wise as to observe these things, that the Lord
Jesus Christ, in his holy providence, hath chose especially to make the

* The author of a Now-England Concordance. t f Thy virtues shnll be known to (Uture ttory :

Death may destroy thy ftune, but not thy glory.
' X Evsry U>ii>K taught I* truth ; every thing ineuloatod is goodness ; every thing promised is felicity.
I The most voluminous and complete concordances. | On the Crown.

memc
piled

OB, THE HI8T0BT OV NEW-ENOL^ND.

ifuimes of those persons honourabkf who have laboured in their tvorksy espe-
cially to put honour upon the sacred Scriptures. And in conformity to
that observation, there are dues to be now paid unto the memory of Mr.
Samuel Newman, who (that the Scriptures might bo preserved for the
memory, as well as the understanding of the Christian world,) first com-
piled in England a more elaborate concordance of the Bible than had ever
yet been seen in Europe; and after he came to New-England, made that
concordance yet more elaborate, by the addition of not only many texts
that were not in the former, but also the marginal readings of all the texts
that had them, and by several other contrivances so made the whole more
eorpedite for the use of them that consulted it.

§ 2. The life of Mr. Samuel Newman commenced with the century now
running, at Banbury, where he was born of a family more eminent and
more ancient for the profession of the true Protestant religion than most
in the realm of England. After his parents, who had more piety and
honesty than worldly greatness to signalize them, had bestowed a good edu-
cation upon him, and after his abode in the university of Oxford had
given more perfection to that education, he became "an able minister of
the New-Testament." But being under the conscientious dispositions of
real Christianity, which was then called Puritanism, the persecution from
the prevailing Hierarchy, whereto he therefore became obnoxious, deprived
him of liberty for the peaceable exercise of his ministry'. Whence it came
to pass, that although we might otherwise have termed him a jtresbyter of
one town by ordination, we must now call him an evangelist of many,
through persecution; for the Episcopal molestations compelled him to
no less than seven removes, and as many places may now contend for the
honour of his ministry, as there did for Homer's nativity. But an eighth
remove, whereto a weariness of the former seven drove him, shall bury in
silence the claims all other places unto him; for after the year 1638,
(in v/hich year, with many others, as excellent Christians as any breathing
upon earth, he crossed the water to America) he must be styled, "a
New-England man."

§ 3. After Mr. Newman's arrival at New-England, he spent a year and
half at Dorchester, five at Weymouth, and nineteen years at Kehoboth,
which name he gave unto the town, because his flock, which were before
straitned for want of room, now might say, "The Lord hath made room
for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land;" nor will it be wondered at,
if one so well versed in the Scripture, could think of none but a Scripture-
name, for the place of his habitation. How many straights he afterwards
underwent at Rehoboth, in the dark-day, when he was almost the only
minister whose invincible patience held out, under the scandalous neglect
and contempt of the ministry, which the whole colony of Plymouth was
for a while bewitched into, it is best known unto the compassionate Lord,
who said unto him, "I know thy works, and how thou hast born and hast

m^.

^^m

480

MXoNALIA OHBIBTI AMKRIOAlfA; }

patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted."
But no doubt the straits did but more effectually recommend Heaven to
him as the only Behoboth ; whither he went July 5, in the year of our
Lord 1663, when by passing through nine aevena of years he was come to
that which we call, "the grand climaterical." Nor let it be forgotten, that
in this memorable and miserable year, each of three colonies of New-Eng-
land was beheaded of the minister from whence they had most of their
influences ; Norton went from the Massachuset colony, Stone went from
Connecticut colony, and Newman from Plymouth colony, within a few
weeks of one another.

§ 4. He was a very lively preacher and a very preaching liver. He loved
his church as if it had been his family, and he taught his/am% as if it had
been his church. He was an hard student; and as much toyl and oyl as his
learned name's sake Neander employed in illustrations and commentaries
upon the old Greek Pagan poets, our Newman bestowed in compiling his
concordances of the sacred Scriptures: and the incomparable relish which
the sacred Scriptures had with him, while he had them thus under his
continual rumination, was as well a mean as a sign of his arriving to an
extraordinary measure of that sanctity which the truth produces. But of
his family-discipline there was no part more notable than this one, that
once a year he kept a solemn day of humiliation with his family ; and once
a year a day of thanksgiving; and on these days he would not only enquire
of his houshold what they had met withal to be humbled or to be thankful
for, but also he would recruit the memoirs of his diary; by being denied
the sight whereof, our history of him is necessarily creepled with much
imperfection.

But whether it were entered in that diary or no, there was one thing
remarkable which once befel him, worthy of a mention in this history. He
was once on a journey home from Boston to Rehoboth : but hearing of a
lecture at Dorchester by the way, he thought with himself, " Perhaps I shall
not be out of my way if I go so far out of my way as to take that lecture."
There he found Mr. Mather at prayer; the prayer being ended, Mr. Mather
would not be satisfied except he would preach. Accordingly, after the
singing of a psalm, he preached an Qxcellent sermon ; and by that sermon
a poor sinner, well known in the place, was remarkably converted unto
God, and became a serious and eminent Christian.

§ 5. Hospitality was an essential of his character: and I can tell when he
entertained angels not unawares. 'Tis doubtless, a faulty piece of insensibility
among too many of the faithful, that they do little consider the guard of
holy angels wherewith our Lord Jesus Christ wonderfully supplies us against
the mischief and malice of wicked spirits. Those holy angels are, it may
be, two hundred and sixty times mentioned in the sacred oracles of Heaven :
and we that read so much in those oracles are so earthly-minded, as to take
little notice of them. 'Tis a marvellous thing that, as one says, the natives

OB, THS BISTORT Of NEW-BNOLAND.

481

of heaven do not gruc'je to attend upon those who ar'* only the damans
thereof; and that, as the ancient expresses it, we may see the whole heaven
at work for our salvation, God the Father sending his Son to redeem us,
both the Father and the Son sending their Spirit to guide us, the lather,
Son and Spirit sending their angeh to minister for us. Now, of the whole
angelical ministration concerned for our good, there is, it may be, none
more considerable, than the illustrious convoy and conduct which they
give unto the spirits of believers, when, being expired, they pass through
the territories of the "prince of the power of the air," unto the regions
where they must attend until the resurrection. What Elijah had at his
translation, "a chariot of angels," does, in some sort, accompany all the
saints at their expiration ; they are carried by angels unto the feast with
Abraham, and angels do then "receive them into everlasting habitations."
The/at^ of this matter has therefore filled the departing souls of many
good men with "a joy unspeakable and full of glory;" thus the famous
Lord Mornay, when dying, said, "I am taking my flight to heaven; here
are angels that stand ready to carry my soul into the bosom of my
Saviour;" thus the famous Dr. Holland, when dying, said, "O, thou
fiery chariot, which earnest down to fetch up Elijah, you angels, that
attended the soul of Lazarus, bear me into the bosom of my best beloved 1"
thus we know of another, that when dying, said, " that you had your
eyes open to see what I see! I see millions of angels; God has appointed
them to carry my soul up to heaven, where I shall behold the Lord face
to face." And now, let my reader accept another instance of this dying
and most lively expectation !

Our Newman, towards the conclusion of his days, advanced more and
more towards the beginning o(h\s joys; and a. joyful as well as a prayerful^
watchful, and fruitful temper of soul, observably irradiated him. At
length, being yet in health, he preached a sermon on these words in Job
xi V. 14, " All the days of my appointed time will I wait, until my change
come;" which proved his last. Falling sick hereupon, he did in the after-
noon of a following Lord's day ask a deacon of his church to pray with
him; and the pious deacon having finished his prayer, this excellent man
turned about, saying, "And now, ye angels of the Lord Jesus Christ, come,
do your office I" with which words he immediately expired his holy soul
into the arms of angels: the spirit of this just man was immediately
with the "innumerable company of angels."

§ 6. The believing sinner then has the "forgiveness of sin" effectually
declared and assured unto him, when the holy spirit of God, with a spe-
cial operation (which is called " The Seal of the Holy Spirit") produces in
him a solid, powerful, wonderful, and well-grounded perswasion of it;
and when he brings home the pardoning love of God unto the heart with
such immediate and irresistible efficacy, as marvellously moves and meits
the heart, and overwhelms it with the inexpressible consolations of a par-

i ti
'I

482

MAONALIA OHRIHTI AMEBIOANA;

don. The "fbrgiveness of sin" may be hope/uUy, but cannot be joyfully
evident unto us, without such a special operation of the Uoly Spirit giving
evidence thereunto. When we set ourselves to argue our juatijication,
from the marks of our aanctification that we can find upon ourselves, wu
do loell; we work right; we are in an orderly way of proceeding. But yet
we cannot well see our sanctiflcation, except a special operation of the
spirit of God help our sight; and if we do see our sanctiflcation, yet our
sight of our justification will be no more than feeble, except a special
operation of the spirit of God shall comfort us. Our own argument may
make us a little easy; and it is our duty to be found in that rational way
of arguing; but this meer argument of our own, will not bring us to that
joyful peace of soul that will carry us triumphantly through the "dark
valley of the shadow of death," and make us triumph over our doubts,
our fears, and all our discouragements. At last, the Spirit of God, he
will come in gloriously upon our hearts, and cause us to receive the par-
don of our sins, offered freely through Christ unto us; and then we shall
"rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Nevertheless, when-
ever the "forgiveness of our sins" is by a special operation of the Holy
Spirit revealed unto us, the symptoms of a regenerate soul do always
accompany it. Though the marks of sanctification are not enough to give
us the full joy of our justification, yet they give us the proof o( it. When
a special operation of the Holy Spirit, gives us to see our justification, it
will give ua to see our sanctification too. '

In writing this, I have written a considerable article of our church-his-
tory: for it was this article that, perhaps more than any whatsoever, exer-
cised the thoughts and pens of our churches for many years together.
But the mention hereof serves particularly to introduce a few more
memoirs of our holy Newman.

All good Christians do sometimes examine themselves about their inte-
riour state: and they that would be great Christians, must often do it.
Though the reserved papers of our Newman are too carelessly lost, yet
I have recovered one, which runs in such terms as these:

"notes, or marks of grace, I FIND IN MY SELF; ' .

Not wherein I desire to Glory, but to take Ground of Asmranee, and, after our ApoitM Buh$,
to ' make my Election sure,' though I find them but in weak measure.

« 1. I find, I love God, and desire to love God, principally for himself. \^

" 2. A desire to requite evil with good.

*'3. A looking up to God, to see him, and his hand, in nil things that befal me.

'*4. A greater fear of displeasing God, than all the world.

"6. A love to such Christians as I never saw, or received good from.

"6. A grief, when I see God's commands broken by any person.

"7. A mourning for not finding the assurance of God's love, and the sense of his favour,
ill that comfortable manner at one time as at another; and not being able to serve God as
] should.

"8.

»9.

"lO.

•11.

"19.

"J3.

OB, THI HI8TURT OF

MBW-XNQLAMD.

"8. A wHIlngnen to give God the glory of «ny ability to do good.

'"9. A Joy when I am in Chri«tl«n oumpMiy, in godly oonferenee.

" 10. A grief when I perceive it goee ill with Chrietiani, and the contrary. [evening.

*11. Aeonatant perfonnanoe of aeeret duties, between God and my aelf, morning and

■* 19. A bewailing of auoh ttiu which none in the world can accuae me of.

" 13. A chooaing of auffering to avoid ain."

But having thus mentioned the xXf-examinaJtim, which this holy man
accustomed himself unto, I know not but this may be a very proper
opportunity to observe, that the holiness of our primitive Christians, in
tliis land, was more than a little expressed and improved by this piece
of Christianity. And that I may serve this design of Christianity upon
the devout reader, I will take this opportunity to digress (if it be a digres-
sion) so far, as to recite a passage I lately read in a paper, which a private
Christian, one of our godly old men, who died not long since, (namely, Mr.
Clap, once the captain of our oantlo) did at his death leave behind him.

That godly man had long been labouring under doubts and fears about
his interiour state before God. At last ho was one day considering with
himself what was his most beloved sin. Herewithal he considered whether,
in case the Lord would assure him that a// ^m should be for ever pardoned
unto him, and he should arrive safe to heaven in the issue, yet he should
not in the mean time have that one sin mortified, and be delivered from
the reign and rage of that one sin, — whether this would content him?
Hereunto he found and said, before the Lord, "that this would not con*
tent him." And hereupon the Spirit of Qod immediately irradiated his
mind, with a strange and a strong assurance of the divine love unto him.
He was dissolved into a flood of tears, with assurance that God had "loved
him with an everlasting love." And from this time the assurance of his
pardon conquered his doubts and fears, I think, all the rest of his days.

Our too defective history of our Newman I will conclude, m Blahos-
lius did in his history of Johannes Cornu: Longum estet Ehgia hujus viri
narrare. Sed perfedior Historia^ ut de aliis vires, ita et de osto, consummatur,
et quotidie angetur in VitA eteniA ; Quam da nobis, Domine Deus, in glorii
cum gaudio legendam. Amen.*

BPITAPHIUM.

AforhiN* «•! NtANDER Nov-Angliu,

Qmi amtt murttm iiditit mori,

Et o6iit *A mtrl*, qnm potttt tut. An bene moriendi.t

* It would b« too grett • task to Mt fbrth til hto pntaN. But ■ more peritot history of him, u of loma
other men, la in progreM, and dally UDpllBwl iDto Ulb etanuU : which Qod grant that we may, when railed up to
glory, read for ourselvei with unipeakabla Joy. Ameat

t The NiANDCR of New-England la dead. BtAiN death, he learned to die, and the art of dying well died
with him.

Vol.!— 28

111

Hi;

484

MAONALIA OHBISTI AMSBIOAHAt

IX .A. r X £1 A A V I.

DOCTOR IRBEFRA6ABILI8:* THE IIFE OF MR. SAHUEL STONE.

§ 1. If the church of Home do boast of her Cornelius d Lapide,\ who
hath published learned commentaries upon almost the whole Bible, the
Protestant and reformed church of New-England may boast of her Sam-
uel Stone, who was better skilled than the other in sacred philology, and
whose learned sermons and writings were not stuffed with such trifles
and fiibles, and other impertinencies, as fill many pages in the compo-
sures of the other.

§ 2. In his youth, after his leaving of the University of Cambridge,
where Emanuel-CoUedge had instructed him in the light, and nourished
him with the cup of that famous university, he did, with several other
persons that proved famous in their generation, "sit at the feet" of a most
excellent Gamaliel; attending upon that eminently holy man of God,
whom I will venture to call Saint Blackerby. That Reverend Richard
Blackerby, whose most angelical sort of life you may read among the last
of Samuel Clark's collections, was a tutor to Mr. Stone; and you may
reasonably expect that such a scholar should have a double portion of
the spirit which there was in such a tutor.

§ 3. Having been an accomplished, industrious, but yet persecuted min-
ister of the gospel, in England, he came to New-England in the same
ship that brought over Mr. Cotton and Mr. Hooker. A ship which, in
those three worthies, brought from Europe a richer loading than the rich-
est that ever sailed back from America in the Spanish Flota; even that
wreck which had on board, among other treasures, one entire table of
gold, weighing above three thousand and three hundred pound. Indeed,
the foundation of New-England had a precious jem laid in it when . Mr.
Stone arrived in these regions.

But the circumstances of this removal, require to be related with more
of particularities. The judicious Christians that were coming to New-
England with Mr. Hooker were desirous to obtain a colleague for him,
and being disappointed of obtaining Mr. Cotton for that purpose, (who
nevertheless took it very kindly that Mr. Hooker had sent them unto
him) they began to think that a couple of such great men might be more
serviceable asunder than together. So their next agreement was, to pro-
cure some able and godly young man, who might be an assistant unto Mr.
Hooker, with something of a disciple also; and those three — Mr. Shep-
ard, Mr. Norton, and Mr. Stone — were to this end proposed; and Mr.

Stone,|
upon

with
churcl]
Conne
years,,
at Ha|
Engh
some
HookJ
S5

* The Doctor whom none could confound.

t ComoliuB Stone.

OE, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAKD.

485

Stone, tben a lecturer at Torcester in Northamptonshire, was the person
upon whom at length it fell to accompany Mr. Hooker into America.

§ 4. From the New-English Cambridge he went collegue to Mr. Hooker,
with a chosen and devout company of Christiana, who gathered a famous
church at a town which they called Hartford, upon the well-known river
Connecticut. There he continued feeding the flock of our Lord fourteen .
years, with Mr. Hooker, and sixteen years after him; till he that was born
at Hartford in England, now on July 20, 1663, died in Hartford of New-
England; and went unto the Heavenly Society, whereof he would with
some longing say, "Heaven is the more desirable, for such company as
Hooker, and Shepard, and Hains, who are got there before me."

§ 5. His way of living was godly, sober and righteous, and, like that
great apostle who was his name-sake, he could seriously and sincerely
profess, "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee."
But there were two things wherein the "power of godliness" uses to be
most remarkably manifested and maintained; and he w^ remarkable for
both of these things; namely, ^equect fastings and exact Sabbaths, He
would, not rarely, set apart whole days for fasting and prayer before the
Lord, whereby he ripened his blessed soul for the "inheritance of the
saints in light." And when the weekly Sabbath came, which he still
began in the evening before, he would compose himself unto a most heav-
enly frame in all things, and not let fall a word, but what should be grave,
serious, pertinent. Moreover, it was his custom that the sermon which
he was to preach on the Lord's day in his assembly, he would the night
before deliver to his own family. A custom which was attended with
several advantages.

§ 6. Being ordained the teacher of the church in Hartford, he appre-
hending himself under a particular and peculiar obligation to endeavour
the edification of his people, by a more doctrinal way of preaching: accord-
ingly, as he had the art of keeping to his hour, so he had an incompara-
ble skill at filling of that hour with nervous discourses, in the way of
common-place and proposition^ handling the points of divinity^ which he
would c-onclude with a brief and close application: and then he would in
his prayer, after sermon, put all into such pertinent confessions, petitions,
and thanksgivings, as notably digested his doctrine into devotion. He was
a man of principles, and in the management of those principles he was
both a Zoac?-Stone and a Flint-S>tone.

§ 7. He had a certain pleasancy in conversation, which was the effect
and symptom of his most ready wit; and made ingenious men to be as
covetous of his familiarity as admirers of his ingenuity. JPossibly he might
think of what Suidas reports concerning Macarius, that by the pleasancy
of his discourses on all occasions, he drew many to the ways of God.
He might be inclined, like Dr. Staunton, wLo said, "I have used myself
to be cheerful in company, that so standers-by might be the more in love

i I

>'8

1 'fj

: 'i

i •

1' '

i
1

(

486

MAONALIA OHBISTI AHEBICANA;

vrith religion, seeing it consistent with cheerfulness." Hence /oce^wtw turns
were almost natural to him, in his conversation with such as had the
sence to comprehend the subtleties of his reparties. But still under sucli a
reserve, as to escape the sentence of the canon of the council of Carthago,
Ckricum scurrilem et verbis turpibus Joculatorem, ab officio Retrahendum
esse censemtis*

§ 8. Eeader, what should be the meaning of this? our Mr. Stone, about
or before the year 1650, when all things were in a profound calm, deliv-
ered in a sermon his pre-apprehensions that churches among them would
come to be broken by schism^ and sudden censures^ and angry removes:
and that ere they were aware, these mischiefs would arise among them ;
in the churches, prayers against prayers, hearts against hearts, tears
against tears, tongues against tongues, and fasts against fasts, and horrible
prejudices and underminings. Many years did not pass before he saw
in his own church all of this accomplished. He little thought that his
own church must be the stage of these tragedies, when he told some of
his friends, "That he should never want their love." He did live to
undergo what we are now going to signifie:

Towards the latter end of his time, this present evil world was made yet
more evil unto him, through an unhappy difference which arose between
him and a ruling elder in the church whereof he was himself a teaching
elder. They were both of them godly men ; and the true original of the
misunderstanding between men that were c. so good an understanding^ has
been rendred almost as obscure as the rise of Connecticut-river. But it
proved its unhappy consequences, too, like that river in its great annual
inundations; for it overspread the whole colony of Connecticut. Such a
monstrous enchantment there was upon the minds even of those who were
Christians, and brethren, that in all the towns round about, the people
generally made themselves parties, either to one side or the other, in this
quarrel; though multitudes of them scarce ever distinctly knew what the
quarrel was: and the factions insinuated themselves into the smallest, as
well as the greatest affairs of those towns. From the fire of the altar,
there issued thundrings and lightnings, and earthquakes, through the colony.
As once in Constantinople, a fire that began in the church consumed the
senate-house: thus the fire which began in the church more than a little
affected the senate-house in Connecticut : and the people also were many
of them as fiercely set against one another, as the Combites in the poet
were against the Tentyrites. A world of sin was doubtless committed,
even by pious men, on this occasion, while they permitted so many things
contrary to the h.9o of charity, and so much mispending of their time and
misplacing of their zeal, as must needs occur in their woful variance.
Alasl how many of Solomon's wise proverbs were explained and instanced
in the follies of these contests! Indeed, for the composing of these bran^

• We belieTe ttist ■ Marrtloua clergymMi, who deal* In foul JetU, should be diimissed ttora the pastoral offloe.

OB, THE HISTOBT OF NEW-ENOLAND.

■etious turns

as had the

ider such a

Carthago,

trahenduni

■one, about
ilm, deliv-
lem would

removes:
ng them;
irts, tears
d horrible
e he saw
' that his

some of
d live to

made yet
between

I teaching

al of the

ding, has

. But it

t annual
Such a

'ho were

5 people

', in this

^hat the

Jlest, as

^ altar,

colony.

»ed the

a little
many

e poet

nitted,

things

le and

riance.

anced

hran-

ofloa.

grfes, there was the help of council called in ; but every council fetched
from the neighbourhood was thought •-gWiccrf/ for which cause, at last,
a council was desired from the church about Boston, in the MassacJiusets
Bay, whose messengers took the paiui£ thus to travel more than an hundred
miles for the pacification of these animosities; and a sort oi pacification
was thereby attained; but yet not without the dismission and removal of
many vertuous people further up the river; whereby some other churches
came to be gathered, which are now famous in our Israel. 'Tis not easy
to comprehend, and I wish no such faithful servant of God may expedience
it; how much the spirit of Mr. Stone, was worn by the continual dropping
of this contention. — Outta cavat Lapidem.* But the dust of mortality
being thrown upon those good men, they have not only left stinging one
another, but also they are together hived with unjarring love in the land
that flows with what is better than milk and honey. As for Mr. Stone,
if it were metaphorically true (what they proverbially said) of Beza, that
"he had no gall," the physicians that opened him after his death found
it literally true in this worthy man.

§ 9. In his church-discipline, he was, perhaps, the exactest of that which
we call Congregational, and being asked once to give a description of the
Congregjitional church-government, he replied, "It was a speaking Aristo-
cracy in th'} face of a silent Democracy."

§ 10. He was an extraordinary person at an argument; and as clear
and smart a disputant as most that ever lived in the world. Hence, when
any scholar <.'ame to him with any question, it was his custom to bid him
take which jiart the quaerist himself pleased, either positive or negative,
and he would most arguraentatively dispute against him ; whereby hav ing
disputed one another into the narrow of the case, he would then give the
enquirer the most judicious and satisfying determination of his problem
that could be imagined. Yea, what Cicero says of one, might almost be
said of him, Nullam unquam in Disputationibus rem defendit, quam non
probarit; nullum oppugnavit, quern non everterit.'f

§ 11. The world has not been entertained with many of his composui-es.
But certain strokes of Mr. Hudson and Mr. Cowdry fetched one spark out
of this well compacted Stone; which was, '^A Discourse about t/ie Logical
Notion of a Congregational Church ;^^ wherein some thought that, &a&Stme
from the sling of David, he has mortally wounded the head of that Goli rfi,
a national political Jiurch. At least, he made an essay to do what \fas
done by the Stone of Bohan, setting the bounds between church and church,
as that between tribe and tribe.

Moreover, I find in a book which a late author hath written on Free-
grace, this passage: "Might the w irld be so happy as to see a very elab-
orate confutation of the Antinomians, written by a very acute and solid

• Continual droppings wear even stones. f In debate, ha nerer defended any potlUon wMcb be did

not eatabllsb : he opposed none which he did not overthrow.

?'•;'

) I

488

MAGNALIA 0HBI8TI AMBBIOANA;

person, a great disputant, viz: Mr. Stone of New-England, a Congrega-
tional divine, it would easily appear that the Congregational are not Anti-
nomian." And Mr. Baxter, in one of his last works, does utter his dying
wishes for the resurrection of that buried Tnanmcript.

But one of the most elaborate things written by Mr. Stone, or indeed
in this land, is his "Body of Divinity;" wherein the reader has, in a Rich-
ardsonian method, curiously drawn up the doctrine of the Protestant, and
Reformed, and New-English churches; and the marrow of all that had
been reached, by the hard and long studies of this great student in theology.
This rich treasure has often been transcribed by the vast pains of our
candidates for the ministry ; and it has made some of our most considerable
divines. But all attempts for the printing of it hitherto proved abortive.

EPITAPHIUM.
Quern Nubila Victa Coronant.*

w
THE IIFE OF MR. WILLIAM THOMPSON.

§ 1. There is no experienced minister of the gospel who hath not, in
the cases of tempted souls, often had this experience, that the ill cases of
their distempered bodies are the frequent occasion and original of their
temptations. There are many men who, in the very constitution of their
bodies, do afford a bed wherein busy and bloody devils have a sort of a
lodging provided for them. The Tnass of bhod in them, is disordered with
some fiery add, and their brains or bowels have some juices or ferments or
vapours about them, which are most unhappy engines for devils to work
upon their souls withal. The vitiated humours, in many persons, yield
the steams whereinto Satan does insinuate himself, till he has gained a sort
of possession in them, or at least an opportunity to shoot into the mind
as many fiery darts as may cause a sad life unto them ; yea, 'tis well if self-
murder be not the sad end unto which these hurried people are thus pre-
cipitated. New-England, a country where splenetic maladies are prevailing
and pernicious perhaps above any other, hath afforded numberless instances
of even pious people who have contracted those melancholy indispositions,
which have unhinged them from all service or comfort; yea, not a few
persons have been hurried thereby to lay violent hands upon themselves
at the last. These are among the "unsearchable judgments of God!"

§ 2. Mr. William Thompson was a reverend minister of the gospel, who
felt in himself the vexations of that melancholy which persons in his office

* Crowned \>j the clouds through which he prMed,

0B» THE liTSTOBY OV N EW-BMaLAlTD.

489

do so often see in others. He was a very powerful and successful preacher;
and we find his name sometimes joined in the title-page of several books
with his countryman, Mr. Bichard Mather, as a writer. Nor was New-
England the only part of America where he zealously published the
messages and mysteries of Heaven, after that the English Hierarchy had
persecuted him from the like labours in Lancashire over into America; but
upon a mission from the churches of New-England, he carried the tidings
of salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ into Virginia: where he saw a not-
able fruit of his labours, until that faction there, which called it self, "the
Church of England," persecuted him from thence also. Satan, who had
I been after an extraordinary manner irritated by the evangelic labours of

this holy man, obtained the liberty to sift him; and hence, after this worthy
man had served the Lord Jesus Christ in the church of our New-English
Braintree, he fell into that Balneum diahoK, "a black melancJwly,''^ which for
divers years almost wholly disabled him for the exercise of his ministry;
but the end of this melancholy was not so tragical as it sometimes is with
some, whom yet, because of their exemplary lives we dare not censure for
their prodigious deaths. It is an observation of no little consequence, in
our Christian warfare, that for all the fierce temptations of the devil upon
us, there is a time limited — an hour of temptation. During this time, the
devil may grow the more furious upon us, the more we do resist him. We
must resist until the time which is prefixt by God, but unknown to us, is
expired ; and then we shall find it a law in the invisible world strictly
kept unto, that if the resistance be carried on to such a period, though
perhaps with many intervening foyle, the devil will be gone ; yea, whether
he will or no, we must be gone. There is a laio for it, which obliges him
to & flight, and a flight that carries a, fright in it; B.fear from an apprehen-
sion that God, with his good angels, will come in, with terrible chastise-
ments upon him, if he presume to continue his temptations one moment
longer than the time that had been allowed unto him. All this may be
implied in that passage of the apostle, "Eesist the devil, and he will flee
from you." And as our Lord, being twice more furiously tempted by the
devil, "drew near to God," with extraordinary prayer; but when the time
for the temptation was out, God by his angels then sensibly drew near
unto him, with fresh consolations: to this, no doubt, the apostle refers,
when he adds, "Draw nigh to God, and he shall draw nigh to you."
Accordingly, the pastors and the faithful of the churches in the neigh-
bourhood kept "resisting of the devil," in his cruel assaults upon Mr.
Thompson, by continually " drawing near to God," with ardent supplica*
tions on his behalf: and by praying always, without fainting, without
(leasing, they saw the devil at length flee from him, and God himself
draw near unto him, with unutterable joy. The end of that man is peace t
§ 3. A short flight of our poetry shall tell the rest:

I!
v.

.IS.

:•:■

I mm
rl III

!(■, .',1.

'('■ 'i I

410

MAONALIA OHBISTI AMSBIOAKA;

RBM1RK8 05 THE BRIOHTAVD THE DARI SIDE OF THAT AMERICAN PILLAR,

THE REVEREND MR. WILLIAM THOMPSON,

PASTOR OF THX CHURCH AT BRAINTRKK, WHO TRIUHFHSD ON DEC 1% UM v

But may a rural r*n tiy to Mt forth
Such • grmt /a<A«r'« ancient graoo and worth i
I undertake a no le«a arduou* theme,
Than the old lagea found the Ohaldee dream.
Tie more than Tftkea of a profoond reapeet,
That mut be paid such a Melchizedeek.

Oxford this light, with tongtut and arti doth trim ;
And then hit nortkem town doth challenge him.
HIa time and strength he emtm-'d there In thit ;
Tto iogiod vtrkt, and te what noto he la.
HiB fulgent virtuei there, and teamed ttraini,
TTall comely pretence, life unioil'd with «tatii«,
Thlnga moat on Wohthicb, in their storiee writ,
Old him to moves In trbt of lertiee At,
Things more peculiar yet, my muse, Intend,
Say stranger things than these; so weep and end.

When he forsook flrst his Oxonian cell,
Some sooros at once flrom popish darkness foil ;
So this reformer studied I rare Jiret fruit* I
Shaking a crab-tree thus by hot disputea,
The acldjKMe by miracle tum'd wine.
And rals'd the tpiritt of our young divine.
Hearers, like dmtt, flockt with contentious whig.
Who should be flrst, foed most, most homeward bring.
Laden with honeg, like Hybliean bees.
They knead it into eombi upon their kneea.

Why he <h>m Europe's pleasant garden fled,
In the nest age, will be with horrour said.
Bralntree was of M» jewel then posseet,
Until himself, he laboured into retU
Hia inventcri then, with Johns, was took ;
A rough coat, girdle with the sacred book.

When reverend Knowlea and he sail'd hand In hand,
To Christ espousing the Virginian land,
Upon a ledge of craggy rocks near stav'd,
His Bible In his bosom thrusting sav'd ;

DioMBiK 10, 166S.

The Bible, the best of cordial of hia heart, [part I"
"Come floods, come flamea," ery'd he, <* we'll never
A conetellaHon of great convtrto there, ,

Shone round him, and his heavenlf glory were.
Gooniis was one of tkeee : by Thompson's pains,
Chkist and Niw-Enolamd a dear Qooums gains.

With a rare skill In hearti, this doctor cou'd
Steal Into them word* that should do them good.
HIa baleamt fVom the tree of life distUl'd, [flII'd,

Hearte cleans'd and heai'd, and with rich comforla
But here's the wo I baltama which others cur'd,
Would in his own turn hardly be endur'd.

Apollyon, owing him a cursed ipteen.
Who an ApoUoe in the church had been.
Dreading his traflick here would be undone
By num'rous proeelytei he dally won,
Aocus'dbim of isM^'iiary/aii/tf, !

And push'd him down so into dismal vaults :
Vaults, where be kept long Ember-weeks of grief,
TIU Heaven alarm'd sent bim in relief.
Then was a Daniel in the lion's den,
A man— oh, how beloved of God and men I
By his bed-side an Hebrew sword there Uy, . ,
With which at last he drove the devU away.
Quakera too durst not bear his keen replies, '

hoi fearing it half drawn, the trembler flies.
Like Ijazarus, new raised IVom death, appeara
The saint that had been dead for many years.
Our Nehemiah said, " Shall such as I
Desert ray flock, and liko a coward fly P
Long had the churches begg'd the saint's release;
Beleas'd at last, he dies In glorious peace.
The night is not so long, hut phosphorus ray
Approaching glories doth on high display.
Faith's eye in him discem'd the morning star.
His heart leap'd ; sure the sun cannot be Ihr.
In eztasies of Joy, he ravish'd cries,
" Love, love the Lamb, the Lamb I" In whom he dlea.

But the Churches of New-England having had another instance of afflic-
tion like that which exercised our Thompson, I shall chuse this place to
introduce it. Lives have been sometimes best written in the way of par-
allel. To Mr. William Thompson shall now therefore be paralleled our
Mr. John Warham.

OB, THE HI8T0BT OF NEW-XNOLAND.

441

THE LIFE OF MR. JOHN WilHAI.

When the time of reformation was come on, one of tbe more effectual
things done towards that reformation in England, about the middle of the
former century^ was to send aboi^t the kingdom certain itinerant preachers,
with a license to preach the fundamentals of religion, instead of the stuff
with which the souls of the people had been formerly famished. Upon
this occasion, it is a passage mentioned by the famous Dr. Burnet: "Many
complaints were made of those that were licensed to preach; and that
they might be able to justifie themselves, they begin generally to write
and read their sermons : and thus did this custom begin; in which, what
is wanting in the heat and force of delivery, is much made up by the
strength and solidity of the matter: and it has produced many volumes
of as excellent sermons as have been preached in any age."

The custom of preaching with notes, thus introduced, has been decried
by many good men, besides fanaticks, in the present age, and many poor
and weak pr^udices against it have been pretended. But hear the words
of the most accomplished Mr. Baxter unto some gainsayers: "It is not
the want of our abilities that makes us use our notes; but it is a regard
unto our work, and the good of our hearers. I use notes as much as any
man when I take pains; and as little as any man when I am lazy, or busie,
and have not leisure to prepare. It is easier unto us to preach three ser-
mons without notes, than one with them. Ho is a simple preacher that
is not able to preach a day, without preparation, if his' strength would
serve." Indeed, I would have distinction made between the reading of
notes and the using of notes. It is pity that a minister should so read his
notes as to take away the vivacity and efficacy of his delivery; but if he so
use his notes, as a lawyer does the minutes whereupon he is to plead, and
carry a full quiver into the pulpit with him, from whence he may with one
cast of his eye, after the lively shooting of one arrow, fetch out the next,
it might be a thousand ways advantageous.

I suppose the first preacher that ever thus preached with notes in our
New-England was the Eeverend Warham : who, though he were some-
times faulted for it, by some judicious men who had never heard him, yet
when once they came to hear him, they could not but admire the notable
energy of his ministry. He was a more vigorous preacher than the most
of them who have been applauded for "never looking in a book in their
lives." His latter days were spent in the pastoral care and charge of the
church at Windsor, where the whole colony of Connecticut considered
him as a principal pillar, and father of the colony.

! (if

XAONALIA 0HBI3TI AMSBIOANA;

But I have one thing to relate conoerning him, which I would not men-
tion if I did not, by the mention thereof, propound and expect the advan-
tage of some that may be my readers. Know, then, that though our
Warham were as pious a man as most that were out of heaven, yet Satan
often threw him into those deadly pangs of Tnekmcholi/f that made him
despair of ever getting thither. Such were the terrible temptatiom and
horrible buffetings undergone sometimes by the soul of this holy man, that
when he has administred the Lord's Supper to his flook, whom he durst
not starve by omitting to administer thbt ordinance; yet he has forborn
himself to partake at the same time in the ordinance, through the fearful
dejections of his mind, which perswaded him that those blessed soub did
not belong unto him. The dreadful darkness which overwhelmed this
child of light in his life^ did not wholly leave him till his deaih. It is
reported that he did even "set in a cloud," when he retired unto the glo-
rified society of those "righteous ones that are to shine forth as the sun
in the kingdom of their Father/' though some have asserted^ that the doud
was dispelled before he expired.

What was desired by Joannes Mathdsius, may now be inscribed on our
Wabham, for an

EPITAPH. .

■f'A ! - ■ ■ ■ \

Seeurua reeubo hie mundi pertaaut iniqui; ... '

Et didiei et doeui vuliura, Chritte, tua.*

SlCC

stot
ex«
UvA
ll

the!
anc
Mr.|
unt

THB LIFE OF MR. HENRT FUNT.

Although there is a most sensible and glorious demonstration of the
Divine Providence over human, affairs in the stupend variety of human
faces, that among so n^ 'v millions of men, their countenances are distin-
guishable enough to preserve the order of human society, and conversa-
tion thereon depending; yet there have been some notable instances of
resemblance in the world. They are not only twins which have sometimes
had this resemblance, in such a degree as to occasion more diversion than
the two Sosia's in Plautus' Amphytrio; but some other persons have been
too like one another to be known asunder without critical observations of
accidental circumstances. I will not mention the several examples of like'
ncss reported by Pliny, because there is frequently as much likeliness between
a Plinyism and a fable. But Mersennus gives us the names of two men
80 extreamly alike, that their nearest relations were thereby most notori-

* SatioukI with lift o'ertuked, oppresied, forlMn,
Thy Crow I preached— Thy Croia, too, I have borne;
But now I retk

OR, '"♦'K HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

44S

ously imposed upon. Yea, this likenesc has proceeded so far, that Poly*
Btratus and Hippoolides, two philosophers much alike, were both bom in
the same day; they were school -fellows, and of the same sect; they both
died in a great ago, and at the very same instant. Further yet, the two
&mou8 brothers at Biez, in France, perfectly alike, if one of them were
sick, or sad, or sleepy, the other would immediately be so too. And the
story of the three Gordians, the one exactly like Augustus, the second
exactly like Pompey, the third exactly like Scipio; he that has read Peze-
Uua, doubtless will semember it.

I know nut whetl er any of these likeneseea are greater than what it was
the desire and attidy, and in a lesser measure the attainment of that holy
and worthy man, Mr. Henry Flint, the teacher of Brain-tree, to have uito
Mr. Cotton, the well-known teacher of Boston. Having twins once b^m
unto him, he colled the one John, the other Cotton, and his honovring
imitation of that great man was as if he had been a twin to John Cotton
himself. In his exemplary life, he was John Cotton to the life; and in all
the circumstances of his ministry, he propounded John Cotton for his pat-
tern; as apprehending that "he followed Jesus Christ."

You may be sure, he that copied after such an excellent person, must
write fair, though he should happen to fall any thing short of the original.

Wherefore, having already written the life of John Cotton, I need say
nothing more cf Henry Flint; but they are now both of them gone where
the harmony is become yet more agreeable.

Ho that was a solid stone in the foundations of New-England, is gone
to be a glorious one in the walls of the New-Jerusalem.

He died April 27, 1668, and at his death deserved the epitaph once
allowed unto Mentzer:

EPITAPHIUM.
FUntnus ttn^^ Meditatua Gaudia Cmli,
Nunc tandem Cali Gaudia Lmttu hahet.*

uXiLiniJtrjtJuiu JLAo
THE LIFB OF MB. RICHARD MATHER.

Florente verba, omnia Florent in Eeeleriarum.f — Ltttber.

§ 1. It is a memorable passage, which Doctor Hall, after a personal
examination of it, ventures to relate as most credible, [in his book of
angels,] that a certain cripple, called John Trelille, having been sixteen
years a miserable cripple, did, upon three monitions in a dream to do so,

* On earth be pined Tor hearenly Jojri; and now
The erown of heavenly Joyi aurroundi hia brow.

t While doctrine flouriabes, eTery thing tn the church
tlouriahea also.

444

MAONALIA OHRIBTI AMEBICAMA;

wash himself in S. Mathtm^s well, and was immediately restored unto the usa
of his limbs, and became able to walk, and work, and maintain himself.

Beader, if thou hast any feebleness upon thy mind, in regard either of
piety, or thy perswasion about the church-order of the gospel, I will carry
thee now to a well of a S. Mathern ; which name, I suppose, to be the
Cornish pronunciation of that which was worn by the good man whose
history is now going to be ofifered.

In the night whereon our Lord was born, there was a glorious light, with
an host of angels gloriously singing over Bethlehem ; and the birth of the
"great and good Shepherd" was thus revealed unto the shepherds of that
country. The magicians in the East, whether they had by their conver-
sations with the invisible world a readier eye to discern such objects, or
whether it were only the sovereign and gracious providence of God which
thus directed them, tJiey probably saw that "glory of the Lord." Possibly
to them at a distance, it might seem a new star hanging over Judaea; but
after two years of wonder and suspense about it, they were informed by
God what it signified ; and when they came near the place of the Lord's
nativity, it is likely that this ghry once again appeared for their fullest
satisfaction. This, till I see a better account, must be that which I shall
take about "the star of the wise men in the East." But I am now to add,
that in all ages there have been stars to lead men unto the Lord Jesus
Christ: angelical men employed in the ministry of our Lord have been
those happy stars; and we in the West have been so happy as to see some
of the first magnitude ; among which one was Mr. Richard Mather.

§ 2. It was at a small town, called Lowton, in the county of Lancaster,
Anno 1596, that so great a man, as Mr. Richard Mather was born, of
parents that were of credible and ancient families. And these his parents,
though b}' some disasters their estate was not a little sunk below the means
of their ancestors, yet were willing to bestow a liberal education on him;
upon occasion whereof Mr. Mather afterwards thus expressed himself:

"By what principles and motives my parents were chiefly induced to keep me at school,
I have not to say, nor do I certainly know: but this I must needs suy, that this was the sin-
gular good providence of God towards me, (who hath the hearts of all men in his hands,)
thus to incline the hearts of my parents; for in this thing the Lord of heaven shewed me such
favour, as had not been shewed to many my predecessors and contemporaries in that place."

They sent him to school at Win wick, where they boarded him in the
winter; but in the summer, so warm was his desire of learning, that he
travelled every day thither, which was .four miles from his father's house.
Whilst he was thus at school — Multa tulit fecitque Puer* — he met with an
extremity of discouragement from the Orbilianf harshness and fierceness
of the poedagogue; who, though he had bred many fine scholars, yet, for
the severity of his discipline, came not much behind the master of Junius,
who would beat him eight times a day, whether he were in a fault, or no

* For In bojhood he endured and accomplished much, f Orbiuui was the name of Hokaci's gchool-motter.

"Gl
fathe(
reqwe
amen|
over I
But,'
Hcholl
usag^
utter]
futhel

OB, TBI HI8T0BT OF MEW-BNOLAKD.

446

fkult Our young Mather, tired under this captivity, at last frequently
and earnestly importuned of his father that, being taken from the school,
he might be disposed unto sonriu secular calling; but when he had waded
through his difficulties, he \vi te this reflection thereupon:

"God intended better for mo than I would hav. chosen for my self; and therefore my
father, though in other things indulgent enough, yet in this would never condescend to my
request, but by putting me in hope that, by his speolcing to the master, things would be
amended, would still over rule mo to go on in my studies: and good it was for me to be
over ruled by him and his discretion, rather than to be loft to my own affections and desire.
But, O that all achooUmasters would learn wisdom, moderation, and equity, towards their
scholars! and seek rather to win the hearts of children by righteous loving and courteous
usage, than to alienate their minds by partiality and undue severity; which had Ijoen my
utter undoing, had not the good providence of God and the wisdom and authority of my
father prevented."

§ 8. Yea, and here Almighty God made use of his otherwise cruel
school-master to deliver this hopeful young man from an apprenticeship
unto a Popish merchant, when he was very near falling into the woful
snares of such a condition ; which mercy of Heaven unto him was accom-
panied with the further mercy of living under the ministry of one Mr.
Palin, then preacher at Leagh; of whom he would long after say, "That
though his knowledge of that good man was only in his childhood, yet
the remembrance of him was even in his old age comfortable to him;
inasmuch as he observed such a penetrating efficacy in the ministry of
that man, as was not in the common sort of preachers."

§ 4. There were at this time in Toxteth Park near Liverpool a well-
disposed people, who were desirous to erect a school among them for the
good education of their posterity. This people, sending unto the school-
master of Winwiok, to know whether he had any scholar that he could
recommend for a master of their new school, Bichard Mather was by him
recommended unto that service; and at the perswasion of his friends to
attend that service, he laid aside his desire and his design of going to the
university; not unsensible of what hath been still observed, Schohs esse
Theohgm pedissequas, ac seniinaria Beipiibh'cce.* Now, as it cannot justly
be reckoned any blemish unto him, that at fifteen years of age he was a
school-master, who carried it with such wisdom, kindness, and grave res-
ervation, as to be hved and feared by his young folks, much above the
most that ever used the ^u?a; so it was many ways advantageous unto
him to be thus employed. Hereby he became a more accurate grammarian
than divines too often are ; and at his leisure hours he so studied as to
become a notable proficient in the other liberal arts.

Moreover, it was by means hereof that he experinced an effectual con-
version of soul to God, in his tender years, even before his going to Oxford;
and thus he was preserved from the temptations and corruptions which
undid many of his contemporaries in the university. That more thorough

* That Mhoota of Theology ire the handmaids and nuraeriei of the State.

qMm

til;:

P^.

446

MAONALIA OHRIBTI AMSBIOANAl

and real conversion in him waa oooasioned by observing a differenoe
between his own walk and the most exact, watchAil, fruitAil, and prayerful
conversation of some in the family of the learned and pious Mr. Edward
Aspinwal, of Toxteth, where he sojourned. This exemplary walk of that
holy man caused many sad fears to arise in his own soul, that he waa
himaeU out of the way; which consideration, with his hearing of Mr. liar-
rison, then a famous minister at Hyton, preach about regeneration, and
his reading of Mr. Perkins' book, that shows, "how far a reprobate may
go in religion;" were the means whereby the God of heaven brought him
into the state of a new creature. The troubles of soul which attended his
rmo birth were so exceeding terrible, that he would often retire from his
appointed meals unto secret places, to lament his miseries; but after some
time, and about the eighteenth year of his age, the good Spirit of God
healed his broken heart, by pouring thereinto the evangelical consolations
of "His great and precious promises.''

§ 6. After this, he became a more eminent blessing, in the calling
wherein God had now disposed him ; and such notice was taken of him,
that many persons were sent unto him, even from remote places, for their
education; whereof not a few went well accomplished from him to the
university. But having spent some years in this employment, he judged
it many ways advantageous for him to go unto the university himself, that
he might there converse with learned men and books, and more improve
himself in learning than he could have done at home. Accordingly at
Oxft)rd, and particularly at Brazen-Nose-OoUege in Oxford, he now resided,
where, together with the satisfaction of seeing his old scholars, who had by
his education been fitted for their being there, he had the opportunity fur*
ther to enrich himself by study, by conference, by disputation, and other
academical entertainment: as considering, that the lamps were to be lighted,
before the incense was to be burned in the sanctuary. And here he waa
more intimately acquainted with &mous Dr. Woral, by whose advice ho
read the works of Peter Ramus with a singular attention and affection ;
which advice he did not afterwards repent that he had followed.

§ 6. But it was not very long before the people of Toxteth sent after
him, that he would return unto them, and instruct, not their children as a
school-master, but themselves as a minister: with which invitation he at last
complied; and at Toxteth, November 13, 1618, he preached hia first sermon
with great acceptance in a vast assembly of people: but such was the
strength of his memory, that what he had prepared for one, contained no
less than six long discourses. He was afler this ordained with many others,
by Dr. Morton, the Bishop of Chester, who, after the ordination was over,
singled out Mr. Mather from the rest, saying, "I have something to say
betwixt you and me alone." Mr. Mather was now jealous that some
informations might have been exhibited against him for his Puritanism;
instead of which, when the Bishop had him alone, what he said unto him

OB, TBI BISTOBT Of BBW-BMOLAND.

447

WM, "I have an earnest request unto you, sir, and you must not deny
me: 'tis that you would pray for me; for I know (said he) the prayers
of men that fear Qod will avail much, and you I believe are such a one."
And being so ;ttled in Toxtoth, he married the rlanirhter of Edmund
Holt, Esq. of Bury, in Lanooshiro, September 29, 1624, vvliich vertuous
gentlewoman Qod made a rich blessing to him for thirty years together,
and a mother of six sons, most of whom afioi yards proved famous in their
generation.

§ 7. He preached every Lord's day twice at Toxteth, and every fortnight
he held a Tuesday lecture at Presoot: besides which, he oflen preached
upon the l^oly-daya^ not as thinking that any day was now hobj^ except the
Christian weekly Sabbath, bnt because there was then an opportunity to
cast the net of the gospel among muchjish in great assemblies, which then
were convened, and would otherwise have been worse employed. In this,
he followed the examples of the apostles, who preached most in populous
placea, and this also on the Jewish Sabbaths, which yet were so far abro-
gated, that they charged the faithful to "lot no man judge them" in im-
posing the observation thereof upon them.

He preached likewise very frequently at funerals, as knowing that though
funeral s«rmons are wholly disused in some reformed churches, and have
been condemned by some decrees of councils, yet this was chiefly because
of the common error committed in the lavish "praises of the dead" on
such occasions, which therefore he avoided; instead thereof, only giving
"counsels to the living." Indeed, the custom of preaching at funerals
may seem ethnuMl in its original; for Publicola made an excellent oration
in the praise of Brutus, with which the people were so taken, that it
became a custom for fanious men, afler this, at their death, to be so cele-
brated ; and when the women among the Romans parted with their orna-
ments, for the public weal, the senate made it lawful for women also to
be in the like manner celebrated, llinc mortuos Laxidandi Mosfluxit, quern
nos hodie servanius,* if Polydore Virgil may, as he sometimes may, be
believed. But the Madgoburgensian centuriators tell us that this rite was
not practised in the church before the beginning of the apostacy. However,
this watchful minister of our Lord made his funeral speeches to be but a
faithful discharge of his ministry in admonitions concerning the last things
whereby the living might be edified. But thus in his publick ministry,
he went over the twenty-fourth chapter in the second of Samuel ; the first
chapter of Proverbs; the first and sixth chapters of Isaiah; the twenty-
second and twenty -third chapters of Luke; the eighth chapter of the
Bomans; the second Epistle to Timothy; the second Epistle of John, and
the Epistle of Jude.

§ 8. Having spent about fifteen years, thus, in the labours of his minis-
try, his lecture at Prescot in fine, gave him to find the truth of Quintilian's

* HsBoe woM the IteMon, MtU obnrred, of pronouncing eulogiM orer tbe dead.

litJS

448

MAGNALIA OHBISTI AM£SICANA|

observation, Magnam Famam et Magnam Qutetem, eodem Tempore, Nemo
potest Acquirere* Through the malice of Satan, and the envy of the
satanical, there were now brought against him those complaints for hia
non-conformity to the ceremonies, which in August, 1633, procured him to
be suspended. The suspension continued upon him till the November
following, but then, by the intercession of some gentlemen in Lancashire,
and the influence of Simon Biby, a near alliance of the Bishop's visitor,
he was restored. After his restoration, he more exactly than ever studied
the points of church-discipline; and the effect of his most careful studies
was, that the Congregational way, asserted by Cartwright, Parker, Baines
and Ames, was the pitch of Eeformation which he judged the Scriptures
directed the servants of the Lord humbly to endeavour. But this liberty
was not longer lived than the year 1634, for the Arch -Bishop of York
now was that gentleman whom King James pleasantly admonished of his
preaching Popery, because of some unacceptable things in his conduct,
which taught the people "to pray for a blessing on his dead predecessor;"
and lie now sending his visitors, among whom the famous Dr. Cousins was
one, into Lancashire, where they kept their court at Wigan, among other
hard things, they passed a sentence of suspension upon Mr. Mather, meerly
for his non-conformity. His judges were not willing that he should offer
the reasons which made him conscientiously so disposed, as then he was,
but the "glorious Spirit of God" enabled him, with much wisdom, to
encounter what they put upon him; insomuch, that in his private manu-
scripts, he entred this memorial of it :

" In the passages of that day, I have this to bless the name of God for, that the terrour
of their threatening words, of their pursevants, and of the rest of their pomp, did not ter-
rifie my mind, but that I could stand before them without being daunted in the least mea-
Burp. but answered for my self such words of truth and soberness as the Lord put into my
mouth, not being afraid of their faces at all: which supporting and comforting presence of
the Lord, I count not much less mercy, than if I had been altogether preserved out of
their hands."

But all means used afterwards to get off this unhappy suspension were
ineffectual ; for when the visitors had been informed that he had been a
minister yf/i!cen years, and all that while never wore a surpliss, one of them
swore, "It had been better for him that he had gotten seven bastards."

§ 9. He now betook himself to a private life, without hope of again
enjoying the liberty of doing any more publick works in his native land;
but herewithal foreseeing a storm of calamities like to be hastened on the
land, by the Avrath of Heaven, incensed particularly at the injustice used
in depriving the truly conscientious of their liberty, his wishes became
like those of the deprived psalmist, "O, that I had wings like a dove! lo
then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness ; I would has-
ten my escape from the windy storm n'^l empest."

* Nobody can achieve great fau'e and great tranquillity at the same momeDt.

ac(
ar{

Ne
far

OB, THE HI8T0EY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

449

New-England was the retreat which now oflfered it self unto him: and
accordingly, he drew up some arguments for his removal thither, which
arguments were, indeed, the very reasons that moved the first fathers of
New-England unto that unparalleled undertaking of transporting their
families with themselves, over the Atlantic ocean:

I. A removal from a corrupt church to u purer. [of more quiet and safety.

n. A removal from a place where the truth and professors of it are persecuted, unto a place
IIT. A removal from a place where all the ordinances of God cannot be enjoyed, unto a
place where they may.

IV. A removal from a church where the discipline of the Lord Jesus Christ is wanting,
unto a church where it may be practised.

V. A removal from a place, where the ministers of God are unjustly inhibited from the
execution of their functions, to a place where they may more freely execute the same.

VI. A removal from a place, where there are fearful signs of desolation, to a place where
one may have well grounded hope of God's protection.

Such a removal he judged that unto New-England now before him.

These considerations were presented unto many ministers and Chris-
tians of Lancashire, at several meetings, whereby they were perswaded,
and even his own people of Toxteth, who dearly loved him and prized
him, could not gain-say it, that by removing to New-England, he would
not go out of his way. And hereunto he was the more inclined by the
letters of some great persons, who had already settled in the country;
among whom the renowned Hooker was one, who in his letters thus
expressed himself: "In a word, if I may speak my own thoughts freely
and fully, though there are very many places where men may receive and
expect more earthly commodities, yet do I believe there is no place this
day upon the face of the earth where a gracious heart and a judicious
head may receive more spiritual good to himself, and do more temporal
and spiritual good to others." Wherefore, being satisfied in his design
for New-England, after extraordinary supplication for the smiles of Heaven
upon him in it, he took his leave of his friends in Lancashire, with affec-
tions on both sides like those wherewith Paul bid farewell to his in Ephe-
sus; and in April, 1635, hc made his journey unto Bristol, to take ship
there ; being forced, as once Brentius was, to change his apparel, that he
might escape the pursevants, who were endeavouring to apprehend him.

§ 10. On May 23, 1635, he set sail from Bristol for New-England: but
when he came upon the coasts of New-England, there arose an liorrible
hurricane, from the dangers whereof his deliverance was remarkable, and
well nigh miraculous. The best account of it will be from his journal,
where the relation runs in these words:

"August 16, 1635. — ^The Lord had not yet done with us, nor had he let us sec all his
power and goodness, which he would have us take the knowledge of. And therefore about
break of d.iy he sent a most terrible storm of rain and easterly wind, whereby we wore, I
think, in as much danger as ever people were. When we came to land, we found many
mighty trees rent in pieces in the midst of the bole, and others turned up by tlie roots, by

Vol. L— 29

''fj

450

MA6NALIA GHBISTI AMEBICANA;

fierceness thereof. We lost in that morning three anchors and cables ; one having never
been in the water before; two were broken by the violence of the storm, and a third cut
by the sea^men in extremity of distress, to save the ship and their and our lives. And
when our cables and anchors were all lost, we had no outward means of deliverance, but
by hoisting sail, if so be we might get to sea, from among the islands and rocks where we
were anchored. But the Lord let us see that our sails could not help us neither, no more
than the cables and anchors; for by the force of the wind and storm, the Kills were rent
asunder, and split in pieces, as if they had been but rotten rags; so that of divers of them
there was scarce leil so much as an hand's-breadth that was not rent in pieces or blown
away into the sea; so that at that time all hope that we should be saved, in regard of any
outward appearance, was utterly taken away ; and the rather, because we seemed to drive
with full force of wind directly upon a mighty rock, standing out in sight above water; so
that we did but continually wait, when we should hear and feel the doleful crushing of the
ship upon the rock. In this extremity and appearance of death, as distress and distnvetion
would suffer us, we cried unto the Lord, and he was pleased to have compassion upon us;
for by his over-ruling providence, and his own immediate good hand, he guided the ship
past the rock, asswaged the violence of the sea and of the wind. It was a day much to be
remembered, because on that day the Lord granted us as wonderful a deliveranue as, I
think, ever any people had felt. The sea-men confessed they never knew the like. The
Lord so imprint the memory of it in our hearts, that we may be the better for it, and be
careful to please him, and to walk uprightly before him as long as we live! and I hope we
shall not forget the passages of that morning until our dying day. In all this grievous
storm, my fear was the less, when I considered the clearness of my calling from God this
way. And in some measure (the Lord's holy name be blessed for it!) he gave us hearts
contented and willing that he should do with us and ours what he pleased, and what might
be most for the glory of his name; and in that we rested ourselves. But when news was
brought us into the gun-room that the danger was past, Oh ! how our hearts did then relent
and melt within us ! We burst out into tears of joy among ourselves, in love unto the
gracious God, and admiration of his kindness, in granting to his poor servants such an
extraordinary and miraculous deliverance, his holy name be blessed for evermore."

The storm being thus allayed, they came to an anchor before Boston,
August 17, 1635, where Mr. Mather abode for a little while, and, with
his vertuous consort, joined unto the church in that place.

§ 11. He quickly had invitations from several towns, to bestow himself
upon them, and was in a great strait which of those invitations to accept.
But applying himself unto counsel, as an ordinance of Ood, for his direc-
tion, Dorchester was the place, whereto a council, wherein Mr. Cotton and
Mr. Hooker were the principal, did advise him. Accordingly to Dorches-
ter he repaired ; and the church formerly planted there being transplanted
with Mr. Warham to Connecticut, another church was now gathered here,
August 23, 1636, by whose choice Mr. Mather was now become their
teacher. Here he continued a blessing unto all the churches in this wild-
erness until his dying day, even for near upon four and thirty years
together. He underwent not now so many changes as he did before his
coming hither ; and he never changed his habitation after this till he went
iinto the "house eternal in the heavens;" albeit his old people of Toxteth
vehemently solicited his return unto them when the troublesome Hier-
archy in England was deposed.

OB, THE HISTOBT OF NEW-ENGLAND.

451

§ 12. Nevertheless, if Luther's three tutors for an able divine — stxidtj,
and prayer, and temptation — as Mr Mather could not leave the tix> first^ so
the last would not leave him ; the wilderness whereinto he was come, he
found not without its temptations. He was for some years exercised with
spiritual distresses, and internal desertions, and uncertainties about his
everlasting happiness; which troubles of his mind he revealed unto that
eminent person Mr. Norton, whose well-adapted words comforted his
weary soul. It was in these dark hours that a glorious light rose unto him,
with a certain disposition of soul, which I find in his private papers thus
expressed: "My heart relented with tears at this prayer, that God would
not deny me an heart to bless him, and not blaspheme him, that is so holy,
just, and good; though I should be excluded from his presence, and go
down into everlasting darkness and discomfort." But when the^e terrible
temptations from within were over, there were several and succesnive afflic-
tions, which he did from abroad meet withal: of all which afflictions, the
most calamitous was the death of his dear, good, and wise consort, by
whose discreet management of his affairs he had been so released from
all secular incumbrances, as to be wholly at liberty for the sacred employ-
ment of his ministry. However, after he had continued in his widow-
hood a year and a half, the state of his family made it necessary for him
to apply himself unto a second marriage ; which he made with the pious
widow of the most famous Mr. John Cotton; and her did God make a
blessing unto him the rest of his days.

§ 13. My describing his general manner of life, after he came to New-
England, shall be only a transcribing of those vows which, though he
made before his coming thither, yet he then renewed. In his private
papers, wherein he left some records of the days which he spenf. some-
times in secret humiliations and supplications before the God of heaven,
and of the assurances which with the tears of a melted soul in thosse days
he received of blessings obtained for himself, his children, his people, and
the whole country, I find recording the ensuing instrument:

" Promissiones Deo factce, per me,
*' Richard um Matherum.*
"21 D. 6 M. 1633.

Psal. Ixvi. 13, 14.

Paal. cxix. 106.

Psal. Ivi. 12.

Neh. ix. 33, with z. 29, 30, 31, &,c.

W
I''

■I-

yn;

«I, TOUCHING THE MIJVISTRY.

"1. To be more painful and dilligent in private preparations for preaching, by reading,
meditation, and prayer; and not slightly and superiicially — Jer. xlviii. 10; Eccles. ix. 10;
1 Tim. iv. 13. 15.

" 2. In and after preaching, to strive seriously against inward pride and vain-glory.

" 3. Before and after preaching, to beg by prayer the Lord's blessing on his word, for the
good of souls, more carefully than in time past. — 1 Cor. iii. 6; Acts xvi. 14.

* Promises made to God by mo, Richard Mather.

[

452

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

«II. TOUCHINO THE FAMILY.

"1. To be more frequent in religious discourse ard tiilk, Deut vi. 7.

"3. To be more careful in catechising cliildren. — Gen. xviii. 19; Prov. xxii. 6; Eph. vi. 4.
And therefore to bestow some pains this way, every week once; and if by urgent occasions
it be sometimes omitted, to do it twice as much another weel(.

"in. TOUCHING MY SELF.

"1. To strive more against worldly cares and fears, and against the inordinate love of
earthly things.— Mat. vi. 25, &c.; Psal. Iv. 22; 1 Pet. v. 7; Phil. iv. 6.

'*3. To be more frequent and constant in private prayer. — Mat. vi. 6, and xiv. 23; Psol.
Iv. 17; Dan. vi. 10.

" 3. To practise more carefully, and seriously, and frequently, the duty of solf>examina^
tion. — Lam. iii. 40; Psal. iv. 4; Psal. cxix. 59; especially before the receiving of the Lord's
Supper; 1 Cor. xL 28. [xx. 13.

"4. To strive against carnal security, and excessive sleeping. — Prov. vi. 9, 10; and Prov.

"5. To strive against vain jangling, and mispcnding precious time. — Epb. v. 16.

«IV. TOUCHING OTHERS.

"1. To be more careful and zealous, to do good unto their souls, by private exhortations,
reproofs, instructions, conferences of God's word. — Prov. x. 21, and xv. 17; Lev. xix. 17;
Psal. xxxvii. 30.

"2. To be ready to do offices of love and kindness, not only or principally for the praise
of men, to purchase commendation for a good neighbour, but rather out of conscience to
the commandment of God. — Phil. ii. 4; 1 Cor. x. 24; Hcb. xiii. 16.

"Renewed with a profession of disabilities in my self, for performance, and of desire to
fetch power from Christ, thereunto to live upon him, and net from him, in all spiritual
dutie8.-l5. D. 6. M. 1636. r,^„^^„ ^j^^^^^ „

§ 14. His way of preaching was very plain, studiously avoiding obscure
and foreign terms, and unnecessary citation of Latin sentences; and aim-
ing to shoot his arrows, not over the heads, but into the hearts of his hear-
era Yet so scripturally and so powerfully did he preach his plain sermons,
that Mr. Hooker would say, "My brother Mather is a mighty man;" and
indeed he saw a great success of his labours, in both Englands, converting
many souls unto God. His voice was loud and big, and uttered with a
deliberate vehemency, it procured unto his ministry an awful and very
taking majesty: nevertheless, the substantial and rational matter delivered
by him, caused his ministry to take yet more where-ever he came.
Whence, even while he was a young man, Mr. Gellibrand, a famous min-
ister in Lancashire, hearing him, enquired what his name was? when
answer was made, that his name was Mather; he replied, "Nay, his name
shall be Matter; for, believe it, this man hath good substance in him."
He was indeed a person eminently judicious, in the opinion of such as
were not in controversies then managed of his own opinion ; by the same
token, that when Dr. Parr, then Bishop in the Isle of Man, heard of Mr.
Mather's being silenced, he lamented it, saying, " If Mr. Mather be silenced,
I am sorry for it ; for he was a solid man, and the Church of God hath a
great loss of him." And it was because of his being esteemed so judicious
a person, that among the ministers of New-England, he was improved

Ir^

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

463

more tlian the most, in explaining and maintaining the points of Church-
Government then debated. The discourse about the Church-Covenant, and
the answer to the thirty two questions, both written in the year 1639, though
they pass under the name of the ministers of New-England, Mr. Mather
was the sole author of them. And when the "Platform of Church-Disci-
pline" was agreed by a Synod of these churches, in the year 1647, Mr.
Mather's model was that out of which it was chiefiy taken.

And being thereto desired, he also prepared for the press a very
elaborate composure, which he entituled, '^A Plea for the Churches of
New-England.^^

Moreover, to defend the Congregational, in those lesser punctilio's,
wherein it seems to differ from the "Presbyterian way of Church-Govern-
ment," he printed one little book in answer to Mr. Herl, and another in
answer to Mr. Eutherford ; and yet was he so little Brownistically affected,
that besides his apprehension of so vicious and infamous a man as Brown's
not being likely to be the discoverer of any momentous truth in religion,
he wrote a treatise to prove, that whatever priviledge and liherttj may belong
to the fraternity, the rule of the church belongs only to its presbytery.
Furthermore, when the propositions of the Synod, in 1662, were opposed
by Mr. Davenport, Mr. Mather was called upon to answer him ; which he
did, and therein, as in his former answers, he gave such instances of a
close regard unto tlie truth and the cause, without the least expression or
disrespect unto the persons answered, that, as my reverend friend Mr.
Higginson hath said sometimes to me, "He was a pattern for all answers
to the end of the world."

But as he judged that a preacher of the gospel should be, he was a very
hard student: yea, so intent was he upon his beloved studies, that the
morning before he died, he importuned the friends that watched with
him to help him into the room, where he thought his usual v:orks and
hooks expected him; to satisfie his importunity, they began to lead him
thither; but finding himself unable to get out of his lodging-room, he
said, "I see I am not able; I have not been in my study several days;
and is it not a lamentable thing, that I should lose so much time?" He
was truly "abundant in his labours;" for though he was very frequent in
hearing the word from others, riding to the lectures in the neighbouring
towns till his disease disabled him, and even to old age writing notes at
those lectures, as the renowned Hildersham likewise did before him; yet
he preached for the most part of every Lord's day twice; and a lecture
once a fortnight, besides many occasional sermons both in publick and
private; and many "cases of conscience," which were brought unto him
to be discussed. Thus his ministry in Dorchester, besides innumerable
other texts of scripture, went over the book of Genesis, to chap, xxxviii. ;
the sixteenth Psalm ; the whole book of the Prophet Zachariah ; Matthew's
gospel to chap. xv. ; the fifth chapter in the first Epistle to the Thessa-

■'HU

( .- :

454

HAONALIA GHBISTI AMERICANA;

lonians; and the whole second Epistle of Peter; his notes whereon ho
reviewed and renewed, and fitted for the press before his death.

He also published a treatise of justification^ whereof Mr. Cotton and
Mr. Wilson gave this testimony: "Thou shalt find this little treatise to be
like Mary's box of spikenard, which, washing I^q paths of Christ towanls
us, (as that did hx&feef) will be fit to perfume not only the whole house of
God with the odour of his grace, but also thy soul with the oyl of gladness,
above what creature comforts can afford. The manner of handling thou
shalt find to be solid, judicious, succinct, and pithy, fit (by the blessing of
Christ) to make wise unto salvation." And besides these things, he pub-
lished catechisms^ a lesser and a larger, so well formed, that a Luther him-
self would not have been ashamed of being a learner from them.

Nevertheless, after all these works, he was, as Nazianzen saith of Atha-
nasius, 'T4'*)XT0ff To'f Ipyois, raireivof 8s rwe (ppovrniadi : — "As low in his thoughts,
as he was high in his works." He never became "twice a child" through
infirmity, but was always one, as our Saviour hath commanded us, in
humility.

§ 15. A Jerora would weep at the death of such a man, as portending
evil to the place of his former, useful, holy life: but such an occasion of
tears, the death of Mr. Mather must at last give to his bereaved people.

Some years before his death, [having sent over unto his old flock in
Lancashire, a like testimony of his concernment for them] he composed
and published, " A Farewel Exhortation to the Church and People of Dor-
chester" consisting of seven directions, wherein h^'s flock might read the
design and spirit of his whole ministry among them ; on a certain Lord's
day he did, by the hands of his deacons, put these little books into the
hands of his congregation, that so whenever he should by death ake his
farewel of them, they might still remember how they had been exhorted.
But old age came now upon him, wherein, though his hearing was decayed,
and (as with great Zanchy) the sight of one of his eyes, yet upon all other
accounts he enjoyed a,; health, both of body and spirit, which was very
wonderful, and agreeable as well to his hardy constitution, as to the simple
and wholsome diet whereto he still accustomed himself. He never made
use of any physician all his days ; nor was he ever sick of any acute disease,
nor in fifty years together by any sickness detained so much as one Lord's
day from his publick labours. Only the two last years of his life, he felt
that which has been called Flagellum Studiosorum,* namely, the stone, which
proved the tombstone, whereby all his labours and sorrows were in fine
brought unto a period.

§ 16. A council of neighbouring churches being assembled at Boston,
April 13, 1669, to advise about some differences arisen there, Mr. Mather,
for his age, grace, and wisdom, was chosen the Moderator of that reverend
assembly. For divers days, whilst he was attending this consultation, he

* The acourge of the sedentary.

OB, THE niSTORT OF NEW-ENGLAND.

455

enjoyed bis health better, than of some later months; but as Luther was
at a Synod surprised with a violent fit of the stone^ which caused him to
return home, with little hope of life, so it was with ihis holy man. On
April 16, lodging at the house of his worthy son, a minister in Boston,
he was taken very ill with a total stoppage of urine, wherein, according to
Solomon's expression of it, "The wheel was broken at the cistern." So
his Lord found him about the blessed work of a peace-maker; and with
an allusion to the note of the German Phcenix, Mr. Shepard, of Charles-
towil, put that stroke afterwards into his Epitaph :

Vixerat in Synodit, Morilur Moderator in lUia.*

Returning by coach, thus ill, unto his house in Dorchester, he lay
patiently expecting of his change; and, indeed, was a "pattern of patience
to all spectators, for all survivors. Though he lay in a mortal extremity
of pain, he never shrieked, he rarely groaned, with it; and when he was
able, he took delight in reading Dr. Goodwin's discourse about patience,
in which book he read until the very day of his death. When they asked
"how he did?" his usual answer was, "Far from well, yet far better than
mine iniquities deserve." And when his son said unto him, "Sir, God
hath shewed his great faithfulness unto you, having uphold you now for
the space, of more than fifty years in his service, and employed you therein
without ceasing, which can be said of very few men on the face of the
earth;" he replied, "You say true; I must acknowledge the mercy of
God hath been great towards me all my days; but I must also acknowl-
edge that I have had many failings, and the thoughts of them abaseth me,
and worketh patience in me." So did he, like Austin, having the " Peni-
tential Psalms" before him until he died, keep up a "spirit of repentance"
as long as he lived. Indeed, this excellent man did not speak much in
his last sickness to those that were about him, having spoken so much
before. Only his son perceiving the symptoms of death upon him, said,
" Sir, if there be any special thing which you would recommend unto me
to do, in case the Lord should spare me on earth after you are in heaven,
I would intreat you to express it;" at which, after a little pause, with lifted
eyes and hands, he returned, "A special thing which I would commend
to you is, care concerning the rising generation in this country, that they
be brought under the government of Christ in his churcli, and that when
grown up, and qualified, they have baptism for their children. I must
confess I have been defective as to practice ; yet I have publiokly declared
my judgment, and manifested my desires to practice that which I think
ought to be attend"!; but the dissenting of some in our church discouraged
me. I have thought that persons might have right to baptism, and yet
not to the Lord's Supper; and I see no cause to alter my judgment, as to
f at particular. And I still think, that persons qualified, according to the

* In Synods he bad lived ; he died tbeir JUoitrator,

i !i

;

,F? Ml

All

456

MAONALIA CURI8TI AM£BIOANA{

fifth proposition of the late Synod-Book, have right to baptism for their
children." Plis dolours continued on him till April 22, at night; when
he quietly breathed forth his last; after he had been about seventy-three
years a citizen of the world, and fifty years a minister in the cJmrch of God.
§ 17. The presage which he had upon his mind of his own approacliing
dissolution, was like that in Ambrose among the ancients, and in Gusner,
Melancthon, and Sandford, among the modern divines; whence the last
of the texts, whereon he insisted, in his public ministry, was that in 2 Tim.
iv. 6, 7, 8 : ** The time of my departure is at hand — I have finished my
course." And the last before that, was that in Job xiv. 14: "All tho
days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come." And for a
private conference, he had prepared a sermon on those words, in 2 Cor. v.
1: "For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dis-
solved, we have a building of God, an house not ffiade with hands, eternal
in the heavens;" but by his removal from this hoiise to that, he was pre-
vented in the preaching of the sermon. How ready he was for the last
end of his days thus expected, is a little expressed in certain passages of
his last will ; the whole of which, if I should here transcribe it, after tho
example of Beza, writing the life of Calvin, and Bannosius, writing tho
life of Ramus, and other such examples, it would be no ungrateful enter-
tainment, but I shall only oflFer that one paragraph, wherein his words were:

"Concerning death, as I do believe, it is appointed for all men once to die; so because I
see a great di'til of unprofitableness in my own life, and because God hath also let me see
such vanity and emptiness even in the best of those comforts which this life can oflbrd, thut
I think I may truly say, that 'I have seen an cnu <){ a!! perfection: therefore, if it were the
will of God, I should bo glad to be removed hence, where the best that is to bo had doth
yield such little satisfaction to my soul, and to be brought into his presence in glory, that
there I might find (for there I know it is to be had) that satisfying and all-sufficient content'
mcnt in him, which under the sun is not to be enjoyed; in the mean time, I desire to ststy
the Lord's leisure. But thou, O Lord, how long!"

Thus lived and thus died Richard Mather; able to make his appeal unto
on evil world, at his leaving of it:

Nullum Turbati; Discordes Piiificavi :
Lasut sustinui; nee mihi Complacui.*

§ 18. The special favour of God which was granted unto some of the
ancients, that their sons after them succeeded in the ministry of the gospel
— and which was particularly granted unto the happy fathers of Gregory
Nazianzen, Gregory Nyssen, Basil and Hillary — this was enjoyed by many
of those good men that planted our New-English churches, but by none
more comfortably than by Mr. Mather. It is mentioned as the felicity of
the blessed Vetterus, a Bohemian pastor in the former century, that he

' * I ne'er raised discord, but have quenchM its flame ;

All wrongs I suffered in my Master's name;
Nor has self-seek iug been my life's great aim.

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

467

gave the church no less thiin foxt,r sons to bo wortliy ministers of the gos-
pel. Such was the felicity of our Mather. Many years before he died,
he had the comfort of seeing four .sons that were preachers of no mean
cons'.deration among the people of God ; it was counted the singular h?ip-
pincss of the great Koman Metcllus, that he expired in the arms of his
jour sons, who were all of them eminent persons; as happy was our Mather;
and, in a Christian account, much more happy. And since his death, our
common Lord has been served by Mr. Samuel Mather, pastor of a church
in Dublin; Mr. Nathanael Mather, pastor after him of the same church,
but, before that, of Barnstable, and then of Rotterdam, and since that of
a church in London ; Mr. ^^leazer Mather, pastor of a church at our North-
ampton; and Mr. Increase Mather, teacher of a church in Boston, and
president of Harvard CoUedge. Now, because this miyhty man, and the
youngest but one of these "arrows in his hand," were not only "lovely
and useful in their lives," but also "in their deaths not divided," (for be
died about three months after his father,) it will be pity to divide them, in
the history of their lives; and therefore of this Mr. Eleazer Mather we
will here subjoin some small account.

§ 19. Mr. Eleazer Mather, (born May 13, 1637,) having passed through
his education in Harvard-Colledge, and having by the living and lively
proofs of a renewed heart, as well as a well-instructed head, recommended
himself unto the service of the churches, the church of Northampton
became the happy owner of his talents. Here he laboured for eleveii years
in the vineyard of our Lord; and then the twelve hours of his day^s
hlmir did expire, not without the deepest lamentations of all the churches,
as well as his own; then sitting along the river of Connecticut. As he
was a very zealous preacher, and accordingly saw many seals of his min-
istry, so he was a very pious walker; and as he drew towards the end of
his days, he grew so remarkably ripe for heaven, in an holy, watchful,
fruitful disposition, that many observing persons did prognosticate his
being not far f roni his end. He kept a diary of his experiences ; wherein
the last words that ever he wrote were these:

"July 10, 1669. — ^Tms evening, if my heart deceive me not, I had some sweet workings
of aoul after God in Christ, accni-ding to the terms of the covenant of grace. The general
and indefinite expression of the promise, wiis an encouragement unto me to lof)k unto Christ,
that lie would do that for me which he hns promised to do for some, nor dare I exclude my
self; but if the Lord will help mo, I desire to lie at his feet, and accept of grace in his own
Wiiy, nnd with iiis own time, tiirough his power enaliling of me. Though I am dead, with-
out strength, help or hope in my self, yet the Lord requireth nothing at my hands in my own
strength ; but that by his power I should look to him, ' to work all his works in me and for
mo.' When I find a dead heart, the thoughts of this are exceeding sweet and reviving,
being full of grace, nnd discovering the very heart and love of Jesus."

He died July 24, 1669, aged years about thirty-two.

458

HAUNALIA OIIRIBTl AMERICANA;

Sie /7oM, tie Viola, prima Moriuntur in Iferba,
Candida, nee Tula, Lilia, Mtnu nitent.*

§ 20. Tho dying words of his father unto his brother, about the rwiig
(/ciwratitm, caused him, in tho few Sabbaths now left before his own death,
to preach several sermons upon tho vuthods that should be taken for the
conveying and securing of religion, with tho good -presence of (Jod unto
that generation [on 1 Kings viii. 57]. The notes which ho left written
of those pungent sermons were afterwards printed, and reprinted, with a
preface of his brother's: and when unto the other signs of churches left
by God, therein mentioned — namely, the people's being abandoned unto
a flighty spirit ; and an ill use made of temporal prosperity ; a spirit of
division and contention, turning religion it self mio faction ; tho efiicaeious
and victorious operations of the Holy Spirit, withdrawn from ordinances
— ho added, the death of such men as arc chief means of continuing tlie
presence of God unto a people, he therein gavo unto us too true an inter-
jmtation of tho sad providence which was just going by death to remove
him from this people unto a better world.

EPITAPIIIUM.

RiniARDUs hie dormit Mathervs
Ltetatua Genuitte Parti,

Incerlum ett, Utrum Doctior, an Melior.
Anima et Gloria, non queunt humari.f

But that nothing may be wanting to his epitaph, I will transcribe the
epitaph which the Keverend old Mr. John Bishop, the pastor of Stamford,
provided for him :

Til Pium, Doetum, et Praelorum, Dortt»tm$tm Mathenira.t

Sinctrut Terrh, neiter jaeet eeee Mathkrdi ;

Rttigionii Honof, fvi tulit ejui OMU,
Qui'cf Ht'ii crat Symxliii SacTi$ dt r(tN« agendum,

lllr. [I)ti ai{/'Htu] scepiui Jietor erat.
JUagnua hie in magnii, non parvam rtbu$ ii»dem

Ti'mponbuf l'arii$ eontribuebat optm;
Consiliia Solidi», Doclrina, Dtiteritate^

Judicio Claro, cumqMe labore gravi.

^am Dottu; Prudent, Piui, tmpiger, ntque peritun.
In Satrit, nee non promtut aii omne Ilonam.

Omnia per Christum potuit, eredrnajue prrcansque
Tanta fuit h'idet, Vis quoque tanta prrrvm.

Hint mihi Sublato Ckaro vi Mortis Jlmiro,
Uac Jimor atque Dolor, cowposuere mcus,

J. EP18COP1U3.

* So dies the early violet and tho rose ;
So lilius wither ero the evening's cloae.

f Hero sleeps KiriiARO Matbcr, whose fortiino it was to have children equal to their sire. It Is quostiiiiinblo
In which he was 8U|>eriur— learning or virtue. His genius and his fame cannot be buried.

X To the Pious, Learned and
Here lies great Mather, who so nobly woro
Religion's honours, and its burdens bore :
Who in the Synod, stayed by God alone,
Its counsels led, and made its acts his own ;
And elsewhere aided — great among the great —
The Church's welfare and the civil state.
His solid Judgment, learning, reason, skill,
He made subservient to his Master's will.

Renoiened Mather, of Dorchester.

Prudent, efficient, bent on human weal.
For all good works he kept a ready zirnl ;
Resolving, through the power of faith and prayer,
In Christ all things to do— all things to dare.

In thoughts like these my spirit seeks relief,
This tribute rendering of its lovo and grief.

OB, TIIC HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

459

CtTApTrDYYT

THE LIPB OF MR. ZAGHARIAH STNNES.

§ 1. Tijv. Empcrour Prohiis having an honour for tho memory of hia
friend Aradion, honoured hitn with a tomb two hundred foot broad. But
our value for tho memory of tlie divines that formerly served our churches,
must not 1)0 mcaHured by tho breadth of our history concerning them.
Wo cannot give much breadth to tho room which wo dedicate in this
our history unto tho memory of our Symmcs, because wo have not
received very largo informations concerning him. Nevertheless, accord-
ing to tho French proverb, Un ministre ne doit Scavoir que sa Bible — " A
minister should know nothing but his Bible" — here was one worthy the
name of a minister; for ho knew hta Bible well, and ho was a preacher of
what ho hiew, and a sufferer for what he preached.

§ 2. Header, we shall not confound ourselves with fables and endless
genealogies, but wo shall truly edify our selves, if wo enquire so far into
the genealogy of Mr. Zachariah Symmes, as to recite a passage written by
Mr. William Symmes, the father of our Zachariah, in a book which was
made by a godly preacher, that was hid in the house of Mr. William
Symmes, the father of William, from the rage of the Marian persecution :

" I note it ns a siXH^inl murry of God, (writes lie, in a leaf of tliat boolc) thnt botli my
ftitlier nnd nuttlicr wore fuvourcrs of the GoHpel, and hated idolatry, under Queen Mary's
persecution. I camo to thiii book by this means: going to Sandwich in Kent to preach, tlie
first or second year after I was orduined mitiister. Anno 1687 or 88, nnd preaching in Saint
Mary's, wlierc Mr. Pawson, un ancient godly preocher, was minister, who knew my porents
well, and mo too at school ; he, after I had finished my sermons, came and brought me this
book for tt present, acquainting me with the above-mentioned circiimstr<,nces. And then he
adds, I charge my sons Zachariah and William, before Him that shall judge the quick and
the dead, that you never defile your selves with any idolatry or superstition whatsoever, but
leurn your religion out of God's holy word, and worship God as ho him self both prescribed,
and not after tho devices and traditions of men. — Scrifsi, Dec. 6, 1602."

§ 3. Descended from such ancestors, our Zachariah was born April 5,
1599, at Canterbury, and tho savoury expressions in the letters yet extant,
which he wrote while he was a youth in the university of Cambridge,
intimate that he was neio-born, while yet a child.

After his leaving the university, he was employed for a while in the houses
of several persons of quality as a tutor to their children, but not without
molestation from the Prelates for his conscientious non-conformity to cer-
tain rites in the worship of God, then imposed on tho consciences of the
faithful. "W^hen he had passed through these changes, he was chosen in
the year 1621, to be a lecturer at Atholines, in the city of London: and
after many troubles from the Bishops-Courts, for his dissent from things,

'. fl-

i :!■

460

MAONALIA CIIKIHTI AMERICAN A;

wlioreto Ills cometit Imil never been rc<iuircd by tlio great "Shc[)]icr(l and
Bishop of our houIh," he reinove<l from theneo in tlio year 1(1*25 to Dun-
stable, where his troubleH from the Hiuhops-Courts continuing, he at length
transported himself with his family into an Ameriean wilderness. New-
England, and Charles'town in Now-Kngland, enjoyed him all the rest of
his days, even until February 4, 1670; when ho retired into a l)etter world.
§ 4. I lis epitaph at Charles-town, where ho was honourably interred,
mentions his having lived forty-nine years and seven months with his
vertuous consort, by whom ho had thirteen children, (Ivo sons and eight
daughters, and annexes this distich:

A prnphot lien under thb utoni*:

lib worda »lioll live, though he be gone.

But OS that eminent person ordered this clause for his own epitaph,
instead of other glories and memoirs which used to adorn a monument,
"Hero lies the friend of Sir Philip Sidney," thus the epitaph of this emi-
nent person might have mentioned one thing more, which might have
gone in the room of many other testimonies to the ability, and integrity,
and zeal, that signalized him: "Ilero lies the friend of Mr. Jeremiah Bur-
roughs." For wo have still to show the letters which that great man sent
unto our Symmes, after his coming to New-England; letters wherein ho
compares the love between them, unto that between David and Jonathan :
as having been a sort of swora brothers to each other ever since their
living together at the University.

THE LIFE OF MR. JOHN ALLIN.

Sequitur quern Vita perennU;

Vivua enim Semper, qui bene vixit, er><.*

§ 1. Why is the dead relation of father Abraham called "his dead," no
less thun eight several times in one short chapter? It seems, though
death has dissolved our old relation to our dead friends, yet it has not
released us from all our duty to them ; they are still so far ours, that we
owe something unto their memory. Eeader, we are entertaining ourselves
with our dead; but if we do nothing to keep alive their memory with us,
we may blush to call them ours.

Among these, one is Mr. John Allin. But if there were such an oflicer
in use among us, as once was among the Greeks, to measure the monu-
ments of dead persons according to their vertues, he would greatly com-

* God for bis portion endless life shall give, | For he who hath lived well, shall always live.

plain!
whoi

who I

Hii

duritl

1:1

OR, TlIK UI8T0KY OV NEW-BNULAND.

461

plain of it, that I hovo Ikjoii oble to recover no more memoirs of a pernon
whoHo vcrtuea and meritM wore fur from tho smalloHt size among tlioMo
who "did worthily in Israel."

^5 2. lie WHS born in tliu year 1596. , '

Having puM.sed his cursits, in thi^ toivjucs and arto, until he wns, oh Theo*
dorit any 8 of Innocent. 'Ayjjivoia >iai tfuvitfn xotffiufxfvo; — Ingcnu et jrrudentice
ornamnntis etjrviju^ Instruelus:* li > became a faithful preacher of Christ,
choosing rather to (li^ in that nnik of Zion than in a rock of diamonds.

It is on ancient observation, thU there were three things done by tho
Holy Spirit of OimI on and for the prophets which were employed in
publick service fir him: one was to give them courage against the rago
of atlversaries. Another was, to give them wisdom for to regulate their
conduct. A third was, to give them vcrtm and holiness^ that their own
consciences might not sting thom, when they were to bestow aculeate
rebukes upon the vices of other men.

This observation, which is as useful aa ancient, was made by them that
considered tho.so words of the prophet Micah: "I am full of (1) power,
by the Spirit of tho Lord. And of (2) judgment. And of (3) vcrtue."
With all of these excellencies did tho Jfoly Spirit of God, in a gracious
measure, adorn our Allin. But when the evil Sjnrit raised a storm of
persecution upon the Puritans, in tho Knglish nation, these excellencies
could not shelter this worthy man fnmi tho injuries of it; but ratb-r
exposed him thereunto. Leaving of England, whereof he might havo
taken that farewel,

JVbn fnr«» PatriA, me cnrtt ilia magi$,i

he chose an American wilderness for his country: and cheerfully con-
formed his ymleel spirit unto the diflTicii'' os of such a wilderness: being
only of Austin's mind about tho banishcu Cbristiuns, Miserrimum esset, si
alicuhi duci })oteranty uhi Jkum suinn von invcninscnt.X

% 3. He was a suflicient scholar, and (which is the way to become so)
a diligent student; but yet his expci .mt'iital acquaintance with Christian-
ity taught him to be of the mind \hich the learned Suarez expressed,
when ho did use to say, "That ho esteemed more that little pittance of
time which he constantly sot apart every day for tho private examination
of his own heart, than all tho other part of the day which he si)ent in
voluminous controversies." His accomplishments were considerable; and
being a very humble man, ho found that sanctified knowledge grows
most luxuriant in the fat valleys of humility: being a very patient man,
he found the dew of Heaven, which falls not in a stormy or cloudy night,
was always falling on a .soid ever serene, with the meekest patience. He
was none of those low-built thatched cottages, that are apt to catch fire:

* Fully equlppod in tho Rraera of gi'itliM an<( underitaniting.

t I love, but novd thno not, awttil imtlvv nhurv; | Thou needest me, and yet thalt need me more.

% U would b« tho di>i>th uf wr«trliv«tm'«a If Ihry could be boniiilied to a place where they could not find their God.

I •

I'M

I \'

462

MAONALIA CIIBISTI AMERICANA;

but, like an high-built castle or palace, free from the combustions of ^fw-
sion. He was indeed one of so sweet a temper, that his friends anagram-
matised John Allin into this:

IN HONI ALL.

§ 4. His polemical abilities were discovered in a treatise called, "^
Defence of Oie Nine Positions;^' wherein (being of Calvin's mind, "ink is
too dear and costly with us, if we doubt to spend ink in writing, to testifie
those things which martyrs of old sealed with their blood:") he, with Mr.
Shepard of Cambridge, handle the points of church-reformation ; at what
rate, not my pen, but our famous old Mr. Cotton's in his preface to a book
of Mr. Norton's may describe unto us:

"Shepardus, una cum Allinio Fratre, {Fralrum dulce par,) uti eximid pietate
fiorent atnbo, et Eruditione non mediocri, alqu^ eliam Mysleriorum Pietatis pradU
catione (per Christi Gratiam) efficaci admodum, ila egregiam novarunt Operant in
abstrusissimis DuciplituB nodis feeliciter enodandis. Verba horum Fratrum, uti
suaviter spirant Fietatem, Veritatem, Charitatem Christi; ila speramus fore {per
Christi Gratiam) ut mulli, qui a Disciplind Christi alienores erant, odore horum
unguentorum Christi effusorum delibati atque delincti, ad amorem ejus et pellecti
et pertracti, earn avidius arripiunt atque amplexentur."*

Moreover, another judicious discourse of his, in defence of the Synod
held at Boston, in the year 1662, has declared his principles about church-
discipline, as well as his ahilities to maintain his principles. The person
against whom he wrote this defence, was that very person whose life shall
be the very next in our history ; for,

Hi Motus Animorum atque hac certamina ianta,
Pulcerit exiguiJactu cotnpreata.quieecunt.i

§ 5. When the holy church of Dedliam was gathered, in the year 1638,
he became their pastor; and in the pastoral care of that church he con-
tinued until August 26, 1671; when, after ten days of easie sickness, he
died, as Myconius well expresses it, Vitaliter mori;X in the seventy-fifth
year of his age.

Now, according to that of Jerom, Lacrymce Auditorum Tuce sint Laudes;^
behold, reader, the praises of this excellent man. His flock published
the two last sermons that ever he preached; one whereof was on Cant.
viii. 5: "Who is this that comes np from the wilderness, leaning on her

* Shipard, together with his brother Allin, (a charming brotherhood,) not only exhibit extraordinary piety
and learning, and even efficiency (through the grace of Christ) in preaching the mysteries ul' godliness, but aleio
have succeeded most happily in elucidating, with true originality, some of the most abstruso questions of Church
Government. To such an extent doth the language of these brethren breathe the spirit of piety, truth, and Chris-
tian charity, that we hope that (thrr.iTh the same grace of Christ) many who are now averse to His discipline,
may, when touched and anointed with the true Christian perfumes diffused through these poges, and so allured to
the love of Christ, embrace him with the greater eagerness.

t These heated conflicts, which so fiercely rage,
A handful of light duit ahall soon assuage.— Viroil. Oeor. Iv.

X A death moat like to life. g The tears of thy hearers should be thy prnicen.

mad

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

463

ons of ^flw-
3 anagram-

called, "^
id, "ink is
r, to testifie
3, with Mr.
n ; at what
} to a book

imid pietate
talis pradi.
Operam in
Fralrum, uti
s fore (per
dore horum
s et pellecti

the Synod
nt church-
he person
e life shall

ear 1638,
1 he con«
kness, he
enty-fifth

Laudes;^
)ublished
on Cant,
g on her

>rdinary picljr
IC89, hul also
ns of Church
li, and Chris-
is discipline,
su allured to

praUeo.

beloved?" The other on John xi v. 22: "Peace I leave with you." But
they write their preface with tears; and with fearful praises they celebrate
him, as one altogether above their praises: and a "constant, faithful, dili-
gent steward in the house of God; a man of peace and truth, and a burn-
ing and a shining light." Adding, "The crown is fallen from our heads:
Oh! that it were with us as in times past!" which desire of theirs has
been happily answered in two most worthy successors.

The character once given to Philippus Gallus may very justly be now
made the epitaph of our John Allin:

EPITAPHIUM.

JOHANNES ALLINIUS.

Vir Sincerut, Aman» pads, patienague Laborum,
PertpieuuB, Simplex, Doctrina purua Amator.*

kj JiiL ^Oii (IT X Jj Jiti lAt tbOK iL X X a

GADMUS AMERICANUS.f THE LIFE OF MR. CHARLES CUANCEY.

Suadel Lingua, Jubet Vita.t

§ 1. There was a famous person in times, by chronological computa-
tion, as ancient as the days of Joshua, known by the name of Cadmus;
who carried not only people, but letters also, from Phoenitia into Boeotia.
The Grecian fable of a serpent, in the story of Cadmus, was only derived
from the name of an Hivite, w^hich by his nation belonged unto him ; for
an Hivite signifies a serpent in the language of Syria. This renowned Cad-
mus was indeed a Gibeonite, who having been well treated by Joshua, and
by Joshua not only continued in the comforts of life, but also instructed
and employed in the service of the true God, he retained ever after most
honourable sentiments of that great commander. Yea, when after ages,
in their songs, praised Apollo for his victory over the dragon Pytho, they
uttered but the disguised songs of Canaan, wherein this Cadmus had cel-
ebrated the praises of Joshua for his victory over Og the King of Bashan.
Cadmus having been (as one of the Greek poets writes of him) educated
in Hebron or Debir, the universities of Palestine, was fitted thereby to be
a leader in a great undertaking; and when the oppression of Cushanrish-
athaim caused a number of people to seek out new seats, there were many
who, under the conduct of Cadmus, transportjd themselves into Greece,
where the notions and customs of an Israelitish original were therefore a
long while preserved, until they were confounded with Pagan degenera-

.1;

( if ; 3

> sincere, peace-loving, ready to endure ;
In language ainiple, and in doctrine pure.

t The American Cadmus.

i His tongue advisrs, and bis life persuades.

■i

464

MAONALIA CnBISTI AMERICANA;

cies. There is reason to think that a colony of Hebrews themselves did
now swarm out into Peloponnesus, where the book of Maccabees will help
us to find Lacedemonians (or Cadmonians, that is, the followers of Cadmus,
in their true etymology) "of the stock of Moraham;" and we know that
Strabo tells us that Cadmus had Arabians (and the Israelites were by such
heathen writers accounted so) in his company. Accordingly, when we
read that a college among the old Grecians was called academia, we may
soon inform our selves that it was at first called Cadmia or Cadmea, in
commemoration of Cadmus the Phoenician; to whom those parts of the
world were first beholden for such nurseries of good literature and religion.

These researches into antiquity had not in this place been laid before
my reader, if they might not have served as an introduction unto this
piece of New-English history ; that when some ecclesiastical oppressions
drove a colony of the truest Israelites into the remoter parts of the world,
there was an academy quickly founded in that colony: and our Chancey
was the Cadmus of that academy ; by whose vast labour and learning the
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, served by all the human sciences,
hath been conveyed unto posterity.

It is now fit that a few memoirs of that reverend man should fill our
pages.

§ 2. Mr. Charles Chancey was an Hartfordshire man ; born in the year
1589, of parents that were both honourable and religious. Being sent
from thence to Westminster-school, his hopeful proficiency in good liter-
ature, within a short while, ripened him for the university. And it was
one thing which caused him to have the more feeling resentments of the
famous Powder-Plot, the report whereof will make a noise as long as the
fifth of November is in our kalendar; that at the time when that plot
should have taken its horrid effect, he was at that school, which must also
have been blown up, if the Parliament-house had perished. The university
of Cambridge was that which afterward instructed and nourished this
eminent person, and fitted him for the service wherein he had opportunity
afterwards to demonstrate that he was indeed such a person. The partic-
ular college whereof he was here a member, was Trinity College ; by the
same token, that in the Lachrymce Cantahriyienses^* published by the Can-
tabrigians, on the death of Queen Ann, I find him in that style composing
and subscribing one of the most witty Latin poems in that whole collec-
tion. Here he proceeded Batchelour of Divinity: and having an intimate
acquaintance with that great man Dr. Usher, whom all men have confessed
worthy of the character wherewith Voetus mentions him, Vastm Lectionis
et eruditionis Theologus^ inque Antiquitate EccUsiastica Versatissiniits,-f he i_ad
hereby an opportunity farther to advantage himself with the ancient mon-
uments in King James' library.

• The tears of Cambridge.

t A tboulugian of great niadlng and ocqulrementB, Bdmlrnbly rersed in the antiquitiiis of Uie church.

in
&i

OE, THE HISTORY OF NFW-ENGLAND.

465

' !• '-.

•ch.

§ 3. By the head of the houses he was chosen 5eJrety-professor; but the
Vice-Chancellour, Dr. Williams, preferring a kinsman of his own to that
place, at the same time he put our Mr. Chancey into the place of Greek'
professor ; and as one well known to be an accurate Orecian, it was he that
afterwards was the 0. C. the Vir Doctissimus et Piissimus* whose ^^jxpuriff
you have at the beginning of Leigh's " Gi itica Sacra^^ upon the New-Tes-
tament. He was indeed a person incomparably well skilled in all the
learned languages, especially in the Oriental, and eminently in the Hebrew,
in his obtaining whereof his conversation with a Jew for the space of a
year was no little advantage to him. I know that the Hebrew tongue, as
an exception to the general rule, Diffkilia qum Pukhra^X is more easily
attained than any that I have yet observed; and hence we see even our
English women, sometimes in a little while, and with a little pains, grown as
expert at it as the ladies Pausa or Blasilla, by Jerom therefore celebrated;
and I have wished that many ift the world were more moved by those
words of a worthy author, Aiisim spondere, illos qui Studiis Hebraicis tantum
Temporis Impenderent, quantum Tvhuh Nicotianoe imhibendo, {quo nunc para
bona Studiosorum pro Hydragogo uti consuevit) turn Mane, turn Vesperi, im,'
pendi solet, progressus in hujusce Linguce Gognitione haud Vidgares brevi esse
facturos, adeo ut mirentur, se esse turn doctos, antequam Didicerint.% Never-
theless, this tongue is as easily forgotten. But being once attained, and
therewithal j^reserved and improved, good men will find as our Mr. Chancey
did that the conjunct ^ro^< and pleasure of it were inexpressible; and that
the talents wherewith it would furnish them to do so many services for the
Church of God, were such as to make them join with Luther in his pro-
testation, "That he would not part with his knoweldge of the Hebrew for
many thousands of pounds;" or to approve the (usual) modest words of
Melancthon, '^Scio me vix primis Labris degustasse Ilebraicas Literas; sed
tamen hoc Ipsum, quod didici quantulumcunque est, propter Judicium de Reli-
gione, Omnibus Mundi Regnis omniumque opibus Longe Antepono>\

% 4, When he left the university, he became a diligent and eminent
preacher of the gospel at Marston ; but after some time he removed him-
self to Ware, where the " hand of the Loi* 1 was with him, an^l many
believed, and turned unto the Lord." Here it was that the successes of
his faithful ministry, in the instruction of the ignorant and the conversion
of the ungodly, became a matter of much observation.

But when Satan wanted a Shibboleth for the discovering and extinguish-
ing such an holy ministry throughout the nation, the miserable Areh-Bishop
Laud served him with a license for sports on the Lord's day; whereby the

* Most tuarned and pioua man. f Critical estimate. % The mo8t beautirul studies are the most difficult.

g I wniild dare to promise, that if students will devote to the studjr of the Hebrew tongue as much time at
morning and oviining os some persons spend in smoking their tobacco-pipes, (wliich, by the way, a good share of
our student!) nov-a-days uee for on absorbent,) they will muke such uncommon progress in the mastery of the lan>
gunge, that they will be surprised at the proficiency which they have unconsciously attained.

I I know I have scarcely touched Hebrew Literature with my lips; but nevertheless I prefer my very trifling
acquaintance with it, us a key to religious knowledge, to lUl the kingdoms of the world and the riches of the universe.

Vol. I.— 30

Pit!

^';l

i; t ! I ,',■

I'sfl

t '^1

466

MA6NALIA CHBISTI AMEBICAXA;

people were after an horrid manner invited unto the profanation of that
sacred rest; and indeed of every thing sacred with it. Then it was that
our Mr. Chancey, hearing the drums beat for dances and frolicks on the
Lord's day, was, like other good men, afraid that God would break the
rest of the kingdom, and cause drums to be beaten up for marches and hat-
tels on that very day. But when he was inhibited from attending of other
exercises, on the afternoons of the Lord's day he set himself to catechise
as many as he could, both old and young; which, as the bishop in sheeps*
chathing said, was "as bad as preaching." And by such methods he still
continued serving the interests of the gospel.

§ 5. But about this time there arose a storm of most unreasonable, but
irresistible persecution upon those ministers who were well-wishers to the
progress of the Protestant reformation in the kingdom; and Mr. Chancey
was one of those who suffered in it. In Mr. Rushworth's collections for
the year 1629, I find this passage:

"Mr. Churles Chancey, minister of Ware, using some expressions in his sermon, that
•Idohitr)' was admitted into the church;' that 'the preaching of the gospel would be sup-
pressed ;' that ' there is much Atheism, Popery, Arminianism and Heresy, crept into the church :'
and this being looked upon to raise a fear among the people that some alteration of religion
would ensue; he was questioned in the High Commission; and by orjor of that court the
cause was referred to the Bishop of London, being his ordinary; who ordered him to make
a subm.ssion in Latin."

This worthy man being, by the terrors and censures of that infamous
court, suddenly surprised unto a sort of subm''^sion, which gave too good
an acknowledgment of the constitution, whereinto the Laudian faction
was then precipitating the Church of England, he no sooner got a little
out of the temptation, but he signalized his repentance of that submission,
with a zeal not unlike that of the blessed Cranmer against his own right
hand for subscribing his recantation. Although he was not long without
the faith of his having this his too sudden compliance with the demands
of his persecutors "forgiven in heaven," yet he never forgave himself as
long as he lived on earth; he would on all occasions express him='^lf
extreamly dissatisiied, as well at the ill things then advanced in tae
Church of England, as at himself also for ever in the least, consenting to
those things. Those memorable Puritans which were driven into Amer-
ica, all of them had a dislike of the deformities which they saw yet cleav-
ing to the Church of England ; but I question whether any disliked them
with such fervent expressions of indignation as our Mr. Chancey, who
thus took the revenges of a deep repentance upon his own conformity to
them. And few suffered for non-conformity more than he, hy fines, by
gaols, by necessities to abscond, and at last by an exile from his native coun-
try. Yea, though he had lived a very exact life, yet when he came to
die, more than forty years aft«r this, he left these words in his last will
and testament:

of that
(ras that

on the
eak the
and bat-
of other
catechise
a "'■— '

he still

ible, but
s to the
Chancey
tions for

rmon, that
Id bo sup-
he church:'
of religion
; court the
itn to muke

infamous
too good
faction
t a little
amission,
\vn right
without
emanda
mself as
hims'^lf
in tuo
jnting to
o Amer-
et cleav-
:ed them
;ey, who
irmity to
fines, by
ve coun-
come to
last will

OB, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

467

"In regard of corrupt nature, I do acknowledge my »alf to be a child of wrath, and sold
under sin, and one that hath been polluted with innumerable transgressions and mighty sins,
which, as fur as I know and can call to remembrance, I keep still fre»h before me, and desire
with mourning and self abhorring st'U to do, as long as life shall last; and especially my
so many sinful compliances with and conformity unto vile human inventions, and will-wor-
ship, and hell-bred superstition, and pateheries sticht into the service of the Lord, (which
the English Mass book, I mean, the 'Book of Common Prayer,' and the 'Ordination of
Priests,' &c., are fully fraught withal.)"

§ 6. There was once a Parliament in England, whereto a speech of no
less a man than the Lord Digby made a complaint, " that men of the best
conscience were then ready to fly into the wilderness for religion :" and
it was complained in an elegant speech of Sir Benjamin Eudyard's, "A
great multitude of the King's subjects, striving to hold communion with
us, but seeing how far we were gone, and fearing how much farther we
would go, were forced o fly the land, very many into salvage wilder-
nesses, because the land would not bear them: do not they that cause
these things cast a reproach upon the government?" And in a notable
speech of Mr. Fiennes, "a certain number of ceremonies, in the judgment
of some men unlawful, and to be rejected of all churches, in the judgment
of all other reformed churches, and in the judgment of our own church,
but indijferent, yet what difference — yea, what distraction have these indif-
ferent ceremonies raised among us? What hath deprived us of so many
thousands of Christians, which desired, and in all other respects deserved
to hold communion with us; I say, what hath deprived us of them, and
scattered them into I know not what places and corners of the world,
but these indifferent ceremonies P^ It was then that Mr. Pym, in the name
of the House of Commons, impeaching A. B. Laud, before the House of
Lords had these expressions: "You have the King's loyal subjects ban-
ished out of the kingdom, not as Elimelech, to seek for bread in foreign
countries, by reason of the great scarcity which was in Israel ; but travel-
ling abroad for the bread of life, because they could not have it at home,
by reason of the spiritual famine of God's word, caused by this man and
his partakers: and by this means you have the industry of many thou-
sands of his majesty's subjects carried out of the land." And at last the
whole House of Commons put this article in the remonstrance, which
they then made unto the King: "The Bishops and their Courts did
impoverish many thousand; and so afflict and trouble others, that great
numbers, to avoid their miseries, departed out of the kingdom, some into
New-England and other parts of America."

But it is now time to tell my reader that, in the transportations thus
reasonably and parliamentarily complained of, one of the most consider-
able persons removing into America was Mr. Charles Chancey, who
arrived at Plymouth in New-England a few days before the great earth-
quake which happened January 1, 1638.

§ 7. After he had spent some time in the ministry of the gospel with

., is'

468

MAGNALIA CHRI8T1 AMERICANA;

III

Mr. Reyner of Plymouth, he removed unto a town a little northward of
it, called Scituate, where he remained for three and three times three yeare,
cultivating the vineyard of the Lord in that place. Of this his ministry
at Scituate let me preserve at least this one remembrance: having his ordi-
nation renewed at his entrance upon this new relation, he did at that
solemnity preach upon those words, in Prov. ix. 3, " Wisdom hath sent
forth her maidens:" and in his discourse, making a most affectionate
reflection upon his former compliances with the temptations of the High
Commission Court, he said, with tears "Alas, Christians! I am no maiden;
my soul hath been defiled with false worship; how wondrous is the free-
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, that I should still be employed among the
maidens of wisdom !"

Afterwards, upon an invitation from his old people at Ware to return
unto them, he purposed a removal with his family back to England ; but
when he came to Boston in order thereunto, the overseers of Harvard-
Colledge at Cambridge, which now wanted a President, by their vehement
importunity, prevailed with him to accept the government of that society ;
wherein worthily "chusing their way, and sitting chief, and dwelling
as a King in the midst of his army, " he continued unto the day of his
death. From this time I behold him as another Elijah, shedding his
benign influences on the "school of the prophets;" and with immense
labours instructing, directing, and feeding the "hope of the flock in the
wilderness." At his instalment, he concluded his excellent oration, made
unto a venerable assembly, then filling the CoUedge-Hall, with such a
passage as this, unto the students there : Doctiorem certe Prcesidem, et huic
Oneri ac Stationi multis Modis Aptiorem, vobis facile licet Invenire, sedAman-
tiorem, K't vsstri Boni Studiosiorem, non Invenietis* And certainly he was
as good as his word. How learnedly he now conveyed all the liberal arts
unto those that "sat at his feet;" how wittily he moderated their disputa-
tions and other exercises ; how constantly he expounded the Scriptures to
the CoUedge-Hall ; how fluently he expressed himself unto them, with
Latin of a Terentian phrase, in all his discourses; and how carefully he
inspected theii manners, and was above all things concerned for them,
that they might answer a note which he gave them — ["When you are
your selves interested in the Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness, you
will be fit to be teachers of others : Isaiah cries, Now send me / when his
sins were pardoned: but without this, you are fit for nothing:"] — will
never be forgotten by many of our most worthy men, who were made
such men by their education under him : for we shall find as many of his
disciples in our catalogue of graduates, as there were in that colledge of
believers at Jerusalem, whereof we read in the first chapter of the Acts of
the Apostles. But if there were any disadvantages of an hasty temper

* Although you con easily find a more learned President than myself, and better qualified in many respects
for this duty and station, you could not have fuund one more aOectionate towards you or more zealous for your good.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

469

sometimes in his conduct, they still were presently so corrected with his
lioly temper, that this did but invite persons to think the more of that
Elias to whom we have compared him; and therefore, as they were for-
gotten by every one in the very day (f them, they are at this day much
more to be so : Mr. Urian Oakes, that preached his funeral sermon, well
said, "The mention thereof was to ba wrapped up in Elijah's mantle."
But if the whole country were sensible of the blessing which all New-
England enjoyed in our Chancey now at Cambridge, the church of Cam-
bridge, to whom he now joined and preached, had a very particular cause
to be so. And so indeed they were; by the same token, ihat when he had
been above a year or two in the town, the church kept a whole day of
THANKSGIVING to God, for the mercy which they enjoyed in his being there.
§ 8. He was a most indefatigable student, which with the blessing of
God rendered him a most incomparable scholar. He rose very early, about
four a clock, both winter and summer; and he set the scholars an example
of diligence hardly to be followed. But Bene Orasse, est Bene Studuisse:*
by interweaving of constant prayers into his holy studies, he made them
indeed holy ; and my reader shall count, if he pleases, how oft in a day
he addressed Heaven with solemn devotions, and judge whether it might
not be said of our Charles, as it was of Charles the Great, (which is indeed
the way to become great,) Carolm plus cum Deo, quam ctim Ilominibus
loquitur, -f when I have told that at his first getting up in a morning, he
commonly spent near an hour in secret prayer, before his minding any
other matter; then visiting the colledge-hall, ho expounded a chapter
(which was first read from the Hebrew) of the Old Testament, with a short
prayer before, and a long one after his exposition : ho then did the like
upon another chapter, with a prayer before and after, in his family: about
eleven a clock in the forenoon, he retired again about three-quarters of an
hour for secret prayer. At four a clock in the afternoon he again did the
•like. In the evening he expounded a chapter (which was first read into
the Greek) of the New-Testament, in the colledge-hall, with a prayer in
like manner before and after; the like he did also in his family; and when
the bell rang for nine at night, he retired for another hour of secret prayer
before the Lord. But on the Lord's day's morning, instead of his accus-
tomed exposition, he preached a sermon upon a text, for about three-quar-
ters of an hour, in the ccUedge hall. Besides all this, he often set apart
whole days for prayer with fasting alone by himself; yea, and sometimes
he spent whole nights in prayer, before the "Heavenly Father who sees in
secret." Many days of prayer with fasting he also kept with his religious
consort: and many such days he also kept with his family, calling in the
company and assistance of three or four godly neighbours: besides what
he did more publickly among the people of God. Behold, how near this
good man approached unto the strictest and highest sense of praying always.

* To pray well, fa to study well. t Cbarlii convenes mora with Qud than with men.

i; ..;

1' 1

470

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

Chrysostom tells us that Christ and Paul commanded us to make our
prayers, Bpaj^siai x«i levxvag, xui sj i^jyuv JiaXtfAfiaruv — "short and frequent,
and with little distances between them." And Cassianus mentions it, as
the universal consent of ancients, Ulilius censent Breves Ch-ationes, setf crt'
herrimas fieri.* The prayers of our Chancey were such for X]\Q\r frequency,
whatever they might be sometimes for their brevity. Moreover, 'twas hi.s
constant practice, not only on the Lord's days in the evenings, but every
day, morning and evening, after he hfid expounded a chapter, to examine
his children and servants with some fit questions thereupon. On the Lord's
days, once a fortnight, he preached publickly in the forenoons : but wlien
he did not so, he had the morning sermon repeated at noon, and the after-
noon sermon repeated at night, and both tho sermons repeated once more
in the evening, before the next Lord's day: at which times he still took
occasion to reinforce the more notable truths occurring in the sermons,
with pertinent applications of his own.

At this rate this eminent person "ran the race that was set before him:"
and though one would have thought that so laborious a race must have
been quickly run, yet, if that may be an encouragement unto diligent fol-
lowers, let them know that fourscore years of age dispatched it not; he
continued a "green olive tree" in the "house of God," long after he was
gray headed for age; and in his old age he did not leave off to bring forth
fruit unto the praise of God. I find that the law of redemption, in the last
chapter of Leviticus, (in Hos. iii. 2, alluded unto) valued a man above
sixty but at fifteen shekels ; whereas a man between twenty and sixty was
valued at (an homer of barley, or) no less than fifty shekels. But tho
worth of our Chancey at eighty, continued much what as it was when he
was under sixty; and he was a person of great ivorth and xise unto the last.
Indeed, it was hia laudable ambition to be so. Whence, after age had
enfeebled him, the fellows of the colledge once leading this venerable old
man to preach a sermon in a winter-day, they, out of affection unto him,
to discourage him from so difficult an undertaking, told him, "Sir, you'll
certainly die in the pulpit. But he laying hold on what they said, as if
they had offered him the greatest encouragement in the world, pressed the
more vigorously through the snow-drift, and said, "How glad should I
be, if what you say might prove true!"

§ 9. He kept a diary, the loss of which I cannot but mention with regret;
nevertheless, I can report thus much of it, that it was methodized under the
heads of sins and mercies. Under the head of sins, he took notice of his
failings, as if he had spoken a passionate word, or been dull and cold in
his duties, and the like. Under the head of mercies, he took notice of the
special and more signal favours which Heaven bestowed upon him. He
was also very much in meditation, and in that one important kind and
part of it, self-examination, especially in his preparations for the Lord'a

* That they thought it moat salutary to make short prayers, and to make them often.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

471

table. From his diary we liave recovered a little relating thereunto; and
for a specimen, the reader shall here have a few of his notes, which he
entitled,

SELF-TRIALS BEFORE THE SACRAMENT.
TRIAL OF MY P^RT /JV CI." .".

1. I am subject to tho comuiandtnent of believing on his person.

3. I rest and rely upon him only for snlvution.
8. I resolve, by God's help, to leave all for him.

4. All my hopes are in him, imd he is my peace.
6. By his spirit given me.

6. That I walk "not after the flesh, but after the spirit"

7. By muny tokens of his lovo to me.

TRIALS OF MY FjtlTU.

1. By tho growth of it

2. By tho /i/c of it

8. By the/r«t/sofit

TRIAL OF MY REPEJfTJtJWE.

By the nature of it: that .a, change of mind, and my purpose to turn from all sin to God;
"dying djiiiy to sin."

TRIAL OF MY VPHIOMTJVESS TOWARDS GOD.

1. My care to keep his commandments.

2. That his "commandments arc not grievous to me."

3. Desire of union with him, and "cleaving to him with full purpose of heart"

TRIAL OF MY BROTHERLY LOVE.

1. Not to suffer sin upon any one.

2. To love ail the saints for truth's soke.

3. Love of the Godly dead.

By reciting those qualifications of a Christian, by which this exem-
plary Christian would examine himself, I have described how exemplarily
he himself was qualified.

§ 10. His conduct of himself in his ministry (wherein he preached
over the whole Gospel of John, the Acts of the Apostles, the three Epis-
tles of John, and largely handled the doctrine of Self-denial, Faith, Jus-
tification, Adoption, Sanctification, and many other occasional subjects)
will be most exactly apprehended from the council which I find him writ-
ing to another minister, in a letter dated December 20, 1665.

"In your ministerial work (saith he) let mo give you a few directions:

" ]. Be much in pmyer to God: thereby you shall And more succour {.nd success in your
ministry, than by all your study.

"2. Preach much about the misery of the state of nature, the preparatives to conversion;
the nature of conversion, or effectual calling; the necessity of union and communion with
Christ; the nature of saving and justifying faith, and the fruits thereof — love and jjood
works, nnd sunctitication.

'*3. Explain tho words of your text clearly; bring clear proof of parallel scriptures; let
your rcnsoiis be Scripture-reasons ; but be most in application ; which is spent in five uses,
refutation of error, information of the truth, correction of manners, exhortation and instruc-
tion in righteousness. All which you find in 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. And there is a fifth use,
viz: of comfort, 1 Cor. xiv. 3.

,l''f

\'m

472

MAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

"4. Preach not high notions. Read Ames' Medulla; and the explication of 1 Cor. ii. I 2.
Neither use nny dark Latin words, or nnv H»^H«""' tlienco, which poor people can't understand,
without explaining of them, so that the poorest and simplcHt people may undcrstiuid all.

"5. I advise you being once in office to catechise every Lord's day in the afternoon, so oa
to go through the catechise once in a year.

"Finally, bo very careful of scriptural rules to God's ministers, ^OpiofuTv rov Xo^ov,
op^oira^trv xai iv nrpoo'tfsup^aif ■apo<txafreps7v"*

Thus did ho advise, without occasion to make confession of the poet,
which of all is the most unhappy for the preacher.

Monitit turn minor ipie meiit.f

He was, indeed, an exceeding plain preacher, frequently saying, Artia
est Celare Artem\X and yet a more learned and a more ^tueZy preacher has
rarely been heard. He would therefore mention it, as a pious and pru-
dent complaint of Keverend Mr. Dod, "That too many ministers deal like
unskilful archers ; they shoot over the heads, and much more over the
hearts of their hearers, and miss their mark, while they soar so high by
handling deep points; or by using of obscure and dark expressions or
phrases in their preaching." But for the preaching of our Chancey, the
same account may be given of it that Photius gives about the preaching
of Athanasius: In Sermonibm vbique in Locutione Clarus est, et Brevis, et
Simplex, Acutus tamen et Altus, et Argumentationibus, omnio veJiemens, et in
his Tanta Lihertas, ut Admirabilis sit.^

§ 11. In the colledge whereof he was president, he did the part, T2
(piXav^pwirs xm (piXolJsjj *aiisu« — '^An instructor inspired with the love of Ood
and the love of souls." But if the reader expect any further account of
this reverend man — what he was, what he thought, and what he preached —
let him give himself the edifying pleasure of reading what he printed.
But of his printed composures, the more considerable were his twenty-
six sermons xxipon justification, published in the year 1659. On the motive
which he mentioned in the preface thereunto — "My particular employ-
ment," saith he, " wherein I hope that my desire is to serve the Lord in
truth, and to seek the great benefit of youth and students, who are to be
trained up, 'Ev vs^stfia t2 Kupis — that is, in the doctrine of the Lord — that may
put a right understanding into them, bath moved me to represent this
doctrine of justification as a standard of truth and salvation to them; which
they should hold fast, and as the Lord shall call them thereunto hold forth
in their generations." It had been an isual thing with him solemnly to
caution scholars against those doctrines which exalt man and debase Christ:
and he thought particularly with Luther, Amisso articuh justificationis et
amissa est simul lota Doctrina Christiana.\\

* To divide rightly the word, to walk uprightly, and be Instant in prayer.

t I cannot reach the standard of my own admonitions. % It is the glory of art to conceal the art.

( In his diccourses, bis diction is perspicuous, terse, and simple: vet is bis reasoning ingenious, profound, and
powerful, and at the same time conducted with marvellous ease.

I Let the single article of Justification by Faith be lost, and the wl . 6 system of Christian doctrine is lost with it

a|
■I

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

473

the

It with it

And agreeably to that caution, we have him, in this his most judicious
treatise, maintaining —

"That justificution is a judicial proceeding, wherein the sentence of God abiokes and
aequits the sinner from the guilt uf sin, and accepts him as a just person unto eternal life.

"That the justification of a sinner before God, in the decree of it, in the jmrchase of it,
and in the application of it, is to he ascribed unto the free grace of God, and yet there is
also 11 glorious concurrence of strict justice thereunto.

"That the Son of God, condescending to bo the surety of his chosen, took their debt upon
himself, and by suffbring the full punishment which was duo for their sins, made tlint Hutis.
faction unto the justice of G«>d, whereupon we receive the remission of sins, which, without
such a satisfaction, had been impossible.

"That none of the afflictions which befal the faithful are proper punishments for sin, but
the corrective dispensions of a careful /a/Aer, and the sanative dispensations of a prudent healer.

"That yet many Godly men smart for their boldness in sin: and when Paul writing to
saints, tells them, 'If you live after the flesh, you shall die,' he speaks not only of tem<
poral, but of eternal death: for though *tis not possible for saints to die eternally, *tis oa
possible for them to die eternally as to sin eternally.

"That we are not justified by faith, as it is a work in us, nor is our act of believing any
part of the matter of that rigiiteousness wherein we stand righteous before God. But
futh does only justiiio us relatively, or as it has reference to its olyect, the Lord Jesus Christ
and his righteousness, or aa it receives the mercy of God in the Lord Jesus Christ; or as
the beggar's hand receiving a bag of gold enricheth him : it is but a passive instrument ;
and the words of James, ' That a man is justified by works, and not by faith ulone,' do not
oppose the other words of Paul, but only assert that a justifying faith is in this opposed
unto a false and dead faith, it wil' certainly be effectual to produce good works in the believer.

"That believers, notwithstanding the forgiveness of their sins, ought often to renew all
the expressions of repentance for their sins, and still to be fervent and instant in prayer for
pardon; inasmuch as we have need of having remission afresh applied unto us; and we also
need the joys and fruits of our pardon, and the grace to make a right use thereof.

"That the whole obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ, both active and passive, belongs to
that perfect righteousness which is required in order to justification; and this righteousness
of God is conveyed unto believers by way of imputation: it is reckoned and accounted
theirs, upon their apprehending of it; which imputation is a gracious act of God the Father,
whereby as a judge ho accounts the sins of the believer unto the surety, as if he had
committed the same, and the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ unto the believer,
as if he had performed that obedience.

"That still it follows not that every believer is a Redeemer and a Saviour of others, as the
Lord Jesus Christ himself is ; it is the righteousness of the surety, and not the suretiship it
self, that is imputed unto the believer: the suretiship is proper unto our Lord, and because the
vertue which is in the heod is communicated unto the members, 'tis frivolous thence to argue,
that every member is thereby made an head, and has the influence of our head upon the rest.

"That as Adam was the common root of all mankind, and so his first sin is imputed unto
all his posterity ; thus our Lord Jesus Christ is the common root of all the faithful, and his
obedience is imputed unto them all."

This was the old faith of New-England about that most important
article o^ j'mtijication ; an article wherein all the duties and comforts of
our holy religion are more than a little concerned. And I thought I could
not make a fitter present unto the "sons of my mother," than by thus
laying before the scholars of Harvard-CoUedge an abstract of what the
venerable old President of that coUedge left as a kgacy unto them.

I' 'I

474

MAONALIA ClIRISTI AMERICANA;

H !■

All that I shall add upon it is, that ns 'tis the observation of our Dr.
Owen, in his must judicious book of justification:

"I nm not sntiaflcd that nny of thotto who at prcHent opt)nno tliis doctrinn, do in holincsa
and righteouMnc89, nnd tho cxori'iau of all Christinn graces, Hurpnim those who in the last
agcM, both in this and other nations, firmly adhcrred unto it, and who constantly testiricd
unto that ctTectuul influence which it Imd into their wallcing before (iod; nor do I l(now
that any can bo named amongst us in the former nges, who were eminent in holiness, and
many such then were, who did not cordially assent unto that which we plead for. And
it doth not yet appear in general that an attempt to introduce a doctrine contrary unto it,
has had any great success in the reformation of tho lives of mon."

So our holy Chancey was an eminent instance to confirm something of
this observation. Albeit ho were so elaborately solicitous to exclude good
works from any share in the "antecedent condition of our justification;"
yet there were few men in the world who more practically and accurately
acknowledged the necessity of good works in all the justified: and so
afraid was he of defiling his own soul, and of disturbing his own peace,
by the admission of any known sin, that though he made so many stated
supplications every day, yet, if he had fallen into any misbecoming pas-
sion, or any sensible distemper or disorder of heart in the day, it occa-
sioned his immediate retirement for another prayer extraordinary before
the Lord.

§ 11. I remember that upon the article in the praises of a good man,
[Psal. i. 8,] "He brings forth his fruit in his season," there is a notable
gloss of Aben Ezra, to this purpose: Anima Rationalis^ plena Scipkntm, in
Tempore Scnedutis opportunOy separatur a Corpore, sicut Fructus ah Arhore,
et non moritur ante Diem.'* Such a tree was our Chancey, and such was
his fate. This eminent soldier of our Lord Jesus Christ, alter he was come
to be fourscore years of age, continued still to "endure hardness as a good
soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ;" and still professed, with the aged Poly-
carp, That he "was not willing to leave the service of the Lord, that had
more than fourscore years been a good master to him." When his friends
pressed him to remit and abate his vast labours, he would reply, Oportet
Imperatonm Stantem mori;\ according he stood beyond expectation, direct-
ing in the learned camp, where he had been a commander. At length, on
the commencement in the year 1671, he made a farewel oration, wherein
he took a solemn farewel of his friends, and then sent for his children,
upon whom he bestowed a solemn blessing, with fervent prayers, com-
mending them to the grace of God. So like aged R. Simeon, once ('tis
by some thought) the president of a college at Jerusalem, he kept icaitinj
and longing for his call, " to depart in peace !" Accordingly the end of
this year proved the end oi his days: when illness growing upon him,
the reverend Mr. Urian Oakes, after his requested supplications, asked

* The rational soul, ripe In wiBdom, is detached f^om the body Id the Tnlnen of yearn, like fruit from a trees
■nd dmua not prematurely perish. f An emporur uught to dio BlAiiUing.

i'liil

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

475

him to givo a aiyn of his hojH'ful and joyful nasuranccB, if he yet had
tlicin, of his entering into cternnl glory ; whereat the Bpeechloss old man
lifted up his hands, as high t<jward8 hoaven as he could lift thcin, and so
his renewed and rijwned soul flow thither, February 19, 1671, in tho
eighty-second year of his age, and tho seventeenth year of his president-
ship over Ilarvard-Collodge. lie left behind him no less than six sons:
every of which had received the laurels of degrees in tho colledge; and
some of them from tho hands of their aged father. Their names were
Isaac, Ichabod, IJarnabus, Nuthanacl and Elnathan, (which two were twins)
and Israel. All of these ditl, while they had opportunity, preach the gos-
pel; and most, if not all of them, like their excellent father before tl em,
had an eminent skill in physick added unto their other accomplishments;
which, like him, they used for tho good of many; as indeed it is well
known that, until two hundred years ago, physick in England was no pro-
fession distinct from dirtntti/; and accordingly princes had the same per-
sons to be their j)hi/s{a\tns and their confessors. But only two of them are
now living; tho Jirsl and tho l(V)t: the one in England, the other in New-
England ; Isaac, now a pastor of a church in London, and an author of
several well known treatises; Israel, now a pastor of a church in our
Stratford, where he is at this day a rich blessing to the colony of Connec-
ticut. The happy mother of these worthy sons was Catharine, the daugh-
ter of Robert Eyre, Esq., who, dying a little before her consort, had her
holy life quickly af\er published; namely, by the publication of the
direcU'om for an holy life, which her pious father lefl as a legacy for his
children : directions whereof I shall say but this, that as they express the
true spirit of Purittmism, so they comprise the wisest, the fruitfuUest,
the exactest, and tho holiest rules of livimj that ever I saw together in any
short human composure; ond tho reprinting of them would not only give
a description of the heavenly conversation endeavoured by our great
Charles Chanoey, whom wo have hitherto been considering, but also pro-
cure the admiration, if not imitation, of them that read it.

§ 12. New-England having enjoyed such a privilege, and such a presi-
dent as our Chancoy, governing a college, I will conclude this account
thereof with certain passages which this reverend man published in a ser-
mon, on Amos ii. 11 — "I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your
young men for Nazarites," — preached at Cambridge the day after one of
the commencements:

"tJod hath wondcrftilly erwtod si<honla of learninff, and means of education for our chil.
dren, that there might be continunlly some comfortable supply and succession in the ministry.
Is it not so, O ye people of God in New-England! But then let me testify against you in
the Lord's name, for great unthankAilness to tho Lord for so great a mere}''. The great
blessing of a painful ministry is not n>gardcd by covetous earth worms; neither do the
schools of learning, that afford oyl to tlie lamps, come into their thoughts, to praise the Lord
for them. Or, some little good they apprehend in it, to have a minister to spend the Sabbath,
and to baptize their uhildren, and keep them out of harm's way, or teach them to write and

■ ('

476

MAONALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

read, and cast accounts; but thoy despise the angets bread, and count it light stuff in com*
parison of other things, yea, there be many in the country that account it their happiness to
live in the vast liowling wilderness, without any ministry or schools, and means of education
for their posterity; they have much liberty, they think, by this want. Surely their practice
about their children is little better than the merciless and unnatural profaneness of the IsraeU
ites, 'that sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils!' And many make wicked
returns of these blessings, and fearfully abuse them, and seek what they can to weary out
ministers, and pull down schools of learning, or, which is all one, deny or withhold mainte-
nance from them; us good as to saji 'Rase them, rase them to the foundations!' But how
exceeding hateful unto the Lord is this unthankfulness! Do you thus requite the Lord, ye
foolish people and unwise?

"But then let scholars mainly intend, labour, and study for this; to be prophets and Naz-
arites: and therefore let speaking to edification, exhortation, and comfort be aimed at in all
your studies ; and behave your selves aa being set apart in peculiar manner for the Lord.
To use the 'vessels of the temple' to quuif and carouse in, was a Babylonish practice. You
should have less to do w'th the world and worldly delights, and be less cumbred than others
with the affairs of this life."

All that we will add of this good old man, shall be the epitaph, which
is now to be read on his tomb-stone in Cambridge:

Conditum hie est Corpus,
CAROLI CHAUNCiEI,

S. S. Theologia Baeealaur.

Collegii Harvardini Nov-Angl. Per XVII. Annorum l^cium Pratidis Vigilantisrimi,

Viri Plane Integerrimi, Concionatoris Eximii, Pietate

Pariter ac Liherali Eridilione Ornatissimi.

Qui Obiit in Domino, Feb. XIX. An. Dom. M.DC.LXX.L

Et JEtatis $u<B, LXXX.IL*

lUCAS;t THE LIFE OF MR. JOHN FI8K.

'larjof yaf olv*)p ffoXXwv avTa^iog aXXwv.:j:

§ 1. Among the most famous preachers and writers of the gospel with
which the primitive church was blessed, there was "Luke, the beloved
physician;" of whom Jerom elegantly says, Quomodo Apo^'oU de Piscatori-
bus piscu0n, Piscatores Hominum facti sunt, ita de Medico Corporum in Med-
icum Versis est Animarum; cujus Liber quotiescunque legitur in Ecclesiis^
toties Medicina non cessat:^ that blessed scholar and collegue of the Apostle

* Here is buried the body of Crarlkb Chancct, Bachelor of Divinity, and for the apace of seventeen yeara a
most faithful President of Harvard Colledge in Nt.w-England— a man of unsullied Integrity, an accomplished
debater, gifted with equal merit in piety and icbolarsbip. He died In the Lord, February lOth, A. D. 1671, aged 83,

f Luke. X A physician Is worth many common men.

i As apostles were converted (Vom fishermen into flshers of men, so Luke, ftvm a physician of bodies, became
• physician of souls ; and as long as his writings are read in our churches, there will be no lack of medicine.

ituff in com-
lappiness to
of education
iicir practice
)f the IsraeU
Quke wicked
weary out
loid mainte-
!' But how
he Lord, ye

its and Naz-
led at in all
ir the Lord,
ictice. You
than otheni

ph, which

'antissimi.

pel with

beloved

Pi'scatori-

in Med-

Ecclesiis,

Apostle

nteen yenra a
cciimplished
671, RKed 82.

[lies, became
icine.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

477

Paul, who (as Jerom also tells us) according to the opinion of some, intends
the volume which had been penned by this Luke, as often as he uses that
expression in his epistles, "according to my gospel."

And among the first preachers and writers which rendered the primi-
tive times of New-England happy, there was one who might likewise be
called "a beloved physician;" one to whom there might also be given the
euhgy which the ancients think was given to Luke, ** a brother whose praise
was in the gospel throughout all churches."

This was Mr. John Fisk.

§ 2. Mr. John Fisk was born in the parish of St. James (called for dis-
tinction "one of the nine parishes") in the county of Suffolk, about the
year 1601, of pious and worthy parents, yea, of grand-parents and great-
grand-parents eminent for zeal in the true religion. There were six
brothers in the infamous reign of Queen Mary, whereof three were Papists
and three were Protestants — I may say Puritans; and of the latter (whereof
none were owned by the former) two were sorely persecuted. For one of
these brethren, the pursevant having a kindness, gave him a private and
previous notice of his coming with an order to seize him ; whereupon the
good man first called his family to prayer, hastned away to hide himself .
in a ditch, with his godly wife, which had a sucking r>hild at her breast.
The pursevant being near at hand, a thorn in the hedge gave such a mark
to the child's face, as never went out; whereat the child beginning to roar,
the mother presently clapt it to the breast, vhereby it was quieted at once,
and there was no discovery then or after made of these confessors. An-
other of these brethren, from whom our Fisk was descended, was then (to
avoid hurning) hid many months in a wood-pile; and afterwards, for half
a year in a cellar, where he diligently employed himself in profitable man-
ufactures; by candle light, after such a manner as to remain likewise undis-
covered ; but his many hardships brought that excessive bleeding upon him,
that shortned his days, and added unto the cry of the "souls under the altar."

§ 3. Our John was the eldest of four children, all of whom afterwards
came to New-England with him, and left a posterity with whom God
established his holy covenant. His parents having devoted him unto the
service of the Lord Jesus Christ, they sent him first unto a grammar-
school, two miles from the place of their abode, whither his diligent soul
was, instead of wings, every day to carry him. His education at the
school having fitted him for the university, he went unto Cambridge,
where lie was admitted into (as I think) Immanuel College, in which he
resided until he became a graduate. Some time after this, being both by
art and by heart well prepared for it, he applied himself unto the work to
which he had been devoted ; namely, the preaching of the gospel ; but
the silencers grew so hard upon him for his non-conformity, that upon the
advice of his friends, he set himself to study physick, and upon a thor-
ough examination, he obtained a licence for publick practice. When he

if'

' ''' '■ ''I

478

MAO N ALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

! I

waa about eight and twenty years of age, he married a vertuous young
gentlewoman; several hundreds of pounds of whose patrimony were denied
her upon the displeasure of her father, at her coming to New-England.

But upon the death of his father, who had committed unto him the
care of his mother and his two sisters, and his youngest brother, he
thought it his duty to remove into New-England, where he saw an oppor-
tunity of returning unto the quiet exercise of his ministry. He and that
excellent man Mr. John Allin came aboard in a disguise, to avoid the fury
of their persecutors; but after they were past the Land's-end, they enter-
tained the passengers with two sermons every day, besides other agreeable
devotions, which filled the voyage with so much of religion, that one of
the passengers being examined about his going to divert himself with an
hook and line, on the Lord's day, he protested, "that he did not know
when the Lord's day was; he thought every day was a Sabbath day;
for," he said, "they did nothing but pray and preach all the week long."

§ 4. Mr. Fisk arrived in New-England in the year 1637, having hud
nothing to render the voyage uncomfortable, but only that his aged mother
died quickly after he came aboard, and his only mfant quickly after he
came ashore. He came well stocked with servants, and all sorts of tools
for husbandry and carpentry, and with provisions to support his family
in a wilderness tor three years together; out of which he charitably lent
a considerable quantity to the country, which he then found in the dis-
tresses of a war with the Pequot Indians. He now sojourned about three
years at Salem, where he was both a preacher to the church, and a tutor
unto divers young scholars (whereof the well-known Sir George Downing
was one) as he was afterwards unto his own children, when the want of
grammar-schools at hand made it necessary. From thence he removed
unto a place adjoining thereunto, which is now called Wenham: where
on October 8, 1644, a church was gathered, of which he continued the
pastor in that place for more than twice seven years: contented with a
very mean salary, and consuming his own fair estate for the welfare of
the new plantation.

§ 5. About the year 1656 he removed with the major part of his
church to another new town, called Chelmsford; and there he spent the
remainder of his days. Of the afflictions which now disciplined him, one
of the saddest was the loss of his concordance; I mean, of his godly and
worthy consort, who by her incomparable expertness in the Scriptures had
rendred any other concordance of the Bible useless unto his library.
This vertuous woman lost her sight for some years before she died ; under
which disaster a most exemplary patience was produced in her, by her
view of "the things which are not seen and are eternal:" and at length,
after many admonitions unto her friends to improve their sight well whilst
they had it, she had on February 14, 1671, her eyes opened, by their being

|i ilH

■i^i r

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

479

ous young
ere denied
ugland.
) him the
rother, he
an oppor-
3 and that
d the fury
liey enter-
agreeable
at one of
f with an
act, know
3ath day;
;ek long."
iving had
ed mother
/ after he
s of tools
lis family
tably lent
1 the dis-
out three
d a tutor
Downing
want of
removed
where
lued the
d with a
elfare of

t of his
pent the
lim, one
dly and
ires had
library. .
; under
by her
■length,
1 whilst
r being

closed; and was by death carried from faith unto immediate and everlast-
ing sight: after which he married again.

§ 6. Twenty years did he shine in the '-golden candlestick" of Chelms-
ford; a plain, but an able, painful, and useful preacher of the gospel;
rarely, if ever, by sickness hindred from the exercise of his ministry.
As Marcilius Ficinus having written one book, "i>e Sanitate Tmnda,^''* and
another book, "i>e Valetudine Eestituenda,^^ jf concluded his course with
writing his book, "J9e Vita Coditus Comparande:'"X thus our Mr. Fisk,
now superseded his care and skill of dispensing medicines for the body,
by doing it foi; the soul. But although he did in his ministry go through
an exposition of almost all the Scripture in both Testaments, and unto
bis Lord's day sermons added a monthly lecture on the week-day, besides
his discourses at the private meetings of the faithful, and his exact and
faithful cares to keep up church-discipline, yet none of his labours were
more considerable than his catechetical. It is by the excellent Owen
excellefttly well observed, "That unlesfi a man has some good satisfaction
concerning the spiritual condition of those that are committed unto his
charge, he can never approve himself among them a workman that needeth
not to he ashamed^ rightly dividing the word of truth: and the work of the
ministry is not by anj- means more evacuated, and rendered ineffectual,
than when men hav' ; t a certain design to d^al with their hearers
according to what > ;'e perswaded that their spiritual estate doth

require." Our Fisk luereFore did, by most laborious catechising, endeav-
our to know the state of his flock, and make it good: and hence, although
he did himsself compose and publish a most useful catechism, which he
entituled, " The Olive Plant Watered,^^ yet he chose the Assembly's Cate-
chism for his publick expositions, wherewith he twice went over it, in
discourses before his afternoon-sermons on the Sabbath.

§ 7. Towards the end of his life, he began to labour especially under
two maladies, either of which were enough to try the most consummate
patience of any man living; these were, first, the stone, and then the gout;
which at last were followed with convulsions, that brought his laborious
life unto an end ; and gave him the experience of Streitbergerus' motto
Qui nan est Crucianus non est Christianus.% Yea, for a complication of
maladies, his condition became not unlike the blessed Calvin's, of whom
the historian relates, "That he was troubled with as many infinnities as
in different subjects might have supplied an hospital."

On the second Lord's day of his confinement \j illness, afler he had
been many Lord's days carried unto the church in a chair, and preached,
as in the primitive times they still treated, sitting, he was taken with con-
vulsions, which renewed so fast upon him, that within a few days he did,
on January 14, 1676, see a "rest from his labours:" having first after this

* On the preservation of health.
X Ou the attainment of life eternal.

t On the receiving of health.

g He who is not oruclfled, is no ChriBtian.

i !'

if
•I)

I'm

I k

• I

480

MAGNALIA CUBISTI AMEBIGANA;

manner blessed his four children, two sons and two daughters, who were
by his bed-side waiting for his blessing: "You are as a shock of corn
bound up, or as twins made beautiful by the covenant of grace. You
have an interest in the sure uieicies of David; those you have to live
upon. Study to emulate one another; but in the best, in the best. Pro-
voke one another to love. The God of your forefathers bless you all."
And added unto his younger son, the present worthy pastor of Braintree.
concerning his wife and his two children, then absent, "The God of Abra-
ham, Isaac, and Jacob, bless you, and your posterity after you."
We will now leave him, uttering the words of Weinriol^us, in his

EPITAPH.

^ Vixi, et quern dederaa euravvi mi At, Christe, peregi:

/ Ftrtatut Vita, maviter opto mmri.*

LJui^ltLaiJairiAAv*
8CHCLASTICUS:t THE LIFE OF MR. THOMAS FARKEK.

§ 1. It may without any ungrateful comparisons be asserted, that one
of the greatest .cholars in the English nation was that renowned Robert
Parker who was driven out of the nation for his non conformity to its
unhappy ceremonies in the worship of God. It was the honour of that
great man to be the father of such learned books as that of his "i>e Poli-
tia I^clesiastka^^^ X and that " Of the Cross f as well as foster father to that
of Sandford's "J9e Descensu Christi ad Inferos f^^ yea, to be in some sort
the father of all the non-conformists in our age, who yet would not call
any man then father. But let it not be counted any dishonour unto him
that he was also the natural /o^Aer of our Thomas Parker.

§ 2. Tills Mr. Thomas Parker was the only'son of his father, who being
very desirous to have him a scholar, committed him unto perhaps a godly,
but a very severe master. Under this hard master, though he was well
nigh discouraged by the dulness which he apprehended in his own capa-
city, yet the consideration of hio father's desire made him, with an early
piety, to join his prayers unto his pains, that he might have his education
prospered ; and God so prospered him, that he arrived unto a desirable
dep;^ce of knowledge, both in the tongues and in the arts.

§ 8. He had been admitted into Magdalen Colledge in Oxford; but
after the exile of his father, he removed unto Dublin in Ireland, where
he found from Dr. Usher the same favourable aspect which that eminent
person did use to cast upon young students that were ingenious: and

* Saviour! the work thou gavest mo is done:
I sigh fur rest : oh 1 tiilie me to thine own.

t The School-man. J On Ecclesiastical Polity.

8 On the Descent of Christ into Hell.

who were
c of corn
ce. You
e to live
jst. Pro-
you all."
Braintree.
of Abra-

Q his

RKEB.

that one

3d Robert

lity to its

ir of that

'J9e Poli-

r to that

ome sort

not call

nto him

tlio being
I a godly,
i^as well
hvn capa-
n early
ucation
esirable

[rd; but

where

eminent

is: and

Itical PoUtj.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

481

from thence he went after his father into Holland, where Dr. Ames
favoured him with his encouragements and assistances in the prosecution
of his honest studies now at Leyden.

§ 4. As his diligence was indefatigable, so his proficiency was propor-
tionable : and he was particularly considerable there for his disputations
upon the points then most considerably controverted. It was at the age
of twenty-two that he drew up his most judicious and approved theses,
"De Traductione Peccatoris :"* which were bound up with Dr. Ames, his
"Opuscula,"\ in some editions of his answer to Grevinchovius. Those
most accurate Theses being thus published as the composure of another,
our humble Parker, though instigated thereunto, did yet refuse to do him-
self the justice of publishing himself some other way to be the author of
them. This neglect of his, he said, was to chastise the "vanity of his
own young mind, which had been too much pleased with the accuracy of
his own early performance in those theses." But the author of the theses
afterwards cniae to be well known, by the providence of God, when whole
books came to be written by learned men upon them ; whereof one was
entituled, '^Parkerus IllustratusJ^X

But before this age of twenty-two, he proceeded master, with the gen-
eral applause of all, and the special esteem of Maccovius, a man renowned
in the Belgick universities. In the diploma then given him, they testifie.
Ilium non sine magnd. Admiratione audiveriraus^ — and Se Philosophice
Artmmqiie liheralium 2)entissi7num declaraverit.%

§ 5, Maccovius would hereupon have had Sibrandus Lubbertus, the
moderater of the Classis there, to have ordained our Parker a Presbyter,
as an acknowledgment of his exceeding worth; but though Lubbertus
could not but acknowledge it, yet, out of a secret grudge, he would not
allow of the ordination. Whereupon Maccovius rode unto the states at
Leodin, with complaints of Lubbertus for so ill a thing as letting such a
person as this Parker go away under any cloud of disrespect; and the
states thereupon wrote unto Lubbertus to admit him: but the haste of
his return into England prevented it.

§ 6. Residing at Newberry in England, he applied himself with an
invincible industry unto the study of "school divinity:" in whi^h pro-
found and knotty study he found such "ensnaring temptations," that he
afterwards laid it all aside, for the "knowledge of Jesus Christ crucified."
The wise Bullinger would with too much reason say, Unus /Scuffca 2>li(s sin-
ceriora Theologice jjostentali reliqm't, quam omnes fer ommum Scholaslicorum
Lihri.l The great Chaijiier would with a like reason say, Solere se Scho-
lasticos r.onstdere, non aliter quam si quis aliquando palatium iniisens, 2'^ost
Aularum, cuhicidorum et ccenacidorum magnijicentiam etiam Latrinas non

♦ On the Conversion of the Sinner. t His smaller works. J Parker Illustrated. [art*,

g We hiivc ll.ttened to him with no little admiration, and he has proved himself most proflcient in the liberal
I One Seneca bus left more pure theologic maxims to posterity than can be found in the great mau oT all
the writings of the schulastics.

Vol. I.— 31

!'1

Why

482

MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

lii: t

dedignetur inspicere, sedpaticis, obfcetorem* The learned Whitaker would
say of the school-men, Plus hahent Argutiarum qiiam Scientim, plus Scientia
guam Doctrince, plus Doctrince quam usus, plus usus qnam sapientice ad salu-
tem.-y Our Parker conversed indeed with the school-men, until he almost
became one of them himself: but not such an one as Luther meant, when he
said. Qui Theologum Scholasticum videt, videt Septem peccata mortalia:^ for he
grew sick of all the learning that he had got from the school-men ; and
would often say, " All the use I now make of all my school -learning is
this: I have so much to deny for the sake of my Lord Jesus Christ."
Nor was he insensible of what Sir Walter Rawleigh observed concerning
the school-men, that they taught their followers rather to shift, than to
resolve by their distinctions.

§ 7. From thence removing with several devout Christians out of Wilt-
shire into New-England, he was ordained their pastor at a town (on his
and their account) called Newberry; where he lived many years, by the
holiness, the humbleness, the charity of his life, giving his people a per-
petual and most lively commentary upon his doctrine.

§ 8. The strains which his immoderate studies gave unto his organs of
sight, brought a miserable defluxion of rheum upon his eyes; which pro-
ceeded so far, that one of them swelled until it came out of his head, and
the other grew altogether dim some years before his death. Under this
extreme loss he would, after a Christian and pleasant manner, give him-
self that consolation: "Well, they'll be restored shortly, at the resur-
rection."

The Jews, upon the dim sight of Eli, have an observation, that none
are mentioned in the Scripture, as afflicted with failure of sight, but such
as were afflicted either in their children or in their pupils. Our Parker
had no children to afflict him, and his pupils were such as to comfort
him; yet failure of sight was his calamity.

§ 9. In the latter part of his life, he bent himself unto the study of
the Scripture-prophecies ; being, as has been said of Dr. Usher, instigated
thereunto. It was with an assiduous conjunction of meditations and sup-
plications that he followed this delightful study till he had written sev-
eral volumes, a great part of them in Latin ; whereof no part was ever
published but one upon Daniel, which he wrote in English. If some of
his expositions upon those difficult parts of the Scripture, have been
since confuted by some great authors, who disliked them, we may, on
more accounts than one, consider him as the Homer of New-England;
and add,

Aliqttando Bonus Dormitat Homerua.^

* He generally conRulted the acholastic wrttera, after the manner of a person who, viBltiug a palace, Bhoiild not
dlidain, after having lurveyed the magnificence of aaloon, chainlier, and dining-hall, to Inspect the meanest apart>
menti of the scullion : in other words, sparingly, on account of their offensiveness.

t They have more wit than knowledge, more knowledge than learning, more learning than experience, more
experience than wisdom unto salvation,

( To see a theological school-man, is to see the seven deadly sina.

I Sometimes the matchless Homer seems to nod.— Hor4CC, ^rt Pott. 350.

o
ir
o

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fc

rniii:

ras ever
some of
re been
lay, on
In gland;

I, Bhonld not
laneat apart-

Hence, more

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

483

§ 10. He went unto the immortals, in the month of April, 1677, about
the eighty second year of his age; and afler he had lived all hia days a
s^ingle man, but a great part of his days engaged in apocalyptical studies,
he went unto the apocalyptical virgins, who " follow the Lamb whither-
soever he goes."

He was a person of a most extensive charity, which grain of his temper
might contribute to that largeness in his principles about church-govern-
ment, which exposed him unto many temptations amongst his neighbours,
who were not so principled. He would, indeed, express himself dissatis-
fied at the edge which there was in the writings of his father against
the Bishops; and he did himself write a preface unto a book, where-
upon Mr. Charles Chancey bestowed a short answer, which begins with
this shorter censure:

"Let it not be an ofTence to any Christian that there hath been found one like to Urijah
the priest, that would set up the altar of Damascus among u»), to thrust out the brazen
altar of the Lord's institution; viz: Mr. Thomas Parker, who has published a book, plead>
ing for Episcopacy ; wherein is found, IIuXo; Xa7i^uv, a coU kicking against his dam."

Such a difference in apprehension, and in affection too, did on that
occasion discover it self between those good men, who are now joyfully
met, TJbi Luthi Luthero cum Zuinglio, optimejam Convenit.*

Yet the alienation between them was not so great as that between The-
oclus and Pollinis, who, being burnt in one funeral fire, after they had
killed one another, the very flame of that fire divided it self; the flame
of their funeral fire would not be united. Chancey and Parker are united
in our church-history ; the funeral resjjects which are here paid unto both
of them, agree very well together. Now,

That which the learned, pious, and sweet-spirited Bucholtzer provided
for himself, we will now assign unto this our sweet-spirited Parker (who
spent his life much in chronological studies, like that great Bucholtzer,)
for an

EPITAPH.

Hie, Pie Christie ! Tuo reeulat quaaita eruort,

Inque; Tuo Gretnio, Parvula dormit Chit.
Reddidit hae Animam balanti Voce Fidelem:

Huie Pastor dices, Intret Ovile meum.t

AN APPENDIX.

C0NTAIVIN6 MEMOIRS OF MR. JAMES NOTES.

When we had thus finished our Memoirs of Mr. Parker, our second
thoughts told us, that some of Mr. Noyes must accompany them. Send-
ing therefore to my excellent friend, Mr. Nicholas Noyes, the present

* Where now for Luther to commune in Zlngle it the Juy of both,

t Jesdb ! thy Iamb, blood-purchaaed, on thy breast I Soon, soon to hear, In hMVftnly acecnts told,

Is sweetly sleeping— in confiding rest ; I A peucufUl welcome to the Shepherd's fold.

,1' '1:

i ' (1;

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484

MAGNALIA CHHISTI AMERICAI^A;

minister of Salem, for some account concerning a person so nearly related
unto him, he favoured me with the following relation. And though he
were pleased in his letters to tell me, " that he had sent me only a rude
immethodical jumble of things, intending that I should servo my occa-
sions out of them, for a composition of my own," yet I find that I shall
not give my readers a better satisfaction, any way, than by transcribing
the words of my friend. The account, in his own words, is too elegant
and expressive to need any alteration :

"Mr. James Noyea was born, 1608, nt Choulderton in Wiltshire, of godly and worthy
parents. His father was minister of the same town, n very learned man, the school-master
of Mr. Thomas Parker. His mother was sister to the learned Mr. Robert Parker, and he
had much of his education and tutorage under Mr. Thomas Parker. Ho was called by him
from Brazen-Nose-College in Oxford, to help him in teaching the free school at Newberry ;
where they taught school together till the time they came to New-Englund. He was con-
verted in his youth by the ministry of Dr. Twiss and Mr. Thomas Parker, and was admired
for his piety and his vertuc in his younger years. The reason of his ooming to New-Eng-
land was, because he could not comply with the ceremonies of tiie Church of England. He
was married in England to Mrs. Sarah Brown, the eldest daughter of Mr. Joseph Brown,
of Southampton, not long before he came to New-England, which was in the year 1634. In
the same ship camo Mr. Thomas Parker, Mr. James Noycs, and a younger brother of his,
Mr. Nicholas Noyes, who then was a single man ; between which three was more than ordi-
nary endearment of affection, which was never shaken or broken but by death. Mr. Parker
and Mr. James Noyes, and others that came over witii them, fasted and prayed together many
times before they undertook this voyage; and on the sea Mr. Parker and Mr. Noyes preached
or expounded, one in the forenoon, the other in the afternoon, every day during the voyage,
unless some extraordinary thing intervened, and were abundant in prayer.

"When they arrived, Mr. Parker was at first called to preach at Ipswich, and Mr. Noyes
at Mistick, at winch places they continued nigh a year. He had a motion made unto him to
be minister at Watertown ; but Mr. Parker and others of his brethren and acquaintance,
settling at Newberry, and gathering the tenth of the churches in the colony, and calling Mr.
Noyes to bo the teacher of it, he preferred that place ; being lothe to be separated from Mr.
Parker, and brethren that had so often fasted and prayed together, both in England and on
the Atlantic sea. So he became the teacher of tliat church, and continued painful and suc-
cessful in that station something above twenty years, without any considerable trouble in
the church. Notwithstanding his principles, as to discipline, were something diflering from
many of the brethren, there was such condescension on both parts, that peace and order was
not interrupted. He was very much loved and honoured in Newberry ; his memory is pre-
cious there to this day, and his catechism (which is a publick and stiinding testimony of his
understanding and orthodoxy in the principles of religion) is publickly and privately used
in that church and town hitherto. He was very well leai-ned in the tongues, and in Greek
excelled most. He was much read in the fathers and the schoolmen. And he was much
esteemed by his brethren in the ministry. Twice he was called by Mr. Wilson and others
to preach in the time when the Antiiiomi m princijiies were in danger of prevailing, which
ho did with good success and to the satisfaction of those that invited him. ]Mr. Wilson
dearly loved him; and it so happened once at Newberry that he preached in the forenoon
about holiness so holily and ahhj, that Sir. Wilson was so aifected with it as to change his
own text, and pitch upon Mr. Noyes' for the afternoon; prefacing his discourse with telling
the auditory that his brother Noyes' discourse about holiness in the forenoon had so nnich
impression upon his mind, he knew not how in the afternoon to pursue any other argunioiit.
His convers.ition was so unquestionably godly, that they who differed from him in smaller

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

485

mattera, as to disoiitlino, held a most iimionblo corroHpondonco with him, and had an hi{rh
c8timntion of him. Althoii(;h ho wim very avcr&c to the ceremonies of the Chureh of Enff.
land, oeeountin^ (hem needicHs, many ways ofl'ensive and liurtfiil i>.t the best, and the rigoN
ourt imposition of them abominable and intolerable, so that he left i^ngliind for their rake ;
yet ho waa not equally averse to Episcopacy, but was in opii-.ion for Episi'opus Prases,*
though not for Eputcoftus /'rincr/i.t.f His own words testify this, for so he wrote: ' It seem-
eth he that was lalled Antixtex Prtrposituii,l the Bishop, in a Presbytery, by process of time
waa only called Bishop, though all elders are also according to their office cssenttully Bish-
ops, and diflering only in gradual jurisdiction.' He no ways approved of a governing vote,
in the fraternity, but took their consent in a silential way. He held Ecclesiastical councils
so fur authoritative and binding, that no particular elder or society might aecm to have inde-
pendency and sovereignity, or the major part of them have liberty to sin with impunity.
He was equally afraid of ceremonies and of schism ; and when he fled from ceremoniea be was
afraid of being guilty of schism. For that reason ho was jealous (if not too jealous) of par-
ticular church-covcnants; yet ho accounted them adjuncts of the covenant of grace. Ho held
profession of faith, and repentance, and subjection to the ordinances, to be the rule of admis-
sion into church-fellowship; and that such as show a Arillingness to repent, and be baptised
in the name of the Lord Jesus, without known dissimulation, are to be admitted thereto :
and that it depended more on God's providence, than his ordinances, to render church
members sound in faith; and that God took into covenant some that were vessels of
wrath, as for other ends, so to facilitate the conversion of their elect children. He was as
religious at home as abroad, in his family and in secret, as ho was publickly ; and they that
best know him, most loved and esteemed him. Mr. Parker and he kept a private fast once
a month so long as they lived together, and Mr. Parker after his own death, till his own
departure. Mr. Noyes bitterly lamented the death of K. Charles I., and both ho and Mr.
Parker too had too great expectations of K. Charles II. ; but Mr. Parker lived to see his
expectations of Charles the Second frustrated. He had a long and tedious sickness, which
ho bore patiently and chearfully ; and ho died joyfully in the forty-eighth year of his age,
Octobor 22, 1666. He leil six sons and two daughters, all of which lived to be married,
and have children, though since one son and one daughter be dead. He hath now living
fifty-six childa>n, gntnd-children, ond great-grand-childrcn. And hi^ ^•'•other that came over
with him a single man, is through the mercy of God yet living; and hath of children, grand-
children, and grent-grand-children, above an hundred: which is an instance of divine favour,
in making the 'families of his servants in the wilderness like a flock.' There was the great-
est amity, intimacy, unanin\ity, yea, unity imaginable btitween Mr. Parker and Mr. Noyes.
So unshaken waa their friendship, nothing but death was able to part them. They taught
in one school; came over in one ship; were pastor and teacher of one church; and Mr.
Parker continuing always in celibacy, tJiey lived in one house, till death separated them for
a time ; but they are both now together in one heaven, as they that best knew them have
all possible reason to bo perswaded. Mr. Parker continued in his house os long as he lived;
and as ho received a great deal of kindness and respect there, so he showed a great deal of
kindness in the educating of his children, and was very liberal to th.it family during his life
and at his death. He never forgot the old friendship, but shewed kindness to the dead in
shewing kindness to the Imng.

"Mr. Parker and Mr. Noyes were excellent singers, both of them; and were extraordinary
delighted in singing of psalms. They sang four times a day in the publick worship, and
always just after evening-prayer in the family, where reading the S<!ripture, expounding, and
praying, wore the other constant exercises. Mr. Parker and Mr. Noyes were of the same
opinion with Dr. Owen about the Sabbath; yet in practice, were strict observers of the eve-
ning after it J^r. Purker, whose practice I myself remember, was the strictest observer of
the Sabbath that ever I knew. I once asked him, seeing his opinion was otherwise, as to
• A presiding btabop, t A lord bishop. t Tbe Presiding Priest.

i;i

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486

MAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

the evening belonging to the Sdbbnth, why hia practice diflercd f^om hifl opiniim? He
answered me, 'Because he dare not depart fVom the foototepa of the tlovk, fur hU private
opinion.'

"Btiing got into some pnawges of Mr. Parlcer'a life before I am nwaro, I will inni-rt n few
more ; and you may make what uho of them you please. Ho kept a .^-hool, ns well us
preached, at Newbury in New-England. He ordinarily had about twelve or fourteen schol-
ars. He took no pay for his pains, unless any present were iVeely sent him. Ho uxcd to
say, 'He lived for the churrhea' sake,' and begrutched no pains that were for its benefit;
and by his good will he was not free to tench any but such ns were designed for the minis,
try by their parents; for he would say, 'He could not bestow his time and pains unless it
were for the benefit of the church.' Though ho were blind, yet such was his nienioiy, timt
he could in his old age teach Latin, Greek and Hebrew, very nrtitieiully. He seUloni cor-
rected a scholar, unless for l^ng and Jightitm, which were unpardonable crimes in our sehool.
He promoted learning in his scholars by something an unusual v^ay; encourajfing them to
learn lessons and make verses, besides and above their stinted tasks, for which they had par-
dims in store, that were kept on record in the school, and were for U'sser school-faults, such
08 were not immoralities and sins against God, crossed out; but lie always told them they
must not think to escape unpunished for sin against God by reason of them ; though for
some lesser defects about their lessons, they were accepted. I heard him tell Mr. Millar, the
minister, that the great changes of his life had been signified to him before-hnnd by dreams.
And I heard him say, that before a fiery temptation of the devil befel him, he had a very ter-
rible representation in a dream of the devil assaulting of him, and he wrestled with him, and
had more than once like to have prevailed against him; but that when he was most likely
and most near to be overcome, he was afresh animated and strengthened to resist him; till
at length the devil seemed to break abroad like a flash of lightning, and then disappeared ;
and that not long after, the most dismal temptation of Satan befel him that ever he was
sensible of, and that all the passages of that temptation answered the forementioned repre-
sentation; and that the hazards of it, and his fresh supplies when almost vanquished, and
hia deliverance was so remarkable, that every day he had lived since that time, he had given
thanks to God particularly for his assistance of him in that tcmptaition, and his deliverance
out of it: though it were twenty years before the time of his now telling me concerning it.
Mr. Parker excelled in lil)erty of speech, in praying, preaching, and singing, having a most
delicate sweet voice; yet he had all along an impulse upon his spirit, that he should have the
falsey in his tongue before he died. His voice held extraordinarily until very old age ; and
I think the more, because his teeth held sound and good until then ; his custom being to wash
his mouth and rub his teeth every morning. Some few years before his death, he begun to com-
plain of the tooth-ache, and then he quickly began to lose his teeth; and now he said, 'The
daughters of his musick began to fail him.' And about a yeur and half before he died, that
which he had long feared befel him, viz ; the palsey in hia tongue ; and so he became speech-
less, and thus continued until death; having this only help left him, that he could pronounce
letters, but not syllables or words. He signified his mind, by spelling his words, which was
indeed a tedious way, but yet a mercy so far to him and others. During that time, which
was in our first Indian war, when the Indians broke in upon many towns, and committed
horrible outrages, and tormented auch aa they took captives, one night he fell into a dreadful
tentation, lest the Indians should break in upon Newbury, and the inhabitants might gener-
ally escape by fighting or flying, but he being old and blind, and grown decrepit, he must
of necessity fall into their hands; and that being a minister, thoy would urge him by tortiiro
to blaspheme Christ, and that he should not have grace to hold out against the tentation of
Indian torture ; and with the very fear of this, he was for the moat part of the night in such
agonies of soul, that he was on the very brink of despuration; but at length, God helpt him,
by bringing to his mind two places of Scripture: that in Isa. li. 12, 13: 'I, even I, am he that
comforts thee; who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and for-

OR, THK UlSTUKY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

487

gettest the liord thy Maker!' And that in Rom. viii. 35, 36: 'Who shall separate us from
tlie lovo of Christ? Hhull tribultition or distreHs, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness,
or pt>ril, or sword ? — For thy soke we arc killed all the dny long ; — Nny, in ull these things,
we are more tliiin conquerors through him that huth loved um.' 8U>op deptirtcd from him
that night, by reason of the horrour of thnt tentation; and thc> joy that came towards morn-
ing hu was wonderfully alTi^ctcd with; and in the morning early, he pronounced all this to
me letter by letter, and glorified God. Once hearing some of u.s laughing very freely, while,
I suppose, he wua better busied in his chamber above us, he came down, and gravely said
to UM, 'Cousins, I wonder you can be so merry, unless you are sure of your salvation!' He
was a very holy and heavenly-minded man, and as much niortiHed to llio world as almost
any in it He scarce culled any thing his oum but his books and his clnaths. When he was
urged, to vindicate himself to be the author of the ' Theua de Traduclvme Peccatorit ad
Vitam,'* he utterly refused it; saying, being young at the time when he mode them, ho was
afraid he had not so fully aimed at the glory of God as he ought to have done. But a while
after, one unbeknown to him in Holland, reprinted them, with ihe name of the author, and
set him forth with more advantage than would have been modest or proper for himself to
have done; giving him his parental as well as personal honour; and saying that his father
was Paler diffnuB tali Fi7to;f and that he was Filhu dignua tali Patre-X Thus 'he that
humbleth himself shall bo exalted.'

" Air. Wilson once, on occonlon of his cselibacy, said to him. That if there could be anger
ill heaven, his father would chide him when he came there, because he had not, like him, a
son to follow him. But he had many spiritual children, that were the seals of his ministry:
he was also a father to the fatherless; and many scholars were little less beholden to him
for their education, than they were to their parents for their generation.

"The occasion of his ctclibiicy was this: at the time that he meditiited marriage, he was
nssaultcd with violent temptations to infidelity, which made him regardless of every thing,
ill comparison of confirming his faith about the truth of the Scriptures. This occasioned his
falling in*,o the study of the prophecies, which proved a means of confirming his faith ; but
he fell 80 in love with that study, that he never got out of it until his death: and the church
had doubtless had much benefit by his profound studies in that kind, could the bishops have
been perswaded to license his books; which they refused, because he found the Pope to be
prophesied of, where they could not understand it. His whole life, besides what was neces-
sary for the support of it, by food and sleep, was prayer, study, preaching, and teaching school.
I once heard him say, ho felt the whole frame of his nature giving way, which threatened
his dissolution to bo at hand: but 'he thanked God, he was not amazed at it.'

"To conclude all I intend concerning Mr. Parker or Mr. Noyes, I shall give you Mr. Par-
ker's character of Mr. Noyes, who best knew him, and whose testimony of him is very
credible:

"'Mr. James Noyes, my worthy collcgue in the ministry of the gospel, was a man of sin-
gular qualifications, in piety excelling, an implacable enemy to all hcresie and schism, and a
most able warriour against the same. He was of a reaching and ready apprehension, a large
invention, a most profound judgment, a rare, and tenacious, and comprehensive memory,
fixed nnd unmovable in his grounded conceptions; sure in words and speech, without rash-
ness; gentle and mild in all expressions, without all p.tssion or provoking language. And
OS he was a notable disputant, so he never would provoke his adversary, saving by the short
knocks and heavy weight of argument. He was of so loving, and compassionate, and hum-
ble carriage, that I believe never any were acquainted with him, but did desire the continu-
ance of his society and acquaintance. He was resolute for truth, and in defence thereof
had no respect to any persons. He w.is a most excellent counsellor in doubts, and could
strike at an hair's-breadth, like the Benjamites, and expedite the entangled out of the briars.

* Propositions coDceming the conversion of the sinner unto life.
't A flithor worthy of such a son. ) ^ *<>■> worthy of such a father.

■'

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488

MAONALK CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

p i: p

He wu courageous in dangers, and still was apt to beliove the best, and made fair wonther
in a storm. He was much honoured and esteemed in the country, and his death wns much
bewailed. I thinli he may be reulioned among the greatest worthies of this age.'"

CtJ A V 'V V Ti '^'T'TTT
THE LIFE OF MR. THOMAS THAGHEB.

Virlutem Virtu§ pariat; De lumint Lumen prodtat.*

§ 1. Athanasius, writing the life of his Antonius, describes him as
propounding to his own observation and imitation the various excel-
lencies of the good men whom he conversed withal : the to x^p'*"! or good
carriage of one ; the to irpof toc Iux"^ Cuvtovov, or prayer/ulncss, of another ;
the TO aopyr\Tov, or lenity, of a third ; the to (ptXavdpwBJov, or humanity of a
fourth; attending to one tu dypuirvsvTi, or keeping of his watchfulness; to
another t« ^iXoXoySvTi, or loving of learning ; remarking of one, tov ^v xaprs.
pia, in \i\B patience; of another, tov ^v vrig-siaif xai j^afjuuviaif, in his/a.s<t»^s and
hardships: regarding the t»iv irpaoTiiTa, or niansuetude, of one; the Tigv fxaxpo-
dufiiiav, or longanimity of another: but, "ravrwv ifxs t*)v lig tov j^pitfrov i\j<fsQnav
xai r*)v irpog AKknfKne aya*t)v, the piety of them all toward the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the charity of them all towards one another.

Such excellencies of good men have been set before my reader, in the
Lives that we have written of several such good men, who were the
"excellent on the earth." But if my reader would see a many of those
excellencies meeting together in one man, there are not many in whom I
could more hopefully promise him such a sight, than in our excellent Mr.
Thomas Thacher, who is now, therefore, to be considered.

§ 2. Mr. Thomas Thacher was born May 1, 1620, the son of Mr. Peter
Thacher, a reverend minister at Salisbury, in England: one whom, in a
letter of Dr. Twiss to Mr. Mede, at the end of his works, we find joined
with famous Mr. White of Dorchester, in a conversation, wherein the
learned exercises of that great man made a grateful entertainment. And
because it may be some satisfaction unto good men to see instances multi-
plied, for the confirmation of a matter mentioned by Mr. Baxter, in his
proof of infant baptism, where he says:

"As large experience as I have had in my ministry, of the state of souls, and the way of
conversion, I dare say, I have met not witli one of very many, that would say, that they knew
the time when they were converted: and of those tliat would say so, by reason that they then
found some more remarkable change, yet they discovered such stirrings and workings before,
that many, I had cause to think, were themselves mistaken. I was once in a meeting of very
many Christians, the most eminent for zeal and holiness of most in the land, of whom divers
were ministers, and some at this day as famous and as much followed as any I know in Eng.
* Let virtue beget virtue : let light bring forth light.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

489

Peter

land; and it was thoro deair«>d, timt every one ahould give in the manntr of their converaion,
that it might bo obHt*rvud wliut wiut (iod'a ordinary way; and thure was but one, that I
remoinbor, of them nil, tliut could eoigccturo at the time of their (irHt ronveraion."

It shall hero be noted, thnt this was the experience of our Thacher.
The regenerating and verticordius grace of Heaven took advantage from
his religious education, insensibly, as it wore, to steal into tlio heart of this
young disciple.

lie afterwards afllrmcd that ho was never able to determine the time
when the spirit of God llrst began to convince him and renew him ; only
ho could say, with tho reverend blind man, " I was blind, but now I see."
When Thacher was a c/jiYf/, the Lord loved him, and this child also loved
the Lord: he was an Abijah that, "while he was a child," had many
"good things in him towards the Lord God of his father;" he was a Tim-
othy that, while ho was a child, knew the holy Scriptures: he was i Sam-
uel that, in his childhood, was visited by the Holy Spirit: ho was a Jusiah,
that while he was yet young, "sought after the Lord: and so much
remarked was his enrly ju'di/^ that while he was in his earliest inin Tity,
they would say of him, "There goes a Puritan." It might indeed be said
of him, as they report of St. Nicholas, that he led a life, iSiindinsimi-, ah
ipsis Incunabulis Jnc/uHtttiin.^ And it might be said by him, as it was by
tho blessed ancient in his confessions, Domine, puer ccepi rogare te Auxilium
et Refwjium meuDiy et roi/itm pnrvu.i, non pnrvo affedii.f

§ 3. Having been well educated at tho grammar school, he had the oflfer
of his father to perfect his education at the university, either of Cambridge
or Oxford. But considering tho impositions of things, to him appearing
unwarrantable, whereto ho then must have exposed himself, he conscien-
tiously declined his father's ofVor, and chose rather to venture over tho
Atlantic ocean, and content himself with the meannesses of America, than
to wound his own conscience for the academical priviledges of England.

When his parents discerned his inclination, they permitted his removal
to New-England: intending themselves, within a year or two, with their
family, to have removed thither after him: which intention Wc. prevented
by the death of his mother, before it could be effected.

Ho arrived at Boston, Juno 4, 1685. In which year he was wonderfully
preserved from a shipwreck, with his uncle, wherein a worthy minister,
one Mr. Avery, lost his life, as elsewhere we have related. A day or two
before that fatal voyage from Newberry to Marblehead, our young Thacher
had such a strong and sad impression upon his mind about the issue of the
voyage, that ho with ant)ther would needs go the journey by land, and so
he escaped perishing with some of his pious and precious friends by sea.

§ 4. 'Tis well known that in tho earif/ days of Christianity, there were
no colledges (except wo will say tho Catechetick Lecture at Alexandria

* Most holily bpgiin at Ihe very oradle. [feeling,

t Lord! Ill buyluKxl 1 iHttfan to tinploro Uilne aid and protection ; I prayed as a little child, but not with little

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MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

was one) for the breeding of young ministers; but the bishop of every
church took the care to educate and elevate some young men, who might
be prepared thereby to succeed in their place when they should be dead
and gone. And in the early days of New-England, they were for a little
while obliged unto such a method of providing young men for the service
of the churches. Thus our Thacher, by the good providence of God, was
now cast into the family and under the tuition of that reverend man, Mr,
Charles Chancey ; who was afterwards the President of Harvard-Colledge,
in our Cambridge. Under the conduct of that eminent scholar, he became
such an one himself; and his indefatigable studies were so prospered, that
he became Aliquis in Omnibus,* without the blemish usually, but sometimes
unjustly annexed unto it, Nulhis in JSingulis.-f He was not unskilled in the
tongues, especially in the Ilebrew, whereof he did compose a Lexicon ;
but so comprized it, that within one sheet of paper, he had every consider-
able word of the language. And he was as well skilled in the arts, espe-
cially in logic, whereof he gave demonstration, in his being a most irre-
fragable disputant on some great occasions.

Moreover, it was his custom, once in three or four years time, at succes-
sive hourc, to go over the tongues and arts at such a rate, that his good skill
in them continued fresh unto the last. And to all his other accomplish-
ments, there was this added, that he was a most incomparable scril)e; he not
only wrote all the sorts of hands in the best copy-books then extant, with
e. singular exactness and acuteness, but there are yet extant monuments
of Syriac, and other oriental characters of his writing, which are hardly
to be imitated. He had likewise a certain mechanic genius, which disposed
him in his recreations unto a thousand curiosities, especially the ingenuity
of clock-ivork, wherein at his leisure he did things to admiration.

§ 5. On May 11, 1643, he was married unto the daughter of that ven-
erable man Mr. Kalph Partridge, the minister of Duxbury. The consort
whom the favour of Heaven thus bestowed upon him, was a person of a
most amiable temper; one pious, and prudent, and every way worthy of
the man to whom she became a glory. By her he received three sons and
one daughter; and when she had continued three sevens of years with him,
she went after a very triumphant manner to be for ever with the Lord,
June 2, 1664, uttering those for her dying words, " Come, Lord Jesus,
come quickly: why are thy chariot-wheels so long a coming?"

§ 6. Having, as a candidate of the ministry, by his most commendable
preaching and living, abundantly recommended himself unto the service
of the churches, he was invited by the church of Weymouth to take the
pastoral charge of them; whereto he was ordained, January 2, 1644. And
here he did for many years fulfil his ministry, not only with elaborate
and affectionate sermons twice every Lord's day, and in a lecture once a
fortnight; but also in catechising the lambs of his flock, for which he like-

* Knuwiiig a little of every thing, f Guud in nuthluy.

Wise
acco
as h
of tl
usua

OR, THE HISTOEY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

Lord,
Jesus.

491

wise made a Catechism. These also he would at fit seasons call to an
account concerning their proficiency under the means of grace : and such
as he found ripe for an admission unto the highest mysteries, at the table
of the Lord, he would encourage to put themselves upon the publick and
usual probation, in order thereunto, but such as he found short, he would
suitably, faithfully, and fervently advise unto the preparations, wherein
they appeared hitherto defective. And God crowned these methods and
labours of his holy servant with observable successes ; which were seen
in the great growth of the church whereof he had the oversight. But
one excellency that shined above the other glories of his ministry was,
that excellent spirit of prayer which, continually breathed in him. It has
been used among the arguments for men to be much in prayer, that the
dignity of the person praying is thereby much augmented ; and Chrysos-
tom, in his book, "Z?e Deo Orando,^'* says: "The very angels cannot but
honour him whom they see familiarly and frequently to be admitted unto
the audience, and, as it were, discourse with the Divine Majesty." Now,
though this honour have all the saints, yet our Thacher had more than ordi-
nary share of this honoui ; he was a person much in prayer, and as he was
much in prayer, so he had an eminency above most men living, for his
copious, his fluent, his fervent manner of performing that sacred exercise.

It was an heaven upon earth to be present at the notable salleys of a
raised soul, a lively faith, and a tongue, toucht with a " coal from the altar,"
with which, in his prayers, he did Ctdum tundere et Misericordiam extorquere.f

§ 7. After the death of his first wife, he married a second in Boston,
which, with a concurrence of many obliging circumstances, occasioned his
removal thither. And it was afterwards found that "He who holds the
stars in his right hand," had a purpose of service to be done for his name
in that populous town, by the talents of this his "good and faithful servant."
For in the month of May, 1669, a third church swarming out from the first
in Boston, which afterwards made one of the most considerable congrega-
tions in the colony, this worthy person was chosen the pastor of that church :
and installed in the pastoral charge thereof, February 16, 1669, wherein
he continued until he died. From this time, I behold him in the metro-
polis of the English America, not only dispensing both light and warmth
unto his own particular flock, but also, as he had opportunity, expressing
a "care of all the churches." And for the comfort of those worthy min-
isters who commonly have their spirits buffeted with strong temptations and
sore dejections, before their performing any special service of their ministry,
I'll mention one passage that may a little describe how this worthy man
became so useful: he would say to his son, "Son, I never preach a sermon
till I cannot preach at all !"

§ 8. As he was in his whole behaviour a serious, holy, and useful man,
so in his government of his family, he so well "ruled his own house," as to

* On Prayer to God. t To gtorm Heaven and wrest A-om it its mercy.

> 1

' ■ *

!]•■

I*
■ 1

H;'

:«

492

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMEEICANA;

give particular demonstrations of his abilities to "take care of the Church
of God." His domesticks both hved him and feared him ; and he was
most conscientiously and exemplarily careful about their interiour as well
as temporal welfare. This appeared especially in the management of his
family worship; wherein he usually read a portion of the Scriptures, both
morning and evening, and he would raise doctrines from every verse with
brief confirmations, and close applications thereof as he went along. Yea,
sometimes one might hear from him thus, in one family exposition, as enter-
taining a variety of truth, notably and pungently expressed, as in several
puhlick sermons : and he has told his worthy son, for his encouragement
unto such exercises, that he had found as much advantage by them, as by
most of his other studies of divinity ; adding, that he looked upon it as
the Lord's gracious accomplishment of that word, "Shall I hide any thing
from Abraham? I know Abraham, that he will teach his house."

§ 9. He was one very watchful over the souls of his people, and careful
to preserve them from errors as well as vices: but of all errors, he discov-
ered an antipathy unto none more than that sink of all errors, Quakerism.
It was in his time, namely, about the year 1652, that there appeared a neio
sect of people in the world, which, from the odd motions of their bodies,
that attended especially their Qrst perversion, were called Quakers; and
it was not long after their first appearance, that New-England began to be
troubled with them. Their spirit of the hat, and their fopperies of t/iou
and thee, in their language to a single person, were the least of those things
which gave our Thacher a dissatisfaction at them ; that which caused him
to employ a most fervent zeal against those hereticks, was the horrible end
of their heresies, to lead men into a pit of darkness, under a pretence of
the light, and annihilate all the sensible objects of our holy religion, under a
pretence of advancing the spiritual; so that we must have no Bible, no
Jesus, no Baptism, no Eucharist, no ordinances, but what shall be evapo-
rated into dispensations, allegories, and meer mystical notions: when he saw
that quite contrary to the tendency and character of every trtith, which is
to ahuse the creature, the main design of Quakerism is to exalt man, and
find that in ruan himself, which may be instead of Saviour, Scripture,
Heaven, rimteou.mess and all institutions unto him, he could not but adore
the justice and vengeance of God, in permitting such a spiritual plague to
be inflicted on places where the gospel had been more eminently sinned
against; but he set himself with the more of a pastoral diligence to defend
his own flock from the contagion : and hence, when he heard of any hooks left
by the Quakers in any houses of his neighbourhood, he would presently
repair to the houses, and obtain those venomous pamphlets from them:
for which, that the ivolves barked more at him than at many other men,
and would sometimes come with their faces hideously blacked, and their
garments fearfully torn, into his congregation, whereby tbe neighbours were
frighted unto the danger of their lives, is not at all to be wondred at. la

V \i

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

493

the Church
and he was
loiir as well
ment of his
Jtures, both

verse with
long. Yea,
on, as enter-
is in several
>uragement
thein, as by

upon it as
3 any thing
se."
and careful

he discov-

UAKERISM.

;ared a ncio

eir bodies,

KERs; and

'egan to be

ies of t/iou

ose things

aused him

rrible end

'etence of

under a

Bible, no

be evapo-

n he saw

which is

man, and

Scripture,

ut adore

plague to

y sinned

o defend

hooks left

iresently

n them:

er men,

id their

jrs were

at. la

this his pastoral care, he met with some experiments that were extraor-
dinary ; whereof one shall here be related. It has here sometimes been
remarked, that a very sensible possession of the devil has attended the first
arrest of Quakerism on the minds of men, and the seducers have, with a
real and proper witchcraft, by certain ceremonies conveyed it unto them.
Agreeably hereunto, an inhabitant of Weymouth having bought certain
Bibles at Boston, lodged the night following at a tavern, where two Qua-
kers lodged with him. The Quakers fell to disgracing and degrading the
Bibles, wherewith he had furnished himself, as a dead ietter, and advised
him to hearken to the light within, which would sufficiently direct him to
Heaven; and the effect of their enchantments was, that before morning the
poor man was as very a Quaker as the best of them. In the morning he
was carrying back his Bibles to the book-sellers, as books now become
altogether useless; and resolving to keep no dead letter any longer in his
hands; but in the way he was met by Mr. Thacher, who, seeing the man
look wild and strange, and of an energumen countenance, over-perswaded
him to go aside with him, that he might enquire a little further to his
condition. He carried the poor man into a neighbour's house, and pri-
vately there talked with him, and prayed with him, and by the wonderful
blessing of Heaven, immediately recovered him froin the error of his way:
the man was never any more a Quaker, but ever after this, v/onderfuUy
thankful unto God and unto this his servant for his recovery.

§ 10. The last that I shall mention of the excellencies that signalized
this worthy man shall be his claim to the accomplishments of an excellent
physician. He that for his lively ministry was justly reckoned among
"the angels of the churches," might for his medical acquaintances, expe-
riences, and performances, be truly called a Eaphael. Ever since the days
of Luke the evangelist, skill in physick has been frequently professed and
practised by persons whose more declared business was the study of divin-
ity. To say nothing of such monks as /Egidivs Aiheniensis, or Constanii-
nus Afer, or Johannes Damascemis, or Trusianus Florentinus, and to say
nothing of Henry Bochelt, a Bishop, or of Alhicus, an Arch Bishop, or of
Ludovicvs Patavinus, a Cardinal, or of John XXII., a Pope, all of whom
were notable physicians, our English nation has commonly afforded emi-
nent physicians, who were also ministers of the gospel.

But I suppose the greatest frequency of the angelical conjunction has
been seen in these parts of America, where they are mostly "the po^r to
whom the gospel is preached," by pastors whose compassion to them in
their poverty invites them to supply the want of able physicians among
ihem, and such an universally serviceable pastor was our Thacher. Thoy
were the priests of Egypt, of Greece, and of Home, who reserved in the
archives of their temples the stories and methods of the cures wrought on
the recovered persons, who brought thither their thankful sacrifices; and
by the priests were directions hence communicated unto such as wanted

'I.

It,

494

MAQNALIA CHEI8TI AMERICANA;

cures for the like distempers. As the art of healing was first brought into
some order by the hands of officers that have been set apart for the care
of souls; thus, that art has been happily exercised by the hands of church-
offisers in all ages, who have administred unto the souls of people the more
effeatually, for being able to administer unto their bodies. And a singular
arti.4 herein was our Thacher; who, knowing that every rank of generous
men had at some time or other afforded persons eminent for skill in phys-
ick; yea, that it had been studied by no less than such crowned heads as
Miti'iridates and HadrianvLS and Cbrwto^) ' Ws Pogonatus, he thought it no
ways misbecoming him to follow the i xample. How many hundreds in
this way fared the better for him, I crvan >t say ; but this I can say, that
as King Zamolxes of Thracia, who was >f old a renowned physician, would
give this as the reason why the Greeks had the diseases among them so
much uncured, "because they neglected their souls, the chief thing of all :"
so our Thacher was blessed of God in his faithful endeavours to make natu-
ral and spiritual health accompany each other in those that were about him.

§ 11. But, Contra Vim Mortis Nothing will exempt from the arrest

of death. It happened that this excellent man preached for my father a
sermon on 1 Pet. iv. 18: "The righteous scarcely saved;" the last words
of which sermon y.'cre, "When a saint comes to die, then often it is the
hour and power of darkness with him; then is the last opportunity that
the devil has to vex the people of God ; and hence they then sometimes
have the greatest of thei^ distresses. Do not think him no godly man
that then meets with doubts and fears ; our Lord Jesus Christ then cries
out, *My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' God help us, that
as we live by faith, so we may walk in it." And these proved the last
words that ever he uttered in any sermon whatsoever. For visiting a sick
person, after his going out of the assembly, he got some hana, which
turned into a fever, whereof he did, without any "hour and power of dark-
ness" upon his own holy mind, expire on October 15, 1678. He left
behind him two worthy sons, Mr. Peter Thacher, who is at this time the
pastor of tiae church at Milton, and one from whose pious labours, not the
English only, but even the Indians also, receive the "glad tydings of sal-
vation;" and Mr. Ralph Thacber, minister of the word at Martha's Vine-
yard. And he likewise left one printed ojf-spring of his mind ; for as the
reverend prefacer thereto observes, "When the Lord knew that Boston,
yea, that New-England would have cause for many days of humiliation,
he therefore stirred up the heart of his servant aforehand to give instruc-
tions and directions concerning the acceptable performance of so great a
duty," he did in the year 1674 preach on the nature of a sacred fast; and
soma of his hearers, who wrote after him, when he preached, afterwards
publ shed ii under the title of, "J. Fast of God's Ohusing.'"

§ 12. The church of this worthy man at Weymouth has been entertained

witt
to

OR, THE HI8T0EY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

495

rought into
For the care
Jof church-
e the more
a singular
of generous
ill in phys-
PC? heads as
)ught it no
undreds in
n say, that
ian, would
g them so
ngofall:"
nake natu-
ibout him,
the arrest
y father a
last words
1 it is the
unity that
sometimes
odly man
hen cries
p us, that
the last
ng a sick
li, which
of dark-
He left
time the
not the
[s of sai-
l's Vine-
)r as the
Boston,
iliation,
instruc-
great a
St; and
jrwards

rtanied

with one curiosity^ which, by way of appendix to his life, is not unworthy
to be related :

One Matthew Prat, whose religious parents had well instructed him in
his minority, when he was twelve years of age became totally deaf through
sickness, and so hath ever since continued. He was taught after this to
write, as he had been before to read; and both his reading and his writing .
he retaineth perfectly, but he has almost forgotten to speak; speaking but
imperfectly, and scarce intelligibly, and very seldom. He is yet a very judi-
cious Christian, and being admitted into the communion of the church, he
has therein for many years behaved himself unto the extream satisfaction
of good people in the neighbourhood. Sarah Prat, the wife of this man,
is one also who waa altogether deprived of her hearing by sickness when
she was about the third year of her age; but having utterly lost her hear-
ing, she has utterly lost her speech also, and no donbt all remembrance of
every thing that refers to language. Mr. Thacher made an essay to teach
her the use of Utters, but it succeeded not: however, she has a most quick
apprehension of things by her eye, and she discourses by signs, whereat
some of her friends are so expert, as to maintain a conversation with her
upon any point whatever, with as vaxxch. freedom andi fulness as if she wanted
neither tongue nor ear for conference. Her children do learn her signs
from the breast : and speak sooner by her eyes and hands than by their lij^s.
From her infancy she was very sober and modest; but she had no knowl-
edge of a Deity, nor of any thing that concerns another life and world.
Nevertheless, God of his infinite mercy has revealed the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the great mysteries of salvation by him, unto her, by a more extraor-
dinary and immediate operation of his own spirit upon her. An account
of her experiences was written from her, by her husband; and the elders
of the church employing her husband, with two of her sisters, who are
notably skilled in her way of communication, examined her strictly here-
about : and they found that she understood the unity of the divine essence,
the trinity of persons in the Godhead, the personal union in our Lord, the
mystical union between our Lord and his church; and that she w?d
aijquaiuted with the impressions of grace upon a regenerate soul. She r. as
under great exercise of mind, about her internal and eternal state; i^he
expressed unto her friends desire of help; and she made use of the Bible,
and other good books, and with tears remarked such passages as vvere suit-
able to her own condition. Yea, she onoe, in her exercise, r/rote with a
pin upon a trencher, three times over, "Ah, poor soul!" and therewith,
before divers persons, burst into tear.*'. At a sermon she would enquire
after the text, which being shewn her, she would look and muse upoi' it:
and she strangely knows the name- of those with whom she is acquainte i ;
insomuch that if they be names found in the Scripture, she will turu and
find, and point them there. It seems that uritten words are a sort of hie-
roghjphicks unto her.

! M

! 51

1 ii

496

MAGNALi.V CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

f :

She was admitted into the church with the general approbation of tho
faithful, nor ^vould the most judicious coi-iuist in the world — a Luther, a
Melancthon, a Gerhard, an Alting, a Baldwin — have scrupled her admis-
sion to the sacred mysteries: and her carriage is that of a grave, gracious,
holy woman.

The wonderful circumstances of this couple may justly be added unto
the "entertainments for the curious," which we have in the young man
and maid mentioned by Camerarius, who, though deaf and dumbf could
read and write and cypher, and know a ma/i's meaning by the motion of
his lips. And the person mentioned by Platerus, who, though born d^af
as well as dumh, yet could express his thoughts in a tuble-book, and com-
prehend what was written by others in it, and with edification attend upon
the ministry of (Ecolainpadius : and both Mr. Crit^p of London, and Gennet
Lowes of Edinburgh, who, though naturally dvaf, and by consequenr^e
dwnb, could yet see what people spoke, by seeing them when they sf -.okc :
and, in a word, the exquisite sence of the mutes iu the Ottomaii Court,
related by iiyoaut in his history of that empire.

An epitaph must now be s; ught for this worthy man: and because tho
nation and quality of the a^il'^vr, will make the composure to become a
curiosity, I will here, for an Epitaph, insert an elegy which was composed
upon this occasion by an Indian ;. o'lth, who was then a student of Har-
vard Colledgc (his name was Eleazar):

IN OniTUM VIRI VERB REVERENDI
D. THOM^ THACHERI,

QUI AD
Doiti. 'J.N h&c vita iDigrayit, 18, 8, 1G78.

Tentabu lllustrir.' tristi memorare dolore,

Qiietn l.ncrymis ^•iieUivt Tempora nostra, Virum,
Memnoiiil sic Mater, .'.'offr ploravit ^chillem,

Juiitis cum iMcrtimid, ctimque Dolore gravi.
Mens sttipet, ora silent, ju.ilum nunc palma recusal

Offieium: Quid? Opem Tiistis Jipollo negat?
Jlst, TImchere, Thus connbor dicere laudes,

iMudes Firtiitis, quir super Jlstra volat.
Consults Rerun: Oominis, OentiquiB togatd

A'ota fuit virtiin, ae tua Sancta Fides,
yivis post FuuMs, Faliz post Fata; JacesTu:

Sed ^telliig inter (tlurio; nempe Jiices,
Mens Tun jntii cirlum repetit ; Victoria parta est :

Jam Thus est Christus, ijuod meruitque tuum.
Hie Finis Crucis ; mngnorum hac meta malorum ;

Vlterius von quo progrediatur erit.
Crux jam eassa manes ; requieseunt os$a Sepulchro ;

Mors moritur ; yita Fita Beata redtt.
Quum tuba per /yensns sonitum dabit ultima JVuic«,

Cum Domino Rediens Ferrea Seeptra gerci,
Cadum turn scaniie.i, ubi Patria Verapiorum;

Pratvius banc Patriam nunc tibi Jcaua adit,
Jliic vera Quies ; illic sine fine voluptas ;

Qaudia et Humanis non referenda tonit,

ELEAZAR. Tndu* Senior Sophiita,

ON THE DEATH OF THAT TRULY REVEREND JIA?.',

THOMAS THACHER,

WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE FOR Ut8 BEAVENLV BOHEi

OCTOBER 18, 1678.

I 8INO of one, though tears bcduw the pnge,
Mournnd by the present as tho former iiije ;
Mourned as was Memnon, by Achilles sinin,
When o'er his corse his mother knelt in vain.
Mind, voice, and strength have lost their wonted Are,
As if t^. 3 Muse would weep, but not inspire.

Tbacher, 'lis virtue that thy name endeiirs —
Virtue, that climbs b"yond the starry spheres.
To men of station and of low degree
Thy faith nhone far, like beacons o'er the sea.
Tliough dead, thou livest: victory crowns thy brow:
The grace that saved thee, gloriflea thee now.
Thy cross of suffering thou shalt bear no more-
Temptations, perils, sorrows, all aro o'er.
Death, the destroyer, dies — tho last of ftws, —
And life, renewed, to life immortal grows,

When the last trumpet, fearfully and loud,
Peals like the thunder through the parted cloud,
And tho great Judge of nil shall spreud his throne,
Thou Shalt sit with Ilim as a chosen son :
Then through the skies seek realms of cndirsa day.
To which thy Saviour hath prepared the way.
There, mid delights for human thought too sweet,
Thy rest is pure— thy pleasure tnflnite.

ELEAZAR, an Indian Senior Sopliister.

ENLY BOHI,

OB, THE SISTOBY OF NEW-EKOLARD. 497

£(3/i' i)^it 4 «oi>i(, iwt yilf r' htfi* iwor' iXtXrMt,
KXtivov /y fiiunpjit c' ivofi(yoi«t ;^^OMt('
9o;i^q i' Ik ptdtuy rra/icvq, /7q il/iavov (liir«t>«V|
M<X^(<(' <i0<ivara( irytti/taffiv dOuvareif.

Eleazar, /nJua iSitnior iSlD|>Ai«la-

tTntnslation of tha pr*c«dln|t,'j

Though earth contains his dust, his r.itme it yet immdrtiU i

It shall light the future agos u e'er the past it beamed ;
While his stiiil, set froo from pr'^un, seoks the «Ter<>pen portal

Where thu shining ones «7t* waiting to welcome the nxloemed.

THE LIFE OF MR. PETER HOBART.

§ 1. It was a saying of Alphonsus (whom they sir-named, "the wise,
King of Arragon,") that "among so many things as are by men possessed
or pursued in the course of their lives, all the rest are baubles, besides old
wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to converse with, and old
books to read." Now, there having been Protestant and reformed colonies
here formed, in a new world, and those colonies now growing old, it >vill
certainly be no unwise thing for them to converse with some of their old
friends^ among which one was Mr. Peter Ilobart, wliom therefore a new
book shall now present unto my readt-rs.

§ 2. Mr. Peter Hobart was born at or near Hingham, a markc' town in
the county of Norfolk, about the latter end of the year 1604. His \:. enta
were eminent for piety, and even from their youth "feared God above
many;" wherein their zeal was more conspicuous by the impiety of the
neighbourhood, among whom there were but three or four in the whole
town that minded serious religion, and these were sufficiently maligned
by the irreligious for their Puritanism. These parents of our Hobart were
such ivs had obtained each other from the God of heaven, by Isaac-like
prayers unto him, and such as afterwards "besieged Heaven" with a con-
tinual importunity for a blessing upon their children; whereof the second
was this our Peter. This their son was, like another Samuel, from his
infancy dedicated by them unto the ministry, and in order thereunto, sent
betimes unto a grammar-school; whereto, such was his desire of learning,
that he went several miles on foot every morning, and by his early ap-
pearance there, still shamed the sloth of others. He went afterwards unto
the free-school at Lyn, from whence, when he was by his master judged
fit for it, he was admitted into a colledge in the University of Cambridge;
where he remained, studied, profited, until he proceeded Batchellor of
Arts; giving all along an example of sobriety, gravity, aversion from all
vice, and inclination to the service of God.
Vol. I.— 32

).: B

•y-m

■'-11 V

:i|r

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498

MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMEBICAMA:

§ S. Retiring then from the university, he taught a grammar-school;
but he lodged in the house of a conformist minister, who, though he were
no friend unto Puritans, yet he employed this our young Uobart some-
times to preach for him: and when asked, *' What his opinion of this young
man was?" he said, "I do highly approve his abilities; ho will make an
able preacher: but I fear he will be too precise." When the time for it
came, he returned unto the university, and proceeded Master of Arts: but
the rest of his time in England was attended with much unsettlemcnt of
his condition. He was employed here and there, as godly pcoj)lc could
obtain permission from the parson of the parish, who upon any little dis-
gust would recal that permission : and yet all this while, by the blessing
of God upon his own diligence and discretion, and the frugality of his
vertuous consort, he lived comfortably. The last place of his residence
in England was the town of Haverhil, where he was a lecturer, laborious
and successful in the vineyard of our Lord.

§ 4. His parents, his brethren, his sisters, had not without a great afllio*
tion to him embarked for New-England; but some time after this, the
cloud of prelatical impositions and persecutions grew so black upon him,
that the solicitations of his friends obtained from him a resolution ior New-
England also, where he hoped for a more settled abode, which was most
agreeable to his inclination. Accordingly, in the summer of the year 1635,
he took ship, with his wife and four children, and after a voyage by con-
stant sickness rendred very tedious to him, he arrived at Charles-town,
where he found his desired relations got safe before him. Several towns
now addressed him to become their minister; but he chose with his father's
family and some other Christians to form a new plantation, which they
called Hingham; and there gathering a chui'ch, he continued a faithful pas-
tor and an able preacher for many years. And his old people at Haverhil
indeed, in some time after, sent most importunate letters unto him, to
invite his return for England : and he had certainly returned, if the letters
had not so miscarried, that before his advice to them, there fell out some
remarkable and invincible hindrances of his removal.

§ 6. Not long after this, he had (as his own expression for it was) " his
heart rent out of his breast," by the death of his consort; but his Christian,
patient, and submissive resignation, was rewarded by his marriage to a
second, that proved a rich blessing unto him. His house was also edilied
and beautified with many children, on whom when he look ed ho would
say, sometimes with much thankfulness, "Behold, thus shall the man be
blessed that feareth the Lord 1" and for whom he employed many tears in
his prayers to God, that they might be happy, and, like another Job,
offered up his daily supplications.

His love to learning made him strive hard that his hopeful sons might
not go without a learned education ; and accordingly we find four or five

OB, THE HISTOBT OF NEW-ENGLAND.

499

of tbem wearing laurels in the catalogue of our graduates; and several of
them are at this day worthy preachers of the gospel in our churches.

§ 7. He was mostly a morning student, not meriting the name of Homo
Lectisshnus* as he in the witty epigrammatist, from his hng lying a bed;
nnd yet he would improve the darkncvsa of the evening also for solemn,
fixed, and illuminating meditations. He was much admired for tcdl-stud-
ied sermons; and even in the midst of secular diversions and distractions,
his active mind would be busie at providing materials for the composure
of them. He much valued that rule, shtdi/ standing; and until old ago
and weakness compelled him, he rarely would study sitting: which prac-
tice of his he would recommend unto other students, as an excellent pre-
ventive of that Flagellum Studiosorum,']; the sto7ie. And when he had an
opportunity to hear a sermon from any other minister, he did it with such
a diligent and reverent attention, as made it manifest that he worshipped
God in doing of it: and he was very careful to be present still, at the
beginning of the exercises, counting it a recreation to sit and wait for the
worship of God.

Moreover, his heart was knit in a most sincere and hearty love towards
pious men, though they were not in all things of his own perswasion. He
would admire the grace of God in good men, though they were of senti-
ments contrary unto his; and he would soy, "I can carry them in my
bosome :" nor was he by them otherwise respected.

§ 8. There was deeply rooted in him a strong antipathy to all profanities,
whereof he was a faithful reprover, both in publick and in private; and
when his reproofs prevailed Uvit, he would "weep in secret places."

Drinking to excess, and mispence of precious time, in tipling or talking
with vain persons, which he saw grown too common, was an evil so
extremely offensive to him, that he would call it, "Sitting at meat in an
idol's temple;" and when he saw that vanity grow upon the more high
professors of religion, it was yet more distastful to him, who in his own
behaviour was a groat example of temperance.

Pride, expressed in a gaiety and bravery of apparel, would also cause
him with much compassion to address the young persons with whom he
saw it budding, and advise them to correct it, with more care to adorn their
soids with such things as were of great price before God: and here likewise
his own example joined handsomeness with gravity, and a moderation that
could not endure a show. But there was no sort of men from whom he
more turned away than those who, under a pretence of zeal for church dis-
cipline, were very pragmatical in controversies, and furiously set upon hav-
ing all things carried their way, which they would call "the rule;" but at
the same time were most insipid creatures, destitute of the "life and power
of godliness," and perhaps immoral in their conversations. To these he

• " Lcctus," which inonnt "select" or "eligible," Bignlfles also "n l)€d." Hence the double entendre of tho
text-" a inoil eligible mun," or, " ■ mau most a-»erf.'» t The scourge of the sedeatary.

St:

! If

<,-,]

Mil

■Si:-

B ' t>J

600

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

would apply a saying of Mr. Cotton's, "That some men are all churcb, and
no Christ."

§ 9. lie was a person that met with many temptations and afBictiona,
which are better forgotten than remembered; but he was internally and
is now eternally a gainer by them. It is remarked of the Patriarch Jacob,
that when he was a very old man, auJ much older than the most that
lived after him, he complained, "Few and evil have been the days of ^lie
years of my life:" in which complaint the yew is explained by the evil;
his days were winter-days, and spent in the darkness of sore calamity.
Winter-days are twenty-four hours long as well as other days; yea, longer,
if the equation of time should be mathematically considered: yet we count
them the shorter days. Thus, although our Hoburt lived unto old age, he
might call his daysyJ.?/;, because they had been evil. But "Mark this per-
fect man, and behold this upright one; for the end of this man was peace."
In the spring of the year 1670, he was visited with a sickness that seemed
the "messenger of death;" but it was his humble desire that, by having
his life prolonged a little further, he might see the education of his own
younger children perfected, and bestow more labour also upon the con-
version of the young people in his congregation: "I have travelled in
the ministry in this place thirty-five years, and might it please God so far
to lengthen out my days, as to make it up forty, I should not, I think,
desire any more." Now, the Lord heard this desire of his praying ser-
vant, and added no less than eight years more unto his days. The most part
of which time, except the last three-quarters of a year, he was employed
in the publick services of his ministry.

Being recovered from his illness, he proved that he did not flatter with
his lips in the vows that he had made for his recovery ; for he now set
himself with great fervour to gather the children of his church under the
saving xuings of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and in order thereunto he preached
many pungent sermons, on Eccl. xi. 9, 10, and Eccl. xii. 1, and used many
other successful endeavours.

§ 10. Though his labours were not without success, yr^t the success was
not so general and notable but that he would complain, "Alas, for the
barrenness of my ministry !" And when he found his lungs decay by old
age and fever, he would clap his hands on his breast, and say, "The bel-
lows are burnt, the founder has melted in vain!" At length, infirmities
grew so fast upon this painful servant of our Lord, that in the summer of
the year 1678 he seemed apace drawing on to his end ; but after some
revivals he again got abroad; however, he seldom, if ever, preached after
it, but only administered the sacrameiit^i. In this time his humility, and
consequently all the other graces which God gives unto the humble, grew
exceedingly and observably; and hence he took delight in hearing the
commendatiors of other men, though sometimes they were so unwisely
uttered as to jarry some diminutions unto himself; and he set himself

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

601

particularly to put all respect and honour ii' i the ministers that caino
in the time of his weakness to supply his place. After and under hb
coiifinemont, the singing of psalms was an exercise wherein he took a par-
ticular delight; saying, "That it was the work of Heaven, which ho was
willing to anticipate." But about eight weeks before his expiration, he
did with his aged hand ordain a successor; which when he had performed
with much solemnity, he did afterwards, with an assembly of ministers
and other Christians, at his own house, joyfully sing the song of aged
Simeon, "Thy servant now lettest thou depart in peace." lie had now
"nothing to do, bot to die;" and he spent his hours accordingly in assid-
uous preparations; not without some dark intervals of temptation; but at
last with "light arising in darkness" unto him. While his extcriour was
decaying^ his inleriour was renewing every day, until the twentieth day of
January, 1678, when he quietly and silently resigned his holy soul unto
its faithful Creator.

EPITAPHIUM.

D. PETRI HOBARTI,

Otaa tub hoe Saxo Latitant, defoaaa Sepulehro,
Spiritut in Cmlo, earcere, miuut agit.*

;li^

«i

A MAN OF GOD. AND Alf HONOURABLE MAN.

TUE LIFE OF MR. SAMUEL WHITING.

Hi mihi Doetoret semper placuere, doeenda

Qui faciunt, plus, quam qui facienda docent.f

§ 1. When the miserable Saul applied himself to the Witch of Endor
for the invoking of and consulting with some spirit in the invisible world,
he chose that the spirit should rather appear in the shape of the venerable
Samuel, than in any other. A dispute is raised among learned men, on
the occasion of the spirit thus raised, "who it should be?"^ — for while some
think that, beyond the expectation, and unto the astonishment of the
Witch, it was the true Samuel which now appeared; in as much as the
apparition is five times over called by the name of Samuel, and the apoc-
ryphal Ecclesiasticus affirms of Samuel, that "after his death he prophe-
sied :" and several of the fathers and of the school-men, herein followed by
Mendoza, Delrio, Dr. More, Mr. Glanvil, and others, are of this opinion:
they imagine, with Lyra, that God then sent in the real Samuel, unhoked

* B«nealh this itone his buried ashes lie,
t Teaihera who do what ihould be taught,
Have pleased me best — 'lii very true ; .

Bnt his ft-eed spirit is l>eyond the sky.
Better than those, so often sought.
Who leach the things they ought to da.

\ ♦!&!

Jl' I

602

MAONAMA CHRISTI AMKRICANA;

'III lit
r

J,
I

/or, as/(«camo upon Balaain, when employed about his magical tDiposturcs:
thero are more, wlio judge that it woa a spirit of the same kind with tlmt
which is described by Porphyrins, wavlajuiiopipov « xai iroXo7poirov — "changing
themselves into multifarious forms, one while acting the parts of dnMnons,
another while of angels, and another while the souls of the deconscd:"
of which opinion was Tertullian, and the author of the Quest, d lit.yi*
oscribed unto Justin Martyr, and the generality of Protestants: who cannot
perswade themselves that the Lord would have so far countenanced Nec-
romancy or Psycomancy as to have let the real Samuel come upon the
solicitations of an enchantress ; and that the real Samuel would not have
discoursed at the rate of the spectre now exhibited.

Let the disputants upon this question wrangle on: while we by a very
lawful and laudable art will fetch another Samuel from the dead: and by
the happy magick of our pen, reader, we will bring into the view of the
world a venerable old man — a Samuel who shall entertain us with none
but comfortable and profitable tidings. *

§ 2. Mr. Samuel Whiting drew his first breath at Boston, in Lincoln-
shire, November 20, A. 1). 1597. Ilis father, a person of good repute
there, the eldest son among many brethren, an alderman, and sometimes a
mayor of the town, had three sons; the second of these was our Samuel,
who had a learned education by his father bestowed upon him, first at
Boston school, and then at the university of Cambridge. He had for his
companion in his education his cosen german, the very renowned Anthony
Tuckney, afterwards doctor, and master of St. John's Colledge : they were
«cAoo^fellows at Boston, and chamber-mates at Cambridge; they both
belonged unto Immanuel-CoUedge, and they continued an intimate friend-
ship, when they left the seats of the Muses, which indeed was not
"quenched by the many waters" of the Atlantick when they were a thou-
sand leagues asunder. It was while he was thus at the university that
the good Spirit of God made early impressions of grace upon his young
soul; and the cares of his pious tutor (I think Mr. Yates) to instruct him
in matters oireligion^ as well as of literature, were blessed for the imbuing of
his mind with a tincture oi early piety ; which was further advanced by the
ministry of such preachers as Dr. Sibs and Dr. Preston: so that in his age
he would give thanks to God for the divine favours which he thus received
in his youth^ and when he was entering into his rest, where he expected
the most intimate communion with our glorious Immanuel, and with the
"spirits of just men made perfect," he could with joy reflect upon the anti-
cipations of it, which he enjoyed in the retired walk of Immanuel-Colledge.

§ 3. Having proceeded Master of Arts, he removed from Cambridge,
and became a chaplain to Sir Nathanael Bacon and Sir Eoger Townsend,
where he did for three years together, with prayers, with sermons, with
catechising, and with a grave and wise deportment, serve the interest of

* Questions and Anawe'rs.

OU, TllK III8TOKY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

603

religion, in a fiunily which had no less tlmn two knights and five hdies in
it. llo next removed unto Lyn, in the county of Norfolk, and spent
another thrco years as a coUeguo in tlie ministry of the gospel with a rev-
erend ond excellent num, Mr. Price. But the great content which ho took
in his present scituation, and society, and service, was interrupted at length
by comphunta made unto the Bishop of Norwich for his non-conformity
unto those ritca which never were of any use in the church of God, but
only to be tools by which the worst of men might thrust out the best from
serving it. Being cited unto tlio lligh Commission Court, ho expected
that he should lose tho most of his estate for his being a non-conformist;
but before the timo for his appearance, according to the citation, came,
King James died; and so his trouble at this time was diverted. Tho Earl
of Lincoln afterwanls interceding for him, the Bishop was willing to prom-
ise that he would no farther worry him, in case he would bo gone out of
his dioccss, where ho could not reach him; and therefore leaving Lyn, he
exercised his ministry at Skirbick, near Boston in Lincolnshire, for a con*
sidcrablo while, with no inconsiderable fruit; refreshed with the delightful
neighbourhood of his old friends, and especially tho.se eminent persona
Mr. Cotton and Mr. Tuckney, to both of whom he bad some affinity, as
from both of them no little aflection.

§ 4. Having buried his first wife, by whom he had three children — two
sons, who died in England, and one daughter, afterwards matched with
one Mr. Thomas Welil, in another land — he married the daughter of Mr.
Oliver St. John, a Bedfordshire gentleman, of an honourable family, nearly
related unto tho Lord St. John of Bletso. This Mr. St. John was a person
of incomparablo breeding, vertue, and piety ; such that Mr. Cotton, who
was well acquainted with him, said of him, "He was one of the compleat-
est gentlemen, without aiTectation, that ever he knew." And this his
daughter was a person of singular piety and gravity; one who by her dis-
cretion freed her husband from all secular avocations; one who upheld a
daily and constant communion with God in the devotions of her closet;
one who not only tvrote tho sermons that she heard on the Lord's days
with much dexterity, but liveil them, and lived on them all the week.
The usual phrase for an excellent woman among the ancient Jews was,
"one who deserves to marry a priest:" even such an excellent woman was
now married unto Mr. Whiting. This gentlewoman having stayed with
her worthy consort forty-seven years, went in the seventy-third year of
her age unto Him to whom her soul had been some scores of years espoused.
Mr. Whiting had by her four sons and two daughters. Three of the sons
lived unto the estate and stature of men ; and had a learned education.
Samuel is at this day a reverend, holy, and faithful minister of the gospel
in the New-English town of Billerica: John was intended for a physician,
but became a preacher, first at Butterwick, then at Leverton in Lincoln-

,' t

-.1

m
hi

1 1? ;

»a

:.|

504

MAQNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

I ! i

shire, where he died a godly conformist: Joseph is at this day a worthy
and painful minister of the gospel at Southampton upon Long-Island.

§ 5. After he had abode several years at Skirbick, soon after Mr. Cot-
ton's removal, he fell into such trouble for his non-conformity to the vani-
ties which men had "received by tradition from their Popish fathers," and
this through the complaint of the same unhappy man, it is said, who pro-
cured the trouble of Mr. Cotton, that he found he must be gone : but New-
England offered it self as the most hopeful and quiet, and indeed the only
place that he could be gone unto. The ecclesiastical sharks then drove
this Whiting over the Atlantic sea unto the American strand. Let it not
be a matter of wonder, that persons of a conscience rightly informed and
inclined, chose rather to undergo an uncomfortable exile from the best
island under heaven to as hard a desart as any upon earth, rather than
to conform to the ceremonies of the English Liturgy. If the things had
been as lawful in the judgment of the sufferers as they were in the pre-
tences of the imposers, they were not so fond of miseries as to have refused
conformity. But it was of old observed, that when sinful things were
commanded, Nihil obstinacius Christiano — nothing is more obstinate than a
Christian dissenter; and it is a commendable obstinacy/ The faithful in
Tertullian's time would undergo any thing rather than use the ceremonies
of idolaters, though they might have used them to another end, and with
another mind than they. The first planters of New-England knew that
the ceremonies retained in the Church of England had been first invented
and practised by idolaters : and knowing that all the abominations of the
Popish Mass originally sprang from an imposed Liturgy, they thought it
no nicety to have declined all compliance with such a thing, though they
should not have had, as they had, numberless objections against it. The
very tcords used in the rites then required, were feared by those good men,
as dangerous; after they read those words of the Rhemists, "While they
say, ministers, let us say, priests; when they call it, a communion table, let
us call it, an altar. Let us keep our old words, and we shall keep our old
things, our religion." But much more did these good men fear the rites
of tilings themselves; especially when they saw them to be not only
unscriptural and uninstituted, but also of pernicious consequence to the very
vitals of religion. For this they had the example of Peter Martyr, who
wished that the reformed churches, keeping up these things, would be
sensible, Evangelium iis manentibus, non satis essefirmum:- — that the gospel
cannot be secure, while the ceremonies continue: they had the example
of Martin Bucer, who complained that the ceremonies and the preaching of
the word, mutually expel one another. Where knowledge through the
preaching of the gospel prevails, there the love of these withers, and where
the hve of these prevails, there knowledge decays: they had the example of
the divines of Hamburgh, who looked upon such ceremonies to be the

OB, THE HI8T0EY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

605

a worthy
iland.
' Mr. Cot-
• the vani'
lers," and
who pro-
but New-
tlie only
en drove
Let it not
med and
the best
her than
ings had
the pre-
} refused
^gs were
? than a
ithful in
remom'es
nd with
lew that
ti vented
I of the
'ught it
fh they
The
d men,

they
tble, ]et
)ur old
le riles

only
! very

who
lid be
?ospel
iimple
'n(/ of

the
Inhere
>le of
3 the

ChmicuK — the secret mines — by which the Papists would convey themselves
under omt Jbundationi>, and overthrow our churches. And if they did then
entertain Austin's fear — In Multitudine Ceremoniarum periclitatur Fides* —
I wish the event had less confirmed it. It is very certain, in the English
nation, they served only as Gileadites, to keep the passages of the church,
so that no minister, how able or worthy soever, could pass, unless he could
pronounce that Shibboleth. And if the man of Bern, mentioned by Me-
lancthon, who would rather be martyred than observe one fast in the
Popish manner, were to be commended for his fidelity to Christ, though it
seemed such a little matter, these good men must not be reproached for this,
that they would rather be exikd than to conform to those things, which
were like the pretended "indifferent things" imposed in the old German
instrument called the Interim, namely, Semina Corruptelce — the seeds of
Eomish corruption. It is time for me now, without any farther observa-
tion, to add concerning our Whiting. His vertuous consort was far from
discouraging him, through any unwillingness in her to forsake her native
country, or expose her own person first unto the hazards of the ocean, and
then unto the sorrows of a wilderness: but though some of her friends were
much against it, yet she r&ther forwarded, than hindred her husband's incli-
nation for America. When he shipped himself, he took with hira all that
he had ; and whereas he might have reserved his lands in England, which
would have yielded him a considerable annual revenue, and notable acces-
sion to the small salary, which he was afterwards put off withal; yet
judging that he never should return to England any more, he sold all,
saying, "I am going into the wilderness to a sacrifice unto the Lord, and
I will not leave an hoof behind me."

He took shipping about the beginning of April, 1636, and arrived May
26, after he had been so very sick all tl:e way, that he could preach but
one sermon all the while: and he would say, "that he had much rather
have undergone six weeks imprisonment for a good cause, than to undergo
six weeks of such terrible sea-sickness as he had been now tried withal."

But in a sermon after his arrival, he thus expressed h^'s apprehensions
and consolations:

"We in this country have left our near and our dear friends; but if we can get nearer to
God here, he will be instead of all, and more than all unto us: He hath all the fulness of all
the sweetest relations bound up in him. We may take out of God, which we forsook in
father, mother, brother, sister, friends that hath been as near and as dear as our own soul."

§ 6. When he came ashore, his friends at the New-English Boston, with
many of whom he had been acquainted in Lincoln-shire, let him know
how glad they were to see him; and having lodged about a month with
his kinsman, Mr. Adderton Haugh, he removed unto Lyn, the church
there inviting him to be their pastor; and in the pastoral care of that flock
he spent all the rest, of his days. The year following, Mr. Thomas Cobbet

* In the multitutle of ceremonies, fuith itself is in peril.

W
m

ill;;

■ ■' X

606

MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

followed him; and soon after his arrival at New-England, became his col-
legue in the service of the church at Lyn. Great was the love that sweet-
ned the labours and whole conversation and vicinity of these fellow-
labourers; the rays with which they illuminated the house of God, sweetly
united; they were almost every day together, and thought it a lonrj dai/
if they were not so; one rarely travelling abroad without the other: and
these two angelick men seemed willing to give one another as little jostle
as the angels upon Jacob's ladder did unto one another, while one was
descending and another ascending there. IIow little stipends these great
servants of the church were oppressed, but yet contented withal, may be
gathered from this one story:

The ungrateful inhabitants of Lyn one year passed a town vote, that
they could not allow their ministers above thirty pounds apiece that year
for their salary: and, behold, the God who will not be mocked, immedi-
ately caused the town to lose three hundred pounds, in that one specie of
their cattel, by one disaster.

However, Mr. Whiting found such a blessing of God upon his little, that
he would cheerfully say, "lie questioned whether, if he had abode in Eng-
land, where his means vere much more considerable, he could have brouglit
up three sons at the univ- -^ity there, as he did at Ilarvard-Colledge here."
But after they had livec* ut a score of years together, Mr. Cobbet was,
upon the death of Mr. Itogcrs, translated unto Ipswich ; from this time
was Mr. Whiting mostly alone in his jninistry ; "and yet not alone, because
the Heavenly Father was with him." And as he drew near his end, he
had his youngest son for his assistant.

In the sixty third year of his age, A. D. 1659, he began to be visited
with the grinding and painful disease of the stone in the bladder, with
which he was much exercised [and the reader that knows any thing of it,
will say it was exercise enough] until he came to be " where the weary are
at rest." He bore his atlliction with incomparable patience; and he had
one favour which he much asked of God, that though small stones, with
great pains, often proceeded from him, and he scarce enjoyed one day of
perfect ease after this until he died, yet it is not remembred that he was
ever hindred thereby one day from his publick services. And whereas
it was expected, both by himself and others, that as he grew in years, the
torments of his malady would grow upon him, it proved much otherwise ;
the torments and complaints of his distemper abated as his age increased.
At length a senile atrophy came upon him, with a wasting Diarrhcca, which
brought Lyn into darkness, December 11, 1679, in the eighty third year
of his pereijrination.

§ 7. For his learning he was many ways well accomplished: especially
he was accurate in Hebrew, in which primitive and expressive language
he took much delight; and he was elegant in Latin, whereof among other
demonstrations he gave one in an oration at one of our commencements:

and
made

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

507

me his coU
that sweet-
3se fellow-
lofl, awccthj
a lonri dmj
ither: and
iittlc jostle

one was
hese great
al, may be

vote, that
! that year
1, iinnnedi-
) specie of

1 IMe, til at
3e in p]ng-
'e brought
Jge liere."
)bbet was,

this time
e, because
s end, lie

be visited
der, with
ing of it,
voary are
d lie had
nes, with
le day of
it he was

whereas
ears, the

lerwise;
icreased.
a, which
ird year

ipecially
anguage
ig otiicr
ements:

and much of his vacant hours he employed in history : history, which
made good unto him her ancient character:

Omnit nunc vostrd jtendct Prudentia Sen»u,
Hileque nil, nostra qui caret Arte, tapit*

History, whose great votary, Polybius, truly asserts, Nulla hominibm facil-
wrad Vitoi instilut'onem via est, quam liar urn aide gestarum Co(jnilio,\ And
he was no less a man of temper than of learning: the peculiar sweetness
and goodness of his temper must be an essential stroke in his character; he
was wonderfully happy in his meek, his comj)osed, his peaceable disposi-
tion: and liis meekness of wisdom out-shone all his other attainments in
learning; for there is no humane literature so hardly attained, as tlic dis-
cretion of a man to regulate his anger. Ilis very countenance had an
amiable smile continually swcetning of it: and his face herein was ])ut the
true image of his mind, which, like the upper regions, was marvellously
free from the storms of passions.

In prosperity he was not much elated, in adversity he was not much
dejected; under provocations he would scorn to be provoked. When the
Lord would not express himself unto Elijah in the wind, nor in the earth-
quake, nor in the fire, but in the still voice, I suspect, lest one thing
intended among others, might be an admonition unto the prophei himself,
to beware of the boisterous, uneven, inflamed efforts, whereto his natural
constitulion might be ready to betray him.

This worthy man, as taking that admonition, was for doing every thing
with a still voice. Ue knew himself to be born, as all men are, with at
least a doz;en passions; but being also new born, he did not allow himself
to be hagridden with the enchantments thereof. The philosopher of old
called our passions by the just name of unnurtured dogs; but these dogs
do often worry the children of God themselves; even a great Luih.n, who
removed the foulest abominations out of the house of God, could i ot hin-
der these dogs from infecting of his own heart: however, this excellent
(because cool, therefore excellent) spirited person, kept these dogs with a
strong chain upon them; and since man was created with a dominion
over the beasts of the field, lie would not let the ^iipia t^s: ■i'^X'jS t hold him
in any slavery. He lived as under the eye and awe of the great God; and,
as Basil noted, Potest Miles coram Rege suo non irasci, oh solum Re/jiue majes-
tatis Eminentiavi :% thus the fear of God still restrained him from those
ebullitions of wrath which other men are too fearless of. As virulent a
pen as ever blotted paper in the English nation, pretends to observe —

"That some men will pray with the ardoura of an angel, love God with raptures of joy
and delight, be transported with deep and pathetiek devotions, talk of nothing but tiie
unspeakable pleasures of eommunion with the Lord Jesus, bo ravished with devout and

* He nothing known who hath not learm^d my art, | And ho knows all who knows what I impart.
t Nothing more racilitates the right ordering of our lives than a knowledge of former events.
X The wild beastj of the temper.
I Tliu soldier must not dare to be angry In presence of his sovereign, out of respect to the royal majusty.

'V-'M^

i'^ii:!

1 I

1:1

608

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

seruphick meditations of lieaven, and lilto the blesaod spirits tliero, seem to relish nothing
but spiritual delights and entertainments: who, when they return from their transfiguration
to their ordinary converse with men, are churlish as n cynick, pnssionato as an angry wimp,
envious as a studious dunce, and insolent ns a female tyrant; proud and haughty in their
deportment ; peevish, petulant, and self-willed, impatient of contradiction, implacable in their
anger, rude and imperious in all their conversation, and made up of nvtliing but pride, malice,
and peevishness." '

But ii' any have ever given occasion for this observation, there was none
give^ by our Whiting, who would have thought himself a fish out of his
elp.nent, if he had ever been at any time any where but in the Paclfick
Sea. And from this account of his temper, I may now venture to proceed
unto his vertue; by which I intend the holiness of his renewed heart and
life, and the change made by the supernatural grace of Christ upon hitn,
without which all vertue is but a name, a sham, a fiction. He was a very
holy man ; as the ancients hath assured us, Ama Scientiam Scripturarum
et Vitia Carnis non Amahis:* thus by reading daily several chapters in both
Testaments of the Scriptures, with serious and gracious reflections there-
upon, which he still followed with secret prayers, he grew more holy con-
tinually, until, in a flourishing oUl age, he was found fit for transplantation.

His worship in his family was that which argued him a true child of
Abraham; and his counsel to his children was grave, watchful, useful,
savoury, and very memorable. And if meditation (which was one of
Luther's great things to make a divine) be a thing of no little consequence
to make a Christian, this must be numbered among the exercises whereby
our Whiting became very much improved in Christianity. Meditation
(which is Mentis J)itaUo)\ daily enriched his mind with the dispositions of
Heaven; and having a walk for that purpose in his orchard, some of his
flock that saw him constantly taking his turns in that walk, with hand,
and eye, and soul, often directed heavenward, would say, "There does our
dear pastor walk with God every day."

In fine, as the Apostle Peter says, "They that obey not the word, yet
with fear behold the chaste conversation of them who do." And as Igna-
tius describes the pastor of the Trallians for one "of s".ch a sanctity of life,
that the greatest Atheist would have been afraid to have looked upon him:"
even so the natural conscience in the worst of men paid an homage of rev-
erence to this holy man where ever he wime.

§ 8. Though lie spent his time chieflj in his beloved study, yet he would
sometimes visit his flock; but in his vi.nt, he made conscience of entertain-
ing his neighbours with no discourse but what should be grave, and ivise,
and jii'ojitahle ; as knowing that, Qim sunt in Ore PopiiU Nugia:, sunt in Ore
Pastoris Blasphemia'..\ And sometimes an occasional ivord let fall by him,
hath had a notable effect: once particularly, in a journey, being at an inn
upon the road, he over-heard certain people in the next room so merry as

• Lovo lh>^ Bii^Hv of Iho Pcripliires, and joii will spurn tlic IuhIs of the flesh. t The enriching of the mind.
I What are mere iJle wurds iu the Diuuiht o( cummuo {jcople, become blanphemiea when uttered by a miaister.

wor|
be M
the
pan]
Bens
proji
cialll
dejsi
But
we 11
Tf
us.

1. 1

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

509

relish nothing
r trunsfigurutioii
an angry wimp,
haughty in their
iplacablo in their
)ut pride, malico,

lere was none
ih out of his

the Pacijick
re to proceed
ed heart and
It upon him,
e was a very
Scripturarum
pters in both
ctions there-
•re holy con-
!isplantation.
me child of
liful, useful,
was one of
consequence
ses whereby

Meditation
positions of
3ome of his

with hand,
ire does our

3 word.

yet

nd as Igna-
Jtity of life,
Jpon him:"
age of rev-

t he would

entertain-

and ivise,

nint in Ore

11 by him,

at an inn

merry as

iguf the mind,
il by a roiaislcr.

to be too loud and rude in their mirOi ; wlierefore, as ho pa.ssed by the
door, he looked in upon them, and with a .<weet majesty, only dropt those
words: "Friends, if you are sure that your sins are pardoned, you may
be wisely merry." And these words not only j:tilled all their noise for
the present, but also had a great effect afterwards upon some of the com-
pany. Indeed, bis conversation preached where-ever be was; as being
sensible of the Jewish proverb, Propheta qui fraiisgreditm Prophetiam suam
propriam Mors ejus est in Manibiis Dei:* but in tae pulpit he laboured espe-
cially to approve himself a preacher. In his preaching, his design was Pro-
dejse magis quam placere:\ and his practice was, Non alta sed ajAa j^'oferre,'}^
But what a proper and useful speaker he was, we may gather from what
we tind him vhen a writer.

There are especially two hooks wherein we !'iave him yet living among
us. In the fate and fire of Sodom, there was a notable typeo^ the confla-
gration that will arrest this polluted world at the day of judgment: and
the famous prayer of Abraham (who, as R. Bechai imagines, had some
hope when he deprecated that mine for tiie sake of ten rig/iteous ones, that
Lot and his wife, and the four daughters which tradition hath assigned
him, and his four sons-in-law, would liave made up the number) on that
occasion, is indeed a very rich portion of Scripture. Now, our Whiting
published a volume of sermons upon that prayer of Abraham ; wherein
he does raise, confirm, and apply thirty-two doctrines, which he offered
unto tlie publick (as he says in his preface) "as tlie words of a dying
man;" ho})ing that, as Constantino the Great would stoop so low as to
kiss Paphnutius' maimed eye, so the Lord Jesus Christ would condescend
to put marks of his favour on (that which he humbly calls) "a maimed
work." But that which encouraged him unto this publication, was the
acceptance which had, before this, been found by another treatise of his
upon the day of judgment it self. In the fifty-eight chapter of Isaiah,
the Lord promises a time of wondrous lirjJd and Joi/ unto his restored peo-
ple, and the consolations of a lasting sahbatism: things to be accomplished
at the second coming of our Lord. Now, to prepare for that hlesaedncss,
those very things be required whicb our Lord Jesus Christ afterwards
mentioned, in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, as the qualifications
of tliose whom he will admit into his blessed kingdom. There seems,
at least, a little reason for it, that at the second coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, one of the first things will be a glorious translation, whereia
the members of Christian churches will be called before him, and be
examined, in order to the determination of their state under tlie New
Jerusalem that is to follow: either to take their part in the glories of that
city i, d kingdom ibr the thousand years to come, and by consequence
what ensues thereupon, or to be exiled into the confusions of them that

• The doom ol' this prophet who is fulse lo his own prophecy is in the hnnds of Ood.

t Rather to proflt tlian to please. % To prom\ilgute, not higli tilings, but 111 things.

)'■

M\i

; ■

510

MAONALIA CHKISTI AMEBICANA;

are to be without. Now, though 'tis possible that whole discourse of our
Lord may nextly refer to no more than this transaction, yet inasmuch as
the generality of interpreters have carried it unto the more general and
ultimate proceedings of the last judgment^ our Whiting did so too ; and
he has given us forty-two doctrines thereupon, so handled as to suit the
edification of all readers. The notes are short, and but the concise heads
of what the author prepared for his weekly exercises ; nevertheless, Mr.
Wilson and Mr. Mitchel observe in their preface thereunto: That the
reader, by having "much in a little room," is the better furnished with
variety of matter, worthy of meditation, for want of which many a man
does digest little of what he reads. They say, "It is a good saying of
one, 'that the reading of many diverse heads, without some interlaced
meditation, is like eating of marrow without bread.' But he that shall
take time to pause upon what he reads (where great truths are but in few
words hir'vH: t) with intermixed meditations and ejaculations, suitable to
the matter ?a hand, will find such truths concisely delivered, to be like
marrow -^^ .d fatness, whereof a little does go far, and feed much."
But r;- '" io poetry must now wait upon the memory of this worthy man:

was THE VERY REVEREND SAMUEL WHITING.

Mot sv, I-nmc. < . i glorious chariot of iho sun ;
Througli the .' . irque, all you, her heralds, run:

And lei this X ":i:Ml's merits be reveai'd,
Which, during lliv, i;e studiously concealed.
Cite all the I^evltes, fetch the sons of art,
In these our dolours to sustain a part.
Warn all that value worth, and evi-ry one
Within their eyes to bring an Huiicun.
For in this single person we have lost
More riches, than an India has ciigrost.

When Wilson, that plerophory of love,

Did fi'oin our banks, up io bis center move.

Rare Whiting quotes Columbus (m '.liis cou.«l,

Producing goms, of which a king mi^^ buaoi.

More ipiendid far Iliun ever Aaron wore.

Within his breast, thu sacred Father iMire.

Sound doctrine (7r.',?i, in his holy cell.

And all perfections Thummim there did dwell.

His holy vesture was his •nnocenctt

His speech, embruiilrrica of curious senee.

Such awful gravity this doctor us'd,

As if an angel every word infiis'd.

No turxent stile, but Asiatic store ;

Conduits were almost full, seldom run o'er

The banks of Tl.'.b: come visit when you will,

The streams of nectar were descending still :

Much like Septetnfluous Niius, rising so,

He watered Clirislians rotmd, and made them grow.

His modest irhinpers could the conscience reach.

As well as vhirlaindi, which some others pruuch ;

No Boanerges, yet could touch tiio heart,

And clench his doctrine by the meekest art.

His learning and his language, might become

A province not inferiour to Rome.

Glorious was Europe's heaven when such us these,

Stars of his size, sliuiie in each diocoss.

'. i:

Who writ'st the fathers' lives, either nmke room,
Or with his name Iwgin your second toitio.
Ag'd Polycarp, deep Origen, and such
Whose wurtii your quills — your wita not them, enrich;
Lactantius, Cyprian, Basil too the groat.
Quaint .loroui, Austin of the foremost seat.
With Aiiil>rose, and more of the highest class,
In Christ's great school, with honour, I let pass ;
And humbly pay my debt to Whiting's ghost.
Of whom both Englunds, may with reason boast.
A'ofions I'nr men of lesser worth liave strove,
To have t '•me, and, in transports of love,
Built Umpli .- Mx'd statues of pure gold,
And tht^ir vast wiu ih to after-ages told.
His inod>-i<ty forbad so fair a tomb,
Who iu ten thousuud hearts obtaiu'd a room.

Wh«t sweet composiuvs in his angel's face I
What Wffi iiBections, inulting gleams of grace!
How mildly pleasant! by his closed lips.
Rlietorick's bright body suffers nn eclipse.
Should half his sttnteiiccs l)e truly numbred, [bard :
And v/eigh'd in wisdom's scales, 'twould spoil a Loin-
And chup'hes' homilies, but homily be,
yf veneri Whitino, set by thee.
i:i)foinidest jui/^'mfMt, witli meekness rare,
Prefcrr'd him to tlie Moder ; r'» chair;
VVhere, like Truth's chempion, with his piercing eye
He silenced errors, and made Hectors Hy.
Sufi ansaers quell hot passions ; ne'er too soft
Where solid Judgment is enthron'd aloft.
Church doctois are my witnesses, tliat here
.\ffeclion8 olways kept their proper sphere,
Withinit thos" wilder eccentricities.
Which spot the fairest fields U men most wise.
Tn pleasant places fall that peoples' line,
Who have but shadows of teak thus divine.

Much I
Tbu»[
Ap<M|
Tbiii
O woi]
Hsthl
New-
His wl
Oneol
The pf
One '
Am .in

his

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENULAND.

iourse of our
inasmuch as
general and
so too; and
I to suit tlie
oncise heads
rtheless, Mr,
>: That the
-nished with
nany a man
d saying of
e interlaced
3 that shall
but in few
, suitable to
i to be like
jh."

orthy man:
ro.

' iimke room,

'1110.

ot them, enrich;

H>at,
St clogs,

I l«t |)iiss ;

ghosi,
auii buaiit,
itrove,
lijve,

Id,

facol
f race I

"•«<l, [har<l ;
»puil a Liiiii-

ire,
iercing eye

wise,
e.

511

?fh:

^u\

Much more their preaeiiee, and heaven-plercIng prayers,
Thus many years to mind uiir soiiI-aHairs.
A p<Mirestsuil uft has the rich(!8t mine;
This weiithty iiar, ponr Lyn, was lately thine.
O wondrous mercy ! but this iflurlous light
Hath left thee in the lerroiirs nf the night.
New-Kngland, didst thou know this mighty one.
Ills weight and worth, thuuMst think thyself undone:
One of thy golden chariots, which, among
The rIerKy, rendurf^l then a thousand strong:
One wh(s for learning, wisdom, grace, and years,
Am.ing the Levltcs hath not many (leers'

Ont, yet with <i<Kl a kind of Araera/y knai/.
Who dill whole n-HonuntM ur wiMts willisland;
On« that prevailnl with ilenven ; onr greatly mist
On earth ; he gninM of t/hrist whalvVr he list :
One of a world ; who wit« Ixith born and hrud
At Wisdom's r»«<t, hiird by the Knuntnln's head.
The loss of such an on(>, wouhl Aach a tear
From Nlube her sulf, if she were huru.

What iiualilles our grii'f. ninters In this,
Be our l»$* nuur so gruut, the gain ts hi*.

U. THOMPSON.

We will now leave him, with such a distich na Wigandus provided for
his own

EPITAPH.

In Chritto Vixi, Moiior, Viwqwi Wiiitiniuis;
Do Sordes Morti, catera, Chri»le, Tibi."

THE LIFE OF MR. JOHN SHERMAN.

Vetuatat judicavit Hunestuin, ut Mi>rtui Laudarentur. — Tiiucin.t

§ 1. That great Athanasius, whom some of the ancients justly called
Proptignaculum Veritaiis'ii, others Lumen Ka-lesia',^ otliiTs, Orbis Onicultnn,\\
is in the funeral oration of Gregory Nazianzen on liiiii so sot forth: "To
commend Athanasius, is to praise vertue it .self." My pen is now falling
upon the memory of a person whom, if I .should not commend unto the
church of God, I should refuse to praise vortuc it self, with learning, wis-
dom, and all the qualities that would render any person amiable. I shall
proceed then with the endeavour of my pen, to immnrtdli'ze his memory,
that the signification of the name Athanasius may belong unto him, as
much as the grace for which that great man was exemplary.

§ 2. Mr. John Sherman was born of godly and worthy parents, Decem-
ber 26, 1618, in the town of Dedham, in the county of Ks.sox. While ho
was yet a child, the instruction of his parents, joined with the ministry
of the famous Rogers, produced in him that "early remembrance of his
Creato'," which more than a little encouraged them to pur,><ue and expect
the ,r ood effects of the dedication which they had made of him unto the
service of the Lord Jesus Christ in the work of the gospel. His educa-
tion at .school was under a learned master, who so n)"'.ch admired his
youthful piety, industry, and ingenuity, that he nevi'r bestowed any chas-
tisement upon him; except once for his giving the lamU of sermons to his

* In Christ I lived ond died, and yet do live : | To earth my diist, lo Christ the rodt I gi\ e.

t The ancients esteemed it to be an honourable duty to praiw the dimd. t The bulwark of truth,

( The Light of the Church. I Tim World's Oracle.

5 'I

*1
it
lit

> I.

t 5. :~,f

612

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

idle school-mates, when an account thereof was demanded from them.
So studious was he, that next unto communion with his God, he delighted
in communion with his book, and he studied nothing more than to bo i\n
exception unto that ancient and general complaint, Quern mihi dabis^ qui
Diem cestimet?*

§ 3. Early ripe for it, he went into the i university of Cambridge, where,
being admitted into Immanuel-Colledg ;, and instructed successively by
two very considerable tutors, his profiCiCncy still bore proportion to his
means, but out-went the proportion of his years. When his turn came to
be a graduate, he seriously considered the subscription required of him :
and upon invincible arguments, became so dissatisfied therewithal, that
advising with Mr. Rogers, Dr. Preston, and other eminent persons, who,
commending his conscientious consideration, counselled his remove, he
went away under the persecuted character of a Colledge-Puritan. The
same that occasioned his removal from the colledge, in a little time occa-
sioned also his removal from the kingdom; for upon mature deliberation,
after extraordinary addresses to neaven for direction, he embarked him-
self, with several famous divines who came over in the year 1634, hoping
that by going over the tvater, they should in this be like men going under
the earth, lodged ''where the wicked would cease from troubling and the
weary be at rest."

§ 4. So much was religion the Jirst sought of the first come into this coun-
try, that they solemnly offered up their praises unto Him that "inhabits
the praises of Israel," before they had provided habitations wherein to
offer those praises. A day of thanksgiving was now kept by the Chris-
tians of a new hive, here called Water-town, under a tree; on which
thanksgiving Mr, Sherman preached h\s first sermon, as an assistant unto
Mr. Philips: there being present many other divines, who wondred
exceedingly to hear a subject so accurately and excellently handled by
one that had never before performed any such public exercise.

§ 5. lie continued not many weeks at Water-town, before he removed
upon mature advice unto Nevv-IIaven; where he preached occasionally
in most of the towns then belonging to that colony: but with s\ich
deserved acceptance, that Mr. Hooker and Mr. Stone being in an assembly
of ministers, that met after a sermon of our young Sherman, pleasantly
said, "Brethren, we must look to our selves and our ministry; for this

youn

g divine will out-do ua all."

Here, though he had an importunate invitation unto a settlement in
Milford, yet he not only declined it out of an ingenuous ymfof/.^y, lest the
worthy person who must have been his collegue should have thereby suf-
fered some inconveniences, but also for a little while, upon that, and sonic
other .such accounts, he wholly suspended the exercise of his ministry.
Hereupon the zealous affection of the people to him appeared in tlieir

• Where shull lio be foiind who rightly valuee a day ?

frd

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

618

chusing him a magistrate of the colony ; in which capacity he served the
publick with an exemplary discretion and fidelity, until a fresh opportu-
nity for the exercise of his ministry, within two or three years, offered
it self; and then all the importunity used by the governour and assistants,
to fasten him among themselves, could not prevail with him to "look
back from that plow."

Onr land has enjoyed the influences of many accomplished men, who,
from candidates of the ministry, have become our magistrates; but this
excellent man is the only example among us who left a bench of our
magistrates to become a painful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ in the
work of the ministry. Nevertheless, he that beholds Joseph of Arima-
tha)a, a counsellour of state, Ambrose, the consul of Millain, George, the
Prince of Anhalt, Chrysostom, a noble Antiochean, John aLasco, a noble
Polonion, all becoming the plain preachers of the gospel, will not think
that Mr. Sherman herein either suffered a degradation, or was without
a pattern.

§ t). Upon the death of Mr. Philips of Watertown, Mr. Sherman was
addressed by the church there to succeed him; and he accepted the
charge of that church, although at thv^ same time one of the churches at
Boston used their endeavours to become the owner of so well talented a
person, and several churches in London also, by letters, much urged him
to *'come over and help them." And now, being in the neighbourhood
of Cambridge, he was likewise chosen a fellow of Harvard Colledge there;
in whicli place he continued unto his death, doing many good offices for
that society. Nor was it only as a felloiu of the colledge, that he was a
blessing, but also as he was in some sort a preacher to it: for his lectures
being hold for the most part once a fortnight, in the vicinage, for more
than thirty years together, many of the scholars attending thereon did
justly acknowleilge the durable and abundant advantage which they had
from those lectures.

§ 7. His intellectual abilities, whether natural or acquired,yreTe such as
to render him afrst-rate scholar; the skill of tonjties and arts, beyond the
common rate, adorned him. He was a great reader, and as Athanasius
reports of his Antonius, IlpotfsrjfSv a7w t>j avayvwrfsi, wf fir\5sv twv ysypajxevuv dif
durS "irifflstv j^a,u.ai, cavla Ss xalsy^in, xoli Xoijtov dulw 7»)v yvwfATjv du7i ,5i§Xiwv yivs^at :^
He read with such inteutiou, as to lose nothing, but keep every thing, of all that
he read, ami his mimi became his library: even such was the felicity of our
Sherman; he read with an uimsual dispatch, and whatever he read became
\\\. I. From such a strength of invention and memory it was, that albeit
he was a curious preacher, nevertheless, he could preach without any pre-
paratory notes of what he was to utter. He ordinarily wrote but about
half a page in octavo of what he was to preach; and he would as ordina-
rily ])reach without writing of one ivord at all. And ue made himself won-
derfully acceptable and serviceable unto his friends, by the homelistical
Vol. I.— 33

1 !■ \

■

'I ;

; i

fen

m
W

■t.

514

MAONALIA CIIRI8TI AMERICANA;

!!M|
ill
'I

i'l

S i i.

accomplishments which were produced by his abilities in his conversation.
For though ho were not a man of iiiucli discourse, but ever thought ^v iroXu.
Xovia ialt iroXufiwpia :* and when some have tokl hitn, "that he had learned
tne art of silence," he hath, witi' a very becoming ingenuity, given them
to understand that it was an art which it would hurt none of them to learn,
yet his discourse had a rare conjunction of profit and pleasure in it.

He was ivittyy and yet tmse and grave, carrying a majesty in his very
countenance; and much visited for council, in weij,'hty cases; and when
he delivered his judgment in any matter, there was little or nothing to be
spoken by others after him.

§ 8. It is a remark, which Melchior Adam has in the life of his excel-
lent Pitiscus: lllud vnrandum, quod IIovio Theologus, in Mathernatum
studiis, nullo nisi se Magistro, eo usque progressus est, ut Editis Scriptis, Uis-
dplincK illius Oloriam, magnis Matheseos Professor thus pr(sripuerit:\ and it
might be well applied unto our eminent Sherman, who, though he vvere a
consummate divine, and a continual preacher, yet, making the mathematics
his diversion, did attain unto such an incomparable skill therein, that he
was undoubtedly one of the best mathematicians that ever lived in this
hemisphere of the world, and it is great pity that the ' .^rld shoultl be
deprived of the astronomical calculations which he has left in manuscript
behind him. It seems that men of great parts may, as it is observed by
that great instance thereof, Mr. Boyle, successively apply themselves to
more than one study. Thus Copernicus the astronomer, eternized like the
very stars by his new system of then), was a church-man; and his learned
champion Lansbergius was a nilnit'ter. Gassendus was a doctor of divin-
ity: Clavius too WMri a doctor of divinity; nor will the names of those
English doctors, Wallis, ^Vilkiris, and Barrow, be forgotten so long as that
learning which is to be .jailed real, has any friends in the English nation:
and Eicciolus himself, the compiler of that voluminous and judicious work
the " Almagestum Novum" was a professor of Theology.

Into the number of these heroes is our Sherman to be admitted ; who,
if any one had enquired how he could find the leisure for his mathemat-
ical speculations? would have given the excuse of the famous Pitiscus
for h'S answer: Alii Schacclda Lvdunt, et Talis; Ego Hegula et Gircino, si
quando Ludere datur.^

And from the view of the effects which the mathematical contempla-
tions of our Sherman produced in his temper, I cannot but utter the wish
of the noble Tycho Brache upon that blessed Pitiscus, Optarem 2^lures ejus-
modi Concionatores reperiri, qui Geometrica gnaviter callerent: forte plus esset
in lis Circumspecti et solidi Judicii, Rtxarum inanium et Logomachiarum

* Much ipeaking must embrace much folly.

t It is surprising, that a theologian should, without the aid of an instructor, have made such progress in
mathematical studies as by his published writings tu have borne off the honours from distinguished profeasors
in that department.

t Some play al chess and with dice : when I have an opportunity to play, my toys are the rule and compauos.

'I'lii J

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

£15

'7^ in his
sires; few
nio.>t practical

minus :^ for among other thinga very valuable to me, in the temper of
thn great man, one was a certain largent.^ts of soul, which particularly dis-
posed him to embrace the Congregational way of church-government, with-
out those rigid and narrow principles of uncharitable separation, where-
with some good men have been leavened.

% 9. But as our mentioned Pitiacus, when his friends congratulated unto
him the glory of his mathematical excellencies, with an humble and holy
ingenuity replied, "Let us rejoice rather thiit our names be written in
heave 1" thus our Sherman was more concerned for, and more employed
in an acquaintance with the heavenly seats of the blessed, than with the
motions of the hvuvcnly bodies. He did not so much up icob'a staff in

observations, as he was in supplications a true Jacol If. He was a

person of a most heavenly disposition and conversa
words, heavenly in his thoughts, heavenly in bis desig
in the world had so much of heaven upon earth. He . ■, u
commentary upon those words of the psalmist, "Mine eyes are ever towards
the Lord:" and those of the apostle, "Keep yourselves in the love of God."

As the Scriptures are i\\Q firmainent which God hath expanded over the
spiritual world, so this good man usually spent an hour every morning
ill entertaining himself with the lights that are shining there. Besides
thifi, with meditations on God, Christ, and heaven, he fell asleep at night;
and with the like meditations he woke and rose in the morning; and
prayer was therefore the first and last of his daily works. Yea, had any
one cast a look upon him, not only abroad in company, but also in his
closest retirement, they would have seen scarce a minute pass him, with-
out a turn of his eye towards heaven, whereto his heaven-toucKd heart was
carrying of him with its continual vergencies. And as the stars, they
say, may be seen from the bottom of a well, when the day light in higher
places hinders the sight thereof; so this worthy man, who saw more not
only of the stars in heaven but also of the heaven beyond the stars, than
most other men, was one who, in his humility, laid himself low, even to
a fault; and he had buried himself in the obscurity of his recesses and
retirements, if others that knew his worth had not sometimes fetched him
forth to more publick action.

The name Descentius, which I found worn by an eminent person among
the primitive Christians, I thought proper for this eminent person, when
I have considered the condescension of his whole deportment. And,
mv^thought it was an insta*nce of this condescension, that this great man
would sometimes give the country an almanack, which yet he made an
opportunity to do good, by adding at the end of the composures those
holy rejlections, which taught good men how to recover that little, but spread-

* I would Ihat them wore moru contnivereinlists of hl» school among our geometrlclnns— adroit and gracenil
in tholi very enrneatiicBs : perhaps there would then be among them more circumspection and sound Judgment,
and fewer lyuitloss contentions and battles of words.

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(716) 873-4503

016

MAQNALIA GHBISTI AMEBICANA;

ing thiLg, the almanack, from that common abuse, of being an engine to
convey only silly impertinencies, or sinful superstitions, into almost every
cottage of the wilderness. One of those reflections I will recite, because
it lively expressed the holy sence of death in which the author daily lived :

"Let me intreat one thing of thee, and I will adventure to promise thee a good year; the
request is in it self reasonable, and may to thee be eternally profitable. It is only this:
duly to prize and diligently to improve time, for obtaining the blessed end it was given for,
and is yet graciously continued unto thee, by the eternal God. Of three hundred Hixty-iive
days, allowed by the malting up of this year, which shall be thy last, thou knowest not; but
that any of them may be it, thou oughtest to know, and so consider, that thou mayest pass
the time of thy sojourning here with fear."

§ 10. Behold him either in the Lord^s house, or in his own, of both which
a well government is joined in the demands of the apostle, and we may
behold both of them after an exemplary manner ordered. In his minis-
try he was judicious, industrious, faithful; a most curious expositor of
Scripture, and one that fed us with the fattest marrow of divinity. And
there was one thing in his preaching, which procured it a singular , ^.mi-
ration: this was a natural and not affected loftiness of stile; which with
an easie fluency bespangled his discourses with such glittering figures of
oratory, as caused his ablest hearers to call him a second Isaiah, the honey-
dropping and golden-mouthed preacher. But among the successes of his
conduct in his ministry, there was none more notable than the peace which,
by God's blessing upon his wisdom and meekness more than any other
things, was preserved in his populous town as long as iie lived, notwith-
standing many temptations unto differences among the good people there.
From thence let us follow him to his family, and there we saw him with
much discretion maintaining both fear and love in those that belonged
unto him, and a zealous care to uphold religion among them. The duties
of reading, praying, singing, and catechising, were constantly observed,
and sermons repeated. And he wa.s, above all, a great, lover and strict
keeper of the Christian Sabbath ; in the very evening of which approach-
ing, he would not allow any worldly matter to disturb or divert the exer-
cises of piety " within his gates."

§ 11. He was twice married. By his first wife, the vertuous daughter
of parents therein resembled by her, he had six children. But his next
wife was a young gentK^woman whom he chose from under the guardian-
ship and with the countenance of Edward Hopkins, Esq., the excellent
governour of Connecticut. She was a person of good education and repu-
tation, and honourably descended; being the daughter of a Puritan gen-
tleman, whose name was Launce, and whose lands in Cornwal yielded him
fourteen hundred pounds a year. He was a parliament-man, a man learned
and pious, and a notable disputant; but once disputing against the Eng-
lish Episcopacy, (as not being ignorant of what is affirmed by Contze*i the

OB, THE UI8T0BT OF NEW-ENGLAND.

517

engine to
lost every
B, because
lily lived :

)d year; the
9 only this:
as given for,
ed Mxty-iive
est not; but
mayeRt pass

^th which

i we may

his minis-

positor of

ity. And

liar , ^.ini-

hich with

figures of

the honey-

ses of his

ice which,

any other

, notwith-

e there.

lim with

belonged

le duties

iserved,

ind strict

ipproach-

the exer-

aughter
lis next
^juardian-
jxcellent
nd repu-
tan gen-
ded him

learned
he Eng-
t2e^ the

Jesuite in his politicks, 'That were all England brought once to approve
of bishops, it were easie to reduce it unto the Church of Rome,") he was
worsted by such a way of maintaining the argument, as was thought agree-
able ; that is, by a wound in the side from his furious antagonist; of which
wound at last he died. The wife of that gentleman was daughter to the
Lord Darcy, who was Eari of Rivers; a person of a Protestant and Puri-
tan religion, though of a Popish family, and one that, afler the murder of
her former husband, Mr. Launce, had for her second husband the famous
Mr. Sympson. But by the daughter of that Mr. Launce, who is yet living
among us, Mr. Sherman had no less than twenty children added unto the
number of six, which he had before.

I remember John Helwigius of late, besides what has been related for-
merly by other authors, brings undeniable attestations of a married couple,
who in one wedlock were parents to fifty-three children, at thirty-five births
brought into the world: somewhat short of that, but not short of wonder,
is a late instance of one mother that has brought forth no less than thirty-
,nine children, the thirty-Jifih of whom was lately discoursed by persons of
honour and credit, from whom I had it. Although New-England has no
instances of such a Polytokie, yet it has had instances of what has been
remarkable : one woman has had not less than twenty-two children : whereof
she buried fourteen sons and six daughters. Another woman has had no
less than twenty-three children by one husband; whereof nineteen lived
unto men's and women's estate. A third was mother to seven-and-twenty
children: and she that was mother to Sir William Phips, the late govern-
our of New-England, had no less than twenty-Jive children besides him;
she had one-and-twenty sons and five' daughters. Now, into the catalogue
of such " fruitful vines by the sides of the house" is this gentlewoman,
Mrs. Sherman, to be enumerated. Behold, thus was our Sherman, that
eminent fearer of the Lord, blessed of him.

§ 12. He had the rare felicity to "grow like the lilly," as long as he
lived ; and enjoy a flourishing and perhaps increasing liveliness of his facul-
ties, until he died. Such keenness of wit, such soundTiejfs of judgment, such
fulness of matter, and such vigour of language, is rarely seen in old age,
as was to be seen in him when he was old.

The last sermon which he ever preached was at Sudbury, from Eph.
ii. 8, " By grace ye are saved :" wherein he so displayed the riches of the
free grace expressed in our salvation, as to fill his hearers with admiration.
Being thus at Sudbury, he was taken sick of an intermitting but malig-
nant fever ; which yet abated, that he found opportunity to return unto
his own house at Water-Town. But his fever then renewing upon him, it
prevailed so far that he soon expired his holy soul ; which he did with
expressions of abundant faith, joy, and resignation, on a Saturday evening,
eniring on his eternal Sabbath, August 8, 1686, aged seventy-two.

i|:

ill

618

MAQNALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

EPITAPHIUM.

For an epitaph upon this worthy man, Til presume a little to alter the
epitaph by Stenius, bestowed upon Fitiscus

Ut Pauli Piettu, ne Euclidea Mathetia,
Z7no, Shermanni, eondttur tn TVtmuio.*

And annex that of Altenburg upon Csesius.

Qui eurtum ABtronun e»en« Indagine multA
Qummvit, eordm nunc ea eerrit ovant.i

t •

CTT A 15 T 1? 1[) T Y T
EUSEBIUS: THE LIFE OF MR. THOMAS GOBBET.

Et Eruditia Pieiate, et Pitt Erudilione anteeelUnt, itd Laudea Seeundaa Doetrina f arena, ut
Piaiatia primaa o6<tneret.t Naziani. de Basilio.

§ 1. In the old church of Israel we find a considerable sort and sett of
men, that were called, "The scribes of the people:" whose office it was,
not only to copy out the Bible, for such as desired a copy thereof, with
such exactness that the mysteries occurring, even in the least vowels and
accents of it, might not be lost, but also to be the more publick "preachers
^of the law," and common and constant pulpit-men; taking upon them to
be the expounders, as well as the preservers of the Scripture. But one
of the principal scribes enjoyed by the people of New-England was Mr.
Thomas Gobbet, who wrote more books than the most of the divines,
which did their parts to make a Kirjath-Sepher of this wilderness; in
every one of which he approved himself one of the scribes mentioned by
our Saviour, from his rich treasure bringing forth instructions, both out
of the New Testament and out of the Old.

§ 2. Our Mr. Thomas Cobbet was born at Newbury, long enough before
our New-England had a town of that name, or : d had any such thing
as a town at all; namely, in the year 1608. A . aithough his parents,
who afterwards came also to New-England, were so destitute of worldly
grandure that he might say, as divers of the Jewish Rabbis tell us the
words of Gideon may be read, "Behold, my father is poor," yet this their
son was greatness enough to render one family memorable. Reader, we
are to describe,

Ingenua de plebe Vitwn, aed Vita Fidetque
Jneulpata Juit.^

* In Bhermau'a lowljr tomb are lain | The heart of Paul, and Euclid's bralo.

t He who, by mortal eyes, alkr I Translated to their nalive skies,

Traced the bright course of every star, I Can read at will their mysteries.

% He excelled the learned in piety, the pioua In learning— accepting the secondary honour* of leaning to
obtain the flrst in piety.

I Of humble patents, but in inward lUlh | And outward life most blamelosa.

OB, THE niSTOBY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

619

to alter the

ET.

ituB fereju, ut

and sett of
fice it was,
ereof, with
'^owela and
"preachers
n them to

But one
i was Mr.
e divines,
srness; in
tioned by

both out

gh before
ich thing
paients,
worldly
us the
his their
ader, wo

And remember the words of Seneca,

Ex eata etiam Virum magnum prodire pout. *

When Cicero was jeered for the mean signification of his name, he said,
"However, he would not change it, but by his actions render the name
of Cicero more illustrious than that of Cbto;" and our Cobbet has done
enough to make the name of Cobbet venerable in these American parts
of the world, whether there were the actions of any ancestors or no to sig-
nalize it A good education having prepared him for it, he became an
Oxford scholar, and removing from Oxford in the time of a plague raging
there, he did, with other young men, become a pupil to famous Dr. Twiss
at Newbury. He was, after this, a preacher at a small place in Lincoln-
shire; from whence being driven by a storm of persecution upon the
reforming and Puritan part of the nation, he came over unto New-England
in the same vessel with Mr. Davenport; coming to New-England, his old
friend, Mr. Whiting of Lyn,' expressed his friendship with endeavours to
obtain and to enjoy his assistance, as a collegue in the pastoral charge of
the church there; where they continued, Fratrum Duke i*ar,f until, upon
the removal of Mr. Norton to Boston, and of Mr. Rogers to Heaven, he
was translated unto the church of Ipswich; with which he continued in
the faithful discharge of his ministry until his reception of the crown of life,
at his death, about the beginning of the year 1686. Then 'twas that he
was (to speak Jewishly) treasured up.

§ 3. The witty epigrammatist hath told us,

Qui dignoa Ipri Vita tcriptere Libellot,
Jllorum Vitam teribere non Opua est.t

And we might therefore make the story of this worthy man's life to he
but an account of the immortal books wherein he lives after he is dead.
What Mr. Cobbet was, the reader may gather by reading a very savoury
treatise of his upon the fifth commandment. But that he might serve
both tables' of the law, he was willing to write something upon the first
commandment as well as the fifth ; and this he did in a large, nervous,
golden discourse of prayer. But that the second commandment, as well a^
the first, might not be unserved by him, there were divers disciplinary tracts,
which he publickly offered unto the Church of God. He printed upon
the duty of the civil magistrate, in the point of Toleration; a point then
much debated, and not yet every where decided ; whereto he annexed a
vindication of the government of New-England from the aspersions of
some who thought themselves persecuted under it.

He was likewise a learned and a lively defender of infant-baptiam, and
he gave the world an elaborate composure on that subject, on the occasion

.'it

leaning to

• Within a hut a hero may be born.

X When men write /ivi'v tooki, my Mend and brother,

t A charming pair of brothen.
Their life if written, and they need no other.

520

MAQKALIA OHRISTI AMSBIOANA;

whereof Mr. Cotton, in his incomparable preface to a book of Mr. Norton's,
has these passages:

"CovETCS cum persenlisceret aliquot ex Ovihus Ckrisli sibi commissiaf Antipado.
baptismi Laqueit atque Dumetis irrelitas, Zelo Dei aeeens%u (et Zelo quidem secun.
dum Scientiam) imo, et Misereeordia etiam Chriati Commotu*, erga Errantes
Oviculaa; Libroa quoa potvit, ex Anabaptiatarum penu, congeaait; Rationum
Momenta {Qttaliaftierant) in Lance Sanctuarii trutinavit ; Teatimoniorum Plana,
tra, qua ab aliia congeatafuerant^ aedulo perquiaivit ; et pro eo, quo floret, Diapu.
iandi Acumine, Dijudicandi aolertia^ aolida multa paucia Complectendi Dexteritate
atque Indefeaao Labore, nihil pcene Intentatum reliquity quod vel ad Veritatem, in
hac Cauaa Illuatrandam, vel ad Errorum Nebulae Diacutiendas, atque Diapellendas,
condticeret."* . , . . v v. -

Reader, to receive so much commemoration from so reverend and
renowned a pen, is to have one's life sufficiently written: it is needless for
me to proceed any further in serving the memory of Mr. Cobbet

§ 4. And yet there is one thing which my poor pen may not leave
unmentioned. Of all the books written by Mr. Cobbet, none deserves more
to be read by the world, or to live till the general burning of the world,
than that of prayer: and indeed prayer, the subject so eocperimentalbj, and
therefore judiciously, therefore profitably, therein handled, was not the least
of those things for which Mr. Cobbet was remarkcble. He was a very
praying man, and his prayers were not more observable throughout New-
England for the argumentative, the importunate, and, I had almost said,
filially familiar strains of them, than for the wonderful successes that
attended them. It was a good saying of the ancient, Homine proho Orante
nihil potentius ;f and it was & great saying of the reformer. Est quoedam Pre-
cum OmnipotentiaX. Our Cobbet might certainly make a considerable
figure in the catalogue of those eminent saints whose experiences have
notably exemplified the power of prayer unto the world. That golden chain,
one end whereof is tied unto the tongue of man, the other end unto the
ear of God (which is as just, as old, a resembling of prayer) our Cobbet
was always pulling at, and he oflen pulled unto such marvellous purpose,
that the neighbours were almost ready to sing of him, as Claudian did
upon the prosperous prayers of Theodosius —

O Nimium Dileete Dm.&

* When CoaiBT «aw that aome of hia nock, over whom Chriat had made him ahepherd, caugnt in the anaret
and bramblea of Anti-psdobaptisin, burning with zoal fur God (a leal, loo, acooiding to knowledge,) yea, and
alau with auch companion as Clirist felt towards his wandoririg sheep, eulloctrd all the books he could of the Ana-
baptists—weighed their arguments (such as they were) in the scalea of the aanctuary— laboriously groped through
the waggon-loads of proof-texts, which they had got together (Irom the writings nf others— and, exercising that
keenneaa in delwte Tor which he is distinguished, his profound discrimination, hia tact for condensing many
weighty thoughts in few words, and unwearied perseverance, left nothing untried, which could conduce either to
development of the truth concerning that important theme, or tend to diuipate the misia of error.

t Nothing exceeda In power a holy man at prayer. % There la • kind of omnipotence In prayer.

I O thou, too much beloved of God. .

OB, THE HISTOBY OP MEW-ENOLAND.

621

r. Norton's,

r, Antipado.
tidem secun.
a Errantea
; Rationum
>rum Plana,
oret, Diapu.
Dexteritate
''eritatem, in
ispellendaa,

srend and
eedless for
et

not leave
jrves more
the world,
'ita%, and
t the least
as a very
lout New-
nost said,
esses that
Orante
"dam Pre-
isiderable
ces have
fen chain,

unto the
Cobbet

)urpose,
dian did

s A son of this "man of prayer" was taken into captivity by the barbar*
ous, treacherous Indian salvages, and a captivity irom whence there could
be little expectation of redemption : whereupon Mr. Cobbet called about
thirty, as many as could suddenly convene, of the Christians in the neigh-
bourhood unto his house; and there they together prayed for the young
man's deliverance. The old man's heart was now no moi-e sad; he believed
that the God of heaven had accepted of their supplications, and because
"he believed, therefore he spake" as much to those that were about
him, who, when they heard him speak, did believe so too. Now, within
a few days after this the prayers were all answered, in the return of the
young man unto his father, with circumstances little short of miracle!
But, indeed, the instances of surprising effects following upon the prayers
of this gracious man were so many, that I must supersede all relation of
them with only noting thus much, that it was generally supposed among
the pious people in the land that the enemies of New-England owed the
wondrous disasters and confusions that still followed them, as much to
the prayers of this true Israelite, as to perhaps any one occasion. Mr.
Knox's prayers were sometimes more feared "than an army of ten thou-
sand men ;" and Mr. Cobbet's prayers were esteemed of no little signifi-
cancy to the welfare of the country, which is now therefore bereaved of
its chariots and its horsemen. If New-England had its Noah, Daniel, and
Job, to pray wonderfully for it, Cobbet was one of them I

EPITAPHIUM.
Sta viator ; Theaaurua hie Jaeet,
THOMASCOBBETUS;

'^ , CUJUS,

Notti Preeet Potentistitntu, ac Moret Probatistitnoa,
Si ea Nov-Anglus.
Mirare, Si Pietatem CoUu;
Sequere, Si Felicitatetn Qp(e«.*

\j iLtL «bdi iL X Jj Jio lA) lAi UAt St e

n ihe snarea
[•)) yea, and
or the Ana.
>ed through
rcising that
Ming many
either to

Pnvw.

THELIFEOFMB. JOHNWARD.

§ 1. Some famous persons of old thought it a greater glory to have it
enquired, "why such a one had not a statue erected for him?" than to
have it enquired, "why he had?" Mr. Nathanael Ward, born at Haver-
hil, in Essex, about 1670, was bred a scholar, and was first intended and
employed for the study of the law. But afterwards travelling with cer-
tain merchants into Prussia and Denmark, and having discourse with

• stop, travellerl a treaiure lies here, Tbomai Cobbet: whose effectual prayere and most exemplary life thou.
If thou art a New-Englander, must have known. Admire, if you revere piety : foUow, If you long lor happineMi

622

UAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMESICANAt

ii
i!

Pavid Partuus, at Hoidclborg, from whom he received much direotion, at
his return into England ho bocamo a minister of the gospel, and had a
living at Stondon. In the year 1684 he was driven out of England fur
his non-conformity; and coming to New-England, he continued serving
the churen at Ipswich till the year 1645 ; when, returning back to Eng-
land, he settled at Sherflold, near Brentwood; and there he ended his days,
when he was about eighty -three years of age. lie was the author of tnany
composures full of wit and sense ; among which, that entituled, " The Sim-
ple Oobkr" (which demonstrated him to be a subtil statesman) was most
considered. If it bo enquired, "why this our St. Hilary hath among our
Lives no statue erected for him?" let that enquiry go for part of one.
And we will pay our debt unto his worthy son.

§ 2. Mr. John Ward was born, I think, at Ilaverhil, on November 5,
1606. His grandfather was that John Ward, the worthy minister of Ilav-
erhil, whom we find among " the worthies of England," and his father was
the celebrated Nathaniiel Ward, whose wit made him known to more Eng-
lands than one. Where his education was, I have not been informed; the
first notice of him that occurs to me being in the year 1689, when he camu
over into these parts of America; and settled there in the year 1641, in
a town also called Ilaverhil. But what it was, every body that saw him,
saw it in the effects of it, that it was learned, ingenuous, and religious. He
was a person of a quick apprehension, a clear uncUrstanding, a strong metn-
ory, a facetious conversation; ho was an exact grammarian, an expert /)/<y-
sician, and, which was the top of all, a thorough divine: but, which rarely
happens, these endowments of his mind were accompanied with a most
healthy, hardy, and agile constitution of body, which enabled him to make
nothing of walking on foot a journey as long as thirty miles together.

§ 3. Such was the blessing of God upon his religious education, that
he was not only restrained from the vices of immorality in all his younger
years, but also tnclineii unto all vertuous actions. Of young persons, he
would himself give this advice: "Whatever you do, be sure to maintain
shame in them; for if that bo once gone, there is no hope that they'll ever
come to good." Accordingly, our Ward was always ashamed of doing
any ill thing. He was of a modest and bashful disposition, and very spar-
ing of speaking, especially before strangers, or such as he thought his
betters. He was wonderfully temperate, in meat, in drink, in sleep, and
he always expressed — I had almost said affected — a peculiar sobriety of
apparel. He was a son most exemplarily dutiful unto his parents; and
having paid some considerable debts for his father, he would afterwards
humbly observe and confess that God had abundantly recompenced this
his dutifulness.

§ 4. Though he had great offers of rich matches in England, yet he
chose to marry a meaner person, whom exemplary piety had recommended.
He lived with her for more than forty years, in such an happy harmony,

ctirection, at
, and had a
Sngland fur
aed serving
aok to Ang-
led hia days,
nor of tunny
/'The Sim-
i) was most
among our
art of one.

"ovember 6,
^tor of Hav-
i father was
» more Eng-
bnneil; the
len he camo
far 1641, in
It saw him,
gious. He
trong metn-
jxpert phy-
hich rarely
I'ith a most
m to make
jcther.
ation, that
is younger
)ersons, he
) maintain
ley'll ever
of doing
very spar-
ought his
sleep, and
tbriety of
ents; and
fterwards
need this

3, yet he
imended.
larmouy,

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

628

that when she died, he professed that, in all this time, he never had
received one displeasing word or look from her. Although she would so
faithfully tell him of every thing that might seem amendable in him, that
he would pleasantly compare her to an accusing conscience, yet she ever
pleased him wonderfully: and she would often put him upon the duties
of secret fasts, and when she met with any thing in reading that she counted
singularly agreeable, she would still impart it unto him. For which causes,
when he lost this his mate, he caused those words to be fairly written on
his table-board:

In Lugendo Compare, Vita Spatium Compleat Orbut.*

And there is this memorable passage to be added. While she was a maid,
there was ensured unto her the revenue of a parsonage worth two hundred
pounds per annum, in case that she married a minister. And all this had
been given to our Ward, in case he had conformed unto the doubtful mat-
ters in the Church of England: but he left all the allurements and enjoy-
ments of England, "cbusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of
God in a wilderness."

§ 5. Although he would say, "there is no place for fishing like the sea,
and the more hearers a minister has, the more hope there is that some of
them will be catched in the nets of the gospel ;" nevertheless, through his
humility and reservation, it came to pass that, as he chose to begin his
ministry in Old England, at a very small place, thus, when he came to
New-England, he chose to settle with a new plantation, where he could
expect none but small circumstances all his days. He did not love to
appear upon the publick stage himself, and there appeared few there whom he
did not prefer above himself: but when he was there, every one might see
how conscientiously he sought the edification of the souls of the plainest
auditors, before the ostentation of his own abilities. And from the like
self-diffidence it was, that he would never manage any ecclf^siastical affairs
in his church, without previous and prudent consultatioiif; ^/ith the best
advisers that he knew: he would say, "he had rather always /oUow advice,
though sometimes the advice miglit mislead him, than ever act without
advice, though he might happen to do well by no advice but his own."

§ 6. This diligent servant of the Lord Jesus Christ continued under and
against many temptations, watching over his flock at Haverhil, more than
twice as long as Jacob continued with his uncle; yea, for as many years
as there are Sabbaths in the year. On November 19, 1693, he preached
an excellent sermon, entering the eighty-eighth year of his age; the only
sermon that ever was, or perhaps ever will be preached in this country
at such an age. He was then smitten with a paralytic indisposition upon
the organs of his speech, which continuing about a month upon him, not

* In mournlag mj companion be spent life's remaining span, i

, \

! i

624

MAQNALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

without evident proofk of his undoratanding, and his heavenliness, oontin*
uing firm with him to the last; at last, on December 27, he went oS, bring*
ing up the rear of our first generation.

BPITAPIIIUM.

Bomontm VUimut, at imttr Bmuu non Ultimn$.*

M A RT I 8 8 A.

The Church of God is wronged, in that the life of the great John Owen
is not written. He was by his intention, so much a New-England man,
that a New-English book aflurds no improper station for him. Let him
that once would have chose to c^tie among the worthies of New-England,
be counted worthy to live among them. The most expressive memorials
of his life, that we at Boston can yet procure, are inscribed on his grave
at London. These must be then transcribed ; behold, the language of his

< ^ EPITAPH.

JOHANNES OWEN, S. T. P.

Jlgr* OxonteMi, Patrt Iiwlgnl Thnlaf,

JUatre Pin Matrona, Ori»ndu*:
Murum Elitganllft, «( l.$p»r* Innoouoi

OmHibui fuiiutcum eaN«n-M<H« M(, QratlMlmui:
Oonurum pari Gratiarumque Eminentia,
iiifotittimum in Prellu kaUtat tt Dellollt,
^uiiat, tiMccro, Cune trat, Curdlque Ktligio .'
Llteria iia(ii«, LItoril innutritai, Totuique
Dtditat,
Doau Anlmata ^sae tvaiit BIbliotheoa;
Aatkarihu$ Clusicis, f mA (Ineoit, f «a UUIntv,
Sab Gdv. SilvMtro, Stkotm PrivtiM 0««nii MudunUore,
Oftram navatit tatit Felleem ;
Felleiorem a4ttiic Stadiit Phlloiopliloii,
Magiio *ai BarloTlo, CM. Hfinti* M Umfat Socio;
(.£(118 ChrisU iMi(<iii,t«iiv«''i' D*eurta,ljtsnatt Oucmius,

Kt quinqucnnaili .icaiemim Vlce^^incellarlui :)
TbeoluglK rfnnita longt f<*ltciaslmua incatait ; ^rd'tn*
PudlaequlRi Duco et Auspice, Saacto Chritti ^irita ;
(Civ'm* Dinnos, in Partd <k Ckri$to Rtdtwtptitai

jtpflieantla. Parte* Tktolagoram sulu« E^otait.)
TVt'iimf IK, f ■« Docl» prmtertim aHitiaRl,

iMiatprmter Orienlalui) /.iiyiiaryiii Ptritaa;
faginat Satrat Intut, et in Cuta,
Bplritu, et Liters, tiki kakait nalittiau* ;
t» Magnit teri Naieentla Eeeletim Lmwunikas Vertro-
titeimat ;
Primia luogum Degeneria Jtettitaterikai atatifaam
nigleetit;
JV(c melioria A*a(« Sckolatticie Otntrmptai kahitiM ;
Tarn in Palasatri, fvAm Pulplto, Domiaata* itt;

In Pal»$tri, Ponlldoloa, RemoMtnuitea, Sootnilaa,

NtMiUruM|iie
In MomtatoM JuallfloatloDia Jpiet NoTnltirlentea,
Scriptie yervdalnlmit Prottratit, Prucatcavit;
In Palpilo, maximi lufrmi Curporlai
Prewr.ti4 minimi ln/lrmd :
Geatil, TheatrIcA prMMi Oejd'eiilati'ra*,
jf i( Optimal Ducorl Hfgulai Cempoiito :
Bermona, A Contompltblll remttiitimo ; Conoro,
Sed ntn Strldulo; Saam', eedproria* Virill;
Et Authoritatia faiddam Sonaate :
Pari, ti nmi et St^eriort, Anlnl Prmientid ;
Cbnei'tfNMin, faat, ad verbam, Utlaa Ckartii eammiiit,
All verkam faidem vel carptim, et ttringente oeul»

Inter Prmdicaadam Lectltavit;
Sed 0«Ria, Suo primilm Impretea altiiu Peetori,
.^aditoram Anlmis, Cordlbuique potentiiu ingeitit ;
AVe Orandi, mi«iii«, fuAm Perurondi, Donit Initractue ;
Minittri veri Evangellcl OmaM complevit JifHmeroe ;
Cmlta* et Regiminii Iiitlltuti (vai cam Ductrind Ruv9-
laU)
Magnus Ipaemet Zelotei, et Aisertor itrenaue ;
JimpHeeiam dtnifae, cai Spiritat S. Earn prmfeterat,
Eoeleaim
Pradenllnimus pariCer oc Vigilantiaslmus Pastor,
C^fjas Prwluslri < Mallis {/aaai stfffieiat Epitapkia :
Author QuadrlpartitI In Ep. ad Hebr. Commentarii.

Ptraeto I'a Terria Caria, et quod aeeeperat, MiniiteriOf
M Ckristi in CbII Stataat, faeat, Sero Vita Vespers,
Clarlus, Hut emlniis, Prospettam Qrapkiei linearat,
Pruptui, PenlUusque contaendam Angelas Decessit.

Mensis Augutti (Nott'ConformMit id magis adhuc Fatali) Die zzit.
Anno Sal. mdclxxxiii. ^tat. lxvii.

* Lait of the good, but among the good by no meana the laal.

fiess, oontin*
kt off, bring-

John Owen
gland man,
. Let him
w-England,
memorinls
I his grave
uage of his

OB, THE II; TORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

uitM, Soolnitu,
vntiirienlet,

Cnnoroi
Virili;

Htid ;

tit commiiit,

rctile oeult

Pectoris
\u$ inge$iit ;
Ml* Inttrtutun ;

JVhmerM ;
DttCtrinA R«vQ-

rtor itrenuut ;
Km prmfecerat,

Mimus Ptuttr.
Epitapkio :
mmentarii.
at, Minitttrio,
itm Vttpert,
ihici Unearat^
riltuDtcutiL

625

tfiUpkium Mud lb Indlipio A|rM«i<«(a Cumpotllum
UU t.»tiut, quMii ut liiA« trrvM
Tkbuln MarmTia CMicaltiia elwtierelur ;
lU ellun i4ivii«liiif, quim ul Jutttm

An Admndum RaTentiMU MilinplaNt Ckartlirtm ;
JfaUlintm, qunin nivrult, potltum Ml, StinHf
A f rcinUi Or*Tii lliiju* ()|>«r<i«lMlml
OfrUuti Marmorao Paninnluria M*»*mtmtL

(Tranilalloa of Iha timfi*"* Epttaph.]
JoUN OwBH, Pnoritfoit or Divinitt— Rom In Oxriiniihirp, (hli fhlher • dMIngulihiNl mInMar ind hit
mother a ploui mttron,) muM BHi^ohlu lo all with whum h« waa IntlmiOe on aoouunt of the eloKanon of hia
deportment ami hli innocent gaiety, and, Inasmuch aa ho waa equally giriud with tahinla aiMl (racea, niganled with
equal esteem and delight by those who sincerely cared for and loved ruliiflon. Born, aa It were, of letters, nour-
ished by letters, and wholly devoted to them, he became almost literally a living library. He gave hia atten-
tion auccossnilly both lo the Ureek and Lnlin cissaic authors under Kdward Hyiveater, master of a private schiNil
at Oxfcr' I : and with still more success to philnaophic studies under the groat Barlowe, at that time a Fellow of tha
Royal Coiliige; becoming himself, in the progroMi of time. Dean of Christ's Uoliego, and for Ave years Vice Chun-
eeilor of the academy at the same place. KinHlly he devoted himself, with the greatest success of all, to Theol-
ogy, with learning for his helper, and the Holy Hpirit of Christ for his Insplrer and guide: theology, sM the points
of which, in reapect to the efficacy of the redemption secured by Christ, he alone of all theohiglans, made cleiir.
Ilu was priiflclent in the three languagea communly called the learned languages, in addition to the Urionlai dia-
k!Cts. Ho understood the 8ticred pages in their inner meaning— in spirit snd in letlor: was admirably versed in
the writings of the great lights of the early church : had by no means neglvctotl those who, though inferior to tha
ancient fathers, restore<l the primitive fitllh, nor did ho despise the srhool-men of lesser note. In the Held of con-
troversy he was as au|)erior oa In the pulpit. In the former, be overwhelmed and trampled down with hia ner-
vous ruaaoning Romonlnira, Dissenters, Doclnlans, und those of our time who invent new thuorles concerning
the momentous and crowning doctrine of Justiflcatlon. In the latter, though of vxcui'dingly wealc frame, yet of a
presence by no moans weak ; with gestures far removed f^om theotrical gesticulation, and nf^usted to the nicest
ruhis of decorum; of speech by no means contemptible; a voice loud, but not shrill— sweet, but manly, and with
a certain quullly of utithorllalivoness: of a mental presence, at least equal, if not superior, to his iNNllly presence :
he did not in preaching read word for word anil with peering gaze the sermons which ho committu«l to pu|)er
entire; but every thing which he ullered, having been flrat deeply impressed on his <iwn heart, he imprinted tiio
mora poworDilly on the minds and hearts of his hearers. Not lesa gilU-d in prayer than in oratory, he fulfliled
all the functions of a true evangelical minister ; being himself a great zenlot und staunch partisan in the mutters
of on established worship and discipline, as well as of the doctrines in revelation. Finally, he was at the same
time a most discreet and watchful pastor to the church over which the Holy Spirit hod ordained him. For hli
uoblo epitaph let one of the many written for him suffice :

The Author of the " F.xpoaition of the EpittU to the Hebretet, in four parts" having finished his earthly
career and the ministry he had received, has depurtu<l In angelic guise to take u nearer and Inwiuxl survey of Christ's
heavenly kingdom, which, in the lute evening of lire, though it wns still seen from far, he described with graphic
truthfulness. He died on the 24th day of August (still a fatal month to the Non-conformists; In the year of tiolvii-
tlon, 1683, aged 67.

This epitaph, compose<l by its unworthy author— too extended to be enclosod within the small area of a mar-
ble tablet- too limited to embrace a complete catalogue of his virtues— has obtained a more honourable place
than it deserved on the pages of this most elaborate work— a poper-mcm<>r!n| more endurin-j than a marble
monument.

* .-

'o^nii9*f* ^nyniuira: Site UTILES NARRATIONES.*

THE TRIUMPHS OF THE REFORMED RELIGION IN AMERICA:
THE LIFE OF THE RENOWNED JOHN ELIOT;

A PERSON JUSTLY FAMOUS IN THE CHURCH OP QOD; NOT ONLY AS AN EMINENT

CHRISTIAN, AND AN EXCELLENT MINIdTER AMONG THE ENGLISH ; BUT ALSO

AS A MEMORABLE EVANnELIHT AMONG THE INDIANH OK NEW-ENGLAND.

WITH SOME ACCOUNT CONCERNING THE LATE AND STIIANGE SUCCESS

OP THE GOSPEL IN THOSE PARTS OP THE WORLD, WHICH POR

/ MANY AGES HAVE LAIN BURIED IN PAGAN IGNORANCE. '

ESSAYED BY COTTON MATHER.

"O* yuf 'witv iffiav, XafurforarUD Ipyar vat 4tii)ffi^o/i<iiv ioyiiartor ra oXtof waptSt'ii iwo rtit XqSiic ««Xo«/i(voi> f
i. e. Exi$timavi, haud rine teelere fieri potuitte, ut factorum tplendidurimorum, tt utilium
Nanationum gloria, Oblivioni traderetur.i — THEnooRiT.

"Blesaed ia that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing."

THE THIRD PART.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE PHILIP LORD WHART01T|

A NO LESS NOBLE THAN AOED PATRON OF LEARNtNO AND VERTUB.

Mat IT PLEASE TOUR Lordship: If it bo considered that some evangelical nnd apostolical
histories of tlio New Testnment were, by tlie direction of the Iluly Spirit himself, dedicated
unto H person of quality, nnd that the noble person addressed with one such dedication, enter-
taincd it with resentments that encouraged his dear Lucilius to make a second, the world will
be satisfied that I do a thing but reasonable and agreeable, when unto a narrative of many
evangelical and apostolical affairs, I presume to prefix the name of one so excellent for lovo
to God as your lordship is known to be; and one upon this account only an unmeet subject
for the praises of the obscure pen which now writes that Quis Viluperat?l I do not, I daro
cot, so far intrude upon your honour, as to usk your patronage unto all the New-English
principles and practices which are found in the character of our celebrated Eliot; for as the
distance of a thousand leagues has made it impossible for mo to attend the (usual) orders
and manners of asking first your allowance for what I have openly entitled you unto, so the
renowned Eliot is gone beyond any occasions for the greatest humane patronage.

But that which has procured unto your lordship the trouble of this dedication, is my desire
to give you the picture of one aged saint, lately gone to that general assembly, which tlio
eternal King of Heaven, by the advances of your own ago in the way of righteousness, does
quickly summon your self unto : the profound respect which our Eliot had for your honour,
will doubtless be answered and requited with your own value for the memory of suoh a
memorable Christian, minister, and evangelist; inasmuch as your affections, like his, take not
their measures from these or those matters of doubtful disputation, but from such an uni-
versal piety, and charity, and holiness, as he was an instance of.

* Profltable Narrattvet. [vion.

t For I believed it an act of impiety, to we the renown of *hining actioos and useful sentiment* stifled bjr obli-
I Challenge to reproach. •

OH, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

627

MERIGA:

MINENT
M

m, «< ud'/ium
bing."

TOIV)

apostolical

1 dedicated
ition, entor-

world will
'0 of many
nt f(»r lovo
eet Hubjoet
not, I daro
W.English

for as the
tal) orders
ito, 80 the

my desire
whkh the
ness, does
r honour,
of suoh n
I take not
h an uni-

No man ever complained of it that. In the worlcn of ChrVHoiitom, we And aovcn orntiont
not far asunder in commendation of I'uul : nor is it any fault thnt I have now written one
in commendation of a man whom a Pauline spirit h<id made illustrious. In describinK him,
I have made but little touches upon hia parentage and family, because ns the truly great
Basil excuses his omission of those thinKH, in his oration upon Gonlius the Afartyr, Enlfnia
hac tanquam lupervacua ditnittil,* But I have related those <i)i:igH of liiin which cannot Itut
create a good esteem for him in the breast of your lordship, who are n faithful and ancient
witness Hf^ainst those distempers of the world, whereby (us the blessed Salvian lamented it)
Cf^imur e»*e Vile$, xU Nobiki haheamur:f and raise the sweetness of your thoughts upon
your approaches; which may our God make both alow and sure unto that state which caimot
be moved. But if I may more ingenuously confess the whole ground and cause of this dedi-
cation, I must own, Uii to pay a part of a debt: a debt under which you have laid my country,
when you did with your own honourable hand present unto his maJcHty the same account
which I have here again published, "concerning the success of the goH(Hil among the Indiana
in New-England."

My Lord: In one Eliot you aoe what a people it is that you have counted worthy of your
notice, and what a people it ia that with ardent proyora bespeak the mercies of Heaven for
your noble family. Indeed, it is impossible that a country so full as New-England is of what
is truly primitive, should not be exposed unto the bitterest enmity imd calumny of those
that will strive to entangle the church in a Sardian unreformedness, until our ImtH Jesua
do shortly "make them know, that he has loved" what they have hated, maligned, persecuted.
But if the God of New-England have inclined any great personage to intercede, or int' rposo,
for the prevention of the mines which ill men have designed for such a country ; or to pro-
cure for a people of an Eliot's complexion in religion the undiHturbed enjoyment and exer-
cise of that religion, it ia a thing that calls for our most sensible acknowledgments.

It is an odd superstition which the Indians of this country have among them, that they
count it (on the penalty of otherwise never prospering more) necessiu-y for them never to
pass by the grates of certain famous persons among them, without laying and leaving some
token of regard thereupon. But we hoi)e that all true Protestants will count it no more
than what is equal and proper, that the land which has in it the grave of such n remarkable
preacher to the Indians as our Eliot, should be treated with such a love as a Jerusalem
uses to find from them that are to prosper.

Upon that score, then, let my lord accept a present from and for a remote corner in tho
New World, where God is praised on your behalf; a small present, made by the hand of a
rude American, who has nothing to recommend him unto your lordship, except this, that he
is the son of one whom you have admitted unto your favours; and that ho is ambitious to
wear tho title of.

My Lord, your Lordship's most humble and most obedient servant,

Cotton Mather.

* These things the Church overloolu as luperflultle*.

t We are compelled to condeacend to be mean, in order to be deemed noble.

III!

[vion.
ed bjr obli-

INTRODUCTION.

«<■-'

It was a very surprising as well as undoubted accident which happened within the memory
of millions yet alive, when (as the learned Hornius has given us the relation) certain shop,
herds upon mount Nebo, following part of their straggling flock, at length came to a valley,
the prodigious depths and rocks whereof rendrcd it almost inaccessible; in which there wns
a cave of inexpressible sweetness, and in that cave was a sepulchre that had very difficult
characters upon it The patriarchs of the Maronites thereabouts inhabiting procured some
learned persons to take notice and make report of this curiosity, who found the inscription of
the grave^stone to be, in the Hebrew language and letter, "Moses, the servant of the Lord."

The Jews, the Greeks, and the Roman Catholics thereabouts, were altogether by the ears
for the possession of this rarity, but the Turks as quickly laid claim unto it, and strongly
guarded it Neverthelcsa, the Jesuites found a way by tricks and bribes to engage the Turk-
ish guards into a conspiracy with them for the transporting of the inclosed and renowned
ashes into Europe; but when they opened the grave, there was no body, nor so much as a
relick there. While they were under the confusion of this disappointment a Turkish gen-
eral came upon them, and cut them all to pieces; therewithal taking a course never to have
that place visited any more. But the scholars of the Orient presently made this a theme
which they talked and wrote much upon: and whether this were the true sepulchre
OF Moses, was a question upon which many books were published.

The world would now count me very absurd if, after this, I should say that I had foun-i
the sepulchre of Moses in America: but I have certainly here found Moses himself; wo
have had among us one appearing in the spirit of a Moses; and it is not the grave, but the
life of such a Moses, that we value our selves upon being the owners of.

Having implored the assistance and acceptance of that God whose blessed word has told
us, "The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance," I am attempting to write the
life of a righteous person, concerning whom all things but the meanness of the writer invite
the reader to expect nothing save what is truly extraordinary. It is the life of otie who has
better and greater things to be affirmed of him, than could ever be reported concerning any
of those famous men which have been celebrated by the pens of a Plutarch, a Pliny a liacr-
tins, an Eunnpius, or in any Pagan histories. It is the life of one whose character might
very agreeably be looked for among the collections of a Dorotheus, or tlie orations of a
Nazianzcn ; or is worthy at least of nothing less than the exquisite stile of a Melchior Adam
to eternize it.

If it be, as it is, a true assertion, "that the least exercise of true faith, or love, towards
God, in Christ is a more glorious thing than all the triumphs of a Csesar," there must be
something very considerable in the life of one who spent several scores of years in sjich
exercises; and of one in the mention of whoso atchievemcnts we may also recount, that he
fought the devil in (once) his American territories, till he had recovered no small party of
his old subjects and vassals out of his cruel hands ; it would be as unreasonable as unprofit-
able for posterity to bury the memory of such a person in the dust of that obscurity and
oblivion which has covered the names of the heroes who died before the days of Agamemnon.

OB, THE HISTOBT OF NEW-ENOLAND.

629

in the memory
) certain shop.
me to a valley,
hich there was
i very difficult
procured some
! inscription of
of the Lord."
ler by the ears
, and strongly
fage the Turk,
md renowned
80 much as a
Turkish gen-
never to have
i this a theme

;E 8EFULCHRE

1 1 had foun'i

himself; we

jrave, but the

>vord has told
: to write the

v/riter invito
one who has
ncerning any

'liny a Ijier-
Iraeter might
irations of a

lehior Adam

Ive, towards
pre must bo
rnrs in such
|unt, that he

all party of
las unprojit-
Jseurity and

^amemnon.

FRELIMINART I.

THE BIRTH, AGE, AND FAMILY OF MB ELIOT.

The inspired Moses, relating the lives of those Ante-Diluvian Patriarchs in whom the Church
of God and line of Christ was continued, through the first sixteen hundred years of time, recites
little but their birth, and their age, and their death, and their »on» and daughtera. If those articles
would satiafie the appetites and enquiries of such as come to read the life of our Eliot, we shall soon
have dispatched the work now upon our hands.

The age, with the death of this worthy man, has been already terminated, in the ninetieth year
of the present century, and the eighty-sixth year of his own pilgrimage. And for his birth, it was
at a town in England, the name whereof I cannot presently recover; nor is it necessary for me to
look back so far as the place of his nativity ; any more than it is for me to recite the vertues of his
parentage, of which he said, Vix ea nostra voco;* though indeed the pious education which they
gave him, caused him in his age to write these words: " Ido see that it was a great favour of God
unto me, to season my first times with the fear of God, the word, and prayer."

The Atlantick Ocean, like a river of Lethe, may easily cause us to forget many of the things
that happened on the other side. Indeed, the nativity of such a man vfe^e an honour worthy the
contention of as many places as laid their claims unto the famous Hosier's: but whatever places
may challenge a share in the reputation of having enjoyed the^r«( breath of our Eliot, it is New
England that with most right can call him her's; his best breath, and afterwards his last breath
was here ; and here 'twas that God bestowed upon him sons and daughters.

He came to New-England in the month of November, A. D. 1631, among those blessed old
planters which laid the foundations of a remarkable country, devoted unto the exercise of the Prot-
estant religion, in its purest and highest reformation. He left behind him in England a vertuous
young gentlewoman, whom he had pursued and purposed a marriage unto; and she coming hither
the year following, that marriage was consummated in the month of October, A. D. 1632.

This wife of his youth lived with him until she became to him also the staff of his age ; and
she left him not until about three or four years before his own departure to those heavenly regions
where they now together see light. She was a woman very eminent, both for holiness and use-
fulness, and she excelled most of the " daughters that have done vertuously." Her name was
Anne, and gracious was her nature. God made her a rich blessing, not only to her family, but
also to her neighbourhood ; and when at last she died, I heard and saw her oged husband, who
else very rarely wept, yet now with teors over the coffin, before the good people, a vast confluence
of which were come to her funeral, say, "Here lies my dear, foithful, pious, prudent, prayerful wife;
I shall go to her, and she not return to me." My reader will of his own accord excuse me from
bestowing any further epitaphs upon that gracious woman.

By her did God give him six worthy children — children of a character which may for ever stop
the mouths of those ontichristian blasphemers, who have set a false brand of disaster and infamy
on the offi^pring of a married clergy. His first-born was a daughter, bom September 17, A. C. 1633.
This gentlewoman is yet alive, and one well approved for her piety and gravity. His ne.\t was a
son, born August 31, A. C. 1636. He bore his father's name, and had hia father's grace. He was
a person of notable accomplishments, and a lively, zealous, acute preacher, not only to the English
at New- Cambridge, but also to the Indians thereabout. He grew so fost, that he was found ripe
for Heaven many years ago; and upon his death-bed uttered such penetrating things as could pro-
ceed from none but one upon the borders and confines of eternal glory. It is pity that so mony of
them are forgotten ; but one of them, I think, we have cause to remember: " Well," said he, " my
dear friends, there is a dark day coming upon New-England: and in so dark a day, I pray, how
will you provide for your own security ! My counsel to you is, get on interest in the blessed Lord
Jesus Christ; and that will carry you to the world's end." His third was also a son, bom Decern-

f':'

^ :'

■! ■ f

Vol. 1.-34

* I can hardly coll them mine.

680

MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

ber S!0, A. C. 1638 ; him he called Joseph. This person hath been a pastor to the church at Guil-
ford. Hia fourth was a Samuel, born June 23, A. C. 1641, who died a most lovely young man,
eminent for learning and goodness, a /«I/oio of the colledge, and a candidate of the ministry. His
fifth was an Aaron, bom February 19, A. C. 1643, who, though he died very young, yet first man-
ifested " many good things towards the Lord God of Israel." His Inst was a Benjamin, born Jun-
uary 29, A. C. 1646. Of all these three it may be said, as it wos of Haran, " They died before their
father ;" but it may also be written over their graves, " All these died in faith." By the pious design
of their father, they were all consecrated unto the service of God in the ministry of the gospel ; but
God saw meet rather to fetch them away, by a death which (therefore) I dare not call pramalure,
to glorify him in another and a better world. They all gave such demonstrations of their conver:<ion
to God, that the good old man would sometimes comfortably say, " I have hod six children, and I
bless God for his free grace, they are all either with Christ or in Christ ; and my mind is now at
rest concerning them." And when some asked him how he could bear the death of such excellent
children, his humble reply thereto was this: " My desire was that they should have served God on
earth ; but if God will chuse to have them rather serve him in heaven, I have nothing to object
against it, but his will be done!" His Benjamin was made the "son of his right-hand ;" for the
invitation of the good people at Roxbury placed him in the same pulpit with his father, where he
was his assistant for many years ; there they had a proof o/ Aim, " that as a son with his father, he
served with him in the gospel." But his fate was like that which the great Gregory Nazianzen
describes in his discourse upon the death of his honourable brother, his aged father being now alive
and present: "My father having laid up in a better world a rich inheritance for his children, sent
a son of his before to take possession of it."

PRELIMINARY II.

MR. ELIOT'S EARLY CONVEK' ION, SACRED E3IPL0YMENT, AND JUST REMOVAL INTO AMERICA.

Bt;T all that I have hitherto said, is no more than on entrance into the history of our Eliot.
Such an Enoch as he, must have something more than these things recorded of him; his "walk
with God" must be more largely Inid before the world, as a thing that would bespeak us all to be
followers no less than we shall be admirers of it.

He had not passed many turns in the world, before he knew the meaning of a saving turn from
the vanities of an unregenerate state unto God in Christ, by a true repentance ; he had the singular
happiness and privilege of an early conversion from the ways which original sin disposes all men
unto. One of the principal instruments which the God of heaven used in tingeing and filling the
mind of this chosen vessel with good principles, was that venerable Thomas Hooker, whose name
in the churchrjs of the Lord Jesus is " as an ointment poured forth ;" even that Hooker who, having
angled many scores of souls into the kingdom of heaven, at last laid his bones in our New-England ;
it was an acquaintance with Aim that contributed more than a little to the accomplishment of our
Elisha for that work unto which the Most High designed him. His liberal education having now
the addition of religion to direct it and improve it, it gave such a biass to his young soul as quickly
discovered it self in very signal instances. His first appearance in the world, afier his education in
the university, was in the too difficult and untAanA/uI, but very necessary employment of a school-
master, which employment he discharged with a good fidelity. And as this frst essay of his
improvement was no more disgrace unto him than it was unto the famous Hieron, Whitaker, Vine?,
and others, that they (Att« began to be serviceable ; so it rather prepared him for the further service
• which his mind was now set upon. He was of worthy Mr. Thomas Wilson's mind, that the calling
.of a mtnt«(er was the only one wherein a man might be more serviceable to the church of God
than in that of a school-master; and, with Melnhior Adam, he reckoned the calling of a school-
-.master, Pulverulentam, ac Molestissimam quidem, sed Deo tonge gratisaimam Functionem.*

* A dusty and disagreeable vocation, but by far the most favoured of God.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

681

Wherefore, having dedicated himaelf unto God betimes, he could not reconcile himMlf to any leaser
way of serving his C .'or and Redeemer, than the sacred miniatry of the gospel ; but, alas! where
should he have <. j.^ nitiea for the exercising of iit The Laudian,Grotian,and Arminian faction
in the Church of £•- i.and, in the prosecution of their grand plot for the reducing of England unto
a moderate sort of Popery, had pitched upon thia as one of their methods for it : namely, to ereeple
as fast as they could all the learned, godly, painful ministers of the nation; and invent certain Skib-
boletht for the detecting and the destroying of such men as were cordial friends to the reformation.
'Twas now a time when there were every day multiplied and imposed those unwarrantable eeremo-
nies in the worship of God by which the conscience of our considerate Eliot counted the second
commandment notoriously violated ; it was now also a time when some hundreds of those good
people which had the nick-name of Puritans put upon them, transported themselves, with their
whole families and interests, into the desarts of America, thrt they might here peaceably erect Con-
gregational Churches, and therein attend and maintain all the pure institutions of the Lord Jesus
Christ ; having the encouragement of royal charlera, that they should never have any interruption
in the enjoyment of those " precious and pleasant things." Here was a prospect which quickly
determined the devout soul of our young Eliot unto a remove into New-England, while it was yet
a " land not sown ;" he quickly listed himself among those valiant soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ,
who cheerfully encountred first the perils of the Atlantick Ocean, and then the fiitigues of the New-
English wilderness, that they might have an undisturbed communion with him in his appointments
here. And thus did he betimes procure himself the consolation of having afterwards nnd for ever
a room in that remembrance of God, "I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, and the love
of thine espousals, when thou wentest af\er me into the wilderness."

On his first arrival to New-England, he soon joined himself unto the church at Boston ; 'twas
ehurch-work that was his errand hither. Mr. Wilson, the pastor of that church, was gone back
into England, that he might perfect the settlement of his affairs ; and in his absence, young Mr.
Eliot was he that supplied his place. Upon the return of Mr. Wilson, that church was intending
to have made Mr. Eliot his collegue and their teacher ; but it was diverted. Mr. Eliot had engaged
unto a select number of his pious and Christian friends in England that, if they should come into
these parts before he should be in the pastoral care of any other people, he would give himself to
ihem, and be for their service. It happened that these friends transported themselves hither the
year after him, ond chose their habitation at the town which they called Roxbury. A church being
now gathered at this place, he was in a little while ordained unto the teaching and ruling of that
holy society. So, 'twas in the orb of that church that we had him as a star fixed for very near
three-score years ; it only remains that we now observe what was his magnitude all this while, and
how he performed his ret>olution.

> , i

mi'

PART I.
OR, ELIOT AS A CHRISTIAN.

ARTICLE. I.— HIS EMINENT PIETY.

Such was the piety of our Eliot, that, like another Moses, he had upon
his face a continual shme, arising from his uninterrupted communion with
the Father of spirits. lie was indeed a "man of prayer," and might say,
after the psalmist, I prayer, as being in a manner made up of it. Could
the walls of his old study speak, they would even ravish us with a rela-
tion of the man J hundred and thousand fervent prayers which he there
poured out before the Lord. He not only made it his daily practice to
"enter into that closet, and shut his door, and pray to his Father in secret,"
but he would not rarely set apart whole days for prayer with fasting in

682

MAONALIA OHBISTI AMEBIOANA;

secret places before the God of heaven. Prayer solemnized with fasting
was indeed so agreeable unto him, that I have sometimes thought he
might justly inherit the name of Johannes Jejunator, or "John the Faster,"
which for the like reason was put upon one of the renowned ancients.
Especially when there was any remarkable difficulty before him, he took
this way to encounter and overcome it; being of Dr. Preston's mind, "That
when we would have any great things to be accomplished, the best policy
is to work by an engine which the world sees nothing of." He could say,
as the pious Robertson did upon his death- bed, "I thank God I have loved
fasting and prayer with all my heart!" If one would have known what
that sacred thing, the spirit of prayer, intends, in him there might have
been seen a most luculent and practical exposition of it. He kept his
heart in a "frame for prayer," with a marvellous constancy; and was con-
tinually provoking all that were about him thereunto. When he heard
any considerable news, his usual and speedy reflection thereupon would
be, "Brethren, let us turn all this into prayer!" and he was perpetually
jogging the "wheel of prayer," both more privately in the meetings, and
more publickly in the churches of his neighbourhood. When he came
to an house that he was intimately acquainted with, he would often say,
"Come, let us not have a visit without a prayer; let us pray down the
blessing of Heaven on your family before we go." Especially when he
came into a society of ministers, before he had sat long with them, they
would look to hear him urging, "Brethren, the Lord Jesus takes much
notice of what is done and said among his ministers when they are together ;
come, let us pray before we part !" and hence also his whole breath seemed
in a sort made up of ejaculatory prayers, many scores of which winged
messengers he dispatched away to Heaven, upon pious errands every day.
By them he bespoke blessings upon almost every person or affair that he
was concerned with ; and he carried every thing to God with some perti-
nent hosannahs or hallelujahs over it. He was a mighty and an happy
man, that had his quiver full of these heavenly arrows! and when he was
never so straitly besieged by humane occurrences, yet he fastned the
wishes of his devout soul unto them, and very dexten^usly shot them up
to Heaven over the head of all.

As he took thus delight in speaking to the Almighiy God, no less did
he in speaking of him ; but in serious and savoury discourses, he still had
his "tongue like the pen of a ready writer." The Jesuits once at Nola
made a no less profane than severe order, "that no man should speak of
God at all;" but this excellent person almost made it an order wherever
he came, "to speak of nothing but God." He was indeed sufficiently
pleasant and witty in company, and he was affiible and facetious rather
than morose in conversation; but he had a remarkable gravity mixed
with it, and a singular skill of raising some holy observation out of what-
ever matter of discourse lay before him ; nor would he ordinarily dismiss

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENQLAND.

633

:i!M.

ith fasting
bought be
le Faster,"
1 ancients.
Ti, he took
nd, "That
)e8t policy
could say,
lave loved
own what
ight have
! kept his
3 was con-
I he heard
)on would
erpetually
tings, and
. he came
often say,
down the
when he
bern, they
Ices much
together;
'h seemed
1 winged
very day.
that he
me perti-
happy
he was
tned the
them up

less did
still had

at Nola
speak of
wherever

iciently
rather
mixed
>f what-

dismiss

any iheme without some gracious, divine, pithy sentence thereupon. Doubt-
less, he imposed it as a laio upon himself, that he would leave something
of Ood and Heaven^ and religion, with ail that should come a near him ;
so that in all places his company was attended with majesty and reverence;
and it was no sooner proper for him to speak, but, like Mary's opened box
of ointment, he filled the whole room with the perfumes of the graces in
his lips, and the Christian hearers tasted a greater sweetness in his well-
seasoned speeches, than the illustrious Homer ascribed unto the orations
of his Nestor,

Whose lip dropp'd language than sweet honey, sweeter abundance.

His conferences were like those which TertuUian affirms to have been
common among the saints in his days, Ut qui sciret dominum audire, — "as
knowing that the ear of Ood was open to them all ;" and he managed his
rudder so as to manifest that he was bound Heaven-ward in his whole
communication. He had a particular art at spiritualizing of earthly objects,
and raising of high thoughts from very mean things. As, once going with
some feebleness and weariness up the hill on which his meeting-house
now stands, he said unto the person that led him, "This is very like the
way to heaven, 'tis up hill I the Lord by his grace fetch us upl" and
instantly spying a bush near him, he as nimbly added, "and truly there
are thorns and briars in the way tool" which instance I would not have
singled out from the many thousands of his occasional rejkctions, but only
that I might suggest unto the good people of Eoxbury something for them
to think upon when they are "going up to the house of the Lord." It is
enough that, as the friend of the famous Ursin could profess that he never
went unto him without coming away, aut doctior, aut melior — "either the
wiser or the better from him" — so, it is an acknowledgment which more
than one friend of our Eliot's has made concerning him, " I was never
with him but I got or might have got some good from him."

And hearing from the great God was an exercise of like satisfaction
unto the soul of this good man, with speaking either to him or of hira.
He was a mighty student of the sacred Bible ; and it was unto him as his
necessary food. He made the Bible his companion and his counsellor, and
the holy lines of Scripture more enamoured him than the profane ones of
TuUy ever did the famous Italian cardinal. He would not upon easy
terms have gone one day together without using a portion of the Bible as
an antidote against the infection of temptation. And he would prescribe it
unto others, with his prohatum est* upon it; as once particularly a pious
woman, vexed with a wicked husband, complaining to him that bad com-
pany was all the day still infesting of her house, "and what should she
do?" he advised her, "Take the Holy Bible into your hand, when the bad
company comes, and you'll soon drive them out of the house;" the woman

* It bas been tested.

: iJ II

m' It

684

MAONALIA GHRISTI AMEBIOANA;

made the . xperimcnt, and thereby cleared ber house from the haunts that
had molested it. By the like way it was that he cleared his /leart of what
he was loth to have nesting there. Moreover, if ever any man could, ho
might pretend unto that evidence of uprightness, "Lord, I have loved tlie
habitation of thine house;*' for he not only gave something more than his
presence there twice on the Lord's days, and once a fortnight besides on
the lectures in his own congregation, but he made his weekly visits unto
the lectures in the neighbouring towns; how oflcn was he seen at Boston,
Charlestown, Cambridge, Dorchester, waiting upon the word of God, in
recurring opportunities, and counting "a day in the courts of the Lord
better than a thousand 1" It is hardly conceivable how, in th'^ midst of so
many studies and labours as he was at home engaged in, he <;ould possibly
repair to so many lectures abroad ; and herein he aimed, not only at his
own edification, but at the countenancing and encouraging of the lectures
which he went unto.

Thus he took heed Oiat he might hmr^ and he took as much heed how
he heard; he set himself as in the presence of the eternal God, as the great
Constantine used of old in the assemblies where he came, and said, '* I will
hear what God the Lord will speak ;" he expressed a diligent attention,
by a watchful and wakeful posture, and by turning to the texts quoted by
the preacher; he expressed a suitable affection by feeding on what was
delivered, and accompanying it with hands and eyes devoutly elevated ;
and they whose good hap 'twas to go home with him, were sure of having
another sermon by the way until their very "hearts burned in them."
Lactantius truly said, Xon est vera Religio, quih cum Tewplo relinquitur ;* but
our Eliot always carried much of religion with him from the house of God.

In a word, he was one who lived in heaven while he loas on earth; and
there is no more than pure justice in our endeavours that he should live
on earth after he is in heaven. We cannot say that we ever saw him walk-
ing any whither but he was therein "walking with God;" wherever he
sat, he had God by him, and it was in the everhisting arms of God that
he slept at night. Methoughts he a little discovered his heavenly way of
living, when walking one day in his garden, he plucked up a loeed that he
saw now and then growing there, at which a friend pleasantly said unto
him, "Sir, you tell us we must be heavenly-minded;" but he immediately
replied, "It is true; and this is no impediment unto that, for were I sure
to go to heaven to-morrow, I would do what I do to-day." From such a
frame of spirit it was that once in a visit, finding a merchant in bis count-
ing house, where he saw books of business only on his table, but all his
books of devotion on the shel^ he gave this advice unto him: "Sir, here is
earth on the table, and heaven on the shelf; pray don't sit so much at the
table as altogether to forget the shelf; let not earth by any means thrust
heaven out of your mind."

* That ii nut true religion, which we leave behiiul us in tho aanctuary.

OK, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

635

but

Indeed, I cannot give a fuller description of him, than what waa in a
paraphrase that I have heard himself to make upon that scripvure, "Our
conversation is in heaven." I writ from him as he uttered it:

** Behold,** said he, "the ancient and excellent character of a true Christian; 'tis that which
Peter calls 'holiness in all manner of conversation ;' you shall not find a Christian out of the
way of godly conversation. Fur, first, a sevetah part of our time is all spent in heaven, when
we are duly zealous for, and zealous on the Subbuth of God. Besides, God has written on
the head of the Sabbath, remember, which looks both forwards and backwards, and thus a
good part of the week will bo spent in sabbatizing. Well, but for the rest of our time!
Why, we shall have that spent in heaven, ere we have done. For, secondly, we have many
days for both fasting and thanksgiving in our pilgrimage; and hero are so many Sabbaths
more. Moreover, thirdly, we have our lectures every week ; and pious people won't miss
them, if they can help it. Furthermore, fourthly, we have our private meetings, wherein we
pray, and sing, and repeat sermons, and confer together about the things of God; and being
now come thus far, we are in heaven almost every day. But a little further, fiftlily, we per-
form fumily-duties every day; we have our morning and evening sacrifices, wherein having
read the Scriptures to our families, we call upon the name of God, and ever now and then
carefully catechise those that are under our charge. Sixthly, we shall also h.ave our daily
devotions in our closets; wherein unto supplication before the Lord, we shall add some
serious meditation upon his word: a David will be at this work no less than thrice a day.
Seventhly, we have likewise many scores of ejaculations in a day ; and these we have, like
Nehemiah, in whatever place wo come into. Eighthly we have our occasional thoughts and
our occasional talks upon spiritual matters; and we have o)tr occasional acta of charity,
wherein we do like the inhabitants of heaven every day. Ninthly, in our callings, in ov~
civil callings, we keep up heavenly frames; we buy and sell, and toil ; yea, we eat and drink,
with some eye both to the command and the honour of God in all. Behold, I have not now
loft an inch of time to be carnal ; it is all engrossed for heaven. And yet, lest here should
not be enough, lastly, we have our spiritual warfare. We arc always encountring the
enemies of our 40uls, which continually raises our hearts unto our Helper and Leader in the
heavens. Let no man say, ''Tis impossible to live at this rate;* for we have known some
live thus; and others that have written of such a life have but spun a web out of their
own blessed experiences. New-England has example of this life: though, alas! 'tis to be
lamented that the distractions of the world, in too many professors, do becloud the beauty
of an heavenly conversation. In fine, our employment lies in heaven. In the rooming, if
we ask, 'Where am I to be to day?' our souls must answer, 'In heaven.' In the evening,
if we ask, 'Where have I been to-day?' our souls may answer, 'In heaven.' If thou art a
believer, thou art no stranger to heaven while thou livest; and when thou diest, heaven will
be no strange place to thee; no, thou hast been there a thousand times b<ifore."

In this language have I heard him express himself; and he did what
he said ; he was a Boniface as well as a Benedict ; and he was one of those

Qui faciendo docent, qua facienda doeent.* m Ml

It might be said of him, as that writer characterises Origen, Quemad-
modum docuit, sic vixity et quemadmodum vixit sic docuit.\

( ■
'4\

ill

ARTICLE n.-HIS PARTICULAR CARE AND ZEAL ABOUT THE LORD'S DAY.

This was the piety, this the holiness of our Eliot; but among the many
instances in which his holiness waa remarkable, I must not omit his exact
"remembrance of the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."

* Who teach by dtin/r, what we ought to d*.

f As he taught, he lived ; and as he lived, he taught.

ifil

'.h'

686

UAGNALIA CUBISTI AMERICANA;

It has been truly and justly observed, that our whole religion fares
according to our Sabbaths, that poor Sabbaths make poor Christians, and
that a strictness in our Sabbaths inspires a vigour itito all our other duties.
Our Eliot know this, and it was a most exemplary zeal that he acknowl-
edged the Sabbath uf our Lord Jesus Christ withal. Ilad he been uaked,
Servasli Bonunicumf^ he could have made a right Christian primitive
answer thereunto. The sun did not set, the evening before the Sabbath,
till ho had begun his preparation for it; and when the Lord's day came,
you might have seen "John in the spirit" every week. Every day was a
sort of ikihhatli to him, but the Sabbath-day was a kind, a type, a taste of
Heaven with him. Uo laboured that he might on this high day have no
words or thoughts but such as were agreeable thereunto; he then allowed
in himself no actions but those of a raised soul. Ono should hear nothing
dropping from his lips on this day but the milk and honey of the country,
in w hich there yet " remains a rest for the people of God ;" and if he beheld
in any person whatsoever, whether old or young, any profanation of this
day, he would be sure to bestow lively rebukes upon it. And hence also
unto the general engagements of a covenant with God, which it was his
desire to bring the Indians into, he added a particular article, wherein they
bind themselves, mehqnontamunat Sabbath, pahketeaunat tohsohke pomantu'
mog; i. e. "to remember the Sttbbath-v^!ay, to keep it holy, as long as wo live."

The mention of this gives me an opportunity, not only to recommend our
departed Eliot, but also to vindicate another grer.t man unto the churches
of our Lord Jesus Christ. The reverend and renowned Owen, in his elab-
orate excrcitations on the Lord's day, had let full such a passage as this:

"I judge that the observation of the Lord's day is to be commenHurato unto the use of
our natural strength on any other day — from tnorning to night The Lord's day is to bo
set apart unto the ends of un holy rest unto God, by every one nucurding as his natural
strength will enable him to employ himself in his lawful occasions any other day of the week."

This passage gave some scandal unto several very learned and pious
ir"'!^ ; among whom our Eliot was one ; whereupon, with his usual zeal,
gravity and sanctity, he wrote unto the doctor his opinion thereabout;
who "returned unto him an answer full of respect, some part whereof I
shall here transcribe:

" As to what concerns the ' natural strength of man,' (saith ho) either I was under some
mistake in my expression, or you seem to be so, in your apprehension. I never thought, and
I hope I have not said, (for I cannot find it,) that the continuance of the Sabbath is to be
commensurate unto the natural strength of man, but only that it is an allotcabk mean of
men's continuance in Sabbath duties; which I suppose you will not deny, lest you should
cast the consciences of professors into inextricable difllculties.

" When first I engaged in that work, I intended not to have spoken one word about the
praclical observation of the day; but only to have endeavoured the revival of a truth, which
at present is despised and contemned among us, and strenuously opposed by sundry divines
of the United Provincf s, wiio cull the doctrine of the Sabbath, Figmentum Anglicanunui

■I

* Have you itrioUy obMrved the Lonl'i dsy t

t An Angllcui noUoo.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-EMGLAND.

687

igion furos
Hians, and
ber duties.
I auknowl<
sen usked,

primitive
> Sabbath,
3ay came,
tlfty was a
a taste of
y have no
1 allowed
r nothing
J country,
he beheld
>» of this
lenco also
t was his
irein they
pomiiHtu-

we live."
mend our
churches

his elab-

as this:

tho use of
iiy is to be
lis nntiira]
tho week."

id pious
lal zeal,
'eabout;
lereof I

dor somo
light, and
is to bo
w«vin of
u should

bout tlie
Ih, which
divines
mnunuf

oUon.

Upon the desire of some learned men in these ports it wu that I undertook the vindication
of it Havinif now discharged the debt, which in this matter I owed unto the Inilk and
church of God, though not as I ought, yet with such composition as I hope through tho inter*
position of our Lord Jesus Christ might find acceptance with God and his saints, I suppose
I shall not again engage on that subject.

"I suppose there is scarce any one alive in the world who hath more reproaches cast upon
him than I have; though hitherto God has been pleased in some measure to support my
spirit under them. I still mlieved myself by this, that my poor ciideavouni have found
acceptance with tho churches of Christ: but my holy, wise, and gracious Father sees it need«
ful to try mo in this matter also ; and what I have received from you (which it may bo con>
trins not your sense alone) hnth printed deeper, and left a greater impression upon my mind,
than all the virulent revilings and false accusations I have met withal from my professed
adversaries. I du acknowledge unto you that I have a dry and barren spirit, and I do heart>
ily beg your prayers that the Holy One would, notwithstanding all my sinful provocations,
water me from above; but that I should now be apprehended to I'ave given a wound unto holi-
ness in the churches, it is one of the saddest frowns in the cloud'/ brows of Divino Providence.

"The doctrine of the Sabbath I have asserted, though nci, as it should bo done, yet as
well OS I could; the obsenalion of it in holy duties unto tlio utmost of the strength for them
which God shall be pleased to give us, I ha^o pleaded for; the necessity also of a serious
preparation for it in sundry previous duties, I have declared. But now to meet with severe
expressions — it may be it is the will of God that vigour should hereby be given to my for*
mer discorragements, and that there is a call in it to surcease from these kinds of labours."

I have transcribed the more of this letter, because it not only discovers
the concern which our Eliot had for the Sabbath of God, but also it may
contribute unto the world's good reception and perusal of r. "golden
book" on that subject, written by one of the most eminent persons which
the English nation has been adorned with.

ARTICLE m.— U!S EXEMPLARY MORTIFICATION.

Thus did Eliot endeavour to live unto God; but how much at the same
time did he die unto all the world?

It were impossible to finish the lively picture of this pious and holy
Eliot, without some touches upon that mortification which accompanied
him all his days; for never did I see a {.ei-son more mortified unto all the
pleasures of this life, or more unwilling to moult the wings of jm heaven-
born soul in the dirty puddles of carnal and sensual delights. We are
all of us compounded of those two things, the man and the beast; but so
powerful was the man in this holy person, that it kept the beast ever tyed
■with a short tedder, and suppressed the irregular calcitrations of it. He
became so nailed unto the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, that the grand-
eurs of this world were unto him just what they would be to a dying
man ; and he maintained an almost unparalleled indifferency toward all
the pomps which mankind is too generally flattered and enchanted with.

The "lust of the flesh" he could not reconcile himself to the least pam-
pering or indulging of: but he persecuted it with a continual antipathy^
being upon higher principles than Tully was acquainted withal of his
mind, Non est dignus nomine hominis, qui unum diem, totum velit esie in isto

"M
ill

iff!

:^'' h

688

MAONALIA OnRIBTI AMERICANA;

genere voluptatis* Tho fllcep thot he allowed himself, cheated him not of
his morning hours; but ho reckoned the morning no less a friend unto the
graces than the muses. lie would call upon students, "I pray look to
it that you be morning birds." And for many more than a score of years
before he died, he removed his lodging into his study, on purpose that,
being there alone^ he might enjoy his early mornings without giving the
disturbance of tho least noise to any of his friends, whose afToctions to
him else might have been ready to have called "Master, spare thy self."
The meat upon which he lived was a cibus simplex, — "an homely but an
wholesome diet." Kich varieties, costly viands, and poinant sauces, came
not upon his oion table, and when he found them on other men's, he rarely
tasted of them. One dish, and a plain one, was his dinner; and when
invited unto a feast, I have seen him sit magnifying of God for the plenty
which his people in this wilderness were within a few years arisen to; but
not more than a bit or two of all the dainties taken into his mouth all the
while. And for u supper, he had learned of his loved and blessed patron,
old Mr. Cotton, either wholly to omit it, or to make a small sup or
two the utmost of it. The drink which he still used was very small ; he
cared not for wines or tlramsy and I believe he never once in all his life
knew what it was to feel so much as a noxious fume in his head from any
of them; good, clear water was more precious, as well as more usual with
him, than any of those liquors with which men do so frequently spoil
their own healths, while perhaps they drink those of other men. When
at a stranger's house in the summer time, he has been entertained with a
glass, which they told him was of water and wine, he has with a com-
plaisant gravity replyed unto this purpose: "Wine, 'tis a noble, generous
liquor, and we should be humbly thankful for it; but, as I remember,
water was made before itl" So abstemious was he; and he found that,
Carere suavitatibus w/<*s,f his abstinence had more sweetness in it, than any of
the sweets which he abstained from; and so willing he vvas to have others
partake with him in that sweetness, that when he has thought the counte-
nance of a minister has looked as if he had made much of himself, he
has gone to him with that speech, "Study mortification, brother, study
mortification 1" and he made all his addresses with a becoming majesty.

The "lust of the eye" was put out by him in such a manner, that it
was in a manner all one with him to be rich or poor. It could not be said
of him, "that he sought great things for himself;" but what estate he
became owner of, was from the blessing of God upon the husbandry and
industry of some in his family, rather than from any endeavours of his
own. Once when there stood several kine of his own before his door, his
wife, to try him, asked him, "Whose they were?" and she found that he

He could not endure to plunge himself into secu-

knew nothing of them.

* He is unworthy of the name of man, who would bo willing to apend a whole day in that sort of pleasure,
t To abstain fh>m theae sweets.

OB, THE III8T0KY OF NF. W-KNQLAND.

589

iim not of
i unto the
y look to
re of years
pose that,
ijiving the
ections to
thy self."
3ly but an
ices, came
he rarely
and when
he plenty
n to; but
ith all the
;(1 patron,
11 sup or
small; he
II his life
from any
tsual with
itly SPOIL
. When
pd with a
ii a corn-
generous
member,
md that,
n any of
^e others
3 counte-
nself, he
!r, study
ijesty.
', that it
; be said
state he
dry and
"s of his
oor, his
that he
to secu-

pleasure.

lar designf) and affairs, but accounted Sacerdos tn foro* as worthy of cas-
ligation as Mercator in Teinph;\ he thought that minister and market-nuin
were not ' liaons, and that the earth was no place for Aaron's holy mitre
to be laid upon. It \\ s the usage of most parishes in the country to have
an annual rate for the maintenance of the ministry, adjusted commonly
by the select-men of the towns; which, though it raised not any exuber-
ant salaries for the ministers, who also seldom received all that the people
had contracted for, nevertheless in many places it prevented sore tempta-
tions from befalling those that were "labouring in the word and doctrine;"
who must else often have experienced the truth of Luther's observation,
Jhiriter 2>ro/ecto et misere viverent EvangeUi Mtnistri, si ex Libra popnU con-
trihutione esaent sustentandi.X llowever, for his part^ ho propounded that
what stipend he had, should be raised by contribution; and from the same
temper it was, that a few years before his dissolution, being left without
an assistant in his ministry, he pressed his congregation to furnish them-
selves with another pastor; and in his application to them, he told them,
"'Tis possible you may think the burden of maintaining two ministers
may be too heavy for you; but I deliver you from that fear; I do here
give back my salary to the Lord Jesus Christ; and now, brethren, you
may fix that upon any man that God shall make a pastor for you." But
his church, with an handsome reply, assured him that they would count
his very presence worth a salary, when he should be so superanuated as
to do no further service for them.

And as for the "pride of life,'* the life of it was most exemplarily extin-
guisiied in him. The humility of \\s heart made him higher by the head
than the rest of the people. His habit and spirit were both such as
declared him to be among the lowly, whom God has most respect unto.
His apparel was without any ornament, except that of humility, which the
apostle elegantly compares to a knot of comely ribbons, in the text where
he bids us to be cloathed with it; any other flanting ribbons on those that
came in his way he would ingeniously animadvert upon ; and seeing some
scholars once he thought a little too gaudy in their cloaths, Humiliamini,
Juvenes, Humiliamini,^ was his immediate compliment unto them. Had
you seen him with his leathern girdle (for such an one he wore) about his
loins, you would almost have thought what Herod feared, "That John
Baptist was come to life again." In short, he was in all regards a Nazar-
ite indeed; unless in this one, that long hair was always very loathsome
to him ; he was an acute Earnist, but yet he professed himself a lover of a
Trichotomy. Doubtless, it may be lawful for us to accommodate the length
of our hair unto the modest customs which vary in the Churches of God ;
and it may be lawful for them that have not enough of their own hair for
their own health, to supply themselves according to the sober modes of

* A priMt in politics. t A money-cbanger in the tetnple.

X The ministera of tlie gospel would load a bard, wretched life, if they depnnded for subsistence on the vulun-
lary contribuliuna at the people. | Humble yourselves, my young friends, bumble yoursehrea.

ff"

'li

if I

640

MAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

the places they live ; but the apostle tells us, " Nature teaches us that if
a man have long hair, 'tis a shame to him;" where, by nature, can be
meant no other than the difference of sex, as the word elsewhere is used.

Thus Mr. Eliot thought that for men to wear thoir hair with a luxurious,
delicate, foiminine prolixity; or for them to preserve no plain distinction
of their sex by the hair of their head and face ; and much more for men
thus to disfigure themselves with hair that is none of Oieir own; and, most
of all, for ministers of the gospel to ruflle it in excesses of this kind; may
prove more than we are well aware displeasing to the Holy Spirit of God.
The hair of them that professed religion, long before his death, grew too
long for him to swallow; and he would express himself continually with
a boiling zeal concerning it, until at last he gave over, with some regret
complaining, "The lust is become insuperable!" I know not whether
that horrible distemper prevailing in some European countries known by
the name of Plica Polonica,* wherein the hair of people matted into ugly
and illthy forms, like snakes upon their heads, which whosoever cut off,
presently fell blind or mad — I say, I know not whether this disease was
more odious in it self than the sweeter, neater, but prolix locks of many
people were to our Eliot. He was indeed one priscis morihxis\ as well as
antiqua fide;X and he might be allowed somewhat even of aeventy in this
matter on that account.

wl
nl

ARTICLE IV.-HIS EXQUISITE CHARITY.

He that will write of Eliot, must write of chanty, or say nothing. Hie
charity was a star of the first magnitude in the bright constellation of his
vertues, and the rays of it were wonderfully various and extensive.

His liberality to pious uses, whether publick or private, went much
beyond the proportions of his little estate in the world. Many hundreds
of pounds did he freely bestow upon the poor; and he would, with a very
forcible importunity, press his neighbours to join with him in such benefi-
cences. It was a marvellous alacrity with which he imbraced all oppor-
tunities of relieving any that were miserable; and the good people of
Eoxbury doubtless cannot remember (but the righteous God will !) how
often, and with what ardors, with what arguments, he became a beggar to
them for collections in their assemblies, to support such needy objects as
had fallen under his observation. The poor counted him their father, and
repaired still unto him with a filial confidence in their necessities; and
they were more than seven or eight, or indeed than so many scores, who
received their portions of his bounty. Like that worthy and famous Eng-
lish general, he could not perswade himself "that he had any thing but
what he gave away," but he drove a mighty trade at such exercises as he
thought would furnish him with hills of exchange, which he hoped "after
many days" to find the comfort of; and yet, after all, he would say, like

* The Polonian plait.

t or primltlTe mannen.

X Ancient fldellty.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

us that if
ire, can be
is used,
luxurious,
distinction
ro for men
and, most
cind; may
rit of God.
1, grow too
ually with
»me regret
•t whether
known by
I into Ugly
cer cut off,
lisease was
8 of many
as well as
rily in this

ling. His
ion of his
iive.

ent much

hundreds

ith a very

ch benefi-

all oppor-

)eople of

ill!) how

jeggar to

bjects as

ther, and

ties; and

ores, who

ous Eng-

hing but

ses as he

d "after

say, like

. fldolity.

one of the most charitable souls that ever lived in the world, "that looking
over his acounts, he could no where find the God of heaven charged a
debtor there." lie did not put off his charity to be put in his hist wilt, aa
many who therein shew that their c/t.rifi/ is mjainst Uieir xoill; but ho was
his own administrator; ho made his own hands his executors, and his own
eyes his overseers. It ha." been renuuked, that liberal men ore often long'
lived men; so do they after many days find the bread with which they
have been willing to keep other men ulive. The grojit ago of our Eliot
was but agreeable to this remark; and when his age had unfitted him for
almost all employments, and bereaved him of those gifts and parts which
once he had been accomplished with, being asked, "how he did?" ho
would sometimes answer, "Alas, I have lost every thing; my understand-
ing leaves me, my memory fails me, my utterance fails me; but, I thank
God, my charity holds out still; I find that rather grows than fails!" And
I make no question, that at his death, his happy soul was received and
welcomed into the "everlasting habitations," by many scores got thither
before him, of such as his charity had been liberal unto.

But besides these more substantial expressions of his charity, he made
the odours of that grace yet more fragrant unto all that were about him,
by that pittifulness and that 2i6uceable7iess which rendered him yet further
amiable. If any of his neighbourhood were in distress, he was like a
"brother born for their adversity," he would visit them, and comfort them
with a most fraternal sympathy ; yea, 'tis not easy to recount liovv many
whole days of prayer and fasting he has got his neighbours to keep with
him, on the behalf of those whoso calamities he found himself touched
withal. It was an extreme satisfaction to him that his wife had attained
unto a considerable skill in phjsick and chyrurgery, which enabled her to
dispense many safe, good, and useful medicines unto the poor that had
occasion for them; and some hundreds of sick and weak and maimed
people owed praises to God for the benefit which therein they freely
received of her. The good gentleman her husband would still be casting
oyl into the flame of that charity, wherein she was of her own accord
abundantly forward thus to be doing of good unto all; and he would urge
her to be serviceable unto the worst enemies that he had in the world.
Never had any man fewer enemies than he! but once having delivered
something in his ministry which displeased one of his hearers, the man
did passionately abuse him for it, and this both with speeches and with
writings that reviled him. Yet it happening not long after that this man
gave himself a very dangerous wound, Mr. Eliot immediately sends his
wife to cure him; who did accordingly. When the man was well, he
came to thank her: but she took no rewards ; and this good man made
him stay and eat with him, taking no notice of all the calumnies with
which he had loaded him; but by this carriage he mollified and conquered
the stomach of his reviler.

nil

III I

Is) i I'

il!

j 1

542

MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMEBICANA;

He was also a great enemy to all contention, and would ring aloud couv'
feu bell wherever ho saw the^res of animosity. "When he heard any min-
isters complain that such and such in their flocks were too difficult for
them, the strain of his answer still was, "Brother, compass them!" and
*' brother, learn the meaning of those three little words, bear, forbear, for-
give." Yea, his inclinations for peace, indeed, sometimes almost made him
to sacrifice rigid it self. When there was laid before an assembly of min-
isters a bundle of papers, which contained certain matters of difference
and contention between some people which our Eliot thought should
rather unite, with an amnesty upon all their former quarrels, he (with some
imitation of what Constantino did upon the like occasion) hastily threw
the papers into the fire before them all, and, with a zeal for peace as hot
as that fire, said immediately, "Brethren, wonder not at what I have done;
I did it on my knees this morning before I came among you." Such an
excess (if it were one) flowed from his charitable inclinations to be found
among those peace-makers which, by following the example of that Man
who is oi(r peace, come to be called, "the children of God." Very wor-
thily might he be called an Irenams, as being all for peace ; and the com-
mendation which Epiphanius gives unto the ancient of that name, did
belong unto our Eliot: he was "a most blessed and a most holy man."
He disliked all sorts of bravery: but yet with an ingenious note upon the
Greek word in Col. iii. 15, he propounded, "that peace might brave it
among us." In short, wherever he came, it was like another old John,
with solemn and earnest perswasives to love; and when he could say little
else, he would give that charge, "My children, love one another!"

Finally, 'twas his charity which disposed him to continual apprecations
for, and benedictions on those that he met withal; he had an heart full of
good wishes, and a mouth full of kind blessings for them. And he often
made his expressions very wittily agreeable to the circumstances which he
saw the persons in. Sometimes when he came into a family, he would
call for all the young people in it, that so he might very distinctly lay liis
holy hands upon every one of them, and bespeak the mercies of Heaven
for them all.

': m

ART. v.— SOME SPECIAL ATTAINMENTS, THAT WERE THE EFFECTS OF HIS PIETY AND CHARITV.

But what was the effect of this exemplary piety and charity in onr
Eliot? It will be no wonder to my reader, if I tell him that this good
man "walked in the light of God's countenance all the day long." I
believe he had a continual assurance of the divine love, marvellously seal-
ing, strengthening, and refreshing of him, for many lustres of years before
he died; and for this cause, the fear of death was extirpated out of his
heavenly soul, more than out of most men alive. Had our blessed Jesus
at any tm.e sent his waggons to fetch this old Jacob away, he would liavo
fionc without the Icust roluctuncies. Labouring once under a fever and

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

640

D CHARITV.

ague, a visitant asked him, "how he did?" and he replyed, "Very well,
but anon I expect a paroxism,
unto that he answered, "Fearl

no,

Said the visitant,

I been't afraid,

Sir, fear not:" but

no;

I thank God, I

been't afraid to diel" Dying would not have been any more to him, than
sleeping to a weary man.

And another excellency which accompanied this courage and comfort
in him was, a wonderful resignation to the will of God in all events.
There were sore afflictions that sometimes befel him, especially when he
followed some of his hopeful and worthy sons — two or three desirable
preachers of the gospel — to their graves. But he sacrificed them, like
another Abraham, with such a sacred indifferency, as made all the specta-
tors to say, "this could not be done without the fear of God." Yea, he
bore all his trials with an admirable patience, and seemed loth to have any
will of his own, that should not be wholly melted and moulded into the
will of his Heavenly Father. Once being in a boat at sea, a larger vessel
unhappily over run and over set that little one, which had no small con-
cerns (because Eliot's) in the bottom ot it; he immediately sunk without
any expectation of ever " going to heaven any other way ;" and when he
imagined that he had but one breath more to draw in the world, it was
this, "the will of the Lord be done!" But it was "the will of the Lord"
that he should survive the danger; for he was rescued by the help that
was then at hand; and he that had long been like Moses in every thing
else, was now "drawn out of the waters." Which gives me opportunity
to mention one remarkable event that had some relation hereunto. This
accident happened in the time of our Indian wars, when some furious Eng-
lish people that clamoured for the extirpation of the praying Indians which
were in subjection unto us, as well as the Pagan Indians that were in hos-
tility against us, vented a very wicked rage at our holy Eliot, because of
his concernment for the Indians ; and one profane monster hearing how
narrowly Mr. Eliot escaped from drowning, 'tis said, he wished this man
of God had then been drowned. But within a few days that woful man,
by a strange disaster, was drowned in that very place where Mr. Eliot had
received his deliverance.

There was indeed a certain health of soul which he arrived unto; and
he kept in a blessed measure clear of those distempers which too often dis-
order the most of men. But the God of heaven favoured him with some-
thing that was yet more extraordinary! By getting and keeping near to
God, and by dwelling under the shadow of the Almighty, he contracted
a more exquisite sense of mind than what is usual among other professors
of Christianity ; he sometimes felt a lively touch of God upon his refined
and exalted spirit, which were not in any paper of ours lawful or easy to
be uttered; and he was admitted unto a s\ngn]a,r familiarity with the
"Holy One of Israel." Hence it was, that as bodies of a rare and fine
constitution mW forebode the changes of the weather, so the sublimed soul

! I

, I

644

MAOKALIA CHRISTI AMEBICAKA;

of our Eliot often had strange forebodmgs of things that were to come. I
have been astonished at some of his predictions, that were both of a more
personal and of a more general application, and were followed with exact
accomplishments. If he said of any affair, "I cannot bless it!" it was a
worse omen to it than the most inauspicious presages in the world; but
sometimes, after he had been with God in prayer about a thing, he was
able successfully to foretel, "I have set a mark upon it; it will do well!"
I shall never forget that when England and Holland were plunged into
the unhappy war, which the more sensible Protestants every where had
but sorrowful apprehensions of, our Eliot being (in the height and heat
of the war) privately asked, "What news we might look for next?"
answered, unto the surprize of the enquirer, "Our next news will be a
peace between the two Protestant nations ; God knows I pray for it every
day; and I am verily perswaded we shall hear of it speedily I" And it
came to pass accordingly.

It is to be confessed that the written word of God is to be regarded
as the perfect and only rule of our lives; that in all articles of religion,
if men "speak not according to this word, there is no light in them;" and
that it is no warrantable or convenient thing for Christians ordinarily to
look for such inspirations as directed the prophets that were the pen-men
of the Scriptures. Nevertheless, there are some uncommon instances of
communion and fruition which in our days the sovereign God here and
there favours a good man withal ; and they are very heavenly persons —
persons well purified from ihe foecuhncies of sensuality, and persons better
purged from the leaven of envy and malice and intolerable pride, than
usually those vain pretenders to revelations, the Quakers, are, that are
made partakers of these divine dainties. Now, such an one was our Eliot;
and for this, "worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance."

It would not be improper under this file to lodge the singular and sur-
prising successes of his prayers f for they were such, that in our distresses
we still repaired unto him, under that encouragement, "He is a prophet,
and he sh:ill pray for thee, and thou shalt live." I shall single out but
one from the many that might be mentioned.

There was a godly gentleman of Charlestown, one Mr. Foster, who witli
his sou was taken captive by Turkish enemies. Much prayer was
employed, both privately and publickly, by the good people here, for tlie
redemption of that gentleman; but we were at last informed that the
bloody prince in whose dominions he was now a slave, was resolved that

his life time no prisoner should be released; and so the distressed

friends of this prisoner now concluded "our hope is lost!" Well, upon
this, ^[r. Eliot, in some of his next prayers, before a very solemn congre-
gation, very broadly begged, "Heavenly Father, work for the redemption
of thy poor servant Foster; and if the prince which detains him will not,
as they say, dismiss him as long as himself lives, Lord, we pray thee to

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

645

kill that cruel prince; kill him, and glorify thy self upon himl" And
now, behold the answer: the poor captived gentleman quickly returns to
us that had been mourning for him as a lost man, and brings us news that
the prince which had hitherto held him, was come to an untimely death, by
which means he was now set at liberty.

i)f

PART II.
OR, ElIOT AS A MINISTER.

ARTICLE. I.— HIS MINISTERIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

The Grace of God, which we have seen so illustriously endowing and
adorning of our Eliot, as well qualified him for, as disposed him to the
employment wherein he spent about six decads of his years; which was
"the service of the Lord Jesus Christ in the ministry of the gospel."
This was the work to which he applied himself; and he undertook it, I
believe, with as right thoughts of it and as good ends in it as ever any man
in our days was acted with. lie looked upon the conduct of a church as
a thing no less dangerous than important, and attended with so many diffi-
culties, temptations, and humiliations, as that nothing but a call from the
Son of God could have encouraged him unto the susception of it. He
saw that/es/i and hlood would find it no very pleasant thing to be obliged
unto the oversight of a number, that by a solemn covenant should be listed
among the voluntiers of the Lord Jesus Christ ; that it was no easy thing
to feed the souls of such a people, and of the children and the neighbours,
which were to be brought into the same sheepfold with them; to bear
their manners with all patience, not being by any of their infirmities dis-
couraged from teaching of them, and from watching and praying over
them; to value them highly, as "the flock which God has purchased with
his own blood," notwithstanding all their miscarriages; and in all to
examine the rule of Scripture for the warrant of whatever shall be done;
and to remember the day of judgment, wherein an account must be given
of all that has been done; having in the mean time no expectation of the
riches and grandeurs which accompany a loorldly domination. It w ,s
herewithal his opinion, "that (as the great Owen expresses it) notwith-
standing all the countenance that is given to any church by the publick
magistracy, yet whilst we are in this world, those who will faithfully dis-
charge their duty, as ministers of the gospel, shall have need to be pre-
pared for sufferings;" and it was in a sense of these things that he gave
himself up to the sacred ministry. A stranger to regeneration can be but
poorly accomplished for such a ministry; very truly says the incompar-
able Aisled, Iinpii quidam Homines egregie videntur callere to. flsoXoysfisva,
revera tamen ilia Cognilio Rerum Thcologicarum est adso'Koyos, quia jien non
Vol. 1—35

-Z

546

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMEBICANA;

potest ut Cugmtio vere Theological habitet in Corde non Theologo* And how-
ever God may prosper the sermons of such a man for the advantage of
his church : however the building of the ark may be helped on by such
carpenters as perish in the flood; and the Tyrians may do some work
about the temple, who arrive to no worshij) in the inner-courts thei-eof;
and, as Austin expressed it, a stone-cutter may convey water into a garden,
without having himself any advantage of it; nevertheless, the nnsanctified
minister, how gifted, how able soever he may be, must have it stili said
unto him, "Thou lackest one thing!" And that one thing our Eliot liad.
But the one thing was not alll as, indeed, it would not have been enough.
God furnished him with a good measure of learning too, which made him
capable to "divide the v . rd aright," He was a most acute grammarian;
and understood very well the languages which God first wrote his Holy
Bible in. He had a good insight into all the other liberal arts, and made
little systems of them for the use of certain Indians, whose exacter educa-
cation he was desirous of. But, above all, he had a most eminent skill in
theology; and that which profane scoffers reproached, as the disgrace of
the blessed Alting, (all of whose works always weigh down the purest
gold,) was the honour of our Eliot, namely, to be iScrij)turarius Theologus,^
or "one mighty in the Word;" which enables him to convince gainsayers,
and on many occasions to show himself, "a workman that needed not
be ashamed."

In short, he came in some degree, like another Bezaleel or Aholiah,
unto the service of the tabernacle. And from one particularity in that
part of his learning which lay in the affairs of the tabernacle, it was, tliat
in a little book of his we have those lines which, for a certain cause, I
now transcribe: "Oh that the Lord would put it (says he) into the heart
of some of his religious and learned servants, to take such pains about
the Hebrew language as to fit ft for universal u^el Considering that,
above all lang-uages spoken by the lip of man, it is most capable to be
enlarged, and fitted to express all things and motions and notions, that
our humane intellect is capable of in this mortal life — considering also
that it is the invention of God himself — and what one is fitter to be the
universal language, than that which it pleased our Lord Jesus to make
use of, when he spake from heaven unto Paul!"

In fine, though we have had greater scholars than he, yet he hath often
made me think of Mr. Samuel Ward's observation: "In observing, I have
observed and found that divers great clerks have had but little fruit of
their ministry, but hardly any truly zealous man of God (though of lesser
gifts) but have had much comfort of their labours in their own and bor-
dering parishes; being in this likened by Gregory to the iron on the
smith's anvil, sparkling round about."

* Some irreligiuus men grow beautifully earnest about some matters of Theology, while in real truth their
understanding uf them is essentially untheulogical ; because true theological understanding can only exist iu >)
Christian heart. t A Bible Theologian.

And how-
vantage of
)n by such
some vjork
ts thereof;
o a garden,
msanctifiocl
t PtH'i said
Eliot had.
en enough,
made him
amniarian;
3 his Holy
and made
3ter eduoa-
3nt skill in
disgrace of
the purest
Thcologus,\
^ainsayers,
leeded not

r Aholiah,
ty in that
t was, that

cause, I

the heart
tins about
ring that,
ble to be
tions, that
jring also
to be the
to make

ath often
ig, I have
e fruit of
of lesser
and bor-
n on the

i»I truth tlieir
nly exist iu h
leologiao.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

ARTICLE IL-inS FAMILY-GOVERNMENT.

647

The Apostle Paul, reciting and requiring qualifications of a gospel
minister, gives order that he be "the husband of one wife, and one that
ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all grav-
ity." It seems that a man's carriage in his own house is a part, or at least
a sign^ of his due deportment in the house of God : and then, I am sure,
our Eliot's was very exemplary. That "one wife" which was given to
him truly /ro?n the Lord, he loved, prized, cherished, with a kindness that
notably represented the compassion which he (thereby) taught his church
to expect from the Lord Jesus Christ; and after he had lived with her
for more than half an hundred years, he followed her to the grave with
lamentations beyond those which the Jews, from the figure of a letter in
the text, affirm that Abraham deplored his aged Sarah with; her depart-
ure made a deeper impression upon him than what any common aflliction
could. His whole conversation with her had that siveetncss, and that grav-
ity and modesty beautifying it, that every one called them Zachary and Eliz-
abeth. His family was a little Bethel for the worship of God constantly
and exactly maintained in it; and unto the daily prayers of the family,
his manner was to prefix the reading of the Scripture; which being done,
it was also his manner to make his young people to chuvse a certain pas-
sage in the chapter, and give him some observation of their own upon it.
By this method he did mightily sharjjen and improve, as well as try their
understandings, and endeavour to make them "wise unto salvation." He
was likewise very strict in the education of his children, and more careful
tt) mend any error in their hearts and lives, than he could have been to
cure a blemish in their bodies. No exorbitancies or extravagancies could
find a room under his roof, nor was his house any other than a school of
piety; one might have there seen a perpetual mixture of a Spartan and a
Christian discipline. Whatever decay there might be upon family-religion
among us, as for our Eliot, we "knew him, that he would command his
children, and his household after him, that they should keep the way of
the Lord."

ARTICLE III.— HIS WAY OF PREACHING.

Such was he in his lesser family! and in his greater family, he mani-
fested still more of his regards to the rule of a gospel-ministry. To his
congregation, he was a preacher that made it his care, to "give every one
their meat in due season." It was food and not froth, which in his publick
sermons he entertained the souls of his people with; he did not starve
them with empty and windy speculations, or with such things as Animum
non dant, quia non hahent;* much less did he Ml them with such poyson
as is too commonly exposed by the Arminian and Socinian doctors that
have too often sat in Moses's chair. His way of preaching was very plain;

* Impart no life, because they have none.

■" 11 ■ I

if jl

548

MAGNALIA CIIRI8TI AMERICANA;

SO that the very lambs might wailo into hivS discourses on those texts and
themes wherein elephants might swim; and herewithal, it was very pow-
erful; his delivery was always very graceful and gratt;ful; but when he
was to use reproofs and warnings against any sin, his voice would rise
into a warmth which had in it very much of energy as well as decency;
ho would sound the trumpets of God against all vice, with a most pene-
trating liveliness, and make his pulpit another Mount Sinai for the flashes
of lightning therein displayed against the breaches of the law given upon
that burning mountain. And I observed that there was usually a special
fervour in the rebukes which he bestowed upon carnality — a carnal frame
and life in professois of religion ; when he was to brand the earthly-mind-
edness of church-members, and the allowance and the indulgence which
they often gave unto themselves in sensual delights, here he was a right
Boanerges; he then spoke, as it was said one of the ancients did, Quot
verba tot Fulmina — as many thunderbolts as words.

It was another property of his preaching, that there was evermore much
of Christ in it; and with Paul he could say, "I determined to know noth-
ing but Jesus Christ," having that blessed name in his discourses with a
frequency like that with which Paul mojitions it in his epistles. As it was
noted of Dr. Bodly, that whatever subject he were upon, in the applica-
tion still his use of it would be, "to drive men unto the Lord Jesus Christ:"
in like manner, the Lord Jesus Christ was the loadstone which gave a
touch to all the sermons of our Eliot; a glorious, precioiis, lovely Christ,
was the point of heaven which they still verged unto. From this inclina-
tion it was, that although he printed several English books before he dyed,
yet his heart seemed not so much in any of them, as in that serious and
savoury book of his, cntituled, "77ifl IIc>-noni/ of the Gospels in the Holy
History of Jesus Christ^ From hence also it was that ho would give that
advice to young preachers, "Pray let there bo much of Christ in your
ministry;" and when he had hoard a sermon which had any special relish
of a blessed Jesus in it, he would say thereupon, "0 blessed be God, that
we have Christ so much and so well preached in poor New-England!"

Moreover, he liked no preaching but what had been rcell studied for;
and he would very much commend a sermon which he could perceive had
required some good thinking and reading in the author of it. I have been
present when he has tinto a preacher then just come home from the assem-
bly with him thus expressed himself: "Brother, there was oyl reauired
for the service of the sanctuary ; but it must be beaten oyl. I praise God
that I saw your oyl so well beaten to day ; the Lord help us always by
good study to beat our oyl, that there may be no knots in our sermons
left undissolved, and that there may a clear light be thereby given in the
house of God!" And yet he likewise looked for something in a sermon
beside and beyond the meer study of man ; he was for having the Spinv
of God, breathing in it and with it ; and he was for speaking those things,

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

649

fjfora those impressions and with tfiose affections, which might compel the
hearer to say, "The spirit of God wa-? herel" I have heard him complain,
"It is a sad thing when a sermon shall have that one thing, tfie Spirit of
Oodf wanting in it."

ARTICLE IV.— HI8 CARES ABOUT THE CHILDREN OF HIS PEOPLE.

But he remembered that he had lambs in his flock, and like another
David he could not endure to see the lion seize upon any of them. He
always had a mighty concern upon his mind for little children ; it was an
affectionate stroke in one of the little papers which he published for them,
"Sure Christ is not willing to lose his lambs;" and I have cause to remem-
ber with what an hearty, fervent, zealous application, he addressed him-
self, when in the name of the neighbour pastors and churches he gave me
"the right hand of their fellowship" at my ordination, and said, "Brother,
art thou a lover of the Lord Jesus Christ? Then, I pray, feed his lambs."

One thing whereof he was very desirous for poor children was the
covenanting of them; he was very solicitous that the lambs might pass
under the Lord's "tything rod," and be brought under the "bond of the
covenant." lie very openly and earnestly maintained the cause of infant-
baptism, against a sort of persons risen since the reformation, (among
which indeed there arc many godly men that were dear to the soul of our
Eliot,) who forget that in the gospel church state, as well as in the Jew-
ish, "the promise is to believers and their children:" and are unwill-
ing to reckon children among the disciphs of Jesus Christ: or to grant
that "of such is the kingdom of heaven:" or to know that the most
undoubted records of antiquity affirm infant-baptism to have been an usage
in all the primitive churches; that even before the early dajs of Nazia»zen,
Chrysostom, Basil, Athanasius, Epiphanius, in the Greek, and Ambrose,
Jerom, Austm, in the Latin church — all of which give glorious testimo-
nies for infant-baptism — even Cyprian, before these, assures us that in his
days there was no doubt of it; and Origen before him could say, " 'Twas
from the apostles that the church took up the baptism of infants;" and
Clemens Romanus before him could say, "That children should be reci-
pients of the discipline of Christ;" besides what plain evidence we have
in Irenoous and Justin Martyr; and that the very arguments with which some
of the ancients did superstitiously advise the delay of baptism, do at the
same time confess the divine right of infants in it. Our Eliot could by
no means look upon the infants of godly men as unholy and uulelievers^
and unfit subjects to have upon them a mark of dedication to the Lord.

Wherefore, when there was brought among us a book of pious Mr.
Norcott's, whereby some became disposed to, or confirmed in a prejudice
against Pa?do baptism, it was not long before Mr. Eliot published a little
answer thereunto; the first lines whereof presently discovered what a
temper he wrote it with ; says he, " The book speaks with the voice of a

'4
m

;.■•!-

I i.

650

MAGNALIA 0HBI8TI AMERICANA;

lamb, and I think the author is a godly, though erring brother; but ho
acts the cause of a roaring lion, who by all crafty ways scekoth to devour
the poor lambs of the flock of Christ." And so he goes on to ]>lead tho
cause of them that "cannot speak for themselves." No man could enter-
tain a person of a different perswosion from himself with niore sweetness
and kindness than he, when he saw AUquicl Christi* or the fejir of God
prevailing in them; he could uphold a most intimate correspondence witli
such a man as Mr. Jessey, as long as he lived ; and yet he knew how to
be an hammer upon their unhappy errors.

But having once baptized the children of his neighbours, he did not, as
too many ministers do, think that he had now done with them. Nt);
another thing wherein he was very laborious for poor children was, the
catechising of them; he kept up the great ordinance of catechising, both
publickly and privately, and spent in it a world of time. About the end
of the second century, before there had in the least begun to start up new
officers in the church of God, we find there were persons called unto tho
office 6f publick teaching, who were not pastors, not rulers, not called
unto the administration of other ordinances; those in the church of Alex-
andria were of a special remark and renown for their abilities this way;
and their employment was to explain and defend the principles of the
Christian religion unto all with whom they could be concerned. Here
was the catechist, with reference unto whom the apostle says, "Let the
catechised communicate unto him in all good things." Now, though some
think a teacher, purely as such, hath no right unto further church admin-
istrations, any more thai the Kabbis or doctors among the Jews had to
"offer sacrifices ii. the temple;" yet he who is called to be a teacher, may
at the same time also be called to be an elder; and being now a teaching elder,
he becomes interested in the whole government of the church; he has the
power of all sacred administrations. It is the latter and more compleat and
perfect character, which the churches of New-England have still acknowl-
edged in their teacher?; and such a teaching elder did our Eliot remem-
ber himself to be. He thought himself under a particular obligation to
be that officer which the apostle calls in 1 Cor. iv. 15, "An instructor of
the young;" nor was he ashamed, any more than some of the worthiest
men among the ancients were, to be called a catechist. He would observe
upon Job. xxi. 15, "That the care of the lambs, is one third part of the
charge over the Church of God." It would be incredible if I should
relate what pains he took to keep up the blessed echo's of truth between
himself and the young people of his congregation; and what prudence
he used in suiting of his catechisms to the age and strength of his little
catechumens. But one thing I must observe, which is, that although there
may be (as one has computed) no less than five hundred catechisms
extant, yet Mr. Eliot gave himself the travail of adding to their number,

• Somothlng CbrUt-Uke.

OE, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

551

by composing of some further catechisms, which were more particularly
designed as an antidote for his own people against the contagion of such
errors as might threaten any peculiar danger to them. An ^ *he effect and
success of this catechising, bore proportion to the indefati(|i- Ae industry
with which he prosecuted it; it is a well principled people that he has left
behind him. As when certain Jesuits were sent among the Waldenses to
corrupt tbeir children, they returned with much disappointment and con-
fusion, because the children of seven years old were well principled enough
to encounter the most learned of them all; so, if any seducers were let loose
to wolve it among the good people of Eoxbury, I am confident they would
find ss little prey in that well-instructed place, as in any part of all the
country; no civil penalties would signify so much to save any people
from the snares of busy hereticks, as the unwearied catechising of one
Eliot has done to preserve his people from the gangren of ill opinions.

There is a third instance of his regards to the welfare of the poor chil-
dren under his charge: and that is, his perpetual resolution and activity
to support a good school in the town that belonged unto him. A gram-
mar-school he would always have upon the place, whatever it cost him ;
and he importuned all other places to have the like. I cannot forget the
ardour with which I once heard him pray, in a synod of these churches
which met at Boston to consider "how the miscarriages which were among
us might be prevented ;" I say, with what fervour he uttered an expres-
sion to this purpose: "Lord, for schools every where among us! That
our schools may flourish 1 That every member of this assembly may go
home, and procure a good school to be encouraged in the town where he
lives 1 That before we die, we may be so happy as to see a good school
encouraged in every plantation of the country." God so blessed his
endeavours, that Roxbury could not live quietly without a free school in
the town; and the issue of it has been one thing, which has made me
almost put the title of Schola lUustris upon that little nursery; that is,
that Roxbury has afforded more scholars — first for the colledge, and then
for the publick — than any town of its bigness, or, if I mistake not, of
twice its bigness in all New-England. From the spring of the school at
Roxbury, there have run a large number of the "streams which have
made glad this whole city of God." I perswade my self that the good
people of Roxbury will for ever scorn to begrutch the cost, or to permit
the death of a school which God has made such an honour to them ; and
this the rather, because their deceased Eliot has left them a fair part of
his estate for the maintaining of the school in Roxbury ; and I hope, or
at least I wish, that the ministers of New-England may be as ungainsay-
ably importunate with their people as Mr. Eliot was with his, for schools
which may seasonably tinge the young souls of the rising generation.
A want of education for them, is the blackest and saddest of all the bad
omens that are upon us.

^ I

1":;^

)••.."'

, r

552

MAONALIA CIIKIBTI AMERICANA;

ABTIOLB V.-III8 CHURCH DISCIPLINE.

It yet more endears unto \\a the memory of our Eliot that he was not
only an evangelical minister, but also a true New-English one ; he was a
Protestant and a Puritan, and one very full of that spirit which actuated
the first planters of this country in their ^mccaftfe secession from the unwar-
rantable things elsewhere imposed upon their consciences. The judgment
and practice of one that readily underwent all the misery attending the
infancy of this plantation, for the sake of a true church order, is a thing
which we young people should count worthy to be enquired after; and
since we saw him so well " behaving himself in the house of God," it can-
not but be worth while to know what he thought obout the frame, and
form, and constitution of that blessed house.

He was a modest, humble, but very reasonable non-conformist unto the
ceremonies which have been such unhappy apples of strfe in the Church
of England ; otherwise the dismal thickets of America had never seen
such a person in them.

It afflicted him to see these, and more such as these, thingt^ continued
in the Church of England, by the artifice of certain persons wVio were
loth to have the reformation carried on unto those further degrees which
the most eminent of the Jirst reformers had in their holy designs.

"We see Vhat was not his opinion 1 But let us hear what it was. It
was his as well as his master, the great Eamus's principle, "that in the
reformation of churches, to be now endeavoured, things ouglit to be
reduced unto the order wherein we find them at +heir primitive, original,
apostolical institution." And in pursuance of this principle, he justly
espoused that way of church-government which we call the cowjregn-
tional; he was fully perswaded, that the church state which our Lord
Jesus Christ hath instituted in the New-Testament, is, "In a congregation
or society of professed believers, agreeing and assembling together among
themselves, with ofiicers of divine appointment for the celebration of
evangelical ordinances, and their own mutual edification ;" for he saw it
must be a cru^l hardship used upon the Scriptures, to make them so much
as lisp the least intimation of any other church-state prescribed unto us;
and he could assert, "That no approved writers, for the space of two hun-
dred years after Christ, make any mention of any other organical, visible,
professing church, but that only which is congregational." He looked
upon the congregational way as a largess of divine bounty bestowed by
the Lord Jesus Christ on his people, that followed him into this wilder-
ness, with a peculiar zeal for communion with him in his pure worship
here. He perceived in it a sweet sort of temperament, between rigid Pres-
byterianism and levelling Brownism ; so that on the one side, the lihea-ties
of the people are not oppressed and overlaid ; on the other side, the author-
ity of the olders is not rendred insignificant, but a due balance is herein

OR, THE HISTOBY OF NEW-ENOLA

kept upon them both, and hence he closed with onr "platform of church-
discipline," as being the nearest of what ho had yet seen to the directions
of Heaven.

He could not comprehend that this church-state can arise from any
other formal cattle, but the consent, concurrence, confederation of those
concerned in it; he looked upon a relation unto a church, as not a natural,
or a violent, but a voluntary thing, and so that it is to be entred no other-
wise than by an holy covenant, or, as the Scripture speaks, by "giving
our selves first unto the Lord, and then one unto another." Ho could
not think that baptism alone was to be accounted the coMse, but rather the
effect, of church member-ship; inasmuch as, upon the dissolution of the
church to which a man belongs, his haptism would not become a nullity:
nor that meer profession would render men members of this or that church;
for then it would be impossible to cut off a corrupt member from that
body politic: nor that meer co?iabitaiion would make church members;
for then the vilest infidels would be actually incorporated with us. And
a covenant was all that he now saw remaining in the inventory.

But for the subjects to be admitted by churches unto all the privileges
of this fellowship with them, he thought they ought to be such as a tnjintj
charity, or a charitable tryal, should pronounce regenerate. lie found the
first churches of the gospel mentioned in the Scripture to be "churches
of saints;" and that the apostles writing to them, still acknowledge them
to be holy brethren, and such as were made " meet for to be partakers of
the inheritance of the saints in light ;" and that a main end of church-fel-
lowship, is to represent unto the world the qualifications of those that
shall "ascend into the hill of the Lord, and stand in his holy place for
ever." He would therefore have Bona Mens, and Purum pectus, and
Vita Innocens,* required, as Lactantius tells us they were in his days, of
all communicants at the table of the Lord ; and, with holy Chrysostom, he
would sooner have given his heart blood, than the cup of the Lord unto such
as had not the hopeful marks of our Lord's disciples on them. The
churches of New-England still retain a custom which the great Justin
Martyr, in the second century, assures us to have been in the primitive
churches of his time; namely, "To examine those they receive, not only
about their perswasion, but also whether they have attained unto a work
of grace Spon their souls." In the prosecution hereof, besides the enqui-
ries of the elders into the knowledge, and belief, and conversation of them
that offer themselves unto church-fellowship, it is expected, though I hope
not with any severity of imposition, that in the addresses which they make
to the churches, they give written, if not oroZ account, of what impressions the
regenerating word of God has had upon their souls. This was a custom which
this holy man had a marvellous esteem and value for; and I have taken from
his mouth such as these expressions very publickly delivered thereabouts:

•i

*i I

■:i

i 'I

* A good mind, a pure heart, and a gpotless

life.

554

MAONALIA OHRISTI AMERICANA;

** It is mattor,** said ho, " of grent thunkfulnoHH, that wu have Christ cnn/ruMtd in our churvhesf
by such ns wo receive to full ooinmunioii thuro. Tlicy o|h;ii tho works of Chrint in their
honrts, nnd the relation thereof is nn eminent eonfesHion of our Lord; experienced sniiits
can gather more than a little from it. It la indeed nn ordinance of wonderful benefit ; the
Lord planted many vineyards in the first settlement of this country, and there wc many
noblo vines in them; it was their hoavunly-mindedness which disposed them to this uTciae,
and by the upholding of it the churuhen are still filled with noble vi es; it mightily niain-
tiina purity of churches. It is tho duty of every Cliristbn, ' With the mouth confcsMlDn is
made unto salvation.' As among the Jews, usually most men did once in their life eeli'hrate
a jubilee, thus this confession of Christ is metliinks a sort of jubilee; and every good man
among us is at least once in his life called unto it. It is a thing that gives great glory to
tho liord Jesus Christ; and younger converts are thereby exceedingly edifyed; and the souls
of devout Christians aro hereby very piuch ingratiated one unto onother. The devil knows
what he does, when he thrusts so hard to get this custom out of our churches. For my p:irt,
I would say in this case, 'Get theo behind me, Satan; thou givest an horrible oflfcnee unto
tho Lord Jesus Christ.' Let us keep up this urdinnnce with all gentleness; an.J where we
see the least spark of grace held forth, let us prize it more than all the wit in the world."

There were especially two things which he was loth to see, and yet
feared he saw, falling in the churches of New-England. One was, a thor-
ough establishment of ruling elders in our churches; which he thought
sufliciently warranted by the apostles' mention of, "elders that rule well,
who yet labour not in word and doctrine." lie was very desirous to have
prudent and gracious men set over our churches, for the assistance of their
pastors in the church acts that concern the admission and exclusion of
members, and the inspection of the conversation led by the communicant,
and the instruction of their several families, and the visitation of the afilicted
in their flock, over which they should preside. Such " helps in govern-
ments" had he himself been blessed withal; the last of which was the
well-deserving Elder Bowles; and of him did this good man, in a speech
to a synod of all the churches in this colony, take occasion to say, "There
is my brother Bowles, the godly elder of our church at Roxbury, God
helps him to do great things among us!" Had all our pastors been so
well accommodated, it is possible there would be more encouragement
given to such an office as that of ruling elders.

But the mention of a Synod brings to mind another thing, which he
■was concerned that we might never want; and that is, a frequent repeti-
tion of needful synods in our churches. For though he had a deep and a
due care to preserve the "rights of particular churches," yet he thought
all the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ by their union m what theyjjro-
^55, in what they intend, and in what they enjoy, so compacted into one
body mystical, as that all the several particular churches every where
should act with a regard unto the good of the whole, and unto the com-
mon advice and council of the neighbourhood; which cannot be done
always by letters missive like those that passed between Corinth and Rome
in the early days of Christianity; but it requires a convention of the
churches in synods, by their delegates and messengers. He did not count

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

665

churches to be so I'lukpendent, ns that they can always disclmrge tlicir whole
duty, and yet not act In conjunction with neighbour clmrcljo.s; nor would
lie bo of any ''luirch that will not acknowledge it acU accountahle to rightly
composed synods, which may have occasion to enquire into the circum-
stances of it; he saw the main interest and business of churches might
quickly come to bo utterly lost, if synods were not called for the repairing
of inconvenici (.sea, and ho was nmch in contriving for the regular and
ri>;)eated meeting of such assemblies.

lie wished for councils to suppress all damnable heresies or pernirious
opinions that mi<^ht ever arise among us; for councils to extingui>!i all
dangerous divisions and scandalous contentions which might ever Ijcgiti
to flame in our borders; for councils to rectify all male-administrations
in the midst of us, or to recover any particular churches out of any dis-
orders which they may be plunged ir.to: for councils to enquire into the
love, the peace, the holiness maintained by the several churches; in fine,
for councils to send forth fit labourers into those parts of our Lord's har-
vest which are without the gospel of God. lie beheld an apostolical pre-
cept and pattern for such councils; and when such councils convened in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the consent of several churches
concerned in mutual communion, have declared, explained, recommended
the mind of God from his word unto us, he reckoned a truth so deliv-
ered, challenged an observation from the particular churches with a very
great authority.

He therefore printed a little book wearing this title: 'T/ze Divine Man-
agement of Gospel Churches by the Ordinance of Councils, constituted in order
according to the Scriptdres, which viay he a means of uniting those two holy
and eminent parties, //" Prebyterians and the Congregational." It is a
remarkable concession uade by the incomparable Jurieu, who is not reck-
oned a Congregational man, in his " Traite dc V Unite de JJJ'Jylise,'" That
the "apostolical churches lived not in any confederation for mutual
dependence. Thi grand equipage of Metropolitans, of Primates, of
Exarchs, of Patr archs, was yet unknown; nor does it any more appear
to us that the churches then had their provincial, national, and oecumen-
ical synods; every church was its own mistress, and independent on any
other." But, on the other side, our Eliot, who was no Presbyterian, con-
ceived synods to be the institutions of our Lord Jesus Christ, the "apos-
tolical churches themselves" acknowledging a stamp of "divine right"
upon them.

Such as these were the sentiments of our Eliot; and his deserved repu-
tation in the churches of New-England, is that which has caused me to
foresee some advantage and benefit arising unto the concerns of the gos-
pel, by so large a recitation as I have now made thereof.

The reader baa now seen an able minister of the New-Testament.

* Treatise on the Uolty of the Cburcb.

•li

"■•: (V L

■ ' I '

i^'il:

556

MAGNALIA CHR18TI AMERICANA;

PART III.

OR, ELIOT AS AN EVANGELIST.

The titles of a Christian and of a minister have rendred our Eliot con-
siderable ; but there is one memorable title more, by which he has been
signalized unto us. An honourable person did once in print put the name
of an evangelist upon him ; whereupon, in a letter of his to that person,
afterwards printed, his expressions were, "There is a redundancy where
you put the title of Evangelist upon me; I beseech you suppresb all such
things; let us do and speak and carry all things with humility ; it is the
Lord who bath done what is done ; and it is most becoming the spirit of
Jesus Christ to lift up him, and lay our selves low; I wish that word
could be obliterated." My reader sees what a caution Mr. Eliot long
since entred against our giving him the title of an evangelist; but his
death has now made it safe, and his life had long made it just, for us to
acknowledge him with such a title. I know not whither that of an evan-
gelist, or one separated for the employment of preaching the gospel in
such places whereunto churches have hitherto been gathered, be not an
office that should be continued in our days; but this I know, that our
Eliot very notably did the service and business of such an officer.

Cambden could not reach the height of his conceit who bore in his
shield a salvage of America, with his hand pointing to the sun, and this
motto: Mihi Accessu, Tihi Recessu.* Eeader, prepare to behold this
device illustrated!

^ The natives of the country now possessed by the New-En glanders
had been forlorn and wretched heathen ever since their first herding here;
and though we know not when or how those Indians first became inhabit-
ants of this mighty continent, yet we may guess that probably the devil
decoyed those miserable salvages hither, in hopes that the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ would never come here to destroy or disturb his also-
lute empire over them. But our Eliot was in such ill terms with the devil,
as to alarm him with sounding the silver trumpets of Heaven in his ter-
ritories, and make some noble and zealous attempts towards ousting him
of ancient possessions here. There were, I think, twenty several nations
(if I may call them so) of Indians upon that spot of ground which fell
under the influence of our Three United Colonies ; and our Eliot was will-
ing to rescue as many of them as he could from that old usurping land-
lord of America, who is, "by the wrath of God, the prince of this world."

I cannot find that any besides the Holy Spirit of God first moved him
to the blessed work of evangelizing these perishing Indians; it w.'is that
Holy Spirit which laid before his mind the idea of that which was on the
seal of the Massachuset colony : a poor Indian having a label (joing from,

* As I approach, thou rtfccdcst.

l' I

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

557

Eliot con-
bas been
tbe name
at person,
icf/ where
i> all such
; it is the
i spirit of
bat word
iliot long
; but his
for us to
an evan-
?ospel in
e not an
that our

re in his

and this

lold this

glanders
ng here;

inhabit-
;be devil
^\ of the
lis also-
le devil,

his ter-
ing him

nations
lich fell
vas will-
ig land-
world."
^ed him
vas that

on the
ng from

his mouth, loWi a come over and help us. It was tbe spirit of our Lord
Jesus Christ, wbicb enkindled in him a pitty for tbe dark souls of these
natives, whom tbe "god of this world bad blinded," through all the by-
paat ages. He was none of those that make " the salvation of the heathen"
an article of their creed; but (setting aside the unrevealed and extraor-
dinary steps which the " Holy One of Israel ' may take out of bis usual
paths) he thought men to be lost if our gospel be hidden from them ; and
he was of the same opinion with one of the ancients, who said, "Some
have endeavoured to prove Plato a Christian till they prove themselves
little better than heathens." It is indeed a principle in the Turkish
Alcoran, that "let a man's religion be what it will, he shall be saved, if
he conscientiously live up to the rules of it:" but our Eliot was no Mahom-
etan. He could most heartily subscribe to that passage in the articles of
the Church of England, "They are to be held accursed who presume to
say, that every man shall be saved by the law or sect which be professeth,
so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law and light of
nature; for Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus
Christ whereby men must be saved." And it astonished him to see many
dissembling subscribers of those articles, while they have grown up to such
aphrensy as to deny peremptorily all church state, and all salvation to all
that are not under Diocesan Bishops, yet at the same time to grant that the
heathen might be saved without tbe knowledge of tbe Lord Jesus Christ.
But when this charitable pitty had once began to flame, there was a
concurrence of many things to cast oyl into it. All the good men in the
country were glad of his engagement in such an undertaking; the minis-
ters especially encouraged him, and those in the neighbourhood kindly
supplyed his place, and performed his work in part for him at lioxbury,
while he was abroad labouring among them that were wiiliout. Hereunto
he was further awakened by those expressions in the royal charter, in tbe
assurance and protection whereof this wilderness was first peopled ; namely,
"To win and incite the natives of that country to the knowledge and
obedience of the only true God and Saviour of mankind, and the Chris-
tian faith, in our royal intention, and the adventurer's free profession is
the principal end of the plantation." And the remarkable zeal of the
Romish missionaries, "compassing sea and land, that they might make pro-
selytes," made his devout soul think of it with a further disdain, that wc
should come any whit behind in our care to evangelize the Indians whom
wc dwelt among. Lastly, when he bad well begun this evangelical busi-
ness, the good God, in an answer to his prayers, mercifully stirred up a
liberal contribution among the godly people in England for the promoting
of it; by means whereof a considerable estate and income was at length
entrusted in the bands of an honourable corporation, by whom it is to this
day very carefully employed in the Christian service which it was designed
fur. And then, in short, inasmuch as our Lord Jesus had bestowed on

'■^.\

' : \

4='

558

MAQNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

■US, our Eliot was gratefully and generously desirous to obtain for Lim
"the heathen for an inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for a
possession."

The exemplary charity of this excellent person in this important affair,
will not be seen in its due lustres, unless we make some reflections upon
several circumstances which he beheld these forlorn Indians in. Know,
then, that these doleful creatures are the veriest rinnes of mankind wliich
are to be found any where upon the face of the earth. No such estates
are to be expected among them, as have been the haits which the pretended
converters in other countries have snapped at. One might see among
'them what an hard master the devil is to the most devoted of his vassals!
These abject creatures live in a country full of mines; we have already
made entrance upon our iron; and in the very surface of the ground
among us, it is thought there lies copper enough to supply all this world ;
besides other mines hereafter to be exposed; but our shiftless Indians
were never owners of so much as a knife till we come among them; their
name for an English man was a Knife-man; stone was instead of metal
for their tools; and for their coins, they have only little beads with holes
in them to string them upon a bracelet, whereof some are white; and of
these there go six for a penny ; some are black or blue ; and of these, go
three for a penny : this wampam, as they call it, is made of the shell-fish
which lies upon the sea-coast continually.

They live in a country where we now have all the conveniencies of
human life : but as for them^ their housing is nothing but a few mats tyed
about poles fastened in the earth, where a good fire is their hed-dothes m
the coldest seasons; their clothing is but skin of a beast, covering their
hind-parts, their fore-parts having but a little apron, where nature calls
for secrecy; their diet has not a greater dainty than their Nbkehick — that
is, a spoonful of their parched meal, with a spoonful of water, which will
strengthen them to travel a day together; except we should mention the
flesh of deers, bears, mose, rakoons, and the like, which they have when
they can catch them ; as also a little fish, which, if they would preserve,
it was by drying, not by salting; for they had not a grain of salt in the
world, I think, till we bestowed it on them. Their jihysick is, excepting a
few odd specificks, which some of them encounter certain cases with, noth-
ing hardly but an hot-house or a powaw; their hot-house is a little cave,
about eight foot over, where, after they have terribly heated it, a crew of
them go sit and sweat and smoke for an hour together, and then imme-
diately run into some very cold adjacent brook, w'thout the least mischief
to them; it is this way they recover themselves from some diseases, par-
ticularly from the French; but in most of their dangerous distempers, it
is a powaw that must be sent for; that is, a priest, who ha< more famili-
arity with Satan than his neighbours; this conjurer comes and ioars, and
howls, and uses magical ceremonies over the sick man, and will be well

;!j<.

OR, THE riSTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

559

paid for it when he has done ; if this don't efTect the cure, the " man's time
is come, and there's an end."

They live in a country full of the best ship-timber under heaven: but
never saw a ship till some came from Europe hither; and then they were
scared out of their wits to see the monster come sailing in, and spitting fire
with a mighty noise out af her floating side ; they cross the water in can-
oes, made sometimes of trees, wliich they burn and hew, till they have
hollowed them; and sometimes of barks, which they stitch into a light
sort of a vessel, to be easily carried over lahd ; if they overset, it is but a
little paddling like a dog, and they are soon where they were.

Their way of living is infinitely barbarous : the men are most abomin-
ably slothful; making their poor squaws, or wives, to plant and dress,
and barn and beat their corn, and build their wigwams for them: which
perhaps may be the reason of their extraordinary ease in childbirth. In
the mean time, their chief employment, when they'll condescend unto any,
is that of hunting; wherein tlaey'll go out some scores, if not hundreds
of them in a company, driving all before them.

They continue in a place till they have burnt up all the wood there-
abouts, and then they pluck up stakes; to follow the xcood., which they
cannot fetch home unto themselves; hence when they enquire about the
English, "Why come they hither?" they have themselves very learnedly

determined the case, "'Twas because we wanted

firing.

No arts are

understood among them, except just so far as to maintain their brutish
conversation, which is little more tharr is to be found among the very
bevers upon our streams.

Their division of iime is by sleeps^ and moons, and %vinters; and, by
lodging abroad, they have somewhat observed the motions of the stars;
among which it has been surprising unto me to find that they have alwaj's
called "Charles's AVain" by the name of Pauhunnawaic, or the Bear,
which is the name whereby Europeans also have distinguished it. More-
over, they have little, if any, traditions among them worthy of our notice ;
and reading and writing is altogether unknown to them, though there is
a rock or two in the country that has unaccountable characters engraved
upon it. All the religion they have amounts unto thus much: they
believe that there are many gods, who made and own the several nations
of the world ; of which a certain great God in the south-west regions of
heaven bears the greatest figure. They believe that every remarkable
creature has a peculiar god within it or about it: there is vith them a
Sun God, a Moon God, and the like; and they cannot conceive but that
the fire must be a kind of a god, inasmuch as a spark of it will soon pro-
duce very strange eftccts. They believe that when any good or ill hap-
pens to them, there is the fiwour or the anger of a god expressed in it;
and hence, as i t, time of calamity, they keep a dance, or a day of extrav-
agant ridiculous devotions to their god ; so in a time of prosperity they

iijM; s

i !

V '^

SI.*

'r r

660

MAQNALIA CIIRI8T1 AMERICANA;

^--iV-

likewisc have a/east, wherein they also make pvcsents oni unto anotlier.
Finally, they believe that their chief god {Kaukintoioit) made a man and a
woman of a stone; which, upon dislike, he broke to pieces, and made
another man and woman of a tre(\ which were the fountains of mankind;
and that we all have in us immortal souls^ which, if we were godly, shall
go to a splendid entertainment with Kautai towit, but otherwise must
• wander about in restless horror for ever. But if you say to ihem any
thing of a resurrection, they Avill reply upon you, "I shall never believe
it!" And when they have any weighty undertaking before them, it is an
usual thing for them to have their assemblies, wherein, after tlie usage of
some diabolical rites, a devil appears unto them, to inform them and
advise them about their circumstances; and sometimes there are odd
events of tlicir making these applications to the devd. For instance, it
is particularly affirmed that the Indians, in their wars with us, finding a
sore inconvenience by our dogs, which would make a sad yelling if in
the night they scented the approaches of them, they sacrificed a dog to
the devil; after which no English dog would bark at an Indian for divers
months ensuing. This was the miserable people which our Eliot pro-
pounded unto himself to teach and save! And he had a double work
incumbent on him ; he was to make men of them, ere he could hope to
see them saints; they must be civilized ere they could be Christianized; he
could not, as Gregory once of our nation, see any thing angelical to
bespeak his labours for tlieir eternal welfare: all among them was diabol-
ical. To tliiidc on raising a number of these hcdious creatures unto tlie
elevations of our holy religion, must argue more than common or little
sentiments in the undertaker; but the faith of an Eliot could encounter it!
I confess that was one — I cannot call it so much guess as wish — where-
in he was willing a little to indulge himself; and that wa^, "that our
Indians are the posterity of the dispersed and rejected Israelites, concern-
ing whom our God has promised, that they shall yet be saved by the
deliverer coming to turn away ungodliness from them." He saw the
Indians using many parables in their discourses ; m ^h given to anointing
of their heads; much delighted in dancing, especially after victories; com-
puting their times by nights and months; giving dotvries for wives, and
Causing their women to "dwell by themselves," at certain seasons, for
secret causes; and accustoming themselves to grievous mournings and yell-
ings for the dead; all which were usual things among the Israelites.
They have, too, a great unkindness for our swine; but I su])pose tliat is
because o\ir hogs devour the clams which are a dainty with them. He

also saw some learned men looking for the lost Israelites

among

the

Indians in America, and counting that they had thoroiv-good reasons for
doing so. And a few small arguments, or indeed but conjectures, meeting
with a favourable disposition in the hearer, will carry some conviction with
them; especially if a report of a Menasseh hen Israel be to back them.

OE, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAMD.

561

com-

He saw likewise the judgments threatened unto the Israelites of old,
strangely fulfilled upon our Indians; particularly that "Ye shall eat the
flesh of your sons," which is done with exquisite cruelties uj)on the pris-
oners that they take from one another in their battles. Moreover, it is a
prophesy in Deuteronomy xxviii. 68, "The Lord shall bring thee into
Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, thou shalt
see it no more again ; and there shall ye bo sold unto your enemies, and
no man shall buy you." This did our Eliot imagine accomplished, when
the captives taken by us in our late wars upon them, wore sent to be sold
in the coasts lying not very remote from Egypt on the Mediterranean sea,
and scarce any chapmen would offer to take them off. Being upon such as
these accounts not unwilling, if it were possible, to have the Indians found
Israelites, they were, you may be sure, not a whit the less "beloved for
their (suj, posed) father's sake;" and the fatigues of his travails went on the
more cheerfully, or at least the more hopefully^ because of such possibilities.
The first step which he judged necessary now to be taken by him, was
to learn the Indian language ; for he saw them so stupid and senseless,
that they would never do so much as enquire after the religion of the
strangers now come into their country, much less would they so far imi-
tate us as to leave off their beastly way of living, that they might be par-
takers of any spiritual advantage by us: unless we could first address
them in a language of their own. Behold, new difficulties to be sur-
mounted by our indefatigable Eliot! Ue hires a native to teach him this
exotick language, and, with a laborious care and skill, reduces it into a
grammar, which afterwards he published. There is a letter or two of
our alphabet, which the Indians never had in theirs ; though there were •
enough of the dog in their temper, there can scarce be found an li in their
language, (any more than in the language of the Chinese or of the Green-
landers,) save that the Indians to the northward, who have a peculiar dia-
lect, pronounce an R where an N is pronounced by our Indians ; but if
their alphabet be short, I am sure the words composed of it are long
enough to tire the patience of any scholar in the world ; they are ^squi-
pedalia Verba,* of which their linguo is composed ; one would think they
had been growing ever since Babel unto the dimensions to which they are
uow extended. For instance, if my reader will count how many letters
there are in this one word, NummatcheJcodtantamooonganunnonnsh, when
he has done, for his reward, I'll tell him it signifies no more in English
than our lusts; and if I were to translate, our loves, it must be nothing
shorter than Noowomantammooonlcanunonnash. Or, to give my reader a
longer word than either of these, Kummogkoilomittoottuinmooetiteaongan'
nunnonash is in English our question: but I pray, sir, count the letters!
Nor do we find in all this language the least affinity to, or derivation from
any European speech that we are acquainted with. I know not what

'■:\

W t !

i'. ! :

Vol. I.— 36

* Intermiiiable words.

I !

562

MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMEKICANA;

thoughts it will produce in my reader, when I inform him that once, find-
ing that the Dccmons in a possessed young wontan understood the Latin,
and Greek, and Hebrew languages, my curiosity led me to make trial of
this Indian language, and the Diumons did seetn as if they did not under-
stand it. This tedious language our Kliot (the anagram of whose name
was Toile) quickly became a master of; he employed a pregnant and
witty Indian, who also spoke English well, for his assistance in it; and
compiling some discourses by his help, he would single out a word, a
noun, a verb, and pursue it through all iis variations: having finished his
grammar, at the close he writes, "Prayers and pains through faith in
Christ Jesus will do any thing 1" and being by Xn^jwayers and pains thus
furnished, he set himself in the year 1(U6 to preach the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ among thej5o desolate outcasts.

^ It remains that I lay before the world the remarkable conduct and
success of this famous man, in his great aftair; and I shall endeavour to
do it by Englishing and reprinting a letter, sent a while since by my
father unto his learned and renowned correspondent, the venerable Dr.
Leusden at Utrecht : which letter has already been published, if I mistake
not, in four or five divers languages. I find it particularly published by
the most excellent Jurieu, at the end of a pastoral letter; and this reflec-
tion then worthily made upon it: Cdte LvUre doit opportorune tres grande
consolation, a toidcs les bonnes amcs, qui sont alterces de jtistice, et qui sent
enjiamviees du zcle de la gloire de Dieu.* I therefore perswade my self that
the republication of it will not be ungrateful unto many good souls in our
nation, who have a due thirst and zeal for such things as are mentioned in
it; and when that is done, I shall presume to make some annotations for
the illustration of sundry memorable things therein pointed at.

k LETTER

CONCERNINQ THE SUCCESS OF THE QOSFET. AMONGST THE INDIANS IN NEW-ENOLAND.

WRITTEN BY MR. INCREASE MATHER,

Miniatfr of the Word of God at Boston, and Jirrtor of the Collrdge at Camlridge in New-
England, to Dr. John Leusden, Hebrew Profeswr in the Untversity of Utrecht.

TRANSLATED OUT or LATI.t INTO CNaMSU.

WonxHY AND MUCH HONOURED SiR: Youf lettofs were vcr}' grateful to me, (*) by which
I understand that you and others in your famous University of Utreulit desire to bo informed

('). The success of the gospel in the East-Indies. — After the writing of this letter, there cnmc
one to my hands from the famous Dr. Leusden, together with a new nnd fair edition of his Hebrew
Psalter, dedicated unto the name of my absent parent. He therein informs me, that our example
had awakened the Dutch to make some noble attempts for the furtherance of the gospel in the Ens-t-
Indies; besides what memorable things were done by the excellent Robert Junius, in Formosa, fifty
years ago.

He also informs me, th.'t in and near the island of Ceylon, the Dutch pastors have baptized about
three hundred thousand of the Eastern Indians ; for ahhough the ministers are utterly ignorant of

• That letter ought to minister great coniolation to all those holy souls, which are stayed on Justice, and bum
with zeal fur the glory of God,

eoncer
few w
It is
Rocks
of eon
easily i

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

663

concerning the converted Indians in America: take therefore a true account of them in a
few words.

It is above forty years since that truly godly man Mr. John Eliot, pastor of the church ut
Roeksborough, (about u ;nilu from Boston in New-England,) being warmed with a holy zeal
of converting the Ameri< ans, set himself to learn the Indian tongue, that he might more
easily and succesMfully (' i open to them the mysteries of the gospel, upon oitcount of which

their language, ytt there are school-masters who tetch them the Ijtrd^t Prayer, the Creed, the Ttn
Commandmenta, a Morning Prayer, an Evening Prayer, a Bleating before meat, and another
after ; and the minister in his visits being assured by the master, who of them Htis learned all of
them aeven things, he thereupon counts they have such a perfect number of attainments that he
presently baptizes them.

The pious reader will douBtleus, bless God for this , but he will easily see that one of our converted
Indiana has cost more pains than many of those ; more thorough work has been made with them.

('). J^fr. Eliot' a way of Opening the Myateriea of the Goapel to our Indinna. — It was in the year
1646 that Mr. Eliot, vccompanied by three more, gave a visit unto an asbenibly of Indians, of whom
he desired a meeting at such a time and place, that he might lay before them the things of their
eternal peace. After a serious prayer, he gave them a sermon which continued about a quarter
above an hour, and contained the principal articles of the Christian religion, applying all to the con-
dition of the Indians present. Having done, he asked of them, whether they underatood? and with
a general reply they answered, they undcratood all. He then began what was his usual method
afterwards in treating with them ; that is, he caused them to propound such queationa as they pleased
unto himself; and he gave wise and good anawera to them all. Their questions would often, though
not always, refer to what he had newly preached ; and he this way not only made a proof of their
profiting by his ministry, but also gave an edge to what he delivered unto them. Some of their
questions would be a little philoaophical, and required a good measure of learning in the minister
concerned with them ; but for this our Eliot wanted not. He would also put proper queationa unto
them, and at one of his first exercises with them, he made the young ones capable of regarding
those three questions:

Q. I. Who made you ond all the world?

Q. 3. Who do you look ishould save you from sin and hell?

Q. 3. How many commandments has the Lord given you to keep?

It was his wisdom that he began with them upon such principles . s they themselves had already
some notions of; such as that of an heaven for good, and hell for bad people when they died. It
broke his gracioui heart within him to see what floods of tears fell from the eyes of several among
those degenerate salvages at the first addresses which he made unto them ; yea, from the very worst
of them all. He was very inquisitive to learn who were the Powawes — that is, the aorcerera and
aeducera that .naintained the worship of the devil in any of their societies; and having in one of
his first journeys to them found out one of those wretches, he made the Indian come unto him, and
said, " Whether do you suppose God or Chepian (i. e. the devil) to be the author of all good?''
The conjurer answered, "God." Upon this he added, with a stern countenance, " Wl y do you
pray to Chvpiaii then?" And the poor man was not able to stand or speak before him; but at last
made promises of reformation.

The text which he first preached upon, was that in Ezek. xxxvii. 9, 10, " That by prophesying
to the wind, the wind came, and the dry bones lived:" And it was an observation made by one
who then justly confessed '.here was not much weight in it, that the word which the Indians use for
wind is wauban, and an Indian of that name was one of the first that here zealously promoted the
conversion of his neighbours. But having thus entred upon the teaching of these poor creatures,
it is incredible' how much time, toil, and hardship, he underwent in the prosecution of this undertak-
ing ; how tnany weary days and nights rolled over him ; how many tiresome journeys he endured ;
and how many terrible dangers he had experience of. If you briefly would know what he felt, and
what carried him through all, take it in his own words in a letter to the Honourable Mr. Winslow.
Says he, " I have not been dry, night nor day, from the third day of the week unto the sixth, but so
travelled, and at night pull off my boots, wring my stockings, and on with them again, and so con-

'Mil

664

MAONALIA OHSIBTI AMERIOANA;

be haa Ixsen (and not undeser;edly) ealled, "the Apostte of the American Indians.** This
reverend person, not without very great labour, translated the wliolo Bible into the Indian
tongue; (*} he translated also several English treatises of practical divinity and catechisms
into their language. Above twenty six years ago he gathered a church of converted Indians
in a town ealled Natiek;(*) these Indians confessed their sins with tears, and professed

tinue. But Ood steps in and helps. I have considered ihe word of God in 3 Tim. ii. 3 : ' Enduie
hardship as a good soldier of Christ.'" ,

(*). Hit tratuUtting the Bible, and other bookt of pietf, into the Indian tongue. — One of his
lemsrksble cares'for ihese illiterate Indisns wss to bring them into the use of eehoole and booke.
He quickly procured the benefit of schools for them ; wherein they profited so much, that not only
very many of them quickly came to resd snd write but also several arrived unto a liberal education
in our colledge, and one or two of them took their degree with the rest of our gradustes. And for
hooka, it wss his chief desire thst the Sacred Scriptures might not in sn unltnoiDii (osf ue be locked
or hidden from thrm ; very hsteful and hellish did the policy of Popery appear to him on this
account : our Eliot was very unlike to that Franciscan who, writing into Europe, gloried much how
many thousands of Indisns he hsd converted ; but sdded, " thst he desired his friends would send
him the book called the Bible ; for he had heard of there being such a book in Europe, which might
be of some use to him." No: our Eliot found he could not live without a Bible himself; he would
have parted with all his estate, sooner thsn hsve lost s lesf of it ; snd he knew it would be of more
than some tise unto the Indians too ; he therefore with a vast labour translated the Holy Bible into
the Indian language. Behold, ye Americans, the greatest honour that ever you were partakers of!
This Bible was printed here at our Cambridge ; and it is the only Bible thst ever was printed in all
America, from the very foundation of the world. The whole translstion he writ with but one pen ;
which pen, had it not been lost, would hsve certainly deserved a richer case than was bSMowed
upon that pen with which Holland writ his translation of Plutarch. The Bible being justly made
the leader of all the rest, a little Indian liirary quickly followed : for besides primers, snd grammars,
and some other such composures, we quickly had " The Practice of Fiity" in the Indian tongues^
and the Reverend Richard Baxter's " Call to the Unconverted." He also translated some of .Mr.
Shepard's composures ; snd luch catechisms likewise as there was occssion for. It cannot but be
hoped that some JIek were to be made alive, since the " watera of the sanctuary " thus came unto them.

^*'). Hie gathering of a Church at Natick. — The Indians that had felt the impressions of his
ministry, were quickly distinguished by the nsme of " praying Indians ;" and these praying Indians
as quickly were for a more decent and English-way of living, and they desired a more fixed cohab'
itation. At several plsces did they now combine and settle ; but the place of greatest name among
their towns, is that of Natick.

Here it was that, in the year 1651, those that had heretofore lived like the wild beatte in the
wilderness, now compacted themselves into a town ; and they first applied themselves to the forming
of their civti govertu.tent. Our General Court, notwithstanding their exact study to keep these
Indisns very sensible of their being subject unto the English empire, yet had allowed them their
smaller courts, wherein they might govern their own smaller cases and concerns, sAer their own
particular modes, and might have their town-orders, if I may call them so, peculinr to themselves.
With respect hereunto Mr. Eliot, on a solemn fast, made a publick vow," that seeing these Inuinns
were not prepossessed with any forms of government, he would instruct them into such a form as we
had written in the word of God, that so they might be a people in all things ruled by the Lord."
Accordingly, he expounded unto them the eighteenth chapter of Exodus ; and then they chose
rulera of hundrede, of fiftiee, of (ens; and therewithal entred into this covenant:

•> We are the sons of Adam ; we snd our forelMhers have s long time been lust in our sins; but now Ihe mercy
of the Lord l>eginneth to And ui out sgmin ; therefore the grace of Chriat helping us, we do give our lelves nnd uur
children untu God, to b« hli people. He shall rule us in all our aflhirs ; the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is uur
Law-giver, the Lord is our King; lie will save us; and Iho witdom which God has Uught ua in his btxtk Rhull
guide us. Oh, Jehovah t teach us wisdom ; send thy Spirit into our hearU; take ua to be thy people, and let us
take thee to be our God."

Such an opinion about the perfection of the Scripture had he, that he thus expressed himself upon
this occasion : " God will bring nations into distress and perplexity, that so they may be forced unto

OR, THE HISTORY OF MEW-SNOLAND.

665

their fuith in Christ, and afterwards they and their children were baptized, and they were
solemnly joined together in a church-covenant; the said Mr. Eliot was the first that udmiiw
istred the I/>rd's Supper to them. The pastor of that church now is an Indian: his name
is Daniel. Besides this church at Natick, among our inhabitants in the Massachusets Colony
there are four Indian assemblies, (^) where the name of the true God and Jesus Christ is

the Scriptures; all govemmenu will ' . ..uaken, that men may be forced at length to pitch upon that
.firm foundation, the Word of Ood."

The little towns of theae Indians being pitched upon thin foundation, they utterly abandoned that
poligamy which had heretofore been common among them \ they made severe laws against forniea'
f ion, drunkenneu, and S<d)batk-breaktng, and other immoralities ; and they next began to lament
after the establishment of a ehurch-order among them, and after the several ordinances and privi-
leges of a ehurek-eommunion. The churches of New-England have usually been very strict in
their admissions to church-fellowship, and required very signal demonstrations of a repenting and a
believing soul, before they thought men fit subjecto to be entrusted with " the rights of the kingdom
of Heaven." But they seemed rather to augment than abate their usual tlrietneu when the exam*
ination of the Indians was to be performed. A day was therefore set spart, which they called,
Natootrnnahteakentk, or a " day for asking questions," when the ministers of the adjacent churches,
assisted with all the best interpreters that could be had, publickly examined a good number of these
Indie as about their attainments, both in knowledge and in ter'.ue. And notwithstanding the great
latisiaction then received, our churches being willing to proceed surely, and therefore slowly, in
raising them up to a church-state, which might be comprehended in our consociations, the Indians
were afterwards called in considerable assemblies convened for that purpose, to make open eonfet'
tions of their faith in God and Christ, and of the efficacy which his word had upon them for their
conversion to him ; which confessions being taken in writing from their mouths by able interpreters
were scanned by the people of God, and found much acceptance with them.

I need pass no further censure upon them than what is given by my grandfather, the well-imown
Richard Mather, in an epistle of his published on this occa-ion. Says he: "Then is so much of
God's work among them, as that I cannot but count it a great evil — yea, a great injury to God and
his goodness, for any to make light of it. To see and hear Indians opening their mouths, and liA-
ing up their hands and eyes in prayer to the living God, calling on him by his name Jehovah, in the
mediation of Jesus Christ, and this for a good while together ; to see and hear them exhorting one
another from the word of God ; to see and hear them confessing the name of Christ Jesus, and
their own sinfulness; sure this is more thsr usual! And though they spoke in a language of which
many of us understood but little, yet we that were present that day, we saw and heard them perform
the duties mentioned with such grave and sober countenances, with such comely reverence in their
gesture, and their whole carriage, and with such plenty of tears trickling down the cheeks of some of
them, as did argue to us that they epak j with the holy fear of God, and it much aflfected our hearts."

At length was a church-state settled among them : they entred, as our churches do, into an holy
covenant, wherein they " gave themselves, first unto the Lord, and then unto one another," to attend
the rules, and helps, and expect the blessing of the everlasting gospel ; and Mr. Eliot, having a mis-
sion from the church of Roxbury unto the work of the Lord Christ among the Indians, conceived
himself sufficiently authorized unto the performing of all chnrch-work about them ; grounding it on
Acts xiii. 1, 3, 3, 4; and h« accordingly administred, first the baptism, and then the Supper of the
Lord unto them.

(*). The Hindraneea and Obttruetiana that the devil gave unto him. — We find four assemblits
of "praying Indians," besides that of Natick, in our neighbourhood. But why no more? Truly,
not because our Eliot was wanting in his offert and labour* for there good ; but becouse many of
the obdurate infidels would not receive the gospel of salvation. In one of his letters, I find him
giving this ill-report, with such a good reason for it : " Lyn-In''.:='<8 are all naught, save one, who
sometimes comes to hear the word ; and the reason why they are bad, is principally because their
sachim is naught, and careth not to pray unto God." Indeed, the sachims, or princes, of the Indians
generally did all they could that their subjects might not entertain the goitpel'; the devilt having the
sachims on their side, thereby kept their possession of the people too. Their pauwaws or clergy-
men did mtch to maintain the interest of the devils in this wilderness; those "children of the devil

u Itf

iiil

■*■■ r

666

MAONALIA OHRISTI AMERICAMa;

solemnly caltod upon; thcie aasomblies have some American preachers. Mr. Eliot formerly
ua«d to pr»>>'<>> * . them once every fortnight, but now he is woalined with labount tind old

and enemies of all righteoumeM," did not "ceaw to pervert the right wnys of the Lord," btit il)eir
■aohims or magiitratea did more towarda it { for they would presently raise a storm of perieeutioH
upon any of their vsssals that should pray unto the eternal God.

The ground of this conduct in them was an odd fear that religion would abridge them uf th»*
tyranny which they had been used unto ; they always, like the devil, held their people in a nio»i
absoluta servitude, and ruled by no law but their will, which left the poor slaves nothing that ihcy
could call their own. They now suspected that religion would put a bridle upon such usurpotionii,
and oblige them to a more equal and humane way of government ; they therefore, some of them,
had the impudence to address the English, that no motions about the Christian religion might wcr
b« made unto them ; and Mr. Eliot sometimes in the wilderness, without the company or assiHtanue
of any other English-man, has been treated in a very threatening and barbarous manner by some
of these tyrants ; but God inspired him with so much resolution as to tell them, " I am about the
worlt of the great God, and my God is with me ; so that I fear neither you, nor all the sachims in
the country ; I'll go on, and do you touch me, if you dare !" Upon which the stoutest of them have
ahrunli and fell before him. And one of them he at length conquered by preaching unto him a ser-
mon upon the temptationt of our Lord ; particularly the temptation fetched from the kingdoms and
florie$ of the world.

The little liingdom and glories of the great men among the Indians, was a powerful obstacle to
the success of Mr. Eliot's ministry ; and it is ol)servable that several of those nations which thug
refused the gospel, quickly afterwards were so devil-driven as to begin an unjust and bloody war
upon the English, which issued in their speedy and utter extirpation from the face of God's earth.
It was particularly remarked in Philip, thte ring-leader of the most calamitous war that ejrer they
made upon us ; our Eliot made a lender of the everlasting salvation to that king ; but the monster
entertained it with contempt and anger, and, ofter the Indian mode of joining signs with wordt,
he took a button upon the eoat of the reverend man, adding, " That he cared for his gospel, just as
much as he cared for that button." The world has heard what a terrible ruine soon came upon
tliat monarch and upon nil his people. It was not long before the hand which now writes, upon a
certain occasion, took off the jaw from the exposed tkull of that blasphemous leviathan ; and the
renowned Samuel Lee hath since been a pastor to an English congregation, sounding and showing
the praises of Heaven upon that very spot of ground where Philip and his Indians were lately wor-
ihipping of tlie devil.

Sometimes the more immediate bond of God, by cutting off the principal oppoaers of the gospel
among the Indians, made way for Mr. Eliot's ministry. As I remember, he relates that an associ-
ation of profane Indians near our Weymouth set themselves to deter and seduce the neighbour
Indians from tiie " right ways of the Lord." But God quickly sent the small-pox among them,
which like a great plague soon swept them away, and thereby engaged the rest unto himself I need
only to add, that one attempt made by the devil to prejudice the Pagans against the gospel, had
something in it extraordinary. While Mr. Eliot was preaching of Christ unto the other Indians, a
DtBtnon appeared unto a prince of the Eastern-Indians, in a shape that had some resemblance of
Mr. Eliot or of an English minister, pretending to be " the English-man's God." The spectre
commanded him, " to forbear the drinking of rum," and "to observe the Sabboth day," and "to
deal justly with his neighbours," all which things had been inculcated in Mr. Eliot's ministry ; prom-
ising therewithal unto him, that if he did so, at his death his soul should ascend unto on happy
place ; otherwise, descend unto miseries ; but the apparition all the while never said one word about
Christ, which was the main subject of Mr. Eliot's ministry. The sachim received such an impres-
sion from the apparition, that he dealt justly with all men, except in the bloody tragedies and cruel-
ties he afterwards committed on the English in our wars; he kept the Sabbath-day like a fast,
frequently attending in our congregations; he would not meddle with any rum, though usual'y his
country-men had rather die than undergo such a piece of self-denial ; that liquor has meerly
enchanted them. At last, and not long since, this Damon appeared again unto this Pagan, requir-
ing him to kill himself, and assuring him that he should revive in a day or two, never to die any
more. He thereupon divers tir -es attempted it, but his friends very carefully prevented it. How-
ever, at length he found a fair iportunity for this foul business, and hanged himself; you may be

OR, THE HISTOKY OF NKW-ENOLAND.

667

ago, being in the eighty-fuurth year of his ago, nnd preaoheth not to the Indians oftoner tliuu
once in two months.

There is another church, consisting only of converted Indians, about fifty miles from hence,
in an Indian town called MimhipiNiiig: tli^'Hrst ptistor of that churcli was un English man,
who, being sltilful in the American liinguugo, preiiched the gospel to thum in their own tongue.
Tliis English pastor is deud, and instoud of him, that church bus an Indiun>pri!acher.(*)

There are, besides that, five assemblies of Indians professing the name of Christ, not far

sure, without the expected resurrection.
before the miierable Indians.

But it is easy to see what a stumbling blocit was here laid

(*). The Indian Churches at Mashippaug, and elsewhere. — The same spirit which acted Mr.
Eliot, quickly inspired others elewhere to prosecute the work of reiicuing the poor Indians out of
their wurse than Egyptian-darkness, in which evil angels had been so long preying upon them.
One of these was the godly and gracious Richard Bourn, who soon saw a great eifect of his holy
labours. In the year 1()66 Mr. Eliot, accompanied by the honourable governour and several magis-
trates and ministers of Plymouth Colony, procured a vast assembly at Mashippaug; and there a
good number of Indians made confessions touching the knowledge and belief and regeneration of
their souls, with such understanding and oifection as was extreamly grateful to the pious auditory.
Yet such was the strictness of the good people in this affair, that before they would countenance
the advancement of these Indians unto church-fellowship, lliey ordered their confessions to be writ-
ten, and sent unto all the churches in the colony, for their approbation ; but so approved they were,
that afterwards the messengers of all the churches giving their presence and consent, they became
a church, and chose Mr. Bourn to be their pastor ; who was then by Mr. Eliot and Mr. Cotton
ordained unto that office over them. From hence Mr. Eliot and Mr. Cotton went over to an i»land
called Martha's Vineyard, where God had so succeeded the honest labours of some, and particularly
of the Mayhew's, as that a church was gathered.

This church, after fasting and prayer, chose one Hiacooms to be their pastor ; John Tockinosh,
an ob.e and a discreet Christian, to be their teacher ; Joshua Mummeecheegs and John Nanasto to
be ruling elders ; and these were then ordained by Mr. Eliot and Mr. Cotton thereunto. Distance
of habitation caused this one church by mutual agreement afterwards to become two; the pastor
and one ruling elder taking one part, and the teacher and one ruling elder, another; and at Nan-
tucket, another adjacent island, was another church of Indians quickly gathered, who chose an
Indian, John Gibs, to be their minister. These churches are so exact in their admission, and so
solemn in their discipline, and so serious in their communion, that some of the Christian English in
the neighbourhood, which would have been loth to have mixed with them in a civil relation, yet
have gladly done it in a sacred one.

It is needless for me to repeat what my father has written obout the other Indian congregations;
only there having been made mention of one Hiacooms, I am willing to annex a passage or two
concerning that memorable Indian. That Indian was a very great instrument of bringing his Pagan
and wretched neighbours to a saving acquaintance with our Lord Jesus Christ ; and God gave him
the honour, not only of so doing much for some, but also of suffering much from others of those
unhappy salvages. Once particularly, this Hiacooms received a cruel blow from an Indian prince,
which, if some English had not been there, might have killed him, for his praying unto God. And
afterwards he gave this account of his trial in it: said he, " I have two hands; I had one hand for
injuries, and the other for God ; while I did receive wrong with the one, the other laid the greater
hold on God."

Moreover the powawes did use to hector and abuse the praying Indians at su'^h a rate, as tcrrifyed
others from joining with them ; but once, when those witches were bragging ihat they could kill all
the praying Indians, if they would, Hiacooms replyed, "Let all the powawLS i" the island come
together; I'll venture my self in the midst of them; let them use all their witchcrafts; with the
help of God, I'll tread upon them all." By this courage, he silenced the powawes: but ot the same
time also he heartned the people at such a rate as was truly wonderful ; nor could any of them ever
harm this eminent confessor afterward ; nor indeed any proselyte which had been by his means
brought home to God ; yea, it was observed, after this, that they rather killed than cured nil such
of the heathen as would yet make use of their enchnntmeitts for help against their sicknesses.

■!,1.. .;;

I 'i

568

IIAONALIA 0HBI8TI AMSBIOANA;

distant from Mashippaug, which hav« Indian preachers: (^) John Cotton, pastor of the
ehurvh at Plymouth, (son of my venerable father-in-law John Cotton, formerly the fnmou»
teacher of the church at Boston,) who mode very great progress in learning the Indian tuiiguis
and is very skilful in it; ho preaches in their owa language to the last five mentioned con-
gregations every week. Moreover of the inhabitanta of Saconet in Plymouth Colony, there

C), Of Mr. Elioe» FtllotB-UbourerB in Ik* Indian Work. — So little was the soul or our Bliot
Infected with any envy, as that he longed for nothing more than fellow-labourera, that might move
and shine in the same orb with himself; he made his cries both to Ood and man for more labourtrt
to be thrust forth into the Indian harvest ; snd indeed it was an harvest of m few secular advan-
tages snd encoungements, that it must be nothing less thon a divine thruat, which could make
any to labour in it. He saw the answer of his prayers, in the generous and vigorous attempts made
by several other most worthy preschers of the gospel, to gotptlixt our perishing Indians. At the
writing of my fiither's letter, there were four ; but the number of them incresies space among us.
At Msrths's Vineysrd, the old Mr. Msyhew, snd several of his sons or grandsons, have done very
worthily for the souls of the Indisns ; there were, fifteen years ago, by computation, about fifteen
hundred scsis of their ministry upon that one island. In Connecticut, the holy and acute Mr. Fitch
has made noble esssys towards the conversion of the Indisns ; but, I think, the prince he has to deal
withal, being on obstinste infidel, gives unhsppy remors's to the luccesses of his ministry. And
godly Mr. Pierson hss in that colony deserved well, if I mistske not, upon ths same occount. In
MssBOchuieta we see at this day the pious Mr. Daniel Oookin, the gracious Mr. Peter Thacher, the
well accomplished and industrious Mr. Grindsl Rawson, all of them hard at work to turn these
poor creatures " from darkness unto light, and from Satan unto Ood." In Plymouth we have the
most sctive Mr. Ssmuel Treat laying out himself to save this generation ; and there is one Mr.
Tupper, who uses his laudable endeavours for the instruction of them.

'Tis my relstion to him that causes me to defer unto the last pisce the mention of Mr. John Cot-
ton, who hath addressed the Indians in their own language with some dexterity. He hired an
Indian, after the rate of twelve-pence per day iot fifty days, to teach him the Indian tongue ; but
his knavish tutor having received his whole pay too soon, ran away before twenty days were out ;
however, in this time he had profited so far, that he could quickly preoch unto the natives.

Having told my reader that the second edition of the Indian Bible was wholly of his correction
and amendment — ^because it is not proper for me to say much of him — I shall only add this remark-
able story: An English minister, accompanied by the govemour snd major-general, and sundry
persons of quality belonging to Plymouth, made a journey to a nation of Indians in the neighbour-
hood, with a free t^ffer of the " words whereby they might be saved." The prince took time to
consider of it, and according to the true English of taking time in such esses, at length he told
them, " He did not accept the tender which they made him." They then took their leaves of him,
not without first giving him this plsin and short admonition : " If God have any mercy for your
miserable people, he will quickly find a way to tske you out of the way." It was presently after
this that this prince, going forth to a battel ogainit another nation of Indians, was killed in the fight ;
and the young prince being in his minority, the government fell into the hands of proteciore, which
favoured the interest of the gospel. The English being advised of it, speedily snd prosperously
renewed the tidings of sn eternal Saviour to the sslvsges, who have ever since attended upon the
gospel: and the young sochim, after he came to age, expressed his spprobation of the Christian
religion ; especially when a while since he lay dying of a tedious distemper, and would keep reading
of Mr. Baxter's " Call to the Unconverted," with floods of tears in his eyes, while he had any strength
to do it.

Such as these are the persons whom our Eliot left engaged in the Indian-work when he departed
from his employment unto his reeompence. And theue gentlemen are so indefatigable in their
labours among the Indians, as that the most equal judges must acknowledge them worthy of much
greater salaries than they are generously contented with. But one may see then who inspired that
clamorous (though contemptible) persecutor of this country, who ver/ zealously addressed the A. B.
of Canterbury, that these ministers might be deprived of their little ttipendt, and that the said sti-
pends might go to maintain that worship among us, which the plantation was erected on purpose
for the peaceable avoiding of.

OR, THE UI8T0UY 0¥ NEW-ENOLAND.

660

'■'

is a great congregation of those who for dUtinetion uke are called "praying Indiana,"
beeauae they pray to God In Chriat

Not far from a promontory called Cape Cod, there ore mIx aaaembliea of heathens who
are to be reckoned aa catechumena, amongHt whom th(^re are six Indian preachora: Samuel
Treat, pastor of a church at Eastham, prcoi'heth to those congregations in thoir own language*
There are likewise amongst the islanders of Nantucket u church, with a pastor who was
lately a heathen, and aeveral meetings of catechumens, who are instructed by the tionverted
Indiana. There is also another island, about seven leiigues long, (called Martha's Vineyard,)
where ore two Amerk»in churches planted, which are more famous than the rent, over one
of which there presides an ancient Indian oa pastor, called Hlocooms: John Iliocooms, son
of the Indian pastor, also preacheth the gospel to his countrymen. In another church in
that place, John Tockinosh, a converted Indian, teaches. In these churches ruling elders of
the Indians are joined to the pastors: the pastors were chosen by the people, and when they
had faated and prayed, Mr. Eliot and Mr. Cotton laid their hands on them, so that they were
aolemnly ordained. All the congregationa (^) of the converted Indians (both the catechu*

(*). Th» Saered and Solemn ExereUei performed in the Indian Congregationa. — Mjr fsther's
aecooat of the exercises perrormed in the Indian congregation!, will tell us what s bleued fruit our
Eliot aaw of hia labour; before he went unto thoae rewards which God had reaerved in the heavens
for him. Some of the Indiana quickly built for themaelvea good and large meeting-houaea after the
Engliah mode, in whkh alao, after the English mode, they attended the " things of the kingdom of
Heaven." And aome of the Engliah were helpful to them upon thia account ; among whom I ought
particularly to mention that learned, pioua and charitable gentleman, the wonthipful Samnel Sewal,
Esq., who, at hia own charge, built a meeting-house for one of the Indian congregations, and gave
thoae Indiana cause to pray for him under that character, "he loveth our nation, for he hath built
us a synagogue."

It only remaina that I give a touch or two upon the worship which is attended in the synagogues
of the Indiana. And firat, the very name of "praying Indiana" will assure ua that prayer ia one
of their devotions; be aure, they could not be our Eliot'a diaciplea if it were not ao. But how do
they pray? We are told, it ia " without a form, because from the heart ;" which is, as I remember,
Tertuilian'a expresaion concerning the prayera in the assemblies of the primitive Christians; namely,
sine wunitore quia de peetore.* It ia evident that the primitive Christiana had no stated liturgiet
among them; that no/ortn« of prayera were in their time imposed upon the ministers of the goa-
pel ; that even about the platform of prayer given ua by our Lord, It waa the opinion of Austin
himaelf, notwithatanding the advancea made in hia age towards what we count auperatitioua, that
" our Lord therein taught, not what worda we ahould uae in prayer, but what things we should
pray for." And whatever acoffa the profanity of our days has abused that phrase and thing withal,
Gregory Nazianzen in hia daya counted it the honour of hia father's publick prayers, " that he had
them from, and made them by the Holy Spirit." Our Indians accordingly find that, if they study
the worda of God, and their own ains and wants, they ahall soon come to that attainment, " behold,
they pray !" They can pray with much pertinence and enlargement ; and would much wonder at
it, if they ahould hear of an English clergy that ahould " read their prayers out of a book," when they
should "pour out their soula" before the God of Heaven.

Their preaching haa much of Eliot, and therefore you may be sure much of Scripture, but per-
bapa more of the Christian than of the scholar in it. I know not how to describe it better than by
reciting the heada of a sermon, uttered by an Indian on a day of humiliation kept by them, at a
time when great rains had given much damage to their fruits and fields. It waa on this wise:

u A UtUe I shall say, accordini; to that HUle I know. Genesis, viii. SO, 31 : < And Noah built an altar unto Jeho-
vah ; and ha took of every clean beast, and of ever; clean fowl, and offered burnt.oObrings on the altar. And th«
liOrd (mailed a sweet savour, and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground.'—

" In that Noah tacriflced, be showed himself thankful ; In that Noah worshipped he showed himself goilf. In
that he oflbred clean beasta, he showed that God Is an Aa/y Gud. And all that come to God, must be pure and dean>
Know liiat we must, by repentance, purge our selves ; which Is the work we are to do thia day.

* Without a formula, because ftoro the heart.

It ;

570

MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

mens and those in church order) every Lord's day meet together; the pastor or preacher
always begins witli prayer, and without a form, because from the heart; when the ruler of the
assembly has ended prayer, the whole congregation of Indians praise God with singing;
some of tliem are excellent singers: after the psalm, he that preaches reads a pluce of Scrip.
ture, (one or more verses as he will,) and expounds it, gathers doctrines from it, proves them
by scriptures and reasons, and infers uses from them after the manner of the English, of
whom they have been taught; then another prayer to God in the mime of Cliri.st concludes
the whole service. Thus do they meet together twice every Lord's day. They observe no
holy-days but the Lord's day, except upon some extraordinary occasion ; and then they sol-
emnly set apart whole days, either giving thanks or fasting and praying with great fervour
of mind.

Before the English cnme into these coasts these b.arbarous nations were altogether igno.
rant of the true God ; hence it is that in their prayers and sermons they use Englitnh words
and terms; he that calls upon the most holy name of God, says, Jehovah, or God, or Lord,
and also they have learned and borrowed many other theological phrases from us.

In short, "There arc six churches of baptized Indians in New>Englund, and eighteen
assemblies of catechumens, professing the name of Christ : of the Indians there are t'our-
and-twenty who are preachers of the word of God, and besides these there are four Eiig.

"Noah Bacrlflcod and go worehlpped. This wag the manner of old time. Dut what iacr\fieef have wo now to
offer? I shall answer by that in Pi>»l. iv. 5: >O0tT to God the luicriflce of righteuuimess, and put your trust in tlio
Lord.' These are the true spiritual sacrifices which Uud rcquireth at our hands, > the sacrifices of rlghtcousncHS ;*
that is, we must look to our hearts and wuys that they be righteous, and then we shall be acceptable to God wliun
we worship him. But if we be unrighteous, unholy, ungodly, we ehnll not be accepted : oiu* sacrifices will
be sturk naught. Again, we are 'to put our trust In the Lord.' Who else is there for us to trust in 7 We must
believe in the word of God ; if we doubt of God, or doubt of his word, our sacriflcos are little worth : but if we
triut stedfustly in God, our sacriflces will be good.

"Once more, what «acrf/!cM must we offer? My answer Is, we must offer such as Abraham offered. And what
a sacrifice was that? We are told in Gen. xxii, IS, 'Now I know that thou feoroel me, seeing thou hast not with-
held thy Bun, thy only son trom me.' It seems he hud but one dearly beloved son, and ho offered that son to Gml ;
and so God said, ' I know thou fearest mel' Behold, a sacrifice indeed ami in truth 1 such an one munt we
offer. Only, God requires not us to sacrifice our sons, but our sins — our dearest sins. God calls us this day to
part with all our sins, though never so beloved ; and we must not withhold any of them from him. If wo will nut
part with alt, the sacrifice is not right. Let us part with such sins as wo love best, and it will be a good sacriflcu!

" God smelt a sweet savour in Noah's sacrifice; and so will God receive our sacriflcoi*, when we worship him
Bright. Itut how did God manifest his occeptance of Noah's offerini;? It was by promising to drown the world
no mure, but give ns fruitful seasons. God has chastised us of late, as if he would utterly ilroan us ; and lie has
drowned and spoiled aud ruined a great deal of our huy, and threatens to kill our cattel. It is for this thiit wo/asC
and pray this day Let us then offer a clean and pure sacrifice, as Nonh did ; so God will smell a savour of rest,
and ho will w ithhold the rain, and bless us with such fruitful seasons as we are desiring of him."

Thus preached an Indian called Nishokon, obove thirty years ago ; and since that, I suppose,
they have grown a little further into the New-English way of preaching: you may have in their
sermons, a Kakkootomwehteaonkilhax if, n doctrine; Nnhtootomwehteaunk, or question; a Sam-
pooaonk, or an anauier; Witcheayeuonk, or a reason; with an Ouwoteank, or an use for the close
of all.

As for holy-days, you may take it for granted our Eliot would not perswade his Indians to any
stated one. Even the Christian festival itself, he knew to be a stranger unto the apostolical
time ; that the exquisite Voshus himself acknowledges it was not celebrated in the first or second
century ; and that there is a truth in the words of the great Cheminitius, Anniversarium Diem
Natalis Christi, celebratum fuisse, apud vetustissimos nunquam legitur.* He knew that if the
"day of our Lord's nativity" were to be observed, it should not be in Decetnber; that many churches
for divers ages kept it not in December, but in January ; that Chrysostom himself, about four hun-
dred years after our Saviour, exquses the novelty of the December season for it, ond confesses it hnd
not been kept above ten years at Constantinople: no, that it should rather be in September, in which
month the Jews kept the feast that was a type of our Lord's Incarnation ; and Soionuin also brought
the ark into the temple ; for our Lord was thirty years old when he entred upon his puMic minis-

* It nowhere appears among the earliest writers, that the birth^liiy of our Lord was cclubrated,

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

571

lish ministera, who preach the gospel in the Indian tongue." (') I nm now my self weary
with writing, and I fear lest, if I should add more, I should also be tedious to you; yet one

try ; and he continued in it " three years and an half." Now, his death was in March, and it is easy
then to calculate when his birth ought to be. He knew that indeed God had hid this day as he
did the body of Moses, to prevent idolatry; but that antichrist had chose this day, to accommodate
the Pagans in their licentious and their debauched Saturnalia; and that a Tertnllian would not
stick to say, " Shall we Chrittiant, who have nothing to do with the festivals of the Jews, which
were once of divine institution, embrace the Saturnalia of the heathens? How do the Gentiles
shame us, who are more true to their religion than we are to ours? None of them will observe the
Lord's day, for fear lest they should be Christiana; and shall not we then, by observing their festi-
vals, fear lest we be made Ethnicks!" In fine, it was his opinion that for us to have stated holy-
days which are not appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ, is a deep reflection upon the wi- Jora of that
glorious Lord ; and he brought up his Indians in the principles which the old Walden^-d had about
such unwarrantable holy-days.

Nevertheless, he taught them to set apart their days for both fasting and prayer, and for feasting
and prayer, when there should be extraordinary occasions for them ; and they perforni the duties
of these days with a very laborious piety. One party of the Indians long since, of their own accord,
kept a day of supplication together, wherein one of them discoursed upon Psal. Ixvi. 7: " He rules
by his power for ever, his eyes behold the nations, let not the rebellious exalt themselves." And
when one asked them afterwards what was the reason of their keeping of such a day, thi-y replied,
" It was to obtain five mercies of God :"

<> First, that God would slay the rebollion of their hearts. Next, that thny might love God and one another.
Thirdly, that they might withstand the temptations i><° wicked men, no lliat they might not bo drawn back rrom
God. Fourthly, that they might bo obudiu'<: unto the cuuiicils and commands of tliuir ruiors. Fil'ihly, that lliuy
might have their sing dune awuy by th-^ redomptiun of Jeans Christ; and lastly, that they might walk iu the good
ways of the Lord."

I must here embrace my opi>ortunity to tell the world, that our cautious Eliot was far from the
opinion of those who have thought it not only warrantable, but also cnnmendable, to adopt some
heathenish usages into the worship of God, for the more easy and speedy gaining of the heathen
to that worship. The policy of treating the Pagan rites as the Jews were wont to do captives
before they married them, to shave their hair and pare their nails, our Eliot counted as ridiculous
as pernicious. He knew that the idolatries and abominations of Popery were founded in this way
of proselyting the barbarous nations, which made their descent upon the Roman empire ; -and he
looked upon the like methods which the Protestants have used, that they might ingratiate themselves
with the Papists, and that our separation from them should become the less dangerous and sensible,
to be the most sensible and dangerous wound of the reformation. Wherefore, as no less a man
than Dr. Henry Moor says about our compliances with the Papists, which are a sort of Pagans,
" Their conversion and salvation being not to be compassed by needless symbolizing with them in
any thing, I conceive our besi policy is studiously to imitate them in nothing; but, for all indifferent
things, to think rather the worse of them for their using of them, as no person of honour would will-
ingly go in the known garb of infamous persons. Whatsoever we court them in, they do but turn
it to our scorn and contempt, and are the more hardened in their own wickedness." To act upon
this pri.iciple, is the design and glory of New-England ! And our Eliot was of this perswasion, when
he brought his Indians to a pure, plain Scripture worship. He would not gratify them with a
Samaritan sort of blended, mixed worship; and he imagined, as well he might, that the Apostle
Paul's first Epistle to the Corinthians had enough in it for ever to deter us all from such unchristian
and unhappy temporizing.

(•). A Comparison between what the New-Englanders have done for the Conversion of the
Indians, and what has been done elsewhere by the Roman Catholicks. — It is to be confessed, that
the Roman Catholicks have a clergy so very numerous, and so little encumbred, and are masters of
such prodigious ecclesiastical revenues, as renders it very easy for them to exceed the Protestants
in their endeavours to Christianize the Pagan salvages. Nor would I reproach, but rather applaud
their industry in this matter, wishing that we were all touched with an emulation of it. Never-
theless, while I commend their industry, they do by their clamours ngain-n the reformed churches

ii ■
■'I

672

MAGMALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

thing I must odd, which I had almost forgot, that there are many of the Indians' children
who have learned by heart the catechism, either of that famous divine William Perkins, or

upon this account oblige me to tax divers very scandalous things in the mUtiona which they make
pro propaganda fide* throughout the world ; and therewithal to compare what has been done by
that little handful of reformed churches in this country, which has in divers regards outdone the
furthest efforts of Popery.

The attainment$ which with God's help we have carried up our Indians unto, are the chief hon-
our and glory of our labours with them. The reader will smile, perhaps, when I tell him that, by
an odd accident, there are lately fallen into my hands the manuscriptsof a Jeeui"' whom the French
employed as a missionary among the western Indians ; in which papers there ii , both a cateehitm,
containing the principles which those heathens are to be instructed in ; and cases of conteienee,
referring to their conversations. The catechism, which is in the Iroquoise language, (a language
remarkable for this, that there is not so much as one labial in it,) with a translation annexed, has
ont chapter about heaven and another about hell, wherein are such thick-skulled passages os these :

Q. How Is the sojrl made in heaven T

A. Tis s very fair soyi, they want neither for meats nor ctoatks ; 'lis but »iiki»gy and we have thom.
Q. Are they employed In heaven f

A. No, they do nothing ; the flelds yield com, t>eans, pumpkins, and the lilte, without any tiliago,
Q. What aort of trees are there f
A. Always green, Aill, and flourishing.

Q. Have they In heaven the same sun, the same wind, the sape thunder that we have heref
A. No, the «uK ever shines ; it is always fair weather.
Q. But how their n-ultsf

A. In lUs one quality they exceed ours: that they are neecr ita»ted; you have no sooner plucked one, but yon
see another presently hanging in its room.

And after this rate goes on the catechism concerning heaven. Concerning hell, it thus discourses:

Q. What sort of a soyI is that of hell ?

A. A very wretched soyi ; 'tis % fiery pit. In the center of the earth.

Q. Have they any light in hell f [Ing but the devils.

A. No. Tls always dark ; there Is always $moke there ; their eyes are always in pain with it ; they can see notl>-
Q. What shaped things are the devils?

A. Very lU-ehaped things ; they go about with viiard$ on, and they terriiy men.
Q. What do they eat In hell?

A. They are always kurtgry, but the damned feed on hot oMhtt and serpents there.
Q. What water have they to drink f
A. Horrid water; nothing but netted lead,
Q. Don't tl.ey die in hollt

A. No: yet they eat one another every day; but anon, God restores and renews the man that was eaten, as a
crept plant in a little time repuUulates.

It seems they have not thought this divinity too gross for the barbarians. But I shall make no
reflections on it ; only add one or two cases of conscience, from their directory.

It is one of their weighty cases," Whether a Christian be bound to pay his whore her hire or no?"
To this Father Brutas answers, " Though he be bound in justice to do it, yet inasmuch as the bar-
barians [and you must suppose their whores to be such] use to keep no faith in such matters, the
Christians may chuse whether they will keep any too." But Father Pierron, with a most profound
learning, answers, " He is not bound unto it at all ; inasmuch as no man thinks himself bound to pay
a witch that has enchanted him ; and this business is pretty much a kin to that." — Another of their
difficult cases is, " Whether an Indian stealing on hntchet from c Dutch-man be bound to make
restitution? And it is very conscientiously determined, that if the Dutch-man be one that has used
any trade with other Indians, the thief is not bound unto any restitution ; for it is certain he gains
more by such a trade than the value of many hatchets in a year."

I will tire my reader with no more of this wretched stuff. But let him understand that the pros-
elyted Indians of New-England have been instructed at a more noble rate ; we have helped them
to the "sincere milk of the word;" we have given them the whole Bible in their own language:
we have laid before them such a creed as the primitive believers had, with such explications as we
embark our own souls upon the assurance of. And God has blessed our education of these poor

* For propagating the (Utb.

OB, THE UISTORT OF NEW-ENGLAND.

578

that put forth by the assembly of divines at Westminster, and in their own mother tongue
can answer to all the questions in it.

creatures in such a meaaure, that they can pray and preach to better edification (give me leave to
say it) than muititudea of the Romish-clergymen. We could have baptised many troops of Indiana,
if we would have used no other measures with them, than the Roman Catholicks did upon theirs
at Maryland, where they baptised a great crew of Indians, in some new ahirts.heetov/td upon them
to encourage them thereunto ; but the Indians, in a week or two, not knowing how to wash their
shirts when they were grown foul, came and made a motion that the Roman Catholicks would give
more ahirt$ to them, or else they would renounce their baptism. No, it is a thorough-paced Chrit'
tianity, without which we have not imagined our Indiakis Christianized.

Nor have we been acted with a Roman Catholick avarice, and falsity, and cruelty in prosecut-
ing of our conversions ; it is the spiirit of an Eliot, that has all along directed us. It is a npecimen
of the Popish avarice thut their missionaries are very rarely employed but where 4eeer and tilver
and vast riehet are to oe thereby gained ; their ministry is but a sort of engine to enrich Europeans
with the treasures of 'he Indies ; thus one escaped from captivity among the Spaniards told me,
that the Spanish riars had carried their gospel into the spacious country of California, but finding
the Indians there ict be extremely poor, they quickly gove over the work, because forsooth "such a
poor nation was not wotth converting." Whereas the New-Englanders could expect nothing from
their Indians. We are to feed them and cloath them, rather than receive any thing from them,
when we bring them home to God, Again, the Popish falsity disposes them to so much legerde-
main in their applications, as is very disagreeable to the spirit and progress of the gospel. My
worthy friend. Mynheer Dellius, who has been sedulous and successful in his ministry among the
Maquas, assures me that a French predicator, having been attempting to bring over those Indians
uiK *he interest (not of our Saviour so much as) of Canada, at last, for a cure of their infidelity,
iv 'd '• -im he would give them a sign of God's displeasure at them for it : (Ae sun should such a day
'■I yri out. This terrified them at a sad rate, and with great admiration and expectation they told
the Dutch of what was to come to poss; the Dutch replied, " This was no more than every child
among them could foretel ; they all knew there would then be an eclipse of the sun ; but (said they)
epeak to Monsieur, that he would get the sun extinguished a day before, or a day after, what he
snoke of, and if he can do that, believe him." When the Indians thus understood what a trick the
French-man would have put upon them, they became irrcconcilcably prejudiced against all his
offers ; nor have the French been since able to gain much upon that considerable people. The
New-Englanders have used no such stratagems and knaveries; it is the pure light of truth, which
is all that has been used for the affecting of the rude people whom it wos easy to have cheated
into our profession. Much less have we used that Popish cruelly which the natives of America
have by some other people been treated with. Even a bishop of their own hath published very
tragical histories of the Spanish cruelties upon the Indians of this western world. Such were those
cruelties, that the Indians at length declared, " they had rather go to hell with their ancestors, thon
to the same heaven which the Spaniards pretended unto." It is indeed impossible to reckon up
the various and exquisite barborities with which these execrable Spaniards murdered in less than
fifty years no less than fifty millions of the Indians ; it seems this was their way of bringing them
into the sheepfold of our merciful Jesus! But, on the other side, the good people of New-England
have corried it with so much tenderness towards the tawny creotures among whom we live, that
they would not own so much as one foot of land in the country, without a fair purchase ond consent
from the natives that loid claim unto it ; albeit, we had a royal charter from the King of Great-
Britain to protect us in our settlement upon this continent.

I suppose it was in revenge upon us for this conscientiousness, that the late oppressors of New-
England acknowledged no man to have any title at all unto one foot of land in ail our colony.
But we did and we do think, notwithstanding the banters of those tories, that the Indians had not
by their Pagonism so forfeited all right unto any of their possessions, that the first pr^; ended Chris-
tians that could, might violently and yet honestly seize upon them. Instead of this, ihe people of
New-England, knowing that some of the English were sufficiently covetous and encrooching, ond
that the Indians in streights are easily prevailed upon to sell their lands, made a low, " That none
should purchase, or so much as receive any land of the Indians, without the allowance of the court."

574

MAGNALIA CHK18TI AMERICANA;

But I must end. I salute the famous professors in your university, to whom I desire yoii
to communicate this letter, as written to them also.

Yea, and aome l-nds which were peculiarly convenient for the Indians, our people, who were more
careful of them than they were of themselves, made a law, " that they should never be bought out
of their hands." I suppose after this it would surprise mankind, if they should hear such wonder-
ful creatures as our late secretary Randolph affirming, " This barbarous people were never civilly
treated by the late government, who made it their business to encroach upon their lands, and by
degrees to drive them out of all." But how many other laws we made in favour of the Indians,
it is not easy to reckon up.

It was one of our laws, " That for the further encouragement of the hopeful work among them,
for the civilizing and Christianizing of them, any Indian that should be brought unto civility, and
come to live orderly in any English plantation, should have such allotments among the English, as
the English had themselves. And that if a competent number of them should so come on to civil-
ity as to be copable of a township, the General Court should grant them lands for a plantation ar<
they do unto the English," although we had already bought up their claims unto our lands. We
likewise had our laws, " That if any of our cattle did any damage to their corn, we should make
them ample satisfaction ; and that we should give them all manner of assistance in fencing of their
fields." And because the Indians are excessively given unto the vice of drunkennesa, which was
a vice unknown to them until the English brought strong drink in their way, we have had a severe
law against all selling or giving any intoxicating liquors to them. It were well if this law were
more severely executed.

By this time I hope I have stopped the calumnious exclamations of the Roman Catholicks against
the churches of the reformation, for neglecting to evangelize the natives of the Indies. But let mc
take this occasion to address the Christian Indians of my own country, into some of whose hands,
it is likely, this little book may come:

T " Behold, ye Indians, what love, wha;' care, what cost, has been used by the English here, for
tlje salvation of your precious and immortul souls. It is not because we have expected any tem-
poral advantage from you that we have been thus concerned for your good ; no, it is God that has
caused us to desire his glory in your salvation ; and our hearts have bled with pity over you, when
we have seen how horribly the devil oppressed you in this, and destroyed you in another world. It
is much that has been done for you ; we have put you 'nto a way to be happy both on earth while
you live, and in heaven when you die. What can you think will become of you, if you slight all
these glorious offers! Melhinks you should say to your selves, Vttoh weh kittinne peh quoh kumu-
nan mishanantamog nc mohsag teadchanittuonk .' You all believe that your teacher Eliot was a
good and a brave man, and you would count it your blessedness to be for ever with him. Never-
theless, I am to tell you, that if you do'nt become real, and thorough, and holy Christians, you shall
never have a comfortable sight of him any more. You know how he hos fed you, and cloathcd
you, as well as taught you ; you know how his bowels yearned over you, even as though you had
been his children, when he saw any afflictions come upon you? but if he find you among the
wicked, in the day of judgment, which he so often warned you of, he will then be a dreadful witness
against you, and when the Lord Jesus passes that sentence on you, ' Depart ye cursed into ever-
lasting fi'e, with the devil and his angels,' even your own Eliot will then say amen anto it all.
Now, io deal plainly with you, there are two vices which many of you are too prone unto, and
which are utterly inconsistent with a true Christianity. One of those vices, is that of idleness.
If you had a disposition to follow an honest calling, what should hinder you from growing as con-
siderable in your estates as many of your English neighbours? whereas, you are now poor, mean,
ragged, stap'ed, contemptible and miserable ; and instead of being able, as your English iicigh-
bours do, to support the ordinances of God, you are beholden to them, not o'liy for maintaining
of those blessed ordinances among you, but for many other kindnesses. And have you inaeed
forgot the commandment of God, which has been so often laid before you, 'Six days shall thou
labour?' For shame, apply your selves to such labour as may bring you into more handsome cir-
cumstances. But the other of these vices is that of drunkenness. There are godly English
neighbours, of whom you should lenrn to pray; but there ore some of you that learn to drink,
of other profane, debauched English neighbourr. Poor creature.«, it ia by this iniquity that Satan

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

576

Farewel, worthy sir; the Lord preserve your health for the benefit of your country, his
church, and of learning. Yours over, Increase Mather.

BoiUm in JfewEngland, July 13, 1687.

Still keeps poBsession of many souls among you, as much as if you were still in all your woful
heathenism; and how often have you been told, 'Drunkards shall not inherit the king-lorn of
God)' I beseech you to be sensible of the mischiefs to which this thing exposes you, and never
dream of escaping the 'vengeance of eternal iire,' if you indulge your selves in this accursed thing.
" I have done, when I have wished that the gospel of the Lord Jesua may always ' run and be
glorified among you!'"

THE CONCLUSION; OR, ELIOT EXPIRING.

By this time, I have doubtless made my reader loth to have me tell
what now remains of this little history; doubtless they are wishing that
this John might have "tarried unto the second coming of our Lord."
But, alas! all-devouring death at last snatched him from us, and slighted
all those ' lamentations of ours, "My father, my father, the chariots of
Israel, and the horsemen thereof I"

"When he was become a sort of Miles Emeritus, and began to draw near
his end, he grew still more heavenly, more savoury, more divine, and
scented more of the spicy country at which he was ready to put ashore.
As the historian observes of Tiberius, that when his life and strength
were going from him, his vice yet remained with him; on the contrary,
the grace of this excellent man rather increased than abated, when every
thing else was dying with him. It is too usual with old men, that when
they are past worky they are least sensible of their inabilities and incapa-
cities, and can scarce endure to see another succeeding them in any part
of their office. But our Eliot was of a temper quite contrary thereunto;
for finding, many months before his expiration, that he had not strength
enough to edify his congregation with publick prayers and syrmons, he
importuned his people with some impatience to call another minister;
professing himself unable to die with comfort until he could see a good
successor ordained, settled, fixed among them. For this cause he also
cried mightily unto the Lord Jesus Christ, our ascended Lord, that he
would give such a gi/i unto Koxbury, and he sometimes called his whole
town together to join with him in a fust for such a blessing. As the
return of their supplications, our Lord quickly bestowed upon them a
person young in years, but^ld in discretion, gravity and experience ; and
one whom the church of Eoxbury hopes to find "a pastor after God's
own heart."

It was Mr. Nehemiah "Walter, who being by the unanimous vote and
choice of the church there become the pastor of Eoxbury, immediately
found the venerable Eliot embracing and cherishing of him with the ten-
der affections of a father. The good old man, like old Aaron, as it were,

'■•»

t M

i i

676

MAONALIA OHRISTI AHEBI0AI7A;

disrobed himself with an unspeakable satisfaction when he beheld his
garments put upon a son so dear unto him. After this, he for a year or
two before his translation could scarce be perswaded unto any pullick ser-
vice, but humbly pleaded, what none but he would ever have said, "It
would be a wrong to the souls of the people, for him to do any thing
among them, when they were supplied so much to theilr advantage other-
wise." If I mistake not, the last that ever he preached was on a publick
fast, when he fed his people with a very distinct and useful exposition
upon the eighty-third psalm ; and he concluded with an apology, begging
his hearers to pardon the poorness, and meanness, and brokenness, (as he
called it) of his meditations; but, added he, "My dear brother here will
by'nd by mend all."

But although he thus dismissed himself, as one so near to the age of
ninety might well have done, from his publick labours, yet he would not
give over his endeavours, in a more private sphere, to "do good unto
all." He had always been an enemy to idleness; any one that should
look into the little diary that he kept in his Almanacks, would see that
there was with him, "no day without a line;" and he was troubled par-
ticularly wiien he saw how much time was devoured by that slavery to
tobacco, which too many debase themselves unto; and now he grew old,
he was desirous that his works should hold pace with his K/e; the less
time he saw lejl, the less was he willing to have lost. He imagined that
he could now do nothing to any purpose in any service for God; and
sometimes he would say, with an air peculiar to himself, "I wonder for
what the Lord Jesus Christ lets me live; he knows that now I can do
nothing for him I" And yet he could not forbear essaying to do something
for his Lord ; he conceived that though the English could not be benefited
by any gifts which he now fancied himself to have only the ruins of, yet
who can tell but the negroes might 1 He had long lamented it, with a
bleeding and a burning passion, that the English used their negroes but as
their horses or their oxen, and that so little care was taken about their
immortal souls; he looked upon it as a prodigy that any wearing the
name of Christians, should so much have the heart of devils in them, as to
prevent and hinder the instruction of the poor blackamores, and confine
the souls of their miserable slaves to a destroying ignorance, meerly for
fear of thereby losing the benefit of their vassalage; but now he made a
motion to the English within two or three miles of him, that at such a
time and place they would send their negroe»once a week unto him: for
he would then catechise thenj, and enlighten them, to the utmost of his
power in the things of their everlasting peace. Hovirever, he did not live
to make much progress in this undertaking.

At length, when he was able to do little without doors, he tryed then to
do something within ; and one thing was this: A young boy in the neigh-
bourhood had in his infancy fallen into a fire, so as to burn himself into

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

677

a perfect blindness; but this boy being now grown to some bigness, the
good old man took him home to his house, with some intentions to make
a scholar of him. He first informed him of and from the Scripture, in
which the boy so profited, that in a little time he could even repeat many
whole chapters verbatim, and if any other in reading missed a word, he
would mind them of it; yea, and an ordinary piece of Latin was become
easy to the lad; but having his own eyes closed by death, he could no
longer help the poor child against the want of his.

Thus, as the aged Polycarp could say, " These eighty-six years have I
served my Lord Jesus Christ; and he has been such a good master to me
all this while, that I will not now forsake him." Such a Polycarp was
our Eliot; he had been so many years engaged in the sweet service of
the Lord Jesus Christ, that he could not now give it over: it was his ambi-
tion and his privilege "to bring forth fruit in old age;" and what venera-
tion the church of Smyrna paid unto that angel of theirs, we were upon
the like accounts willing to give unto this "man of God."

While he was thus making his retreat out of this evil world, his dis-
courses from time to time ran upon "the coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ;" it was the theme which he still had recourse unto, and we were
sure to have something of this, whatever other subject he were upon.
On this he talked, on this he prayed, for this he longed, and especially
when any bad news arrived, his usual reflection thereupon would be,
"Behold some of the clouds in which we must look for the coming of
the Son of man," At last his Lord, for whom he had been long wishing
— "Lord, come! I have been a great while ready for thy coming" — at last,
I say, his Lord came and fetched him away into the "joy of his Lord."

He fell into some languishments attended with a fever, which in a few
days brought him into the pangs (may I say? or joys) of death; and while
he lay in these, Mr. Walter coming to him, he said unto him, "Brother,
thou art welcome to my very soul. Pray retire to thy study for me, and
give mo leave to be gone ;" meaning that he should not, by petitions to
Heaven for his life, detain him here. It was in these languishments that,
speaking about the work of the gospel among the Indians, he did after
tins heavenly manner express himself: "There is a cloud, (said he) a dark
cloud upon the work of the gospel among t,he poor Indians. The Lord
revive and prosper that work, and grant it myy live when I am dead. It
is a work which I have been doing much and long about. — But what was
the word I .spoke last? I recall that word, ir.y doinys! Alas, they have
been poor Jind small, and lean doing, and I'll be the man that shall throw
the first stone at them all."

It has been observed that they who have spoke many considerable
things in their ZiVes, usually speak few at their deaths. But it was other-
wise with our Eliot, who, after much speech of and for God in his life-
time, uttered some things little short oi oracles on his death-bed, which 'tis
Vol. I.— 37

Ilh

ill

578

MAQMALIA CUBISTI AMERICANA;

a thousand pities they were not more exactly regarded and recorded.
Those authors that have taken the pains to collect ApophOiegmata Mori'
entum,^ have not therein been unserviceable to the living; but the Apo-
phthegms of % dying Eliot must have had in them a grace and a strain
truly extraordinary; and indeed the vulgar error of the signal sweetness
in the song of a dying awan, was a very truth in our expiring Eliot; his
last breath smelt strong of heaven, and was articled into none but very
gracious notes; one of the last whereof was, " Welcome joy 1" and at last
it went away, calling upon the standers by to "Pray, pray, pray I " which
was the thing in which so vast a portion of it had been before employed.

This was the peace in the end of this "perfect and upright man;" thus
was there another star fetched away to be placed among the rest that the
third heaven is now enriched with. He had once, I think, a pleasant fear
that tho old saints of his acquaintance, especially those two dearest neigh-
bours of his, Cotton of Boston, and Mather of Dorchester, which were
got safe to heaven before him, would suspect him to be gone the wrong
way, because he staid so long behind them. But they are now together
with a blessed Jesus, "beholding of his glory," and celebrating the high
praises of him that has "called them into his marvellous light." Whether
heaven was any more heaven to him, because of his finding there so many
saints with whom he once had his desirable intimacies — ^yea, and so many
saints which had been the seals of his own ministry in this lower world —
I cannot say; but it would be heaven enough unto him to go unto that
Jesus whom ho had loved, preached, served, and in whom he had been
long assured there does all fulness dwell. In that heaven I now leave
him; not without Gryn&3us' pathetical exclamations, [0 beatum ilium
dietn/] "Blessed will be the day, blessed the day of our arrival to the
glorious assembly of spirits, which this great saint is now rejoicing withl"

Bereaved New-England, where are thy tears at this ill-boding funeral?
We had a tradition among us, "That the country could never perish as
long as Eliot was alive." But into whose hands must this Ilippo fall,
now the Austin of it is taken away? Our Elisha is gone, and now wlio
must "next year invade the land?" Tho Jews have a saying, Quamlo
Luminaria patiwitur EcUpsin^ malum signum est mtcndo^f but I am sure it
is a dismal eclij^se that has now befallen our New-England world. I con-
fess many of the ancients fell into the vanity of esteeming the reliques of
the dead saints to be the towers and ramjia^'ts of the places that enjoyed
them; a,id the dead bodies of two apostles in the city made the poet
cry ou^;,

A Facie Hostili duo propugnaeula pratunt, t

If the dust of dead saints could give us any protection, we are not
without it; here is a spot of American soyl that will afford a rich crop

* ApophUiogini of the dying. t When the groat luminaries undurgo an eollpte, it It a bad tigti for mankind.
X Two bulwarks guard us flrom the opproaching foe.

sion

I 'l'

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

679

11. .

of it at the "resurrection of the just." Poor New-England has been as
Glastenbury of old was called, "a burying place of saints." But we can-
not see a more terrible prognostick than tombs filling apace with such
bones as those of the renowned Eli jt's; the whole building of this coun-
try trembles at the fall of such a pillar.

For many months before he dyed, he would often chearfuUy tell us,
" That he was shortly going to heaven, and that he would carry a deal
of good news thither with him; he said, he would carry tidings to the
old founders of New-England, which were now in glory, that church-
work was yet carried on among us; that the number of our churches
was continually encreasing; and that the churches were still kept as
big as they were, by the daily additions of those that shall be saved."
But the going of such as he from us, will apace diminish the occasions of
such happy tidings.

What shall we now say? Our Eliot himself used most affectionately
to bewail the death of all useful men ; yet if one brought him the notice
of such a thing with any despondencies, or said, *' O, sir, such an one is
dead, what shall we do?" he would answer, "Well, but God lives, Christ
lives, the old Saviour of New-England yet lives, and he will reign till all
his enemies are made his footstool." This, and only this, consideration
have we to relieve us; and let it be accompanied with our addresses to the
"God of the spirits of all flesh," that there may be Timothies raised up
in the room of our departed Pauls; and that when our Moses's are gone,
the spirit which was in those brave men may be put upon the surviving
" elders of our Israel."

The last thing that ever our Eliot put off was, "the care of all the
churches," which with a most apostolical and evangelical temper he was
continually solicitous about. When the churches of New-England were
under a very uncomfortable prospect, by the advantage which men that
sought the mine of those golden and holy and reformed societies had
obtained against them, God put it into the heart of one well known in
these churches to take a voyage into England, that he might by his medi-
ations at Whitehall divert the storms that were impending over us. It is
not easy to express what affection our aged Eliot prosecuted this under-
taking with ; and what thanksgiving he rendered unto God for any hopeful
successes of it. But because one of the last tiq;ies, and, for ought I know,
the last of his ever setting pen to paper in the world, was upon this occa-
sion; I shall transcribe a short letter, which was written by the shaking
hand that had heretofore by loriting deserved so well from the Church of
God, but was now taking its leave of writing for ever. It was written to
the person that was engaging for us, and thus it ran:

"Reverend AND Be:.oved Mr. Increase Mather: I cannot write. Read Neh. ii. 10:
When Stinballat the Horonite, and Tobijah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it; it grieved
them exceedingly, that there was come a man to seek the welfure of tlie children of Isr.ie'i

\\ f

> !-

580

MAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

**L»t thy bleued aoul feed full and fat upon this and other scriptures.
I leave to other men; and rest,

All other things

" Your loving Brother,

"JoHB Eliot."

These two or three lines manifest the "care of the churches" which
breathed in this great old man, as long as he had a breath to draw in the
world. And since he has left few like him for a comprehensive and uni-
versal regard unto the prosperity of all the flocks in this wilderness, wo
have little now to comfort us in the loss of one so like a patriarch among
us, but only this, that our poor churches, it may be hoped, have still some
interest in the cares of our Lord Jesus Christ, *• Who walks in the midst
of the golden candlesticks." Lord ! make our churches and keep them yet
golden candlesticks ! Amen.

But I have not obtained tho md of this history, nor may I let this history
come to an end, until I do with some importunity bespeak the endeavours
of good men every where to labour in that harvest which the blessed
Eliot justly counted worthy of his utmost pains and cares. It was the
confession of Themistocles, that the victory of Miltiades would not lot
him sleep in quietness; may those of our Eliot raise a like emulation in
those that have now seen the life of this evangelical hero I One Robert
Baily (a true son of Epiphanius) many years ago published a book, wherein
several gross lies, by which the name of that John Cotton, who was known
to be one of the holiest men then alive, was most injuriously made odious
unto the churches abroad, were accompanied with some reflections upon
poor New-England, whereof this was one: "The way of their churches
hath most exceedingly hindred the conversion of the poor pagans: of all
that ever crossed the American seas, they are noted as most neglectful of
the work of conversion." We have now seen those aspersions and cal-
umnies abundantly wiped away. But let that which has been the vindi-
cation of New-England, be also the emulation of the world; let not poor
little New-England be the only Protestant country that shall do any nota-
ble thing for "the propagation of the faith," unto those "dark corners of
the earth which are full of cruel habitations." But the addresses of so
mean a person as my self are like to prevail but little abroad with men of
learning and figure in the world. However, I shall presume to utter my
wishes in the sight of my ilBaders; and it is possible that the great God,
who "despises not the prayer of the poor," may, by the infloences of his
Holy Spirit upon the hearts of some whose eyes are upon these lines, give
a blessed answer thereunto.

Wherefore, may the people of New-England, who have seen so sensible
a difference between the estates of those that sell drink and of those that
preach truth nnto the miserable salvages among them,. as that even this
alone might inspire them, yet from a nobler consideration than that of
their own outward prosperilij tliereby advanced, be encouraged still to pros-

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

681

ecute, first the civilizing, and then the Christian izing of the barbarians in
tlieir neighbourhuod ; and may the New-Englanders be 80 far politick, as
well as religious, as particularly to make a mission of the gospel unto the
mighty nations of the Western Indians, whom the French have been of
late so studiously, but so unsuccessfully tampering with; lest those horrid
pagans, who lately (us it is credibly affirmed) had such a measure of devil-
ism and insolence in them, as to shoot a volley of great and small shot
against the heavens, in revenge upon "the man in the heavens," as tliey
called our Lord, whom they counted the author of the heavy calamities
which newly have distressed them ; be found spared by our long-suffering
Lord, [who then indeed presently tore the ground asunder, with immediate
and horrible thunders from heaven round abbut them, but killed them nott]
for a scourge to us, that have not used our advantages to make a vertuous
people of them. If a King of the West Saxons long since ascribed all the
disasters on any of their affairs to negligencies in this point, methinks the
New-Englanders may not count it unreasonable in this way to seek their
own prosperity. Shall we do what we can that our Lord Jesus Christ may
bestow upon America (which may more justly be called Columha*) that
salutation, "0 my dovel'"

May the several plantations, that live upon the labours of their negroes,
no more be guilty of such a prodigious wickedness as to deride, neglect,
and oppose all due means of bringing their poor negroes unto our Lord;
but may the masters (of whom God will one day require the souls of the
slaves committed unto them) see to it that, like Abraham, they have "cat-
echised servants;" and not imagine that the Almighty God made so many
thousands of reasonable creatures for nothing, but only to serve the lusts
of Epicures, or the gains of Mammonists; lest the God of heaven, out of
meer^%, if not justice, unto those unhappy blacks, he provoked unto a
vengeance which may not without horrour be thought upon. Lord, when
shall we see Ethiopians read thy Scriptures with understanding!

May the English nation do what may be done, that the Welch may not
be destroyed for the lack of knowledge, lest our indisposition to do for
their souls bring upon us all those judgments of Heaven which Gildas
their country-man once told them that they suffered for their disregards
unto ours; and may the nefandous massacres of the English by the Irish
awaken the English to consider whether they have done enough to reclaim
the Irish from the Popish bigotries and abominations with which they
have been intoxicated I ,

May the several factories and companies whose concerns lie in Asia,
Africa, or America, be perswaded, as Jacob once, and before him his
grandfather Abraham was, that they always owe unto God certain propor-
tions of their possessions, by the \ionQsX payments of which little quit-rents,
they would certainly secure and enlarge their enjoyment of the principal;

i! 1

J':!. I

* A dove.

682

MAONALIA CIIRIBTI AMERICANA;

but that they are under a very particular obligation to communicato of
our apiritual things unto those heathens by whose carnal things they aro
enriched; and may they therefore make it their study to employ some able
and pious ministers, for the instruction of those infidels with whom they
have to deal, and honourably support such ministers in that employniuntl

May the poor Greeks, Armenians, Muscovites, and others, 1 1 the eaatcru
countries, wearing the name of Christians, that have little preaching and
no printing, and few Bibles or good books, now at last be furnished with
Bibles, orthodox catechisms, and practical treatises by the charity of Eng-
land; and may our presses provide good store of good books for them,
in their own tongues, to be scattered among them. Who knows what
convulsions might be hastened upon the whole Mahometan world by suoh
an extensive charity I

May sufficient numbers of great, wise, rich, learned, and godly men in
the three kingdoms, procure well-composed societies, by whose united coun-
sels, the noble design of evangelizing the world may be more effectually
carried on: and if some generous persons will of their own accord com-
bine for such consultations, who can tell but, like some other celebrated
societies heretofore formed from such small beginnings, they may soon
have that countenance of authority which may produce very glorious
effects, and give opportunity to gather vast contributions from all well-dis-
posed people, to assist and advance this progress of Christianity. God
forbid that Popery should expend upon cheating, more than ten times what
we do upon saving the immortal souls of men!

Lastly, may many worthy men, who find their circumstances will allow
of it, get the language of some nations that are not yet brought home to
God ; and wait upon the divine providence for God's leading them to and
owning them in their apostolical undertakings. When they remember
what Buffinus relates concerning the conversion of the Iberians, and what
Socrates, with other authors, relates concerning the conversion wrought
by occasion of Frumentius and .^Edesius, in the Inner India, all as it were
by accident, surely it will make them try what may be done by design for
such things now in our day 1 Thus, let them see whether while we at home,
in the midst of wearisome temptations, are angling with rods, which now
and then catch one soul for our Lord, they shall not be fishing with nets,
which will bring in many thousands of those, concerning whom with
unspeakable joy in the day of the Lord they may say, "Behold, I and
the children which God has given me!" Let them see whether, supposing
they should prosper no farther than to "preach the gospel of the kingdom
in all the world for a witness unto all nations," yet the end which is then
to come, will not bring to them the more happy lot wherein they shall stand
that are found so doing.

Let no man be discouraged by the difficulties which the devil will be
ready to clog such attempts against his kingdom with; for I will take

OB, THE niBTOBY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

688

leave so to translate the words of the wise man, Prov. xxvii. 4: "What
is nble to stand before zeal?" I am well satisfyed that if men had the
wisdom "to discern the signs of the times," they would be all hands at
work to spread the name of our Jesus into all the corners of the earth.
"Grant it, my Ood; and Lord Jesus, come quickly P'

i COPT OF A LETTER FROM THE VERT REVBRERD MR. RICHARD BAXTER,

TO MB. INORBASB MATBBX. THIN IN LONDON.

wmrriN upon thk bioiit op mb. bliot*! lim in a pobmrb bdition.

Deab Brother: I thought I had been near dying at twelve o'clock in bed; but your book
revived me: I lay rending it until between one and two. I knew much of Mr. Eliot's opin-
ions, by many lettpra which I had from him. There ws no man on earth wl.om I honoured
above him. It is his evar^elieal work that is the apoitolical $ticcemor that I plead for. I
nro now dying, I hope, as he did. It pleased me to road from him my case, ["my uuJer-
standing failcth, my memory fuileth, my tongue faileth, (and iny hand and pen fail) but my
charity faileth not"] That word much comforted me. I ' m as zer > us a lover ^'f the M'^v-
England churchea as any man, according to Mr. Noyes', Mr. Norton's, Mr. Mit' •al's, and the
Hynod's model

"I loved yow father, upon the letters I received firom him. I love you bjiter for your
learning, labours, and peaceable moderation I love your son heV- : *ban either of yoi. <')r
the excellent temper that uppenreth in his writings. O that g jdlm sa and wisdoni itius
increase in all families! He hath honoured himself half as much aa Mr. Eliot: I any, but
half as much; for deeds excel words, God preserve you and New-Englnnd! Pray for

"Your fainting, languishing Friend, Rl Baxter."

Jugiut 3, IWl. Y .„ ^j ^

I <* s

i ;•

/ .f . .; .-i .-:

' -v.

<'-j f.tU

REMAINS;

■'.>. « ..(

OR,

SHORTER ACCOUNTS OF SUNDRY DIVINES,

USEFUL IN THE CHURCHES OP NEW-SNOLAND.
-: GATHERED BY COTTON MATHER. > '

THE FOURTH PART.

WRERBTOISMORBT. AROEI.TADDKS,

■ - ••

THE IIFE AND DEATH OF THE REV. MR. JOHN BAILT.

INTRODUCTION.

Reader: Peruse, I pray, and ponder these words of the incomp.nrable Turretine:

Singularem Dei Gratlam, non possumus, quin JEtcrnis Laudibus, Cehbremus,
quod Novissimis Msec scbcuUs, restitutd Evangelii Luce, tot tantosquc Viros, Doc-
irinA et Jnsigni Pietate Praditos, ad Opus Reformntidnis Inchocmdutn et Promo.
vendum Vocaverit ; qui uberrimd Rerum Sacrarum Scicntid imbuti, et Heroico
Spirilu donati. tanqtiam [nam 'i?J«] Viri Prodigi, Tubce EvangcliccB Sonitu, et
Veritalis Diviiue Fu/gore, Tenebras Erroris Crassissimas felicisssime fugarunt,
Antichrist! Regnum Concusserunt, et Ecclesiam a Muliis sceculis misere Captivam,
et Tyrannidis Jugo plusquam ferreo tantuni non oppressant, i Babylone Mysticd
gloriose Evocarunt.*

Thou art prepared then to proceed in what remains of our History.

Reader, thou knowest the way for a man to become wise, was thus declared by an oracle,
Si concolor Jieret Mortuis.f

And thou wilt not forget that lesson sometimes given — Since we have Iked here, and since
we are to die and yet live after death, and others will succeed us when we are dead, we are
greatly concerned to send before us a very good treasure, to carry with us a very good con-
science, and to leave behind us a very good example"

Behold some of them who did so !

It hath been remarked that when Sarah called her husband Lord, her speech was all an
heap of sinful infidelity; there was but one good word in it: yet the spirit of God, long after
takes notice of that word. And why should not ice then take notice of many a good work,
occurring in the lives of those, concerning whom yet we do not pretend or suppose that they
lived altogether free from infirmities? — their infirmities were but humanities, '

* Wc cannnot but render tribute* of everlasUng praises to the special grncfl of God, in that he has in these lust
timea restored the lights of the gospel, and raised up so many great men, gifted with learning and exulted plely, to
commence and carry forward the woric of Reformation: men possessed of the richest fund of sacrt^d science) and
endued with a heroic spirit— prodigies, as it were, of human greatness— who by sounding the gospel trumpet, and
lighting up flashes of divine truth, have successfully dispersed the thickest clouds of error, shaken the kingdom
of Anti^^hrist, and gloriously led forth the Church, held for many centuries in wretched captivity, and barely
•aved from being utterly crushed by a more than iron yoke of tyranny, from the mystic yabylon.

t To become of one complexion with the dead.

The
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+ J

OE, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

585

\j M> JX i i £i iX I*

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■ REMAINS OF THE FIRST CLASSIS.

The surviving friends of the rest, mentioned in the "first catalogue of
confessors," by whom the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ was brought
into this wilderness, having supplied me with so few and small informations
concerning them, that I am of the opinion, Prcestat nulla quam Patica dicere*

Let all their vertues then be galaxied into this one indistinct lustre, they
were faithful servants of Christ, and sufferers for their being so.

Nor is it unlikely that there might be some among those good men who
yet might be in so little extraordinary, that there might be the same account
given of them that there was of a certain Bishop of Home, in the second
century, Nihil prceclari de Oubernatione et factis ejus commemorari potest j-f
and although we New-Englanders do dwell in so cold and so clear an air,
that more of the smaller stars may be seen by our considerers than in many
other places — ^yea, and not only the NebulosaX of Cancer it self, but even
the lesser stars which compose that cloud, are considered among us — nev-
ertheless, for us to attempt the writing of their lives, would carry too much
fondness in it : nor do we forget, that Suum est cuique ordi in vulgus.%

Moreover, there were divers of these worthy men, who, by removing
back to England upon the "turn of the times," have almost released us
from such a large account of them, as otherwise might have been expected
from us; and yet some good account of not a few among them is to be
reported. I remember Dr. Patin, '"n his travels, tells us that in a certain
Musseum at Vienna, he saw a cherry-stone, on which were engraved above
an hundred portraitures, with different ornaments of the head upon them.
I must now endeavour a tenth part of an hundred portraitures, with dif-
ferent ornaments of the mind upon each of them ; nevertheless, I am to
take up almost as little room as a cherry-stone for them all. Particularly —

Mr. RiCHAKD Blinman. — After a faithful discharge of his ministry at
Glocester and at New-London, he returned into England; and living to a
good old age, he who wherever he came did set himself to do good, con-
cluded his life at the city of Bristol, where one of the last things he did
was to defend in print the cause of infant-baptism.

Mr. Samuet: Eaton. — He was the son of Mr. Richard Eaton, the vicar
of Great Burd worth in Cheshire, and the brother of Mr. Theophilus Eaton,
the renowned Governour of New-Haven. His education was at the Uni-
versity of Oxford; and because it will doubtless recommend him to find

* Nothing remarkoble can be related of bis udministration or life.

+ Ndihing wurtliy of renown can be mentioned concerning his government or conduct.

X Oluud. ■ ( Every rank has its rabble.

686

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

snch a pen as that which wrote the Athetice Oxonienses* thus characterising
of hitn, reader, thou shalt have the very words of that writer concerning him :

"After he had left the university, ho entred into the sacred function, took orders according
to the Church of England, and was beneficed in his country: but having been puritan,
icully educated, he did dissent in some particulars thereof. Whereupon, finding his place
too warm for him, he revolted, and went into New-England, and preached among the breth.
ren there."

But let US have no more of this "Wood I Mr. Eaton was a very holy
man, and a person of great learning and judgment, and a most incompar-
able preacher. But upon his dissent from Mr. Davenport, about the nar-
row terms and forms of civil government by Mr. Davenport then forced
upon that infant-colony, his brother advised him to a removal: and calling
at Boston by the way, when he was on his removal, the church there were
so highly affected with his labours, thus occasionally enjoyed among them,
that they would fain have engaged him unto a settlement in that place.
But the Lord Jesus Christ had more service for him in OW-England than
he could have done in New; and therefore arriving in England, he became
the pastor of a church at Duckenfield, in the parish of Stockfort in Che-
shire, and afterwards at Stockport; and a person of eminent note and
use, not only in that, but also in the neighbour-county.

After the restoration of K. Charles II., he underwent first silencing, and
then much other suffering from the persecution which yet calls for a national
repentance. He was the author of many books, and especially some in
defence of the Christian faith, about the God-head of Christ against the
Socinian blasphemies: and his help was joined unto Mr. Timothy Tailor's,
in writing some treatises entituled, ^'The Congregational Way Justified.'"
By these he out-lives his death, which fell out at Denton, in the parish of
Manchester in Lancashire, (where, says our friend Rabshakeh Wood, "he
had sheltered himself among the brethren after his ejection,") on the ninth
day of January, 1664, and he was buried in the chapel there*

Mr. William Hook. — This learned, holy, and humble man, was born
about 1600, and was for some time a collegue with Mr, Davenport in the
pastoral charge of the church at our New-Haven ; on the day of his ordi-
nation whereto, he humbly chose for his text those words in Judg. vii.
10: "Go thi 1, with Pharaoh thy servant;" and as humbly raised his doc-
trine, "That in great services, a little help is better than none," which he
gave, as the reason of his own being joined with so considerable a Gideon
as Mr. Davenport. After this, returning into England, he was for some
while minister at Axmouth in Devonshire, and then master of the Savoy
on the Strand, near London, and so chaplain to the greatest man then in
the nation. He was the author of divers composures that saw the light:
whereof perhaps one of the most memorable is that about " The Privelegcs

* The Athens of Oxford.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOL. D.

537

of the Saints on Earth above tliose in Heaven." But there was one of his
composures which did more nearly concern himself than perhaps his per-
secutors did imagine, and that was about " The Slaughter of t?ie WitneAC?:"
for he bore a part in that slaughter, when his testimony to the kingly office
of the Lord Jesus Christ, in his church, procured him the condition of a
silenced non-conformist, from May 24, 1662, to March 21, 1677, when he
died in or near London, and v ent from the privileges of labours among
the saints on earth, to those of rewards among the samts in heaven.
He lies buried in the sleeping-place on the north side of the New Artillery
Garden.

Mr. RoBEiiT PECK.-vThis light having been by the persecuting prelates
"put under a bushel," was, by the good providence of Heaven, fetched
awny unto New-England, about the year 1638, where the good people of
our Hingham did "rejoice in the light for a season." But within two or
three years, the invitation of his friends at Hingham in England per-
swaded him to a return unto them; where being, though a great person
for stature, yet a greater for spirit, he was greatly serviceable for the good
of the church.

Mr. Hugh Peters. — A brief narrative of his life, both before and after
his abode, for about seven years, in the charge of the church at Salem;
the reader may find at the conclusion of his advice to his daughter, pub-
lished under the title of, "J. Dying Father's last Legacy to an only Child:"
and, indeed, I heartily recommend it unto his reading. The narrative of
his death has also been long since published unto the world: and it reports
those to have been amongst his last words: "Oh! this is a good day! He
is come that I have long looked for, and I shall be with him in glory!"

Mr. Thomas Peters. — He came over unto New-England, in the time
of the civil war ; and, staying but about three years, he returned into Eng-
land. A worthy man, and a writer of certain pieces which will, I suppose,
preserve his memory among those that are strangers, as I am, thereunto.

Mr. Saxton. — Ho was a Yorkshire man ; a studious and a learned

person, a great Hebrician. The unsettled condition of the colony, and
some unhappy contention in the plantation where he lived, put him upon
removing from Scituate, first unto Boston, and so unto England, in his
reduced age. I find in honest Mr. Ryther's devout book, entituled, "J.
Plat for Mariners," this passage related concerning him: "An old Puritan
minister, [Mr. Saxton, of Leeds, in Yorkshire,] in a storm, coming from
New-England, when they were all expecting the vessel to sink, he said,
•Oh, who is now for heaven! who Is bound for heaven!'"

(■ i.

588

MAGNALIA CHRI8TI AMERICANA;

I say nothing, because I know nothing of Mr. Brecy; but this, he also
returned into England. But tho less of him, the more might be written
of Mr. Giles Firmin, who visited New-England in his younger years, but
aflerwards became, in England, an eminent preacher of the gospel, and
a writer, as well as a preacJier of it. Among the rest of his books, that
golden one, which is entituled, " The Real Chriistian,^'' does really prove
the title to be his own character; and the rest, as well as that, prove him
to be an able scho'ar, as well as a real Christian. I suppose him to be
yet living in a fruHiul old age,. at Ridgewel in Essex: but such demonstra-
tions he hath still ^i^ i of his affections to New-England, ou all occasions,
that he might ha ■■ justly resented it, as an injury, if he had been wholly
omitted in the catalogue of them that have deserved well of that country.

Besides these persons, there are some others, of whom a larger account
might be endeavoured.

Three shall be ail that we will offer.

beyond
whereii
being
■se Comi
and al
famous

"This
his close
ber of th
good old
charged
Cotton,]
ftiid whoi
through

\l JuiL UUUi tL Ut JU iLo Ul Jf O

THE LIFE OF MR. THOMAS ALLEN.

It was a computation made in that year when our colony was just forty
years old, and our land had "seen rest forty years," that of ministers which
had then come from England unto us, chiefly in the ten first years, there
were ninety-four: of which number, thirty -one were then alive; thirty-rsix
had retired unto heaven ; twenty -seven had returned back to Europe.

Oi i\xos,Q first corners, who again left the country, soon after their first
coming, one was that worthy man Mr. Thomas Allen, who, after he had
for some time approved himself a pious and painful minister of the gospel
in our Charlestown, saw cause to return back into England; where he
lived unto a good old age, in the city of Norwich.

The name of Allen being but oar pronunciation of the Saxon word
Alwine, which is as much as to say beloved of all, expressed the fate of this
our Allen among the generality of the well-disposed. And being a man
greatly beloved, he applied himself to enquire much into the times, wherein
bis predecessor Daniel was an hard student, when the angel came to call
him so.

Though he staid not very long in this country, yet this country lays
claim especially to two of his composures, which have been serviceable
unto the world. The former of these was printed here; namely, '^An
invitation unto Thirty Sinners to come unto t/ieir Saviour;" prefaced and
assisted into the light by our worthy Iligginson. But the latter was printed

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-F.NGL AND.

589

beyond the sea; and entituled, "J. Chain of Scripture Chronology:''^
wherein the author was disposed, like the illustrious Bucholtzer, who,
being weary of controversy, betook himself to chronology, saying, Malh
■ se Computare quom Disputare.* This is a most learned and useful piece ;
and all my further account of the author shall be in the words of the
famous Greenhill, in his epistle before it. Says he,

"This work having had its conception in a remote quarter ol the world, it was latent in
his closet the greatest part of seven years; as Joash sometimes was ko.pt secret in a cham-
ber of the temple, before he was brought to public view by the means of Johojadnh, that
good old high priest: and it had still been suppressed had not the author been pressed, and
charged with hiding of a talent in a napkin, by such another os Jehojadah was, [Mr, John
Cotton,] whose soul is now amongst the saints in heaven, resting from its manifold labours,
and whose name both is, and ever will be precious in all the gates of thn daughters of Sion,
through all ages. When Moses, Daniel, and John were in suffering conditions, they had
much light from God, and gave forth much truth concerning the church and the times: and
many of our reverend, learned, and godly brethren, being through the iniquity of the times
driven into America, by looking up unto God, and by searchincj of the Scriptures, received
and found much light concerning the church and the times; and have made us, and ages to
come, beholden to them, by communicating the same ; amongst whom now is this learned
and judicious author."

From the epitaph of Helvicus, the great chronologist, we will presume
to borrow a tetrastich for this great student in chronology:

EPITAPHIUM.

Angelieoa inter cmtux, Animasqut Bmtaa;

Spiritus Ai.i.KM Gniidia Nille C'ipit :
Ad Litiii Soiiitiim duin Cwpua ft Oxsa reaurgant,

Tntua ut Ali.kncs Vivificatua onel.f

|i I '

kJ ujci> otui tl* di JU jjii ki) Jb ui (

THE LIFE OF MR. JOHN KJiOWLES.

Our blessed Saviour has denounced ths>c righteous and fearful curse
upon those who despise the offers of hi;^ glorious gospel, " Whosoever
shall not receive you, nor hear your words, it shall be more tolerable for
Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment, than for tlint city." And
the excellent E.iiowlcs 'was an eminent person among those "embassadors
of Heaven," in the quarrel of whose entertainment the King of Heaven
wonderfully accotnpliahed that prediction. If New-England hath been in
some respects Immanuel's land, it is well; b^'. this I am sure of, Imman-

* He preferred compulation to ''.ispiitallon.
t Amid Bnge'lc choirs, and realms of diiy, | Wh'.ii the Inrt tnimppJ wiiked hln nhimherlng ciny,

Our Allbn's aoul drinks draughts of hingsednoss:

'iia iorfy, glorified, almll stmri' tlio hlls

500

MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

uel College contribiil-od more than a little to make it so, a fellow whereof
once was our Mr. John Knowles.

He was among the first comers into New-England, joined as a colleague
with Mr. Philips at Watertown. But as he began, so he ended his pious
days in England; between which there occurred one very remarkable
providence, now to be reltted.

In the year 1641 one Mr. Bennet, a gentleman from VirgirJa, nrrived
at Boston, with letters from well-disposed people ther • >into the ministers
of New-England, bewailing their sad condition for thi want of the glo; ; us
gospel, and eitroating that they might hence be -suppiicil wilL miiii-t srs
of that gospel. These letters were openly read at Boston upon a lecture-
day; whereupon the ministers agrei-d upon setting jipart a day for fasting
and prayer, to implore th« direction of God about this business ; and then
the churches of Watertown, Braintree, and Rowley, having each v)f tlujin
two ministers apiece, Mr. Philips of Waterlov/n, Mr. Thompson .>f Brain-
tree and Mr. Miller of Ro.vley, were pitched upon for the intended
service; whereof the General Court so approv»;cj, that it was ordered the
governfur should recommend these persons by his letters to the govern-
our ant* council til Virj^jinia.

Mr. Philips being indisposed for the voyage, Mr. Knowles went in his
Toorn ; and Mi. Miller's bodily weaknesses caused him also to decline the
voyage. Bat the tv/o churches of Watertown and Braintree, though they
loved their ministers very well, yet cheerfully dismissed them unto this
great concern ; accounting it their honour that they had such desireable
persons, by whom they might make a mission of the gospel unto a "people
that sat in the region and shadow of death."

On October 7, 1642, they began their voyage: at Khode-Island, they lay
long wind-bound; and they met with so many other difficulties, that they
made it eleven weeks of dangerous passage before they arrived at Virginia:
nevertheless, they had this advantage in the way, that they took in a third
minister for their assistance; namely, Mr. James, then at New-Haven.

Though their hazardous retardations in their voyage made them some-
times to suspect whether they had a clear call of God unto their under-
taking, yet the success of their ministry, when they came to Virginia, did
sufficiently extinguish that suspicion. They had little encouragement from
the rulers of the place, but they had a kind entertainment with the peojde;
and in the several parts of the country where they were bestowed, there
were many persons by their ministry brought home to God.

But as Austin told mankind, "the devil was never turned Christian yet:"
the powers of darkness could not count it for their interest that the liglit
of the gospel, powerfully preached, should reach those "dark places of
the earth." The rulers of that province did not allow of their publick
preaching: but instead thereof, an order was made, "That such as wouhl
not conform to the ceremonies of the Churcli of Kngland, shouUl by such

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

591

a day depart the country." By which order, these holy, faithful, painful
ministers, were driven away from the Virginia coast: but when they
returned, as they left behind them not a few seals of their ministry, so they
brought with them some who afterwards proved blessings to New-England.

Well, before the day fixed for the departure of these ministers came,
the Indians far and near having entred into a conspiracy to cut off the
English in those territories, executed it in an horrible massacre, who -eby
at least three hundred poor English Virginians were at once barbaroisl)'
butchered, which massacre was also accompanied with a grievous mort-.l-
ity, that caused many sober persons to remove out of that colony, f nd
others to acknowledge the justice of God upon them, for the ill-treats
which had been given to the ministers of his gospel, and the gospel brought
by those ministers.

After this did Mr. Knowles remove back to England, where he was a
preacher at the Cathedral, in the city of Bristol, and lived in great credit
and service for divers years.

But when the act of uniformity made such a slaughter of non-conform-
ists, Mr. Knowles was one of the ministers which were silenced by that
act. And after that civil death, he lived in London a coUegue to the
famous Mr. Kentish, and a blessing to the Church of God.

Exercising his ministry in the city of London, he underwent many
grievous persecutions, and received as many glorious deliverances. — But
when some of his friends discouraged him, with fears of his being thrown
into prison, if he did not affect more of privacy, he replied, " In truth, I
had rather be in a gaol, where I might have a number of souls, to whom
I might preach the truths of my blessed M;i ' r, than live idle in my own
house, without any such opportunities."

He lived unto a very great age, and staid longer out of heaven than
the most of them that live in heaven upon earth. But in his great age he
continued still to do great good; wherein his labours were so fervent and
eager, that he would sometimes preach till he fell down; and yet have a
youthful readiness in the matter and spirit of his preaching. His lost falling
down was a flying up; and an escape to that land where "the weary are
at rest."

EPITAPIIIUM.

Vis Scire, Quis Sim? Nomen est KNOT,ESTts: Dixi Satis.'*

* Do you wish to know who I am? My name U Knowles— I have told you enough I

iif

S«

602

HAONALIA CHBISTI AMEBIOANA;

» : I ' . 1 ,

ELISHA'S BONES. THE LIFE OF MR. HENRY WHITFIELD.

Cupiditatcm Imitandi fecit; Sptm akituUt.*

There has been a trite proverb, whicb I wish indeed were so thread-
bare as to be never used more,

*' , ■

Angelietu Juvenit, aenibua Satanitat in Anni»,f

which, though it were pity it should ever speak English, has been Eng-
lished — "A young saint, an old devil." I remember Erasmus believes the
devil himself was the author of thpc proverb. This I am sure, the pro-
verb was none of Solomon's, who f^ays, "Train up a child in the way that
he should go, and when he is old, he will not leave it" Indeed, a young
miner may make an old devil; a young hypocrite^ a young dissembler, pre-
tending to saiutshi}>, may do so; but a young saint will certainly make an
old angel.

And so did our blessed Whitfield. He was a gentleman of good extrac-
tion by his birth; but of a better by his new-birth: nor did his new-birtli
come very long after his birth. He did betimes begin his journey heaven-
wards; but ho did not soon tire in that journey; nor did the "serpent by
the way," the "adder in the path," prevail to make him come short home
at last.

His father being an eminent lawyer, designed this his youngest son to
be a lawyer also, and therefore aftbrded him a liberal education, first at
the university, and then at the Inns of Court. But the gracious and early
operations of the Holy Spirit on his heart, inclined him rather to be a
preacher of the gospel, and in his inclinations he wns encouraged by such
eminent ministers as Dr. Stanton, Mr. Byfield, and others.

He was very pious in his childhood, and, because pious, therefore pray-
erful; yea, so addicted unto prayer, that in the very school itself, he would
be sometimes praying, when the scholars about him imagined by his pos-
tures that he had only been intent upon his book.

As he grew up, he grew exceedingly in his acquaintance with God,
with Christ, and with the exceeding riches of grace displayed in the new
covenaiit. And he gained such a grounded assurance of his own saving
interest in that covenant, that he had not for forty years together fallen into
aii;» miscarriage, which made any considerable breach upon that assurance.

Okely in Surrey was the place where the providence of the Lord Jesus

t lie stimulated men to desire, but forbade them to hope, to tmllale hia virtues.
% In youth an angel : In old iige a flond.

OK, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

698

Christ now stationed him; where his labours were blessed unto the good
of many, not only in his own town, but in all the circumjacent country,
fl:om whence on holy-days the people would flock to hear him. At length,
observing that he did more good by preachmg sometimes abroad, than by
preaching always at home, and enjoying then a church-living of the first
magnitude, besides a fair estate of his own, he procured and maintained
another godly minister at Okely ; and by means thereof, he had the liberty
to preach in many places, which were destitute of ministers, where his
labours were successful in the conversion of many souls unto God.

He was one who abounded in liberality And hospitality; and lis house
was always much resorted unto. He was for twenty years, a conformist;
but yet a pious non-conformist was all this while very dear unto him ; and
such persecuted servants of Christ as Mr. Cotton, Mr. Hooker, Mr. Good-
win, and Mr. Nye, then molested for their non-conformity, were sheltered
under his roof. At last, being present at the conference between Mr. Cot-
ton and some other famous divines, upon the controversies of church-disci-
pline, there appeared so much of Scripture and reason on that side, that
Mr. Whitfield also became a non-conformist. But now, finding it impos-
sible for him to proceed in the public exercise of his ministry, he obtained
a godly successor, he embraced a modest secession, and he resigned his place
with the true spirit of self-denial.

He now sold his personal estate, and came over to New-England in the
year 1639, with a multitude of poor people, out of Surrey, Kent, and Sus-
sex, who could not live without his ministry. With these he began a new
plantruion, about twenty miles from New-Haven, and called it Guilford:
wherci he mightily encouraged the people to bear with a Christian patience
and fortitude the difficulties of the wilderness which they were come into;
not only by his exhortations, but also by his own exemplary contentment
witb low and mean things, after he had once lived in a more splendid
manner than most other ministers.

His way of preaching was much like Dr. Sibs' ; and there was a mar-
vellous majesty and sanctity observable in it. He carried much authority
with him ; and using frequently to visit the particular families of his flock,
with profitable discourses on the great concerns of their interiour state, it
is not easy to describe the reverence with which they entertained him.

He sojourned eleven years at Guilford, living with his large family of
ten children mostly on his own estate, which was thereby exceedingly
exhausted. But the inconveniences of iVeiw-England, and invitations to Old,
at length overcame him to return into his native country : and at the time
of parting, the whole town accompanied him unto the water-side, with a
spring-tide of tears, because " they should see his face no more."

This was in the year 1650.

How highly his ancient friends then welcomed him; how highly the
greatest persons in the nation then respected him; how faithfully he then
Vol. I.— 38

694

MAQNALIA CURISTI AMERICANA;

discharged his ministry in the city ofWinchester; how many sarvices he
occasionally did for New-England ; and how triumphantly at last ho flew
away to heaven ; must be no part of this history.

But let the excellent words of Lupichius, in his epitaph, bo borrowed
for an epitaph to this rare person ; inasmuch as no words can more livelily
express the very spirit of all his life:

Dum mihi Vita fuit, Tibi, Christe, Fidelia ut ettem,

Mente Pia Studui, Dogma Sonando Tuum,
Tm mihi Dalitia, — Tu Divititeque fuitti;

Tu mihi Dt/uncto, Gloria, Vita, Salua.*

C H A P T E A V ,

REMAINS OF THE SECOND CLASSIS.

Op our second catalogue are now fallen asleep Arnold, the author of
a savoury discourse, published under the title of ^^ David serving his Gen-
eration:^^ Bishop, Bulkly, Carter, Dean, Hanford, [of which worthy
man, let the reader, here in a crotchet, as we go along, refresh himself with
one crotchetly passage: he was near lorty years a faithful, painful, and pious
minister at Norwalk, even from the first settlement of that plantation ; but
though he had the comfort of seeing a good and great success to his minis-
try there, yet there were times wherein the^re of contention annoyed the
affairs of that church exceedingly: and in this ^ire there once happened
such a smoJce that the people made this one of their articles to the council
against him, that in a certain paper of his, he had opprobriously called
them "Indian devils:" the council thereupon with wonder, calling for the
paper wherein the reproachful terms was to be looked for, found his
expression to have been only thus, "Every individual among them:"
which occasioned a very joco-serious reflection upon the ridiculous errors
and follies that attend a qi trrelsome disposition;] IIgugii, Newton.
And into this catalogue I am content that there should be received (for
the saints of this catalogue already departed have received him) honest
Mr. Nicuoi-as Baker of Scituate; who, though he had but a private
education, yet, being a pious and zealous man; or, as Dr. Arrowsmith
expresses it, so trood a logician, that he could offer up to God a reasonable
service; so good an arithmetician, that he could wisely number his days;
and so good an orator, that he persivaded himself to be a good Christian;
and being also one of good natural parts, especially of a strong memory,
was chosen pastor of the church there ; and in the pastoral charge of that
church ho continued about eighteen years, until that horror of mankind.

* Long ■« I lived, O CnrtBt, I atroTe to be
Trae to thy doctrine, ftUtbrui unto thee.

Thou wast my Joy, and wealth, and consolation,
And now thnu art my glory and salvation.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-KNGLAND.

686

(for

and reproach of medicine, tlie stone (under which he preached patience by
a very memorable exampn of it; never letting fall any word worse than
this, which was an usual word with him, "A mercy of God it is no worse 1")
put an end unto his days.

But he that brings up the rear is Mr. John Woodbridoe, of whom
we are able to speak a little more particularly.

He was born at Stanton, near Highworth in Wiltshire, about the year
1618, of which parish his father was minister; and a minister so able and
faithful as to obtain an high esteem among those that at all knew the
invaluable worth of such a minister. His mother was daughter to Mr.
Eobert Parker, and a daughter who did so virtuously, that her own per-
sonal character would have made her highly esteemed, if a relation to such
a father had not farther added unto the lustre of her character.

Our John was by his worthy parents "trained up in the way that he
should go," and sent unto Oxford, when his education and proficiency at
school had ripened him for the university ; and kept at Oxford until the
oath of conformity camG to be required of him; which neither \n% father
nor his conscience approving, he removed from thence unto a course of
more "private studies. The rigorous enforcing of itie unhappy ceremonies
then causing many that understood and regarded the second command-
ment in the laws of Heaven, to seek a peaceable recess for the pure worship
of the Lord Jesus Christ in an American desart, our j'oung Woodbridge,
with the consent of his parents, undertook a voyage to New-England
about the year 1034, and the company and assistance of his worthy uncle,
Mr. Thomas Parker, was not the least encouragement of his voyage.

He had not been long in the country, before Newberry began to be
planted; where hn accordiiigly took up lands, and so seated himself, that
he comfortably and industriously studied on, until the advice of his father's
death obliged him to return into England ; where, having settled his affairs,
he returned again unto New-England, bringing with him his two brothers;
whereof one died by the way. He had married the daughter of the Hon-
ourable Thomas Dudely, Esq., and the town of Andover then first peeping
into the world, he was by the hands of Mr. Wilson and Mr. Worcester,
September 16, 1644, ordained the teacher of the congregation there.

Here he continued with good reputation, discharging the duties of his
ministry, until upon the invitation of his friends lie went once more to
England, in the year 1647, where he soon found employment, (besides his
being a chaplain to the commissioners treating with the King at the Isle
of Wight,) first at the considerable town of Andover, and afterwards at
Burford St. Martins, in Wiltshire; at the last of which places he continued
until the return of Episcopacy first sequestred him, and they being ousted
of the school at Newberry, the infamous Bartholomeiv-act caused him, in
the year 1663, (with h^s now numerous family,) to come once more unto
New-England. Here it was not long before the church of Newberry soli-

i:1.if

596

MAGNALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

cited him to become an assistant unto his aged uncle, Mr. Parker; and in
answer to their solicitations, he bestowed his constai ^ enrned, and holy
labours upon them.

At last, there arose little differences between him and some of the pco[)le
upon certain points of church-discipline, wherein his largeness and their
atrattness might perhaps better have met in a temper; and these dilTerenc(?s
ended not without his putting an end unto his own ministry amon<; them ;
after which, the remarkable blessing of God upon his own private estate^
abundantly made up to him the publick stijyend which ho had parted witlial.
The country hereupon, in token of their value for him, chose him a magis-
trate of the colony, that so he might, in yet a more, extensive capacity,
be "a minister of God unto them for good;" and upon the alteration of
the government, he was made a Justice of Peace, in which ofTice he con-
tinued unto the last.

He had issue twelve children, whereof eleven lived unto the age of men
and women; and he had the consolation of seeing three sons, with two
sons-in-law, improved in the ministry of the gospel, and four grandsons
happily advancing thereunto. A person he was truly of an excellent
spirit; a pious disposition accompanied him from his early childhood, and
as he grew in years, he grew in proofs and fruits of his having b^jen sanc-
tified from his infancy. He spent much of his time in holy meditations,
by which the "foretastes of Heaven" were continually feeding of his
devout soul ; and he abounded in all other devotions of serious, heavenly,
experimental Christianity.

He was by nature wonderfully composed, patient, and pleasant; and he
was, hy grace much more so: he had a great command of his passions, and
could, and would, and often did forgive injuries, at a rate that hardly can
be imitated. It was rarely or never observed that luorldly disappointments
made any grievous impressions upon his mind ; but as once when word was
brought him that a sore disaster had befallen many of his cattel, the mes-
senger was exceedingly surprized on his beholding the only resentments
of this good man thereupon to be in these humble expressions, which were
the first he uttered, "What a mercy it is, that this is the first time that
ever I met with such a disaster 1"

This was the frame of mind with which he still entertained all disaster-
ous occurrences. Only he was observably overwhelmed by the death of
his most religious, prudent, and faithful consort, when she was (July 1, 1691)
fifty years after his first marriage unto her, torn away from the "desire ol
his eyes." His value for the whole world was, after a manner, extinguished
in this loss, of what was to him the best part of it; and he sometimes
declared himself desirous to be gone, whenever the Lord of heaven should
l)lease to call him thither.

At last, about the beginning of March, 1695, the strangury arrested him ;
and he, who had been a great reader, a great scholar, a great Christian, and

OU, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAMP.

597

a pattern of goodness in all the successive stations wherein the Lord of
Hosts had placed him, on March 17, the day of the Christian-sabbath, after
much pain, went unto his everlasting rest; having a fe«v minutes before
it refused a glass of offered wine, saying, "I am going where 1 shall have
better 1" His age was about eighty-two.

Let him now report the rest himself, in an KPiTAi'ii like that on the tomb
of Christian us Machabffius:

Quam Vivent Potui tnntum tperare, Quiete
Mortuua in Solida nunc Statione fruor.*

CHAPTER 7L

REMAINS OF THE THIRD CLASSIS.

Several in our third catalogue have, upon the late revolutions, returned
back to Europe, and several are yet living in service and esteem among
our selves.

Article (L) But of those that are gone unto the better world, we have
cause particularly to remember Mr. Thomas Gilbert, whose history is, it
may be, sufficiently related in his epitaph^ which is at this day to be read
on his tomb in Charlestown : .

Here is interred the body of that reverend, sincere, zealous, devout and faithful minister of Jesus

Christ, Mr. Thomas Gilbert, sometime Pastor of the Church of Christ at Chedle, in Cheshire:

also, sometime Pastor of the Church of Christ at Eling, in Gld-Englnnd: who wns the

proto-martyr, the first of the ministers that suffered deprivation, in the cause of non*

conformity in England: and, after betaking himself to New-Englnnd, became

Pastor of the Church of Christ in Top^field ; and at sixty-three years of age

departed this life. Interred October 28, 1673.

Omnia praterunt, prater amare Deum.

These things pass for ever, vain world, away ;
But love to God — this, this endures for ay.

Gilbertl hie tenuem, Leetore», Ceruitis, Umbram,
Longi hdc Clara Magis Stella Micautque fuit.

Sitfuit in fi'ti Gllbertus, ticque Reeetsu,
Sicee detur nobis Vivtre, Mtqut Mori,

Lo here of Gilbert, but a shadow flight;
He WHS n star of more tllustrious light.
Such Gilbert was in life, such in his death ;
God grant we may so live, 80 yield our breath.

Article (IL) On December 28, 1674, died Mr. John Oxenbridge, a
successor to four famous Johns, in tbe pastoral charge of the first church
in Boston. He was born in Daventry, Northamptonshire, January 80,
1608. Both Cambridge and Oxford contributed unto his liberal education ;
and in one of those universities he proceeded Master of Arts in the year
1631. The year following, he became a publick preacher of the gospel;

* The rest fur which in life I could but pine, | A Christian death bath made for ever mine.

.:•!

598

MAGNALIA CHBISTI AMERICANA;

and after this, taking successively two voyages to Barmudaz, he at lengtli
returned into England, and in the year 1644, became a pastor to a church
in Beverly. I find him after this a fellow of Eaton-Colledge : but in tlie
general shipiorack that befel the non-conformists, A. C. 1662, 1 find him
swimming away to Surrinam, in America. From thence he came to Bar-
bados, in the year 1667, and to New-England in the year 1669, where he
succeeded Mr. Davenport, and continued until his last remove, which was
to the "City of God."

The abilities and inclinations of this worthy man are discovered in
several of his published composures. In England he published sevenil
discourses on, "TAe Duty of Watchfulness." He also published, "J. Pro-
position of Propagating the Gospel by Christian Colonies, in the Continent of
Guianai, being some Gleanings of a larger Discourse.''^ That larger dis-
course is yet sleeping: but upon perusal of the MSS. I am sensible that
there is in it a grateful variety of entertainment. After he came to New-
England, he published a sermon, preached at the anniversary election v>f
our governour and assistants. And he likewise published a sermon about
"Seasonable seeking of God.^^

The piety which breathed in these composures was but what he main-
tained in his dnily walk; and sometimes he found the leisure to articulate
the breathings of it in writing. We read concerning Balaam, " The Lord
put a word in his mouth:" it should seem, his heart was not holily affected
with what was expressed by his mouth. But the uvrd was in the heart,
as well as in the mouth of our Oxenbridge ; and his ^e/i also sometimes
transcribed his heart. Once thus particularly :

" Certain late experiments of the grace of God in Christ, to J. O., a poor worm, who desirea
to record them, to the praise of his grace.

"November 19, 1666, was a dark day; my bodily spirits being very low, (though without
pain,) and my heart shut up, that I could not look up to God. This made me to npprehend
the sad condition of a soul deserted of God in a time of affliction ; but the Lord suffered
not this dark maze to continue. For that night he thawed my heart, and opened it with
some freedom to himself.

" But what shall I say for the strange and strong consolations, with which he filled my
soul, on the 20 and 21st of November? No words can express what I have felt in my heart.
I was wholly taken up with the thoughts of the kindness of God. 1 said, ' What love is
like this lovel and who is a God like unto thee? and what remnins for me, but to love and
to praise thee for ever?' Now death was no dark thing to me, neither was any concern of
this life considerable. And now I have said, ' Who can lay any thing to my charge, since
Christ hath satisfied by his death, and hath gotten a release by his resurrection, and lives for
ever to perfect my salvation?' This hath been a great stay to me in my solitfiry condition;
though bereft of such relations, a precious wife, and two such children. But the Lord Jesus
liveth for ever, to do all for me, and be all to me. And I do the more ndmire and adore the
great God, in his condescending se much to so vile a worm, thut hath been so full of fv .ra
and doubts, and hath so much displeased my Lord Jesus and his Holy Spirit. Thiit wliicli
grieved me most, of late months, is, the unfixedness of my thouglits on God: and, Oh! tluit
the Lord may, by his establishing spirit, confirm these comA)rts on me, so that I muy uiijuy

OE, THE H18T0KY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

581

them in death, and improve them for the good of others in life. I knov/ Satan is a wrangler;
but my Advocate is able to silence him!"

When the Lord of this faithful servant came to call for him, he was
found in his Master's work. Towards the close of a sermon, which he
was preaching at Boston-lecture, he was taken with a degree of an Apo-
plexy (as John Cyril, the worthy Bohemian pastor was in the beginning
of the former century, Apoplexia in media ad populum condone correptics,)*
which in two or three days ended his pilgrimage. Thus he had the wish
of some great men, Oportet Concionatorem, aut precantem aut Predicantem,
Mori.f

EPITAPHIUM.
Vixi, et quern dederaa Curaum, in Te Chriate peregi.t

Article (III.) On March 24, 1678-9, expired that excellent man, Mr.
Thomas Walley, about the age of sixty-one, I can not recover the day
of his birth ; let it content my reader that the primitive Christians did
happily confound the distinction of the two times mentioned by the wise
man, "a time to be born, and a time to die," calling the day of a saint's
death by the name of their Mttalitia.^

This "man of a thousand" was a well accomplished scholar; but his
accomplishments especially lay in that which the great Gregory asserts to
be, Ars Artium, et Scientia Scientiarum,\\ namely, Animarum Regimen.

He was a Christian in whom the graces of Christ very richly adorned,
but most of all, that which has most of Christianity in it, humility ; the
happy vertue which we may address with the acknowledgment once made
unto Foelix, "By thee we enjoy great quietness:" and by that vertue he
was eminently serviceable to make all quiet wherever he came. He was a
divine, well furnished with the knowledge necessary to a master builder in
the Church of God, and particularly knowing in those points of divinity,
which Non Lectio docet, sed Unctio, non Litera, sed Spii'itus, nan Einxditio,
sed Exercitatio.^

He was a preacher who made Christ the main subject of his preaching
and who had such a regard for souls^ that he thought much of nothing by
which he might recommend a Christ unto the souls even of the meanest,
as well ad of the greatest: being disposed, like that great king of France,
who, being found instructing his kitchen-boy in the matters of religion,
and being asked with wonder the reason of it, answered, "The meanest
has a soul as precious as my own, and bought by the blood of Chiist as
well as mine!" It may be I cannot give a true/ description of this our
Walley, than in the words of him that writes the life of the famous
Belgic Walljsus: "He was diligent in visiting his parishioners, whereby

* struck with apoplexjr in the middle of an address to the people.

f It becomes a miiiiater to die preaching ur pruying, % In thee, Christ, my mortal race Is run.

g ItirthKlay festival. | The art of arts and sclcnco of sciences— the riOlng of the spirit. [ence,

^ It is not reading that Instructii, but the unction of jruce ; not the letter, but the spirit; not Ivuruing, but expert-

fcii!

600

MAGNALIA CHRISTI AMEBICANA;

he reformed many which were given to viciousnesa. He satisfied doubt-
ing consciences, and extricated thera out of the snares of Satan. He com-
forted those that were cast down with the apprehension of God's wrath
for their sins. He ministered relief to widows, orphans, and such as were
destitute of humane help. His company was never grievous."

His being such a one did but render him the more likely to be found
a non-conformist, when the act of uniformity struck dead so many faithful
ministers of the gospel in the English Nation. When the Church of Eng-
land, under the new form which its canons after the year 1660 depraved
it into, was pressing its unscriptural rites, our Walley replied, with Tertul-
lian, Si ideo dicetur, licere^ quia non prohibeat Scriptura, ceque retorquebitur,
ideo non licere, quia Scriptura non Jubeat.*

If the Church of England, in the days of New-England's first planting,
did so want reformation that these colonies must be planted for the sake
thereof, how much more would the second model of it affright such consci-
entious dissenters as our Walley, unto congregations that were more thor-
oughly rtformedf For, as one writes, "Though the Church of England
was never so reformed as Geneva, France, Holland, and other reformed
caurches, yet there is as vast a difference between the old Church of Eng-
lai' nd the ne^c one, as between Nebuchadnezzar when sitting on his
thi ■ o and glittering in his glory, and Nebuchadnezzar when grazing
among beasts in the field, with his hair like birds' feathers, and nails like
eagles' claws." — The effect of all was, that Mr. Walley was driven from
the exercise of his ministry in London to New-England, where he arrived
about the year 1668.

Here he had a "great service" to do; for if the Apostle Paul thought
it beseeming an apostle to write a part of canonical Scripture, about the
agreement of no more than two godly persons, [Phil. iv. 2,] certainly it
must be a "great service" to bring a divided church of godly persons unto
a good agreement. In Thebes, he that could reconcile any quarrelsome
neighbour;?, was honoured with a garland. The honour of a garland was
on that score highly due to our Walley.

The church of Barnstable had been miserably broken with divisions
until this prudent, patient, and holy Walley appeared among them, and

Quum Pietate Gravem, ac 3Ieriti8 hunc Forte
Virum jam Conspexert, Silent.f >

As among the Suevians it was a law that in a fray where swords were
drawn, if any one did but cry peace, they must end the quarrel, or else he
died that struck the next blow after peace was named. Thus, after our
Walley, with his charming wisdom, cried peace, that flock was happily

* If it is claimed tliat ono thing is right because the Scripture dooo not forbid it, it will of course be replied
with equal force, that another is wrong, because the Scripture does not command it.

f Hushed into sileuce at the sight of oae | In whose calm look a reverend grandeur shone.

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

601

united; and he continued in much peace, and with much fame, feeding
of it all the rtst of hia days.

I will now so far discover my self as to applaud this worthy man for
two things, which it may be many good men will count worthy rather of
reproach than applause.

One is this: in my father's preface to his discourses on the New-Jerusa-
lem, I meet with this passage : " Though it hath been generally thought
that the first resurrection spoken of in the Apocalypse, is to be understood
only in a mystical sense, yet some of the first and eminent teachers in
these churches believed the first resurrection to be corporal. So did Mr.
Davenport, Mr. Hook, and, of later years, that man of an excellent spirit,
Mr. Thomas "Walley, pastor of the church in Barnstable." — Thus did our
pious chiliast, Walley, it seems, come to his thoughts as Joseph Mede
before him did, and as in the times of more illumination learned men
must and will: Postquam alia omnia frustra tentass^m, tandem Rei ipsius
Claritudine j^erstrictus, paradoxo Succid>ui*

Another is this: on a great occasion, our Walley declared himself in
these words: "It would not consist with our profession of love to Christ
or saints, to trouble those that peaceably differ from the generality of God's
people in lesser things; those that are like to live in heaven with us at
last, we should endeavour they might live peaceably with us here. A
well-bounded toleration were very desireable in all Cliristiau common-
wealths, that there may be no just occasion for any to complain of cruelty
or persecution; but it must be such a toleration, that God may not be
publickly blasphemed nor idolatry practised." — With such candor did he
express himself against the way well decryed by Gerhard, A Verba ad
Ferrum, ah Atramento ad Armamenta, a Petinis, ad Biptcnnes, con/ngere.-f

I cannot find any more than one published composure left behind,
which is entituled, ^^Balm in Gilead ic -mI ^Sion's Wounds :^^ being a ser-
mon preached before the General Court of the colony of New-Plymouth,
June 1, 1669, the day of election there: in which, let it be remembred, he
expressly foretels that New-England would ''ere long lose her holiness,
her righteousness, her peace, and her liberty."

EPITAPHIUM.

Mors, Qualent Virum Extinxisti !

Scd bene hahct;
Virtut Walljei Immortalis esl.X

Article (IV.) The small stay of the Reverend Mr. Samuel Lee in this
country, where he was pastor of the church at New-Bristol, [from the
year 1686 to the year 1691,] will excuse me, if I say little of him; and

* After I had tried evnry thlnff else to no purpose, I was at last drawn by t>io BoIf-«Tident truth of the concltl-
•ioD, to acknuwItHlgo it to be nu incoinprohensible paradox,

t or rushini; (Vom words to the sword, (Kim ink to arms, From pen to battlo-pxe.

\ O Duath, what a life thou hast destroyed! Yet it is well ; fur Walley's virtues are immortal.

I r

Filil

602

MAGNALIA OHBISTI AMEBICANA;

yet the great worth of that renowned man, will render it inexcusable to
say nothing at all.

All that I shall say is, that if learning ever merited a sto^tfc, this great
man, has as rich an one due to him as can be erected; for it must be
granted, that hardly ever a more universally learned person trod the
American strand.

Live, O rare LeeI live, if not in our works, yet in thy own; ten or
twelve of which, that have seen the light, will immortalize thee. But,
above all, thy book "jDe Excideo Antichristi"* shall survive, and assist the
funeral of the monster whose nativity is therein, with such exquisite study
calculated; and thy book entituled, ^' Orhis Miracidwn ;\ or, The Temple of
Sohmony'" shall proclaim thee to be a miracle for thy vast knowledge, and
a. pillar in the teinple of thy God!

In his return for England, the French took him a prisoner, and unciv-
illy detaining him, he died in France; where he found the grave of an
heretick, and was therein (after some sort, like Wickliff and Bucer) made
a martyr after his death.

CHAPTER ?n. ' '^

A GOOD MAN MAKING A GOOD END. <

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE REV. MR. JOHN BAIIT.

COMPRISED AND EXPRESSED IN

A SERMON, ON THE DAY OF HIS FUNERAL, THURSDAY. 16 D. 10 M. 1697.

Pulchra sunt Verba ex Ore
Ea Facientium. — Adao. Judaic!

Eeader: We are not so xvise as the miserable Papists! Among them,
a person of merit shall at his dervth be celebrated and canonized by all
men agreeing in it, as in their common interest, for to applaud his life.
Among us, let there be dues paid unto the memory of the most meritori-
ous person after his decease; many of the survivers uie offended, I had
almost said enraged at it: they seem to take it as a reproach unto them-
selves (and, it may be, so it is!) that so much good should be told of any
man, and that all the little frailties and errors of that man (and whereof
no meer man was ever free!) be not also told, with all the unjust aggrava-
tions that envy might put upon them. This /o% is as inexpressi'.. ^ an
mjury to us all; as it cannot but be an advantage unto mankind in general
for interred vert^e to be rewarded with a statue.

* Concerning the culling off of AntichriBt.

% Sweet are worila from the lips of the doera of them.— Jtioi'i A Proverb,

t The wonder of the world.

or, as

OB, TRE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

608

If ever I deserved well of my country, it has been wlieu I have given
to the world the hislcries and characters of eminent persons which have
adorned it. Malice will call some of those things romances; but that
Malice it self may never hi^s with the least colour of reason any more, I
do here declare, let any mau living evince any one taatcrial tnintaku in any
one of those composures, it ahall have the most, |i>iblick. recantation that
can be desired. In the meantime, while some impotent cavils, nibbling
at the statues which we have erected for our u-ortluefi^ take pains to prove
themselves the enemies of New-England and of religion, the statues will
out-live all their idle nibbles; "the righteous will be had in everlasting
remembrance," when the wicked, who "see it and are grieved," shall
"gnash with their teeth, and melt away."

A OOOD niAIS MAKING A GOOD ENDi

UTTERED, THURSDAY 16 D. 10 M. IWl.

I bring you this day a text of sacred Scripture, which a faithful servant
of the Lord Jesus Christ, lately gone unto him, did before his going order
for you as his legacy. Give your attention: 'Tis tliat in Psal. xxxi. 5:
"Into thine hand I commit my spirit."

That hol}"^ and worthy minister of the gospel, whose funeral is this day
to be attended, having laboured for the conversion of men unto God, at
length grew very presagious that his labours in the evangelical ministry
drew near unto an end. While he was yet in health, and not got beyond
the fifty-fourth year of his age, he did, with such a j)resage upon his mind,
(having first written on this wise in his diary, "Oh! that Christ's death
might fit me for my ownl") begin tc study a sermon on this very text,
" Into thine hand I commit my spirit." But his great Master, who favoured
him with such a presage, never gave him an opportunity to finish and utter
what he had began to study. His life had all this while been a practical
commentary upon his doctrine ; yea, it was an endeavour to imitate our
blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who is said [Acts i. 1,] first to do, and then to
teach: and now, behold! his death must expound and apply the doctrine
which he would have preached unto us. He must show us how to do that
important work of "committing a departing spirit into the hands of God,"
no otherwise than by the actual doing of that work himself While there-
fore he lay dying, he asked one of his dearest relations, "Dost thou know
what I am doing?" She said, "No;" he then added, "I am rendring, I
am rendring!" meaning, I suppose, his own spirit unto the Lord. But
while he was doing of that work, and with humble resignation "commit-
ting his own spirit into the hands of God," he desired of me that I would
preach upon the text about which he had been under such intentions.
Wherefore (if at least I may be thought worthy of such a character!) you
lire now to consider me — shall I say — as "executing the will of the dead?"
or, as "representing a man of God, whom God hath taken." The trut/is

304

MAGNALIA CURISTI AMERICANA;

■■'■i,.i

which we phall now inculcate, will be such as you are all along to think,
"these are the things which a saint now lu glory would have to be incul-
cated." And when we have briefly set those truths before you, we will
describe a little that excellent saint, as from whom you have them recom-
mended : we will describe him chiefly with strokes fetched from his own
diaries, out of which, in the little time I have had since his death, I have
collected a few remarkables.

Our Psalmist, the illustrious David, now, as we may judge, drew near
unto his end: and we may say of the Psalm here composed by him,
"These are among the last words of David, the man who was raised up on
high." The sighs of the Psalmist here collected, seem to have been occa-
sioned by the sufferings which he underwent when his own subjects took
up arms against him. Nevertheless, as our psalter is all over "the Book
of the Messiah," so this particular Hymn in it is contrived elegantly to
point out the sulforings of our Lord Jesus Christ unto us. In the text
now before us, the Psalmist, apprehending himself in danger of death, does
the great work of a dying man: which is, "to commit a surviving spirit into
the baud of God." But in doing this, he entertains a special consideration
of God, for his encouragement in doing it: this is, "Thou hast redeemed
me, O Lord God of truth." It is the Messiah that hath redeemed us ; it is
the Messiah whose name is Oie TruOi; David, upoa a view of the Messiah,
said, "This is the man, who is the Lord God." Wherefore, in "commit-
ting our spirits unto God," our Lord Christ is to be distinctly considered ;
and he was, no doubt, by David considered. The power of God is called
his hand; the wisdom of God is called his hand; but, above all, the Christ
of God, who is the potver of God, and the wisdom of God, he is the hand
of God; ])y Him it is it the God of heaven doth what he doth in the
worl'l: and he is for thai c use also styled, "The arm of the Lord." It is
therefore to the j^owtr and wisdom and goodness of God, in Christ, that our
expiring spirits are to be committed.

There wiu- indeed a wonderful time, when our Lord Jesus Christ himself
made a wonderful use of this very tex*. We read in Luke xxiii. 46,
" When Jesus had cried with a ioud voice, he said, ' Father, into thy hands
I commend my Spirit;' and having said thus, he gave up the Ghost."
Sirs, God uttf;'^d h' voice, at this rate, and the earth trembled at it!
And well it migiit, for never did *,here such an amazing thing occur upon
the earth before. Now, our Lorn luiving said, "Into thy hands I cor imend
my Spirit," stopped at those words; for he was himself the "Eedeemer,
the Lord God of Truth." But as for us, we are to consider God, as in
our Lord Jesus Christ, when we commit our spirits into his hands. As
Luther could say, Nolo Deum Ahwlutum — I tremble to have to do with an
absolute God; that is to say, a God without a Christ — so, we may all
tremble to think of eoniraittmg our spirits into the hands of God, any
otherwise than as he is "in Christ reconciling the world unto himself."

OR, THE IIISTOKY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

605

We are truly told in Heb. x. 31, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God." Our spirits are by sin become obnoxious to the
fearful wrath of God ; and wo to us, if our spirits fall into his hands, not
having his wrath appeased 1 Sirs, we commit briars and thorns, and
wretched stubble to infinite flames, if we commit our spirits into the hands
of God, not in a Christ, become our friend. Wo deliver up our spirits
unto a "devouring fire," and unto "everlasting burnings," if we approach
the " Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty " any otherwise than through
the Iramanuel, our Mediator. We are to "commit our souls unto our
faithful Creator;" but if he be not our "merciful Kedeemer" too, then
"He that made us will not have mercy on us." When Hezekiah was, as
he thought, a dying, he "turned his face to the wall:" I suppose it was to
that side of the upper chamber, the praying chamber, where he lay, that had
"God's window" in it, the window that op ned it self towards the ark in
the temple. When we commit our spirits into the hand of God, we are
to turn our /ace towards that ark of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. We have
this matter well directed by the words of the dying martyr Stephen, in
Acts vii. 59. He said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
And now there is a weighty case that lies before us :

After what manner should we commit our spirits unto our Lord Jesus Christ, that
so the eternal safely and welfare of our spirits, may be effectually provided for ?

If our faithful Baily were now alive, I do not know any one case that
he would more livelily have discoursed among you: but I know that he
would have discoursed on this with a soul fall of inexpressible agonies.
He was a man who had, from a child, been full of solicitous cares about
his own soul; and from hence in part it was, that when he became a
preacher of the gospel, he preached nothing so much as the cares that all
men should have about the conversion of their souls unto God, and the
sincerity of their souls before him. There were many great points of our
Christian faith which he still treated with shorter touches, because his
thoughts were continually swallowed up with the vast cohcern of not being
deceived about the marks of a regenerate and a sanctified soul, and hopes
of being found in Christ at a dying hour. He was none of those preachers,
Qui ludunt in Cathedra, et lugent in Qehenna* Those two words, a soul
and eternity, were great words unto him; and his very soul was greatly
and always under the awe of them. Hence the very spirit of his preach-
ing lay in the points of turning from sin to God in Christ, and the tryal
of our doing so, and the peril of our not doing it. Wherefore, as far as,
alas! one of my sinful coldness !a those dreadful points can do it, I will
set before you in a few minutes what I apprehend my dead friend would
have to be spoken, upon these points, in relation to the case that is now
to be considered,

• Who play In the church nnd wei'p In hcU.

*i.

606

MAGNALIA CIIBISTl AMERICANA;

I. Let every mortal man be very sensible that he bath an immortal spint
in him, and prize that spirit exceedingly. Uow shall we commit a spirit
into the hixnth of the Lord Jesus Christ, if this thing be not realized unto
lis, that we have a spirit, which will be horribly miserable to all eternitv,
if the Lord Jes'is Christ look not after it I

Could that moutij, which is this day to be laid in the dust, once more
be opened among '.s, I know what voice would issue from it: with a very
zealous vivacity, 1 know this voice would be uttnred: "Man, thou hast a
soul, a soul within thee; a soul that is to exist throughout eternal ages.
Oh! prize that soul of thine at the greatest rate imaginable." — I say, then,
we must be sensible that we have spirits which are distinct from our bodies,
and which will out live them: spirits which are "incorporeal substances,
endued with rational faculties; and though inclined unto our humane
bodies, yet surviving after them." An inlidel Pope of Rome once, lying
on his death-bed, had such a speech as this: "I shall now quickly be cer-
tified and satisfied whethe; I have an immortal soul or no!" Woful man,
if he were not until then certified and satisfied! God forbid that there
should be so much as one Epicurean swine among us, dreaming, that man
is nothing but a "meer lump of matter put into motion." Shall a man
dare to think that he has not a rational soul in him, which is of a very
different nature from his body? Truly, his very thinking is enough to
confute his monstrous unreasonableness: mecr hodi/ cannot think: and, I
pray, of what figure is a rational atom? The oracles of God have there-
fore assured us that the fathers of our bodies are not the fathers of spirits;
no, these have another father! And, that the si>irits of men may go from
their bodies, and be caught up to the third heaven too! Well; but when
our bodies crumble and tumble before the strokes of death, are not our
spirits overwhelmed in the mines of our bodies, like Sampson, when the
Philistian temple fell upon him? No; they are "sparks of immortality"
that shiill never be extinguished; they must live, and move, and think,
until the very heavens be no more. Among other evidences that our
spirits arc innnortal, there is no conteni}>til)le one in the presages which
the sjiirits of such good men as he which is anon to be interred have had
of their speedy passage in a "world of spirits." Our Lord Jesus Christ,
who gave his own blood for the purchase of our souls, and can tell, sure!
what it is that he has purchased; he has expressly told us in Matth. x. 28,
"Tliey which kill the body, are not able to kill the soul." Our blessed
Apostle Paul, a mighty student and worker for souls, was not fed with
fancies, when he took it for granted, in Phil. i. 21, that when W ' nuld
"be dissolved," he should "be with Christ" immediately. Do t. , i,nou
fool-hardy creature, to perswade thy self, tlntl tliott- hast not an immortal
aoul: thou canst not, for thy soul, render thy s(>lf altoj/vther and evermore
perswadod of it: with very dreadful susj)iciiMis of its immortality will thy
own conscience, a certain faculty of thy soul, terrify thee, when God

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

607

awakens it I have known a sturdy disputer against the immortality of
the soul, go out of the world with this lamentable out-cry: "Ohl my soul,
my soul ; what shall I do for my poor soul?" Sirs, let this principle stand
like the very pillars of heaven with every one of us, that we have immortal
souls to be provided for. But if a man have an immortal soul within him,
what will be the natural consequence of it? The consequence is plainly
this: that since the soul is immortal, it should be very precious. It was
infinitely reasonable for the soul to be called, as it was in Psal. xxii. 20,
"My soul, my darling!" Oh! there should be nothing so dear to a man
as that Soul of his, that shall endure when all other things are changed:
for, "O my soul, of thy years there shall be no end." The interests of our
spirits are to be much greater things unto us, than the interests of our
bodies. What will become of our souls? That, that is a thing that should
lie much nearer to our hearts, than what will become of our lives, our
names, our estates. We should set an high value on our spirits, and often
meditate on the text which was once given to a great man for his daily
meditation in Matt. xvi. 26: "What is a man profited, if he gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul?"

II. Let every man in this world that hath an immortal spirit be, above
all things, thoughtful for the welfare of that spirit in another world.
When we comnjit a spirit into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is
that so it may escape that wretchedness, and attain that blessedness in
another world, whereof our Lord hath in his word advised us.. When
that embassador of Christ, who is lately gone back unto him, was resident
among us, there was no one thing that he more vigorously insisted on
than this: "Oh! there is nothing so dreadful as that hell which every
wicked soul shall be turned into: there is nothing so joyful as that heaven
which is prepared for every godly soul : and there is nothing of so much
concernment for you, as to flee from that wrath to come, and lay hold
on that life eternal." I say, accordingly, there are astonishing dangers
whereto our souls are exposed by our sins. Our spirits are in danger of
being for ever banished from the communion of the Lord Jesus Christ,
into a state of easeless and endless horror; our spirits are in danger to be
plunged into doleful torments, among the devils that have been our tempt-
ers: our spirits are in danger to be seized by the justice of that God
against whom we have sinned, and laid under everlasting impressions of
his indignation. There are "spirits in prison;" there is danger lest the
vengeance of God chain up our spirits in that fiery prison. (It was but
a little before he went unto heaven that our Baily, in twenty -six discourses
on Kev. vi. 8, opened the treasures of that wrath among us.) And we
should now be so thoughtful of nothing upon earth, as how to get our
spirits delivered from this formidable hell. The fittest languat^e for us

'iU

would be like that in Psal.

;xvi. 3, 4:

It'

The pains of hell are getting hold

608

MAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

on mo; Lord, I beseech thoo to deliver my soul." But then there is a
great salvation, which oar Lord Jesus Christ has wrought for us; and
that salvation is, "the salvation of the soul." Our ,'^T)irits may bo "cJeased
from t}i<" bunds which the "sentence of death," by the law of God passed
upon them, has laid them under. Our Lord Jesus Christ, satisfying of
the law, by his death in our stead, hath procure l Vuvs release for the spirits
of his chosen. There are the "spirits of ju t men made perfect;" and
there is perfect litjht, and j>erfect love, and perfect joy, among those glori-
fied spirits. Our spirits tuay be advanced into the society of angels, and
be with our Lord Jesus Christ in lioaven the spectators and partaki j of
bis heavenly glory. Now, we should be more thoughtful to make sure of
such a heaven for our spirits, than to ensure any thing on earth. We
should wish for nothing so much as that in 1 Sam. xxv. 29, "A soul bound
up in the bundle of life." There are souls which our Lord Jesus Christ
has bundled like so many slij .s, to be transplanted into the sweet garden
of heaven; say now, man, with all possible ardour of soul, "Oh! may
my soul be one of them."

When our father Jacob was a dying, he seems, upon the occasion of
mentioning a serpent, immediate^ v to call to mind the mischiefs which
had been done by the old serpent unto our spirits: whereupon he cried
out, (Gen. xlix. 18,) "I have waited for thy Salvation, [for thy JESUS!]
Lord." That our spirits may not be destroyed in our dying, this, this
is the thing that we should be concerned for; that they may be saved by
a Jesus from the mischiefs which the old serpent has brought upon them.

in. W)icn we commit our spirits into the hands of our Lord Jesus
Cliiist, we must believe in him, as fully able to "save our spirits unto the
ntter.tn' st," It is by faith acted unto the uttermost that we are to commit
our spirits into the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the acts of this
faith are admirably expressed in 2 Tim. i. 12: "I know whom I have
believed, and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that whicli I have
committed unto him." We would have our spirits preserved from the
direful anger of God, which threatens to swallow them up: say now,
" Lord Jesus, I am perswaded thou art able to preserve me." We would
have our spirits enriched with the knowledge and image and favour of
God in his kingdom: say now, "Lord Jesus, I am perswaded thou art able
to enrich me." We are therefore to place our faith on the sacrifice which
our Lord Jesus Christ hath offered unto God, on the behalf of his people.
We read in Job xxxiii. 22, "When a soul draws near unto the rrrave, if
there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, then he says, deliver him
from going down to the pit, I have found a ransome." Some of the
ancients take that, Angelas Interpres, to be, "Christ the Mediator." Sirs,
when your souls are "drawing near unto the grave," it is high time to
believe on that ransome, which "One among a thousand" has paid unto

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

609

God for us. We must believe that the sacrifice of the soxd of the Messiah,
when "he was cut off, but not for himself," is a valuable sacrifice, a suffi-
cient sacrifice, and a sacrifice which the wondrous grace of God invites us
to depend upon ; and with a firm dependance on that sacrifice, we must
plead, "O let my soul be delivered from going down to the pit, since God
has found such a ransom for me I" But while we rely on our Lord Jesus
Christ, as he has been sacrificed for us here below, we must also rely upon
him, as he is now above, in the Holy of holies, interceding for us. And
that our faith in committing our spirits unto our Lord Jesus Christ, may
be a truly Christian faith^ we must believe him to be no less than "the
Lord God of Truth ;" to be God as well as man ; to be God and man in
one person. That man is a ver iah man who will trust his own soul

with any one less than the G' made our soul, and who alone can

save it. Our belief must proi Lord Jesus Christ the same that

his Bible has pronounced hii : ue God, the great God, and God

over all;" one who is every w re, aim who knows every thing. This
article of our faith, which the modem Jews deny, is indeed so incontest-
able, that I could prcsuntly overwhelm them with an army of testimonies,
from the Babbies among the ancient Jews, confessing that the Messiah
must be very Jehovah himself. I beseech you, let no man dare to die in
any doubt whether the Lord Jesus Christ, unto whom he commits his own
soul, be not more than a meer man. Believing him to be God, let us
believe that his blood is price enough to obtain for us the everlasting hap-
piness of our spirits; what can our spirits want that the blood of God
cannot obtain? Let us believe that his Holy Spirit can fit our spirits for,
and fill our spirits with eternal glories ; the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit
of God: AVhat can't he do for us? Let us believe that he has legions and
myriads and millions of blessed spirits to be our convoy and safeguard
from those evil spirits which are waiting to arrest our spirits at our disso-
lution: he is God among the thousands of his angels in "his holy place:"
they will fly like swift flashes of lightning to succour us when ever He
shall command them so to do. "What shall we say? When Jacob fell
asleep with his head lying upon a stone, he had a vision of angels concerned
for him. Truly, our Lord Jesus Christ is, "the stone of Israel." If you
do not fall asleep till you have laid your heads and hopes on that Stone,
you shall then see armies of angels about you to secure you.

IV. When we commit our spirits into the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we must submit unto all his gracious operations upon our spirits. We
commit our spirits into the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ, we say: well,
he then demands of us, as in Mark x. 51, " What wilt thou that I should
do unto thee?" And, I pray, mark it: if there be any article of grace
always wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ, for the spirits of his elect, which
you do not consent unto, he will not receive your spirits; no, he will
Vol. I.— 39

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MAONALIA CHRISTI AMESICAXA;

destroy them dreadfully. Some commit their spirits into the hand of the
Lord Jesu3 Christ, they say ; but they are not willing that the hand of the
Lord Jesus Christ should ever do for them all that must be done in all that
are brought home unto God. Perhaps they would have their spirit rescued
from the hands of the devils hereafter ; but they do not heartily commit
their spirits into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, for to have all the
lusts that make their spirits like devils here embittered and eradicated.
They would have easy spirits, it may be, but ohl they are loth to have
holy spirits. This halving of it, thou hypocrite, this halving of a Christ,
will hang the millstones of damnation about the neck of thy soul for ever.
The Lord Jesus Christ puts this question unto us: "Poor sinner, what
shall I do for thy spirit?" No man can aright commit a spirit into the
hand of the Lord Jesus Christ until he have seriously pondered on that
question. Ponder it, sirs, in the fear of Godl but then let our answer to
it be according to that in 2 Thess. i. 11, "That he would fulfil all the good
pleasure of his goodness in you, and the work of faith with power." In
committing your spirits into the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, Oh ! let
your hearts, "being made willing in the day of his power," declare them-
selves willing to have him do for you all that he is willing to do. It is
the proposal of the Lord Jesus Christ, " Shall my obedience to my Father
furnish thee with that atonement, and that righteousness whereby thy
spirit shall stand without fault before the throne of God?" Reply, "Lord,
I commit my spirit into thy hand, for thee to justify it." The proposal
of the Lord Jesus Christ unto us is,- " All the maladies of thy spirit, shall
I heal them all?" Reply, "Lord, I commit my spirit into thy hand, as
into the hand of the Lord my healer; let that hand of thine open this
blind mind, and subdue this base will, and rectifie all these depraved
affections; and on all accounts renew a right spirit within me." Man,
commit thy spirit into the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ with such a dis-
position and then rest assured that spirit shall never be lost.

V. If you would successfully commit your spirits into the hand of the
Lord Jesus Christ, when you die, you are to do it for your spirits before
you die. Indeed, what should all our life be but a preparation for death?
And all of our life truly is little enough. So thought our devout Baily.
It was the counsel which he often gave to his friends, "Let not one day
pass you without an earnest prayer that you may have a Christ for to
stand by you in a dj'ing hour." And his own practice was according to
that counsel, as is well known to them that lived with him in his family.
Sirs, you are not sure that when the decretory hour of death overtakes you,
you shall have one minute of an hour allowed you to commit your spirits
into the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ. Is not a sudden death a frequent
sight? There are very many so suddenly snatched away by the whirlwind
of the vengeance of the Almighty, that they have not opportunity so much

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

611

as to say, "Lord have mercy upon mel" And let me tell you, that a sud-
den death is most likely to be the portion of those who most presumptu-
ously put off to a death-bed the work of committing their spirits into the
hand that can alone befriend them. I have read that of old, according
to the laws of Persia, a malefactor had liberty, for an hour before his exe-
cution, to ask what he would, and what he asked was granted him. One
that was under sentence of death, being admitted unto the use of this lib-
erty, desired neither one thing nor another, but only " that he might see
the king's face ;" which being allowed him, he so plied the king in that
hour, that he obtained his pardon : whereupon the Persians altered their
custom, and covered the face of the malefactor, that he might never see
the king any more. I will not now enquire, how far this passage will
illustrate the story of Haman; but I will observe, that the "face of God"
is the name of the Messiah; and in this observation I have given you a
golden key to come at new treasures in scores of scriptures. And I will
apply it with saying, you have, it may be, an hour and no more allowed
you to address the "face of God" in the Lord Jesus Christ. In this hour
you may obtain his favour and mercy and pardon. Do not slip this hour,
lest it be too late. Or, perad venture (and, alas! it is but a perad venture !)
you should upon a death-bed have space enough to commit your spirits
into the hands of the Lord, are you sure that you shall then have the grace
to do it? It is a solemn caution that is given us, in Phil. ii. 12, 13 : " Work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God that works
in you, both to will and to do of his own good pleasure." Even so fear
and tremble to delay committing your spirits into the hand of the Lord,
so much as one day longer; you do not know that God will please to
work in you for the doing of it when your last moments are upon you.

I have read it, as the observation of some very experienced ministers,
that they never handled in their ministry any subjects more successfully
than those which led them to discourse against procrastination in the con-
cerns of their souls. Our Baily was much in making of this experiment.
Many a man inserts that clause in his last will, "I bequeath my soul unto
God that gave it." But, in the name of God, art thou certain that he will
accept of it? The law says. Legato renunciari potest ; and Leyatum accipere
nemo nolens cogitur — "One may refuse a legacy; there is no compelling one
to accept it." It is true, our compassionate Lord will ever accept a poor
soul, whenever it is with a true faith brought unto him. Yea, but it may
be, he will not accept of thy soul, inasmuch as thou hast no true faith to
bring it withal; faith, which "is not of our selves, it is the gift of God!"
wherefore, man, if thou hast any regard unto thy never-dying soul, go
thy ways presently, and earnestly commit it unto the Lord before a dying
hour. As the apostle said, " This I say, brethren, the time is short:" even
so, this I say, my friend, thy time it may be shorter than thou art well

J I

MAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

aware of. "What shall I say? I say, "Boast not thyself of to-morrow." I
say, "This night thy soul may be required."

And if thy faithless heart have the assistances of the Divine grace with-
held from it, when the damp sweats of death are upon thee, tliere is yet
another objection, with which the God of heaven will thunder-strike thy
attempts to commit thy spirit into his hand. That is this: "That spirit
of thine, is it thy own to dispose of? Hast thou not already otherwise dis-
posed of it?" It is a rule in law. Nemo potest legare, quod simm jam non
est — No man can by will demise, devise, dispose of that of which he had
made sale before." It is said of a very ungodly man, in 1 Kings xxi. 25,
" He sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord." Ungodly
sinner, the devil has often bargained with thee about thy soul ; he hath
said, "By deliberate sinning against Heaven, do thou make over thy soul
to me, and thou shalt have the short pleasures of sin for it." God knows
how often thou hast tl as bargained a vay thy soul to the devil; and since
thou hast not in all thy life revoked that bargain, then, though thou do
at thy death cry unto him, "Lord, receive this poor soul of mine!" how
justly may he say, "No, not I! thou hast sold that soul to another; and
let him keep it for everl" There will also be this further to be said,
" What power hast thou to dispose of thy spirit? hast thou any thing at
all at thy own disposal?"

It is a rule in law, Setwus non potest Condere Testamentum — "a slave can-
not make a will : he has nothing of his own to dispose of." It is said in
Joh. viii. 34, " Whosoever practiseth sin, is the slave of sin." It may be,
thou hast all this while been a very slave; thy lust is thy lord, a lust of
uncleanness, of drunkenness, of worldliness, it hath utterly enslaved thee.
And, what? not got out of that slavery before thy dim eyes, and cold lips,
and faltering tongue, and failing breath, hath put over thy soul into the
hand of the Lordl How justly may he say, "Slave, thou art not able to
do for thy wretched soul what thou dost now pretend unto." The Lord
Jesus Christ will not cast ofl* thy soul with such objections, if thou " seek
the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him wV"' he is near." I
earnestly testify unto you, the vilest and oldest sinner ? g you all may
come and be welcome unto the Lord Jesus Christ, if vou will come now,
while it is "the acceptable time," now while it is "the day of salvation."
Though thou art never so bad, yet come and h.^artily complain to him of
all thy badness, and he will do good unto thy soul I
■ I am sure my BailY would have said nothing more heartily than this
among you; you heard him oft«n say it, "Come in to the mercy of my
Lord, for yet there is room!" But it is to be feared, that if thou stay till
the last assaults of death are made upon thee, the door of mercy will be
shut, and so when the shrieks are, "Lord, Lord, open to mel" all the
answers will be rebukes and fiery thunders.

OR, THE HISTORY OP NEW-ENGLAND.

618

VI. Often committing oiir spirits into the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ
while we live, let us endeavour after such characters upon our spirits as
may assure us that he will receive us when we die.

Indeed, when we first commit our spirits into the hand of the Lord
Jesus Christ, we are to bring them with no other characters but those of
sin and hell upon them. If we then commit our spirits into the hand of
the Lord Jesus Christ, under the encouragement of any laudable qualifica-
tions and recommendations in them, " Ah 1 Lord, thou wilt abhor us and
cast us offl" In our first believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, he enquires
of us, "What spirit is that which thou dost now commit into my hand?"
our answer must be, "Lord, it is a guilty spirit, a filthy spirit, a spirit full
of sin and hell as ever it can hold, and a spirit horribly under the curse
of God."

Sirs, if you answer any otherwise than so, the Redeemer of spirits will
not receive your spirits. But when we commit our spirits into the hand
of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the last actions of our life, it is to be supposed
that we only repeat what we have done before, and that our Lord Jesus
Christ has already received our spirits on our doing of it. Oh ! it is a
dreadful thing for a dying man to think, "The Lord never yet received
this poor soul of mine; for I never till now committed it unto the Lord!"
When such persons commit their spirits into the hand of the Lord Jesus
Christ, under the dimness of the anguish of death, it is as one says, " As
if one should bequeath unto an honourable person some greasy dish clout,
or some dirty shoe-clout."

It is of unutterable concernment for every man to get the symptoms of
a received soul upon him, now before his last surrender of a distressed
soul : and for a man to be able to say at the last, "Lord, I commit a poor
sinful spirit now into thy hand; but it is a spirit upon which thy blood
has been sprinkled, and it is a spirit which thy spirit has long since taken
possession of." Now, to render this unquestionable, we are to examine
our selves, " whether our spirits have boen renewed by the Holy Spirit of
God?" and be restless in our own spirits till we are sure of such a reno-
vation. The apostle once concluded that, when our spirits depart from
hence, the Lord Jesus Christ will receive them into "an house not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens:" and upon what was it that he raised
this conclusion? He says, in 2 Cor. v. 5, "For He that wrought us for this*
self-same thing is God." The Greek word used there is the same that the
LXX. use for the curious works about the tabernacle.

When Bezaleel had neatly wrought a board, for to be set up in the silver
sockets of the tabernacle, he would not throw it away among the rubbish.
Man ! if thou hast a well-wrought soul within thee, God will receive it,
and advance and improve it, in his house for ever. A work of grace pro-
duced by the spirit of God, upon the spirits of men, is a sure token of
Lis purpose to bestow a state of glory upon them at their departure from

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ICAONALIA CHRISTI AMERICANA;

their bodies. The primitive martyrs were bidden in 1 Pet. iv. 19, to
"commit the keeping of their souls unto God, as unto a faithful Creator."
But it is probable the new creation experienced by renewed souls is espe-
cially therein referred unto.. Has the Spirit of God made a new creature
of the spirit? This will be a demonstration that the Lord Jesus Clnist
has already received thy spirit, and that when thou dost again commit
thy spirit unto him, he will receive it. When we do, in our last actions,
commit a spirit into the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, what is it for? It
is that he may put an upper garment of glory upon that spirit. But ho
will demand, "Where is the under garment of grace upon it?" If thou
art without that garment, he will doom thy spirit unto outer darkness;
that is to say, (for outer darkness was the name of the prison among tlie
Jews,) he will make a perpetual imprisonment the portion of thy soul.
Wherefore, let us enquire diligently into the signs of a new-born soul upon
us before we come to die. Wo to us, if we are not born twice before we
die once I Why should we incur this desolation upon our souls, that when
at last we go to commit them into the hand of the Lord, he shall reject
them, and say, "No, I know them not; they are none of mine; they are
the workers of iniquity."

The more certainly to prevent this desolation, let this one comprehen-
sive duty of the new creature be often renewed with you. Receive the
Lord Jesus Christ into thy soul when he does command it of thee, and
the Lord Jesus Christ will receive thy soul into heaven when thou dost
at last commit it unto him. As Jotham said, in Judg. ix. 7, "Hearken
to me, that God may hearken to you:" even this do I now say to you;
and I carry it on to this issue : do you hearken to the Lord Jesus Christ,
when he bids you to receive him, and when you pray him to receive you.
He will then hearken to you.

The Lord Jesus Christ is often knocking at the door of thy soul : there
would he enter, with all his gracious influences: open to the Lord, by
resigning up thy soul to the sweet influences of his grace : reply, " come
in, thou blessed of the Lord; why standest thou without?" So when thy
last sands are running, thou mayest joyfully think, "My Lord Jesus Christ
will now receive me, more heartily than ever I received him : if I have
had an heart — alas, a vile heart 1 — for him, I am sure he has an heaven
for mel Lord, I now commit into thy hand a spirit into which thou hast
been received, when thy wondrous grace demanded it for an habitation ;
and thou wilt now receive this unworthy spirit of mine into a better hab-
itation." Think thus, and " rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."

VII. When we come to commit our spirits into the hand of our Lord
Jesus Christ, at and for our last resignation, let us do it very humbly,
but very willingly, but very chearfuUy.

How humbly ought we to commit our spirits into the hand of the Lord

OB, THE HISTUBY OF NEW-ENOLAND.

615

Jesus Christ! With how much loathiug and judging of our selves, and
with what shameful reflections on all our past behaviours, v/e .^re bitterly
to acknowledge the disorders and corruptions of our own spirits, whea
we commit them unto the Led, and acknowledge the numberless errors
whereinto our spirits have betrayed us! When we lift up our soul unto
the Lord, let it be in terms like those in Ezra ix. 6: "0, my God, I am
ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God I" And therefore,
whatever blessing we may expect for our souls, let us with all possible self-
abhorrence found our expectations on the pure mercy of God in our Lord
Jesus Christ. Most sweetly did our dying Hooker express the frame of
spirit wherewith a spirit is to be committed into the hand of the Lord:
when one that stood weeping by his bed-side said unto him, '* Sir, you are
going to receive the reward of all your labours," he replied, "Brother, I
am going to receive mercy 1" What shall I say? The frame of spirit
necessary in this glorious transaction I cannot better paint out unto you,
than by reciting the words which I remember I once had from an eminent
old servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, at my taking leave of him : said he,
"Sir, I am every day expecting my death; but I desire to die like the
thief, crying to the crucified Jesus for mercy. I am nothing, I have noth-
ing, I can do nothing, except what is unworthy. My eye, and hope, and
faith, is to Christ on his cross. I bring an unworthiness, like that of the
poor dying thief unto him, and have no more to plead than he. Like the
poor thief crucified with him, I am waiting to be received, by the infinite
grace of my Lord, into his kingdom. And pray tell me, did not aged
Paul mean something of this, when he said, 'I am crucified with Christ?'"

Sirs, this is the frame wherewith we are to do what we do. But then
how willingly — ^how chearfuUy 1 God forbid, that we should commit our
spirits into his hand, as only dragged and forced unto it by unavoidable
death. Our dying Lord said, "Father, into thy hands I commend my
spirit." When God calls for our spirit, we are to think, "'Tis my Father
that calls for me; and shall not I go to my Father?"

It was a good speech even of an heathen, Bene Mori est Lihenter Mori —
"one thing in well dying, is to die willingly." It is a dismal thing for the
spirit of a man to be torn from him, and be pulled away with roaring
reluctances — with horrid convulsions. Where would be the sense of it, if
a <5ying man should say, "Lord, into thy hand I commit my spirit; but,
if I could have my choice, my spirit should never come there!" When
we perceive that call from our Lord Jesus Christ, "Go up and die!" let
us freely surrender our spirits unto our great Lord, and go up and die: he
is the Lord of our lives. Freely, did I say ? yea, and gladly too. When
we have aright committed our spirits into the hand of the Lord, then take
up that conclusion in Psal. xlix. 15, "God will receive my soul." And
then let us wonderfully comfort our selves in the thoughts of that spiritual
world which we are going into. Think, " I shall quickly rest from sin

616

MAONALIA GHBISTI AMEBIOANA;

and all temptations, and all affections, and all the cursed effects of sin, and
all the annoyances of ill spirits for ever. I shall quickly be lodged among
the pure spirits that see God, and serve him day and night in hia temple,
and God shall wipe away all tears from my eyes. Yea, I shall quickly
be with my Lord Jesus Christ, which is by far the best of all. Oh ! rejoice
in the hope of this glory of God I" And let not your joy be interrupted
by any fear of what may become of your friends when you shall be dead
and gone. The Lord that calls you to commit your spirits into his hand,
calls you at the same time to commit your widows, your orphans, and all
your friends, into that Omnipotent Hand: he says, "Leave them all with
me, and Til take the care of them all !"

It was noted of the English martyrs, which dyed at the stake in the
bloody Marian persecution, "that none of them went more joyfully to the
stake, than those that had the largest and the dearest families then to
commit unto the Lord:" and afterwards those large families were won-
drously provided for. The excellent Mr. Heron, a minister that had a
family of many small children in it, when he lay a dying, his poor wife
said, with tears, "Alas, what will become of all these children?" he pres-
ently and pleasantly replied, "Never fear; he that feeds the young ravens
wo'nt starve the young HeronsT' And it came to pass accordingly.

Sirs, thus you are to commit your spirits into the hand of the Lord
Jesus Christ. My reverend Bailey did so; and it is as from him that I
do this day bespeak your doing like him; yea, not from him only, but
from the Lord Jesus Christ, the God "whose he was, and whom he served."
If you would more particularly be told after what manner he did commit
his own spirit into the hands of the Lord, I can faithfully recite you his
own account of the transaction. He gives it thus:

"I spent half a day alone in seeking of God, desiring to give up my self unto God in Christ
wholly, and to be his in soul and body. The particulars I omit I hope God in Christ w'ill
accept of me, and enable me by his spirit to keep touch with him: for I owned my self
wholly unworthy to enter into covenant, and also unable to keep it; but Jesus Christ is both
worthy and able."

It is from one who thus did it, that you are now called upon to do
likewise.

When you see the coffin of this man of God anon carried along the
streets, imagine it a mournful pulpit, from whence, "being dead, he yet
speaks" thus unto you: "Whatever you do, commit your perishing souls
into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, as you have been advised."

That these admonitions may have the more emphasis, a short account
of this worthy man must now be given you:

He was born on February 24, 1648, near Blackbourn in Lancashire ;
of a very pious mother, who, even before he was born, often, as Hannah
did her Samuel, dedicated him unto the service of the Lord.

OB, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

617

Of this his birth-day, in the return of every year, he still took much
notice in his diaries: and made his humble and useful reflections there-
upon. — Once particularly, I find him thus entertaining it:

"This is my birth-day; I am reody to say of it, as Job doth of his: but I forbear ony
unadvised words about it: only, I have done little for God, and much against him; for
which I am sorry."

When this day last arrived unto him, he thus wrote upon it: > . .

**! may say, with a great sigh, 'This was my birth-dny!' O, how little good have I done
all this while! O, what reason have I to stand amazed at the riches of God's forbearance 1
Much Quay happen this year! 'Lord, carry me through it!'"

"From a child he did know the holy Scriptures;" yea, from a child he
was "wise unto salvation." In his very childhood he discovered the fear
of God upon his young heart; and prayer to God was one of his early
exercises.

There was one very remarkable effect of it.' His father was a mnn of
a very licentious conversation ; a gamester, a dancer, a very lewd com-
pany-keeper. The mother of this elect vessel one day took him, while
he was yet a child, and, calling the family together, made him to pray
with them. His father coming to understand at what a rate the child
had prayed with his family, it smote the soul of him with a great convic-
tion, and proved the beginning of his conversion unto God. God lefl not
oflf working on his heart until he proved one of the most eminent Chris-
tians in all that neighbourhood. So he lived ; so he died ; a man of more
than ordinary piety. And it was his manner sometimes to retire unto
those very places of his former lewdnesses, where, having this his little
son in his company, he would pour out floods of tears in repenting prayers
before the Lord.

This hopeful youth having been educated in grammar-learning under
a worthy school-master, one Mr. Sager, and in further learning u-der the
famous Dr. Harrison, at length, about the age of twenty-two, iio entred
on the publick employment of preaching the gospel. In so doing, he was
not one of those of whom even the greut Papist Bellarmine complains:
Qui non valde solliciti esse soknt, an ea qua par est preparatione uccedant, cum
Finis eorum magissit cibus Corporis, quam Anima:* He began at Chester;
but afterwards went over to Ireland, where his labours wefe so frequent
and fervent, that they gave those wounds unto his health which could
never be recovered. About fourteen years of his time in Ireland he spent
at Limrick, and saw so many seals of his ministry in that country', that
he seemed rather to fish with a net, than with an hook, for the kingdom
of God.

I am not willing to relate how grievously, and yet how patiently, he

* Who are not very iolicitous, whether they undertake their duties with suitable preparation ; iunimucb as
the <!nd they have in view is rather to obtain food for the body thtin for the soul.

618

MAGNALIA OHRISTI AMERICANA;

ButFered long and hard imprisonmenta from those men, concerning whom
a conformable divine of the Church of England very truly says, "That
they were Atheists, with the inventions of ceremonies habited like Chris-
tians, for the service of the devil, to corrupt and destroy true Christianity :"
I should relate but little of this, because that spirit of persecution has
been repented by an happy act of Parliament.

And yet, for the admonition of our inexcusable young men, ''the bin
of which joung men is very great before the Lord I" above that of those
who have been brought up, as many very godly Christians have, in those
ways of the Church of England, for a secession from which this country
was first planted: young men who, notwithstanding their descent from
fathers and grandfathers that were great suft'erers for their non-conformity
to an uninstituted worship of Christ, and notwithstanding their education
in the knowledge of what is required and what is forbidden in the second
commandment, and notwithstanding their being urged by no temptation
of persecution, or being tempted by any thing but the vanity of their own
minds, do yet so "rebel against the light;" as to turn apostates from the
first principles of New-England ; it may be seasonable to repeat so much of
the history of this worthy man as a little further to illustrate this article.

He no sooner began to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, but
his fidelity to that gospel was tried by an hard imprisonment, which he
underwent because his conscience could not conform to humane inven-
tions in the sacred service of Heaven. Yea, while he was yet a young
man, he often travelled far by night in the winter, as well as in the sum-
mer, that so he might enjoy the ordinances purely administred in the
meetings of the faithful ; and was laid up sometimes in Lancashire gaol
for being found at those meetings. When he was at Limrick, the attend-
ance of a person of great quality and his lady (who were nearly related
unto the Duke of Ormond, the lord lieutenant of Ireland,) upon his min-
istry, provoked the bishop to complain unto the lord lieutenant. This
gentleman then profered unto Mr. Baily that, if he would conform, he
would procure his being made chaplain to the duke, and having a deanery
immediately, and a bishoprick upon the first vacancy: but he refused the
prefer. Albeit, another eminent non-conformist minister, not fsxr from
Limrick, a godly and an able man, and one who had appeared much
against confgrmity at the first pressing thereof, did afterwards accept of
the aforesaid chaplainship, and by degrees conformed, and arrived unto
several places of preferment: pretending, that "he did it for the sake of
opportunities to preach the gospel." But it was remarkable ! God so dis-
abled him with distempers after this, that he was very seldom, if ever,
able to preach at all.

Mr. Baily went on in the exercise of his ministry, not pursuing any
factious designs, but meerly the conversion of men to Christ, and faith,
and holiness, which the devil counts the worst of all designs. And now,

OR, THE HISTORY CI NEW-ENOLAND.

610

although he were so harmless and blameless in his whole conversation
that he was always much beloved wherever he came, yet another long
imprisonment was inflicted on him, while the Papists in the neighbour-
hood had all manner of liberty and countenance. When he was before
the judges, he told them, "If I had been drinking and gaming and
carousing at a tavern with my company, my lords, I presume that would
not have procured my being thus treated as an offender. Must praying
to God, and preaching of Christ, with a company of Christians, that are
as peaceable an 1 inoffensive and serviceable to his Majesty and the gov-
ernment as any of his subjects, must this be a greater crime?" The
recorder answered, "We will have you to know, it is a greater crime."

While he was imprisoned, his church being divided into seven parts,
visited him one part a day, so that preaching to them, and praying with
them every day, he once in a week served them all. But this in a little
while gave such offence, that a violent obstruction was given thereunto;
and though his flock, particularly his dear young men, (as he called them,)
did pray without ceasing, and not without fasting, for his release; and
humble applications were also made unto the judges at the assizes for it,
yet no release could be granted him, without his giving security to depart
the land within a little time then limited unto him.

It was not long before a wrath unto the uttermost came upon the city
which had thus persecuted this faithful minister of God; and that person
particularly who had been the chief instrument of his persecution was (as
we have been told) within a while, upon other accounts, himself run into
prison, where he cried out with horror of the v/rongs done by him to Mr.
Baily, and then running distracted, he died miserably. But New-England,
a country originally a retreat for persecuted non-conformists, hereupon
afforded unto our Baily an opportunity of labouring near fourteen years
more in the work which he loved above all things in the world; the work
of "turning the souls of men from darkness to light, and from Satan to
God:" wherein for some time his younger and godly and sweet natured
brother, who came over with him, was his comfortable companion and
assistant; until he got the start of Lir.i in his dei)arture to the glories of
the better world. They were indeed Fratmm duke par* — a David and a
Jonathan. Death, which for a while parted them, has now again brought
them together. This Mr. Thomas Baily died January 21, 1689, as this
his brother and colleague notes in his diary : " He died well, which is a
great word; so sweetly as I never saw the like before! But as for this
elder brother, he was a man of great holiness, and of so tender a con-
science, that if he had been at any time innocently chearful in the company
of his friends, it cost him afterwards abundance of sad reflection, through
fear lest, ere he had been aware, he might have "grieved the Holy Spirit
of Christ." A savoury book of his about " The Chief End of Man,''^ pub-

* A charming pair of brothers.

620

MAONALIA CIIRISTI AMERICANA;

lished among us, had fully described unto us that savour of spirit whioh
was in bis daily walk maintained :

Sie Oeuht, SU ilU mamiu, Sie ora ftrAat.*

The desire of this holy man was (as himself expressed it) to get up unto
three things: to patience under the calamities of life; to impatience under
the infirmities of life; and to earnest longings for the next life.

And his desire at another time he thus expressed: "Oh I that I might
not be of the number of them that live without love, speak without feeling,
and act without life! Ohl that God would make me his humble and
upright and faithful servant I"

From this holy temper it was, that when some kind presents were made
unto him, he wrote in his diary thereupon, "I have my wages quickly;
but. Oh! that God may not put me off with a reward here! Oh! that
God may be my reward!"

We will more particularly note a few notable, wherein the holiness
which irradiated him will be described unto us.

We might begin with observing, that the holy word of God was very
dear to him, as indeed it is to every holy man. Hence, I find this passage
in his diary, January 11 :

<*I finiahed the reading of the Bible in my family (m formerly). Oh! it is a dear book;
it is always new. In the beginning of every chapter it is good to say, ' Lord, open my eytu,
that I may see wonders out of thy law;* anid when we shut it up to say, 'I have seen an
end of all perfection, but thy law is exceeding broad.' Oh! how terrible are the threatnings;
how precious are the promises; how serious are the precepts; how deep are the prophecies
of this book ! but we will pass on to some further observations."

What is holiness but a dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ? This holy
man was oflen breathing in himself, and pressing on others, that great
point of dedicating every thing to the service of the Lord. Thus in his
diary there frequently occur such strains as these:

"Oh! that I may glorifie God with all I am or have; even with all the faculties of my
soul, all the members of my body, and in all the places and relations that I stand in, as mnn,
master, minister, husband, kinsman, and neighbour. Oh ! I stand in need both of a justify-
ing Christ and a sanctifying Christ When shall I sensibly find a Christ swaying his scepter
in my soul!"

Thus whatever house he came to live in, it came under a dedication;
and once upon a remove, he wrote this passage in his diary: "I could not
but leave my old house with a prayer in every room of it for pardoning
mercy."

But it was particularly expressed, when one of his children was to be
baptized. He thus wrote upon it:

**I spent some time in offering up my self and my child unto the Lord, and in taking hold
of the covenant for my self and him. It is actually to be done to-morrow [in baptism]. I

* Such wu bit glance, his gesture, and his look.

OR, THE niSTOBY OF NEW-ENOLAKD.

621

prayi'd hard thin day, oil thia day, that I might be able in muoh faith, and Invo, and new.
covenant obedience to do it to-morrow. It ia not eaay, thoagh common, to offer a child unto
God In baptlam. Oh ! that'a a dweet word, ' I will be a God to thee, and thy aeed nftur thee.'
No marvel Abraham fell on his fkce at the hearing of itP

Hence, when he parted with the greatest enjoyment he had in this
world, he thus wrote upon it in his diary :

"If I can but exchange outward comfort* for inward graces, it Is well enough: Oh, for on
heart to 'glorify God in the fire!"*

From this holiness proceeded that watchfulness which discovered a sin-
gular fear of God in his whole conversation. I find him entring in his
diary such passages as these:

At one time. — ^"I did not watch my tongue so as I ought; which coat mo much trouble
aflorwarda, and made me walk heavily. It is a mad thing to ainT

At another time. — ^"I spoke two unadvised words to^y. Though there was no great
hnrm in them, yet I was rebuked by my conscience for them. Let the Lord forgive them;
and for the future set a watch before the door of my lips. Let my thoughts and words be
acceptable in thy sight, O Lord!" ^ $ ,.:j

At another time. — ^" That is a serious word, methinks, in Eph. v. 30: I have grieved the
Holy Spirit by my unedifying communication. Oh, that in speaking I might administer
grace to the hearer! Oh, that honey and milk were under my tongue continually ."

At another time. — ^"I was too forgetful of God, and exceeding in tobncco. The Lord par>
don that, and all other sins, and heal this nature, and humble this heart." , -

At another time. — ^"This day I have been more chearful than I have been of a long time.
It hath afflicted me since, fearing it was not suitable. Oh ! I ought to walk in the miAnt uf
my house in a perfect way. I ought every day to bo writing copies; and to louve a stock
behind me that others may trade for God withal when I am dead."

And behold, you see this day that he did so. And as holy men use to
be full of hearty prayers and wishes for the good of other men, thus this
holy man has filled many places in his diaries with his j)rayers for the
welfare of those with whom he was concerned; from whence we may
gather how full his heart was of blessings for his neighbours. Once par-
ticularly I find him thus writing:

"I desired to know of Dr. O. whot I was indebted to him for those many rich things I have
bad from him: he told mo, nothing; [which was a great favour!] only desired my prayers
for him. Oh, that I could pray ! Whenever I can pray, I will heartily sny to God in the name
of Christ for him, 'The Lord bless him indeed! let thy hand be with him, and keep him from
all evil, that it may not grieve him.'"

Moreover, it was not only among the great signs, but also among the
great means of his holiness, that he was very solicitous, as well in his
preparation for the table of the Lord, as in his observation of what com-
munion he enjoyed with the Lord Jesus Christ at his table. His diary
abounds with passages of this importance: the expressions of a careful soul.
The last time of being at the Lord's table, he wrote the ensuing passages:

1 1
1

622

MAQNALIA CURISTI AMERICANA;

"I v'aa encouraged to carry my Into bad frame to the uioas of Clir'mt, and to bewail there
my late prayerlesaness and unthunkfulness. Of late it hath troubled me to think how little
I have udmircd Christ for bringing me out of some late plunges of temptation. I now come
to him for two things; namely, for pardon, and also for double power; both to receive him
and to shew forth his praises."

Let me add: sometimes, as he was able, he would set apart half a day
for extraordinary prayers, he still did so when there were any extraor-
dinary cares upon him. Thus he records in his diaries:

At one a'me. — ^" Being of late in so ill a frame, I spent some time to seek the fair face of
Jesus Christ; and I did, on purpose, address my self to him, who is the most admirable Saviour.
I left my self with him; my mind, henrt, mouth; especially my conscience. Oh, how many
wonders are to be wrought in me! I know the loving and wonder-working Jesus can do
tliem all."

At another time, — ^"I spent some time alone in prayer, from eight to three. I was much
Ured. Oh! that I might wait for returns, and never more to turn to folly. I cannot tell how
God should admit me near him, considering how I have grieved his Spirit. Hivving prayed in
the morning in the family, I retired; and tirst sought at liirgc unto God for help to go through
the day: especially begging repentance, and not only so, but fuith; that I might not rest in
the bare work; that Satan might get no advantage after it; that I might have reason to
desire more such days. Then, after a little meditation and breathing, I went to prayer again,
only to confess my sin before God, and to set my soul as before the Lord ; labouring to
judge and loath my self for all my sin from first to last. God helped a little; but Oh! that
my heart was broken in pieces, and humbled to the dust. After n little more meditation, I
went to prayer in way of petition, and that at large. Oh! Lord, hear me, and give me the
wisdom that I want , I hope God will hear, pity, pardon, and help me. After a little moio
meditation, I full to praise and bless God for my mercies, by sea and land ; but was some-
what short in this part, fur which I am sorry. At last I concluded all in praying for the
Church of God in general, for London, I^mciishire, and Limrick ; and for New-England also.
Here I brought all my relations to the Lord. Oh, Lord, accept of me and my poor services
in Christ. Oh! that I may watch afterward, and never more be sensual, unbelieving, proud,
nor hypocritical. Lord, say Amen."

And that praises, as well as prayers might not be forgotten with him,
I find him once particularly in his diary thus expressing himself:

"December 16, 1691. — I resolved, through the grace and strength of Jesus Christ, even
in the midst of all my sorrows and sinkings, despairings and distractions, to keep as much of
this day as I could in thanksgiving; which I did; but could not go thorow with it through
bodily fiiintness. I spent five hours somewhat comfortiibly; but after that I flagged. I
resolved to do three things: First, to spend some time in praising God for his excellencies-
God was with me, I hope, in that part of it, and I spent my self so much therein, that I
was disabled for the rest. To help it forward, God brought to himd Mr. Burroughs, of the
nature of God; I bless God for It. After that I went to prayer; labouring to e.\alt God;
(it was a good time!) after that I sang the 148th Psalm. Secondly, after that I set my self
to bless God for his benefits and kindnesses to me. But being spent, I did not much; only
going to prayer, I made mention of some mercies; such as these, viz: for Christ; his covenant
of grace; and the promises of it (some of which were piirticularly mentioned and pressed):
also my education; my manifold preservations by land and sea (espueiiilly that in Ipswich Buy)
and manifold tedious sicknesses since; for the long d:iy of God's patience, notwithstanding
many sins; for my comforUibIc provisions all along; for preservl:ig his great name, that I

OE, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.;

623

him,

have in nothing openly dishonoured it ; for my success and acceptance in my woric ; for my
d'^^ir wife, that I had her so long; and that my brother and my dear wife diud both of tlium
;^lorifying of God; they are in heaven, and I am out of hell! that I have hitherto been kept
from distraction and despair, and kept to my work ; that I have any friends (in this strange
land), and any in my family to mind me and tend me; that I have work here, and oppor-
tunities of service ; for my sore crosses and losses of late afflictions and temptations, hoping
they may work for good. Thirdly, to conclude all, with a chearfiil accepting of Christ, iiiid
devoting my self to his service; to do for him, that had done all tliis for me: saying, if God
would help mo to study, he should have all the glory of it." t

Thus did he walk with God. — Ills ministry was very acceptable to the
people, whose good he most aimed at wherever he came: great auditor-
ies usually flocking thereunto, proclaimed it. But that he might not be
lifted tipf it seemed meet unto the wisdom of Heaven to humble him with
sore and long temptations, often recurring to buffet him. In his days, he
saw many disconsolate hours; he was filled with desponding jealousies, lest
"after he had preached unto others, he should be himself a cast-away;"
and he often intreated those who saw the distresses of his mind, "that
they would by no means take up any prejudice against the sweet and
good ways of religion from what they saw of his disconsolate uneasinesses."

It may be, it will be profitable unto some discouraged minr'd, to under-
stand how he expresses himself on such occasions. In sermons on those
words, " I am oppressed, undertake for me," he much described it unto
us. But in his diaries it was thus :

At one <tme.— "I was almost in the suburbs of hell all day; a meer Magor Missabib, I
saw death and .sin full of terror: I thought I never sought the glory of God: Ah! what a
mat^-hlc'ss wretch am I! Oh! that I could love above all things, and seek the glory of God,
and live contentedly on him alone! Oh! thut I could sec the blood of Christ on my soul,
and at the bottom of my profession. Oh ! for a sight of the mystery and majesty of the
grace and love of Jesus Christ; so that all excellencies might full down before it!"

At another time. — I am in a woful frame ; far from siiying, with Dr. Avery, ' Here I lie, not
knowing what God will do with me; but though I thus lie, God doth not terrify me, either
with my sin, or with my death, or with himself.'"

At another time. — ^"If God should yet save my soul, and his work in my hand, it would
be amazing. There is a may he! If these inward troubles hold, I shall be forced to lay
down my work. O Lord, step in for my relief! O the worth of the sense of God's love
in Christ!"

At another time. — ^"I am oppressed unto deiith, and filled with the angry arrows of God:
it ariseth not at present from any particular cause, but the sense of my woful estate in gen-
eral. Oh! that the issue may yet be peace, and that I may not fetch comfort unto my self
but hy faith in Jesus Christ."

At another time. — ^"Oh! that Jesus Christ would undertake for me! If God marvellously
prevent not, I shall lay down my work. O Lord, appear! Oh! for one saving sight of the
love and*loveliness of Jesus Christ. I wish I could say, as my dear tutor Dr. Harrison said,
•That he could not live a day without a fresh manifestation of God unto his soul!'"

At another time. — "The eclipse of the moon last night made one think, 'Oh! that I could
mourn bitterly, who have sinned my self into darkness!' How is the earth interposing!
Lord, temove it. Let the Son of Righteousness in iiis glory and strength yet be seen by me!"

624

MAONALIA OHBISTI AMEBIOANA; r>

At anoOier time. — ^I have much reason to blew God for rebuking of Satan. I have beea
many a time ready to give up all, and lay down my ministry, thinking that God had utterly
forsaken me, and hid Jesus Christ from me; which I would justify him in. But by the con-
sideration of the brazen serpent, I was somewhat recovered."

At another time. — ^"I was now supported by the thoughts of a precious Jestts. I should
for over sink, but for him! When I look backward or forward, upward or downward, T die,
I sink; but when I look at the sweet Jesus, I live. I may resolve, with Dr. Preston, (O that
I could!) saying, 'I have often tryed God, and now FU trust him.' It is a good resolution;
Lord, help mu to it !"

At another time. — ^"I would gladly think *that God is my father.' And, if so, Oh! what
glory is due to the riches of free grace! Oh! how glorious is that grace, and how will it
shine through all eternity I If ever I see my self safe at lost, I must for ever cry out, ' I am
wonderfully saved!'"

In fine, one thing that mucli relieved him in his internal troubles was
what he had occasion (thus) to write in his diary, a little before his end :

"I do more see into the great mystery of our justification by faith, meeriy of grace.
There is no respect in it, unto this or that; but Jesus Christ having wrought out a redemp-
tion for us, and by his active and passive obedience procured a sufficient righteousness, and
making a tender of it in the gospel, it becomes mine by my accepting of it, and relying on it
alone for salvation. And shall I not accept of it? God forbid!

"I see (saith he) there are two things wherein I can't easily exceed, viz: in ascribing to
the grace of God the freeness and richness of it in man's salvation; and in ascribing to the
righteousness of Christ in man's justification. V

At length, dismal pains of the gout, with a complication of other
maladies, confined him for a Quarter of a year together. Under the pains
of his confinement, he took an extraordinary contentment in the fifty -third
chapter of Isaiah, which represents the sorrows of our Lord Jesus Christ,
whereby all our sorrows are sanctified: and he would often roll over those
words of our Saviour, elsewhere occurring, "They pierced my hands and
my feet." When the remainders of his flock, which waited on him to
New-England, visited him, his usual and solemn charge to them was, "I
charge 3'ou, that I find you all safe at last I " My brethren, God make the
charge of your dead pastor abide upon you. For some time in his last
sickness, his heavenly soul was harrassed with terrible discouragements;
under all of which, it was yet a common expression with him, "The Master
hath done all things well !" But at last he arrived unto a blessed satisfac-
tion, that the Lord Jesus Christ had made his peace in Heaven, and that
he was going into eternal peace. Yea, at the worst, he would say, "That
his fear was not so much about the end of all, as about what he migjit
meet withal in the way to that end." He had begun to prepare a sermon
for our South-church, upon those words, "Who is this that comes up from
the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?" and he now spoke of it, as
expressing his own condition; "Thus am I going," said he, "out of the
wilderness of all my temptations, leaning on my blessed Jesus!" AVheu
his affectionate friends were weeping about him, he bestowed this rebuke
upon them: "Away with your idols! away with your idols!" It was not

OR, THE HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.

626

migjit

very long before he fell sick, that he wrote this passage in bis diary: "I
was affected with what I • id of Mr. Shewel of Coventry, who died in the
pulpit. ' Lord, let not ; lie meanly, but in dying bring much glory to
tiiee.'" And now it shn^, be sol At last, just as he was going to expire,
he seemed as if he had some extraordinary apprehensions of the glory in
wliich our Lord Jesus Christ is above enthroned: he strove to speak unto
his vertuous consort, and anon spoke thus much: "OhI what shall I say?
He is altogether lovely!" His worthy sister-in-law then coming to him,
he said, "Oh! all our praises of him here, are poor and low things!" and
then added, "His glorious angels are come for me!" upon the saying
whereof he closed his own eyes, about the time when he still opened his
Bible for his publick labours — on the Lord's day, about three in the after-
noon — and he never opened them any more.

This was he whom you are now going to bury; but, I pray you, bury
not with him all the holy counsels and warnings that we have heard from
him ; remember how you have received and heard.

He was one who took much notice of what was from the oracles of God,
spoken to him in the sermons of other men. He has much replenished
his diaries with remarks of this importance: "I have heard a good word
to-day!" And he would often decline going to feasts, whereto his friends
invited him, that he might go to private meetings in some other parts of the
town, where he might at the same \,\m.Q feast on the word of God. Thus,
more particularly: ' tj

At am time. — ^"I heard a very good word: 'Are ye not carnal? — Ah, Lord, I am carnal.
Tie Lord give me his spirit to malce me spiritual! I was in many things justly reproved:
let me take it, and be wrought into the likeness of this good word."

At another time. — ^"To-day I heard a most precious word, with which I was much edified
and refreshed, viz: 'Christ is all.' Oh! that I might never forget it! Oh! that it might be
written upon the table of my heart! Let ray soul feed upon it for ever. It was very sea>
sonable. Though it was a day most intolerably cold; so cold, that there was little writing
it; yet it heartily warmed me. I needed a Christ Oh ! that I could get him, and keep him
for ever! I would make him my all, and count him my all. I need a whole Christ: Oh!
that I may prize a whole Christ, and improve a whole Christ. I have of late thought that this
may be one evidence of my right unto glory, that Christ is more precious to me than ever."

"What I say upon it is, imitate him in a point so imitable. This preacher
is well worthy to be imitated, as he was an hearer.

You can all testify, that he was none of those cold preachers, whereof
one complains. Verba vitce in quorundum Doctorum Labiis, quantum ad Vir-
tutem et efficaciam, Moriuntur: Adeo enim tepide, adeo remisse, verba Dei
annunciant, ut Extincta in Labiis Eorumpenitus videantur; unde Sicut ipsi
Frigidi sunt et Extincti, sic Frigidos et Extinctos rclinquunt, et utinam non
facerent Auditores.*

* The words of life die on the lip* of loroe teachers, to (hr m all their virtue and effloucy are concerned: for
In inch ■ lukewarm, liilleas manner do they announce Divine truth, that it seems to have (bllen lifeless on their
very tongues; so that, as they are themselves cold and lifeless, they leave their hearers eold and lifeless. Would
tliut they did not make their hearers sometimes permanently sot

Vol. L— 40

626

MAONALIA OHBISTI AMSBIOANA.

For his preaching, he particularly prescribed unto himself, according
to a memorandum which I found thus entred in his diary:

"Old Mr. Thomas Shepheard, when on his denth-bed, sidd unto the young ministers sbout
him, ' that their work was great, and called for great seriousness.' For his own part, he told
them three things. First, that the studying of every sermon cost him tears; he wept in thn
studying of every sermon. Secondly, before he preached any sermon, he got good by it
himself. Thirdly, he always went up into the pulpit, as if he were to give up his accounts
unto his Master. ' Oh 1 tiiat my soul [adds our Bnily ] may remember and practice accordingly !' "

To this his preaching, when he saw God gave any success, he would
still in his private papers take as thankful notice as if great riches had
been heaped in upon him. And yet he would add (such passages I some-
times find):

"Let my soul rejoice. But, Lord, keep me from pride. I desire to be humbled for it.
Do I not know that God makes use of whom he pleases, and usually of the toeakesll 'No
flesh shall glory.'"

But if the word preached by this lively dispenser of it live not in our
lives, after he is dead, he will himself be, which he often told you he
feared he should be in the day of God, a witness against many of you.

That we may then meet him with joy, "Let us remember them who
have spoken to us the word of God, and follow their faith, considering the
end of their conversation." — ^But be thou sensible, all my country of
New-England, how much thou art weakened by the departure of such
blessings to the world of the blessed I

Thy Baily could sometimes write such passages as this (I find) in his
reserved papers:

"There was a day of prayer. God was with me in prayer, helping me to plead with him
an hour and half /or (kit pom- laiid, and in some measure to bdieve for it I hope God will
hear and help."

Such an one taking flight from thee, let thy lamentations thereupon
be heard: "My Father, my Father!"

THE ENb OP VOL. I.

■:V^->

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